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The house didn’t welcome her. If anything, Annika felt like an outsider here. It had never been a very cozy home to begin with, but now it was like walking through a museum. Or somebody else’s life entirely. Annika felt so little connection to these floors, these walls, the ticking grandfather clock in the foyer. It wasn’t home anymore; it was foreign territory, and she could not trust the locals.
She wandered into the formal dining room and took her old seat at the side of the table. Memories of Wednesday night family dinners rushed back to her. It was hard to believe there was a time when she actually looked forward to the events. The meal itself was always luxurious and lavish, made by a series of private chefs hired by the Baranovs so that Yulia wouldn’t have to cook. That was a good thing for everyone, because Yulia barely had the capacity to boil water, and definitely lacked the motivation. It was one of the few times her parents, who despised each other, had willingly agreed to sit in the same room for longer than a few minutes. They were almost civil at the table, though Egor did often use the dinners as an opportunity to belittle his wife in front of Annika and the house staff.
That was one aspect of the family dinners Annika hated to remember. Egor picked fights with Yulia, pointed out her insecurities, and pitted his wife and daughter against each other for entertainment. Yulia, no doubt to deal with her husband’s cruelty, was usually drunk or drugged up for the dinner and barely responded. Annika hoped tonight would be different somehow.
At six o’clock on the dot, as though they’d put it off until the very last second, Egor and Yulia both entered the dining room and took their seats at the opposite ends of the table. Annika’s heart began to pound. Her mother was dressed in her usual overpriced designer clothes, glittering with jewels. Egor wore a dark suit. The chef’s two assistants hurriedly filled the table with delicious dishes, making sure to fill the wine glasses to the brim.
“Hi Mom and Dad,” Annika said. Her voice seemed so small.
“What an honor to be blessed with your presence,” Egor announced, glaring at Annika even though a terse smile was frozen on his face. “I am pleasantly surprised that your doting fiancé could spare you for one night.”
“Did that rough-looking man even give you a ring yet?” Yulia broke in.
“So typical of my wife to care only about money and gemstones,” he said icily. “I’m sure our future son-in-law is too busy breaking people’s fingers to put a ring on Annika’s.”
Yulia scoffed, “Those Sokolovs think they’re so superior.”
“I was terribly sorry to hear about the old man’s passing,” said Egor. “I do hope Mikhail is healing from his father’s death. It must have been hard to watch him waste away into a shell of his old self. He was so frail in the end, wasn’t he? Just dreadful.”
He said it all with a pointy grin on his face.
“He hasn’t really talked about it,” Annika admitted, poking at her potatoes with a fork.
Egor laughed derisively. “Well, of course not. Why would he confide in you? What could a woman possibly have to offer?”
“I would go easy on those potatoes if I were you,” Yulia told her. “Have you gained weight since the fitting? Your cheeks look so puffy.”
“Oh, uh, I don’t think so,” Annika muttered.
“It would besohumiliating if you couldn’t zip up your dress on the big day,” she purred.
“She’s young. Her metabolism is just fine, unlike yours,” Egor tossed at her.
“I haven’t touched a carb in ten years. My waistline is under control,” Yulia shot back.
Egor wrinkled his nose as he looked at her. “Is that so? Well, hopefully you can get those crow’s feet under control soon, too.”
“Maybe I would if someone would stop rescheduling my Botox appointments.”
“Perhaps you should learn to pay for your own plastic surgeon.”
“I’ve barely touched my allowance for this week. I already returned that handbag.”
“Good. A trendy handbag can’t turn back the sands of time.”
“My acupuncturist says I have the shoulders of a much younger woman.”
“Your acupuncturist is a liar. Or blind.”
“As if you would ever notice my youthful shoulders. You’re too busy with your advisor to look at me,” complained Yulia.
“Why would I waste my time? I know what you look like,” he chuckled cruelly as he ripped into a piece of steak.
“Wow, these green beans are really flavorful,” Annika interrupted. “Is that rosemary?”
“Probably. The new chef has quite a heavy hand with spices,” said Yulia in disgust as she pushed her full plate away and crossed her arms.
“Well, if you’re not going to eat, then why even come to dinner?” Egor groused.
