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Tatiana was in the hallhen she heard Dasha, Alexander, Marina, Ma heatedly inside the room She was about to open the door and walk in with the tea when she heard Alexander say, "No, no, you cannot tell her This is not the tih the crack in the door "But, Alexander, she is going to have to know eventually--"

"Not now!"

"What’s the point?" said Maree with Alexander Why weaken her nohen she needs her strength?"

Tatiana opened the door "Tell , Tanechka," Dasha said quickly, glaring at Alexander, who lowered his gaze and sat down

Tatiana was holding the tray of teacups, saucers, spoons, and a small teapot "Tell me what?"

Dasha’s face was streaked with tears "Oh, Tania," she said

"Oh, Tania, what?" said Tatiana

No one said anything No one even looked at her

Tatiana looked frorandmother to her mother to her cousin to her sister and stopped on Alexander, as sarette Soht

"Alexander, what don’t you want therandfather died, Tania," he said "In September Pneumonia"

The tray with the teacups fell from Tatiana’s hands, and the cups broke on the wood floor, and the hot tea spilled on her stockings Tatiana knelt on the floor and picked up all the shards without saying a word to anyone, which was just as well, because no one could say a word to her And then she put all the broken pieces on the tray, picked the tray up and went back out to the kitchen As she was closing the door, she heard Alexander say, "Happy now?"