Natalya's Tales – Part 3
What had originally been scheduled as a three-week vacation with her husband in Russia had turned into a nearly six-month ordeal for Natalya. When she finally walked into her home in Regal Bay, with Mikhail carrying her suit cases behind, she felt a wave a relief wash over her.
"Thank you, Mikhail," she told the old chauffeur. "I've enjoyed your company, these past years."
"And I've delighted in working for you, Ma'am." Mikhail set the luggage down inside the foyer and turned to leave. His work for her ended in that moment, per instructions given him by Mr. Aleshinov. As it was, now Mikhail, who had been working for the family in the states for many years, was due to fly home to Moscow in two days' time. He was not looking forward to his return. Mikhail had enjoyed living and working in the United States, and had become a big American Football fan during his thirteen years in Regal Bay. He would miss watching football Sundays the most.
Natalya moved through the house that was once her home and took in the work that had already begun. The packing up of the furnishings had started before she had even left Moscow, and little remained on the ground floor that wasn't either crated for shipment or wrapped and ready to be. Upstairs, she passed her son's occasional bedroom, and saw through the open door that Nico had already moved his belongings out. The room was bare, save for bits of debris lying about. The other rooms, likewise, had already been cleared. Only the bedroom she once shared with her husband remained intact, a parting gift from Piotr.
Natalya knew that arrangements had already been made for her to relocate to a condominium near the Golf Club. Piotr was good about such things. Organization was his strong-suite, after all. She would visit her new home in the morning.
During her stay in Moscow, Natalya had reunited with her daughter, Marina. Had Natalya known that her husband was planning to file separation papers during her stay, she might not have gone. It was only the lure of spending time with the daughter she hadn't seen in more than two years that took her to Moscow. She had been enjoying her stay, going to the theatre with Marina, visiting friends from her youth, and delighting in the new Moscow night-life, before Piotr had called for her at his office.
She was due to fly home that week, but upon her arrival at her husband's office suite, commanding an entire floor in one of the new high-rise complexes that displayed to the world that Mother Russia was indeed stepping into the 21
st
century, Natalya was informed by Piotr that he'd changed her plans. "You will be staying in Moscow until certain matters are taken care of," she was told by her husband in a firm, unyielding voice.
Natalya was confused. "What matters, Piotr?" He refused to answer her. Instead, he escorted her out of the building and into a waiting car. Ten minutes later, they were in the offices of his lawyers, who presented her with the Documents of Legal Separation. Natalya was utterly confused, for she had thought that their marriage had been a good one, despite their lack of intimacy of late, or their separate careers.
After reading through the documents in stunned silence, she only asked Piotr, "Why?"
"Do you not understand, Natalya?" he replied, using her formal name. He rarely did. "We are living two entirely different lives. I will be staying here, in Moscow, where I have my business interests to look after. I will of course be living with my mistress, who will become my wife in due course. Do not look shocked, my dear. You have been aware of Ekaterina for many years now, as I know all about your life in Regal Bay, as well as your infidelities to me. I will not live a lie any longer, this marriage we have. For too long my eyes have been turned away from what you do behind my back, but no longer. I am becoming embarrassed by you, my darling star, but no longer. I am ashamed of what I have discovered about you, but I will be no longer."
Natalya had been aware that Piotr knew that she enjoyed sexual relations outside of their marriage. He had never said a word, until now, that he disapproved. Maybe that was why, she surmised. He had given her rope and enough line. She had provided the knot. And now, he was tugging it tight.
Her husband's lawyer began to speak then, with a deep, gravelly voice that grated on her immediately. "You will be removed from the home in Regal Bay, with only your personal belongings in hand. All shared items will revert back to Mr. Aleshinov's possession, and returned to Moscow. You will, of course, be provided a home, with it and all utilities paid for by Mr. Aleshinov for the time being. You will continue living in Regal Bay, should you so desire, and be provided with a stypance of $175,000 annually, for the next five years, and no longer. You will release all claims to any of Mr. Aleshinov's property, or investments. You will be removed as primary beneficiary from any and all policies, henceforth."
"What of our son? What of Nico?" she asked in a meek voice directed towards her husband. Piotr stood at the large windows, gazing out into Moscow, his back to her.
"He may do as he has," Piotr replied without turning. "He has never wanted from me, so I will give him what he asks. Nothing." Piotr turned to face her and added, "Until I die, when he will of course receive the bulk of my estate, unless I change my will before then. Until that day, the only thing that was once mine that he may have is you, my darling star. After all, he has had you time and again, hasn't he?" Suddenly, he flung a manila envelope into her lap. Natalya had no need to open it, for she knew from its size and weight what it would contain. Photographic proof of her infidelities, most likely with their son, but possibly others as well.
"You will remain here in Moscow until the formalities have been completed," Piotr informed her in passing as he headed towards the office door. Those were the last words Piotr Aleshinov would speak directly to her. They hit her hard, as a sledge hammer to the chest. She had never suspected that he knew about the affair she and her son were having. He had never given as much as a hint before that statement. When she finally looked up from the envelope, she found the dark eyes of Piotr's lawyer on her. She felt his judgmental gaze even as he began to explain to her the process, of which she would of course have no say in. As he spoke, she felt the tears begin to roll down her cheeks.
After spending several long hours with Piotr's lawyer, the bulk of which was lost in a fog in her mind, Natalya was escorted to Piotr's Moscow home by one of his hired underlings. There, she was assisted in packing up her belongings and then driven into the heart of Moscow, where she was put up in a suite of rooms in the Swissotel Moscow downtown. She would remain in Moscow through the summer months, while arrangements were being made by Piotr for her she was told.
Marina visited her at the Swissotel, and they enjoyed nights out together, as mother and daughter. The sting of what had happened to her began to ease, being with Marina, but for Natalya, the idea that she would soon be on her own frightened her dearly. She had talked with Gloria Van Winkle on several occasions, explaining to her employer the situation which she now found herself in. Gloria was supportive and insisted she would not be replaced, should she wish to continue on at the resort. She was given all the time she needed, and Natalya would be welcomed back with open arms, Gloria insisted. Through exchanges of e-mails with her colleagues in Regal Bay, Natalya was able to continue with her duties as best as she could for the resort. However, she began to look forward to returning to her office and getting back to working, hands-on as it were.
Those had been long, hard months for Natalya, and now that she had returned to Regal Bay, she wanted nothing more than to forget the entire ordeal. The first step would be to reconnect with her son, and explain to him her new situation, as well as his own.
Looking out over the lush green backyard from inside the sun room, where she often enjoyed spending a quiet afternoon with a book and music, Natalya tapped her cell phone. A moment later, the deep note of her son's voice once again came to her.
