Page 51
“Did it have something to do with you?”
Six months ago, I would have been able to handle her questions, to misdirect, buy time. But now, as I stare into her apprehensive eyes, I have nothing. I don’t want to lie to her any more than I want to break my promise to Michail.
Unfortunately, my silence is telling.
“Oh, God.” She scrunches her eyes tight and grips the back of her neck. “What happened?”
“It’s not my story to tell, Sarah.”
She looks back at the paintings. Heartbreak is written across her face in the deep lines on either side of her mouth, the tears spilling down her cheeks.
“How can I look at them? How can I possibly even have them in my house knowing that my son had to give something to that hideous man?”
“He wanted to do it.”
Sarah’s head whips back around.
“Michail loves you so much. It was worth it to him—”
But she’s shaking her head. “Do you know why he’s named Michail?”
I shake my head.
“Because I went back to that bastard one more time after my parents cut me off. I called him, begging, pleading for money, a place to stay, anything.” Shame drips from her voice, but she doesn’t back down. “He offered me five thousand dollars. Five thousand if I would name my son Michail. The Greek version of the archangel Michael.”
Michael. Raphael. Gabriel. My heart sinks in my chest.
“And I took it.”
Her breaths are coming in rapid gasps. I go to her and try to hold her hand, but she stands and starts to pace.
“It was the only thing that got us into that hellhole we lived in for thirteen years. From what little I know of Gavriil’s circumstances, I imagine Lucifer offered his mother a similardeal.” She throws her hands up in the air. “And I don’t know what’s worse. The fact that I took the money, or that that man had such a sadistic sense of humor that he wanted his sons named after archangels. I asked him why, and do you know what he said?” Her voice pitches up. “Because it amused him. It amused him and I still took that money. I accepted every payment he offered me for years in exchange for a photo, an update, even as he teased and taunted that one day he would finally meet Michail.”
She collapses back into her chair, her body shaking. I go to her, kneel before her and wrap my hands firmly around her trembling fingers.
“Sarah, you were young. You had nothing.”
“I still have my pride.” A shudder passes through her body. “Or I did before I let that man brand my son with a name of his choosing. Let him string Michail along with promises of visiting and threatening to cut off my payments if I denied him. It took my son getting threatened with expulsion in school to realize how badly my own weakness had played a role in the pain he was suffering.”
One of her tears drops onto my skin, slowly slides down the back of our joined hands.
“What did he have to do?” she whispers again.
A board creaks behind us. I look over my shoulder to see Michail standing in the doorway. I flinch at the furious anger burning in his eyes.
“Alessandra.”
I stand. “Michail, she—”
He brushes past me and kneels before his mother.
“I never wanted this,” Sarah whispers. “We made it. We were free of him.” She reaches out and cups her son’s face. “What did he make you do?”
“Mom, I made a choice. And I don’t regret it.”
Sarah starts to protest, but he shushes her. “I promise you the price I paid was minimal, and I would do it over and over again to get back what he stole from you.” He squeezes her hands. “Are you…?”
She slowly shakes her head even as her eyes slide away from his. “No. I’m not in danger of going back there.”
