MY GUARDIAN ANGEL
EVIE
WHEN I WAKE UP, MY EYELIDS FEEL HEAVY AND STUCK TOGETHER. I CAN FEEL SUNLIGHT ON MY FACE so I know it’s morning. So what if I can’t open my eyes?
I hear someone speaking Russian on the phone, and I realize I’m home.
Back in my real home, not my dorm room. Any moment now, my mother is going to tap on my door.
She’ll bring in a gilded wooden tray with black tea in delicate china cups.
We’ll drink tea and plan our day. Maybe a visit to the art museum.
Or that old market where they have the delicious blini.
All my recent worries and inadequacies dissolve now that I’m home again.
Then I listen more closely to the words and realize that it’s not my father speaking. In fact, it’s not even Russian, it’s actually Ukrainian. And it’s not being spoken very well; the grammar is sketchy and the vocabulary limited. I focus on translating the words.
Are you sure you’re in health, Grandma? A long pause and then, No, no. Of course no. But, any news? Another longer pause. Understand. I love you. Goodbye.
There’s silence, then the speaker lets out a long sigh. I can sense the anguish even in my diminished state. Maybe I can’t open my eyes, but I must do something.
Can I help you? I ask.
Evie? Are you awake? Instantly there’s someone beside me.
With great effort, I force open my eyes.
Viktor Zelenko’s concerned face hovers over mine.
Well, that can’t be right. I close my eyes again, then open only one.
He’s still there. But instead of the black designer shirt and jeans from last night, he’s in a white T-shirt and grey sweatpants. He looks…worried?
Where am I? I ask.
You’re in Viktor’s room in the hockey house, a female voice replies. Now there’s someone behind him, a pretty woman with auburn hair.
Who are you? I ask. Nothing makes sense.
I’m Rosie Daniels. I date Connor Wahl, you know, the goalie for the Mustangs? She smiles at me, but I’m still completely flummoxed.
Maybe she should drink some water, Viktor suggests.
Good idea. Can you sit up? Rosie asks.
Why would I not be able to sit up? I rise without difficulty. Viktor carefully arranges pillows behind my back, then hands me a bottled water.
Wait, perhaps this is the dream? I’m actually in Russia and I’m dreaming that I’m at Monarch College?
It must be a dream because Viktor is being so nice to me.
As I struggle to open the bottle, Rosie takes it from me and pops the top off.
I take a long swallow and realize how dry my mouth feels.
When I’ve finished half the bottle, I put it on the black nightstand beside me.
Why didn’t you open it for her? Rosie chides Viktor.
Because I wanted her to see that the seal was unbroken, he replies.
Oh wow, you’re two steps ahead. Sorry, she tells him.
Their talk about the water bottle stirs my uneasiness.
What happened to me last night? I ask.
Rosie sits down on the bed next to me and pats my hand. Before we start, I want you to know that you’re fine. Nothing, uh, violating happened to you.
Besides the obvious—that you can’t remember last night, Viktor says with a scowl.
What I can remember is how cruel he was last night. How I swore I would never speak to him again. But this Viktor is a completely different man.
Rosie turns to him. You tell her, you were there.
Well, after we, uh, talked at the party, he begins. If you call talking Viktor insulting me and me insulting him right back.
You were with his frat guy. Dougie?
Bile rises in my throat.
He put something in your drink. Sleeping pills, actually. We saw him taking you upstairs and you didn’t look right, so we followed—
Who is we? I ask.
Me, Mats, Sinc, and Coty, he replies.
I turn to Rosie with a raised eyebrow.
She smiles. Roy Matsumoto, Jack Sinclair, and Antoine C?té. All on the hockey team.
Oh. Okay, please continue, I say.
Viktor nods. He took you into a bedroom, but we got there before anything could happen. And then we took you to the hospital to make sure you were okay.
I blink. Wait, I’ve been to the hospital too? A lot happened while I was asleep.
Rosie holds up a hand. Evie, you do understand that you weren’t just asleep, right? You were drugged.
Yes, I get that. I’m very careful about what I drink. No photos were taken, were they? All I can hear is my father’s lectures about kompromat.
Viktor sighs. I don’t think so, but I can double-check. But you’re weren’t, uh, undressed or anything like that. Anyway, the nurse said we needed to keep an eye on you, so we brought you back here. Besides, you didn’t have a purse or phone, so we didn’t know where you lived.
Oh. I think back. Angelica has my phone, and I left my purse at— I shut my mouth before I reveal all the Revenge Squad details.
Angelica Ford? Viktor’s worried expression has been replaced by a frown.
No. Of course not. I mean, just someone from my residence named Angelica. My slow-moving brain is not helping me to lie.
Speaking of your residence, is there anyone who might be worried about you? Rosie asks.
Oh, poor Annie. Yes. Could I use your phone to message her?
Rosie fumbles in her pocket, but Viktor is faster, his outstretched hand offering a sleek black phone that’s already unlocked.
I message Annie: Hope you’re not too worried. I’m fine. I’ll be home soon.
I’m impressed that you can remember phone numbers, Rosie remarks. Apparently her father never drilled her in memory exercises.
The phone vibrates. Who is this?
Oh sorry. Evelyn.
Thank god you’re okay! What happened? I didn’t know who to call. I’ve sent you a million messages.
I really don’t want to explain further, so I add, This is Viktor’s phone, so I’ll explain when I see you.
I’m sure Annie’s brain is exploding now, but hopefully she’ll stop sending messages, especially incriminating ones.
Thank you. I hand the phone back to Viktor, and he glances at it.
Apparently, she’s going to kill me if I’ve harmed you. Now he sounds more like his normal sardonic self.
I stifle a giggle at the thought of tiny Annie taking on the large and fit Viktor.
Rosie smiles at me. I have to say, you seem to be taking all this very well. I was worried that everything that happened last night might have traumatized you.
I return a hazy smile. I can only remember a few things from last night.
I felt really dizzy and I said I wanted to go home.
That guy said he’d help me. The only time I got really scared was when I realized I was in a strange room and I had to escape, but I could hardly move.
But as I was going in and out of consciousness, my guardian angel came to me.
He told me that he would never let anything bad happen to me.
He held me and he was so strong that I knew I was safe.
Then I stopped fighting to stay awake. And I don’t remember another thing until now.
Rosie’s eyes are saucer-wide, so she clearly thinks I’m not making sense.
So you don’t believe that angels are assigned to protect each person on earth? I ask, too groggy to remember where the idea of guardian angels came from. Was it my mother or readings I’ve done on Slavic religions?
I do, Viktor’s firm voice interjects. But he’s facing the window, not even looking at me. Are you hungry? he adds, without turning around.
Not really. I take another drink from the bottle. Then I remember my manners. I’m sorry, I haven’t thanked you yet. Thank you so much for rescuing me and taking care of me. That was beyond kind.
Rosie holds up a hand. I did nothing except volunteer to be a female presence this morning. It was all Viktor.
Then, thank you, Viktor, I say.
You’re welcome. He finally turns around, his face returned to its normal mask of cool indifference. Obviously, he rescued me because it was the right thing to do, but I’m still an irritant to him. And I’ve inconvenienced him all night.
Would you like to take a shower? Rosie asks. And even if you’re not hungry, you should eat something. You want to flush all the drugs out of your system.
I agree to the shower, and Viktor leaves his own room, presumably for the sake of my privacy. Rosie shows me the bathroom and hands me towels. I shower, then have to don my party clothes again, which look even tackier in the sunlight.
Rosie clucks when she sees me and offers me one of her boyfriend’s shirts, but it turns out that he’s even taller than Viktor.
I hold out my arms like a scarecrow in the enormous top. It’s okay. I’m just going to go home and change.
She shakes her head. I think Viktor has plans for you.
Well, that sounds ominous.
Rosie dares to open Viktor’s perfectly organized dresser and finds a Mustangs sweatshirt that I don on top of my skimpy clothes. It almost entirely covers the skirt so now I look like I have nothing on but a sweatshirt, but at this point it would be rude to complain further.
I follow her down to the kitchen where there are four large men at a table, including Viktor. All conversation halts when I enter the room, and everyone stares.
Then a dark-haired man stands and extends his hand. Hi Evie, I’m Antoine C?té. He has a French-Canadian accent and a big smile.
I smile back and shake his hand. Thank you so much for rescuing me last night.
Ah, you remember me? he asks.
Not a thing. But Viktor explained what happened.
Antoine grins broadly. Oh, did he? Well, he was the real hero.
Rosie interrupts. Evie, this is Connor, my boyfriend. And Dylan Johansson.
I nod at both men. Size seems to be the main characteristic of the hockey team.
Viktor motions to the table. There’s some fruit, yogurt, and toast for your breakfast. Do you want coffee?
No, thank you. My stomach feels queasy. I sit down and nibble on some apple slices, but my mind is spinning. There’s so much to take in.
Viktor crosses his arms, which makes his muscles even more prominent, then glares at me. You should eat more.
Um, okay. I open a yogurt and start spooning it into my mouth.