Prologue
Sofia, Bulgaria January 28, 1997
The smell of soap and warm bread lingered in the apartment, drifting through the narrow kitchen, where Mama hummed as she wiped the kitchen counters. The stove hissed faintly, warding off the bite of winter that crept in through the windows.
I sat on the rug, dolls lined neatly before me, their painted eyes waiting as if they were listening.
The door creaked open. Heavy boots.
“Папа!/Papa!” I scrambled up, darting down the hall.
Papa stooped just in time, scooping me into his arms. His coat was cold, his hands rough from work, but his embrace was warm. He kissed my hair, breathing me in.
“Катя,” he murmured. “Ты опять ждала у двери?/Katya. You waited by the door again?”
Mama appeared, hands damp from cleaning. “Ты опять поздно, Пётр/You’re late again, Pyotr…”
“Работа/work,” he said, smiling faintly. “Всегда работа. Но сегодня…/Always work but today…” He moved to the old cassette player, pressing the button with a click. Frank Sinatra’s voice filled the flat, smooth, timeless, singing “Fly Me to the Moon.”
Papa reached for her hand. “Сегодня другое. Танцуй со мной/Tonight is different. Dance with me.”
Mama rolled her eyes but let him pull her close. He swayed her gently, her scarf brushing his chin. Their laughter filled the flat, spilling over the walls like light.
Then Papa crouched, arms wide. “Иди сюда, Катя/Come here, Katya.”
I ran to him, and he scooped me into their circle. With a dramatic flourish, he set my little feet on top of his boots, holding my hands tight so I wouldn’t slip. “Now, маленькая принцесса/little princess,” he whispered, “follow my steps.”
We swayed to Sinatra’s voice, my giggles rising with every crooked spin. Mama clapped softly, shaking her head at the two of us, but her smile never faltered. For that moment, the flat was all music and warmth.
When the song ended, Papa bent to kiss Mama’s cheek, his forehead resting briefly against hers. “Арсений предложил встретиться/Arseni wants to meet,” he said quietly. “Говорит, есть работа. Зарплата выше/Says there’s work. Higher pay.”
Mama’s smile thinned. “Ты доверяешь ему/You trust him?”
“Я доверяю, что нам нужно жить лучше. Для неё/I trust that we need to live better. For her.” His eyes flicked to me.
He pulled on his jacket, brushing the dust from its sleeves. Then he bent, lifting me once more into his arms. His beard scratched my cheek as he kissed my forehead.
“Папа…” I whispered, clutching his collar. “Не ходи обратно на работу. Пожалуйста/Papa… don’t go back to work. Please.”
He kissed me tirelessly, but with warmth. “Я скоро вернусь, Катя. Обещаю/I’ll be back soon, Katya. I promise.”
I didn’t know then how fragile promises could be. Only that night, under the hum of the stove and the fading echo of Sinatra’s voice, I believed him.
