Forever Lasts till Dawn

By Monty Silverstone

Two lovely Ukrainian dancers are forced to dance in the local marketplace to supplement their parents' meager income, not by choice but because of their families' poverty. Caught up in a web of deceit, sex, and tyranny, they are forced to flee the country of their birth, to a country where they have no knowledge of the language. Before escaping,

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Media Reviews
• Release date: Nov 22, 2023
• ISBN: 9781961395374

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Copyright © 2023 Monty Silverstone.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author and publisher, except by reviewers, who may quote brief passages in a review.

ISBN: 978-1-961395-38-1 (Paperback Edition)

ISBN: 978-1-961395-39-8 (Hardcover Edition)

ISBN: 978-1-961395-37-4 (E-book Edition)

This book is a work of fiction, based on facts. Some names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Book Ordering Information

The Media Reviews

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New York, NY, 10005 USA

www.themediareviews.com

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Printed in the United States of America

This book is dedicated to my mother, Alice, who with her partner Jesse (who eventually became a star), danced and sang for pennies in the streets of London’s Soho district in the 1920s.

Contents

Story Summary

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Four

Chapter Forty-Five

Chapter Forty-Six

Chapter Forty-Seven

Chapter Forty-Eight

Chapter Forty-Nine

Chapter Fifty

Chapter Fifty-One

Chapter Fifty-Two

Chapter Fifty-Three

Chapter Fifty-Four

Chapter Fifty-Five

Chapter Fifty-Six

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Chapter Sixty

Chapter Sixty-One

Chapter Sixty-Two

Chapter Sixty-Three

Chapter Sixty-Four

Chapter Sixty-Five

Chapter Sixty-Six

Chapter Sixty-Seven

Chapter Sixty-Eight

Chapter Sixty-Nine

Chapter Seventy

Chapter Seventy-One

Chapter Seventy-Two

Chapter Seventy-Three

Chapter Seventy-Four

Chapter Seventy-Five

Chapter Seventy-Six

Chapter Seventy-Seven

Chapter Seventy-Eight

Chapter Seventy-Nine

Chapter Eighty

Chapter Eighty-One

Chapter Eighty-Two

Chapter Eighty-Three

Chapter Eighty-Four

Chapter Eighty-Five

Chapter Eighty-Six

Chapter Eighty-Seven

Chapter Eighty-Eight

Chapter Eighty-Nine

Chapter Ninety

Chapter Ninety-One

Chapter Ninety-Two

Epilogue

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MONTY SILVERSTONE was born in London, England. He is the father of actor Alicia Silverstone (of Clueless fame), Kezi (singer/composer), and David (real estate broker).

On holiday in Miami and Coral Gables, Florida, he loved the climate so much that he immigrated and became a citizen in 1972.

He married the love of his life Didi, a Pan Am Stewardess.

Monty Silverstone was a successful restaurateur for years in London, Miami, and San Francisco until becoming a sales director for Boise Cascade, then a real estate broker and property developer in California.

He was a child actor in England and trained at the Italia Conte Stage School. Years later he became a lead actor for various community theatres in California. For the last ten years, he has portrayed Fagin in the musical Oliver in theatres throughout California. His acting career includes films, TV, and commercials. He is now a drama teacher for the San Dieguito adult high schools in Solana Beach and gives private acting classes in Rancho Santa Fe.

Monty Silverstone has written three other books and a autobiography, one about horse racing (he owned several racehorses), and a book for actors of all ages.

MontySilverstone.com

Story Summary

Two lovely Ukrainian dancers are forced to dance in the local marketplace to supplement their parents’ meager income, not by choice but because of their families’ poverty.

Caught up in a web of deceit, sex, and tyranny, they are forced to flee the country of their birth, to a country where they have no knowledge of the language. Before escaping, one of the girls is raped by the son of her father’s landlord.

Their youth and beauty cause problems on the ship taking them to the new land. A foiled assault on one of the girls by the ship’s drunken doctor forces them to keep away from the crew until they disembark in England.

Fellow passengers excitedly tell the two girls about the districts of London, especially the West End because it has so much more to offer, culture and, of course, the famous theatres.

Arriving with very little money, they are befriended by a Russian tea shop owner who finds them work in his restaurant’s kitchen. To supplement the girls’ low income, they both dance once again in the streets to earn extra money to pay the rent at their boarding house in Soho.

Prostitution is rampant in this section of Soho. It is the turn of the twentieth century, and the young immigrants have to make a new life despite the obstacles that stand in their way. The friendly landlady warns them to avoid Soho at night because of the streetwalkers and their patrons.

Finally they succeed in their endeavors and reach the heights of success that they could only dream of upon arriving in a new country.

Tragedy strikes in the lives of both friends. Overcoming several major setbacks, they rise to the top of their chosen careers—one in show business and the other in affairs of state.

Adversities continue to impact the lives of both girls. They arrange travel to America, France, Hungary, Spain, and Russia to work and to locate lost relatives. Luckily, love comes at last; but tragedy still haunts them.

This story takes you behind the scenes of the theatre, the motion picture industry, and the political environment of the time. Will these young women ever find the happiness that they deserve?

Some chapters have erotic content.

Chapter One

London, 1940

The air raid sirens had just sounded. Jimmy jumped out of bed and snatched up his clothes, which were hanging neatly over a chair in readiness for a quick escape.

The eleven-year-old had no fear as he clambered down the stairs and raced through the side streets, the fastest way to Leicester Square Underground Station. His mother would follow shortly afterward.

Jimmy could run faster, so he was designated to get there first to save the family’s place on the platform. Some people stayed home and were still in bed. Others frequented pubs and bars to forget the turmoil of wartime life.

As Jimmy ran, he passed closed theatres. He could hear the cracking of the ack-ack guns and the resounding thunder of the falling bombs.

It was nine o’clock at night. Shrapnel made clanking noises as it hit the pavement. The boy gingerly picked up a piece that was still hot from the remains of a shell that boomed into the sky. Except to pick-up the souvenir, Jimmy ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He wanted to get a good place for his mother.

As he ran to the shelter, Jimmy looked up at the night sky. All was pitch black, except for the crisscrossing beams of the searchlights. The Focke Wulfes and Messerschmitt planes followed the bombers that spearheaded the Luftwaffe’s bombing campaign against England.

The Heinkel bombers carried incendiary as well as high explosive bombs. Barrage balloons, in the night sky, were lit up in the searchlights. During the day, they were silver. The Royal Air Force had its Spitfire and Hurricane fighters to counter these attacks, and they were doing a great job with limited aircraft. Sirens were still howling away, giving warning of the air raid.

One consolation was that his father, Anton, who was really too old for the Royal Artillery and to take any part in the war, had lied to the recruiting officers, saying that he was younger than his actual age. Jimmy felt secure, knowing Anton was on the ack-ack guns that pummeled away at the enemy. One of the officers in Anton’s regiment was his nephew, Simon.

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At the Windmill Theatre located off Piccadilly Circus in London’s West End, two dancers were on the stage. The Windmill was the only theatre to stay open during the Blitz. It was a special charity event to benefit the armed services and had started at eight o’clock.

The last act was ending. Mikila and her partner, Tanya, took their bows. Mikila’s mother was the well-known star of stage and screen, Michelle Hayward. Tanya’s mother was the famous Maxine de la Torres. The two girls were best friends.

The shrill whistle of a bomb, followed by a thunderous blast, silenced the applause. The theatre shook hard, and fine white plaster rained down. All the lights went out, pitching the place into inky darkness. The show stopped, and all was silent.

Night fell. All was quiet in the Tube. Bunk beds and mattresses provided by the London authorities filled every available space to accommodate those in London seeking refuge from the bombings. Londoners who could not get a place on the platforms were sleeping on the stairs. The all clear had sounded some hours ago, during the middle of the night, but no one had left.

Jimmy and other boys of his age rode the underground trains. They went for what they called a joy ride to pass the time—getting onto the train at the platform where all were sleeping, going a few stops, and then getting off to go back on the other platform to return.

Entertainment was supplied by the many buskers, who also came down to get shelter. This kind of life was the norm for many Londoners, who chose to take refuge in the many underground stations throughout London.

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At nine in the morning, Jimmy and his mother, Maddy, made their way back to the flat they shared with Maddy’s aunt and uncle. It was cool and misty that morning with the ever-present threat of rain in the air.

Maddy said, Thank God they didn’t come close tonight. They must be concentrating on the industrial section.

Lousy Nazis, Jimmy muttered.

When they arrived, both of the relatives were still sleeping. They owned a nightclub in the West End. With no children of their own, and because of too much over-imbibing drinks at the club, they were too deep into their cups to worry about anything.

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Michelle and her young daughter, Mikila, lived in another part of town. They had returned from America to be with their family in these dark days of the war. Now, after experiencing the Blitz, she wished they had stayed.

Michelle’s marriage had fallen apart because of her husband’s chronic unemployment. He seemed to have given up looking for work. Michelle was fed up with supporting him, even though he was a good father to Mikila.

The last straw came when an actress friend of Michelle’s caught him with another woman. Michelle did not believe it at first. But then she found a love letter, hidden in a desk drawer that her husband had failed to destroy.

Michelle knew that both Mikila and her friend, Tanya, were at a charity show, and Tanya was spending the night at Michelle’s house. Tanya’s mother, Maxine, was away on a business trip, so the girls were chaperoned by the housekeeper. Michelle was unable to attend that evening, because of a previous commitment. She had to help out at the troops’ canteen.

Both girls were due back at eleven o’clock. Midnight came, and still no Mikila. In a panic, Michelle called her mother and father.

Please, Mummy, if you hear from Mikila, phone me—whatever time it is.

They told her that they would, and if necessary, they can come over right away.

Michelle told herself that when her daughter returned home, whatever happened, they must take advantage of the government’s offer to evacuate women and children out to the countryside.

Although Mikila was almost sixteen and a star in her own right, her mother thought they should escape the chaos of the Blitz. Michelle had been told stories of the tragedies in her family’s background, and here she was, getting ready to escape the devastation of London. Sadly, her family’s history was repeating itself.

Chapter Two

The Ukraine, 1902

The two lovely young women were dancing and singing in the snow and hoping a passerby would throw a few coins into an old family jewel box. The box was no longer needed by the Rabinovichs, Aleca’s parents, as they had no jewelry except Mother’s wedding ring.

Aleca wore an apron-like dress. It may have been green when it was new, many years ago. Her father had repaired the hand-me-down several times. Over the garment, she wore a faded purple overcoat. It had also seen better days, but it kept her warm. Around her neck was a red scarf knitted by her mother. To keep her head warm in the frigid Russian winter, she wore an old fur hat that once belonged to her grandmother.

Aleca’s hair was ash blond, long, and peeked out from under her hat. She was unusual, for all the others in her family had dark hair and brown eyes. Aleca’s eyes were blue, and she had a generous mouth; lips not too thick but voluptuous. Aleca had a lovely smile when she was in the mood. Her smile and wide, bright eyes were a beautiful sight to behold in the cold and damp village market of Pushcha Vodytsia.

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Aleca and her lifelong next-door friend, Sarah, had been born just two weeks apart. Sarah’s brown hair was darker than her brown eyes, which were sad and mournful looking for such a young person. Her complexion was pale. Sarah was dressed in a pink dress that came up to her knees. It had belonged to her mother, who was shorter. The hem was gone so it could not be lengthened. Her mother was contemplating sewing some material onto the bottom; Sarah did not want that. Her overcoat was very long and came all the way down to her ankles, which compensated for the short dress length. The coat had two large pockets, which contained bread and goat cheese, to be consumed after their performance. Both girls wore boots that were getting shabby. Sarah wore a fur hat that was a birthday present from her father a few years ago.

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The winter dusk melted into darkness early in the village of Pushcha Vodytsia. It was the winter of 1902, during the reign of Czar Nicholas II, ruler of all of Russia and the Ukraine. Things were hard for peasant families in the village, especially for Jewish families.

Aleca’s family lived in a small log cabin. Her parents slept in one bedroom, and the other bedroom, which was more like a large closet, was used by Aleca and her two sisters, Anna and Klara. The boys, Igor and Anatoly, slept on mattresses in the family room that was also used as a workshop for Ivan Rabinovich, her father, who mended clothes. Their mother, Esther, took in laundry from the more affluent households a few kilometers away.

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Sarah’s parents were Kate and Saul Brodsky. They lived in a house that was a replica of the Rabinovich house. Besides Sarah, there were two boys, Aaron and Danilo, and a girl, Riva. The Brodskys had the same set up as the Rabinovich family for sleeping arrangements. The boys slept in one room, Sarah and Riva in another and the parents in the other bedroom.

These small, rather rundown houses had kitchens with wood burning stoves in the middle of the room, which also served to heat the homes. There were a few pots and pans for cooking. Kate was a good cook and did her best to feed her family, with a limited supply of decent food.

The toilets for each family were outside on a small piece of land behind the house, and not too far away was a well, used by both families. The toilets were very difficult to use in the winter when the water froze. The ice had to be broken first. Lime was used to disinfect the outhouse, and carbolic soap was used to clean the seat and other areas.

The families had a few pieces of furniture given to them by relatives. Some came from Aleca’s grandparents, who had died from the influenza epidemic some years before. Other pieces of furniture had been made from discarded boxes left in the village market after the vendor stalls were dismantled. Sarah’s parents had furniture handed down to them by their parents. Aleca’s family was the poorer of the two.

The two families worked very hard—long hours, six days a week—to earn the rubles needed to pay the landlord, Trotsky. He came to collect the rent at four o’clock every Friday. In the winter, Trotsky arrived in a horse-drawn sleigh drawn by a gray mare with a long white mane. As it approached in the distance, the horse would be camouflaged in the snow, and Trotsky looked like a dot, just floating on air. After the snowy winter was over, Trotsky arrived in a carriage drawn by two fine chestnuts, which always seemed to rear up gently as a welcome sign.

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Aleca and Sarah walked to the market each day to earn the few coins thrown into the jewel box. This particular day was bitterly cold, but the peasant girls, undaunted, sang and danced in the swirling snow. Singing and dancing were very popular in the villages, and most songs were about village life.

Most villagers were illiterate and dirt poor, as were the Rabinovichs and the Brodskys. Both Aleca and Sarah went to religious school where they were taught the basics. The school was free.

Only a few of the villagers could afford to buy musical instruments. Sarah had a balalaika that was given to her by her father on her tenth birthday. It was very old but played well. The instrument had been handed down to her father by his father, who had bought it from a soldier during the war. Song and dance were the main attractions, however. Some of the music they played came from Ukrainian folklore.

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Kiev had a famous choir that was directed by Demutsky, and if you were good enough, you could join. However, it was just for Christians. Today, the girls were singing and dancing to traditional songs from Omsk. They did not sing Jewish songs taught by the rabbi, as these songs would not harvest any coins.

Someone passing by, feeling sorry for the girls, threw a coin into the box but missed. The coin lay there in the snow.

The girls did not see the tall, handsome young man ride into the market. He was mounted on a fine chestnut with a lovely golden mane.

The young man dismounted and tied his horse to the nearby wooden post next to the drinking trough. He made his way to where he could see the singers.

As Sarah bent down to get the coin, the young man, stylishly dressed, bent down and picked it up for her. He put it into the box, adding a ruble from his own pocket. He looked over at Sarah and gave her a smile. She bent her head and noted his fine black riding boots with a white star on each. Sarah thought he looked like a nice young man.

He turned his head away from Sarah to look at the darling Aleca. His twinkling eyes and roguish expression suggested that he was taken with her charm. The young man smiled and left without saying a word.

When their performance was finally over, Aleca thought she should buy food from the market. They had been dancing for over four hours and had already eaten the food they had brought with them.

Aleca counted the coins and murmured, Just enough for some herring and potatoes for home and some bread and cheese for us.

Good, I’m hungry, replied Sarah.

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After finishing their meal and their shopping, the girls made their way home over a road through the forest. It was more like a dirt track covered with snow that had turned to mud after a recent rain. As usual for that time of the year, it was getting dark early, and they wanted to get home before sunset and before Trotsky came for his regular Friday visit.

Aleca and Sarah arrived home mid afternoon. They had nearly half an hour before Trotsky was expected, after which they could help their mothers prepare for the Shabbat.

As was his custom, the landlord came in on his large sleigh, this time pulled by a black horse with a star on his forehead. The horse was older than it looked because Trotsky cared for his animals better than he did the peasants who served him.

The Trotsky family was very wealthy. They owned most of the land around Pushcha Vodytsia, as well as many of the cottages and small houses.

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Ivan turned to his wife. Do you think it will do any good to tell Mr. Trotsky the outhouse needs repairs?

His wife didn’t even stop her work. You know the answer to that.

He sighed. I guess you’re right.

They knew Trotsky’s policy, If you want something repaired, do it yourself.

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Trotsky was a hard man. He wanted the rent paid on time and did not hesitate to evict tenants. But he did have a soft spot for the Rabinovich family, and once a week someone came from the Trotsky house to deliver dirty laundry and clothes for washing and repair. The Trotskys had servants who did most of the laundry and repairs, but he saved some for the Rabinovich family. Esther and Ivan, Aleca’s parents, were very pleased to receive the work. Trotsky had been allowing this for years. He deducted the family’s payment from the rent he collected. Aleca always went to the door with her father to give the rent to Trotsky while her mother prepared the Friday night Shabbat meal.

Trotsky liked Aleca, as he had no daughters of his own, only two sons. When Aleca opened the door and gave the rent to Trotsky, he always had a bar of chocolate for her. Aleca would save half for Sarah, who shared it with her brothers and sister. The families did not have money to spend on treats or chocolates. Such indulgences were only for special holidays. Trotsky left, and Aleca went back into the kitchen to help her mother.

Aleca’s family saved the money that came in from odd jobs and repairs. They also worked the landlord’s property during planting season and Harvest Festival time. Esther did the laundry with the help of her daughters, and Ivan repaired the clothes. The boys worked on the land just like all the other boys over thirteen.

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The Rabinovich family had a horse and cart. The horse was getting old, and in a few years, they would need a replacement. Mr. Rabinovich was an animal lover. He would not get another horse until it was time for Sasha, his lovely gray-white mare, to be put out on their land for the remainder of her life. Other peasants, who were not animal lovers, sold their horses for meat or to the glue factories. Ivan Rabinovich shared the horse and cart with the Brodsky family.

The Brodskys had one cow, a goat, and many chickens. Sarah’s father, Saul, also worked Trotsky land.

The Rabinovich family just had chickens that produced lots of eggs. The chicken pen and stall for the horse were near the outhouse. Food and milk were not plentiful. Sol, the milkman, came with milk twice a week. This was shared by both families to supplement the milk from the cow and goat. They made their own butter and cheese, which was also limited.

Aleca’s and Sarah’s parents took turns every Friday night supplying a chicken to make the traditional chicken soup. Kate also made matzo balls. To make the meal go around, vegetables were added, along with some flour for thickening. The chicken, when cooked, was cut up into small pieces and added back to the soup.

The evening meal was served with potatoes and challah bread. The families gathered around the table, all the children sitting on small boxes that had been painted different colors. Each child had his or her own color. Esther had a pair of silver candlesticks, which her father had given to her before he died. These were the most precious of all their belongings. The candles were lit at sunset by Esther, who said the blessing. Ivan said the blessing over the wine. This was a special day.

On other days,