Chapter 1, An Empty Feeling
Sonja had finally reached rock bottom, she never had her happily ever after, her friend and cousin Natasha and her husband Pierre did, now Natasha was a stout woman with four children, three girls and one boy. Nikolai no longer loved her, instead he married that plain woman named Marya and had a couple of children with her. It was a very awkward and heavy burden for Sonya, she not only lived with Nikolai and Marya, but she also had to look after his aging mother, her aunt Countess Natalia Rostov. Sonja had been told many times by her aunt that she should no longer be in love with Nikolai, because not only was it wrong because they were cousins, but because he was now married to a rich girl, someone she would never become. Sonja also felt embarrassed around Marya and sometimes Marya would give her a hard time and not really notice, like for instance, she would kiss Nicolai in front of Sonja, and Sonja who was very prone to jealousy would just walk out of the room. If that wasn't bad enough, then Marya becoming best friends with Natasha was, Marya had stolen Sonja's best friend from her, and now Natasha and Sonja had nothing in common anymore. Sometimes Sonja wouldn't even show up for dinner, she couldn't be around that lover and friend stealer.
One faithful day, Sonja was washing the dishes and the children ran into the kitchen and started screaming and pulling each other's hair. "Stop pulling my hair Natasha!" said Andryusha. "I'll rip your hair out so that you'll become bald!" said Natasha. Sonja turned around irritated with the children and pulled them away from each other, "Now stop it you two! That's enough, pulling hair isn't a nice thing to do!" said Sonja. Just then Marya came in, she had her dark hair all put up, and she looked horribly pale, she then glared at Sonja, "Don't tell my children what to do, they're not your children!" she said. "Excuse me, but who taught them to have manners! You barely even pay attention to your kids all you ever do is follow Nikolai around! They're always coming to me for help with their problems!" said Sonja. "Watch your tongue you wench, you know that I love my Nikolai a lot so how would you know about being married or having children, now don't ever tell my children what to do ever again!" And with that, Marya stepped out of the kitchen and the children followed her.
Sonja was just so angry, that woman had taken her unhappiness out on Sonja for the last time, she was so angry that she just went into Countess Natalia's room. "Hello Sonja how are you today?" she asked weakly, now Natalia and Sonja had become the best of friends and were both equally annoyed with Marya patronizing Sonja. "That woman drives me crazy, I swear if I ever see her again I will kill her!" she said. "Now you know that killing is a sin, and it won't be tolerated by me, yes Sonja sometimes I wish I could kill her myself, but I can't because she has money and Nicolai married her for it." she said. "I just don't think it's fair that Nicolai doesn't love me anymore, when will I ever find the right person? Will I ever find him aunt Natalia?" asked Sonja. "Remember it's like my father used to tell me, if someone doesn't love you then someone better will come along." said Natalia grabbing Sonja's hand and pressing it. "Yah if it isn't an arranged marriage! This society is so horrible, I wouldn't even raise my children in it! All the rich ever do is laugh at the poor, Nikolai has become such a snob all he ever does is laugh at the poor!" said Sonja. "Now aren't we judging to harshly?" asked Natalia. "No I really think he hates the poor," said Sonja. "I know someone who likes you a lot, and he's coming for dinner tonight," said Natalia. "Oh no, not Denisov! He can't even talk right, he pronounces his words with ghs in them. He talks so funny!" said Sonja. "Now dear you shouldn't judge other people, it's not ladylike. But just get to know him and see where it leads to," said Natalia. "All right I'll give him a chance aunt," said Sonja kissing Natalia's cheek.
That night Denisov came over for dinner, and he was looking more handsome then ever, his big black eyes shined brightly and his thick black hair was combed so nicely. Everyone sat at the table, Marya next to Nikolai, little Natasha next to Andryusha, Natalia next to Prince Andrey's son Nikolenka, and finally Sonja next to Denisov. "Oh my goodness, I'm so glad to see you! Its been a long time!" said Denisov. "What have you been doing old friend, have you taken a wife yet?" asked Nikolai. "No not yet, I'm still waiting for the ghright girl! Who knows maybe she's in the veghry ghroom!" said Densiov staring at Sonja. Sonja smiled a sarcastic smile, "Hey Sonja, you know how ghRussians aghre into the mysticism now-a-days?" asked Densiov. "No what do you mean?" she asked. "Well I bought you a newspapeghr with the zodiac signs in them, I've been ghreading the hoghroscope section lately. Here is my sign" he said pointing to a zodiac sign that looked like a justice scales. "What's a Libra?" asked Sonja. "I have no idea, but I was boghrn on Octobeghr fifth so I'm a Libghra, why don't you show me youghr sign," he said. "Very well I guess, I was born on November 2" she said. "Let's see heghre, ah ha!" he said pointing to what appeared to be a shape of a Scorpion. "You're a Scoghrpio! I guess I have to watch you from now on!" he said laughing obnoxiously. "What's that supposed to mean?" asked Sonja. "Don't you know, Scoghrpios are supposed to be the most jealous and vengeful sign of the Zodiac family!" said Densiov. "No I don't believe in that stuff I'm afraid!" said Sonja as she pinched his leg. "Ouch you must ghreally like me!" he said. "Well my birthday is October 29!" said Marya. "Oh what luck you're a Scoghrpio too!" said Densiov. "Oh this is a bunch of nonsense don't you agree dear?" asked Nikolai. "Yes I have to agree with Nikolai, except maybe I'm a bit of a Scorpio myself" said Marya laughing.
"Oh enough of this nonsense I say we talk about politics," said Natalia. "No I don't think so mother, because wherever we talk about politics you get all goofy about it" said Nikolai. "Who knows maybe she has something good to point out!" said Sonja. "Oh what would you know anyways?" asked Marya. "Now Masha leave Sonja alone, besides she talks to mother more then you do, so maybe she knows if mother does have something good to say about politics," said Nikolai. "Ok fine what have you to say Natalia?" asked Marya. "Did you hear that Napoleon is in Russia!" said Natalia. "Oh great here we go again," said Nikolenka. "No mother that was years ago! Father is dead now, Russia is safe from invaders and now everything is just fine!" said Nikolai. "Oh sorry I'm so sorry I'm just so old that I wish I could tell what is happening now and what isn't." said Natalia. "Well heghre! Ghread the newspaper!" said Densiov handing the old countess the newspaper. "Why what a gentleman! Don't you agree Sonja?" asked Natalia winking. "Yes and no." said Sonja. "Come on Sonja why don't you like me? I'm a perfectly a nice guy, I won't hurt you ever!" said Densiov. "Yes Sonja he's not that bad looking!" teased Marya. "Excuse me, I have to go to my room now!" she said running to her room. "Oh Sonja come back!" said Nikolai. "I'll go talk to her!" said Nikolenka as he got up from his seat and went to Sonja's room.
Nikolenka, who was close to his aunt Marya was also close to Sonja, sometimes Nikolenka also got stuck in the middle of their arguments with each other. He walked into her room, and saw her crying. "What the matter Sonja?" asked Nikolenka. "I'm so upset at Densiov! How dare he call on me while we're eating dinner!" she said. "Now don't you think you're blowing this out of proportion a little bit?" asked Nikolenka. "I can't help it I'm very sensitive and I just don't want him loving me!" she said. "Oh come on he's not a bad person, besides I think he was kind of kidding around a little bit," said Nikolenka. "No he wasn't! I want to get away from that toad, I want to get away from everyone!" said Sonja as she took out a suitcase and started putting clothing in it. "What in the world are you doing?!" asked Nikolenka. "I'm packing I'm going to study abroad! I'm going to Italy, I'm leaving for the train to Finland and I'm going to take a train to Rome!" said Sonja. "What in the world, but we need you, who's going to look after Natalia? Isn't that your job?" asked Nikolenka. "Oh I think that Marya needs to spend some quality time with Natalia anyways!" said Sonja. "Then I'm coming with you!" said Nikolenka. "What you too, why you? Don't you have studies to attend to?" asked Sonja. "I hate studying! All I want to do is get out and see the world too!" said Nikolenka.
"What in the world is going on in here?" asked Natalia. "Nothing!" said Sonja. "Is that a suitcase?" asked Natalia. "No why?" asked Sonja. "You're not leaveing are you?" asked Natalia. "Yes I am I want to get far away from this place!" said Natalia. "Well here I'll help you pack!" said Natalia and she helped Sonja put some shirts in the suitcase. "I'll go get my suitcase too!" said Nikolenka running down the hallway. "Here!" Natalia said handing Sonja some money. "What's this?" asked Natalia. "Its some money that Nikolai gave to me to give to you so you can buy something for yourself and believe me it's a lot of money, so you can not only buy your train tickets, but also so you can study abroad and eat," said Natalia. "Thank you aunt, you don't have any idea how much this means to me!" said Sonja. She kissed Natalia on the cheek and called a taxi and later that evening when everyone, except Sonja, Nikolenka and Natalia, was asleep the taxi stopped in front of the house and Natalia waved goodbye to Sonja and Nikolenka and the taxi took them to the Moscow train station.