I watched my dad standing beside Sally as she told a story to Millie’s mother. He was standing stiffly in his suit, looking like he wished to be anywhere but in the wedding hall. I could relate. I kept my eyes on him as his began to wander to the dance floor where he observed Grygoriy and Yekaterina dancing cheek to cheek to “All I Do Is Dream of You,” and it was evident my father dreamed he would be the one holding Yekaterina instead. How long would he suffer the loss of her? If marrying two other women could not make him move on, what would? Lovers spoke of “the one who got away” with a pained sense of nostalgia, and Taros had tortured himself by following his wistful memory to America, watching her as she didn’t think of him.

“My cousin,” Maks sighed as he sat in the chair beside mine, interrupting my thoughts. “It’s been too long.”

“I saw you last week,” I reminded, keeping my eyes on my father and my hand on my drink.

“Like I said, it’s been too long. I used to see you multiple times a day, and now so much less. This isn’t working for me.”

I chuckled and shook my head. “You occupy your time.” I gestured toward Ingrid, who was gabbing with a group of hens beside the drink table.

“Men need their man time. You’re my man. I need time with you. It’s been nearly six months since you moved into your apartment and you’ve yet to invite me over. Shit, I don’t even know where the hell your place is.”

“Would you drop by if you did?”

“Of course I would,” he answered emphatically as if I was hoping his reply would be “yes.”

“That’s why you don’t know. I chose to live on my own for a reason, reason being privacy. I don’t answer to anyone. I come and go as I please. I shut the door and shut out the world.”

“You’re a hermit, you know that? That’s how hermits think. Don’t you lose your mind from boredom? I would go mad. What do you even do?”

“Read. You should try it some time. There are these words typed on paper, and when you string them all together, they tell a story. It’s a marvel.”

Maks grinned. “You’re a sass. See, I miss your sassiness. I need you to tell me off at least a few times a week, or I feel out of balance.”

“Your dame holds your leash pretty tightly. I’m sure she’s more than willing to give you a good tongue lashing.”

“That’s sounds sexual, and I assure you, there are no tongue lashings to be had.”