70. History of Us
HISTORY OF US
Two Months Later
“How much longer is this going to take?” Enzo calls out. “They already managed to get married once. That should cover the basics.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Maksim says.
I glare at my brother; Lev threatens his. At least, I think that’s what he says. My Russian is improving, but I’m far from fluent. One of our siblings looks noticeably more intimidated than the other does, so I think I’m right.
I look away from a smirking Enzo and chastened Maksim, back at my groom. He smiles at me. It does feel like we’ve been up here for a long time, but I get to stand here and hold hands with him for most of it, so I don’t really mind.
The rehearsal ends ten minutes later. Lev and I are getting married—remarried—at the Chicago Botanic Garden tomorrow, on the final day of summer.
The weather is supposed to be perfect, warm and sunny, so our gamble of an outdoor wedding paid off.
Lev’s gamble, rather. He asked for a list of where I’d like to renew our vows most, and he picked this one location.
I included a Chicago spot on the list out of pure nostalgia, mostly.
This is where we met, where I fell in love with him.
It’s also a neutral territory, although I doubted many—or any—of our family members would make an effort to attend.
As Enzo just pointed out, we’re already married.
Tomorrow’s ceremony will lack the usual implications of a normal wedding (a lifetime commitment) or a Mafia one (an alliance between families).
But they’re all here. Salvatore, Sienna, Enzo, Luca, Leo, and Leo’s wife, Camilla, on my side of the aisle.
Igor, Elena, Maksim, Aleksandr, Victoria, and Ilya on Lev’s.
Several of his men, including Misha, made the journey as well.
Even Lola is attending. She’s not at the rehearsal, but will be at the wedding tomorrow.
She agreed to play a piece on the cello while Salvatore walks me down the aisle.
The only person missing is Isabella. I finger the necklace that’s back around my neck, hoping her belief in an afterlife was correct. That she’s smiling down with her parents, watching me marry the man I love.
A collection of cars is waiting outside the church to bring us to a nearby winery that my father deemed acceptable for the customary rehearsal dinner.
I sent Salvatore an invite with no expectations.
Lev and I left Italy with an open invitation to return, but I think it will be a while before I want to.
I don’t have many happy memories there, the most recent ones being mostly horrific.
Rationally, I know that Nico is dead and my father never intended for me to be in danger. But that doesn’t change what happened.
Salvatore eagerly accepted the invitation to come here.
He and Sienna planned the entirety of tonight, ensuring they contributed to the celebrations.
I hope it’s a sign my relationship with them both will be different in the future.
If it’s not, I have Maksim and Elena. Aleksandr hasn’t glared at me once since I thanked him for coming to help.
Igor is here, his first time leaving Russia in several decades, according to Lev.
Even Victoria has made an effort to act civil.
I doubt we’ll ever be close, but maybe we will be.
Maybe our kids will grow up together, chasing dogs through fields of chamomile.
I climb in the first car with Lev, fiddling with the stereo as I try to find the perfect song. It takes me about ten minutes to realize something is wrong. We’re headed north, not into the city.
“What—where are we going?”
“We’re making a stop first.”
“What sort of stop?” I ask as he continues onto I-94 West.
“A surprise stop. No more questions.”
“Everyone’s waiting for—”
“It’s our celebration, Carina. We’ll be late if we want to.”
“If you want to,” I mutter.
Twenty minutes later, I realize where we’re headed. I swallow hard as we turn off the highway, watching the scenery shift to mansions on quiet streets.
He’s bringing me to Lake Forest. And not just to Lake Forest, I realize, when the car turns up a familiar driveway.
The Florricks’ summer house looks the same as when I was last here.
There are no cars parked in the gravel driveway, so it doesn’t appear that anyone else is here.
Samantha’s family might no longer own it.
If they do, they never used to come up past Labor Day.
That’s what the two weekends I spent up here were—a farewell to the house for the season.
I glance at Lev. “We’re trespassing.”
I think my wide smile ruins the admonishment.
“Come on.” He pops his door open, climbing out.
I do too. I can smell the lake, mixed with the scent of freshly cut grass.
Lev grabs my hand as we round the perimeter of the house. The pool is filled and uncovered, smooth surface sparkling in the golden sunlight. It’s beautiful—the spot where we met. I never thought I’d be back here. I never thought we’d be back here.
“You like it?”
I spin to face him. “I love it.”
“It’s yours.”
I blink at him. “What do you mean?”
“We’re not trespassing. This pool? I bought it.”
A startled laugh leaves me. “You mean this house?”
“Well, yes. It came with the pool.” Lev says it dismissively, like the multimillion-dollar residence is simply an amenity, and we’re the only two people that sentiment makes perfect sense to.
“But … we live in Russia.”
“We can visit. Unless you don’t want to come back?”
“No, I do. I just—I didn’t get you a gift, so this is … lopsided.”
He smiles. “Watching you swim in this pool is my gift.”
“Well, in that case”—I kick off my heels—“you’d better get your money’s worth. Some help?” I turn, sweeping my hair over my shoulder so he has easy access to the back of the dress. I can reach; I just don’t want to do it on my own.
I can’t hear his footsteps on the manicured lawn, but I hear his husky laugh as he approaches and pulls the zipper down.
I spin around, giving him a quick kiss. “Thank you.”
Then I run and jump into the water before I can fully think through why showing up to my own rehearsal dinner with wet hair and no makeup might not be my best idea. I truly don’t care as I sink to the bottom, letting all the air in my lungs escape in a burst of bubbles that float to the top.
I feel free. Unburdened. Resilient.
There’s another splash.
I smile, kicking my way to the surface, where Lev is floating. Waiting.
I thought I’d die in this pool.
Looking back, I think it was where I started living.
THE END