She was asleep for twelve hours before she looked at me and cried. Crawling into the too small bed, I did the only thing I could, I held her and reassured her it was over. I told her how much I loved her. How scared I was that I was never going to see her again and I apologized for failing to protect her. Well, that last part got me a punch in the shoulder. She looked me in my eyes and told me she was the one who was sorry. If she had told me everything, I would have been better prepared.
In the end, none of it mattered. We had been given a second chance and with a baby on the way, life is getting better. Once she was well, we went and got her sister for her mother who like i suspected, was a fucking monster like her husband.
Kat was happy to see her and to come with us, until she realized she wasn’t going to be living in a lap of luxury. I mean in truth, we could be. I have more money than I know what to do with, but we like the life we have here. It’s about family, friends and love. So, she has been a brat and a troublemaker ever since.
“Baby, the last thing she needs is for you to spoil her. That is her problem now.” I tell my wife walking into the kitchen.
“I know. But, it's not her fault. She just needs some time to get used to all this. You know?” she pouts and crosses her arms. So fucking cute. I find myself rubbing her belly once more, asking about my son she is carrying.
“??? ??? ????” Learning I was having a boy was the proudest moment of my life.
“????? ? ???????, ??? ???.” When she tells me he is fine, using the name we have already chosen for him, my smile could rival the sun. We chose the name ‘Grisha’ because it means watchful and I want him to be aware and fiercely protective of his mother like I am. “??? ???? ???????????.”
“Oh. You are restless are you, baby? What do you need, ??????????”
“You. Right here. Right now.” What kind of husband would I be if I didn’t oblige? So, like I will for the rest of my life, I give my wife everything she needs and more. It’s the least I could do, since she has given me the world.
Nikole
Two Years Later
My cell phone rings in the middle of night which can only mean trouble. Bolting upright, I moan as my yet again pregnant belly shifts. I grab my phone and answer it groggily.
“Hello?”
“Mrs. Babichev?” a female voice I don’t recognize asks.
“This is Dolly, with the Moosehead Police Department.”
“Oh, God. Who died?” I ask. At this, Anatoli sits up and tries to talk to me but I can’t hear the lady on the phone so I wave him off.
“No one, ma’am. Your sister, Katarzyna Petrov, has been arrested for underage drunk and disorderly. You’ll need to come down and bail her out.”
“What? She’s in bed,” I say. Anatoli gets up and leaves the room. He comes back quickly shaking his head.
“I’ll be right there,” I say, getting up. I hang up the phone and toss it on the bed.
“I’ll go,” Anatoli says but again I wave him off.
“No, you stay here with the boys. I’ll be right back,” I say, heading into the closet and get dressed.
It’s cold out so I bundle up and get into the truck and drive the few minutes over to Moosehead.
I walk into the police station and see Kat sitting by the desk of a Montgomery Jackson. He appears to be taking her statement.
“You’re free to go, Ms. Petrov, on your own recognizance, but I don’t ever want to see you in here again. Do you understand?”
“Yes, officer,” Kat replies, her face red.
“That’s Lieutenant Jackson,” he says, unable to take his off of her.
“Yes, Lieutenant Jackson,” she repeats.
“Good. I believe your sister is over there.”
“Thank you,” she says and stands up, walking over to me. I pull her into a hug before we leave.
“Do you know how lucky you are?” I say as we walk out to the truck.
“Yes. the lieutenant told me.”
“You’re eighteen years old. You can’t go around committing crimes. You’re lucky this was Moosehead and not Brighton Beach.
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Where were you? You went to bed hours ago.”
“Jessica called. Some people were getting together at the abandoned quarry for a party. I didn’t think I needed to check with you.”
“You don’t need permission but I love you. I just want you to be safe.”
“I won’t do it again. I didn’t know they put anything in the soda. I was being safe, or at least I thought I was. Cooper Wyatt keeps trying to get with me. Thank God the lieutenant showed up when he did. He saved me.”