August 22nd, 1926

The five-day voyage went by smoothly but Maria was still troubled about the briefcase.

One humid sunny morning, the ship's horn blew, marking their arrival into France. Citizens crowded the docks, waiting for family members to arrive and depart. Many of them stood waving handkerchiefs. The family stepped off of the boat and piled into cars that would drive them to Paris. After reaching the city a few hours later, everyone arrived at The Hotel Elegance.

"This is the hotel Valentin and I stayed in when we had our honeymoon!" Maria told Anastasia as she entered the lobby through its revolving door.

Its walls were painted blue and decorated with expensive paintings. The floors and lower walls were made of marble. As Maria walked, her heels echoed through the lobby. People stood around, just arriving at the hotel or leaving. Others also sat on the furnished velvet couches, chatting with others, or reading a newspaper or book.

The family checked into their rooms and as soon as she did, Anastasia ran to the windows and pulled aside the curtains, revealing a small balcony. She rushed outside onto it and marveled at the view. The balcony gave a beautiful and captivating view of the Eiffel Tower and the Seine river.

"What a sight!" Andrei remarked as he accompanied Anastasia. The two were sharing a room.

"Wow..." Anastasia breathed. "I've always dreamed of coming to Paris. Now it's unbelievable to think that I'm actually here."

Anastasia looked at Andrei and smiled. "With you."

Both stared at each other for a few moments before looking back at the view.

"I can't wait to shop! I'm sure there are bakeries around here that have pastries to die for!"

"Me neither! Maybe we'll take a boat ride on the Seine!" Andrei looked out at the boats that traveled by on the water.

"Perhaps we will scroll on Grandfather's bridge." Maria appeared on the balcony. Her and the family stayed in connecting rooms.

Maria put her hand around Anastasia's waist and placed her head on her shoulder.

"Who's bridge?" Andrei wondered.

"Our grandfather. He was Tsar Alexander the third. That bridge down there is the Pont Alexandre. It was built for him. Our family always dreamed of walking on it someday." Maria smiled, teary-eyed.

"Now we finally can."

-

August 26th, 1926

"Darling? Are you coming to bed?" Maria asked.

A few days of their trip had passed. Every night before bed, Valentin would sit at the room desk and look through his briefcase, hiding what was inside from his wife.

"One moment, Maria," he said, not looking up.

Maria sighed as she stepped out of bed. She wrapped her hands around Valentin's neck and leaned down, putting her head on his. Before she could read any of the text on the paper he was holding, Valentin pressed it to his chest. Maria knew the papers were what he was hiding.

'Papers? Why papers?' Maria thought as she climbed back into bed.

'Unless it's the text written on the paper. Why won't he show me?'

With a wandering mind and a yearning to know, she closed her eyes and went to sleep.