I woke up feeling oddly refreshed the next morning. I woke up the two very groggy girls and tried to dress Natya who was not being very good about dressing in a cold room.
After about ten minutes of struggling I had both girls dressed in their best dresses and was working on tying the blue ribbons on my dress.
"Oh! I can never get these thing's tied!" I had never really had to tie my dresses Katya had always done it for me and since her death all my dresses had been very simple and easy to put on.
"I can help!" Alisa skipped over and tied the bow perfectly and smiled at me. I had the feeling she knew something I didn't.
"You should wear your pretty shoes." Alisa was now sitting on the bed swinging her legs while looking at me with a smirk.
"All right and why should I?"
"Because you look pretty in them silly!"
"Alright Alisa what secret are you keeping?
"Nothing. Andrey paid me to say nothing." At saying that she placed her hand over her mouth and gasped.
"Ah so it's Andrey's secret now is it?"
"It's nothing!" She flew out of the room giggles following behind her.
"Well Natya looks like it's just you and me now. Here let's make the beds before we leave." Placing her on the rug on the floor I made the two beds humming as I went.
Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all. Suddenly my door burst open revealing Madame Markova and most of the ballerina's I had grown up with.
"Oh Annika you look stunning!" A girl named Blaire twirled over to me. She was only 15 but I had helped train her and she was like a little sister to me.
"Thank you. Is there something going on?"
"Yes as a matter of fact there is. Your going away party now pick up Natya and come with me. No leave the trunks here." Everyone had huge grins on their faces and some of the younger girls could hardly stay still. Something was happening.
"Well..alright but I didn't know there was a party. Isn't it a bit last minute?"
I noticed most of them were wearing their best dresses. What was even more surprising then the party was that it was today. Madame Markova never did anything last minute.
"Yes now stop asking so many questions and just follow me."
I hid a smile and shifted Natya to my right side and did as I was told and followed her.
The hallway ended and Blaire opened the door to the garden that held so many memories for me.
There in the center of the garden stood Andrey and everyone from our church and ballet.
"Welcome to your wedding my dear." Madame kissed my cheek and took Natya from me while I was too shocked to speak.
How was Andrey able to keep this from me? How did I not figure it out? That was why he was so strange lately he was planning our wedding! He really did love me.
Tears stung my eyes throughout the entire ceremony. It was bittersweet. I was so happy to be marrying Andrey and starting a new life together but part of me wished my family was here. I secretly knew they were though.
Katya was probably looking down on her daughter wondering how she grew up so fast in such a short time.
Papa was no doubt beaming proudly on his daughter happy everything had worked out. I knew Mama was weeping with joy as I wore her precious locket about to embark on the best performance of my lige.
It was all over too soon for me and before I knew it I stood with Andrey holding my arm in the middle of wellwishers. Alisa jumped up and down around us and Natya seemed to sense the joy as she laughed.
"Well my wife are you ready to start our life in America?" Andrey looked at me with a smile that lit up my entire world and I was no longer afraid of saying yes. True I was leaving behind so much but I was going towards so much more.
"Yes I am ready. You have made me the happiest girl in all of the world." I leaned against him and smiled. He was mine forever and I promised never to leave his side.
"Are we going to get cookies now?" Alisa asked moving in between us.
"Yes! Of course we will!" Andrey scooped her up while I took Natya and we went to the kitchen for our last treat in Russia.
"You my dear made a beautiful bride. Your parents would be so proud of you." Madame Markova's eyes sparkled with tears as she hugged me outside the ballet.
"Thank you for everything. I will never forget all of this ever. You truly made my life wonderful." I hugged her for the last time.
"Ah child all I did was watch you grow. You are the one who made my life wonderful."
I couldn't keep from crying. My entire childhood was here and now I was going to start my adulthood in America.
"I will miss you so much. Promise you will write?" I handed the last suitcase to Andrey and waved to everyone that was standing by the door.
"Of course if you will."
"Annika darling we have to go if we are going to board on time." Andrey touched my shoulder gently. I took a deep breath and nodded.
I could here Alisa's chattering voice waiting for me. I turned once more for one last look at my home.
"Good-bye everyone!" I waved for the last time.
Standing on the boat I looked out at sea. We had just departed and I felt oddly peaceful. Life was complete with Alisa quietly watching the people get smaller and smaller,Natya sleeping on my shoulder and Andrey with his arm around my waist looking at the land that now seemed so far away.
True I had lost a family but I had gained a brand new one. With my head filled with ideas and dreams about America I smiled.
This dance had ended but a new one was about to begin.
Hey everyone! Thank you so much for reading this story and sticking with it. That means a lot to me. Please leave any thoughts or comments below I enjoy reading them and am eager of seeing what people think of the ending. Who knows maybe I will write a sequel......
Thanks for reading!
Giselle