Chapter Twenty-Six: Andrei

“I’m always waiting for you to get ready, woman. It’s not that hard to get yourself ready,” I remind her, checking the time.

Sophia peeks out from the bathroom with a makeup brush in her hand and a salty expression on her face. “What did you say?” Her face scrunches up, and I want to be annoyed by it, but she looks too amazing. Even if her face is only half-done.

“I think you heard what I said.”

“Yes, but I think I don’t want to hear that you said it,” she quips sharply. “I’m going to be ready when I’m ready. We are going to your parents’ place, not some high-level function. Give me a break.”

“Quit whining, Sophia, just do your best to be ready in the next twenty minutes. Please. It’s already been over forty minutes,” I call out, reading the Chicago paper and swinging my leg in the armchair of our room.

“Oh, I’m sorry are you the one carrying a basketball in your stomach? You should shut up because you’re the one that did this to me,” she fights back, and I fight off the chuckle behind the paper, liking her spice.

“Alright. Calm down. I’ll wait.” Time has passed in the blink of an eye, and I’ve watched Sophia’s stomach grow with our baby girl inside for the last few months. She’s due basically any day now at nine months, and it’s been a crazy thing to watch progress.

“Thank you.”

Things between us are up in the air, no matter what the piece of paper says that we signed. We argue too much, and some days I think it’s not possible for us to be together, but when she’s not in bed, it’s as if a piece of me is gone. Will she ask for an annulment after the birth? Hating to think about it, I call Dimitri.

“Cousin.”

“Cousin. Aren’t you supposed to be at the family dinner thing?” He chuckles.

“Don’t remind me. I’m waiting for Sophia. Again .”

“I heard that!” she calls out, the sink running.

Frowning, I shake my head at her good hearing. “How about you focus on getting ready and not on my private call?” I respond, holding a hand over the phone.

“Trouble in paradise?” Dimitri predicts, laughing.

“Don’t get married,” I murmur to him.

“Hmm. What did you call for?”

“Ah, any word on Dr. Perri? Her whereabouts?”

“She’s been tougher to track. She does have connections in New York, and I’ve heard mixed reports about where she might be. One of my team reported they saw her in Greenwich Village, another reported seeing her in Soho, but she is moving around.”

Sighing, I nod. “Okay, keep on it. Makar’s working on it from this end too. So far, we don’t have anything, but I’m not making the same mistake and leaving a loose end untied like I did with Christopher. It was too costly.”

“Agreed. I’ll touch base with Makar and keep you informed. Say hello to Sophia for me.”

“I will.”

“Bye, Cousin.”

“Talk soon.” Hanging up the phone, I’m pleasantly surprised when Sophia emerges in a long maxi dress, most of it hiding her baby bump, but the contrast of the rust-colored dress brings out the emerald in her eyes. Apparently, it was worth me waiting as she smells like a beautiful floral garden, her lips shimmering with gloss that tempts me to lick it off. Her cheeks are highlighted with a bronzer, her eyelids covered in the same.

My mouth must be hanging open as I stand because a worried frown crosses over her face. “What? What is it?”

“You look stunning. Maybe it was worth the wait after all.” I’m dressed in my customary all-black outfit, opting for a casual T-shirt with a white skull on it, and black jeans and boots.

“And you look as if you’re going to a rock concert.” She smirks, passing me, a whiff of her heavenly perfume, forcing me to inhale.

“What is that you’re wearing?”

“The perfume you brought me. Is it too strong?” she asks, and I can see she wants to make a good impression on my family. I have mixed feelings about how they’re going to respond to her given the quickness of the wedding. My mother wasn’t so excited about the timing and let me know it many times.

“God only knows why you and your brother had to marry so fast. We don’t know them, and you marry!”

My argument at the time was would she have preferred we had children out of wedlock and that seemed to shut down the conversation quickly.

Opening the front door, I skim my eyes over Sophia wanting to walk her right back to the bedroom. “No. It’s enough,” I remark gruffly, not wanting to get in any deeper than I already am with her.

“Okay.”

In the car, I give her the news about Dr. Perri. “We don’t have the final details on her whereabouts. She’s been spotted in New York. Did she ever mention having a place there?”

Sophia plays with the ends of her hair, her face crestfallen, but I feel no remorse for the woman. She set Sophia up with monsters. “No. She did talk about having a place in Boston. She taught there for a semester.”

“Right,” I say. “We might have been looking in the wrong direction.”

“What do you plan to do to her when you find her?”

Narrowing my eyes at Sophia, I snicker. “What do you think I’m going to do to her? Play chess.”

“Don’t be condescending. I don’t want you to kill her,” she pushes nervously, her eyes boring into the side of her head.

“You know, your compassion is what causes trouble, Sophia. If I would have killed Christopher the first time, you would never have been kidnapped,” I snap angrily, merging onto the freeway.

“Don’t guilt trip me! As if I want to see you killing someone in front of me,” she shouts.

“That’s not what you were saying when we were on the couch together. I remember you wanting to know all about what we do,” I bite back, acid on my tongue.

“That was different,” she says, pouting and crossing her hands over her ample chest. “Please don’t kill her. Do something else.”

“What do you suggest, Sophia? Getting her fired? Singing around the campfire with the woman.”

“I don’t know! I don’t know!” She throws her hands up in the air, emerald fire dancing in her eyes. “But don’t kill her.”

“You break my balls.” I sigh, turning into the parking lot of the function hall where we’re all getting together.

“Just making sure I keep up my side of the wifely duties,” she remarks with maximum sarcasm, her smile fading.

Parking, I turn to look at her, drilling her with my eyes. “Enough. Let’s stop the bickering for the next couple of hours, can we?”

“Whatever you say,” she replies, her voice drifting off as she opens the door, not waiting for me to open it for her.

“Right.” My jaw clicks as I take note of the all the cars in the parking lot. Goddamn it . The entire family is here, and it’s not what I expected or necessarily want. Maybe a smaller gathering where I can control who speaks to Sophia. I don’t want her to be fed lies and embarrassing childhood stories, which is what I fear, especially from my crazy aunts Bridget, Stephanie, or Arnette, but immediately, they are the first ones to wave enthusiastically at Sophia, and it appears that I’m fresh out of luck for my wish.

We walk into the cordoned-off area where a long trestle table sits with floral embroidered tablecloth covers, likely supplied by my aunts. It looks to be a traditional Russian design, and there are Russian sweets and treats spread out on the table as music plays softly in the background. The small area is full of family, laughter, and loud voices speaking over each other, battling to be heard. Typical of the Utkin family. Before she can skip off, I will myself keep playing the fake marriage game, slipping my hand into hers. Subtly she rolls her eyes but puts on a smile as the aunts rush over, each one of them railroading Sophia.

“Oh hello! We’re sorry we couldn’t be at the wedding. Maybe you can have another one? Perhaps bigger and then everyone can join?” Arnette coaxes, her azure eyes pouncing on Sophia. Bewildered Sophia looks to me for guidance.

“No. We already had the wedding, Arnette, and you weren’t invited. That’s why we’re here today, to see everyone,” I advise, not as tactfully as I could have.

Bridget pretends to clutch at her heart, but I know better. All three of them like to stir up trouble, and I can see through the thin veneer of their shady attempts. They’re responsible for many Christmas blow-ups and break-ups of couples. “Oh, you are so mean, Nephew. Wait until I tell your mother.” The open threat does nothing but make me smile as I drop my hands in my pockets, but poor Sophia is none the wiser to the chaotic family dynamics.

“Um, nice to meet you all. Do you mind if I get something to drink first?” Sophia asks as I jump onto her request, walking over to the table and jostling with the aunts.

“Of course. You can tell us all about the baby, and when it’s due!” Stephanie’s eyes light up as Sophia glows, holding the mound of her stomach. Standing by her, I’m thankful when I see Fiona and Ruslan with Arina talking to one of our uncles. They look to be having a peaceful conversation, and that’s probably where we want to be.

“Why did you not tell us she’s so beautiful? Are you going to keep this one?” Arnette, the shit-stirrer asks, and I can feel the heat of gossip about to spill from her jabbering mouth.

“She is beautiful,” I reply in a clipped tone as she slaps my hand down.

“I can get the drink for her. You go mingle. Let us introduce her to the family. Shoo shoo!” There’s no point fighting it, but I still put my two cents worth in.

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” I snap back in a dry tone, my uncle joining us at the table.

“Nothing to be afraid of. She’s in good hands.” Arnette winks, grabbing the drinks before I have a chance to say anything. My uncle cuts in to further distract me.

“Ah, you’ve arrived. I wanted to get a look at you. How’s things?” This is an uncle I like and respect, thankfully, so I’m more than happy to speak to him.

“Things are good,” I tell him, but I’m focused on Sophia as the aunts bombard her likely with a thousand questions, and I know any minute now, I’m going to have to save her from them.

“Good. Good. Come and speak with your father.” My father happened to be at our wedding, along with my mother. We speak for a few minutes, but then I return to Sophia’s side and make our way over to Fiona and Ruslan.

“You survived?” I ask on the short walk over to them.

“Phew. They are a handful, but they’re very funny people,” she replies.

“Not funny if you ask me. Pains in the ass, but hey, welcome to the Utkins.” I smirk, but there’s an underlying dread that maybe it won’t be enough after the birth of the child. Maybe she won’t want to stay with me. I made the promise, but I don’t want it to be true.

Sophia’s face lights up as her arms open wide to her friend Fiona. They hug tightly.

“Oh my God. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you. I’m so happy to be here with you!” Sophia says, bringing a grin to my face. It’s nice to see her reunited with her friend, and so happy.

Arina flaps her arms in between as I hug my cousin. “She’s getting big. How are you?”

Ruslan smiles, looking the most relaxed and content I’ve ever seen him. “Good. I’ve never been better. I see you’re following in our footsteps, and you’ve got one on the way.

Uneasy about where I stand with Sophia, I smile cautiously as she watches my reaction. “Yes. One on the way. A girl,” I announce, feeling like an absolute fraud, but it’s only because I haven’t told Sophia. Not the real unfiltered truth of how I feel.

“ A girl !” Fiona and Sophia giggle together. “Did you hear that Arina? You can have play dates with your cousin. Won’t that be nice?”

“Yay! I want to play. Play, play, play,” she shouts, and when I look at them together, I can see the love between them, and it makes me envious. Sophia and I aren’t there yet.

Sophia smiles uncomfortably, changing the subject. I can’t let her go. No. I’ll find a way to keep her, I remind myself, but can I? The sunlight brightens her ginger hair, and the smattering of ginger freckles dotted across the bridge of her nose are highlighted under her makeup. Just like I love.

“It’s so bizarre how we ended up marrying cousins, isn’t it?” Sophia says, Fiona nodding in agreement.

“It is. I have to pinch myself to believe it as well,” she remarks.

Ruslan’s face splits into a playful grin. “That’s because we’re the best!” He flexes his bicep, kissing it as Fiona quickly yanks it down, laughing gleefully at him.

“Stop embarrassing me, but you are the best.” She beams, nodding and giving him a light kiss.

I see the longing in Sophia’s eyes. She wants what they have, and as her eyes shift back to me, I sense the letdown she feels with me. Still guarded and not knowing how to say it, I open my mouth to say something funny, but Arina interjects.

“Mommy, I’m hungry! Can we get something to eat?” I would stay and talk to Ruslan, but he’s been occupied by Sergey, another one of our uncles. It leaves us standing together as Fiona and Sophia make promises to catch up in the future.

“It was so good to see her. She looks so good. It’s almost as if she’s a different person,” Sophia claims, clearly impressed.

“Yes, my cousin has done well for himself, but so have I,” I hint. “Can I get you a plate to eat? I can see my uncle’s starting the barbecue soon,” I point out, gesturing to it.

“I should eat and keep my blood sugar levels right. We can get a plate together.” We walk back to the main table and while I make up her plate, my mother sidles up to us both.

“Why have you held her back from me today?” my mother scolds. “Sophia. It’s nice to see you again. We didn’t have much time after the wedding.” Linda—my mother is overprotective, but not without reason.

“I haven’t been holding her hostage. She is in high demand and many people want to talk to her,” I add calmly as Sophia’s eyebrows arch up.

“Ah I see. Sophia, are you ready for the baby, dear?”

“I guess. I’m a new mother and I have no idea what to expect, I’m sure I’ll figure it out along the way.”

“Hmpf.” Sophia eats her potato salad as my mother digs into her arsenal of lectures. Standing beside Sophia, I’ll do my best to shield her from the comments. “Is it a boy or a girl?”

“Girl,” Sophia replies cheerfully.

“A girl. She will need to be strong to be a part of the Utkin family. She will need to be nurtured and guided the right way,” she lectures. “I have two boys. Perfect match, but very different, Sophia. Motherhood is very important, and you will need to do more than figure it out along the way.”

“Mother—” I interrupt as she keeps going, giving Sophia advice on how to bathe the girls, teething and Russian dress.”

I can see how fed-up Sophia is getting with the situation as she passes me an annoyed look.

“I’m going to be fine thanks,” Sophia says sternly, and I direct her away as we meet more family, Sophia’s mood lifting.

“She gets better in time, I promise.” We sit together for a while enjoying a peaceful moment, Sophia leaning against me as we listen to old Russian stories from our uncle.

Suddenly Sophia leans forward gasping. “Shit. I think I just had a contraction.”

“What? Is it—” Sophia looks at me, closing her eyes wincing.

“Yep. I think I’m having the baby. My bags are in the car. Let’s go.” Because Sophia’s calm, I am. Taking her hand, I guide her out as the aunts gather along with Fiona. It’s a quick dash to the car as the contractions come on hard and fast. I keep my eyes on Sophia the entire time waiting for her cues.

“I’m fine, but the contractions are close together. So close. I feel the baby,” she adds as we navigate through the traffic to the hospital.

“What does that mean?”

Sophia glances over at me through labored breaths. “What it means is this baby is coming quicker than we might want it to be.”

“No. I want the baby to come,” I reply with a huge grin. “I can’t wait.” A different type of adrenaline runs through me. This is different from anything I’ve ever experienced. It’s not a car chase, or a mole in our Bratva organization, or moving gun artillery across the globe. No, it’s a baby, and it’s Sophia leading the way.

I reach out, my heart opening as I clasp her hand in reassurance, and the world is smiling at her. On us , and I realize I don’t want a divorce after the baby arrives. I want us to be a real family.

We reach the emergency room, dashing to reception while I handle the paperwork and Sophia’s led through to the prenatal ward. I follow along, my heart conducting its own stampede in my chest. I’m out of my depth, and thirty minutes later as I stand near Sophia holding her hand, and with the midwives in place, I can’t believe how fast everything is going.

“This baby wants to come out fast, you’re dilated all the way, and it won’t take long. Soon you’re going to have to push, Sophia,” the midwife tells her.

Sophia shakes her head, breathing deeply, closing her eyes. “No. I can’t. I have to push now?” she ask, delirious, sweat forming on her brow.

“Yes. It’s unusual, but this is what’s happening with this baby,” the midwife explains.

“It’s an Utkin. Of course, it wants to come out and see everybody,” I joke, the midwife and doctor laughing. Time moves quickly and Sophia has the baby.

It’s an indescribable feeling seeing the child wrapped up in her arms. I kiss her forehead a few times, wanting to tell her everything I feel inside.

“Wow. It’s our baby,” Sophia cries, tears streaming down her face. “I can’t believe it.” Our baby gurgles as I kiss her head.

“Yes, it is and look what we made together. We will forever be a family,” I say, choking up, hoping Sophia wants the same thing I do.

“We are.” She flashes me a tired smile as the nurse chimes in.

“Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Utkin. You have a beautiful, healthy baby girl.”