Pavlo’s deep, rich laughter echoed around them. “I could go on and on about it, but first I must stop by my cousin’s.” Pavlo nodded toward Fedir’s house down the road. “He asked me to look at a harness that needs to be repaired. Then, I’ll list all the evidence of your beauty.”
Katya laughed. “Fine, but we mustn’t be long. My parents will wonder where we are.”
Pavlo grinned as they turned down the narrow road leading to Fedir’s. “Of course. We wouldn’t want them to get the wrong idea about me.”
“You’re lucky that my father thinks so highly of you, or he’d be a lot stricter with me.”
“That may change when I tell him of my intentions,” Pavlo said.
“Oh? And what would those be?”
“If I told you, then it wouldn’t be a surprise.” He raised her hand to his lips, and Katya shivered.
Despite everything, she couldn’t remember a time as perfect as this exact moment. Pavlo not only thought her beautiful, he had intentions for her. That knowledge made it hard to worry about anything else.
They walked along for a few more minutes of blissful happiness before Pavlo dropped her hand, and Katya snapped back to reality.
“Fedir’s front door is open.” All of the playfulness in Pavlo’s voice disappeared, and dread splashed over her like a cold bucket of water.
He raced through the yard, his feet crunching on broken glass as he went inside. On the front door, Katya touched a dark, wet streak, and the coppery smell of blood filled her nose. She stared, dumbfounded, at the red liquid on her fingers.
“Pavlo.” She stepped past the doorway and held up her quaking hand.
Before her, a scene of utter chaos filled the small space: chairs overturned, the table on its side, broken dishes and clothing scattered all over the floor.
“He’s gone!” Pavlo’s voice cracked.
Fear swelled in her chest. “Do you think it was the OGPU?”
Pavlo clenched his jaw, and a narrow muscle on his temple flexed. “Who else could it be?”
She looked around the tiny house. “But he’s not a kulak!”
“He mocked the Soviets at the meeting last night, remember?” Pavlo’s words vibrated with anger. “Now it seems anyone who speaks out against them is a kulak, too.”
5
CASSIE
Illinois, May 2004
As they entered the hospital, Bobby’s accented English echoed down the hallway. Cassie gave a short laugh as she glanced at Anna. “She can’t be too bad off. She sounds like she always did.”
They followed her voice and found her, red-faced and irritated, scolding a young nurse.
“I am done! They said I could go home! I do not need more tests.”
“What’s going on?” Anna rushed into the room as Cassie watched the scene unfold.
“I’m sorry, ma’am,” the nurse said. “I had to check her bandages one more time before discharge. I didn’t mean to agitate her, but everything looks good. I’ll get the doctor to sign off on her paperwork, and you guys will be ready to go home.”
“Thank you.” Anna turned to Bobby. “I’ve brought you some visitors!”
Cassie took her daughter’s hand and entered the room.
Bobby’s wrinkled, sunken face bore the brunt of her recent accident. Purple bruises flowered out around her left eye and the papery skin on her cheeks had torn in several spots. Her flattened brownish gray curls stuck out from under the bandage on her temple, and light abrasions peppered her arms. Her eyes still snapped with fire, though, like the Bobby Cassie remembered, who ran her household with an iron fist and had a mind like a steel trap.
Bobby smiled as they approached her bed, and Cassie hugged her. Bobby’s slight form surprised Cassie; bones poked through her hospital gown. She’d lost weight.
“Cassie! You’re home! This is wonderful.”
Her face softened as she saw Birdie.
“Ah, and my little bird has come to me.” She opened her arms and Birdie climbed onto the bed and sank into her embrace.
Bobby rubbed a gnarled hand down the girl’s hair. “There now, you are safe here.”
Cassie glanced at her mother. Anna beamed at the reunion and mouthed, “I told you so.”
Cassie rolled her eyes and sat next to Bobby. “How would you like some visitors for a while?”
“I do not need a babysitter! Is that what your mother told you?” Bobby glared at Anna. “I am fine to live at home by myself.”
“I know that,” Cassie said. “I thought you could use—”