“And? What did he say?”

“He said it’s something to do with the Great Massacre and how it ruined the unity of our people. People taking sides, and the Faction was proof of that. He didn’t explain further.”

The silence returned. I was trying to remember everything I knew about the Great Massacre and how that could connect to what the woman in jail had said, when Vlad finally said, “Let’s go.” Acting like a gentleman, he walked to my side of the car to open the door for me, but I had already gotten out and closed it by the time he reached me.

The restaurant was called No. 5. An interesting choice of name. Maybe it was the property’s address, but something told me it had a deeper meaning.

“Vlad!” The restauranteur greeted him with a warm hug. “It’s been a while. We’ve missed you around here.”

Vlad blushed slightly, somehow looking younger than usual. “I’m sorry, Lilly. I’ve been busy.”

“Well, at least you’re here now.” Her gaze traveled to his left and locked on mine. “Is this your girlfriend?” she asked with a smile. “It’s about time you brought a girl here, Vovochka.” Turning to face me, she extended one hand. “Hello, dear.”

“Hi.” I greeted her and shook her hand. “I’m Avery.” Once she let go of my hand, I pointed my finger at Vlad and me in a back-and-forth motion. “We’re not dating.”

The lady raised her brows as if asking, Are you sure. “Oh?”

“I’m his little sister’s best friend.”

“Oh, that’s interesting,” Lilly quipped. “No matter, dear. Come, sit down.”

Soon Vlad and I found ourselves sitting face to face at a table in the corner of the restaurant. There was a baby grand piano at the front of the room, next to a medium-sized Christmas tree. Mistletoe hung from the top of the ceiling, right in the middle of the room. The whole place was clean and something about it made me feel like I was at home, despite it looking nothing like our house, which looked more like a bland corporate office, all cold glass and stainless steel and nothing like this place, with its warm wood and colors.

Since I had no clue what was good here, I let Vlad order the food for me. A moment later, Vlad stood with the menu and walked to the counter to let Lilly know our order. When he came back and was seated in his chair, I quickly asked, “Why did she call you Vovochka?”

For a second he looked slightly embarrassed, almost sheepish. “It is one of the diminutives for Vladimir. Lilly loves to use it, especially since it’s closely associated with a long-running series of jokes featuring a naughty schoolboy.”

I laughed. “Now that you mention it, I’ve always wondered why your name is Vladimir. Aren’t you Greek?” He nodded. “Isn’t Vladimir a Russian name?”

Lilly came back with a young boy who was carrying a tray. “I’m sorry. I interrupted something, didn’t I?”