4. Lennie
Lennie
Though, I want to beat her after I open Nat’s gift.
“I got the ones on your list,” my oldest sister said.
Nat is no-nonsense when it comes to gift-giving. Give her a list and she doesn’t deviate. I love her for it, especially because of how she fills my bookshelves.
“Thank you.” I hugged one of the books to my chest but Adeline grabbed another.
“Is this the one you were telling me about?” She grinned.
I shot her a look.
She spun toward our father, who sat in his favorite spot on the couch. “Do you know what it’s about, Dad?”
I tried to kick her.
“The main character tries to escape her horrible father, so she joins a pirate ship, and guess what happens? The pirate king rails her, Dad. Rails her.” Dad's fingers twitched, almost like he hoped there’d be a glass of vodka in his hand.
“But then she’s kidnapped by the rival pirate king, ’cause apparently there’s two of them. And guess what?”
“Adeline,” Mom warned her.
“Railed again!” Adeline smacked her hands together to illustrate the point.
“And she’s your favorite daughter?” Nat asked.
“I have no favorites,” he replied, pinching her cheek.
My face burned as I stuck the books back into the gift bag. “Thanks, Nat.”
“It’s called why choose,” Adeline explained innocently to our father.
Christmas morning passes quietly. We’re a family of bookworms. I read one of my new ones, skipping certain smutty chapters, as we hang out in the living room.
Everyone has a book in front of them, while a sappy Christmas movie plays in the background.
Adeline stretches out on the rug, absorbed in a fantasy.
Even Nat’s got a legal thriller, though, she keeps staring off into nothing.
I’ve caught her several times lost in thought. I’m the one normally stuck in my head, so it’s weird to see my big sister doing the same.
I’m wondering what’s going on when my phone lights up.
The name gives me pause but not enough.
When I texted Elijah at Max and Russet’s party I opened up the floodgates.
It started with a photo of a pizza box and what looked to be Max’s living room. Not that I remember it well, but I visited once with Nat and Roma a couple of years back.
Elijah: Checking on my sister-in-law as you requested. Showed her how to use the TV.
Lennie: She didn’t know how to use the TV?
I shouldn’t have texted back because he took it to mean I now required a text update. I’m sent something almost weekly. Never anything major, but little tidbits.
And what do I do with said tidbits?
Gobble them the fuck up.
I keep telling myself it’s because I find Russet fascinating. She’s pretty and cool and reminds me of Ren in that she always keeps it together when life freaks out.
But also no one ever texts me.
It wasn’t until this new group chat with Isolde and Ren that I finally had some social interaction.
And I’m not exaggerating. When I told Janis about my social life, I explained the last person to text me was my favorite coffee shop updating me on my rewards. The next text came from my mom two days before that and then Nat a week before.
Maybe it’s pathetic. I know Elijah isn’t doing it to be friendly. He always wants something. Even if they only appear now and again, I can’t help but notice how I smile in interest when a new message appears.
I don’t respond often but it doesn’t matter. I thought eventually, they’d died out, but if anything they’ve amped up.
Especially the past couple of months.
Elijah: I didn’t realize you frequent Fujimori’s.
He sent me that one after he spotted me at the restaurant. For the first time, I struggled to understand the tone of his message. The ones before were obnoxiously perky.
This one for some reason seemed. . . colder. Almost like he was annoyed he didn’t know something about my life.
Elijah keeps tabs on people. It’s how he stays ahead. People don’t realize he’s the enemy until he destroys them.
It’s why my mother constantly told us to stay away from him.
But here I am receiving his texts like the pick-me I’ve always been.
Elijah: Merry Christmas, Leonora!
There’s a photo attached of the Zimins in front of their ginormous Christmas tree, the warm lights haloing the group. Max hugs Russet tightly and in the very front, Lev cradles a baby. Elijah’s nearby with a giant, fluffy dog at his side.
Elijah: I can’t help but notice you didn’t leave me a present under the tree. I assume it’s on its way?
“Who’s that?” Adeline asks, sneaking up.
The phone falls against my chest. “Nothing.”
She leans in to whisper, “Are you texting your new friends?”
I’m saved from answering when Dad pulls his phone out and begins talking to himself in Russian. This is just one of many Boris Akatov’s strange mannerisms.
He’s also poured himself a glass of vodka, much needed after Adeline’s long-winded and one-sided discussion on dark romance tropes.
“What is it, Dad?” Nat asks.
“Lev’s first Christmas as a grandfather.”
Adeline skedaddles over, peeking at his phone.
“What’s going on?” Mom rejoins us in the living room. She’s taken refuge in the kitchen most of the day. “Dinner is ready. Everybody clean up.”
I hate to break it to her, but she’s only getting me in sweatpants.
“Mom look at this.” Adeline holds out her phone. The photo of the Zimins must be posted to social media too.
Mom narrows her eyes. “We need to take a photo in front of our tree too.”
“Yelena’s in Russia,” Nat reminds. “There’s no need for a standoff.”
“You know better than to mention that woman’s name in front of me.”
Dad tries to placate her, speaking in Russian. She responds in Italian. I swear their love language is bickering. She’s grumbling under her breath about falling in love with a man named Boris while motioning for us to go into the dining room.
It’s beautifully decorated even though it’s just the family.
Mom has a ton of extended family in Italy, but her parents passed away five years ago.
Dad’s died well before Nat’s birth and both our parents are only children.
It’s why they were so adamant they had multiple children because they’d grown up without siblings.
Though, Dad, as he likes to remind us, always had Lev and Dima.
“This is amazing, darling.” Dad kisses Mom’s cheek. Every time Dad kisses her cheek or forehead, she leans into him.
It’s sickeningly sweet, pulling at something inside me that I don’t like. Is it natural to be jealous of all couples who are in love, even if they’re your own parents? I certainly wouldn’t want them to be like Lev and Yelena.
Dad passes me mashed potatoes and Mom fusses about the tablecloth. Adeline tells her everything is fine, but Mom, the perfectionist, only huffs under her breath.
“I’m pregnant.”
Silverware clatters to the table. Mom gasps as she jumps up and sits beside her oldest daughter. “What!” She wraps Natalie into a hug. “Are you serious?”
Adeline’s eyes bug out at me. I shrug in response. No wonder Natalie’s looked tired lately.
“I know it might come as a surprise.” She pulls back from Mom. “I’m not married and. . .”
Mom shakes her head, gently touching Nat’s cheek. “Is that why you’ve looked so worried lately? My love, we live in the twenty-first century.”
Dad agrees. “Natalie, you could never do anything to disappoint us.”
She bites her lower lip. “You guys really aren’t mad?”
Mom frets, playing with the ends of Nat’s hair. Her eyes are brimming with tears, but excitement and love light up her face. “Things happen, my love, but we do not ignore miracles like this.”
“But speaking about miracles.” Adeline clasps her hands together on the table and leans forward. The interrogation begins. “Please, do explain this one to us.”
Mom swats at her.
“I’m sorry are we not all curious about this immaculate conception?” Adeline asks.
Nat is hardly celibate. She is, however. . .
“You’re a lesbian,” Ads declares.
Mom ignores Adeline, petting her favorite and asking her how far along she is.
“Um, hello!” Adeline tries again. “I’m sorry, but did you accidently trip and fall on a turkey baster?”
“Ads!” Mom barks, eyes flashing.
I straighten in my chair. “You weren’t hurt were you? Somebody didn’t kidnap you and. . .”
“Use a turkey baster against your will,” Adeline finishes for me.
Mom looks harangued at our theories, but she pauses inspecting her eldest.
Nat rolls her eyes. “I’m fine, it wasn’t like that.”
“Then what was it like?” Adeline asks. “Cause every time I showed you photos of dicks you swore you were going to puke.”
Dad glances up at the ceiling. It’s possible he’s praying.
“Did you plan this out?” I ask. Nat lives by her planner, but she sounded unsure when she made her announcement. If she used IVF, surely she’d have told us about it.
Nat shakes her head, pushing slightly away from Mom. “No. . . it just happened.”
Adeline and I share a look. ‘It just happened’ aren't words that come out of our sister’s mouth.
“So you like. . .” Adeline leans forward again, but everyone hears her ask, “Finally did it with a guy?”
My mouth drops open.
Even my lesbian sister has had sex with a guy.
I’m truly going to die alone.
Nat holds up a hand. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”
Adeline doubles down. “You don’t like dick.”
“Ads!” Mom shouts.
Dad leaves to go top up his vodka.
“It’s true!” Adeline says. “You always said you weren’t bi. That you knew it was women or nothing. Any time I showed you porn you yelled at me.”
Mom places her head in her hands, muttering to herself in Italian. Then she realizes Dad left. “Boris!”
“I find it very interesting that you suddenly decided to ride some dick and not use protection.” Adeline’s got her there. Even if Nat got curious, she’s too paranoid not to protect herself.
“Also,” I quietly ask. “Lia?”
Nat crosses her arms.
Mom stops praying. “Love?”
She doesn’t respond, shaking her head slightly. “We’re not breaking up.”
Mom and Dad never cared about Nat’s sexual orientation. Her girlfriend Lia Orlov’s parents were the opposite, though.
Despite the two dating since high school, Lia’s parents all but ignore Nat’s existence. They can’t be downright rude, since she’s Boris’s daughter and Lia’s parents belong to our world.
Mom’s adamantly said we’d never be forced into marrying for the better of the family business. We have free will to decide our futures.
But Lia’s parents want her to marry to ensure a stronger alliance.
Nat’s gotten annoyed about her girlfriend putting up with the idea for so long. And honestly, Lia’s balancing act of placating all the people in her life has to be exhausting by now.
I’m a rotten sister for not checking in as much. Maybe then I’d understand what’s going on.
Mom pulls Nat into a hug. “You know it’s going to be okay. This baby will be loved no matter what, my love.”
“So is the father in the picture or what?” Adeline asks.
Mom points to the door. “Out!”