“This all sounds a bit exaggerated.” Mama waved a hand dismissively. “They can’t take our animals and land without our permission.”
Ruslan held out his glass. “My brother’s village is closer to the city and much bigger than ours. Perhaps they won’t bother coming all the way out here.”
“We’re close enough to the city. Do you really think the Soviets are going to make a distinction between the villages? We’re all part of the Kyiv Okruha,” Uncle Marko said.
Katya thought of the hours Uncle Marko had spent walking and taking trains to the beautiful city on the Dnieper River to buy his camera. Though they were officially part of the Kyiv region, the actual city was nearly 150 kilometers away.
“It doesn’t matter. They will go wherever they want. Ukraine is fertile and plentiful, and Stalin thinks we should be the breadbasket of the Soviet Union,” Tato said. He swirled the liquid in his cup but didn’t drink. “To achieve that, he wants us to give up our land and join collective farms. This has been going on in villages all across Ukraine for months, and they could arrive here at any time.”
“But Stalin said collectivization must be voluntary for it to work,” Uncle Marko insisted.
“I’ve heard he’s changed his stance again. It makes me nervous.” Tato sipped his wine.
Uncle Marko set his glass on the table. “I still say they won’t force us to collectivize. The choice will be ours.”
Tato’s mouth curled in disgust. “When has the choice ever been ours when it comes to Moscow, Marko?”
A small gasp slipped past Katya’s lips, and Tato glanced at her. “That’s enough talk for now. Today is for celebrating Olha and Boryslav.”
Katya’s father took her arm and led her away from the crowd.
“Tato, what were you talking about?”
“Nothing you need to worry about.” His voice wavered so slightly Katya wasn’t sure she heard it. “It’s all rumors.”
“What are you doing?” Alina grabbed Katya by the shoulders and swung her around, her joy infectious. “Stop listening to old men gossip. It’s time to dance!”
Nothing could dissuade Alina when she had an idea in her head, so Katya swallowed down her concerns and allowed herself to be dragged through the crowd. She snuck a glance back at her father, who frowned and threw back his drink.
“Your brow is furrowed.” Alina pressed her finger into the space between Katya’s eyebrows. “Relax, Katya. We can worry about everything tomorrow. Tonight, we have fun!” She grabbed a glass of fruit sweetened kvass, a fermented drink made with rye bread, took a swig, then passed it to Katya.
Despite, and perhaps because of, the feelings of unease that plagued her, Katya followed her sister’s lead. She raised the glass and forced down her apprehension along with the beverage that tickled as it rolled into her belly. Music filled the air. Stomping feet and laughter punctuated the lilting sounds of the fiddle as it tangled with the accordion, bandura, and sopilka flute to create the rhythm pulsing through the night.
Her gaze drifted to where the men had begun to dance and landed on Pavlo. The vigorous dance moves highlighted his muscled physique, and a surprising surge of longing shot through her as she admired him. He saw her watching and grinned, and she snapped her head away, her emotions tangled into a blurry mess. What if the kiss and these feelings caused them to lose the close friendship they’d enjoyed all sixteen years of her life? He was her best friend.
Alina nudged her and giggled. “You look awfully guilty. Did something happen? Has he finally told you how he feels?”
Katya let out a shaky breath. Alina didn’t know that Pavlo had kissed her. But suddenly her sister’s words resonated, and Katya turned to stare at Alina. “Wait, what do you mean? How does he feel about me?”
“Oh, please! Everyone knows about you two.” Alina laughed over her shoulder as she flitted away toward Kolya’s arms.
“Knows what?” Katya’s question trailed off. Was Alina speculating or had Pavlo talked to her? With a guilty glance around, she made her escape from the stifling crowd. Away from the throngs of people, she gulped deep breaths of the sweet night air.
How had she gotten to this point? A year ago, she’d have collapsed in laughter at the idea of her and Pavlo together in this way. Yet here she was, thinking again about the moment last week that had changed everything.
She’d run across the field to Pavlo’s farm to see if they had a few extra eggs for Mama, who was baking a dessert for the wedding. Pavlo’s parents had walked down to the village, and Kolya was over at Katya’s house with Alina, so it was Pavlo who opened the door, shirtless and toweling off his hair.