Courage, Alexan­der,” she whis­pered. “Courage, Ta­tiana.

Not bombs nor my broken heart can take away from me walking barefoot with you in jasmine June through the Field of Mars.

I love you. I'm blind for you, wild for you. Sick with you. I told you that our first night together when I asked you to marry me, I am telling you now. Everything that's happened to us, everything, is because I crossed the street for you. I worship you. You know that through and through.

But on that sunlit Sunday, Alexander knew nothing, thought nothing, imagined nothing. He forgot Dimitri and war and the Soviet Union and escape plans, and even America, and crossed the street for Tatiana Metanova.

Tatiana realized she was too young to hide well what was in her heart but old enough to know that her heart was in her eyes.

When Tatiana looked up from her ice cream, she saw a soldier staring at her from across the street.

Tania, there is so much still ahead of you. Be patient with life