Vorlynkin shrugged.  "It wasn't anyone's fault, really.  She was an Escobaran.  I met her when I was stationed at the embassy there as a junior secretary.  When we first married, I thought it was understood that she would follow where my career took me.  But by the time I was offered the promotion and the transfer to the Barrayaran embassy on Pol, Annah had come along.  And my wife changed her mind.  With a baby to look out for, she didn't want to leave the security of her family and her homeworld.  Or she didn't trust me enough.  Or something."

After a silence, which Jin endured in faint embarrassment and Mina, apparently, in deep fascination, Vorlynkin added, "My ex-wife remarried recently.  Another Escobaran.  She wrote me that her new husband wants to adopt Annah.  I don't know.  It might be better for her than a father she sees for maybe three days every three years.  It's hard to decide.  To let go."  He had been talking to his lap but, unexpectedly, he raised his shrewd blue glance to Jin and Mina.  "What do you think?"

Mina blinked, and blurted, "I'd want my real daddy."

Vorlynkin didn't look terribly cheered by this reply.  Jin said more cautiously, "It depends, I guess.  If he's a nice guy or not."

"I assume so.  I haven't met him yet.  I suppose I ought to take some time and go do that, before signing off.  Maybe visiting again would just confuse Annah.  Surely she can't remember much about me."

"Don't you send her messages and stuff?" asked Mina, frowning.

"Sometimes."

Jin said slowly, "Couldn't you have chosen to stay with your wife back then?  Instead of going to Pol?"  Wherever that was.  Pretty far from Escobar, it sounded like.  "Being a diplomat isn't like being a soldier, is it?  Aren't you allowed to quit?"

Vorlynkin gave Jin an ironic salute, just a finger-touch to his forehead, and Jin felt even more uncomfortable.  Maybe he shouldn't have pointed that out?

"Yes, I could have made that choice.  Then.  I couldn't go back now, of course.  That chance has gone beyond recall."

Mina's frown deepened to a scowl.  "It sounds like you already picked."

"My younger self did, yes.  I have to wonder about him, some days . . ."  The autopilot beeped as they approached the consulate, and somewhat to Jin's relief Vorlynkin turned away to retake the controls.

Back in the consulate kitchen, Vorlynkin fixed them all a snack, then went off to the office-like front room to see about something his clerk wanted.  Mina snitched Lucky and went upstairs.  Jin went outside to check on all his creatures.  By the time he arrived in the bedroom he shared with his sister, she was curled up on her bed around the cat, possessively.  Lucky endured being clutched like a stuffed toy without protest beyond a lazy tail-twitch or two.