All These Things I've Done (Birthright #1)(79)

‘I’m here to apologize for my brother,’ I said. ‘Leo doesn’t always think before he acts. I believe he was just emotional from the wake.’

‘Don’t trouble yourself, child,’ Uncle Yuri said. ‘We know that Leo is’ – he looked for a word – ‘sensitive, but we love him here.’

I looked over at Mickey to see if he felt the same way. ‘I want you to know that I didn’t do anything to provoke him,’ Mickey said. ‘And I feel awful about hitting someone’ – now it was Mickey’s turn to search for a euphemism for my brother – ‘like him. It’s below me.’

‘Now kiss your cousin and make up,’ Uncle Yuri instructed Mickey.

‘I’ve not had chickenpox yet,’ Mickey said. ‘No offence, Anya. Vaccines don’t always work.’

‘None taken,’ I assured him. ‘Did you have a nice honeymoon?’ I asked.

‘We didn’t go on one. I couldn’t leave work,’ Mickey said. ‘Yuji Ono was in town, breathing fire down my neck, and we’re still dealing with fallout from the Fretoxin poisoning all these months later, if you can believe that.’

‘Did you ever figure out who did it?’

Mickey shook his head. ‘Some of us are starting to suspect it was an inside job.’

‘Enough business talk,’ Yuri said. ‘Annie doesn’t want to hear this.’

I nodded and turned to Yuri. ‘Perhaps it would be best if Leo didn’t work at the Pool any more?’ I suggested.

‘There is no need for that,’ Uncle Yuri assured me. ‘He’s an excellent worker, and what has happened is of no consequence. Tell Leo to take tomorrow off and we’ll see him on Monday as usual.’ Uncle Yuri offered to pour me a cup of tea, but I told him that I was needed at home. ‘How are things now that Galina has passed?’ he asked. ‘Are you and your siblings managing?’

I nodded. I wasn’t sure if we were, but the last thing I wanted was my family’s help.

When I got back to the apartment, everything was quiet. I could see a light under my sister’s door, which usually meant she was studying. Though it wasn’t part of her job description, Imogen was washing dishes. I went into the kitchen to talk to her.

‘I made dinner,’ Imogen said. ‘And I gave your brother an aspirin.’

‘Thank you very much,’ I said. ‘You didn’t have to do any of this.’

Imogen turned off the water. ‘I care very much for you and your brother and sister, Annie. Even though Galina is dead, I still worry for you.’

I nodded and suddenly I had what I thought was a very good idea. ‘I hope this won’t offend you, but would you be willing to stay on for the next couple of weeks?’ I asked her. ‘I know you’re a health-care worker, not a nanny, but I could really use the help. And it might make things more normal for them.’ I gestured down the hallway towards where we slept. ‘Mr Kipling will pay you the same amount you’ve always been paid.’

‘Only I won’t have to deal with any bedpans.’ Imogen smiled at me.

‘If you ever wanted to stay over, you could use Nana’s room,’ I said.

‘Sounds good, Annie. Honestly, I was hoping to be asked.’

Though I am not much of a hugger, I hugged Imogen. She was holding her arms wide out to me, and it would have been rude not to.

She offered to heat up some dinner for me, but I declined. My stomach was still a bit wonky.

‘Toast?’ she offered.

I had to admit, that sounded good.

She cut off the crusts and set the toast on a pretty porcelain plate and then she sent me to bed.

When I went into my room, I found Win waiting for me. He was reading a book.

‘Oh,’ I said. ‘I didn’t know you were still here.’

‘You didn’t say goodbye earlier,’ Win said, setting the book on the bed. (The book was one of Imogen’s.) ‘I didn’t know where you’d gone. I was just waiting to see if you’d been killed. Now that I see you aren’t dead, I can leave.’ Win stood up. He was almost a foot taller than me. I felt small next to Win and altogether wretched.

‘I’m sorry,’ I said. ‘It couldn’t be avoided.’

‘“It couldn’t be avoided”? Is that the best you can do for an apology?’ He was smiling when he said this.

‘I . . . My life is complex. I really am sorry.’

Win furrowed his brow and then he kissed me. ‘You’re forgiven.’

‘The only thing I’ve done today is apologize. I’m starting to feel like the sorriest person on earth.’

‘Don’t be so hard on yourself,’ Win said. ‘I doubt you’re the sorriest person on earth. Earth is a very big place.’

‘Thanks.’

‘I was starting to wonder if you’d run off with Yuji. Is that how you say his name?’ Win asked.

‘Yes.’

‘I was starting to be jealous.’

‘Don’t be,’ I said. ‘Yuji is twenty-three. He’s way too old for me.’

‘And you prefer me, right?’

‘Yes, of course I prefer you. Stop being so silly, Win.’

‘Twenty-three isn’t all that old,’ Win teased me. ‘By the time you’re eighteen, he’ll only be twenty-five.’