I smile and look down at my now empty plate. Maybe I do look love struck, and if I really do, it’s not because I’m acting. I’m not. Alex glances at me and smiles and I smile back at him, feeling my cheeks start to burn.
“You’re embarrassing her,” Marina says. “Leave her alone, mum.”
Babushka laughs and shakes her head.
“She’s not blushing. That’s the flush of love,” she says.
Now I’m definitely blushing. I look at Alex, wanting him to rescue me from this, to say something that will move the conversation on a bit. Instead, he just looks back at me with a smile. I don’t know if he’s smiling because my embarrassment is amusing him or because he is happy I’m giving such a convincing performance.
Petra says something in Russian and the attention finally shifts away from me and to her as Babushka reminds her to speak in English.
“Sorry,” she says sweetly. “Force of habit.”
Except, it wasn’t. It was obviously intended to make me feel like an outsider.
“I was just asking if you’re both planning to have a big wedding,” she says in English.
“No,” I say.
“Yes,” Alex says at the same time.
Dammit. I laugh to cover up any awkwardness. “I guess we still have a lot to discuss in relation to the plans,” I say.
“Yes, so it would seem,” Petra says, her eyes shining with speculation and interest. She looks like someone who thinks she has found the code to a safe full of treasure.
God, what is her problem? It’s almost like she’s jealous, but what does she have to be jealous of? She’s got her own husband, her own family. And Alex is her cousin. It’s not like he’s an old flame.
Alex swiftly moves the conversation on, asking Viktor a question about how his job is going. Viktor tells him about a new project he’s working on and as I sip at the coffee that seemed to materialize in front of me out of nowhere, I relax a little. The heat is off me and Alex, and our imaginary romance, at least for a while. I marvel at how I didn’t notice the coffee appearing before me. I wonder if I will ever get accustomed to be waited on in this extraordinary way.
Once everyone has finished their coffee, Babushka bestows both Alex and me with an indulgent, loving smile.
“Both of you must be tired after all of the travelling today. Why don’t we call it a night? We’ve got plenty of time tomorrow to catch up and for me to get to know Cindy.”
I nod, grateful at the excuse to slip away. I don’t think I can handle any more questions right now.
“Alex, Petra, Anastasia,” Babushka calls. “See your aunt and uncle out. I’m a bit tired. I think I’ll retire for the night.”
Babushka is clearly in charge here and it is kind of funny watching everyone take their orders from this tiny old lady. Viktor and Marina jump to their feet at her words. Alex stands up and even Petra and Anastasia get up with no argument.
“I’ll escort you to your quarters,” Alex offers.
“Ah, no. You stay with Cindy.”
“No, no,” I interrupt quickly. “I’ll wait here for you, Alex.”
Viktor and Marina bid me goodbye. I sit, enjoying the moment of silence as the others head out of the dining room. I still haven’t decided whether or not Viktor and Marina like me. They aren’t openly hostile, but there is an invisible wall around them. Maybe that’s normal. Maybe they’re just getting to know me in their own time. I can’t say the same for Petra and Anastasia though. They clearly won’t be joining my fan club anytime soon, but that’s ok with me. As long as Babushka is happy, I’m doing my job.
After a couple of minutes, the door opens and Petra and Anastasia come back in.
“Alex is still with Babushka so we came to keep you company,” Petra says. Her sweet smile would almost be enough to fool me if she hadn’t been such a little bitch all night.
I don’t bite. I just smile at her. “How lovely,” I say, my sweetness as fake as hers.
“So you’re staying in the room adjoining Alex’s room?” she says, as she takes a seat opposite me. Anastasia hangs back for a second, but then takes the seat next to her.
I wonder where this is going, but I nod my head.
“No one has stayed in that room for over fifty years,” Petra says.
“Well at least not for more than an hour or two,” Anastasia adds with a laugh.
It’s clear they want me to ask why. I don’t want to give them the satisfaction of playing into their hands, but I am curious as to what they’re up to, and I decide to play along. “Why not? Is it haunted or something?”
Anastasia looks a little disappointed. It was clearly their intention to tell me the room is haunted and I’ve spoilt her fun. Petra, clearly the ringleader of the ice sisters, isn’t put off from the game quite so easily.