"Igor," she cut in with a smile, "you can be confident about many things, but cooking isn't one of them. Face it."
"You were smiling at me," I said, staring at her.
"No," she denied at once, turning away to clean up and start over.
Stella handed her things like a little helper. The two of them moved with easy rhythm, and the kitchen filled with a warm, ordinary smell. I, who could move pieces of the Bratva across continents, stood and did small things.
Strangely, I didn't mind. I kept replaying the tilt of Elena's smile.
Twenty minutes later, we sat at the table. Elena's breakfast was simple and perfect: soft-boiled eggs, golden toast, warm milk.
"Mom made it best!" Stella said, stuffing bread into her mouth.
"She did," I admitted. "I've got to learn."
"You'll have to learn for a very, very long time," Stella declared gravely. "Maybe a hundred years!"
"Not that long," Elena laughed and looked at me. "But it will take time."
"I have time," I said, watching her.
Something in the air had changed. Elena's cheeks were faintly flushed; she looked down into her milk.
After breakfast, I drove Stella to preschool. Elena and Stella sat in the back; Stella hummed off-key. I watched her in the rearview and felt a calm I'd never known.
"Igor," Stella said suddenly.
"Yeah?"
"Will you always live with us?"
My grip tightened on the wheel. I glanced at Elena in the mirror; she met my eyes, tense, waiting.
"If you both agree," I said. I surprised myself by saying it. Even if Elena hadn't agreed, I would have stayed.
"I agree!" Stella shouted. "You're tall—you can lift me up really high!"
"Stella," Elena said softly, amusement in her voice, "you can't decide that."
"Why not?" the little girl asked, confused. "I live here too."
"Because… it's complicated, baby."
"Adults always say 'complicated,'" Stella grumbled. "But I don't think it's complicated. Igor is good to us. We like Igor. So he should live here."
I smiled. "Your logic is pretty sound."
"Will you stay then?" she pressed.
I looked at Elena. She bit her lip, unsure.
"I will," I said finally. "I'll make it so both you and your mother want me to stay. Especially your mother—whatever she asks, I'll do."
"I want that!" Stella blurted.
I turned to Elena and waited.
She took a slow breath and then said quietly, "I don't object."
