The man reminded her of a time past. 19th century 

Russia

or at least her impression of that time and geography from the literature.

She loved reading Dostoevsky and Turgenev after high school. She would still email 

Jeannie Hammond

about the novels. And the two would talk about life and the world through discussions about these old novels. It was during the holidays that they emailed each other most about this. After Jeannie had gone off to NYU the two rarely spoke in any serious, extended manner. These discussions were the only thing that stayed alive.

To this day, when 

Imogen Howe

thought of the holidays she was reminded of Russia more than Frosty.

There was this phrase Jeannie would say. "I'm visiting my parents like the Russians."

She meant to say she was going back home to be spend some time being bored at her parents' estate like the protagonist in 

Fathers and Sons

.

Imogen was jealous of this. She never went to a real university. Never had a different place to return to. She was always just there in her own life. She wished she had multiple lives like Jeannie did. That was back then. Now Imogen wanted thins to be simpler. Wished she only had one life. Not all these sprawling lives and desires ripping her life to shreds.

If only she could settle down, be happy with The Sparrow, McKayla her best friend and Alan her husband. But she couldn't. a new desire was now sinking its teeth into her. This man who she thought she was talking to at the precise time and way McKayla described her first conversation with Marc Love. This man who brought her back to the feeling of Russian novels and the holidays.