The call came two days later. Katya was at the orphanage at the time. She was sitting on the carpet in the playroom, building a tower of blocks with Artem. The boy she had pulled from the pond had recovered but still flinched at loud noises.
— Look, Aunt Katya! — he whispered excitedly, placing the last block on top. — It’s a lighthouse so the ships don’t get lost.
— It’s beautiful! — Katya smiled, ruffling his cowlick.
— Will you come again? — The boy looked up at her, his eyes full of hope.
Katya’s heart clenched.
— I’ll come. Definitely. And we’ll go to the zoo together. Do you want to? To see the elephants!
The boy’s eyes widened.
— And the elephants, and the giraffes, and the…
The phone in her pocket vibrated, shattering the moment. Her husband’s name flashed on the screen. Katya took a deep breath, her expression changing from tender to focused.
— Temochka, I have to take this. You build a fence for the lighthouse for now.
She stepped out into the hallway and pressed \”answer.\”
— Yes, Igor.
— Katenka… — Her husband’s voice was syrupy, but hysteria broke through the sweetness. — Where are you? I’m going out of my mind.
— I needed to think.
— What is there to think about, darling? We’re a family. Listen, I’ve realized something, I was wrong. I pressured you, yelled at you. It’s the illness, my nerves. Forgive me.
— I forgive you, — Katerina replied evenly.
— Really? — Igor clearly hadn’t expected it to be so easy. — Katyush, I want to make up. For real. Let’s meet. Not at home, it’s stuffy there, the walls are closing in. Let’s go to our park. In the part with the old gazebo by the pond. Remember, we had our first date there?
— I remember, — Katya said. — When?
— Now. Come right now. I have a surprise for you. Zhanna will give me a ride, and then she’ll leave, leaving us alone.
— Zhanna? — Katya repeated.
— Of course. Where would I be without her? She just wants to help. I want to start with a clean slate. Come. Please. For us.
— I’ll be there, — Katya said and hung up.
She dialed Andrey’s number.
— It’s started. The old gazebo by the pond in the park. In forty minutes…
