Page 28

Good news. As soon as I entered Ana’s room—overcoming that same putrid smell—her face lit up. She informed me that my massage the night before had helped her greatly, and she slept better than she had in weeks. The tea she drank that morning strengthened her as well.

It might be too hopeful of me to write, but maybe her sickness will not be as difficult to treat as I thought. I tried my best not to look too proud. Maybe all she needed was a gentler female touch.

I offered to give her another massage and she happily agreed. Nikola hovered beside the bed as I prepared to begin, but Ana shooed him away, for which I was grateful. It was easier to work without his probing eyes on my back.

Like the night before, her skin was cool and brittle to the touch. I started with her legs, searching for what song to sing. But then I thought it might be best to speak with her more, seeing as she was in a livelier mood. And so I asked how her day went.

“Oh, it was alright,” she answered. She cast a forlorn look at a fresh bouquet of lavender beside her bed. Its smell masked the rot somewhat. “Today was the first day of the harvest. It’s my favorite time of year, and so I picked a little lavender, before I grew weak. Marko and I used to always do it together.”

I couldn’t help but notice the sadness in her voice. “But not anymore?” I asked.

“No. He is far too busy now. Visiting different merchants and factories. He is in Vienna right now, actually. There’s a perfume shop there that sells our oil.”

Vienna. It seemed like such a far-off place—where women did sophisticated things like wear stylish hats and attend the theater. I asked when he would return, as Nikola never told me.

“June 28th.” That gave us ten more days together, though I would’ve preferred longer.

Silence fell as I kneaded her legs, searching for another question to ask. But then she spoke again. “Did you know lavender is how Marko wooed me?”

Of course I knew, thanks to Otac. And even if I didn’t, I would’ve learned from the islanders—they can’t seem to go more than a few weeks without mentioning it, especially in the summer, when the lavender is blooming. The women at the market are always sighing about how romantic the tale is, how Marko worked so hard from nothing to earn his success and Ana’s hand. If you ask me, he only got lucky.

But I remembered your lessons, Majko. Sometimes it is good to let a sick person talk. So I said, “No. I’m not sure I knew that.”

A wide smile broke across her face then, and she sat up straighter. I was massaging her thighs at this point, and she leaned in, like she was telling me a secret. I did my best to maintain an air of interest as she told the story. How they were such good friends, always chasing rabbits in the field together. How devastated she was when her parents denied Marko’s marriage proposal. How God spoke to Marko, telling him to plant the lavender field. Ma daj! Of all the times I asked for God’s help, especially in your absence, He never answered me. What made Marko so special?

But Ana clearly admired Marko’s dedication. She gazed about the dark room as if the walls were painted in gold. “His salt and sweat are in these stones,” she said. “He built all this from nothing, just so he could be with me. Can you believe it?”

I’ll admit, it is an impressive feat. The house is beautiful, the most beautiful on the island. I could never imagine someone caring for me so much they’d build me a home. But I suspect it was a matter of pride as well. He must’ve wanted to prove to Ana’s parents what he was worth, for I could feel his haughtiness bearing down on me, seeping from the walls.

“That’s a wonderful story,” I managed to say. “You were truly meant to be together.” I’d heard women say similar things at the market, all romantic nonsense.

And yet the glimmer in her eyes dimmed. As if I’d said the wrong thing. Perhaps I wasn’t convincing enough. Our conversation faded after that, and I became lost in my work, massaging the rest of her limbs. I sang the song about the swallows, thinking of the birds that nest in the eaves of our home.

By the time I finished, she had fallen asleep. I slowly got up to look for Nikola, but as I turned to the door, he was already there, leaning against its frame. I jumped so high with fright, then panicked I’d woken Ana. Luckily, she remained asleep.

“You have a lovely singing voice,” he said. Only, his tone wasn’t very kind. It was almost . . . perturbed.

Still, his words flustered me. I didn’t know what to say, except for “Thank you.”

He beckoned me into another room. It was some sort of study, with bookshelves and a massive desk in the center. There were papers scattered all over it. I imagine he must’ve been doing some work in there while I was with Ana. A smoky tobacco haze pervaded the air. The dog lay on a bed beside the desk. It growled as I entered, but Nikola shushed it swiftly. Shushed her. It is a girl, I learned. Kleo. When I repeated the name, he said it was short for Kleopatra.

“My father chose the name. She supposedly seduced Cezar with lavender, and so he thought it clever.”

Clever name or not, I still hadn’t forgiven the beast for chasing me down. I glared at it when Nikola wasn’t looking.

He sat in the armchair behind the desk and motioned for me to sit opposite him. Like we were in some sort of meeting. On the wall behind him was a painting of the temptation of Isus, the Devil crouched beside him. His gruesome face peered right at me. My heart hammered in nervous anticipation.

“How is she?” Nikola asked.

“Alright,” I answered. “Better than yesterday, it seems.”

“Do you have a diagnosis?”

I gritted my teeth. I wasn’t sure what to tell him. I had the strong urge not to disappoint him. Would he dismiss me if I didn’t have an answer?

And so I said, “I need more time to narrow down the possibilities.” I could tell he wasn’t fully pleased with this response by the way his jaw tensed, but he only nodded.

I wanted to say more, to show that I at least learned something during my session, and so I told him how she had spoken of her courtship with Marko. “She seems lonely,” I said. “Sometimes that can do as much harm as any other illness.”