“Well, if you quarreled, make up—you’re family.”
“That’s the trouble—we are family! I’m afraid she’ll fire me and bad-mouth me to Vitya. I can’t lose this job… and I don’t want to fight with my brother.”
Nikolai reminded her how hard it had been to find work after he’d been laid off from the factory—until Vitya had finally taken him in.
“Tomorrow’s usually quiet, but the holidays are coming, and Valya’s already pecking my brain. I’ll snap. …Would you work my shift? Just one day. I’ll take care of things at home. You won’t even need to strain—Lena will be there at the counter. Just keep an eye on her so she doesn’t skim off the till. And you love flowers—you dabbled with them yourself when you were young. Besides, you and Valya are friends—she likes you.”
Viktoriya froze. She hadn’t expected that “proposal.”
