Nikolai says, “Sofia.”
“What?” she asks. “He should. Mama likes him.”
I put my fork down very carefully. “Sofia,” I say.
Arkady comes back in a hurry. “I’m sorry darling, but I’ve got to go. Raincheck?”
I try to school my expression, so he doesn’t see my disgust. “Sure.”
He gives Roman a look before hurrying away. I keep my gaze on Roman. He’s looking at Arkady weirdly.
I should be relieved when Arkady left. That doesn’t mean I’ve to pretend anymore, but that also means I’m left with
Roman still at the table, Elena watching everyone like she’s one insult away from ordering an execution, and Vika leaning back in her chair with that bright, poisonous smile she gets when she thinks she has learned something useful.
Sofia is swinging her legs under the table, still talking.
“And then Ms. Yulia said the moon isn’t a planet, and I said I know that, I’m not stupid, I’m imaginative.”
Roman looks at her like this is a perfectly normal thing for a four-year-old to say. “Reasonable distinction.”
“It was,” Sofia says.
Nikolai, who has been quieter for the last few minutes, adds, “She still got corrected.”
“That teacher is anti-creativity,” Sofia says darkly.
I rub my forehead.
Roman glances at me, then back at the children. “They sound older than they are.”
The comment is casual. I just nod, trying not to show him how That’s quickly becoming my concern. They’re losing the wonder of their innocence.
“They have tutors.”
Roman’s eyes lift to mine. “Both of them?”
“Mostly for Nikolai,” I say. “But Sofia refused to be left out.”
Sofia sits straighter at once. “Because I’m not stupid.”
“No one said you were.”
“She gets very offended by the idea of being excluded,” I say.
Roman’s mouth shifts. Not quite a smile, but close enough to make my stomach tighten.
“She’s competitive.”
“Oh, violently,” I say.
That gets an actual smile out of him.
By the time lunch finally starts breaking up, I feel wrung out.
Elena is clearly relieved. Vika is not. She had been enjoying herself far too much, especially once she realized Roman was staying at the table and not going anywhere quickly.
The children are tired now. Sofia is sticky and loud in that dangerous end-of-lunch way that means a collapse is coming. Nikolai has gone quiet, which is worse. He only gets that still when he’s exhausted or thinking too much.
