That Summer In The Country

Thirty:

Thirty:

The days when Alina didn't have work were the hardest. Yes, she did her schoolwork. But she frequently finished it ahead of time. Then, she was left to her own devices in the big mansion until Mal and Aleksander got home. She hadn't even had time to go visit her aunt because her aunt was so overrun with chores she was never home. Alina never knew where to find her either. She supposed she could have called, but it felt wrong somehow.

As if her aunt were part of an entirely different world. One that would fall apart if they were in the same place and the same time now that she was with Aleksander and Mal. It seemed like she was tempting fate, trying to cross them. Although she didn't know why exactly. Still, she avoided the groundskeeper's cottage. But The Great House was open for her to roam. Neither of the boys had told her that there wasn't anything that she shouldn't have been looking at. And the staff knew she was living there, so no one asked any questions when they saw her wandering around.

Alina had examined every part of the mansion, even Mr. and Mrs. Morozova's. The only ones she hadn't gone into were Mal or Aleksander's. It felt like an intrusion, but she had done all of her schoolwork, read all of her books a million times over, and was completely bored. She went into Mal's room first.

It was right across from hers. The walls were painted blue, and it had sports trophies on the walls from when he'd done competitive swimming. There were pictures of him and Aleksander through the years. Birthdays, Christmases. They seemed to stop as Mal got into high school and Alina knew that was when there had been the rift between them. The one that had made the brothers be the way that they were.

The way Mal had talked at the dinner they had the other night had left a bad feeling in her stomach. He made it sound like there was no way for them to continue on. That one way or another, he would come up short in their relationship. But Alina liked having both Mal and Aleksander be with her. It had been strange at first, but now she couldn't imagine it being any other way.

She wanted them both. Not just Mal in public, and Aleksander in private. Alina couldn't imagine a world without either of them. So, she was here, in Mal's room, looking for something, anything that would help her mend the fence between the two brothers. First, she rummaged through the bookshelves, then his closet, and finally his desk. It was on his desk that she found something that made her stop. A letter, written on pink stationery, with a blue, glittery pen that smelled of sweet perfume.

It had already been opened. But Alina still found herself being careful when she pulled out the letter. She glanced at the signature first and was not surprised to find that it was from Genya. The girl that Mal had dated in high school.

Dear Mal,

I can't be with you anymore. I don't feel safe coming to your home. There's tension there----one that I can't explain. But someone in your family is not who you think that they are. I don't want to hurt you, because I think that if I told you the truth it would make you hate me. I can't have that. So, I'm ending this. It seems like the right thing to do. I've been forced to keep secrets that I no longer feel comfortable keeping. It is easier if I take myself out of what has become a toxic situation. I am so sorry Mal. I really did love you, and I hope that you find peace, and love with someone else. But let's be honest with ourselves. You never really loved me, did you? It's always been that Alina girl that you've been obsessed with since you were a kid. I hope you find her, and I hope she loves you, and that you're happy.

Goodbye, my love.

Yours,

Genya

Alina stared at the letter, trying to make sense of it. Genya never once said anything about Aleksander specifically, but the letter seemed to imply that it was him. Or was it? Could it have been someone else in the Morozova household? Maybe Mr. Morozova? But Alina didn't like to think about that. If she dug deep and found out that it had been Mal's own uncle...father.... whatever he was.... that was somehow worse than it being Aleksander. The possibility made her stomach squirm.

"Alina?" she heard someone calling her name. She realized that it was Mal. Alina shoved the letter quickly back in its envelope, then the desk drawer that she had found. Quickly, she left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Alina?" Mal called again.

Alina ran down the hall, to the staircase where Mal was coming up with a wide smile on his face. "Hi," she said, smiling back at him, "what are you doing home so soon? I thought you had a charity event or something."

"Aleks has decided we should go away for the weekend," Mal said, "we're supposed to go to the airport right now. The jet is waiting. Why is your face flushed?"

Alina coughed. "Is it?"

"It is," he said, "were you doing something naughty?"

She smiled. "Well, I was bored, and needy, and I.... I played with one of the toys."

He raised an eyebrow. "Did you now? Which one?"

"Vibrator," Alina answered.

He kissed her. "Oh, you naughty girl. Come on. Grab your purse, and your phone. Don't worry about clothes. Aleksander's already got everything you could need there. And you better hurry, because we are definitely punishing you on the plane."

 Alina rolled her eyes, and she ran to grab her things. Then, together, they left.