Vinnie's back felt stiff.
He stretched and followed the other cleaners out of the theater.
"Good night, Vinnie!" Mikhail called out.
"Wait!" Vinnie cried.
"Uh, I'm looking for a place to stay tonight.
I have nowhere to sleep."
Mikhail looked at him kindly.
"Let me ask Papa."
He spoke to a man smoking a pipe nearby.
"We live simply, Vinnie," Mikhail's father said, "but you are welcome.
The czar does not care about his people.
So we must take care of one another."
"Thank you," Vinnie said with relief.
He hoped Mandy had a place to sleep too.
Mikhail's home was very small, but clean.
It was three rooms in an apartment building near the marketplace.
Mikhail's mother welcomed them with soup and some bread.
"This isn't much," Mikhail's mother said, handing Vinnie a thin blanket, "but it will keep you warm."
Vinnie soon fell asleep next to Mikhail.
The next day, they ate hot cereal called kasha for breakfast.
Afterward, Mikhail's mother poured tea into three glasses and one cup.
"Have some tea," she said.
Vinnie reached for the cup, but Mikhail's mother stopped him.
"Drinking tea from cups is only for women," she laughed.
"Russian men drink from glasses."
"Today is a big day!" said Mikhail's father.
"We're going into the Imperial Palace of the czar."
"Why are you going there?" Vinnie asked.
"We have a special delivery to make," Mikhail replied.
"Today is the presentation of the Easter gift.
Papa and Uncle Anton are in charge of the flowers."
"What gift?" asked Vinnie.
Mikhail chuckled, "Why, the same gift that is given to the royal family every Easter!"
Vinnie had no idea what the gift was, but he pretended to know:
"Oh, that is exciting.
I can't wait to see it."
"I'll need help," said Mikhail's father.
"Anton and I can't carry all the baskets of flowers."
Mikhail and Vinnie were eager to help.
They wanted to see inside the palace too.
Meanwhile, Mandy had slept in a small servant's room in Anna Pavlova's house.
First thing in the morning, Mandy had to take Anna her breakfast.
Then Mandy helped the ballerina dress.
"I'm going to have lunch at the palace," she told Mandy.
"You will come with me.
Make sure the ruffle at the bottom of my dress stays clean."
Anna pointed to the hem of her long dress.
When Mandy and Anna arrived at the palace, Mandy was speechless.
It wasn't just the size of the palace.
It was how luxurious it was!
The palace reminded her of Versailles in France.
Four palace guards came out to meet the carriage.
Anna gracefully got out.
Mandy was close behind, but she wasn't so graceful.
Mandy tripped on the hem of the ballerina's dress.