“I agree.”
“When will I meet her?”
“You met her today, when you were drawing behind the curtain.”
Her eyes light up. My heart brightens right alongside them.
There’s my girl.
“Oh! That was Ellie.” She bites her lips. “Will she stay?”
The question is small, but it carries a heavy weight. Storm clouds move in to block out the ray of sunshine in my chest.
Notwill she come, will shestay.
Anya has had tutors who arrived and lasted weeks, who learned the hallways and memorized her schedule and settled into the routine of this house and then left.
The German woman who discovered a gun in Alexei’s coat resigned by email. Even the one who remained longest, who was closest to permanent, also left. They all left.
Everyone disappears eventually.
“I’m going to do everything I can,” I tell her.
She studies my face.
“She better not be afraid of Mr. Whiskers,” she huffs. “Mrs. Hoffman said he was creepy. He’s not creepy. He has a handsome face.”
“He does.”
“And she has to read the bear voice properly. If there’s a bear in the story, I need to hear the bear.”
“I’ll make sure she understands the requirements.”
“Thank you.”
I reach down and pull the blanket over her shoulder. My hand brushes her hair gently and she leans into the touch for a half-second before settling back against her pillow.
“Goodnight,malyshka.”
“Goodnight, Papa.”
I stand and walk to the door. My hand is on the frame when her voice reaches me again, softer now, thickened with the first edges of sleep.
“Papa?”
I turn.
“I hope she stays.”
“Me too,malyshka.”
I turn off the light and walk toward my office, carrying the weight of those four words down the hallway.
She’ll stay, malyshka, I silently vow.
I’ll make sure of it.
7
