WE’LL MEET TOMORROW
Chapter Seven

The summer seemed to pass too quickly for Mac and Anastasia's liking. They were becoming used to spending time outdoors, immersed in blissful freedom. However, the start of the school year was approaching, so the atmosphere changed considerably in the house.

Rose's health varied since the start of her pregnancy, as well; she improved quite a bit, but still tired easily. Relief settled over the Dawsons when Jack got the position at the small art school in town, so Rose did not have to worry about Lucy's dress shop as often. She still went in three days a week, because they definitely needed the extra money.

"Oh, look what came in the post!" Mac exclaimed one late August afternoon, and Anastasia looked up from the book she was reading in the parlor. "It's a letter from Russia! I wrote Tatiana to let her know we'd lost all of our photographs from the sinking, and if she had time, could she send any spare ones she might have."

Anastasia sat up straight, her expression curious as Mac began to open the envelope. The house was quiet for the time being--Rose was resting upstairs, and Coddie Anna was in her room practicing French for school. Jack was at work, so the girls were occupying themselves as usual. A thick packet of paper slipped from the top, and she eagerly unraveled it. Sure enough, there was a packet of familiar black and white photographs, some formal and some casual. "Oh, wonderful...I was hoping she'd send me the one of Alexei and I!" She paused for a moment and peered at his face, smiling and holding his hand to his forehead in salute. He did look more handsome than she remembered, but she dared not breathe a word of that to Anastasia.

"Can I see?" Anastasia asked, and Mac handed the pictures over to her friend. They'd gotten letters from the rest of the imperial family before, especially right after the Titanic disaster. Alexandra had responded to her daughter's note, relieved that her daughter was alive and unharmed.

"It seems as though Alexei's been sick this summer," Mac began slowly, her face slackening as she read through her friend's handwriting, and Anastasia's eyes widened.

"What do you mean?" she asked, and Mac looked at her.

"They were visiting Spala in June, and he fell while trying to climb into a boat...apparently it was a dangerous episode, and he almost died from it!" She covered her mouth with her hand for a moment, and Anastasia's face had turned white.

"And I wasn't there with him," she whispered, leaning back against the couch, and Mac stared at her. "He must have been really scared..."

Mac smiled faintly and touched her friend's arm. "He's doing better," she replied, "but Rasputin was called again and that supposedly made a huge difference." She continued reading the letter, which otherwise contained good news. Olga, Maria, and Tatiana had put on a play for their family around the time when Alexei was sick, and it had gone very well. "Only it wasn't the same without Anastasia's comedic additions," she read, and Anastasia folded her hands, fiddling with the bracelet on her wrist. "It has been very strange around here without the two of you prowling around, and even though Olga hates to admit it, Mac, she does miss you."

Mac snorted; that was typical. "I'll have to tell my father about Alexei when he gets home," she said, and Anastasia nodded, still looking nervous. "Look. Let's go outside and play for a while until it gets dark," she encouraged. "I'll put the letter and pictures up in our room...we won't have many more nights like this where we can do whatever we want."

Anastasia agreed to the suggestion and followed Mac up the stairs. They checked on Rose, who was sound asleep still, and heard Coddie Anna reciting French phrases behind the closed door. "There's something wrong with her," Mac whispered as they tiptoed past, and after dropping off the items, hurried down the steps and outside. It was still very muggy, but it was clear fall was approaching by the cool breeze that blew towards the evening.

"I wish we saw more of your father's family this summer," Anastasia pointed out, for they hadn't seen Rebekah or anyone from the Amish farm since that incident in the woods.

"Me, too," Mac admitted, reaching one of the apple trees, and she began to climb steadily. "Hey," she called from one of the branches midway up. "Remember when you tricked me into climbing the tree in Tsarskoe Selo park?" She clung to the branch with both hands, and Anastasia started to follow in her wake.

"Oh yeah," she giggled. "I made you go up first, and promised I was right behind you in case you fell down. Then I ran away, and you were screaming for help for about ten minutes before anyone heard you!" She grinned mischievously, though she'd been in trouble for the trick afterwards. "We were very mean to you for the first year! Like that time we locked you in the WC!"

Mac rolled her eyes. "Or when you made me stand outside and play the guard when you first met me," she added. "Maria came out and stood with me, because she didn't think it was very fair of you."

Anastasia shrugged and leaned her back against the trunk. "Doesn't matter anymore," she said, stretching her arms over her head. "I really wish I didn't have to go back to Russia after Christmas," she added sadly, and Mac had to agree. It was strange to think this was the last summer she'd spend with Anastasia, unless pure luck brought them together again. In fact, it was pure luck they met to begin with. Mac had been playing on the streets of St. Petersburg with her friend Raisa, who worked at the same factory. They'd come across the palace gates, and Raisa dared Mac to slip through the bars and have a look around.

Mac, always the bold one, decided to take on the dare, and ended up being spotted by Olga and Tatiana, who were in the gardens playing badminton. Both Grand Duchesses seized Mac, who was dirty from having been outside all that time, and brought her to see the Tsar. What happened after that was history, and Mac smiled when she remembered the expression of complete disbelief on her father's face when he received the invitation to the palace for an interview. Of course, he'd been furious with her for leaving the house without his permission, but he forgave her rather quickly.

"What are you thinking about?" Anastasia asked, noticing the grin on her friend's face, and narrowed her eyes. "You've been awfully quiet for the past five minutes."

Mac shrugged, sighing contentedly. "I'm just thinking about how I sneaked through the gates of the Alexander Palace," she said. "Imagine if I'd never let my friend Raisa dare me to go in...my father would still be working eleven hours a day in that shoe factory...he was getting real sick from the lack of sleep and the fumes." Her father had had to go on a bit of bed rest when he was first hired into the palace, because his asthma had been giving him trouble.

"That's right," Anastasia breathed. "Didn’t my father know him from years before when he worked for the imperial ballet?"

Mac nodded. "Yeah," she said. "He and my mother were invited to see the Tsar after the opening performance of The Nutcracker."

Anastasia shivered a little in the evening chill, and saw Ebony clambering up the road. "Your father's home!" she called, and Mac climbed down from the tree, waiting for Anastasia to join her on the grass. Both girls flew across the yard to greet him, and Jack smiled at the sight of them.

"What have you been up to?" he asked after dismounting, and Mac saw Michael rushing towards the animal from inside the barn where he'd been working most of the day. Jack had given up on fighting the younger boy, and allowed him to take the reins once he was on solid ground. "Thank you," he said, and Michael nodded, smiling shyly at Mac, and turned to lead the animal into the stables.

"Nothing, really," Mac replied after hugging her father tightly, allowing him to kiss the top of her head. "We’ve been playing outside all day."

He chuckled and led the girls through the front door of the house. "That's good. How is Rose?"

Mac frowned. "She's been sleeping a lot today," she admitted, "but otherwise she seems okay. Coddie Anna's been hiding in her room as usual." She shrugged, and jumped when her father sneezed, glancing at Anastasia with amusement out of the corner of her eye.

"Bless you," both girls said at once, and then paused.

"How was teaching?" Anastasia asked once Jack poured himself a cup of water and sat down at the kitchen table. He looked tired but content, and Mac hadn't seen him quite like this in years.

"It was all right," Jack replied. "The class was rather large, and I have a feeling some of my students were forced to take lessons. I do have some talent, though, too." He cleared his throat. "I think it'll take some getting used to," he added, and Mac nodded in understanding.

"Oh...I got a letter from Tatiana today," she said, and Jack's eyes widened with interest. "I think you'd better read it before I tell you anything." She pecked a kiss on his cheek and excused herself to go and get the information. Jack watched her leave the room and turned to Anastasia, who sat across from him. They were quiet for a few moments, and Jack smiled at her.

"Are you looking forward to starting school?" he asked, and she bit her lip, slouching in her chair.

"I'm nervous," she admitted. "I've never been in a schoolhouse before...I'm not sure if the other children will like me." She bit her lip, for she hadn't been exposed to other children besides those in her own family very often. They usually didn't take her sense of humor very kindly, which made it difficult for her to make real friends. Mac had been the only outsider who really understood how she worked, and that was what brought the two of them together in the end.

Jack raised his eyebrows. "I have a hard time believing that," he replied, and glanced up when he heard Rose's voice. Anastasia watched as he got up to greet her, and Rose kissed him when she entered the kitchen doorway, asking how his first day went. Anastasia played with the stem of an apple from the fruit bowl, and Mac returned downstairs with the letter and the photographs. Jack accepted the items and invited everyone into the parlor with him. Mac sat on the rug and watched her father's expression as he read through the letter, chewing on her lower lip.

"Anastasia, did you know about this?" Jack asked, and she nodded, wrapping her arms around herself. "I'm sorry, honey," he added, and she shook her head. "Mac, are you all right?" He turned to his daughter, who shrugged.

"I guess so," she said, and when Rose inquired what had happened, Jack explained about Alexei's condition. She gasped at the news, glad to hear the heir was recovering. Mac got up to give her father a hug, and he held her tightly for a minute, rubbing her back gently. "I wish I could see him," she added, and Anastasia came to join them on the couch, feeling the same way.

"I know," Jack said, "but you can always write Alexei a letter and let him know you're thinking of him."

Mac found that idea to be agreeable, and glanced at Anastasia, who cuddled between Jack and Rose. "I'm hungry," Mac pointed out after a moment, and Rose placed a hand against her forehead, groaning slightly.

"I'm sorry, dear...I should have started working on dinner before you came home, but I really did not feel well all day."

Jack rubbed her shoulders and kissed her forehead. "Fortunately, I thought about that, so I have a surprise in the kitchen."

Mac remembered her father carrying something, but she didn't think much of it. "Mac, go and fetch Coddie Anna, will you?" Rose asked, and the younger girl looked as though she'd been asked to sneak up on a sleeping alligator.

"Honey? Will you, please?" Jack asked, and Mac signed, nodding, and hurried up the steps. She hated intruding on her stepsister anymore than she had to, because the girl usually treated her as some sort of a disease. She knocked on the door of Coddie Anna's room, and there was a pause in the French as she shuffled over to open it a crack.

"What?" she asked sharply, and Mac rolled her eyes.

"It's time for dinner," she replied. "If you want to miss it, that's fine. But I was told to come and get you." She shrugged, and Coddie Anna gave a loud sigh before opening the door all the way. Mac heard her father sneeze again downstairs, and shook her head sadly. The two girls went down to the kitchen together, and Mac's face lit up when she saw what sat on the table. Jack had brought six hot dogs from the corner store, and bottles of Coca-Cola. Anastasia stared at the food in front of her, never having seen it before in her life. Michael was called in, and he took his hot dog back outside, because he still had work to finish.

"Michael, wait!" Rose groaned, but it was too late...he was already out the door. "Jack, you have to do something about him," she breathed, and Jack raised an eyebrow. "He's going to work himself to death if you don't put a stop to it."

Jack sighed and promised he would talk to the boy after they finished with dinner. Once everyone was settled, Anastasia finally spoke.

"What is this?" she asked, and Mac began to laugh as they sat down.

"It's a hot dog," she replied, and Anastasia's eyes widened in horror.

"A...what?!" she exclaimed, and Jack chuckled as he helped pass them around. "Oh, no, thank you," she breathed. "I might just have a piece of fruit..."

Mac shook her head. "It's not made from dog, silly," she insisted, and Anastasia blinked. "It's only called that...it's really a sausage. See?" She smiled at her father, who nodded his approval.

"Ah…" Anastasia said after she managed to relax a little. "I see."

Rose smiled at Jack and touched his arm, squeezing it. "Thank you for doing this, sweetheart," she said, and he kissed her.

"Of course," he replied, and Mac sighed with contentment. She hadn't had a hot dog in ages; the last time she did eat one was when she first left with her father after he came back when she was four and a half.

"Go on. Eat it," Mac encouraged, watching Anastasia's eyes as she sat staring at her hot dog uncomfortably. "It's good!"

Anastasia did as she was told, but only took a small bite from the end, and everyone waited hesitantly for her reaction. "It's odd!" she exclaimed, and Mac snorted into her Coke bottle, glancing at her father from the corner of her eye. "But I do like it, I think! Thank you, Jack," she added, and he laughed heartily, promising it was no trouble at all. Coddie Anna, as usual, ate in silence, but it was clear she was pleased by the change of pace with dinner.

"So, is everybody ready for school on Monday?" Rose asked as they continued eating, and the girls looked at each other, rather disgusted by the topic.

"No," Mac grumbled, fiddling with her napkin, and Jack leaned forward.

"Honey, you've always enjoyed lessons," he said. "I don't see why this should be any different than learning from Mr. Gilliard or Mr. Gibbes."

Mac looked at him wearily. "I guess I'm nervous 'cause I haven't been around a lot of other kids since we've moved back here," she replied. "I didn't have too many friends when I lived with Aunt Olivia and Uncle Henry." She shrugged, and Jack reached over to take her hand.

"You and Anastasia will both be fine," he promised. "It'll be a good learning experience, I think." He smiled at Rose, who was watching Coddie Anna with a sad expression on her face. She was hoping her daughter would start to socialize with girls her age, rather than sit in her room and pout all winter. "For everybody," Jack added, and Coddie Anna looked up, her mouth full for the moment.

"I guess," Mac said, and Jack looked at her seriously. "All right, all right," she added, and he nodded.

"Thank you," he said, and she leaned back, glancing at Anastasia, who was still eating.

After dinner, the girls sat outside on the porch to watch the stars as they began to appear. Jack came out with them and leaned against the door. "It is beautiful, isn’t it?" he asked, and the girls nodded eagerly.

"Yeah," Mac replied. "Dad, didn't Rose want you to go talk to Michael after dinner?" She knew her father felt the same way approaching their farmhand as Mac did about Coddie Anna.

Jack made a noise of frustration and massaged his forehead. "Yes, she did," he replied. "All right. I'll be back." He gave her a kiss before heading down the steps and in the direction of the barn. Anastasia folded her arms and shuffled around in her chair to get comfortable.

"I suppose I'll have to keep my name a secret again," she said, and Mac frowned.

"Oh, yeah," she breathed. "I have a feeling even if we did tell everybody who you were, they probably won’t believe us." She glanced up at the sky again, and Anastasia bit her lip as Jack came with Michael towards the house.

"Hi!" Anastasia exclaimed, and Michael gave a wave, looking exhausted. Jack encouraged him to go on up to bed, and to make sure he took breaks every now and again. Michael said good night to both girls before shuffling inside, and Mac watched as he headed up the stairs.

"What did he say?" Mac asked, and Jack cleared his throat.

"He said he enjoys working," he replied, "that it makes him feel useful." He took out his handkerchief and blew his nose, which was a sign that it was time to go in again. "We're going to church tomorrow, girls, so I would get some sleep," he said, and Anastasia nodded, pushing herself from the chair. They usually went to church every Sunday when Rose felt well enough to get out of bed, and then usually had breakfast at the small café.

"Good night, Dad," Mac said after giving him a hug once they were upstairs, and when he asked if she needed to be tucked in, Mac shook her head.

"I haven't needed to be tucked in all summer." She giggled, and he scratched his head, frowning a little.

"That's right." He chuckled. "You're growing up way too fast for me. Good night, girls."

They waved as he left the room, and Anastasia turned to Mac as they started to strip out of their play clothes.

"If I ever get married, I want someone who looks like your father," she whispered, and Mac stared at her friend in horror.

"That's disgusting," she cried, and Anastasia pouted.

"What?" she asked. "I think he's very handsome!"

Mac groaned, throwing herself onto the bed. That had been an ongoing problem at the palace, with the Grand Duchesses thinking her father incredibly handsome, and trying to spend as much time as they could with him. Tatiana was the worst in that regard, she had to admit. "You have to be crazy to think your father isn't handsome," Anastasia retorted, and Mac looked at her from under her pillow.

"Well, I suppose he is," she replied, "but he's my father! I can't think of him like that."

Anastasia giggled as she slid under the covers in her own bed. "Good night, Mac," she said, and Mac let out a noise of aggravation before blowing out the candle.

Chapter Eight
Stories