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VIRGINIA PRODAN<br />
tenth birthday. At that point in the story, my mother glanced<br />
up and frowned upon seeing me. “Virginia, sleep on the s<strong>of</strong>a<br />
in the room with Uncle Carol. Take care <strong>of</strong> him.”<br />
I returned to the bedroom. Uncle Carol appeared to be<br />
asleep. I set the water on the table by his bed and tucked<br />
myself into the s<strong>of</strong>a bed on the other side <strong>of</strong> the room.<br />
“Virginia, do you want to know the truth about Anna?”<br />
“Yes!” I tossed <strong>of</strong>f my covers, switched on the lamp, and<br />
rushed to his side.<br />
Uncle Carol stared at the ceiling. “I will tell you, if you<br />
promise never to tell anyone you heard it from me.”<br />
“I promise.”<br />
“I was there at her house for her tenth birthday. She wore<br />
a long pink dress with many white roses down the front. Her<br />
small white shoes matched the roses. She was simply radiant.”<br />
Uncle Carol focused on the ceiling, but his mind was<br />
clearly at Anna’s party. “Her parents were so proud. <strong>The</strong>y’d<br />
just returned from her first trip to Paris. What a dinner they<br />
had that night.”<br />
I wanted to ask him so many questions but was afraid to<br />
interrupt.<br />
“Afterward, Anna opened gifts, then began her piano<br />
recital. <strong>The</strong> chandeliers shed a bright light over the big black<br />
piano. Anna arranged her music, looked to her piano teacher,<br />
nodded, and began to play.”<br />
Uncle Carol sat up. “<strong>The</strong> music stopped.” His cheerful<br />
voice grew sad. “<strong>The</strong> giant ballroom doors burst open.<br />
Violent noises and angry shouts! <strong>The</strong> Romanian Communist<br />
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