Epilogue
Ten Years Later
Anastasia told everyone to be quiet as she heard the unmistakable sound of the car pulling into the driveway.
Everything was perfect, or at least she had tried to make it as perfect as possible with four kids running around wanting to impress their dad.
Three dogs, who seemed to want to go out for a walk every two minutes, and then of course, there was Galkin’s family who had also insisted on being part of the celebrations.
It was Bogdan’s forty-ninth birthday, and she intended it to be a special occasion.
She told Benjamin to be quiet, as he complained that it was taking too long.
She saw Pierce in the corner, waiting to jump out and scare his dad.
Then there were Molly and Evelyn, who were trying not to giggle.
Their little family.
They were going to try and keep the dogs in place, but their true master was Bogdan, and they followed his command.
The moment he walked in, if the dogs didn’t go to greet him, he would panic.
There was an incident about a year ago, where she had taken the dogs for a walk, along with the kids.
It started to rain, and the mud and dirt was everywhere.
She had no choice but to take the dogs for a bath.
Anyway, locking them in a bathroom with herself and four kids had been an experience. One that had lasted longer than the hour she hoped it would take.
Bogdan had stormed into the room, gun raised, and then had no choice but to pretend to turn it into a game for the kids.
No one had tried to attack their home, not for a long time.
Galkin had been right.
Her reputation had grown.
There had been a couple of attempted break-ins and she had been with Bogdan the whole way.
Her training hadn’t stopped with Gustov.
He’d been training her a lot more intensely for the last ten years, and she loved their training sessions. She truly believed it was through their sessions that they conceived Pierce, their eldest son.
She heard her husband’s voice as he entered the house.
As he switched on the light, Pierce launched in for the attack.
Anastasia knew her husband would be able to handle it.
There was nothing he couldn’t handle.
She watched as he picked Pierce up, and then threw him over his shoulder.
Pierce, of course, was laughing.
They all screamed “Happy Birthday!”
and she saw the smile on his face. He’d not celebrated his birthday since he was five years old. His father would get him a gift, but never any cake or parties.
These were the times Anastasia got to show her husband the love she felt. There was a party, his closest friends, family, and cake.
“You shouldn’t have,”
Bogdan said.
“Happy Birthday, honey,”
Anastasia said, and went to her husband to kiss him.
With Pierce over his shoulder, their three other children came as well. All of them wanting to get as close to their father as possible.
The love they had for him was so precious to watch. She knew it touched him to be loved by his family. Family was everything.
Bogdan pulled her in close and kissed her lips, deeply. She’d get to share her present with him much later.
The End