Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Lilith
A few days before the wedding, Andrei called me on a weekend.
"Baby, I've got good news. You'll want to hear this."
"What is it?" I was sorting through my pre-wedding checklist, sticky notes piled up beside me.
"I found a heart match for Elena. The compatibility tests came back perfect. We can do the transplant anytime."
I froze for a second. Then all the sticky notes slipped from my hands and scattered across the floor.
"Really?" My voice shook. "After the transplant... she'll be completely better? Right? Oh my God!"
"That's right, Lilith. But don't get too excited yet—I've already sent someone to pick you up. We'll talk more at the hospital."
I hung up and rushed to the hospital. Andrei was waiting for me at the entrance. I jumped out of the car, nearly missed the step, but Andrei caught me. I grabbed his hand without thinking and pulled him inside.
We checked with the doctor first to confirm the news, then walked into the ward together. Elena was propped up in bed reading. She smiled when she saw me, then noticed Andrei behind me. She sat up straighter. "What's wrong? Why do you both look so serious..."
"Elena," I rushed over and grabbed her hand, practically trembling with excitement. "They found a matching heart. You can have the surgery! You're going to get well!"
I started crying, holding Elena as the sobs broke through. "Everything's going to be okay now... Once you're better, we can do what we always talked about—open that family restaurant together. That was your dream!"
Elena's eyes were wet too, but she wasn't crying like I was. She patted my back gently, smiling. "Yeah—we'll be able to do whatever we want then. You silly girl, this is good news. Why are you crying?"
Andrei came closer and wiped my tears, smiling. "Elena's right. You two can do whatever you want after this. I'll help you find the perfect location for your restaurant."
"Oh—that's so sweet, Andrei. I'm so happy... God..." I buried my face against Elena, my hair a complete mess. Then I looked up at her. I smiled. She smiled back. We both looked ridiculous, like a couple of idiots.
Andrei stood to the side without saying anything, giving us space.
After a moment, Elena looked up at him. "Thank you, Andrei."
"Don't mention it, Elena." His expression was tender. "We're going to be family. Your concerns are mine."
Elena smiled and nodded at him. I saw her wipe the corner of her eye. Then she looked back at me, her expression turning serious again. "I want to do the surgery after your wedding."
"What? No, Elena, the surgery should happen as soon as..."
"Lily," she cut me off. "I've waited this long. A few more days won't hurt. I need to see you get married with my own eyes—see you standing there in your wedding dress, happy. That matters more than anything. After your wedding's over, I'll go straight into surgery. Okay?"
I hesitated, wanting to say her health mattered more, but looking at her eyes, I couldn't get the words out.
"Okay." My voice came out hoarse. "Just promise me you'll take care of yourself."
"Don't worry," she winked at me, "I'm still waiting to hold my nephew."
"Elena!"
Laughter filled the room again. Andrei smiled beside me. My face was definitely red.
Outside the hospital, I stood on the steps. The afternoon sun was perfect, pouring bright over the flowerbeds by the entrance, the air mixing antiseptic with gardenia.
I turned and grabbed Andrei's hand.
"Honey, thank you for the good news. I know exactly how I'm going to reward you."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by my mysterious tone. "Reward me how?"
"By taking you to the best desserts in all of New York.
" I was already texting Amy, fingers flying.
"Remember that shop that made your birthday cake?
That's my best friend Amy's place. Her desserts are the best thing I've ever tasted.
Elena's news is so wonderful—I want to celebrate with you over something sweet. "
"My pleasure, princess." Andrei opened the car door and drove us there.
Amy's shop sat on a quiet side street. Not many customers at this hour. She was perched behind the counter flipping through a recipe book, and when I pushed through the door, she came out to greet me enthusiastically. "Lilith!"
Then her gaze shifted past me to Andrei.
She froze for about two seconds, then tugged at my sleeve and leaned close to my ear.
"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, is that him?
Why didn't you tell me he was this level?
You said he looked 'decent'? This is what you call decent?
Do you have some fundamental misunderstanding about that word? "
"I told you he was really handsome..." I defended weakly.
"That was an understatement. You're committing a crime here, you know that?
A man with a face like that, and you kept him hidden until now!
" Amy shook my arm excitedly, then her expression turned oddly speculative.
She scanned Andrei up and down, voice dropping even lower.
"And the size difference between you two...
he's so much bigger than you. When you guys... can you even handle it?"
"Amy!!" I gave her a gentle shove, my face heating up. "Be serious."
She bit back a smile, straightened her expression, and walked up to extend her hand to Andrei. "Hi, I'm Amy, Lilith's best friend. I'm basically family. You better not bully her, or I'll throw my cakes at you until you're dead."
Andrei nodded and shook her hand. "Hello, Andrei. I promise you—I would never bully Lilith." He looked at me, his gaze warm.
I bit my lip, embarrassed, then shot Amy a look.
Amy raised an eyebrow. "I give him a few harsh words, and some people are already getting protective. Putting your man before your friend!"
"I am not!"
"I didn't name names." Amy laughed and walked away. I couldn't reach her, so I just led Andrei to a window seat. Amy brought over a small plate of new samples to try, then pulled up a stool and sat with us, chatting.
She could talk forever, but she wasn't annoying about it. Somehow, she always made the atmosphere feel easy.
Eventually, Amy brought up the wedding cake, her eyes lighting up. "Have you decided on the wedding cake yet?"
Andrei and I exchanged a glance. Before we could answer, Amy was already on her feet. "Leave it to me! Wedding cakes are my territory! How can our adorable little bride get married without eating my cake?"
Andrei nodded. "I'm fine with that. The order's yours, as long as Lilith's happy."
Amy paused for a second, then let out a hearty laugh. "Perfect! That's settled then! Lilith, you really know how to pick a man."
I covered my face. Andrei laughed softly beside me—a quiet sound.
My heart melted completely.
On the drive home, I leaned against the car window, watching the street scenes pass by. That feeling of contentment and security filled every empty space inside me.
Three days until the wedding. I was busy as a spinning top.
But this kind of busy made me feel happy.
Every morning I'd open my eyes to messages from Andrei on my phone—sometimes asking what flowers I liked, sometimes just saying "I miss you.
" I'd text him back while brushing my teeth, almost dripping toothpaste on the screen, then grin at myself like an idiot in the mirror.
Amy and I wrote out the invitations together on our side. She showed up at my place with a huge stack of blank cards, dumped them on the coffee table, and said we weren't eating until we finished.
"You're more invested in this than I am, and I'm the bride." I sat on the couch giggling.
She rolled her eyes. "Of course I am. I'm going to be the maid of honor. These invitations determine whether I can outshine everyone at the wedding. Though obviously I can't outshine you."
"Plus, if the invitations look good, more people come, and my chances of landing a hot guy increase.
" She stamped wax seals onto the cards with complete seriousness, getting gold wax all over her hands.
"Does Andrei have any single brothers? Preferably the kind with a scar on his face, strong and silent—a man who looks like he's got serious stamina. "
My face flushed. That description—strength—immediately made me think of Andrei. I coughed. "Amy, that's enough."
How would I know if other guys had stamina? To keep Amy from going off on another tangent, I said, "Though Dmitri, one of Andrei's guys, fits your type pretty well."
"Really? Is he hotter than Andrei?"
"Absolutely not!" Andrei had just texted me, and I was responding while I talked.
Amy snorted, then suddenly leaned over. I panicked and backed out of the app, but Amy caught a glimpse of my phone screen anyway. "Oh my God! Your wallpaper is Andrei?"
Amy's lips curved into a smile, practically with hearts in her eyes.
I instinctively clutched my phone to my chest, but Amy was faster. She snatched it away, stared at Andrei's sleeping profile on the screen, then let out an exaggerated gasp.
"Lilith, you're done for. You are completely done for." She turned the screen toward me like she'd caught me committing some terrible crime. "You know what you're like right now? Like a middle school girl with posters of her crush all over her bedroom!"
"But... he really does look adorable when he's sleeping." I grabbed my phone back, face burning, my defense pathetically weak.
"He really does look adorable when he's sleeping." Amy mimicked my tone, hands pressed to her heart, batting her eyelashes. "Oh, he looks like a little boy who needs protecting when he sleeps, doesn't he? You want to hold him in your arms, don't you?"
"Amy!!"
"I'm right, aren't I?"