evushkas hired my parents as caretakers to the sprawling estate when they were freshly married and my mother was pregnan

d, my mother is even more committed to her employer, Boris Levushka. Our employer, really. As soon as I was old enough to work, I started alongside my m

glancing towards the clock on the

d be back at ten

rustrated tip of her hea

or's appointments can

says. "You should ca

ther. "I've always

guests were staying in the main house or when a deal was being worked out, but otherwise, I ran between our co

smile for me as a child. I'd seen him raise his voice to other household staff, berating them for simple mistakes, but ev

efore," my

four years ago, so if he minded me calling him by his first n

ture sitting in the cup holder between us. She p

. She would smile and laugh. She would pull me into a hug at the end of the day and kiss me on the forehead. No

nside of me since she told me she asked Boris-Mr. Levushka-for the morning off. "Why

words. My baby. "Yo

. Not to mention coming back to the cottage at the end of the day to f

want to ask if she is eating. She hasn't had dinner with me for the last week, but I'd as

o perhaps I should try asking her all the questions I've kept pent inside. Maybe I should force her to v

irect opposition to the concern shown by her words. "You should

ee softly. Tears spring to my eyes at the thought that my mother still cares. She still worries for me, still wants to

should be your husband. Or boyfriend, at

ne like ice water, sending a sh

nting again to the sonogram in the cup holder. "He sho

and it always ended the same way. Me, closed-lipped and burning wi

wraps around the back of our cottage. It is narrow and bumpy, used

inside. I know where she is headed-her room. She will hide in there until I go up to the main house to work. Then, she will emerge and go about her day

before she can grab the handle. She gasps

me until the pregnancy is over. You do realize that, right? At the end of this, there will be a child. A baby who will need to be taken

e the same height and build, though her body is softer, thicker around the hips and thighs. An

oud enough that she takes a step backwards, but

sigh at the relief. Even in her anger, it feels good to hear it. "I have raised you and cared for you in the way

father and I planted herbs and a few vegetables. Flowers bloom from the ground in colorful bouquets on the other side of the door. My parent

better life. I wanted you to