Reunited After 25 Years 29: Breakfast In Bed

Andrea relayed the entire conversation she'd had with Phuong to her son. When she was finished, Denny and Darya both sat gaping in shock.

"So I'm not really an only child, after all," Denny finally said. "I guess I'd better hurry home, then. She may be there waiting for me."

"Don't forget the fish," said Darya.

"Oh, yeah," said Denny, grabbing the cooler's handle.

"We were going to share with Papa and Andrea, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. That's right." Denny hurriedly took a few fish out of the cooler and placed them on the counter, then left, his mind obviously no longer on visiting with his mother and stepfather.

"Well, at least the problem of what to do about dinner tonight is solved." Anton chuckled as he transferred the fish to a bucket. "I will clean them before I get started on the greenhouse." He came to Andrea and gently touched her cheek. "You will be all right, will you not?"

"Sure." She forced a smile. "I'll do baked potatoes and coleslaw."

When Anton came back inside several hours later, he noticed that Andrea was sitting on the sofa poring over old photograph albums. She looked up and jumped, startled. "Oh! I need to get the potatoes started..."

"It is all right. I am not that hungry." Anton sat beside her. "Reliving old memories, are you?"

"The only Christmas we spent together." Andrea pointed to a photo. "He kissed me under the mistletoe." She pointed to another photo. "The last picture of us together before he left for Vietnam. He told me he loved me and that he'd sleep with my picture under his pillow every night. I just can't believe he could have done it."

"I know that you hurt very much, but perhaps you should not judge him too...how do you say?...harsh," Anton said gently. "He was all alone in a strange place, in war time, and did not know if he would live another day. It was only normal that he would seek comfort wherever he could find it."

"I was lonely too, but I waited for him!"

"Yes, I know. But perhaps it is harder for a man than for a woman. I remember there was one time I was in Minsk, I had too much vodka to drink, and a woman of the night came to me. I could not refuse."

"You told me you never cheated on Nadya!"

"I never did. It was before I met Nadya."

"Must not have been too long after we met, then."

"Maybe six months after or so."

"Men." Andrea spat the word out. "You just can't keep your pants zipped, can you?"

"Dearest Andrea." Anton laughed. "You know I will never unzip mine for anyone but you from now on."

Andrea sighed. "Well, I suppose I'd better get dinner started."

Images of Dennis with a Vietnamese waitress combined with those of Anton with a Belorussian prostitute tormented her for the rest of the evening. No matter how hard he tried, Anton couldn't get a smile from her. He wanted to make love that night, but she refused his advances. After tossing and turning for several hours, she finally fell into a fitful sleep at about three or four o'clock.

She awoke at about mid morning to find herself in bed alone. A moment later, Anton appeared in the doorway with a cup of coffee and a plate with scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast and jelly.

"Oh, Anton!"

"You had a hard day yesterday, so I made you breakfast this morning." He smiled and took the food to her.

"You're such a sweetheart!" She threw her arms around his neck and held him close, inhaling his fresh, musky scent. "I'm sorry I was so nasty to you yesterday. I was very upset, and I took it all out on you."

"It made you feel bad when I told you about the woman in Minsk, right?"

"Yeah, but I overreacted big time. I shouldn't have said what I did."

"That is all right. It is normal that you would be very much hurt, but your Dennis loved you. I know he did."

"Well, he sure had a funny way of showing it!"

"Listen, Andrea, I think that maybe there is a difference between men and women. I hope that you are not angry that I said that, but it is true. Like the woman in Minsk, for example. I never saw her again after that one time, and I do not even know her name."

"But you never forgot me, and we never even came close to making love!"

"Of course I did not! How could I ever forget my Andrea?"

She kissed him, long and deep and hard. Breakfast instantly forgotten, he joined her in bed, and this time she welcomed his advances wholeheartedly.