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“I don’t know. I want our baby to have the best of both. I just don’t know which of the two would be the best.”
“Well, I’m Russian and you are American. Our baby will be granted dual citizenship in a heartbeat. I’ll make sure of it.” Kristof chuckles softly. “Then our baby will have the best of two struggling countries.”
I snort softly with laughter. “Ah, the dream.”
“You’ve got plenty of time to decide where you want to be when the baby is born. If you want her here, then I will make it happen. If you want to give birth in America, then it’s done. You tell me when, you tell me where, and I will make sure it’s done. Whatever you need, whatever the both of you need, I’m here for you.”
Is this really the same Kristof who snatched me from a club and locked me in his basement? Back then, I was so excited to have attention and affection that I hadn’t thought about much else. Now, here we are, resting by a fire like a real couple, discussing our baby’s future.
It’s funny how life turns out.
From the corner of the room comes the gentle tinkle of a ringtone, and we both glance up to Andrev who stands in the corner, ever the silent guard. He flashes an apologetic smile and quickly excuses himself from the room.
“We should do something nice for him,” I decide, draping back into Kristof’s arms.
“You think so?”
“Yeah, I do. He’s one of the few who have been with us through nearly everything, and I feel a little bad at what he’s been through and had to witness.”
“There you go, thinking of everyone.” Kristof leans down and lightly kisses my nose. “I can give him a pay raise.”
Giggling, I settle in Kristof’s hold and focus on the flames dancing in the fireplace. So many people deserve so much for helping keep me safe, especially when I was barely able to thank them properly.
Maybe… maybe after my father dies, I can thank them properly. The old laws would make me in charge, I think. I’m his heir, and by the order of things, I would be next in line.
Then, my daughter.
Contemplating that much power is dizzying, so I quickly push that thought away. It’s too risky to plan that far into the future, not until there’s a concrete change.
“In here? Should I knock?”
An unfamiliar female voice drifts through the door Andrev had just left through, and my stomach twists, then a split second later, the unfamiliarity melts away as the voice unlocks memories buried deep inside me. It’s been so long since I’ve heard that voice that it feels like another life.
Bolting upright, my eyes lock onto the door as it swings open and Andrev walks through. My stomach twists tighter and my heart stops.
My old maid and true best friend, Katja Dmitrov, walks through the door with her thin fingers tangled together and her long, black hair shimmering over one shoulder.
“Katja?” I can’t believe my eyes. Did I fall asleep in Kristof’s arms? Is this some kind of pregnancy hallucination?
“Alena?” Katja’s voice trembles. Her eyes scan the room, then lock onto me, and a trembling smile breaks across her lips. “Alena!”
“Katja!” I squeal, leaping to my feet in an instant as relief flashes over Katja’s face. I throw myself forward and launch myself into her arms. The moment we hug each other, the waterworks unlock and tears flood down my cheeks.
“Oh, my God! What are you doing here? Look at you!” I step back with a laugh, cup her cheek, and look her up and down, then I pull her back into a tight hug. “I can’t believe you’re here, oh, my God!”
“Oh, Alena,” Katja sobs, her hands twisting into the back of my dress. “I never thought I’d see you again!”
If this is a dream, it’s a damn good one.
“I’m so happy you are!”
Kristof. He did this.
Pulling back from Katja, I spin to face Kristof who now stands near the couch with a light smile on his face.
“You!”
“Me.” He smirks. “As soon as I learned about the baby, I wanted you to have a support network that could be trusted, so I had eyes on Katja so I could get a sense of where her loyalty was. And who better to help you than the one person you’ve trusted your entire life?”
