Even after Gloria had left, Galina continued to replay their conversation in her head getting angrier and angrier as the day wore on. She channeled most of that energy into cleaning, fuming as she scrubbed down every surface in the store until it shone. She served all her customers efficiently, but her mind was a million miles away and she spoke very little. Her lips were pursed together tightly and she was grinding her teeth.

Dmitri had spent most of the day tiptoeing around her bad mood. He went out to run errands as an excuse to get away from the store, and then had lunch alone in the apartment before finally deciding he could avoid her no longer. He walked slowly down the stairs and let himself in through the back of the store. The place was empty, aside from his wife, who he could see was busy counting items on the shelves and then scribbling into a notebook.

"I thought you waited until the end of the month to do inventory?" Dmitri commented, pulling out a chair at the front table to sit down and watch her work.

"Yes, well, it's been slow, so I figured I'd do it now," Galina muttered, peering down at him over the rim of the glasses she wore for reading.

"So far, so good?" Dmitri asked.

"Yes," Galina drew out the word, sounding mildly irritated. She slapped her notebook down onto the table in front of him. Dmitri glanced at it, noting the consistent check marks beside the name of each item and the quantity they were expected to have on hand.

He wanted to ask if she was checking to make sure nothing was missing in response to Gloria's claims, but he didn't have a death sentence. He watched her replace all the items back onto the shelf, the force in her arm with each movement felt aggressive but it may have just been his imagination. Still, he decided it would be wise to get out of there before she turned her temper onto him. After all, if Galina had wanted his help, she would have assigned him a job by now.

"You've been awfully quiet about all of this," Galina said sharply, breaking into his reverie. Dmitri turned back to look at her with a startled expression on his face. He'd missed his opportunity to make a getaway.

"What do you mean?" he asked warily.

Galina raised her eyebrows at him. "Don't you have an opinion?"

"I do, but you won't like it," Dmitri replied, holding his hands up in surrender as he slumped further down in his chair.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

Dmitri took a deep breath. "I think you're acting awfully defensive for someone who thinks she has nothing to be worried about," he said honestly, watching his wife's eyes narrow as she stepped closer to him.

"Gloria has never struck me as the type to make trouble just for the sake of drama," he continued. "What motive could she have had for coming here with her concerns?"

"I think she just doesn't want to face some hard truths about her daughter," Galina answered, pulling the glasses off of her face in irritation.

"I don't think Gloria is the one with that particular problem," Dmitri said.

"You mean me?"

"Gloria didn't have to tell you anything," Dmitri shrugged. "And she didn't want the money you threw at her so what other incentive is there? If it was an issue between Cecelia and herself, she would have just kept it between them."

Galina looked troubled and as if she didn't have a response to any of that. "I didn't...I didn't throw money," she said lamely, making Dmitri roll his eyes.

"Look, I'm not saying that Nicky did anything wrong," Dmitri said. "But I think you should consider the possibility and do a little investigating."

"And prove to her that there really isn't anyone she can wholeheartedly trust to believe the best in her?" Galina replied, winding her finger around the string she wore her glasses on. "Why is it when anything goes wrong, it has to be that poor girl's fault?"

Dmitri just shrugged his shoulders helplessly at her. He didn't have the answers, he hadn't ever wanted to find himself in this position to begin with. He would have been quite content to just enjoy some peaceful years with his wife now that their boys were out of the house. He would have appreciated the quiet and a wife who wouldn't constantly be juggling too many things for everyone else. It would have been nice to focus on themselves and their marriage for a change, but Galina had been eager to start over again with fostering and he'd indulged her. Galina always seemed to get her way.

They were interrupted by the chime of the bell that hung over the front door and rang whenever anyone entered the store. Both parents turned to see Nicky walk in, looking a little worse for wear. Her eyes were red rimmed and she had grass stains on her skirt. She dropped her backpack onto the floor as soon as she drew nearer and then slumped down into the chair next to her foster father.

"What's happening?" she asked dully, by way of greeting.

"The usual," Dmitri replied, as Galina reached down to pick up the discarded backpack. "How was school today?"

"Fine," Nicky replied, drumming her fingers on top of the tabletop.

"Do you have any homework?" Galina asked, unzipping the backpack and balancing on the table as she began to rummage through it. "Where's your agenda?"

"Oh, darn...I think I forgot it in my locker at school," Nicky replied. "Sorry, Red."

"It's okay," Galina said simply. Though she liked to check it over every day to keep up with what Nicky was supposed to be doing, she wasn't going to make a fuss about it. Nicky had been doing well in school since she'd come to live with them. "Just try to remember it for tomorrow."

"I didn't have any work to do tonight anyway," Nicky told her, resting her head in her arms she gazed up at her with glazed eyes. "Just some questions in Geography, but I finished them in class."

"Are you feeling okay?" Galina asked, pressing the palm of her head to Nicky's forehead which was blessedly cool. The mere sight of her girl was doing wonders to the stress Galina had been carrying around all day. She could feel her temper, so close to the boiling point, beginning to ease up. Nicky was home, safe and sound with her now. She wished she could keep her this close always.

"Just tired," Nicky admitted, nudging her foster mother's hand away slightly as she shifted over. "I have a headache."

Galina nodded sympathetically. "Well, I guess that's to be expected," she said, recalling the previous night, which had been emotional for the both of them. "You should go to bed early tonight."

"I'd like to go to bed now actually," Nicky said, yawning profusely. "Would you care?"

"You need to eat supper," Galina replied. She was poking around Nicky's backpack again. This time unzipping the packed lunch she made for her every morning. She wasn't a fan of the food served in the school cafeteria, and had always sent her sons with bagged lunches before too. She was disappointed to note that none of the food had been touched. "Did you eat anything today?"

"Ceci and I split a cream cheese bagel," Nicky told her. "I didn't feel like having more than that, but if you put that in the fridge it will still be good for tomorrow."

"I guess," Galina said, pursing her lips together again.

Dmitri looked between his wife and Nicky, who looked about ready to fall asleep at the table if they didn't excuse her soon. "So... erm...how was Ceci today, Nicky?" he asked awkwardly.

"Okay...I guess," Nicky replied, avoiding both of their gazes.

"Did she have anything interesting for news?" he asked, and Nicky raised her head this time. She noticed Galina dramatically roll her eyes before walking over to the fridge with her lunch bag.

"What do you mean, interesting?" Nicky asked him skeptically. "Do you know something I should? It was just a regular school day..."

"Just making conversation," Dmitri said calmly.

"Yeah, you should stop that," Galina rolled her eyes again. She smirked at Nicky and walked back to rest a hand affectionately on Nicky's shoulder. She gave her a light squeeze.

"Go lie down, honey," Galina instructed her. "I'll be up to check on you soon. I just have a few more things to finish down here."

"Sounds good," Nicky agreed, scrambling to her feet. She took her bag back and slung it over her shoulder, before heading up the stairs that would lead to their apartment. She could sense both of her foster parents' eyes following her but she didn't look back at them. She wondered if they were waiting to question her when they closed up the store or if Ceci had gotten her facts wrong and she was worrying for nothing.

Neither parents had seemed at all upset with her, even if Dmitri had been acting more curious than was typical of him. Nicky just wondered if that was just his way of attempting to get closer to her, if Galina really was serious about wanting to adopt her. Turning the knob in her hand at the stop of the stairs, Nicky sighed and stole a glance back down, accidentally catching Galina's bright blue eyes. Even if she didn't want to admit it, she was growing attached to her and she liked it here. She wasn't going to allow anybody to get between them.

Galina bit the inside of her cheek as Nicky turned away and disappeared into their apartment. Then she turned on her husband and shoved him roughly on the arm.

"Ow!" Dmitri exclaimed, rubbing at a spot above his elbow. "What's wrong with you?"

"Why were you trying to interrogate her?" Galina hissed.

"Just asking questions," Dmitri replied. "That shouldn't trigger anyone unless they have something to hide."

"Well, cut it out," Galina ordered. "If anyone is going to ask Nicky anything, then it's going to be me."

"Why you?" Dmitri complained.

Galina shot him a dirty look. "Because I've been parenting without you for our whole married life. There's no sense in you interfering now."

She picked up her notebook and decided to go put it away and then close for an early day. Though she hadn't completed going through her entire store, she had done enough to be satisfied that everything was as it should be-not that she had had any sincere doubts. She'd just wanted to prove Gloria wrong. If Nicky intended to steal, it would be far easier to have gotten away with it here and her lack of findings convinced her that Gloria was mistaken. It was all that mattered right now.

XXX

A few blocks over, Ceci was walking home from school looking almost as withdrawn as Nicky had. There were some strands of hair that had come loose from her ponytail and she seemed tired. A part of her just wanted to run upstairs to bed and not speak to anybody else that day, but she went into the store instead where she knew her mother would be.

"Hi," Ceci greeted, over the chime of the bells that made Gloria look over at her.

"Hi to you too," Gloria smiled. "How was school?"

"Meh," Ceci groaned, dropping her head dramatically. Then she lifted her chin and stared back at her mother with a sheepish expression.

"Is it okay if I don't work this afternoon?" she asked. "I'm not feeling it."

"It's fine," Gloria assured her with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I feel the same way."

Just like Galina, Gloria had also been replaying their morning conversation incessantly. Only in her case, she was kicking herself for being stupid enough to believe that it could have gone any other way. She should have known that her friend would be dramatic and react badly to what she was saying. Now Gloria was out a friend and nothing was being done regarding the bigger picture, that something very concerning was happening between their girls.

"Tia Lourdes has the boys," Gloria explained.

"Oh," Ceci replied.

"Yeah," Gloria nodded. Julio and Benny had been upset and confused about why they'd needed to leave the Reznikovs so quickly and Lourdes had been able to sense their sour moods just as soon as they'd returned. She'd kindly offered to take the boys for the day and have them returned fed, bathed, and dressed in their pajamas in time for bed. Sometimes she was willing to help her niece and other times less inclined, but Gloria could always depend on her to step in when she really needed her.

"They won't be back until late," Gloria explained, "and Elena texted me that she is staying after school for a meeting with the dance committee. So that means it's just you and me."

"Well, don't go to any trouble for supper then on my account," Ceci said. "I'm really not hungry."

She excused herself before Gloria could say much more which was surprising because she had expected to be interrogated about her visit with Galina just as soon as her daughter had walked in the door. Though she'd been worried about how Ceci would react, this complete lack of interest was even more disconcerting. Her daughter looked so beaten down and depressed, and for once Gloria did not think she was the cause.

Making a decision, Gloria walked over to the front door and switched the sign over to closed before locking it tight. Monday afternoons were typically quiet anyway, she tried to justify herself. She really could have used the money and knew she couldn't make a habit of closing whenever she felt like it, but she also couldn't let the opportunity to be alone with her most distant child pass her by either. Time one-on-one with any of them was rare to behold as a single mother of four. There was never enough time in a day, but right now Gloria intended to make an exception.

She locked away her till and flicked off the lights before following after Ceci. The girls' bedroom door was open ajar so she let herself in after a subtle knock. Happening upon the sight of Ceci with her arms folded over her eyes as she lay back on the bed, Gloria didn't even hesitate to perch herself right down beside her. She wasn't tiptoeing around anymore.

"Do you want to hear how it went with Galina?" Gloria asked, breaking the silence. She heard an incoherent mpfh! From behind Ceci's arms which she took to mean yes, because it didn't really matter. She'd already decided she was going to sit here and talk without inhibition because she couldn't see how things could ever improve between the two of them if they didn't talk. She actually hoped they could get off the subject of Nicky and focus on themselves and their family instead, but it seemed like a good place to start.

"She got mad at me," Gloria said, sounding much less bothered than she felt as she worked to keep her tone light. "She threw me out...before that she tried to throw some cash at me but I told her to stop."

"You should have taken it," Ceci said tiredly, sliding her arms off of her face. "We could have gone on a shopping trip as compensation for having to put up with all their drama. What's with them anyway?"

"Did something happen with Nicky?" Gloria asked. "Because I did keep you out of it."

"That doesn't matter because I confronted Nicky myself about it today," Ceci said, sitting up and bringing her legs to her chest. She wrapped her arms around them and rested her chin on her knees.

"You did?" Gloria asked, looking surprised.

"Yeah," Ceci nodded. "I'm not okay with her stealing. There's no excuse for that and I'm positive she's guilty because I don't see another explanation…. I'm even more sure of that now because of the way she tried to guilt me at school today. She couldn't even bring herself to deny it!"

"She guilted you?" Gloria asked quietly.

"Yes," Ceci nodded. "She said I'm going to be the reason she gets thrown back into the system and taken away from the first place she has felt at home since her mom died."

"Well, that's not going to happen but even if it did, it would not be your fault," Gloria assured her. "Nicky makes her own choices. She's not the only one who's had it rough."

"Raised by a nanny, then her mom died without warning, her dad abandoned her, and she's been bumped around from home to home because nobody wanted her," Ceci replied. "I'd say that constitutes more than rough."

"She deserved better," Gloria agreed, "and she has better now. Galina isn't going to send that girl away...Galina would throw Dmitri away before she gave up Nicky."

"I'm not sure that's as reassuring as you intend it to be," Ceci giggled. "But I hope you're right."

"You care about Nicky a lot," Gloria said.

"She's just about the only good thing that has happened to me since you forced me to come live here," Ceci shrugged.

Gloria sighed. "Do you hate it that badly?"

Ceci compressed her lips together tightly before responding. "I miss home," she shared.

"Puerto Rico?" Gloria said.

Ceci shook her head. "It's not even about the place," she replied. "Although I can't say I'm loving this winter...I miss Abuela and sharing that old bed with you and Elena-even though I said I hated it at the time, I had the hardest time falling asleep when you left. There was too much space. Even now, sometimes it's hard for me to sleep alone."

"Well, my room is still always open to you," Gloria offered with a small smile. "Sometimes I find it hard to sleep by myself too."

"I guess that's why you were always trying to find some man to fill it once you got to New York," Ceci said bitterly. She made a face when she heard how much ruder her words sounded when spoken out loud. She glanced at her mother apologetically. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay," Gloria replied. "I never thought about it like that before but maybe you're right. I know you don't really believe me, but I missed you girls so much all this time. I was so lonely being here without you. I didn't know a soul in this city except Lourdes, and she wasn't always available to spend time with. I guess I was trying to fill an impossible-to-fill void."

"And how'd that work out for you?" Ceci asked sarcastically.

"Clearly not very well," Gloria said honestly. "Although I'm hoping we're getting back on the right track now."

"That remains to be seen," Ceci said tightly, and what openness she seemed to be temporarily willing to share with her mother was already rescinding, which Gloria wasn't prepared to let happen. She pressed on.

"I hope this doesn't ruin your friendship with Nicky," she said. "You need her, and she definitely needs you."

"I'm not so sure," Ceci replied. "There's a lot I don't like about her."

"Like what?" Gloria pressed gently. "Beside the stealing."

Ceci sighed and plucked at a loose thread in her bed spread. "I think she might be going down a dark path she won't be able to get out of," she said heavily. "I can't work out if she cares too much or not at all...I don't even think she knows the answer to that."

"What do you mean?" asked Gloria.

Ceci looked up at her mother with her wide brown eyes. "We didn't really go skating," she said dryly.

"I worked that out for myself funnily enough," Gloria shook her head. "I would have made it more of an issue, but I decided you had enough common sense to not do anything too stupid. You've always had a good head on your shoulder."

"I came home," Ceci shrugged. "At first I didn't mind just watching the stupid but it all gets to be a bit much when your best friend starts to partake."

"What was she doing?" Gloria asked bluntly. "Drugs?"

"Mmm…" Ceci hesitated. "Nothing too bad...it's not like I was worried for her life or anything. Or I wouldn't have left her."

"Well, with her record even some underage drinking could get her sent back to juvie," Gloria said.

"I know she drinks," Ceci said quietly, plucking even more fiercely at her bedspread. "She sneaks away from campus at lunchtime to smoke weed. I know she's tried cocaine too...she did the night we were supposed to be skating, and I don't think that was the first time."

She took a deep breath and stared up at her mother helplessly. "We should tell Red, mom."

"I'm not sure that will do us much good," Gloria said honestly. "But...I'll try."

"And will they send Nicky back to juvie?" Ceci asked anxiously.

"I don't really know how all of that works," Gloria said honestly. "Whether the social worker will write Nicky up immediately since her foster parents are willing to work with her. I still think it's best to be proactive."

"Yeah," Ceci agreed. "I just don't want her to hate me. We've been really close."

"Leave it to me," Gloria said, trying to be comforting. She'd have loved to take her daughter into her arms, or even just hold her hand for a second, but she didn't dare. This was the closest she and Cecelia had been in ages, and she could tell that Ceci still felt wary. Gloria just longed for a day when all of this could feel natural between them.

"It means so much that you trusted me with this," Gloria said softly. "You know you can always tell me anything."

Ceci nodded her head slowly. "Don't make me regret it."

Happy Belated Birthday Johanna-002! I know I'm 6 days late. I really wanted to post this on your actual birthday but better late than never, right? Hope you enjoy.

Thank you for reviewing wallscollide, whenaspritemeetsaunicorn, Johanna-002, galinareznikovlove, and A Star in My Universe.