She stopped when she saw us. “Michael, Grace—what are you doing here? ”
“Surprise,” Grace said. “We came to meet your daddy.
”
Elena looked between us and her father. “Papa, I can explain. ”
“Explain what? That you’ve been hiding your friends?
That you’ve built a life without telling me? ”
“I knew you’d try to control things. ”
“I might be happy you found people who care about you. ”
Elena shook her head, tears forming.
Dmitri looked at her. “Elena, do you know what I see when I look at you right now? ”
She didn’t answer. “For the first time in two years, I see my daughter alive.
”