42. Natalia

42

NATALIA

"You're not eating."

Katya eyes the plate of olives I just pushed towards her. "I'm not hungry."

"Since when?"

"There's a lot going on at, uh… at the office." She clears her throat. "They've been working me pretty hard. It's enough to make a girl lose her appetite."

Katya once got her head stuck between the bars of a ride at the fair, and in the middle of the fire department sawing her free, she convinced a boy in line to go buy her a soft pretzel. She always has an appetite. Between this and the bruise on her wrist, which she is still taking great pains to hide from me, I feel like something is going on.

When she and Mila exchange a look, I know I'm right. "Something is up with you."

"Nothing's going on, Nat. It's just work stress."

"Things are alright with you and Shura?" I press. "Because the two of you have been weird around each other lately. Shura has been an asshole way more than normal."

"He's just feeling neglected because of how busy I've been at work." Kat rolls her eyes. "His big ego can't take being second priority."

Her explanation makes perfect sense. So why don't I believe her?

"At least your man lets you get out of the house," Mila complains, jabbing a thumb over her shoulder to where Leonty is sitting near the doorway.

He's on guard duty today. In theory, he's talking with Misha and petting Remi, but his eyes still flit in our direction every few seconds, as if he's worried the earth itself is gonna open up and swallow us whole.

"Leonty's been overbearingly protective the last few days."

"Welcome to my world." I lean back against the patio chair, resting my hands on my belly. "Being pregnant turns Andrey into my shadow, but that at least makes sense. I can't help but wonder what has everyone else all riled up."

Katya chokes on her lemonade and Mila has to slap her on the back. "You okay?"

"Fine," she splutters, going red in the face. "Just went down the wrong pipe." She makes a determined effort to avoid meeting my eyes, though. Just when I'm about to call her out on it, she points towards the house. "Here the boys are now."

Andrey and Shura are walking towards us. Katya winks and blows Shura a kiss, which should be normal, but something is off. She's putting on a show, and I don't know why.

"Ladies." Shura salutes soberly.

Andrey offers us all a grim nod as he sits down next to me and wraps an arm around my shoulders. Same as with Katya—the actions are right, but the motivations feel off.

"What have you girls been up to?" he asks.

Mila wrinkles her nose. "Cooped up indoors, mostly. We were trying to figure out what to do with the rest of our day. Hey! How about a shopping trip to?—"

"No!" Leonty barks.

I didn't see him walk over to join our little group, but he's left Misha and Remi on the other side of the yard and is now hovering just over Mila's shoulder.

Kat shrugs. "I'd rather stay in anyway."

"Since when?" I mutter.

"Indoors it is," Mila sighs mournfully. No pushback, no feistiness, nothing but meek compliance.

"Okay, seriously!" I snap. "What the hell is going on?" I turn my gaze on each one of them in turn. "I feel like I'm in high school and the cool kids are keeping me out of the loop. Something's going on and everyone's in on it. Everyone except me, it seems."

Andrey kisses my temple. "Nothing's going on, lastochka ."

I brush his kiss off. "Why am I the only one who is being left in the dark? Everyone—except for me—is being weird. I want to know what it is." I jab a finger at Mila. "You love to shop, and you'd go by yourself before you'd let anyone convince you to stay in."

"I dunno… It's just, everyone's here," she says sheepishly. "It's kinda nice."

"Don't do that. Don't make me feel crazy."

Andrey pulls me back against his chest. "No one thinks you're crazy, Nat. We're just relaxing."

My frown deepens. Am I being gaslit or am I being ridiculous? To their point, it's a sunny day and everyone I love is here. I should take a deep breath and enjoy it.

Too bad I can't.

Anxiety I can't name ripples through me, and I haul myself to my feet. Six pairs of eyes snap to me, and I raise my hands in surrender.

"Stand down. I just need to pee." I scooch between the chairs, my bump brushing the back of Katya's head. "Routine procedure. No emergency response necessary."

I make it all of two steps towards the pool house before the pain strikes.

I double over, and Andrey is instantly at my side. "Natalia?"

"I'm okay," I pant, trying to wave him off even as another round of pain twists my insides. "Ow. Ow. "

Mila and Katya are on either side of us now. Kat takes my arm. "Did you pee yourself? Is this a UTI? What's happening?"

I want to laugh. Or cry. Maybe scream.

But there isn't enough air. A fresh wave of agony rips through me, and all I can do is moan.

When it's gone, I look up at three pale, worried faces looking back at me. Behind them, Leonty and Shura are on high alert. Their job is to protect me, but I'm my own threat. What can they do?

I'm about to ask when I hear Aunt Annie's voice in the distance. "Nat? Honey?"

I push Andrey towards her, and he knows what I mean instantly. He helps my aunt over the uneven ground and brings her to my side.

"What's going on?" they ask in unison.

"Um, I'm not exactly sure," I admit. "I just had this really sharp pain in my… stomach? I think?" Misha pokes his head over the crowd, and I reach out to grab his hand. "It's fine, though. Just felt like someone was sticking a cattle prod in my insides, but it's gone now."

"That sounds like a contraction," Aunt Annie remarks.

Now, I do laugh. "No. Not possible."

"You're eight months pregnant with twins, sweetheart. It's almost impossible that you're still pregnant."

"Could it be Braxton Hicks?" Andrey asks, the color leaching out of his face.

"You should get her to a hospital either way. Just in case."

Katya, per usual, takes Aunt Annie's advice as gospel and stirs us all to attention. "Let's mobilize, people. Woman in labor."

"Maybe," I add meekly as Andrey almost picks me up and hauls me towards the house.

Mila runs ahead. "I'll pack a bag for you!"

Shura runs towards the drive. "I'll bring the car around."

Misha falls into step with me and Andrey, still gripping my hand. "Can I come, too?"

I squeeze his hand. "Of course, honey. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Misha and Remi race off behind Leonty and Shura, while I turn to Andrey. Now that we're alone, I feel safe enough to absolutely and completely freak out. "I can't be in labor, Andrey. This isn't happening. What if this is really happening?"

He smiles down at me, all the weirdness from a few minutes ago long forgotten. "Then we're about to meet our girls."