I smiled happily as I untangled my wet hair with my fingers. I paused for a moment to caress the pearly, smooth curve of the panther’s claw on the necklace hanging from my neck. Anything related to the children moved me; it made me feel much better to notice that Alexander was already speaking without getting tired and that his English had improved. I figured the important wound on his cheek had healed enough.
“Really?” he asked, pleased.
“Yes, yes. My father got him some technical books about airplanes and promised to take him to see the aircraft of the Logistics Division. I can’t explain how excited he was about that. He even told me his grandfather will let him sit for a while in the cockpit of an Antonov, all thrilled.”
“What is an Antonov?”
“One of the largest cargo airplanes in t
