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The rain was coming down in sideway sheets as Tony, Michael and Dania ran for the Dennison’s car. They were soaked before they got to the Oldsmobile. Michael had to back down the road to get onto Adams Street. A huge limb from the neighbor’s maple tree fell and blocked the way forward. It missed the car by inches. The trees are being stripped of their leaves; limbs are falling; shingles, yard ornaments, and anything not tied down swirled around dangerously—littering the road. It’s almost impossible to avoid being hit by projectiles thrown by the force of the wind.
They left the car at the fairground’s gate. The puddle they came through before was now a small river. Fighting the wind, they made their way to Dania’s trailer. It took all Michael’s strength to hold the door as each gust threatens to pull it from his hands.
“Tell your father he must come,” Michael shouted to be heard. “Don’t take no for an answer. We’re right behind you.”
“Yeah, we’ll cosh him on the head if we have to,” said Tony as he started to follow her in. “Let’s get this over and get out of here.” Dania went in first. Michael and Tony crowded in after her. They were all wet to the skin, water dripping on the floor.
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Suddenly Dania screamed, “Hugo, Stop! What are you doing?” Hugo was holding a pillow over Koslov’s face. Startled, he looked up, the noise of the wind and rain had covered their entry. He threw the pillow aside and rushed for the door. Hugo shoved past Dania—knocking her down—and slammed into Tony. They both flew out the door taking Michael with them. All three fell, landing in the mud and are pelted by wind and rain. Tony was stunned.
Jumping up first, and before Michael got to his feet, Hugo punched him in the jaw. Michael went down. Hugo ran. Sitting in the mud and rain, Michael called out. “Tony, check on Dania,” Tony, covered with mud and still winded from the fall, struggled, crawling up the stairs and into the trailer.
Dania was holding her father’s hand and crying. Koslov was breathing but was clearly in distress.
“Don’t worry, I’m here now,” she crooned. “Papa, it’s okay. Hugo is gone. We came to get you and take you to Michael’s house.”
Dania and Tony help Koslov down the steps. Tony helped Michael to his feet.
Rubbing his hurt jaw he said, “Hugo can sure throw a punch. Let’s get home.”
At that moment a gust of wind threatened to blow them off their feet. Recovering, they watched the trailer sways and tips violently.
“Look!” Dania shouted.
There was an ear-piercing screech of metal as the bolts and tie downs gave way and the frame was torn lose. They watched as it tips onto its side and was pushed away by the sheer force of the wind. They heard a loud SNAP as the live electrical wire overhead broke and whipped about like a snake.
“Let’s get out of here.” Michael helped Tony hustle Koslov to the car.
The drive back was slow as an array of debris covers the road. On Adams Street, their way is blocked by a downed tree limb from one of the large Maple trees lining the road.
“Tony, I can’t get around it. We’ll have to get out and move it out of the way.” The men jumped out of the car and lifting one end of the branch they were able to swing it around enough to get past.
Dania cradled her father and whispered reassuringly. She was frightened by the intense storm, the noise is deafening, but even more by what might have happened if they had not arrived when they did.
Donal and Moira meet them at the door. “Ellen, take Dania to your room and get her out of those wet things,” Moira said taking charge. “Tony and Michael, you go upstairs and change, and find something for Mr. Koslov. There will be something in your father’s closet. Mr. Koslov, please come into the kitchen by the stove and warm up. I’ll put on some tea.”
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“Ju are most gracious. I’m afraid I don’t deserve ju’r hospitality. I was rude not to accept ju’r invitation in the first place.” Boris said apologizing.
“You are here now and safe,” Donal shows him the way to the kitchen.
In the kitchen Donal and Koslov were given chairs by the stove while Moira put on the kettle for tea. Christopher and Frank can only stare at the stranger in their house.
Michael and Tony came in carrying their wet clothes. Moira put them on a rack beside the black cast iron stove to dry. Michael handed her his Da’s clothes, “Will this do?”
“This is just fine.” Moira turned to her guest, “Mr. Koslov, change into these before you get sick.”
Koslov took the offering, nodding his thanks. Michael showed him where to change and came back. “We need to get the police. One of the carnival workers, Hugo, was trying to suffocate Mr. Koslov when we got there. They need to find him before he gets away.”
“It will have to wait until the storm is over. We’ve lost electricity, and the phone isn’t working.”
“And I’m not sending anyone else out in this storm,” said Moira.
“I’ll go!” Christopher shouts with excitement.
“No. Me, I’m older.” Frank shouted back shoving his brother.
“I said no one is going, and that’s that!” Moira reached into a cabinet. “We have kerosene lanterns, plenty of ham shoulder and bread for sandwiches. We even have apple pie I can warm up. There might be a slice or two of cheese to go with it.”
Koslov returned and handed her his wet things,” I am so sorry my lady. You are most gracious,” he said. She put them on the rack with the other wet things beside the stove. “Mr. Koslov,” said Donal, “Michael was telling us about the man, Hugo. Was he trying to kill you?”
“Yes, that’s apparently true. At one time he was like a son. Over the years I have seen him change. He became greedy, wanted to be in control of everyone and everything in the carnival. But his decisions are not always good ones.”
“We’ll notify the police when we can, but with the phone lines down . . . If the storm is moving as fast as they say, the worst should be over soon. There will still be rain and the debris, but the wind will stop. You and your daughter must stay here.” Donal insisted.
“No, no. I will go back to my trailer soon. I have inconvenienced ju too much already.” He accepted the cup of hot tea offered by Moira.
Dania entered the kitchen. “Oh, Papa, the trailers are no more. Yours was destroyed by the fire, and the hurricane ripped mine apart.” She knelt before him. “We have no place to go right now except here. These are good people. We can trust them to help us.”
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“Dania, there is much ju do not know about ju’r old papa,” He caressed her wet hair. “Maybe it is time I spoke of it to ju, and then to the police.”
“Papa, you don’t have to tell me anything.” Dania tells him tears falling from her eyes.
“Please, I must do this while I have the courage.”
Moira put the tea things on the table in front of everyone while Dania took a seat.
“Many years ago, I was with the Russian circus. I was a knife thrower. My sister, Katia was part of my act, and her husband, Vicily was on the high wire. One night before the performance I had too much vodka. I was drinking with Vicily. It was stupid, I know, but we were celebrating. Katia had just told him he was to be a father. Vicily went on to do his act. He fell to his death that night, and my sister never forgave me. She left the act.” He took a sip of tea. “In time, Marta replaced her in my act, and she later became my wife.” He took another sip; the tea began to warm him.
“We heard that Katia had a son. When we went to find them, I was told she had died. The boy was in an orphanage in the Ukraine.” He took another sip. “My wife and I adopted the boy and named him Hugo. The war came and went, and then ju were born. My lovely wife, Marta, also died.” Koslov wiped the tears running down his face. “I brought ju and Hugo to America, to start a new life.”
“You don’t have to do this, Papa.” Dania brushed away her own tears.
“Please, let me finish. For many years things were good. I bought the carnival. Ju and Hugo were my family, and we were happy. But lately things have changed. Hugo wanted more and more to be in control. On the night of the robbery, I did see who hit me, and I told Hugo. He took it upon himself to find Johnny Russo, to get our money back, and to teach him a lesson. It was Tevia who killed Johnny Russo. Hugo and Tevia said it was an accident. Tevia was only supposed to scare Russo into giving the money back, but he went too far.”
He took a deep breath and continued, “Hugo and Tevia tried to cover it up and blame ju, Michael. When that didn’t work, I think Hugo was afraid I might tell Dania and then the police would know. I believe it was Hugo who caused the fire in my trailer.”
A long silence filled the kitchen. Even Frank and Christopher were at a loss for words.
Dania hugged her father as tears fill her eyes. “Papa, if we had not gone back for you when we did, Hugo would have killed you.”
“We must get the police,” said Michael.
“But the storm . . .,” Moira doesn’t want to hear this.
“We have to, Ma. They have to be stopped before they get away. It may already be too late. Tony and I will go.”
“Just wait for the wind to stop.” Moira pleads.
“We must go before dark. With electricity out all over town and debris everywhere . . ."
“Alright; alright.” Moira gave up.
“We’ll be careful.” Michael kissed her on the cheek.
Michael grabbed dry coats. Moira handed Tony towels to put down on the seats of the Dennison’s car. “We’ll clean the car when this is over.” Moira turned to her son. “Christopher, go over and tell the Dennison’s we’ll be using their car one more time. Tell them it’s an emergency. I’ll explain later.”
Dania helped Michael into his coat. “Please be careful. I don’t want anything to happen to you,” She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. She released him with a contented sigh. He looked into her eyes and took her by the shoulders Kissing her back, passionately, and with more intensity. He marveled at the sensations he felt by her nearness and the warmth of her kiss. He knows for certain now, he’s in love with this Russian fortuneteller, and he knows she loves him, too. They are lost for the moment, gazing into each other’s eyes.
“Okay you two. That’s enough of that!” Tony grabbed Michael and shoves him to the door. “We’d better get going or Hugo and Tevia will be long gone.”
“You’re not leaving me out.” Ellen grabbed Tony by the arm, swinging him around, and planted a heated kiss on his full lips.
“Where did you learn to kiss like that?” Tony gasps.
The family was dazed by what they have just witnessed.
“My Dania does not go around kissing boys like that,” Koslov states vehemently.
“Neither does my Ellen,” Moira says defensively.
Donal, Moira and Koslov look at each other, paused a moment and burst out laughing.
“How about we put the kettle back on while we wait? Another cup of tea would be grand with a nice piece of warm apple pie. Eh, Moira?” Donal nodded his head matter-of-factly.