The Fan Tan Players, page 36
After dinner, with the plates cleared away and her daughter dozing on the sofa, Nadia went over to stand by the living room doorway. She turned into the corridor to fetch another bottle of Sandeman for Costa then stopped – something pulled her back, made her pause and look round.
The house had gone suddenly quiet and everyone was watching Valentina, asleep like an angel with a blanket draped over her tiny shoulders. Nadia looked at each and every person then remembered her father’s words from years before: The problem with us Russians is that we spend all our time reminiscing and forget about the present. We must love what we have now before it has vanished forever.
Nadia’s eyes grew misty. She felt happy. She felt blessed. The smells of cooking still filled the house. She lingered by the doorway for a long moment, surrounded by the people she loved, looking at her family, at her friends.
The Gods were awake once more and they were smiling.
Julian Lees, The Fan Tan Players
