Kalinin, March 1937
With a happy face, a tall blonde in her dark green coat has approaching a man she has waiting for an hour. The train which brought that man from Moscow had just arrived on time. Elena Ostrucheskaya, that tall blonde, can quickly noticed the bald man in yellow shirt and dark blue overcoat... that a bit too big for him.
"Heya, doctor! Nice to meet you again!" that man aka Vasily Nandev greeted with a wink.
Elena rolled her eyes, "I am surprised you actually can be this cheerful."
"Well, because I am fully healthy and fresh like a daisy now. So I can fulfil our promise without excuses!" Vasily's smug widened, which Elena finds it... interesting.
"Guess so... it means whatever you said in ER was a bullshit," the conclusion from Elena flustered Vasily.
"I-I was just had fever, can't think straight! I didn't mean to reject your offer to keep in touch!"
"First time I see someone can't think straight, till rejecting my offer to exchange letter's address..."
"But you asked while shoved the thermometer! Is that what a modern doctor do?" Vasily's face turned carmine, as he climbed the tram that just arrived nearby Moskovsky Vokzal. Elena follows from behind and sit with her face trying not to laugh.
"Ah, maybe I was too hassle in asking you out. At the end, you send the letter first to me, hm? I was almost giving up and just thinking my teasing is one-time experience," Elena smirked, leading Vasily turned his face away to calm himself down.
***
The tram slowly crawling out of Prospekt Lenina. Elena already had fun to hear Vasily's chaotic life inside the ensemble. Later when they arrived in Vosstaniya Square, they get down of the tram to walk around the square. There, Elena shared her ridiculous experiences - such as finding patients in ER with odd accidents and illnesses. She knew her stories sounded morbid if spoken to normal people... but she is fascinated to see Vasily's face never squirmed at once. In fact, Vasily confirmed it was also a daily occurrence when he worked as construction worker in the past.
"So... where will you bring me again? Or do you want my recommendation of good place to hangout?" asked Elena directly.
Vasily hummed for a while, then he shrugged, "Actually, let's just chat more in another tram until lunch time. Not because I'm stingy, of course! But because I rather have shaded place to talk with you than any cold outdoors."
A short chuckle comes out of Elena's lips, "Quite a bold idea... but I think tram was far safer too. Fine, I will follow your dating method for now."
"Safer?"
"I'm just too lazy to meet other doctors, if we have to visit certain tea houses or beer halls," Elena thinned her lips when she admitted.
"Oooh, look. A head doctor of ER department scared to see her subordinates," Vasily stick out his tongue when quipped that sentence, but Elena smirked back at him.
"Yeah, I am scared that I have to introduce you too fast as my date to everyone..."
And she knew her respond quickly folded Vasily. That bald man quickly take out a box of cigarette and bite one cigarette hard from that box. She quickly grab Vasily's hand that still searching for the matchstick.
"So easy to smoke whenever you're nervous, young man?"
"I just forgot to smoke today," deflected Vasily.
Elena smirked once again, "What if you tell me first: how could you buy that certain brand? That wasn't just cheap papier and tobacco I always see at patient's pocket."
Vasily put down the cigarette and stuttered in the beginning, "Oh-oh... of course I bought with... with my salary! It's better than my previous job. I can buy more booze, more delicious food, better cigarettes, visits theatre as much as I want..."
"Interesting... And what kind of booze that you drank?"
And Vasily explained all stuff he ever drank whether in Moscow, Crimea, and even Armenia. Elena secretly smiled, for successfully made Vasily pocketed his cigarette and climbed the tram again. At least, the journey to Sovetskaya Street is lively... and no smoke hinder the conversation a bit longer.
***
Half an hour later, they are arrived at a busy teahouse in Sovetskaya Street. Two stacks of pirozhki, five stacks of blini, and two large glasses of tea soon served when they come. Without waiting for anything, both Vasily and Elena ate the lunch, as they also had been starving.
"This is quite good, Elena. You really have an exqu..." Vasily's words hung for some seconds, as he stared at the window of teahouse. "Ex... qu... dammit, I forgot the word..."
"Exquisite. I am flattered, till you want to use a sophisticated word for me," thanked Elena. Vasily took glance, and slightly had his cheek tinged in carmine again.
After ate the lunch, Vasily takes out the cigarette that he pocketed previously. Elena gave a nod, letting him to smoke and stare at the crowds on the street.
"So, is it okay if I ask about your family?" Elena opened her lips again before sipping her tea.
Vasily smiled for a while, "They are my everything. Mom and sisters sacrificed everything at factory... Just to keep the family intact, after dad passed away in consumption. Often I thought that I was being a brat than fully helping them. Only after eldest sister's death... I decided to change."
"I'm sorry to hear that..."
"It's okay. They left the factory after I was accepted in the ensemble. Then they have enough safety net, and they can find better job with fair salary and benefit..." reassured Vasily, then he proceeded to ask, "How's your family, too? From your face, you looked very... west."
Elena blinked several times, then she had a small laugh, "Nice catch, Vasily. But yes, there is British blood in my extended family, and they are also running a doctor dynasty. I guess I am lucky to get a splash of them, though I am still considering to pursue specific specialization just like them, or just focus on study about hospital manager."
"Whoa... So there is such study about hospital itself?"
"Well, any doctor can built their own clinic, hired any nurse... But not all doctor know how to manage the fund and the attitude when more patients arrived," explained Elena.
"Any men would be so lucky to have you..." mumbled Vasily, before he put the cigarette butt to the provided ashtray. Elena almost opened her lips again, but she ended up only smirking at Vasily.
***
After paid for the meal, they continued the journey again with the tram. Slowly, slowly... the tram brought them to Ulitsa Volnogo Novgoroda, accompanied with Vasily listened to Elena's boring life; the serious family who rarely cracking stupid jokes, the pulmonologist father who only know how to smile but not to laugh, and the only one who has better sense of humour is her own mother. Then after Vozhd being open with foreign doctors in 1933, Elena told Vasily about her experience with the colleagues.
"So... you know, this is the first time I see a happy Soviet man. Totally against from whatever that I heard back at Bristol," admitted Elena before she tidied her fur hat that a bit bended. "Though... well, I almost think it's somewhat true when working in ER department."
Vasily went silent for several seconds, then he sighed, "Considering this is hellish times, it does true. Everyone's spark dimmed and gone."
"Yeah, I understand. And so, when seeing you still entertain both of us... it's a miracle."
The tram now only filled with the engine's noises and other people's chattering. Both of them stared outside of the tram, watching different crowds in each meter. They don't know what to talk anymore...
But somehow, she feels it was still a good time, because her hand intertwined unconsciously with Vasily's. Her gaze sometimes taking glance, mesmerised to see a serious-faced Vasily scanning the surroundings.
Though when she still assess his face, she noticed one small thing. It's quite odd that Vasily choose the tram which goes to specific streets like Ulitsa Volnogo Novgoroda and Ulitsa Pushkina? It's not the streets where most of entertainments available. Just... housing streets. They do passed by the large theatre previously, but Vasily didn't take her there. And so far, Vasily only keep holding her hand and never do anything further...
***
The sunset drowned into night, and once again they need some food before ending their journey. And lucky for them two - they quickly arrived in the heart of Kalinin city. Elena pulled Vasily's hand, guiding him to the restaurant that she want to recommend.
"Is it nearby your home, Elena?" asked Vasily. Elena nodded in enthusiasm.
"Yup. Being a doctor has its own perks; our settlement is near good restaurants, kiosks, bakeries, and everything I need to grab before my shift. And now I want you to taste those perks with me."
And Vasily's gripped feels stronger after Elena says that, secretly melted Elena's heart.
The restaurant is quite busy too. Probably because it's a Friday night, when everyone finally unwind themselves after hard work. Elena pulled her hospital ID to the waiter, and led the waiter immediately escort both Elena and Vasily to specific hall.
"Huh, so it's clear there is still a small different treatment between normal citizen and doctor," whispered Vasily to Elena.
"Only about the quieter hall and better plating of the meals. I've tried both of halls, and it's just same. But isn't it nice to have quiet moment during dinner?"
"I think so, too..."
They sat down and immediately ordered the chef's recommendation. A hot veggie soup, black bread, baked fish, boiled potatoes, and a scoop of compote served for them ten minutes later.
Once again, they eat in silence. For the first time again, Elena sees Vasily savoured the meal without taking glance at the window at all. Thus, their time in the restaurant was quite short - for only less than half an hour.
"Anyhow... Elena, I wonder why that man has yellow eyes and skin?" asked Vasily suddenly, when he pointed onto a very large, burly man crossing the street.
Elena turned her head, and look confused, "Really? I can't see it..."
"Your position is blocked by the curtain."
Elena shifted her chair, then narrowed her eyes to watch the direction that Vasily pointed. "Ah... yes, hepatitis case. Quite common, but still dangerous. I hope that person quickly go to hospital..."
Elena sat back to her chair normally, then finished the hot lemon tea before she wiped her lips with napkin. She look back at Vasily who also just wiped his lips too.
"What a nice dinner, isn't it?" smiled Elena.
Vasily leered when he spoke, "Correct. I guess... a silent dinner also nice too. I lived in crowds too much..."
Elena doesn't respond anymore. She just takes out her wallet and called the waiters, planned to pay for the entire order. But she widened her eyes because the waiter comes to her and said "This gentlemen already paid everything, young lady," before leaving them two again.
Then she agaped, "...When did you pay all of that?"
"When I tell you to assess that man before. You were so focused until not turning your gaze at once," chortled Vasily.
Finally Elena laughed, feels both silly and amazed with Vasily's skill. "Clever lad... Makes me want to call you Vashenka already..."
"Ey, that's too... too fast," Vasily's stuttered quite fast again, though later he finally answered, "Well, you can call me Vasya now. Can I call you Lena too?"
"No problem, Vasya."
"Now let's go home. I don't want your parents worried for their little girl," Vasily gets up and tidied his overcoat with confidence. Elena soon gets up and let her hand guided by him out of the restaurant.
***
It took fifteen minutes to reach her apartment, where her parents also lived there. Elena finally taking off her hand from Vasily reluctantly, "Thanks for bringing me home, Vasya."
"No problem. I am only being responsible as your date," smirked Vasily. Elena nodded in satisfaction.
"I hope we can meet and do this again... Oh by the way, it's already night, Vasya. Do you take the night train or stayed somewhere?"
"Oh I planned to get some motel near the station. Just one night and then back to Moscow by next morning," assured Vasily.
"Okay, then..." Elena proceed to pat Vasily's bald head, then waving goodbye. With carmine ears and cheek, Vasily also waving goodbye...
***
...Although he doesn't actually go to that motel. He rushed to the Militsia office in Kalinin by 9 pm. He take out his ID and the report form toward the front desk. Then he quietly announced, "I got a tip from Moscow - this man is dangerous for involved in latest case; selling the banned book about Trotskyism in black market. So they sent me to investigate, and I managed to find his address: Ulitsa Pushkina, building 8, room number 6. You can investigate this further before the book gets into the bookstore secretly."
"Thank you for the report, Narcotic Nandev. We will process it immediately. Please stay with us for these 3 days until the final verdict for the arrest," after saying that, the officer gave a sign to the other Militsia men to get on their boots and leave the station.
With that, Vasily wiped his sweat. Another quota has fulfilled, and he won't be pestered by both Kharovsk and Moscow office for at least two months. He can only hope the France tour that he heard from Alexandrov coming soon, so he can rest from such exhausting investigation until next October...
Out of sudden, he can feel his head warm again. As if that woman's hand still patting him. Vasily rubbed his face, trying to brush off this feeling. He was also guilty to use the dating idea only for tracking the target's movement... Yet at the same time... he wants to do it again. Just... less investigating, and more joking for that doctor...
"You okay, dude? You seemed upset," interrupted that man on the front desk. Vasily waved his hand lazily.
"Just annoyed that I need two months to track that traitor. He really clever at hiding."
"Yeah, I feel that too. Those evil beings getting more clever lately..."
The Militsia man back to their administrative work, fully ignoring Vasily who finally lost in thoughts... by replaying the cute memory with that Head ER Doctor.