Casing the Colors © Week 36

Casing the Colors © Week 36 • • • CHAPTER 54 • • Kate was happy with Alexei. They worked hard every day, trying to build a free and prosperous Russia while holding the hard-liners at bay. She seldom thought about Scott, except when his military units became too noisy in the defense of his vision of America. But, every month or so, Maurice Julien would call her. He was the only person she knew who expressed utter disgust with the entire world. "Come away to the desert," he would softly whisper, "come away, my dear." She knew she never would. But, the crescent moon above the warm Sahara breezes haunted her imagination. After the birth of her son Alexander in late February 2024, as she watched him playing and giggling in the nursery, she often asked herself if he would ever know the passion of a life lived for himself, or simply the fulfillment of a life lived for others. Kate wished for him more of passion than of fulfillment. But, one thing was rock solid. Their son was growing and a healthy baby who gave them both pleasure and pride. Then, in May 2024, as if taunting her repressed feelings for General Julien and repaying her occasional mental infidelity, serious economic setbacks in Moscow and the deliberate determination of General Bennett and the West to continue their lack of commitment to Russia's economic needs, catapulted Alexei into a nightmare of political challenges, which rapidly deteriorated into military threats from the hard-liners who had never accepted his role as elected president of the Russian republic. Kate spent day after day in their Kremlin apartment, going out only to visit the US Embassy when she wanted to talk to her father on a secure US phone line or to the Ambassador about her fears for Alexei and his dream of a democratic Russia. Alexander filled her hours, but she was constantly worried that he would be harmed personally by his father's battle for the soul of Russia. One morning in July 2024, the telephone in the Kremlin apartment rang. It was Alexei, calling from his presidential office. "Katharine," he said quietly, "my bodyguard is coming to the apartment. I want you to pack anything you don't want to lose and go with him. You must take Alexander out of Russia until the situation here stabilizes." "Alexei, I will not leave unless you come with me," she said, shaking, despite her effort to control her nerves. "Do not argue, Katharine. Go. Now. I cannot guarantee your safety much longer." "I'll go to the US Embassy. I'll be safe there." "Try to think clearly. If you and Alexander were in the US Embassy here in Moscow, the hard-liners would simply have one more lever to use against me. Please, Darling, if you love me, go now." "Alexei, you know I love you, but don't make me leave you like this." "It won't be for long. I've arranged for you to go to France. Jacques LeNoir and Maurice Julien will be waiting for you. They will take care of everything. I'm sorry, Darling, but I must stay here. It is my destiny. Never forget that I love you, more than everything." "Except Russia," she thought, fully realizing at last that Alexei, like Scott, was driven by a singular passion. "Alexei, come with us", she pleaded one last time. "I give you every embrace, every passion I have. Be brave," Alexei said as the phone went dead. In a blur of anxiety, Kate was packed and the bodyguard took her and Alexander to a waiting car and went with them to a military airport. She and Alexander flew to a military base near Paris, in a successful attempt to prevent publicity. As Maurice Julien put his arms around her in welcome, Kate believed she would never see Russia again. But she never said the words, not to Maurice, not to Jacques LeNoir, not even to her father when he came to General Julien's chateau to try to comfort her. • • The news from Russia was enormously sinister, both from the media and what came through diplomatic means. Alexei was in hiding somewhere near Moscow, still holding his band of republicans together while Scott tried to decide whether to commit the US to intervention to help him. Alexei's lieutenants were routinely detained and mistreated, but they were pawns rather than targets of the hard-liners. Only Alexei would satisfy their need to forever eliminate the freedom fighters. In her anxiety, Kate couldn't find even the smallest pleasure in Maurice's company or his splendid home. Understanding, he simply tried to provide for her. One morning, several weeks after she arrived in France, Maurice was sitting with Kate in the garden room, while General Gordon walked in the garden holding Alexander. A servant came into the room and gave Kate an envelope. As she opened it, Alexei's gold and ruby wedding ring fell onto her lap. She made a frightened fist tight around the ring and handed the envelope to Maurice. Maurice read aloud. "My Darling, do not be sad or worry about me. We will one day win this fight. And when we win, I will come for you. But for now, Katharine, be happy. Maurice loves you. Be happy with him for me. It will give me great comfort to know that you are feeling passion...passion for all of us in this ruthless world." Maurice knelt beside her as tears ran down her cheeks. He touched them with his slender fingers as he finished reading the note. "Kiss Alexander every hour for me and never let him forget our Russia. Forever, your Alexei." Maurice put the note in her hand. It was in Alexei's handwriting. "Katharine, he's alive," Maurice said. "Have courage. Men with great causes find ways to survive." She put the letter back into its envelope and slipped Alexei's large ring onto her thumb. As she reached out for Maurice's hand, she said a prayer to the gods she had never completely believed in to keep Alexei safe and bring him back to her. Maurice held her hand for a moment and then stood up and pulled her to her feet, wrapping her in his arms. His fingers stroked her hair as he spoke softly. "I adore you, my darling one, and so does Alexei. Be strong for him and for Alexander. Trust me with the love you feel for Alexei, and the love I know you feel for me. When he comes for you, I want to be able to tell him that you were sometimes happy with me. That was all he asked when he entrusted you and Alexander to me." As the world spun around her, Kate Gordon could only remember the beautiful shawl Alexei had given her the night they were married. "May its light be bright enough to give you a path back to me. Look for the other shore, Alexei, and find me again," she prayed to a seemingly indifferent universe.