Meeting Papa
1134 Words
“Where is papa?”
“Oh, he is with his doctor. That’s why I came to receive you.”
“ Is he alright? Something happened?”
“Oh, No. Nothing happened. It’s just a regular check-up. He is just fine. Come, I will take you to him.”
Natia turned to take her luggage. It was only then she remembered that in the excitement to meet papa, she didn’t wait to retrieve her backpack from the external baggage compartment of the helicopter. She only had her convertible bag with her.
She hastily turned to look for the helicopter. It hasn’t left. Thank god!
“It’s not going anywhere. Your father brought it over on this trip, because it was the fastest one in his collection. You know, for medical emergencies. Apparently he wasn’t satisfied with the ones that are part of the yacht,” Valentin said, watching her looking at the helicopter.
‘Oh. Of course it was father’s helicopter and not a rented one.’ Natia thought, remembering Aleksandr taking the packet of nuts from under the seat. Was that from his stash of snacks? she wondered.
The only other time Natia was on the yacht, she didn’t come by helicopter. But, she now remembers papa talking to her about the two helicopters that were part of the yacht. They must be in the hanger. She thought.
“I need to get my luggage,” she said.
“Don’t worry about it. Someone will bring it to your room.” He said. “Shall we?”
Natia nodded and followed him.
Maria was a five hundred foot long mega-yacht. Papa had named it after his mother. Well, she used to wonder if he had named it after her, when she visited nine years ago. But, it appeared he named both her and the yacht after his mother.
They entered the elevator. They were currently on the seventh deck. The yacht had a total of nine decks. One helipad was on this level and there was another one on the fourth deck. The medicine room was on the third deck.
The elevator took them to the third deck. The gym was also on this level. She remembered. If there was anything else there, she doesn’t remember it. She was only an eight-year-old girl then. So, she doesn’t remember everything.
The medicine room was actually a small hospital. A very advanced one. They found Andrey as soon as they entered the room.
“Oy, Andreika! Here is your daughter safely delivered.” Valentin called out. He then winked at her and left the room.
“Masha!”
He seemed to have finished his check-up. Natia ran ahead and hugged him. Her father laughed and hugged her back.
“Papa, is everything alright? What did the doctor say?”
She asked him after pulling away and taking a good look at him. He looked tired and seemed to have lost weight since the last time she saw him.
“Of course I am alright. There is nothing to worry about. Now tell me about yourself. Oh wait, let's go sit somewhere first.” He took her hand and began to lead her to the elevator.
“But, you look really tired.” She couldn’t keep the worry out of her voice.
Andrey just shook his head. “I am fine, Mashenka. Let’s sit and talk. Okay?”
They entered the elevator and Andrey pushed the button for the eighth deck and typed in a code when prompted. The eighth deck had the two owner's penthouse suits. She had stayed in one, the last time with her mother. But, she knew she wouldn’t be staying in one this time, since papa's whole family was there.
After reaching the eighth deck, Andrey left the elevator with Natia. They walked through a corridor and stopped in front of a door. There was a similar door on the opposite side. Natia knew one of them was a two-bedroom suit while the other was a single bedroom suit.
Andrey took a key card and opened the door. The door opened to a sitting room. The door on the left of the sitting area led to the bedrooms and bathroom. It was the two-bedroom suit. And to the right of the sitting room was a spacious balcony verandah separated by a glass door. The verandah had a small dining table with chairs and a plunge pool and lounge chairs.
Andrey made her sit on the couch. “Did you eat something? Of course not.Wait, I will order something first. You go wash up.” He went to give instructions to someone on the intercom while she went to the bathroom to wash her hands and face.
“So, how was your journey? Did you get along with Aleksandr?”
“That was all fine. Now, tell me the truth.”
“Truth?”
Someone knocked on the door then.
It was a crew member. He pushed in a food trolley. Natia was actually surprised when he brought in a samovar. He set the samovar, two glasses and two podstakannik or glass holders on the table. He had also brought with him a plate of meat pies and another plate of sushkie.
“It’s time you experienced some Russian culture,” Andrey told her when the crew member left.
“I have had Russian tea before, you know. You forgot my grandpa is crazy about tea. Tea means every kind of tea.”
“That’s true.” Andrey laughed.
The Russian tea was brewed with metal containers called samovars. A teapot or a small basin at the top brews a strong tea concentrate called zavarka. It was then diluted with boiling water from the main chamber to one’s liking.
The samovar brought over was highly decorated in bright colors. 'Is that an electric one?' She wondered. The one at her home was a plain brass samovar which was heated on the stove top.
Natia took one glass and prepared the tea for her. And for Andrey in the other. Then she put them on the podstakanniks. The podstakanniks were gilded with gold and silver.
She took a bite of a meat pie. It was really good and she was really hungry. So she ended up having three meat pies. When she was full, she turned to Andrey.
“Don’t think I forgot about what we were talking about. I want the truth. You keep telling me you are fine. But, you don’t look fine. What’s going on? And why did you insist on going on this trip in your condition?”
Andrey sighed.
“I really am fine; for now.”
“What does that mean?”
“I might need surgery to get better.”
- Writer
