Andrei
The twins were in the back yard when I arrived. Jane immediately bounced over, grinning from ear to ear, while Max remained where he was crouching by the swingset, digging in the dirt with a stick.
He only glanced up at me over his shoulder with a wary look before he returned to his work. Meanwhile, the guard standing sentry nearby—Natalia thought I didn’t notice that she always kept eyes on me during these visits—simply kept his gaze straight ahead.
“Uncle Andrei!” Jane threw her arms around my legs and beamed up at me. “Did you bring us something?”
“Maybe.” I ruffled her hair, then pulled out a stuffed wolf that I’d picked up on the way. “What do you think?”
Her eyes went wide. “He’s perfect! What’s his name?”
“That’s up to you,” I said, offering her a smile.
While Jane hu
