Journey to a New Country

A couple of days later, Sonja and Nikolenka were at the train station in Rome, they have arrived after a couple of days of traveling. They were both tired and wanted to get into a hotel as soon as possible. "The countryside was really pretty wasn't it Sonja?" said Nikolenka taking a breath of fresh air. "Yes it certainly was, I'm just glad to be away from everyone else aren't you?" "Oh yes I can't stand the way uncle Nikolai bosses me around, all he does is tell me to study, study, study! I hate the tutor, he's so weird he wears glasses and he picks his nose!" said Nikolenka. "I know how you feel, now Nikolenka help me with these suitcases," said Sonja trying to pick one up. "I can't I've been so relaxed on the train I suppose I ran out of energy!" said Nikolenka trying to help her pick up a suitcase. Then a handsome middle aged man with nice thick black, graying hair, black oriental shaped eyes and well dressed came over to them. "May I help you with those?" he asked. "Sure we could use an extra hand," said Sonja smiling at him, despite the fact that he didn't look like that typical blond haired blue-green eyed Russian, he wasn't bad looking to her. "Oh are you a Russian too?" she asked. "Yes I don't look it, but I'm a decent of a Siberian tribe in Siberia, my mother is white and my father is Oriental. But don't let my biracial looks full you, I'm a very wealthy man, I'm studying business in Italy." He said. "Wow we're studying aboard also," she said. "Oh pardon me for asking, but is that your son?" he asked. "No I'm not married, he's my second cousin removed," she said. "Hi," Nicolai said with a smile. "I'll help you with your things, I'll call a taxi!" he said. "Oh I never caught your name." said Sonja embarrassed. "Oh forgive me, my name is Vasily Dmitivich Mashinev and I'm forty-two years old, may I ask how old you are and your name?" he asked. "My name is Sonja Alexandrovna Rostov, and this is my cousin removed Nicolenka, I'm twenty-seven and Nicolenka is fifteen." she said. "Ok I know this great place you can stay at, its where all the Russians are staying to study abroad," said Vasily. "All right well come on Nicolenka, let's go," she said, and on they went with the gentleman to the Russian Embassy.

Meanwhile in Czarist Russia, it was a Monday and it was time for Nicolenka to study with the tutor, and for Sonja to look after the kids, but for some reason, Natalia told everyone else that Sonja was still upset from the other night and that Nicolenka was still calming her down. During those couple of days, Natalia who was feeling much better then before, pretending to bring Sonja and Nicolenka some food, but instead threw it out the window. On the Monday, Natasha was coming with her infant son Petya to visit Marya, before she arrived, Marya was walking around the huge mansion, and she saw a bit of food on the cement below Sonja's window. "What a slob, if she didn't want to eat then she should have said something to me first before throwing it out the window!" she thought. Then Natasha arrived, she had her son in her arms all nicely dressed up, and she came into the house. She still had those big dark eyes, and long dark brown hair, but she was a little bit fatter then usual. After having four children it pretty much ruined her figure, and she refused to do any exercise. "Hello dear Marya it's good to see you!" said Natasha. "I'm so happy to see you too!" said Marya hugging Natasha with the infant still in her arms. "And how is little Petya doing?" she asked. "Today we went to the park and he saw a couple of birds and cooed when they flew away!" said Natasha. "Oh how sweet! Let me hold him!" said Marya. Meanwhile Nikolai who heard the women talking loudly then ever, thought to himself, "Oh they're acting like typical women again, going silly over a baby."

The ladies sat down and started talking a lot about life, especially Natasha, she was quite a chatterbox that she had always been. Whenever she wouldn't shut up, Marya would just nod her head yes or no, and then she would think to herself, "When am I going to have a turn to speak? I love Natasha, but she talks too much sometimes." "So where is Sonja, I have so much to tell her!" said Natasha. "Oh she's mad at all of us, especially me and Densiov, we all got into a little spat the other night and Densiov was flirting with her and I was encouraging him and she went straight to her room." "Oh but I think she and Densiov would make a lovely couple, when is she going to get a man someday? So when are we going to have tea?" Then Marya realized, she needed tea to be served, "I'll go get Sonja right now," she then excused herself and went to Sonja's room and knocked on the door. "Sonja dear you've been in there for days, Natasha is here and would like to talk to you!" she knocked again, but there was still no answer, so she got the key out and unlocked the door. "Sonja dear Natasha is here to see you and she would like some tea….." she noticed that the room was just empty. "Sonja where are you?!" she then ran to Natasha. "So where is Sonja?" asked Natasha. "She's gone! I could have sworn she was here!" said Marya. Then the tutor for Nikolenka came into the room huffing and puffing. "Have you seen Nikolenka?" asked the tutor. "I honestly thought he was with you!" said Marya. "He never showed up for his lesson," said the tutor. "There is only one other person who would know where they are!" said Marya.

So they went to Natalia's room and she was lying on the bed resting. "Natalia, where is Sonja and Nikolenka?!" asked Marya. "She's probably out in the garden somewhere picking flowers to put in a vase," said Natalia. "Don't lie to me! Tell me where she is!" said Marya all upset. "I don't know where she is, the last time I saw both of them I was waving goodbye to them," said Nataila. "What in the world are you talking about old woman!" asked Marya. "Oh I gave her the money that Nikolai gave to me to give to her, and she's in Europe somewhere studying abroad," said Natalia. "What?! You gave her the money she was supposed to buy clothing and food for herself, and you let her spend it on studying abroad! How much was it exactly?" asked Marya. "Only 36,200,000.76 rubles," said Natalia like it wasn't anything at all, but it was, it was at least 1,000,000 dollars in US currency. "Natalia that's too much money! Did Nikolai seriously give her that much money to spend on herself?!" asked Marya. "Dear Nikolai and I had a very serious talk and we both decided that Sonja needed to spend some time away from us by studying abroad so she won't feel like an outsider to us," said Natalia. "Why didn't he talk this over with me! He never tells me anything anymore!" said Marya. "It's his problem now, I just hope that when Sonja returns that she can feel like one of the family," said Natalia. "Well I have been very hard on her, who could blame her for wanting to get away from me," said Marya.

Next thing you know, Nikolai was in his study looking out the window smoking his pipe when Marya came into the room and walked up to him. "Nikolai we need to have a talk right now!" she said. "What's the matter you look like you're upset about something," he said calmly. "I just found out from your mother that you gave Sonja 36, 200, 000.76 rubles so she could study abroad! Why didn't you talk this over with me before this happened?!" said Marya. "I didn't want you to be mad at me. I thought you were being a little bit harsh with Sonja, who has done so much for us, who has sacrificed her happiness for you and me. I thought she deserved a break from us, you know how she gets headaches dealing with the children," he said. "I'll admit, I was being a little bit hard on her lately, I don't mean to be cruel to her. Honestly I don't, it's just that I can't believe that you were involved with your cousin, it's incest!" said Marya. "Those days are over, I'm not in love with her anymore, and I don't think she loves me anymore either," said Nikolai. "Well as long as I can feed my family then that's all that really matters to me," said Marya embracing Nikolai. Natasha watching the whole plot unfold just went back into the living room with her infant son in her arms.

Meanwhile Rome, Sonja was checking into an embassy with Nikolenka and Vasily. "I can't believe that there is a Russian embassy," said Sonja. "Well there is apparently because we're in one," said Nikolenka. "Oh Nikolenka don't be so sarcastic, all I need to do is fill some information out and we'll be in our room in no time." Sonja said as she took a pen and filled some papers out. A few minuets later they were in their room, and Vasily helped them take their suitcases to the room and put them on the beds for them. "I would like to call on you for tea tonight is that all right with you, or do you have to study?" asked Vasily. "Oh I'm all right, but yes I would like to join you for tea, only if Nikolenka can come too," said Sonja. "Of course he can, a friend of yours is a friend of mine," he said and he left to go to his room. Nikolenka looked at Sonja, "Is it my imagination or is that man calling on you?" he asked. "He's a gentleman and very handsome might I admit," said Sonja. "No I clearly think he might be calling on you for a different reason, you can't get involved with him either, uncle Nikolai would be furious if he found out you were in love with an Oriental from Siberia." said Nikolenka. "Don't be ridicules Nikolenka, we don't even know each other enough to love each other yet," said Sonja laughing. "Now come on let's get ready for tea," said Sonja as she was unpacking.