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I nodded, thoroughly exasperated. “They’re coming today.”
“Yes, they should be here in a few hours. Now, you must rest,” he said, and it sounded like an order.
I sighed and pushed myself up on the bed, but even with all the exercises, the little movement exhausted me. A little sob escaped my lips before I could stop it. Pursing my lips, I let myself fall back on the pillows and looked away from him, folding my hands across my chest. At least, the view outside the window wasn’t bad. Lots of trees.
“I understand,” I croaked out.
“Ms. Dimitrei…”
“Dr. Stephens, I’d like to be alone now, please. I’ll be fine.” Even though I wasn’t.
“Sure. I’ll check on you in a couple hours,” he said before leaving the room.
The silence embraced me, filling me with both relief and acute loneliness. I felt like I was being pulled in all sorts of directions by my thoughts, and if I didn’t stop, I’d have a total breakdown.
One day at a time.That’s what the doctor ordered.
Soon, my parents would arrive. I wanted to meet my daughter, but first I needed to know how I ended up with Sebastian. Yesterday he didn’t say much, and he was clearly reluctant to explain anything. My father wouldn’t lie to me, so I would wait for them to show up.
I drifted off for some time, letting oblivion welcome me in its open arms. Then, I was woken by a rap on the door. A nurse entered the room and waited for me to open my eyes fully before asking me how I was. She said my parents had arrived and was I ready to see them?
“Yes,” I said. “Let them in.”
Pressing the button on the bed remote, I raised it so I could get to a seated position. I nodded to her. Was I ready? As much as I could ever be.
My father was the first one in.
“Marinka!” he said, rushing to me and gathering me in a tight hug.
We stayed locked like that for a long time, and I put my head on his shoulders, thinking about how it seemed I’d only just seen them, yet it had been four long years.
“This place is quite chic, I must say.”
I looked over my dad’s shoulder to see my mother walk in, totally overdressed in a tight royal blue dress, beige heels, matching Chanel bag, and all her best diamonds glistening on her fingers. Her makeup was impeccable. “I can’t believe Sebastian kept us in the dark for so long. We thought you were dead,” she said flippantly, waving her hands about the room.
No hug from her. After being raised by nannies and servants, along with Nicolas, I didn’t really expect any better.
“Sit down,” I said, letting my father go.
He brought the chair close to me and held my hands. Giving him a squeeze, I withdrew from the touch, needed to summon strength from within.
“Sebastian might have told you I have problems with my memory. There’s a lot I need help piecing together, so … I need you to tell me what happened on that yacht.”
My father paled, as if the blood drained from his face. My mother, on the other hand, tossed her hair behind her and sighed, while continuing to examine the space around her. They’d both aged, in truth, but Dad was hit the hardest. He’d practically shrunk. What had happened to him? Maybe it was just age.
“Sweetheart … well, there is a lot to explain and I think maybe we should wait a little while,” he said, sounding tired.
“Wait for what, exactly? I’ve done nothing but wait! I’ve been stuck here for three years after I was shot, so I think that’s enough and I am fed up with all these secrets. Sebastian didn’t explain much at all. He said you’d fill me in. Just tell me the truth!” I demanded, surprising my damn self.
“Your father is in the mafia business, darling, and things have gotten a little tense in our family lately, to put it mildly. We Russians can be brutal.” My mother grinned, reminding me of a calculating djinn from a folk tale. “There’s everything in a nutshell, I suppose.”
“Marta!” Dad scolded. “How could you say that so bluntly? She’s still recovering!”
“It’s about time she knew, right?” she scoffed. “After all, she’s been with Sebastian for a while. She should know.” Her dismissive tone caused my father to go red in the face.
“That’s the whole point! Shedoesn’t know! She can’t remember! How can you be so stupid?” Spit sprayed out of his mouth as he spoke. He was shifting in his chair as though sitting on a spring. A vein protruded in his forehead, making me fear for his health. I’d never seen him like this.
“There, there, little man. Calm down before you have a heart attack and force me to inherit everything.”
