I was lost in the quiet of the kitchen, cleaning up after myself, when I heard the unmistakable sound of Nikolai’s voice.
“I thought I told you that you needed to rest.”
I jumped, startled by his sudden presence. Spinning around, I faced him, my heart racing for reasons I couldn’t explain. His damp hair clung to his forehead, a few wet strands hanging loosely, as if he had just come back from outside. I guessed the rain had caught him, just like it had caught the kids earlier. I’d seen the disappointment on their faces when the rain had forced them all back inside. They had been looking forward to the baseball game Nikolai promised them, and I had to admit, even I had hoped to watch him toss a few pitches. But with how soaked he looked, it was clear that the downpour hadn’t let up.
“You
