Excerpt from “Anna Karenina Comes to America” by Leia Tolstaya*, Millerskaya Ltd., New York, 2009. For earlier installments please click on the keyword phrase “Of Children and Peasants”.
“Let’s just say that I decide to come to your time and help you bring Anna Karenina here to avert the tragedy she brought on herself,” Levina mused.
“Yes?” prodded Great-great-great-grandfather Levin.
“What’s to say she won’t do the same thing here?”
“That is a very good question. And that is one of the reasons I am going to put her assets in trust to you.”
“Assets?”
“Well, she will need a place to stay, right?”
“And not here, to be sure.”
“There is a nice starter house in foreclosure down the block from you. I can purchase that and set her up with a nice bank account.”
“And where would that money come from, and how would you set up owndership without the proper papers?”
“I go talk to Karenin and Vronsky, separately. They both feels terribly responsible about what happened. They can give me money to put in trust for her. Let it grow a century or so and she will be independent and comfortable.”
“As she is used to.”
“Yes. And as for the papers, remember there is no limit to where and when I can go. I can procure the necessary papers for her identity and citizenship, and set up her accounts so it will look like she has been a long and established citizen here.”
“It looks like you’ve got things worked out. Of course, William will have to approve of the plan.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t have you going against your husband’s wishes – even though you are free to do so in your time, it is never the right thing for either husband or wife to do.”
Just then she heard the key turn in the front door. William was home for a late lunch.
“Hey, looks like the house down the block finally got a buyer,” he said, cheerfully kissing her on the cheek. Levina gave her grandfather a suspicious look.
“Hi Grandpa, good to see you,” said William, giving him a friendly hug.
To be continued…
*Leia Tolstaya is a pen name for Elizabeth K. Miller, and as such her works fall under the same copyright.
1 comment:
Interesting twist.
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