The Repinski family had settled indoor for the night, each with a plate of [url=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Pierogi_frying.jpg]pierogi[/url] and a bottle of Wyborowa vodka. Augustyna, the only daughter of the Polish family, was focused on the wall outside the house’s window. A beautiful, but illegal, mural had been sprayed into an advertisement for a dress shop Augustyna’s mother often frequented. The style involved many bright colors that brought a bystander’s attention to the elegantly designed wedding dress. It was interesting, to say the least, and Augustyna wished she could view it closer up, but it was past curfew and if she had gone out, it would mean trouble. So, she settled for inspecting it from the warped window that had a few cracks in it. Her parents were talking in Polish around her, musing aloud about her father’s upcoming novel. It was about oppression, funnily enough. Augustyna just couldn’t wait for it to be over with and they could move back to Poland where she could go out late at night if she wanted to and could watch all the ads she desired. That and her mother wouldn’t drag her everywhere anymore to go looking for a new boutique. 

“I może być usprawiedliwiona?” In her first language, Augustyna requested her parents’ permission to leave the table. They both answered with a gruff ‘tak’ and Augustyna made her way to her room.

The room was splattered with drawings and Augustyna retrieved her sketchbook from its shelf: she began sketching out her own personal advertisement for the dress shop. Hours later, Augustyna’s mother came in and smiled at her happily. "What are you doing tomorrow?”

"I have work at the library, matka.” She replied, adopting the English her mother had been practicing. 

"You should be getting to sleep then, kochanie.” Augustyna nodded and placed her sketchbook on the side of her table before snuggling into her bed. 

(Note: I może być usprawiedliwiona means "may I be excused?" though she sort of explains this afterwards. Tak means yes. Matka means mother. And Kochanie means honey or baby or sweetheart.)