Epilogue Andrey

EPILOGUE: ANDREY

SIX MONTHS LATER

ANDREY: You better not still be at work.

NATALIA: What if I am?

ANDREY: Then I'm gonna have words with Richard. And they won't be pleasant.

NATALIA: I just got back from six months of maternity leave. Richard has been accommodating enough.

ANDREY: Only because he's terrified of me. Sure you don't want to quit?

NATALIA: And do what?

ANDREY: I'd say it's about time I put another baby in you.

NATALIA: The twins are only seven months old.

ANDREY: My point exactly.

NATALIA: Andrey…

ANDREY: If you're not back in half an hour, I'm coming to Sunshield to fuck you on Richard's desk. We'll see how "accommodating" he is after that.

NATALIA: There's no need to get saucy. I'm already home.

I put my phone away and go in search of my wife. It doesn't take long.

She's in the gardens with my mother, the two of them sitting on a bench in front of my mother's favorite fountain. A pair of blue jays is eyeing a rival pair of cardinals across the water's surface.

"Isn't that bird pretty, Arina?" Natalia asks, pointing to the male who is prancing around for his mate.

Arina looks blankly where Natalia is pointing. "I like birds."

"I know you do," Natalia says gently. "Sarra loves them, too."

Arina tilts her head to the side. "Who?"

"My daughter." They've had this conversation a hundred times already, but you wouldn't know it from Natalia's face. Patient. Loving. Kind.

"You have a daughter?"

Natalia beams. "I do. I have a son, too."

"I always wanted a little girl."

"I have good news for you then," Natalia replies with an easy grin. "Sarra is your granddaughter."

"I'm a grandmother?" Her brow crinkles before she decides, "That's nice."

I step behind a hedge so they won't see me watching.

"So, that would make you…?" My mother's lips press together when she can't find the right words.

"Your daughter-in-law," Natalia finishes. "I married your son four months ago. You were at the wedding, actually. We had it right here in the garden. You did such a good job designing it that we couldn't think of anywhere more beautiful."

My mother fidgets, her mind having a hard time accepting the reality Natalia is laying out for her. Natalia reaches out to squeeze her fingers, and just like that, she calms down.

Was it always that easy?

"I can't remember," Arina admits.

"That's okay. I forget things, too. But we made a video. I can show it to you if you want."

Arina is quiet for so long that I think she's zoned out again. "I'd like that," she says finally. "Maybe another day."

"Whenever you're ready." Natalia smiles, patting her hand.

"I never thought Andrey would get married," Arina blurts suddenly, just when I think the conversation is over. "He's not like his father, is he?"

I tense without realizing it, only relaxing when Natalia shakes her head. "No. He's not like his father at all."

"I'm glad." Arina pulls her hand from Natalia's and looks up at the sky. "It's getting dark."

Natalia rises to her feet and offers Arina a hand. "Let me take you back to your room."

My wife helps my mother to her feet, and the two of them turn towards the manor as I step onto the path. Arina stiffens, but Natalia winks.

"Hello, Andrey." She leads Arina over to me. Without letting go of my mother's hand, she stretches on her tiptoes and kisses me on the lips. "Arina and I were just going back inside, weren't we, Arina?"

My mother simply nods, but she doesn't make eye contact with me. "It's getting dark," is all she says.

We walk her to her room together. When I look back, the birds are gone.

"I can't believe our teenager is in bed before the babies," I sigh as we finally close the door to the nursery.

It was an hour of soothing one twin only for the other to start wailing, setting off the first. I know they're only seven months old, but I'm convinced they were doing it on purpose.

Natalia walks into my arms and rests her cheek on my chest. "Our teenager had a full day of school and then football practice. The twins spent most of the day in the same four square feet of blanket."

"If Katya and Mila have their way, the twins will be running track and field before too long."

As the twins' self-described "favorite aunts," Katya and Mila have taken it upon themselves to get the twins crawling as soon as possible. But I'm fine letting them be adorable potato sacks for another few weeks. Once they're mobile, life is going to get crazy.

"It was a great idea to make Misha join a team," Natalia says. "I think he's actually making friends."

"I'm surprised he gave in so easily."

She rolls her eyes. "He'll do anything you suggest. He worships the ground you walk on."

I walk her into our bedroom, pressing fluttering kisses along her neck. "You're the one he worships. The kid is taking guitar lessons. That has ‘Natalia Kuznetsov' written all over it."

"Guilty as charged. But he enjoys them! I checked."

She squeals as I push her onto the mattress and climb on top of her. "I know. I heard him playing for Kat yesterday."

"Oh! That reminds me: Kat and Shura can't watch the twins Saturday evening like normal. They're going on a babymoon."

I arch a brow. "What in the hell is a babymoon?"

"It's like a honeymoon before you have a baby. One last trip before they're drowning in the newborn stage."

"Forget them. What about us?" I taste the soft skin behind her ear, pressing my lips to her thundering pulse. "We have three kids. We need alone time more than they do."

Her cheeks turn a rosy pink. "I didn't think you'd mind."

"Ordinarily, I wouldn't," I admit, ghosting my lips over hers. "But I had plans this weekend."

"Oh?"

I pull at the shoulder ties of her dress. "It was going to be a magical weekend, but I guess I'll have to cancel the three-night stay I booked at Chateaux Arnaud."

She gasps. "You didn't!"

"We didn't have a proper honeymoon after the wedding. And I was thinking, since you're done breastfeeding, it was time we had a real honeymoon—no friends, no kids, no dog."

Her eyes shine brightly, but she bites her bottom lip all the same. "But what about the twins?"

"Luckily, we don't need Kat and Shura. Annie and Mila have already agreed to take them."

"Really?" There's still a shadow of doubt. "They're ready for that for three whole days?"

"Beatrice will be there to help, too. What's the point of having a five-star nanny if we don't make use of her?"

She's still chewing on her lower lip. "What about Misha?"

"You said it yourself: Misha's busy. He's got classes in the morning and football in the evenings. And Remi never leaves his side. He's not gonna miss us for a weekend."

"Okay, but?—"

I pin her arms to the mattress over her head. "What's the point of moving every single one of our friends into this manor if we can't rely on them every so often?"

She gently pries a hand free so she can caress my face with her fingers. "It was your idea to have Kat, Leonty, and Shura move in, wise guy."

"Doesn't mean I don't miss the quiet every now and then." Our hips brush and I know she feels the electric jolt between our bodies. "Especially if that quiet involves you."

She takes a deep breath and nods. "You're right. We need a little break—just the two of us."

"Just the two of us, some good food, a lot of great sex…"

Natalia arches a brow. "All this sex we'll be having—do you have ulterior motives, Mr. Kuznetsov?"

I press a hand to her stomach, already imagining her filled with my child. I twitch at the very idea. "I gave you six months, Natalia."

She reaches between us to palm my hardness. "Some would argue that's not long enough."

"Fine. Then consider it practice for when you are ready to have another baby."

She strokes me over my boxes, a slow smile spreading across her face. "You have yourself a deal, sir."

Growling, I slip my tongue into her mouth as I relieve her of her clothes. Her body is unbelievably soft, unbearably supple under mine. She trembles as I slide home in her.

We rock together, fingers intertwined, breathing mingled. "Oh, fuck it," she moans. "Put another baby in me."

"You might regret that tomorrow, lastochka ," I whisper in her ear as I sink in deeper

"When it comes to you, Andrey Kuznetsov," she sighs dreamily, "I regret nothing."