Chapter 67

Kimberly

One week later

Y aroslav has brought me to visit my grandmother today. I’m starting to show, and I’m planning on telling her about the baby. I’ve worn a loose-fitting dress to hide my growing bump, but soon that won’t be possible. I hope Gran will be happy for us. She can be quite old-fashioned and the thought of her giving Yaroslav the third degree about marriage and taking care of me makes me cringe. We’ve only just said ‘I love you’ to one another and we haven’t had a chance to discuss the future properly yet.

One thing Yaroslav and I have agreed on, is that we’d like my grandmother to move in with us, that is if she wants to. I don’t know how long Gran has left, or how many more lucid moments she will have before she needs to be in a care facility full-time for good. I want to make sure I spend every second I can with her.

Noah is still missing. Yaroslav has danced around the subject, but it’s clear that he believes Noah is dead. He believes that after Noah helped Sharkozi get my grandmother, they got rid of him, believing he’d be too much of a liability. Deep down, I believe this is true too. But part of me holds out hope that he had the sense to run off. That he’s sipping pina coladas on a tropical beach somewhere and living the high life off his ill-gotten gains. As much as he hurt me and put Gran’s life at risk, he’s still my brother. Either way, I doubt we’ll ever see him again. I’m all Gran has left.

The orderly shows us to Gran’s room, briefly updating us on how she’s been and preparing us for how we should broach the subject of her leaving. She’s had a lot of upheaval lately and it’s clear that they’re concerned moving her again could cause issues. Yaroslav has promised that she’ll have the best care money can provide at home with us and that we’ll hire a live-in carer, which seems to placate the orderly.

Gran is sat in an armchair by the window, looking out over the grounds as the sunlight streams into the room, basking it in a warm, golden glow. She looks peaceful, content. I almost start to reconsider my desire to make her leave, but then she looks up at us and breaks into a wide grin.

“Kimmy! And your gentleman friend, Yaroslav, wasn’t it? How are you both? I’m delighted to see you, sometimes I think I shall die of boredom here!” she quips but I can tell she’s only half joking, this place isn’t stimulating enough for her when she’s having good days.

“It’s good to see you, Gran,” I say going over to kiss her on the cheek.

“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Mrs. Walsh,” Yaroslav replies politely, though I can hear the nerves in his voice.

It’s funny how this strong man of mine can face near death, bloodshed, and torture, but the thought of telling an elderly woman that he’s impregnated her granddaughter outside of wedlock has him shaking in his boots.

“Yaroslav and I are both well. How are you?” I ask, surveying her.

“Getting old, but I’m fine other than that,” she replies, making me smile.

I love it when Gran is having a good day, it’s almost as though nothing’s changed and she’s still the witty, smart woman who raised me.

“Please, sit down. The orderly just brought in some tea for us, I’ll make you both up a cup,” she says gesturing to the couch and starting to get up out of her chair.

Yaroslav immediately rushes forward to stop her, “Please, allow me,” he says trying to help her back into her seat.

She fixes him with a no-nonsense gaze, “My mind is going, not my body, I’m perfectly capable of pouring tea for my guests,” she declares.

“Of course,” Yaroslav concedes, offering his hand, “At least let me help you up,” he insists, she takes his hand and allows him this small concession before bustling to make the tea.

We make small talk, and Gran regales us with stories of my childhood. She doesn’t seem to have realized Noah is missing, or if she does, she is unconcerned by it. Noah had a habit of disappearing so it’s hardly surprising she wouldn’t think anything of it. Both Yaroslav and I fidget nervously, catching each other’s eye occasionally and sharing silent conversations, both wondering how to broach the subject of the pregnancy.

It turns out that Gran is on top form today as she notices the tension and asks, “Now, what’s got you two twitching like cats on a hot tin roof?”

“Well, there’s something we wanted to tell you…” I say, taking hold of Yaroslav’s hand.

“Out with it then child, you know nothing you can say will make me love you any less,” she says, both impatient yet tender.

I place a hand on my stomach, “We’re having a baby.”

Gran smiles and looks at me knowingly, “I wondered when you’d finally tell me.”

“You knew?” I ask incredulously.

She chuckles, “I had my suspicions, you forget, Kimmy, I know you like the back of my hand.”

Yaroslav looks at me tenderly and kisses my hand before turning his attention to Gran. “Mrs. Walsh, if I may, I’m sure you have concerns for Kim and the baby. I just wanted to try to assuage those. I swear that I will do right by Kim and our child, I love them both very much. In fact, the reason I came today was to ask you something.”

Gran inclines her head to show she’s listening and for him to continue, “Ask away.”

“I come from an old-fashioned family, one that honors traditions. Since you’ve been Kimberly’s sole parent, I felt it only right to let you know my intentions and ask for your blessing. I have every intention of marrying Kim, that is if you both agree,” he says.

My mouth drops open in surprise, of all the things I expected to happen, this wasn’t it. I struggle to comprehend what he’s saying, and I feel giddy that he’s actually said it. Yaroslav wants to marry me. My heart swells with love and excitement as I imagine being his wife. I realize I want nothing more than to be married to him and raise a family together.

Gran’s eyes sparkle and I can tell he’s won her over with this gesture. Instead of her potentially feeling like I’m leaving her behind, she’s now become a part of our future. He’s respecting her traditional values and how important we are to each other and the bond we have as well.

“Kimmy has become a strong independent woman, I’m sure she doesn’t need my blessing. But if she wishes to marry you, you have my blessing, of course. I think you’re a wonderful young man who can provide and care for her,” Gran replies.

Yaroslav nods gratefully, “Thank you, ma’am, I will always do right by her and put our family first.” He turns to me, looking nervous, “So, Kim, what do you say? I know it’s an unconventional way to ask but—”

“Yes! Of course I want to marry you!” I exclaim, cutting him off.

He looks thrilled and I give him a chaste kiss for Gran’s benefit, squeezing his hand and looking at him lovingly with tears of joy in my eyes. We all begin excitedly talking about the wedding and the baby. Eventually, I realize it’s almost time for us to leave and we still need to invite her to move in.

“Gran, we had one more thing we wanted to ask you. We were thinking that perhaps you could move in with us. That is if you want to? You can help with the pregnancy and when the baby is born, and more importantly, we’ll be together again.”

Gran looks at me sadly, “Oh Kimmy, that’s so sweet of you. But we both know that I’m slowly fading away, my memory is deteriorating. I can’t ask you to care for me on top of a baby, I’m more likely to be a hindrance than a help. I love you so much, but I’m sick, I don’t want that to hold you back and get in the way of your happiness.”

I’m surprised Gran’s acknowledged her Alzheimer’s. Part of me always wondered if somehow it was something she’d forgotten. She never seems to realize when she’s having an episode, nor does she acknowledge it after. Now I realize that she’s likely been hiding her feelings and fears about this disease to protect me.

I shake my head. “No. You’ve always taken care of me, it’s time for me to look after you. I swear, I’d rather have you close and spend what time we have left together than be apart. We’ve got it all planned out, we’ll hire a live-in carer, and you’ll have your own studio room in our house. You, Yaroslav, David, this baby, you’re my family, you are my happiness. Please say you will?” I plead.

Gran looks at me carefully, checking my sincerity as well as Yaroslav’s. “Alright, of course, I’d love to live with you. But you have to promise me one thing, when I start to get too bad, when my memory has completely faded, you’ll put me back in here. I can’t bear the thought of risking hurting any of you, especially not the baby if I have an episode.”

Yaroslav nods, “I promise,” he says solemnly.

“I promise,” I echo.

“Well then, I’d say this is cause for a celebration. I get to live with my beautiful Kimmy and, god-willing, meet my first grandbaby. If only we had some champagne!” she exclaims happily.

“There will be plenty of time for celebration,” I promise, my heart feeling full of love and happiness.