The warm sun cast crispness into the late summer air. Some of the leaves on the banks of the Dnieper River were flecked with orange and gold though the landscape was predominantly green. Connor marveled at the hills on the west side of the river landmarked with cathedrals and other places of worship. On the east of the river was a never ending jungle of sky rise apartment buildings. He watched Andre on the deck of the yacht soaking in his homecoming. Connor had been hopeful during the two day journey up the Dnieper and he sensed that something big was about to happen.
Andre came in from the deck and approached Connor.
"Vee vill need to dock on west bank and den vee go to east bank." Andre said flatly.
Connor sensed some apprehension in Andre's voice. "Are you worried about someting?"
"Vee must keep nice yacht vif other yachts and not spark curiosity and zen vee disappear til tournament, is my condition." Andre talked as if he had a plan in his head while being enchanted by his home city.
Connor abided Andre's requests. "That's fine show me where to dock."
Andre took command of the yacht and eventually docked just past the large hills on the west side of the city. A private dock guaranteed safety of their yacht for a fairly steep price, but Connor let Andre handle all the transactions.
Before Connor knew it Andre had hailed a taxi and was giving directions to the driver. The driver nodded his head, waited for both men to get in the vehicle and then drove in the opposite direction of the east bank and into the heart of the city before he veered south and then suddenly took a drastic turn east across a high bridge that Connor remembered going under with the yacht. Connor could once again see the cathedrals on the west bank and apartment building on the east bank. As they crossed over to the east bank he noticed fishermen out on the river and a few people playing volleyball on the banks of the river.
After the driver crossed the bridge a different world emerged. Make shift tents and homemade kiosks lined the streets as independent vendors solicited milk, sour cream, cheese, meat, fruits, vegetables, and other items to pedestrians. The driver continued his course through the apartment buildings for a few miles until the landscape became entirely flat and the apartment buildings became shorter and spaced out further apart. The apartments disappeared altogether quickly and all that was left were small little hut like structures surrounded by vined fences, vegetation, and trees. The driver turned off the main road and onto a dirt road. He drove down the road for about a mile until he came to the end of the road and one lone hut surrounded by a harvest of delectable buffet growing fruits and vegetables. Andre handed the driver a generous sum of money and they unloaded their belongings from the trunk and watched the driver leave.
"Are you worried someone will find out where we are?" Connor asked.
"Anything possible Connor...he good man and maybe no tell if asked or maybe not. Is fine, vee here and only dock foreman know vhut vee look like and driver. Is good, come… is time you meet my old trainer."
Connor was curious. "You're trainer lives here?"
"Is my trainer before my trainer." Andre sounded as if he just asked a riddle.
"What do you mean?" Connor asked.
Andre winked. "Come. You vill see."
Andre opened the gate towards the hut like structure. As he walked in an orange cat arrogantly walked past them and out the gate. Andre approached the door and knocked with a smile on his face. A younger woman wearing dirt laden clothes opened the door. Behind the dirt caked on her face and hands along with her grimy hair was an angelic face. The woman was probably at least ten years older than Connor. She spoke with Andre in Russian and didn't seem to trust Andre. After several minutes of talking the woman finally invited Andre inside. Andre motioned for Connor to follow.
The hut was cool, damp, and silent. It was only one large room and had seven beds in the back corner, a large table next to a cast iron stove and a fire place opposite the stove. In the middle of the room were several stools including a large wooden chair padded with pillows where an elderly woman sat knitting. The younger woman approached the older woman and spoke to her softly. The older woman rose to her feet immediately. The younger woman guided her towards Andre. Andre knelt down and let the old woman touch his face. She spoke to him and Andre spoke back, but Connor could not hear or understand what they were saying. He simply knew the woman loved Andre and Andre reverenced the old woman.
After a few minutes of watching the two embrace and the younger woman wipe away a few tears Andre called for Connor. "Connor. This is my grandmother. She raise me when I was young. I call her Babushka."
Andre then spoke something in Russian to Babushka and the old woman reached her hands for Connor. Connor allowed the woman to place her wrinkled and callused hands on his face. She spoke softly to Connor in Russian. He couldn't understand what she said and he couldn't get past the stale smell of old vegetables on the woman's breathe.
After politely enduring the introduction, Connor gingerly took a step backwards. "Can you tell Babushka that I'm glad to meet her?"
Andre translated for Connor. Babushka grabbed Connors hands and kissed them. She led Connor and Andre to the large table and spoke to the younger woman. The younger woman went outside and came back in with a large pot with a lid on it. She lit the stove and placed the pot on it. Babushka sat at the table and smiled while Connor finally saw in the light from a nearby window that her eyes were nearly completely covered in gray. He looked at Andre who was gently stroking Babushka's shoulder.
"Who's the younger lady?" Connor asked.
The woman slightly turned her head as she continued to work at the stove.
Andre held Babushka's hands. "She is voman from village and caretaker of Babushka, is good voman."
Connor watched as the younger woman turned her head back towards the stove. "Are we going to stay here until we have to go to Kyiv?"
"Yes Connor...is good for Andre to relax and see Babushka." Andre admired his Babushka. "Is many years I'm gone. Babushka is old and coming to end of life."
Connor was touched by Andre's softer side, but he had a burning desire to get to Kyiv. "How long do you figure we have before we have to be back to register."
"Maybe two or three days. I know man in village who vill know. I vill ask day after tomorrow." Andre replied.
"So I guess we just relax?" Connor commented.
"Is time to rest now." Andre placed his hand softly on Babushka's shoulder. "Babushka make Ukranski Borsch for us. Is best food on planet."
Connor could smell the soupy dish permeate the room. "Sounds good to me."
A few minutes later the younger woman brought over bowls, spoons, a loaf of round brown bread and a stick of butter. She then brought over the pot of borsch and ladled generous helpings into everyone's bowl. She also sat down and began to eat. Connor took a spoonful and was reminded of a stew his mom used to make only the borsch had some unique flavors and textures he was not familiar with. He quickly acclimated to the new taste and consumed the entire bowl. The younger lady smiled at Connor and cut him a large slice of bread, spread butter across it and gave it to him while she ladled another bowlful of borsch. Babushka smiled as she heard the borsch being served again. Connor ate until he was full. Andre did the same. By the time they finished the sun was beginning descend into the west. Connor helped the younger lady clean up while Andre sat and talked with Babushka.
The younger woman was friendly and showed Connor where the outdoor sink was. In a detached shed off the house was a small refrigerator and cupboard of bowls, plates, and eating utensils. The sink did not have hot water, but was effective. After they finished cleaning up, the woman grabbed a kettle and some cups and went inside to put the kettle on the stove. Connor watched everything she did. He saw how she lit the stove and turned on a make shift gas unit to get the stove to heat quickly. After the water bowled the woman broug
ht in a jar of jam and placed a spoonful of jam in each cup. She then poured the hot water into the cups. She stirred each cup and served Andre and Babushka. She then returned to the stove and served a cup to Connor and poured one for herself. She motioned for Connor to follow her out of the hut.
The woman led Connor outside the front door and sat on a chair just outside. There was another chair next to her and Connor took the seat. As he looked towards the setting sun he thought about his home and how he had no one to return to in England.
"This place is beautiful." Connor commented.
"I glad you think so." The woman spoke.
Connor was startled by the words that he heard. He turned to the woman. "You speak English?"
The woman turned to Connor. "Yes I speak very well. Better than your friend in there."
"I didn't know." Connor apologized.
"It's alright. Most people don't think a country girl like me can be refined enough to speak English." The woman smiled.
Connor smiled back. "How did you learn?"
"My family was taught by American missionaries who held English classes in our village while I was growing up." The woman took a sip of her drink.
Connor was intrigued. "You almost have a perfect American accent."
"Thank you." She replied.
"What's your name by the way?" Connor asked.
"I'm Lena."
"Nice to meet you Lena. I'm Connor."
"I know your name." Lena took another sip.
"Well I guess you do." Connor chuckled. "Why didn't you tell Andre you spoke English?"
"He didn't ask." Lena let out a sly grin.
Connor was suddenly full of questions. "Did you know Andre growing up?"
"No. He is probably at least ten or twelve years older than me." Lena reminisced. "When my family moved to this village, Andre was already in training. The last time he came to visit his Babushka was probably twelve years ago. I didn't even see him, he came for only one night when my mother was caring for his Babushka. She told us about it, but she was the only one who saw him." Lena turned her attention to Connor. "Do you really think you'll stay for a few days?"
"I'm pretty certain we will. Andre is in a much better place than he was back then." Connor thought of Andre's possible drinking problems during his last visit.
"How would you know?" Lena inquired. "You've got to be younger than twenty."
"I just know a lot about him. That's all." Connor played it off.
Lena let out a slight scowl. "Well I think if he leaves again he might break his Babushka's heart."
"He might, but he has promised to help me find my mom." Connor diverted the conversation.
"Where's your mom?" Lena asked.
"We think she's in Kyiv, but aren't sure." Connor shrugged.
Lena sipped more tea. "Then why are you here... for the stick fighting tournament?"
Connor felt like Lena could see right through him. "She might be part of it...it's a long story."
"Well I hope he doesn't just disappear like he did last time." Lena cut to the chase.
Connor felt defensive of his friend. "I'm telling you he's in a better place."
"That's great, but Babushka didn't know he was alive until about six months ago when she got a letter from him." Lena sat back and took another sip. "She's always worried."
"She has a right to be." Connor didn't want to talk about Andre any more. "So do you live with her here?"
"Yes. My family moved to America after my mother died and I decided to stay." Lena said coldly.
"I'm sorry to hear that." Connor said empathetically.
"It's alright." Lena was visibly upset. "There was nothing we could do about it. Anyhow, my father is re-married and my brothers are happy in America."
Connor felt bad for Lena. "Well that's good."
"It's good for them." Lena commented.
"Do you want to see them again?"
"I don't know. I'm not very adventurous." Lena relaxed a bit. "This is the life I know and love."
Connor thought of his home in England and the forests he grew up in. "I understand."
"How could you understand?" Lena questioned.
"I grew up on a farm similar to this in England. We almost lived off the land until my mom was taken." Connor paused. "I had a hard time leaving it. I sometimes want to go back, but I want to find my mom more than that right now."
"It sounds like you are brave Connor." Lena admired.
Connor's confidence grew. "I'm just trying to do what's right and find my way."
"Well I hope you can convince Andre to find the right way in his life." Lena retorted sarcastically.
"I'm not making any promises." Connor smiled at Lena.
Lena smiled back."Fair enough."
Connor sat back and watched the night sky appear over the bread basket of Europe. He felt a sense of calmness in the midst of a chaotic chain of events and he wanted to soak in every minute of it.