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“What does it—” She paused, inhaling deeply. “What does it matter?” she repeated, yelling. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Alina snorted and looked away without much interest. “Who’s Olivia anyway?”
The thought of this letter sitting on the counter for weeks made Elena want to break something. She turned away from her daughter, unable to look at her. The paper crinkled as she tore open the envelope.
Elena heard Alina slide off the couch, moving over to the kitchen counter. Elena looked up and saw that whiny look on her daughter’s face—one she got whenever she was scolded.
“Olivia,” Elena said, her voice tense, “is the daughter of that Maria, your idiot uncle Andrei’s whore; the woman who stole all our money!ThatOlivia!” Her fingers itched to break something as she breathed those words.
“Well open it then,” Alina urged, leaning over the counter. “What does it say?”
Elena had to calm herself for a moment. She knew that her daughter was not the sharpest knife in the toolbox. With quick but steady breaths, Elena straightened out the letter, her eyes hooded as they moved from side to side. Her lips moved as she read, as if mouthing a silent prayer, then her eyes widened with shock.
“What?” Alina said. “What does it say?”
Elena ignored her as her legs shook so hard she almost fell over. She reached for the counter to support herself, knocking over a few utensils in the process, the noise clanking in the small space.
“It-it’s from Olivia,” Elena muttered slowly.
Alina shook her head quickly, her lips glistening with her red lipstick. “I know that already, Mom. But what does it say?”
Straightening, her face as plain as she could make it, Elena explained: “She says she’s sorry for the loss of my brother, and she would like to come visit to discuss urgent business regarding Andrei’s . . .” Her breathing faltered, her words quaked, and her right hand tightened into a fist. “Andrei’s inheritance.”
Alina jumped and squealed, her mouth wide open. She pumped her hands in the air.
“Does this mean we’re rich now?” she wondered excitedly, moving quickly around the room.
Elena stood by the counter, the letter squeezed in her left hand. She bit her lips and shook her head, grinding her teeth against each other.
“Stop your nonsense!” Elena said.
Alina halted, gazing up in confusion.
Elena balled the letter in her hand, pressing it tight against the skin of her palm. “We don’t want her American charity. We want every penny of what’s owed to us!”
