de

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

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

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

a few weeks when they found out. There was no time to be young and aimless and in love. Suddenly, they needed jobs and a house and security. So, they'd come to work for the Paplov family and they'd never looked back. As a child, I thought the

ed your father because he was young and handsome and smart.

ou?" I ask, bitterness d

. "You did nothing wrong. I gave up, Nadezhda. I gave

my hands up. "What have I eve

ge. "Your walls are covered with your dreams. Your father spent a

wn my face. "The graphic

ct her to jab her finger into my chest. "Working here as a maid is a d

red all of the details yet. "Just becaus

with the baby while you work. We are only useful to Dominic if we are both working.

, regretting opening this f

her. "You may call him Dominic, but he is not your friend, Nadezhda. He is not your fri

e the many ways I'm failing. I imagined she would come around eventually and offer to help me. Instead, she is simp

into the house befor

n away from t

ow all about running away, wouldn't you? You'v

ng else, I walk into my r

ngs hanging above the little desk in the corner of my room, but as the pictures begin to expand outw

ed my artwork up on my walls. I started by copying pictures I found in magazines or characters from television, but as time went on, I began to create my own. Aliens with purple skin and golde

Nothing anyone would care about. No

g it out into the world-hoping for anyone else to care-is only asking f

il, and walk out of the cottage and towards the main house without looking to see where my mom is. I