In winter, men in yellow vests dash water onto the fields and paths of Gorky Park to make a skating rink. Each winter sunset, red and pink lights spray candy colours on the ice, and the air smells of mulled wine and meat sizzling. The park becomes a carnival, at gliding speed. The snow beside the front gate glittered like a despot’s couch, and Nadya sat in it, fumbling skates onto her feet. Olga, hair starred with snow, was smiling up at Maksim, who grinned loutishly back. “Hurry up,” Olga said.
Neither of them wanted Nadya, obviously. “Take your sister,” their mother had said, and Olga had, rolling her eyes. Nadya liked skating, and so she went along, with a sullen expression to indicate that she hadn’t asked.
Nadya stood…
