Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Katya
My mother finds me standing in the kitchen doorway, puffy eyed and silent.
My arms are folded in on my sides, and despite getting off the plane more than twenty minutes ago, I feel like I’m still in the sky—suspended in thick, tension-filled air.
Chloe refused to say a word to me throughout our entire flight, and she wouldn’t even look at me after seeing Leon’s guards escort me onto the plane.
She deliberately had a separate car waiting for her at the tarmac too.
Our plan was originally for her to come back to the house with me, to talk about our experience with my parents and hers.
But of course, she abandoned our previous arrangement in favor of going straight home with her father.
She doesn’t want to be my friend anymore, let alone come home with me to talk about how I stole everything she’s ever wanted.
At least, everything she’s ever wanted for the past two weeks.
“Oh, sweetheart,” my mom says softly, holding out a hand toward me and motioning for me to come closer. “Have you been crying the whole ride home?”
“Not the whole way.” I have to force my feet to step forward, despite feeling weak and unsure. My mother isn’t one to judge, especially before getting every side of a story, but I know Chloe’s parents must have contacted her. They took her from the airstrip rather than coming here, after all.
“It’s okay, bábika. Everything is going to be okay, hmm?” She surrounds me with a hug as soon as I’m close enough, and wraps me up tight. “You didn’t do anything wrong, so there’s no need to wear such a sad face, Katya.”
Just the sound of my childhood nickname makes me feel safe.
She’s been calling me bábika, little doll in Slovak, since I could walk.
There’s no special meaning behind it other than tradition.
Her mother called her that, her mother’s mother called her that, and now she calls me that.
And since marrying Linus, the two of them gave Gaia the Greek version of the same nickname.
It’s such a small thing, but endlessly comforting to hear all the same.
“What did she say?” I croak the question, pressing my cheek into her shoulder, and wondering how she could possibly already be so sure of my innocence.
“Don’t worry about what she said,” my mother advises, pulling back to look me in the eye. “Chloe says things she doesn’t mean when she’s angry. You know this, I know this…she’ll come around.”
“She said things she can’t take back this time, didn’t she? What did she tell you?” I ask again, needing to know how much my mother is aware of.
She sighs, caressing my face and unsticking a few tear-stained strands of hair from my wet cheeks. “Leon Moretti wants you to be his wife. She’s disappointed that she wasn’t his choice, and she blames you for it.”
“She said I schemed to get him, Mama,” I choke out, sniffling. “I didn’t even want to go and it all just happened so fast. I wouldn’t have agreed if he would have picked her in my place but he said he wouldn’t.”
“I know, bábika.” She shakes her head sadly. “You have a kind heart, Katya. I knew that if you saw those kids and thought you could help them…” Mom trails off.
“You thought this could happen?” I ask, mouth parting in shock.
“Is that so unbelievable?”
My head shakes absently, the concept feeling fuzzy.
“I didn’t even consider the possibility.
I was so focused on not messing up and embarrassing Chloe in some way.
I didn’t try to put myself in the running above her.
Leo, Leon’s youngest, was playing with a ball and he kicked it right in front of my chair.
He dragged his brother along with him to get it back and he just started talking to me. ”
“Of course he did.” She smiles, nodding for me to continue.
“I just treated them as I would want someone to treat my own sister. One minute we were laughing and the next Apollo freaking Moretti came over with his wife and their baby. They started asking me questions and testing my languages and Leo was so happy to show them he made a friend with me. I-I forgot what I was even doing there for a minute. It was so natural and nice. I felt like we were friends, or even—”
“Family,” Mom fills in when I hesitate. “That’s a lovely thing, sweetheart.
I’m sorry that you’re being pulled into feeling bad about something so beautiful.
You shouldn’t feel guilty because you’re a good fit for them, Katya.
You always consider others before you consider yourself.
Chloe knows that, and I’m sure she’ll come around after she’s cooled down. ”
“I don’t know if she will,” I admit regretfully.
“She fully snapped at me, Mama. I think she wanted this to work out for her even more than she let on. She doesn’t want to marry into a life that makes her miserable and I can’t fault her for that, but I don’t think I can turn this down to save our friendship, either. ”
And I don’t think turning this down would save our friendship at this point. I don’t know if there’s a way that we can ever go back to the way we were, and that’s what made the tears come earlier. More than anything, I’m distraught about our friendship coming to what must be an end.
Shaking my head, I try to think lighter thoughts.
“Those boys…Mama, they’re so sweet and small, and they need someone to love them without strings.
They just lost their mother and she loved them so much that she demanded Leon find someone to take her place so they have all the love they deserve.
Leo and Bastian shouldn’t grow up and realize that their new mom only came into their lives to have a rich, safe husband. ”
“See,” she says with a half smile. “There you are, still thinking about everyone else before yourself. I know you’d be a beautiful mother to those children, don’t misunderstand me.
But is that the only reason you want to do this, bábika?
You should consider your future happiness as well.
I know that you know marriage is a very serious thing to commit to, and you haven’t exactly been looking for a match before now. ”
“I…” My teeth sink into my bottom lip. “He’s very handsome, Mama.
Talking to Leon was nice, really. It didn’t feel like work, like I needed to over explain myself to him or try to put on some kind of mask to fit his needs.
As distraught as I am about Chloe, it…it felt nice to feel seen by a man.
He said he thinks I’m the best fit for what he needs, and that he thinks I’m beautiful too. ”
“You are beautiful,” Mom agrees in an instant.
“And smart, and caring, and so many wonderful things. He would be lucky to have you. But he doesn’t need to have you, if you’re unsure.
You can always tell me that you’re not ready, and I can take care of it for you. You know that, don’t you, my dcéra?”
My daughter.
For the first time since before the blow up, I feel like I can breathe easier again.
The weight on my chest lightens and I swallow slowly, inhaling through my nose after.
There’s no pressure being put on me to make a decision for my family’s benefit, and I know she’s being truthful when she assures me of that.
I’m free to make my own choice, and I’m sure I’ve made it.
“I think I’m going to get married, Mom,” I confess in a soft whisper. “Do you think Linus will approve?”
She chuckles, eyes going a little watery after hearing my words about marrying.
“My charming husband is waiting for us in his office, already celebrating. He knows he’s not your father, of course.
But he cares so much about your well-being and your happiness.
He’s ecstatic that you’ll be paired with a good family, if you say yes.
I told him he wasn’t allowed to try and sway you until I made sure that you weren’t feeling pressured into something you didn’t want. ”
A crooked smile shoots up the corners of my lips. “Celebrating how exactly?”
“He’s sharing sparkling apple juice with Gaia.
” She smiles wistfully, the kind of grin she has revered for her husband when he’s doing something tooth-rottingly romantic.
“He was having champagne instead but then she stomped her foot and told him that that wasn’t how sharing works.
He needed to have his drinks poured out of the same bottle as her, and he gave in like he always does. ”
A giggle bubbles up in my throat, and I barely muffle it. “He spoils her. She’s going to be a horrid teenager.”
My mother rolls her eyes. “She’ll be fine. You were just as spoiled and you turned out absolutely wonderful.”
“You have to think that,” I point out dryly. “You’re my mother.”
“Which is why I know best.”
She’s got me there.
“Come.” Mom takes my hand. “They’ll want to see you. Gaia is fully expecting to be a flower girl, even if you have a tiny wedding. She said she’ll throw flower petals at the guests’ dinner plates if you don’t give her an aisle to walk down.”
“Oh goodness.” I wince, picturing the little menace in pink doing just that.
“I’ll see what I can do. Leon might want one of his nieces or something.
We aren’t planning to make it a big thing, I don’t think.
We didn’t have much time to talk about it yet but I don’t want to disrespect Cleo with some big party so soon after her passing.
But he mentioned a formal wedding might help the boys process our relationship.
Like it’ll solidify it for them, since they know what weddings are and vaguely what they mean. ”
“That’s smart,” she approves with a hum. “Children like physically seeing things and interacting with them. Plus, weddings can be fun for them. I’ll make sure to order little bubble guns they can play with during the boring slow parts of the evening.”
The idea is sweet but I can’t help teasing her for it. “Wow, I’ve not even started planning it yet and my wedding is already boring? Mother, I’m hurt.”