She nodded.
Emilia made a little sound and smiled in her sleep.
Silvia looked at her.
“Maybe one day she’ll call me Auntie.”
“Maybe.”
Mikhail came much later.
Not with a gift.
Not with an apology.
He came with questions.
“What’s going to happen to the house?”
That was the first thing he said.
Todor was there.
He looked at him calmly.
“Hello, Mikhail.”
Mikhail didn’t answer.
He looked at me.
“Mom, we need to talk practically.”
“Okay. Let’s talk practically.”
“If something happens to you, will the house be left to this child?”
The word “this” hurt me.
But I didn’t raise my voice.
“Part of my property will be distributed among all my children.”
“All?”
“Yes. Silvia, you, and Emilia.”
He gave a bitter smile.
“So that’s it. You really chose her over us.”
“I didn’t choose anyone over anyone.”
“You did.”
