Rogue Hearts

“You should eat and drink something. We should go back down stairs and find you something before dinner starts.”

She let him take her hand and lead her back the way they came.

The ended up in the kitchen, where Mrs. Rusak was putting together a few things for dinner.

“Mom, do you have any ginger ale?” Andrei asked.

“Yes, plenty,” she said, looking up briefly.

Victoria sat down at the kitchen table, while Andrei grabbed the ice-cold ginger ale from the refrigerator.”

When his mother saw him hand it to her, she asked, “Are you feeling well, dear?”

“She’s just a little dizzy,” Andrei answered for her. “That’s all.”

Although his mother nodded, she still eyed Victoria with concern. Although Victoria wasn’t showing, she couldn’t help but wonder if the woman could see a pregnant sign blinking and pointing to her.

“Mom, have you heard from Amy yet?”

“Yes, she just pulled into the driveway,” Mr. Rusak said. “Your daughters are with her.” He watched Victoria as if expecting some extreme reaction.

Andrei moved in front of Victoria, blocking his father’s view of her. “She knows, Dad, but thanks for trying to start something.”

“Be nice to each other. We have guests,” Mrs. Rusak said. “Forgive them, Victoria. Sometimes I think my boys work too long together to enjoy a family get-together when we have one.”

“It’s fine. My family has their moments, too,” Victoria said. She took another sip of ginger ale, hoping to be stable enough to meet Andre’s daughters and eventually eat with the rest of the family.

“Daddy! Daddy!” Two blurs of little people flew into sight and ran into Andrei.

“There are my two tornados,” Andrei said, grabbing both of the figures. “How are my girls doing?”

“We had so much fun at camp today!” the youngest one said.

“You did? What did you do?”

“We made dream catchers, see?” She held up her colorful net with feathers and trinkets swinging down.

“That’s beautiful, honey. What about you, Asya? Did you make one, too?”

“She doesn’t want to show you hers,” Naida said. “Hers broke when she sat on it after Mommy picked us up.”

“I’m sorry, sweetie. I’d still love to see it.”

The oldest girl pulled out her dream catcher, but the circular net was twisted. “It’s all crooked.”

“It’s still one of the best dream catchers I’ve ever seen.”

Asya smiled at her father’s compliment, and that little smile made Victoria want to cry. Damn pregnancy hormones were making her an emotional disaster.

“See,” Naida said. “I told you he’d like it.”

“I have someone I want you two to meet.” Andrei led his daughters over to Victoria.

She sniffled a little, hoping her tears weren’t close to the surface. She didn’t want to scare the kids as soon as she met them.

Although Victoria wasn’t as nervous now that she’d seen them, she was grateful to be sitting down.

“This is Victoria. She’s a special person that Daddy really cares about.”