He opens his eyes and stares. “Is that what you think? That I gave up on her? I left the country I love for her. I offered to give up my marriage for her. No, little one, I never gave up on her. She gave up on me.”

“Why did you marry Margaret if you loved my gram? You both worked so hard to find each other again. How could you marry someone else?”

He sighs. “My biggest weakness is I always wanted my Tatyana to be happy. I would do anything for this. When her friend Margaret tells me that Tatyana wants to date another boy but is afraid of hurting my feelings? I am hurt, yes. But more importantly, I want Tatyana to have everything she wants. I don’t want her to be with me unless she loves me as I love her. Margaret says the only way to push Tatyana to date this boy she likes so much is if Margaret and I start to date.”

I let out the air I’ve been holding in a rush. “She tricked you!”

“Da, she tricked me. I think Tatyana’s friend is so sweet to make sure she is happy. At my wedding to Margaret, I am confused when I ask Tatyana where her boyfriend is and she tells me she isn’t dating the boy anymore. She is crying, so I think it’s because the boy broke her heart.”

“But it was because she loved you and you married someone else. Did she tell you?”

He shakes his head sadly. “No, she would never do that. Margaret confessed it to me. Her conscience finally bothered her and she wanted me to know why she’d done it. That she loved me.”

I want to cry for my gram and this giant of a man in front of me. “But why did you stay married to Margaret? She lied to you.”

A look of pain flickers in his eyes. “Tatyana wanted me to be nobler than I am. She begged me not to betray my promise. To be loyal to one’s promises—it was everything to her. So I stayed married to Margaret. But if your babushka would have said yes, we would be together right now.”

“What does Margaret think?” I can’t help but feel sorry for his wife—the woman I thought I hated only minutes ago. It’s funny how fast feelings can change when you know the whole story. I’m still mad at Margaret for betraying Gram. But I feel bad that she’s married to a man who will always love another woman.

“We never speak of it.” His laughter is tinged with bitterness. “She prefers it that way.”

“What happened in Russia? I think I know why Gram and her mom left the country. Was it because my great-grandma fell in love with Mark?”