Chapter 46 Sienna #2
She gestured at the row of perfectly decorated cookies in front of her, which included Juliet’s cat, Queenie, wearing a crown, and the cutest little Christmas cabin. It was sickening how talented she was.
I gestured at her daughter. “You’re going to campaign against us?” Our Christmas tree cookie was missing its top, our reindeer was covered in splotches of red icing that looked like blood, and the one that was supposed to be Vovk looked more like a one-eyed ogre.
Sofiya shook her head, lips pursed to fight her smile. “Now I see why you two teamed up.”
“Because we’re the cutest?” I squished my face against Clem’s sticky cheek.
“Something like that,” she said dryly.
“Yours are looking great, Juliet,” I said. She had gone with solid, colorful backgrounds with festive words written in script on top. “Who’s getting that one?” I pointed at the cookie she was finishing up with the words naughty list.
She shrugged. “Guess we’ll have to see how everyone behaves today.”
Clementine laughed and smacked her hand onto Juliet’s freshly finished cookie, splattering frosting everywhere.
I snorted and grabbed a stack of paper towels to wipe her hands before she painted the entire kitchen. “Oh, is someone trying to get on Santa’s naughty list? Our almost one-year-old cutie. I can’t believe we’re going to have such a little grown-up girl.”
“And soon she’ll have a little cousin,” Juliet said, booping Clem on the nose. “I can’t get over how cute your bump is,” she added. “What size is Baby this week?”
“A burrito.”
She let out a choked laugh. “A burrito? I was expecting something a little more festive.”
“Baby is a very festive Christmas burrito,” I said sagely.
“Or, I suppose a grapefruit, if you want to be boring.” My hand went to my belly.
My daughter deserved the world—a big, happy family filled with holiday traditions.
I’d spent so much time lately consumed with anxiety over her health and our future together that I’d forgotten all the good things we had to look forward to.
“Christmas burrito is perfect.” Juliet leaned in, her voice low. “How have you been feeling? Have things here been okay?”
Sofiya also leaned in, waiting for my answer.
My smile froze, and I hoped it didn’t look too unnatural. “It’s been good. An adjustment, of course. I’ve never lived outside of New York. It’s quieter here. More trees...” I trailed off when I realized I was still babbling. “But anyway, I’m feeling good. I have a lot more energy.”
“Having energy is good,” Sofiya said carefully. “And how are you and Dimitri?”
I maintained my plastic smile. It wasn’t like I hadn’t been expecting this. I’d been cagey about Dimitri while texting the girls’ group chat. They’d been kind enough not to press me while I adjusted to my new life, but obviously, my time was up.
“We’re figuring it out. He’s been gone a lot lately.”
“Why?” Juliet asked.
I glanced across the kitchen. The guys had banded together to try to decorate a gingerbread house, but Matteo was definitely keeping tabs on our conversation.
“I’m not sure. I think there’s some Bratva drama going on that I’m not privy to.”
Sofiya wrinkled her nose. She had plenty of experience being shut out of the Mafia world. “Have you asked him about it?”
“No. He’s keeping things pretty vague.”
Sofiya pursed her lips, but dropped the topic when Sergey popped his head in the doorway and rubbed his hands together.
“Oohh, cookies.” He sidled up to the kitchen island.
“These look spectacular. Don’t mind if I—” Clem squealed and brought her chubby hands down on Sergey’s, stopping the guard from stealing away a heart-shaped cookie piled high with green icing.
“Good boys who want Santa to bring them presents ask before taking cookies, don’t they?” I said in a sing-song voice.
Sergey chuckled. “Miss Clementine, would you do me the great honor of sharing your cookies with me?”
Clem let out a squeal, and Sergey smiled as he snagged the cookie, popping the entire thing in his mouth.
“Is Dimi on his way?” Sofiya asked. I had hoped he would arrive before everyone else did so the two of us could figure out how to get through the next few days, but he’d gotten held up with some work meeting.
“Maxim texted that they’re just a few minutes away,” he responded.
“And we’re about to head out. The car is all packed up.
” He elbowed my arm. “Unfortunately, after I got all of your gifts into the car, there wasn’t any room left, so I put Sveta on the roof.
If she falls off, at least she’ll land in a snowdrift. ”
I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “If you don’t want the presents, you don’t have to take them.”
“Oh, don’t do that,” Sofiya jumped in. “Sienna is an exceptional gift-giver.”
My chest squeezed. It was such a gift to have people around who knew me and liked me.
“No chance in hell of that happening,” Sergey said. “I can’t wait to see what you got me.”
I pressed my lips together to stop from laughing. I may have gotten him a new set of knives with plastic blades. I had also gotten him some presents he would actually like, but Sveta and Polina had strict instructions to make sure he opened the plastic knives first.
“Drive safely and have the best time. Text me when you arrive and wish your parents a Merry Christmas for me,” I said, giving him a hug that squished Clem between us.
When we pulled apart, his shirt was stained red and green from the frosting on her face and hands.
Sergey just laughed and said his goodbyes to the rest of the group.
It wasn’t long before I heard the front door open. My heart started racing and I pressed my face to the top of Clementine’s hair, breathing in deeply. She smelled like sugar cookies.
I wished I’d forced myself to at least text Dimitri to make sure we were on the same page for these next few days.
This had been a really hard year for a lot of us, and I didn’t want the memory my family and friends took from this Christmas to be how much my husband despised me.
I sent a silent prayer to the universe that everything would go well.