Chapter Two 

 An Unexpected Response

The rest of the day flew by like a flash, to be honest the only part of my day that usually seems to last forever is World History, but today with getting this new assignment, even that class wasn't so bad.

As I waited for my mother to pick me up from school, I talked to Mandy more about this weekend's shopping trip adventure on Saturday, and briefly explained about the new weird assignment from Mr. Poloski's class.

"Wow, seriously? That's really all yall have to do for a project? Gosh, why couldn't I have had him for my History teacher?" Mandy responded.

"I mean I guess it's going to be pretty easy, but he basically wants us to write our entire family history in a paper, and be able to prove it. And frankly with my family I don't see how that's going to be possible considering we have no records from my great grandparents. Gosh, I really need to get an A, but I don't see how it's going to be possible with this stupid assignment." I complained.

"Yeah, but will he really count off for you not being able to find some of your family history? Besides, everyone can find a way to know their past; you just have to know where to look. Sorry, I gotta go there's my dad, but good luck with starting your assignment. See you tomorrow."

"Hey, Lisa, is your mom going to pick you up today or do you need a ride?" Mr. Johnson, Mandy's dad asked from the sedan's window.

"No thank you Mr. Johnson, I see my mom pulling around now." I said as I smiled and groaned inside at the sight of my mother's red and gold, Mercury minivan pull around the traffic circle. My mother was always late, sometimes she would just send me a text saying to ride home with the Johnsons or to get a ride home from Eric or someone else, but I hated just standing there alone after all my other friends had already left.

"Okay, well tell your mother hi for us." Mr. Johnson called out as he waved goodbye and drove off.

Not a second later my mother pulled up and with the window down I could hear her favorite Prince cd blasting, oh great this will be a fun ride, I thought to myself sarcastically.

"Hey hunny, sorry I'm late, how was your day?" She called out over the music as I opened the door and got in.

"It was actually pretty good, it went by really fast." I said as I turned down the volume a little as we began to drive off.

"Really? Well, this is a first. What did you finally get that A that you were wanting in your class?"

"Ugh, no, and I don't think that is even going to happen in that class. The one chance where I thought I could actually pull my grade up to an A is with this new project we were assigned, but I don't see how since I'm not going to be able to find all the information that's required. It's hopeless. I'll just have to accept that I'm not going to make Valedictorian this year and Eric will end up getting it." I said with a little of annoyance in my voice. I just couldn't get over that this class was what was holding me back from beating Eric, and that this was the project that my teach chose to ruin my chances from actually being the perfect A student, in my opinion.

"Aw, hunny, I'm sure it's not that bad, besides I'm sure you'll get that A, I've been praying for you about that, because I know how much you want it. Anyways, what's this new, horrible, not possible to make an A, project of yours?" My mom said with a smile.

I eased up a little, and while watching out the window started to explain that the senior project was about writing a history paper based off my family history.

"Ah, I see how this is going to be difficult. Well, we have some things up in the attic, and maybe you could ask your great grandmamma today during the visit. Maybe this will get her to talk some." My mother said with hope in her voice.

"Ha, yeah I'm sure she'll talk about our family, since she loves to talk to me every time we visit her." I said with bitter sarcasm. I hated it when my mother tried to push me and my great grandmamma to be close, when it was definitely obvious that she had no intention to even acknowledge that I was in the room, and we had been going to visit her every Thursday for the past eighteen years.

One of the other things I hated most about the weekly visit was the smell of the nursing home. It smelled just like a hospital; that too clean and old people smell. As I walked through the main lobby, there were several of other residents out playing chess or napping, most were in wheelchairs, and all of them looked tired and depressed. If I had to live here I would look the same way, this place is just like a prison, I thought to myself, as I kept walking towards room fifteen A, which was my great grandmamma's room.

The room was the same every week, shadowy, despite the large opened window and white walls. There was a closet to the right as soon as I entered, and right after that the bathroom. As I continued to enter the main space there was a decent size sofa to the left along the wall that faced the window and the hospital like bed that dominated the space and a few night stands that held a few personal items like a photo of my dad with my grandparents when he was still young, and clothes for my great grandmamma. Yet, today the bed was empty for a change. My eyes searched for a fraction of a second as they focused on the small, thin, grey haired woman who sat by the large open window in her wheelchair.

"Oh well look at you up and out of your bed, today must be a good day for you Mrs. Vasilieva." My mother said in her almost fluent Russian, as she walked pass me to gently hug and stand beside my great grandmamma.

My great grandmamma only turned her head slightly and nodded before turning back towards the window. That was the usual response towards my mother. Sometimes she would say a few words, but only to the nurses who didn't understand her, and to my mother, never to me. I walked a few more steps until I went to go sit in chair that was by the window, across from my mother who was beginning to tidy the place up a little. She always did that, I guess to avoid the awkward silence and to keep busy.

"Lisa, are you going to say hello?" My mother said with a raised eyebrow. I didn't know why she makes me try...it's not like my great grandmamma listened, and even if she did she never said hello back.

"Hi, Nunna, like my mother said, it's great to see you out of your bed and by the window." I said softly as I stood up to kiss her on the cheek, like I always did. And like always she didn't respond, only kept staring out the window.

As I sat back down resting my head on my hand I looked at my mother who just gave me a sympathetic smile and shrug before turning back around to fold some towels.

"Lisa, why don't you tell Nunna about your day at school and your final project, I'm sure she'd love to hear about it?" My mother pushed.

I looked at my mother while groaning inside, giving her the "are you serious" stare.

I took a deep breath and while looking out the window I began to tell my great grandmamma about my day.

"Yeah my World History teacher, Mr. Poloski, gave all of us an assignment today that's going to be our final project." I started to explain, still looking out the window.

"And what is this final project again Lisa?" My mother said encouraging me to explain further.

"Umm, well, we are supposed to do a huge history paper about our family history, finding out as much as we can about where we come from and all the different lifestyle changes over the years, etc. He said that we are living history, that we are history, and that the only way we are going to know who we are, is to know where we come from." I said, before turning to look at my mother then my great grandmamma, who was looking at me. Okay that's a change, I thought to myself.

Now I really felt nervous for some reason. It was the first time my great grandmamma has actually shown that she listened to me, acknowledging that I was in the room.

I looked quickly at my mother who was taking a stack of towels to the bathroom and then back at my great grandmamma who then asked in her thick Russian, "Have you begun this assignment of yours Annalisa?" I couldn't help it, my mouth dropped; this was seriously the first time she's ever spoken to me. Her voice cut through the silence so much that even my mother came out and went to go stand by her, thinking something was wrong.

"Um, I'm sorry what?" I asked, knowing what she said, but I just wanted to make sure this was real that Nunna was actually talking to me.

"Have you begun this history assignment?" She repeated, her voice a little shaky, almost as if she was just as nervous.

"Well, sort of. I was trying to look up a few things on my mother's side of the family, but I have to wait to get home before I try to search for information about our Russian family." I explained, becoming less nervous as I spoke.

"Do you know where to look or what to search for Annalisa?" She asked, sounding less nervous as well.

"No, not really. I mean I only know that your last name is Vasiliev, so I figured I'll start with that and do some research."

"You shall do no such thing." She said quickly with a hard face.

I looked at her, and then at my mother who had a confused looked on her face as well.

"Um, I'm sorry, what? Why?" I said as I stumbled over my words, my mind being filled with many questions.

"Do as I say, with no questions, please." She said sternly as she stared at me with intense eyes.

"Mrs. Vasilieva, she has to do this assignment. She can't, just not turn in any information about her father's side of the family." My mother tried to persuade. My great grandmamma just turned back to look out the window, ignoring my mother's words.

"Well, I think we've overstayed for today, you must be tired after all this talking." My mother said as she went to go get her purse and started heading towards the door.

I stood up, looking at my great grandmamma still trying to wrap my mind around her words, her first words to me.

"Lisa, will be back next week Mrs. Vasilieva, I have to go out of town for work, but I hope you two can have a good visit while I'm gone." My mother said before walking out into the hallway of the nursing home.

"Yeah, it's just going to be me if that's alright Nunna. I'll see you next week." I said as I leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek like I always did.

"I look forward to your visit, see you next week Annalisa." My great grandmamma said softly as she continued to stare out the window.

I looked at her for a brief moment, mentally noting that she again spoke to me, and as I walked back out towards the van with my mother all I could think about was the brief conversation, and the obvious warning in my Nunna's words and eyes. So many questions filled my head; Why did she not want me research my father's side of the family? Why did she, today of all days, speak to me? She actually wanted to see me next week? Will she talk again?

All of these questions and more filled my head. Yet, the one conclusion from this visit that I was certain of was that, her response was definitely unexpected.

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Author's Note: Hey Yall, I hope you enjoyed Reading! Please take a moment to click the orange VOTE button that's on the left hand side of the screen. Thanks so much for all your support.

This chapter is dedicated to AlexandraDawn because she created awesome book covers for my story.  Which can be found in the slideshow on the Synopsis page. And then on the side of this chapter, as well as, chapters 5 and 7.  Thanks again chica.