Shark Bait

21. Bad mom

TWENTY-ONE

BAD MOM

TROY

A group of men in their twenties whistles at us as we make our way through the streets in a carriage that’s decorated for a wedding party.

Valerina shakes her head. “They think the two of us are getting married.”

“One of us is getting married.”

She glances at me. “I wish I could tell you you’re not getting married.”

I shrug. “It’s okay, Val.”

“Val,” she repeats.

“Can I call you Val?”

She squeezes my hand. “I love it. Never had a nickname before, and it’s been ages since I hung out with a girlfriend.”

“How come?”

“We moved a lot when I was younger, so making friends was hard. We’re still moving around a lot, but now I’m older, so it’s easier to cope with solitude.”

I imagine it’s even worse for her to have lost her sister. “I like being alone.”

“Oh yeah?”

I nod. “I used to hear music when I was alone, and I would write it down and try to play it, make sense of it all, or at least get it out of my head before it drove me crazy.”

Val frowns. “You’re a songwriter?”

“I wouldn’t call myself that. It sounds fancy.”

“You’re fancy, Troy. Look at you.”

I blush. “You’re too kind to me.”

Val huffs. “Kind is all I can be to you. Unfortunately. I wish I could convince Alessio to recant the marriage order, but he won’t budge. I tried. You have to believe me that I tried, but I know my brother, and let me tell you, when he says he’s going to do something, you can take a hammer to his iron will, and the hammer will break before Alessio does.” She turns toward me, her fingers on her necklace. “After our sister died, Alessio became so protective about my safety and Leo’s that he kept us indoors for over a year. He bought the island and moved us here, where he controls everything.” She taps her pendant. “If he knew who collared me, he’d kill him. If he knew who my baby’s daddy is, he’d order him to marry me.”

“Are they not the same person?” And also, it’s a collar?!

Val blushes and shakes her head. “They’re aware of each other.”

“Oh wow. I’d love to know more.”

Val giggles. “It’s fun, to be sure. When I can get away from my controlling brother. But, terrible as he can be, he believes he’s protecting his family. Miro is family, and when he marries you, Alessio will extend his protection to you. But his chivalry, if you will, comes at a price, and it’s totally unfair because you didn’t choose any of this. Any of us. And yet you’re stuck with us.”

I open my mouth but close it again because there’s nothing to say to that. I am stuck with them, but I’m not sure the stuckness is bad. Val’s not bad people. She won’t hurt me. She’s looking out for me and has, in fact, stuck up for me against her brother, a man I would never dream of confronting.

“Thank you,” I say.

Valerina hugs me. “Anytime.” She squeezes me and lingers longer than necessary, maybe thinking I need a hug. I do need a hug, so I squeeze back.

Another group of young men start hollering.

I roll my eyes, and we separate.

The trip to the OB’s office is short, and we park our carriage behind a hospital next to two other carriages, where a man helps us down, then leads the horses away. We enter the hospital and take the elevator to the first floor, where we’re greeted with refreshments while we wait. I guess people don’t need their insurance cards around here.

“Is this champagne?” I ask.

“It’s sparkling apple cider,” Val says. “Did you want champagne? I’m sure we can have a glass of champagne tonight for dinner.”

A tall brunette with gray eyes wearing a white coat over a blue suit walks up. She appears to be in her sixties and smiles in a way that’s both professional and carrying. She greets Valerina by kissing her on the cheeks and then turns to me. Valerina introduces her as Dr. Tatiana Morozova, and the woman shakes my hand.

“Nice to meet you, Troy. Val told me about you during her ultrasound this morning. Didn’t expect to see you so soon.” She gives Val a pointed look.

“I snuck in earlier today,” Val says.

Tatiana holds the office door for us, but before I go in, I ask, “Why do I get the feeling we don’t have an appointment?”

“We don’t,” Val confirms, looking sheepish. “But I had to stall the wedding somehow, and this was the only thing I could think of.” She turns toward Tatiana. “Please help us out.”

Tatiana smiles…like a grinch. “Offer me a weekend at your place in Monaco, and I’ll hold off Alessio for hours.”

“You have it,” Val says.

“Well then, I hope you have a great time.” I’m learning how the wealthy wheel and deal. Nothing comes free. They trade in money, leisure, time, or favors.

As we walk into the office, I ask Val about her ultrasound.

Her expression is unreadable, and I hope it’s okay that I asked about it.

“I’ll show you the images later.” She sighs. “I’m having twins.”

“Oh, Val, I’m so happy for you.”

I get a side-eye that tells me we’re not as happy as I think we are. “Oh, I see. That’s not exciting.”

“It’s…exciting, but also, I’m terrified, and with the father not in the picture, Alessio will take over the care, which will send him into hypervigilant madness. I don’t even know if I’ll tell him I’m having twins until they’re born.”

“You don’t have to tell him,” I suggest.

“Thanks, Troy.”

“Welcome. I’m happy to support what you decide. You stuck up for me and are taking me to the doctor.”

In the back of the office, Tatiana gives me a physical while chatting with me. I get the impression the lady knows Miro well, and because she knows him, she doesn’t ask me many questions. Her questions are more about my health and how I feel. She offers us candy and juice, and I feel like I’m talking with my grandmother rather than a physician.

Since Valerina is here, I’m at ease and so glad I’m not alone since I’ve never had an ultrasound before.

Tatiana gives me a bottle of prenatal supplements that women are supposed to take early in the pregnancy. I gather that since Valerina gets a bottle too. Now I’m paranoid my baby won’t come out healthy because I didn’t take the prenatal pills; then I recall the powder one of Fis’s men made me snort during the few times Fis passed out and I was caught alone in the kitchen while trying to sneak some food. With that memory comes other ones too.

Namely, how I drank a glass of whiskey a few times, hoping the liquor would help me summon the courage to steal Fis’s phone and call my family. Spoiler alert: I never summoned anything besides a headache the next day. Needless to say, in a matter of half an hour, I’m wrapped in a blanket, rocking in the corner of the office. Tatiana closed the door and turned off the light before she and Valerina left me alone.

I’m trying hard not to spiral further down this dark hole when an elderly man dressed in the most ridiculous green shirt and brown pants with suspenders enters the room. He flips thick glasses with a plastic red frame from the top of his receding blond hair.

“Hi there.” His kind smile reminds me of an older comedian my parents like watching. Robin Williams, I think was the name.

“Hi.” I sit up and finger-comb my hair. “Are you my one-way ticket to the psych ward?”

“Maybe.”

“We should get going then, huh?”

“I was thinking we could get you in for an ultrasound before we board the crazy train?”

“Nah, I’m good with boarding now.”

He chuckles. “Do you mind if I sit down?”

“It’s not my space,” I tell him.

He sits in the visitor’s chair. “I’m Doctor Paul Gruber. I specialize in trauma.”

“Are you German?” His accent’s thick.

“Austrian.”

“Sounds nice. Where is Austria?”

“Above Italy on the map.”

I nod. “Italy keeps coming up.” I pick at the blanket. “It’s a beautiful country, to be sure. I wish… You know?” When he doesn’t comment, I keep quiet. He can tell something’s wrong since they sent him here for me. “Where’s Shark?”

“Who is Shark?”

I try to gauge his expression. Shark’s told me he doesn’t exist, but Tatiana knows him. I wonder if this man does, but I don’t take the chance of saying Shark’s real name.

“Shark is…” I scratch my head. “This guy I met.” That sounds lame. He’s not a guy I met. He’s the guy I met. The guy who rescued me from more than just having my baby taken away from me and probably getting killed right after I gave birth.

“Is Shark the reason you’re upset?” the doctor asks.

I shake my head.

“Is Shark the reason you won’t get the ultrasound?”

“Shark has nothing to do with it. I wasn’t taking those prenatal vitamins, you know. I was taking all the other stuff I shouldn’t have taken. I wasn’t being a very good mom.” I wipe my tears away. They just keep coming.

“You sound like a good mom to me.”

“Yeah?” He’s full of it.

He nods. “Good moms care about things you mentioned.”

Hm. He has a point. I perk up. “What about the vitamins I wasn’t taking?”

“What about them?” he asks.

“Won’t the baby miss them?”

“Did your grandma miss them?”

I smile. He’s good. “Times have changed.”

“Birthing healthy babies hasn’t changed. Women have done it since the dawn of time.”

“Without vitamins, you mean.”

He examines the bottle of vitamins I left on the desk. “But modern medicine does help. Will you start taking them?”

“I will.”

“And if I called this Shark person, would you agree to do the ultrasound?”

“No, I don’t want to see him.”

“Okay.”

“He pulled an asshole move on me today.”

“Men,” he says, shaking his head.

I giggle. “You’re a man.”

“My soul is female.”

He’s funny. I groan as I get on all fours so I can stand up.

The blanket falls off, and the doctor points. “I love your cowboy boots.”

“Thanks. They’re from Shark.”

“The asshole has good taste.”

“Don’t give him too much credit.”

Dr. Gruber smiles and extends a hand. “Nice to meet you, Troy.”

“I never told you my name.”

“Your friend Valerina did. Said if I could get you to do the ultrasound, she would bake me cannoli.”

“You bribe far too easily, Dr. Gruber.”

He opens the door for me. “You only say that because you haven’t tried her cannoli.”

“How do you know I haven’t tried it?” I walk into the hallway, leaving the blanket behind.

“If you had, you’d know it’s a fair bribe.” He leads me down the stairs.

“That good, huh?”

“Better than good.” We turn the corner and walk down the long hallway until he stops at the last door on the left. “The best.” He points at the door. “This is your stop. Before you go, I’m wondering if you’d agree to see me again? Say, daily, for about twenty-five minutes? Like a short check-in with a friend.”

“No loony bin for me?”

“Not yet,” he says.

“Only twenty-five minutes?”

“We start small. Get to know each other.”

“I already know I like you, Dr. Gruber, but I don’t know how long I’m staying on the island.”

“We can meet over the phone.”

“Let’s do that, then,” I say, and he knocks on the door. “Tatiana. Your patient is ready.”

Shark opens the door.