"Mom?" Henry's voice shook.

"Your father is d-dead!" Elizabeth sobbed. "His body was found buried in a shallow grave in Bitsevski Park. He was stabbed through the heart."

"Oh my God!" gasped Henry. "Do they have any idea who did it?"

"Not yet," his mother told him. "They're going to examine the body for fingerprints. His wallet was missing. They had to check his dental records and do DNA testing." She sobbed even harder. "Oh, Henry, I can't believe it! He was the most important part of my life for almost thirty years, and now he's g-gone!"

Henry could only sit there, numb with shock. Images went through his mind - goofing off with his family at the ice cream parlor, playing hockey with his father, that terrible day he'd learned the truth. He'd been furious, screaming at his father for all the years of deception.

"Have you told Paige yet?" he asked.

"I just got off the phone with her," Elizabeth replied. "She's just as torn up as I am, if not even more so. She and Matthew are coming, and bringing the baby. You'll come too, won't you, Henry? Please, I need both of you here with me now."

"Sure, Mom. Of course I'll come." The many things he'd have to do in preparation - leave of absence from school and work, telling the post office to hold his mail - rushed through his head.

And Holly - he had to let her know. He had to have her with him. He couldn't make the journey without her. He couldn't be separated from her again. He knew he wouldn't be tempted this time, no matter what - that wasn't even an issue.

He simply couldn't bear the thought of going that long without hearing her voice, feeling her touch.

He raised the receiver, prepared to begin dialing her number, then paused.

What if she was still asleep? If she was, he didn't want to disturb her.

He glanced at the clock. Six thirty. He supposed he could wait awhile.

He got out his suitcase and started packing. He thought of calling Paige but realized she'd be busy getting ready to go herself, and with a husband and baby, she had a lot more packing to do than he did.

He watched a couple hours of television without even realizing what was on the screen, then decided it was finally late enough to call Holly.

Mrs. Koch answered on the second ring.

"Hi, it's Henry," he greeted her. "May I please speak to Holly?"

"Sure, just a minute."

Seconds later, he heard Holly's voice. "Henry?"

"I have bad news, Holly." He sighed. "Turns out my father was murdered. They found his body in a park in Moscow."

He heard her sharp intake of breath. "Oh, no! Oh, Henry, I'm so sorry!"

"I'm going to Moscow to be with my Mom. I want you to come with me." He heard nothing but silence. "Please, Holly."

"But I don't even have a passport!" Holly objected. "And besides, Mom could never afford the airplane ticket."

"I'll take care of that. I'll find a way, somehow."


The group met at the airport for the sad journey to Moscow. Matthew and Paige both had long faces. Cody was the only one who looked cheerful. Paige was pushing him in a stroller.

"Hi there, big boy!" Holly greeted him. In response, he held his hands over his eyes.

"Peek-a-boo is his latest thing," Paige explained.

At last it was time to board. They found their seats and sat down.

"I've never flown before," Holly said nervously as the airplane began to move.

"Here, chew this." Paige handed her a stick of gum. "It'll help."

"Thanks."

By the time they arrived in Moscow, the stars were beginning to twinkle, and a beautiful sunset cast multi-colored lights on the shimmering snow.

Mischa met them at the airport.

"This is my girlfriend, Holly Koch," Henry told his older brother.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Mischa smiled as he shook her hand.

"Nice to meet you, too." Holly gave a shaky smile.

It was a short drive to Elizabeth's house. Henry rang the doorbell, and a moment later, Elizabeth opened the door.

To Henry, she looked slimmer and paler than ever before. There were bags under her eyes, and he could tell she'd been crying again.

"Oh, Mom!" He bent to hug her in the wheelchair, careful so as not to crush her bones. He held her for several minutes, and then it was Paige's turn, then Matthew's.

"This is my girlfriend, Holly Koch," Henry told his mother. "We've been together for almost a year now."

Elizabeth just stared at Holly, taken aback.

"Hello, Mrs. Jennings," Holly said, extending her hand.

"Oh, hello!" Elizabeth shook Holly's hand with an unsteady smile. "You'll have to forgive me. Henry never told me he had a girlfriend."

"I'm sorry, Mom. Somehow, the subject just never came up."

"That's all right," said Elizabeth. "You're grown up now, and it's time you met someone." She looked at Holly. "It's nice to meet you, dear. I hope your trip was pleasant."

"It was, thank you," Holly replied.

A moment of silence followed, and was broken by Elizabeth.

"Paige, you know where the refreshments are. Please, help yourself."

Henry, Matthew, and Holly sat down on the sofa. A few minutes later, Paige entered the room with a tray which held five glasses of vodka. She passed the drinks around to the other adults.