I growl, thankful she can’t hear my words in my head. I grab my wallet and hand her the money. “How much is in there now?”
“Enough for me to retire,” she mumbles before walking out.
I roll my eyes and head home.
The house is dark when I pull in, and I wish I had gone to the game because Luca is leaving right after the game to board a plane for his next game tomorrow. I drop everything on the kitchen table and my phone begins to ring. If something has gone wrong, then I’m going to have heads rolling by midnight.
However, it’s Mama who’s on the phone.
“Mama, shouldn’t you be asleep?”
“I can’t sleep right now. I’m thinking about you.”
“Oh.”
“Just wondering how you are since Luca is starting the season and will be on the road more.”
I shake my head. I’m sure that she and Luca had this all planned out. I can already feel the hourly phone calls are going to begin again. “Mama,” I say firmly. “I’m fine. This isn’t the first time Luca’s been on road games.”
“It’s the first time he has with you seven months pregnant.”
I roll my eyes. “Mama–”
“Please let Papa and I come stay with you until the baby is here.”
She has begged me for the past several weeks for them to come and stay with us. I know how badly she wants to be here, but I don’t know if I can handle the hovering. I love the woman as if she were my own mother, but I don’t want to hurt her feelings, either.
“You two have a life in Russia. You don’t need to–”
“Yes, we do need to be there for you.”
Why do I even try to argue with this woman? Now, I know where Luca gets his stubbornness. I pray Little Valeria doesn’t get that gene. Oh, who am I kidding? I’m as bad as Luca is.
Our poor baby. I rub my belly again.
“Mama, how about this?” I know I can negotiate with her. “Why don’t you come the first week of November?”
“Perfect!” she yells enthusiastically in the
phone. “I’ll book it right now,” she says and hangs up.
I can’t help but laugh. She means well. She and Papa will spoil Little Valeria rotten. Then again, that’s the job of grandparents.
I change into Luca’s sweats and shirt, curl up on the couch, and turn on the game. Bucks are up by two. As I watch the game, my eyes grow heavy.
~ ~ ~
The pounding on my door startles me and I panic as I race to it. The dawn light has dimly lit the room. I peek out the glass and see two officers on the other side.
“May I help you?” I ask as I open the door.
“Are you Hadley Lincoln? The fiancée of Luca Zotov?” the first officer asks.
My stomach drops and I quit breathing. “Yes,” I’m able to answer.
“Mr. Zotov called us stating that he couldn’t get ahold of you and wanted us to check in on you,” the other officer informs me. “Are you okay?”
Oh, come on, Luca, I think as I nod my head.