After the shock of seeing the spitting image of her missing father on television, and then learning he was dead, Kimi buried her face in the pillow and sobbed.
“Lyubov moya.” Lolita rubbed Kimi’s back and continued to whisper soothing Russian phrases into her ear. When Kimi had cried herself dry, her guardian angel retrieved the cup from the floor, went to the sink to fill it, and then, caressing Kimi’s hair, encouraged her to sit up.
Lyubov moya.“Here, have a drink, sweetie.”
Kimi grasped the plastic cup in both hands, sipped from a straw, and looked up at Lolita with her red-rimmed eyes. When she was finished, Lolita took the cup and set it back on the bedside table.
“I have something important to tell you.” Lolita sat on the edge of the bed and stroked Kimi’s cheek with long cool fi
