Love in E Flat (34 page)

“Yes, I would like to stay here. But I do not want you to be alone.”

“I will never be alone as long as I know both of you are happy and safe. Besides, I will have Lou with me.”

“She is good company?” Dmitry grinned and took off his glasses.

Agata shrugged. “She will do.”

Dmitry laughed along with her. She opened her arms, and both children flew into them.

“Is good,” Agata said, holding on for the last time.

Epilogue

Agata paced back and forth in her dressing room. The winter storm was getting worse in Connecticut, and she wondered if Lou would get a plane out of Chicago. It had been four long months since she had seen Lou, who worked like a dog to get her last assignment finished.

“Five minutes, Madam Karetnikov.”

“Dear God, where is she?” Agata looked at her reflection in the mirror. She looked older, hating the wrinkles that formed by the corner of her eyes. She adjusted her dress and brushed her hair one last time. “She is not coming,” she said dejectedly, but when someone knocked at her door, she grinned and threw it open. It was the young man from the orchestra.

“I’ll take your cello up in one minute.”

“Thank you,” Agata said and closed the door. She looked at the cello for a long moment before she picked it up.

“Ya know my cousin is an orthopedic surgeon. He can have that thing surgically removed…”

Agata whirled around to see Lou standing in the doorway, wearing a parka and covered in snow.

“What is it with you and bad weather? Wasn’t it just this time last Christmas when—”

Agata let out a screech and launched herself into Lou’s arms, kissing her face, her forehead, her chin, all the while Lou held on and laughed. Agata pulled back. “The children?”

Lou shook her head sadly. “Couldn’t get out. I’m so sorry, honey. I know how you wanted to see them.”

A physical pang rippled through Agata. But she smiled. “Is okay. I will see them soon. I am so glad you are here, Loushka. I have missed you so.”

“Well, if that welcome was any indication…” She kissed Agata once again. “And I am officially free as a bird.” She strutted around the dressing room.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, the article I did on you last Christmas won the Pulitzer if you recall.”

Agata raised an eyebrow. “Yes, I know. It was wonderful.”

“So Ron finally agreed to let me freelance and write whatever I want and send it in weekly.”

“No more traveling between here and Chicago?”

“Nope.”

“No more waiting for you for months?”

“Nope.”

“We finally can find a place and live together?”

“Nope. I mean yep.”

Agata laughed. “And the children?” she asked softly. “They are still happy?”

“Yes, Aggie. They are all very happy. And they miss you.”

The young man poked his head in. “Ready, madam. I’ll take that.” He picked up the cello and headed out.

“Hey, be careful with that fiddle,” Lou called after him. “That’s an expensive chunk of wood.”

Agata laughed again and pulled Lou out of the dressing room. “Go stand in wings and wait for me.”

“I don’t even get a seat?” Lou asked as Agata pushed her. “Okay, I’m going, I’m going.”

*******

Agata stood at the stage entrance, smoothing her dress and taking a deep breath. Across the stage, Lou waved and blew her a kiss. Agata laughed, wondering how lucky she could be. When she heard her cue, she walked onto the stage to thunderous applause. She made her way to her cello, after bowing to the audience and the conductor and sat down.

It was then she saw him offstage. He was taller than the last time she saw him. His hair was cut shorter, and his complexion a bit more tanned, but his cheeks were still rosy, as if he had just come out of the cold, which Agata knew he had. He filled out his cutaway tuxedo much better now; the year had been very good to him. He indeed looked happy and content as Lou had said. And if he was happy, so was Ana.

Trying desperately not to cry, Agata watched as Dmitry walked onto the stage. She expected him to walk directly up to the piano, but he did not. Instead, he walked up to her and held out his hand, which Agata took.

“Hello, Agata,” he said, smiling, his voice sounding so much older. He bent down and kissed her hand.

“Dmitry,” she whispered, holding back her tears.

“Shall we play?” His eyes brimmed with tears. “Let us play for them. All of them.”

“
Da
,” she said, sitting tall in her chair; she raised her bow. “For all of them.”

About the author

Kate Sweeney, a 2010 Alice B. Medal winner, was the 2007 recipient of the Golden Crown Literary Society award for Debut Author for
She Waits
,
the first in the
Kate Ryan Mystery
series. The series also includes
A Nice Clean Murder,
The Trouble with Murder,
a
2008 Golden Crown Award winner for Mystery
,
Who’ll Be Dead for Christmas?
a 2009 Golden Crown Award winner for Mystery,
Of Course It’s Murder, What Happened in Malinmore
, and
A Near Myth Murder
.

Other novels include
Away from the Dawn
,
Survive the Dawn
,
Before the Dawn,
Residual Moon,
a
2008 Golden Crown Award winner for Speculative Fiction
, Liar’s Moon,
The O’Malley Legacy, Winds of Heaven, Sea of Grass, Paradise, Love at Last, Someday I’ll Find You, Moon Through the Magnolia, Stone Walls,
and
Second Time Around
.

Born in Chicago, Kate moved to Louisiana, and this Yankee doubts she’ll ever get used to saying y’all. Humor is deeply embedded in Kate’s DNA. She sincerely hopes you will see this when you read her novels, short stories, and other works. Email Kate at [email protected].
 

Also by Kate Sweeney

The Kate Ryan Series:

She Waits

A Nice Clean Murder

The Trouble With Murder

Who’ll Be Dead For Christmas?

Of Course It’s Murder

What Happened In Malinmore

A Near Myth Murder

The Dawn Series:

Away From The Dawn

Survive The Dawn

Before The Dawn

The Moon Series:

Residual Moon

Liar’s Moon

Romance:

The O’Malley Legacy

Winds Of Heaven

Sea Of Grass

Love At Last

Paradise

Someday I’ll Find You

Moon Through The Magnolia

Stone Walls

Second Time Around

Published by

Intaglio Publications

Walker, La.

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your local bookstore.

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