Page 125 of Silent Ties

“Your grandmother isn’t doing very well right now.” Dad must see something pass over my face because he moves on. “I’m just saying, Maxie, a phone call won’t kill you.”

But the Christmas spirit doesn’t fill my dad with the urge to get into a fight and I’m relieved. I’m not going to let this night be ruined by ruminating over my mixed feelings regarding my mother.

I clap Dad’s shoulder, offering him a smile and a silent cheers. He dips his head slightly, taking the olive branch and clinks our glasses together.

“You know it’s not been a bad year for you,” he says, smirking into his whiskey.

Next month, Russet and I will celebrate our first wedding anniversary.

“You can expect a time off request for me,” I tell him.

He frowns. “You just came back from paternity leave.”

“Remember when you only gave me the weekend off for my honeymoon?”

He grins sheepishly. “Yeah, all right.”

“All right to what?” Russet appears by my side.

“Nothing.” I warn Dad with a stern look. He backs awayto Dima, the pair instantly joking in Russian like they always do.

Since Sailor is still being passed around, I tuck Russet next to me on the couch and drop my head back, relaxing. At least until I feel her patting my thigh.

“Hey,” she says, leaning in closer. “What if we got a dog?”

I smile down at my wife before pressing a kiss to the top of her head. I love my wife and daughter, but I still have some limits. “Don’t push it, Mrs. Zimin.”

Epilogue Two

RUSSET

Two Years Later

It’s dismissal time, and parents fill the hallway of the preschool. Coats and bags and lunchboxes crowd the way.

I peek into Sailor’s classroom. She brightens, smiling widely only for her to shout, “Daddy!”

She runs over—no leaps—her sneakers launching as she throws herself at him. Max easily catches her, hugging her as tightly as she hugs him.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, dumbfounded he snuck up on me.

He kisses my forehead, bending slightly so I can hug our daughter as well. Not, that Sailor lets go of him.

“What happened to the meeting?” I ask.

“It got done early.” He heads toward Sailor’s cubby.

“Coat has to go on,” I tell her. I shrug it around her because she won’t let go of her dad and Max doesn’t make her.

I know I’m biased, but honest to God, he’s the best father in the world. He loves Sailor.

He listens to her endless babble about cozy socks andwhatever toy is in her hand. It’s not uncommon to walk into his office and find him taking a break from work, the pair of them lying on the floor, coloring together. She has the entire penthouse to make into her own, but she naturally gravitates to wherever her father is.

He originally wanted to do the school drop-off, but I quickly had to take over. Turns out someone as imposing as Max, standing and lurking in the corner to make sure his daughter is okay, isn’t conducive to the general well-being of the classroom.

I’m also on pick-up duty, but half the time I arrive to find him already here.

Due to Sailor currently being Lev’s only grandchild, it means Max gets away with doing whatever he wants so long as he’s spoiling her.