From Russia to Family

Chapter 12 Christmas

Uppingham, England

1944, December

Masha, Florence and Lyudmilla sat in their lounge room with the T.V playing. Their record player crackled as its vinyl had finished. They watched as a news reel came on.

"The Germans have launched a major offensive against our boys in France and Belgium!"

Lyudmilla scowled.

"Why can they not just give up?"

Florence blew on her cup of tea.

"They're tenacious."

Masha just stared at the television. Florence noticed, smiling at her.

"Cheer up Masha! It won't be long now."

"In other news! Our chaps in the air are giving Germany a beating every night now, the war will be over soon"

They all became silent as they watched the footage of huge planes above Germany at night. Masha checked her watch.

"It's time."

Florence sculled the rest of her tea like a shot, standing up and placing the cup and saucer on the coffee table.

"Let's go then shall we?"

The three girls crested the hill. Lyudmilla placed the large blanket down on the grass as Masha opened the picnic basket and handed the others a hot cross bun. As they all sat down, they began to hear it. It began as a low hum. Florence grinned.

"Get ready girls."

Masha took a bite of her roll and began chewing as she looked in the direction of the sound...The hum turned to a drone and suddenly, a huge bomber was just metres above them, climbing up into the sky. Masha swallowed and smiled.

"Wooohooo!" Lyudmilla was ecstatic, raising her hands up as if to touch the bombers above.

Masha giggled as the Russian woman stood up and ran circles. Now the formation passed them, with hundreds and hundreds of the steel beasts thundering past just above their heads. The last one of the group even tipped its wings from side to side a little...The three girls stood up and watched the formation of bombers fade into the distance as they soared higher and higher into the sky.

"Wow. They were so loud."

Florence looked at Masha, then up at the bombers, swivelling from side to side.

"Monstrous things, my ears are ringing."

The two looked at Lyudmilla, whom stood in awe.

"I want to be a pilot."

Florence's voice was stern and almost deadly.

"No."

"Yes."

"Absolutely not."

"Why?"

"Why! Because they're dangerous, and loud, and filthy and horrible."

"Florence I said pilot, that means it can be any plane."

Florence narrowed her eyes.

"Oh c'mon! That would be so cool to fly around the world and carry people wherever."

She gave up. Florence, that is.

"Alright, fine. Can we just go home now? Poor Masha is shivering."

Lyudmilla looked at the 11 year old and felt bad. She slipped her coat off and wrapped it around the girl. Florence and Lyudmilla packed everything up and made for home.

Once inside Masha switched the television off and sat up at the bench. She practiced English from her school workbook as Florence cooked dinner.

"Masha, come here would you?"

"Sure."

As she came up to the pot and began stirring Florence slipped an apron over Masha's head.

"Your English is very good you know?"

"I've been speaking it for four years, I'd hope so."

Florence laughed as she sliced some tomatoes.

"Yes I suppose that's true...Now what about your maths?"

The girl groaned.

'It's Christmas! Leave maths out of it!"

Florence squirted some tomato onto Masha's apron.

"Hey!!"

The woman laughed.

"C'mon!! What's eight times five?"

"Forty."

"Twelve times twelve?"

"One hundred aaand...forty four."

"Very good. Now, last one, what's one hundred and forty four divided by 12?"

"..."

Florence chuckled.

"It's twelve Massa!!"

"Aahh, you twit!"

She flicked water from her stirring spoon at Florence, who just laughed and took over the stirring once more.

"Slide the tomatoes in please."

"Mhm."

"Right now go get changed!"

"You aren't my mum you know."

"That's right, and that's exactly why I don't care about you!"

"Hey!"

Masha set off down the hall to her room. Florence called after her.

"I'm kidding!"

Masha stuck her tongue out at her.

As she came back out Florence was serving dinner, Lyudmilla was setting a record on.

"Masha, come."

She went over to the Russian woman and stood there awkwardly.

"Would you dance with me?"

The song started.

'Have yourself, a merry little Christmas. Let your heart be light."

"Very well."

Florence watched as Lyudmilla began showing Masha how to dance. She watched as they rocked back and forth, around and around.

'Have yourself, a merry little Christmas. Make the yuletide gay.'

She smiled at the sight.