Chapter 5

Nikolai

“I missed this place.” Hope said as we entered the property on the aptly named Attitude Adjustment Road. It is immediately clear to even the most discerning connoisseur of life that you have crossed over into a different world.

‘Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both’

I said, absentmindedly reciting Robert Frost’s poem.

‘I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.’

Hope finishes it for me, and smiled at me.

A world that is less traveled. Unlike downtown New York, the air is crisp and fresh and wild animals roam the land which is rich in vegetation and greenery. During its lifetime over half a million deciduous and evergreen trees have been planted all over the property.

“Home sweet home.” I put my arm around Hope as we got out of the car and stood in front of the dramatic striking and architectural profound Pines Lodge against this tapestry of tall trees.

It is the first structure of many to come offering a majestic greeting as we venture into the property approximately 25,000 sq ft in size and with ten bedrooms and nine bathrooms including an exquisite master suite which serves as my bedroom. Its prominence and magnitude is absolutely breathtaking.

It took 54 tractor trailers to transport the logs to Savannah due from Colorado including the 350 year old Engelmann spruce logs which make up its walls and 54 inch wide vertical Douglas fir. 4 large stone chimneys pierced the roof-line and an enormous external chimney stack  comprised of 2025 ton boulders stands Sentinel at the South corner.

We entered through wide antique doors and while the exterior exhibits grandeur and opulence, once inside, a restful sense of calm and comfort settles the spirit with an abundance of color and texture throughout. Pines Lodge has unmistakable ambiance of a warm, lavish, rustic retreat. With artifacts, furniture, artwork, and other remarkable pieces curated from around the world. It’s really a wonder to assimilate.

“Oh, look! It’s me.” Hope giggled as she saw the huge portrait of her and me. My strikingly black hair and sharp eyes in contrast to her auburn hair and bright eyes.

“It’s Lady Hope!” Anton, a child of one of our staffs, came rushing towards her.

“davno ne videlis' (Long time no see)” she said, hugging the child.

“ya skuchayu po tebe (I missed you)” he says, looking up at her with such innocent eyes.

“ya skuchal po tebe tozhe (I missed you too)” she told him.

“The kids really love you.” I commented.

“Only the kids?” she asked.

“Everyone here loves you Hope.” I smiled. It wasn’t just me. This place had changed entirely after I brought her here.

“Come on. Let’s eat. I missed Luca’s cooking.” she says, taking my hand.

We enjoyed cocktail at the 18^th century bar before moving into dinner prepared in the state of the art kitchen by our own private chef - Luca - utilizing the game, cattle, fish, herbs, and vegetables found on the land.

“Luca, you should teach me how to speak Italian some time.” she told him. She didn’t get to learn from him before she went abroad to study.

“certo, mia signora (Of course, my lady)” he replied.

“Maybe I should just take you with me when I go back downtown.” she says.

“I don’t think Natasha would love that idea.”

The vast wine cellar , whiskey and beer dispensary and tasting room create a refined setting in which we retire to after the incredible meal was filled with our laughter.

**

“Princess, do you want to go fishing?” I asked Hope the next day as she was sitting in front of a late 1800 style Pennsylvania Dutch Barn next to the Pines Lodge.

Although calling it a barn is barely fitting. It houses the commercial grade kitchen and food storage, the meat processing plant and the smokehouse are able to cater meals, and the large bar and additional wine cellar cater beverages. The large doors open out onto a capacious porch overlooking the pond and on a calm day the waters flawlessly mirror this incredible building.

“I’d love to.” she says as our attendant came to fetch her fishing gear. She didn’t seem to mind the nickname, since this place itself looks like it came straight out of  a fairy tale.

We moved beyond the Pines Lodge and Barn to a vast network of internal roads that continue to wind a meander throughout the entire property allowing easy access to over 50 additional structures that populate the almost 4,000 acres.

“It would have been a good day for hunting.” I say and Hope gave him a look.

Much of this land is fenced in, it is where the genetically superior breeds of animal including Sika deer, elk, and specialty cattle meander throughout the enclosures.

“Just kidding.” I say, and patted her head. She pouted at me and I pinched her cheeks lightly.

The reason she asked me to expand our estate is so that these animals can roam around freely. I even asked her if she wanted to keep some as pets but she said she didn’t want them to be caged. She had such a soft spot for animals that she cried when she learned I went out hunting for game and since then, I never did it again. There were humans that deserve to be hunted more than the animals.

I never wanted to see her cry again. That’s why we’re now stuck at fishing.

A collection of natural and man made lakes, ponds, and streams punctuated the extraordinary landscape brimming with brass, trouts, perch, pike, and walleye. Some of these are passed over by wooden bridges and others by pedestrian suspension bridges.

This place is just an integral link between humankind and nature.

 “Nikki, do you remember when I first crossed that bridge?” Hope asked, pointing at the suspension bridge across the lake.

“Yeah, you were so afraid I thought you’ll fall off by yourself.” I laughed remembering the memory.

“Well, it was really shaky. I didn’t know if I was excited or scared.” Hope says.

“And I’ll often play hide and seek with everyone on those 21 intellectual exchange houses that are dotted throughout the grounds.” she continued.

“I always had to scold your guards for letting you out of their sight.”

“Even I got scared when you got angry at them.” Hope admitted.

“But you still stood up for them.”

“Well, their only fault is not being to able to find me before you did.” She said, making a face at me. “Besides, as long as I’m within the estate, I’m safe.”

Hope just trusts everyone in the estate. I can’t fully trust anyone but for the most part, I’m sure the people here will definitely have second thoughts before harming her. Before, this place was merely just an impenetrable base. It was cold and dark. But ever since Hope came here, it has turned into a sanctuary. She brought sunshine and warmth into this place, into our life. I long since abandoned the thought of having a family, and almost everyone that served under me. With this line of work, having loved ones would just mean putting their lives in danger. And so, Hope becomes their only family. There’s no doubt they will risk their life for her.

With the short time she spent here, she tried getting to know everyone, thinking she has merely forgotten them. The people whose faces I barely knew, she knew by name. And every night she would tell me everything about everyone. I guess even that was more than enough to make them feel more human.

If it were me, I would have her stay here forever. Here where it’s safe. A world that is completely ours.

But I didn’t want her to feel trapped in this world, just like I did. I wanted her to be free. And all I could do is protect her within my power.

“Hope, are you happy?”

“What kind of question is that?”

“Well, it’s just that the world we live in isn’t exactly pretty.”

It’s a world full of pain, lies, and betrayal. Not just the mafia world but the world in general.

“I think I remember hearing this story.”

“Once there was this sheep that escaped a farm and spent 6 years in the mountains, during which time he grew 60 pounds of wool. Wolves tried to eat him, but their teeth could not penetrate the floof.”

“So, what’s the moral of the story?”

“You don't have to turn hard to survive the wolves, just be really, really soft and fluffy.” she smiled.

I couldn’t help but laugh at her. Did she just refer to herself as a sheep?

We caught quite some fish and Luca was glad enough to turn them into a masterpiece. After spending the day savoring the great outdoors, Hope went to repose and unwind in the spa.

Later that night I went back to my room and picked up the report on my desk. It took more than a year to resolve the mystery behind that accident. The accident that brought Hope to me. But none of it all matters now.

I threw the bunch of papers into the fire, making sure every single page has turned into ashes.

How ironic, if that sheep was brought back to the farm, it would have been sheared of its fleece. Losing its softness and making it more vulnerable.

But if Hope was a sheep then that would make me a wolf.

I went to Hope’s room and watched her sleep.

“Sleep without fear,” I whispered almost inaudibly, kissing her forehead lightly.

“Because I am the wolf that keeps the other wolves at bay.”

“I will bear the burden of all this treachery and deceit, if this is what it takes to protect you.”