"Katya..." My voice caught.
"Oh, don't cry." She patted my back while her own tears fell. "Let me see my little goddaughter!"
She knelt, arms outstretched. Sofia immediately launched into her embrace. "Godmother!"
Watching them, my eyes burned again. Yekaterina had been Sofia's godmother since birth, embracing that role completely.
"Let me look—oh my, you've grown so tall!" Yekaterina kissed Sofia's cheek. "More beautiful every time."
"Godmother," Sofia blinked those large eyes, "are you a fairy godmother? Like in stories?"
Yekaterina laughed. "Why would you think that?"
"Because you're so pretty and smell nice, and you always bring me tons of presents!" Sofia said earnestly. "Mommy says that's what fairies do."
Heat crept up my neck. I had told Sofia that, not wanting her to feel we were accepting charity.
"Well, I brought you something today, too." Yekaterina produced an elegant box from her bag. "Wait until we reach your new home to open it, okay?"
"Okay!" Sofia accepted the box eagerly.
"Come on," Yekaterina stood, taking Sofia's hand. "My car's outside."
In the car, Sofia quickly dozed in the back seat—exhausted from the overnight train journey.
Yekaterina drove while updating me.
"I researched the newspaper thoroughly. This position is genuinely solid—stable work, decent money."
"I'll give it my all." I watched the cityscape pass. "Really, thank you for making the connection—"
"Stop," she interrupted. "We agreed—no thank yous."
I pressed my lips together, then tried again. "About the company housing, they mentioned—"
"What housing?" Yekaterina rolled her eyes. "You want to live in those places? I investigated—decrepit tenements with communal kitchens and bathrooms. You think that's suitable for a woman with a child?"
"But—"
"No buts." She turned into an upscale neighborhood. "I already secured Sofia a proper home."
"For Sofia?" I stared.
"Exactly. I'm her godmother—what's wrong with providing for my goddaughter?" Yekaterina said matter-of-factly. "Know why I chose thisneighborhood?"
"Why?"
"Because it's adjacent to one of New York's finest elementary schools—St. Anna Primary," she said proudly. "I already pulled strings for Sofia's enrollment. She starts September. Any idea how exclusive that school is? I moved heaven and earth for this."
My throat constricted.
"Katya, this is too much..."
"I told you—it's for Sofia," she glanced at me. "Refusing means you're preventing me from fulfilling my godmotherly duties. Besides, would you really deny Sofia such an opportunity?"
Words failed me.
She knew me too well. I might refuse help out of pride, but I'd never let pride compromise Sofia's future.
