Olivia grabs my hand and squeezes it. Max leans forward like he’s ready to grab the journal if needed.

“Does your babushka know you have this?” Yakov asks. He leafs through the rest of it, lingering on the later pages before abruptly closing it.

“No,” I admit. “But there’s something she hasn’t told you.” I take a deep breath, not sure if I should continue. But if he loves her, I have to trust he’ll help.

Yakov motions for me to continue. “Go on, little Tatyana. I am listening.”

I continue in a rush of words. “There’s something wrong with her memory. She’s forgetting things, and if I can find out what happened to her in Russia, I know I can help fix her.”

“We all forget things,” he says with a sigh. “Some things are better forgotten.”

“Not if they’re why she’s losing her memory in the first place,” I argue. “I’ve been doing research. There are times where our brains experience severe trauma, and it can cause amnesia. If I can find the memory that’s causing the trauma, then I can help.”

Yakov glances at Max and Olivia. “I think I will talk about this with you only.”

Olivia stands up and grabs Max’s arm. “Come on, let’s get some air.”

Max grumbles under his breath but follows her out the door. “Call out if you need us,” he says over his shoulder.

“You have good friends,” Yakov says. “That is extremely important.”

“I have great friends,” I agree. “And I guess you know how important that is since you and Gram were best friends for so many years.”

Yakov sits at the chair next to his desk. His look of concern draws his bushy eyebrows together. “I love Tatyana. I will always love her. You can trust me with the truth about her.”

I take a deep breath and let my words out in one long stream. “She sometimes can’t remember where we live or who I am. I can’t leave her alone with my little brother because she wanders off without him. I’m afraid to let her drive unless I’m there to give her directions. I’m afraid one day she’ll leave and forget how to get home.”

He closes his eyes, pain etched in the deep grooves along his mouth. “Ah, Tatyana, my beautiful one. Why didn’t she tell me?”

“She’s scared,” I say. My voice echoes in the small room. “She won’t admit it, but I can see it. She’s done everything for Clay and me—I have to make this better.”

“There are some things that can’t be fixed, no matter how hard we try.”

A knot in my stomach pushes against my ribs. My legs begin to shake. “I don’t believe that. Just because you gave up on her so easily doesn’t mean I will.”