"Are you all right now, Mom?" Annie Zbornak asked her mother-in-law over the telephone. She and her family had returned to Germany the second week of January, and Dorothy had told her about the skiing trip with Yuri.

"I'm fine!" Dorothy didn't want her daughter-in-law to worry about her.

"Are you sure?" asked Annie. "You did almost die six months ago. Are you sure what happened at the lodge wasn't actually a lingering effect from that?"

"Oh, no, not at all!" Dorothy insisted. "All my tests came back completely normal before I left the hospital, and everything was fine at my last doctor's appointment, too."

There was, in fact, a lingering effect from Dorothy's close call, but it was psychological rather than physical. As happy as she'd been with Yuri in the months they'd spent together, it was the one thing that troubled her. She'd never been able to discuss it with anyone, even Yuri. So far she'd managed to push it to the back of her mind sufficiently to enjoy her life, but at times it came to the forefront and caused her to wonder if she was losing her mind.

"I talked to Annie today," Dorothy told her husband. It was a cold night in January, and the two of them were cuddling in front of the fireplace. Yuri sat with his back against the sofa, and Dorothy sat in front of him and between his legs with her back pressed against his front.

"And what was her news?" asked Yuri.

"The kids are doing fine," Dorothy replied. "I told her about what happened the day after we went skiing. She's really worried about my health, especially since I got struck by lightning and almost died. I told her everything's fine."

"Only normal that she worry." Yuri hugged her and kissed the top of her head. "You are her mother. She love you."

Dorothy was thoughtful. "Do you ever think about how...well, funny it is that you and I are about the same age, yet my kids are so much older than yours?"

Yuri was very quiet for a few moments, so much so that Dorothy glanced at him in concern. "I have son," he said at last.

"You do?" Dorothy's eyes widened in surprise. "Why didn't he come here with you and Inna and Zoya?"

"It happen when I am in Soviet Naval Academy," Yuri told her. "When we graduate, there is big party. Fellow student and I, girl I know only slightly, we have too much vodka to drink and end up spending night together. I never see her again, and many years later, man contact me and tell me his is my son. I do not believe him at first, but he mention girl's name and tell me his birthday, and I realize that it is true."

"My God," Dorothy said softly. "How long ago was it that he contacted you?"

"It was two, maybe three years ago," Yuri told her. "Please do not be upset, dearest Dorothy. It was long time ago. I was young. I swear to you, Dorothy, I will never want any other woman but you."

"Oh, I'm not worried about that." Dorothy turned to face her husband. "I trust you completely, Yuri. You've never given me any reason not to."

"And I never shall." Yuri looked grateful. "But I know how you feel about sleep with person you are not in love with."

"We grew up in two completely different cultures, Yuri." She held his face between her hands and gazed into his eyes. "You've never been anything but perfectly kind and loving toward me. Something that happened that long ago isn't going to change that. It doesn't really have anything at all to do with what we have together now."

"You are wonderful woman, Dorothy." Yuri hugged her tightly. "I love you so very much."

"I love you too, Yuri." Dorothy felt as if her stomach were tied in knots. "And actually, there's...I have something to tell you too, Yuri. I've never told anyone else. I...can't. I'm afraid they'd think I was crazy."

Yuri frowned in concern.

"That time I was struck by lightning," Dorothy began. "I felt it hit me, but there was no pain, and when I opened my eyes, I was in this wonderful place that was full of light. The most bright, dazzling light you ever saw, but I didn't have to squint at all. There was a street of gold, and a garden that was far too beautiful to describe, and...a voice spoke to me. It told me it wasn't my time yet, that my children and grandchildren still needed me, and...and that there was someone else who needed me too, that it would break his heart to lose me. The next thing I knew, I was lying on my back in Kate and Alex's back yard, and you were doing CPR on me." Her lips were quivering, and she was fighting back tears. "Please don't think I'm crazy!"

"Dearest Dorothy." Deeply touched, Yuri reached for her. "Come here and let me hold you."