Page 176 of The Umarova Crime Family

There is a small café that looks a lot like a dive a couple of streets over, so after hearing good things yesterday about the place, we decided it would be a good idea to check it out. We’ve already been led back to a table by the hostess, and we’re walking out into a dock sort of area. The crazy thing is that the exterior of the restaurant looks like a traditional red boathouse.

The interior looks like we’re walking straight in some sort of ship. The floors look like they’re made up of old wood, and the roof is mostly skylights. There’s floor-to-ceiling glass along the area that faces the water.

Potted plants hang from the ceiling, made up of various colors. Some are green, while others are purple and blue. All in all, the space looks gorgeous, and I know the ambiance here is only going to further help me get out of this headspace I’ve been in. Between being with Duarte for years and everything I endured during that time, plus adding in the fact that I recently found out my uncle was the entire reason I ended up with Duarte in the first place… I’m a fucking wreck.

I might seem like I’m actually okay, but I’m not. I loved my uncle dearly and discovering his betrayal rocked me to my core. If my father was still alive, I know he would’ve found a way to bring my uncle back to life again just so he could kill him after Nazyr did. I hope my father is giving my uncle hell in the afterlife. I hope he’s going to keep making him pay for what he did to me.

God, sometimes all I can think about is what was done to me and how one choice would’ve changed years’ worth of pain and agony. I shut my eyes, and it’s like every moment of my life is happening all over again. The happiness. The loss. The betrayal. This is exactly what I’m trying to push back out of my mind. Some days it’s easier than others, and there are moments when my negative thoughts drift into my mind. Unfortunately, right now, it happens to be one of those moments.

Nazyr grabs my hand, and we follow the hostess as she escorts us to our table. The girls walk between us, and once we’re at our table, Nazyr sits next to Ira, and I sit next to Vanina. We’re given menus by the waiter standing nearby, and he tells us he’s going to bring out some water for all of us and that the girls’ drinks will be in sippy cups. The waiter walks away, and we look over the menus. They have a lot of traditional dishes, but they even have some standard dishes that you could find at other restaurants as well.

I already know I’m going to order some Swedish meatballs. I’ve never had them, but I’ve heard the best things about them. It looks like they’re served with mashed potatoes and a mixed vegetable medley.

I’m not sure what on the menu the girls will like, so I decide on Köttbullar, which is another meatball dish. In this dish, the meatballs are wrapped in herbs and spices and served with mashed potatoes and pickles. The other dish I’m deciding on for them is Pannkakor, which is Sweden’s version of a pancake. The girls have been picky in their food choices over the last few days, so I think getting two dishes from the complete opposite end of the spectrum is going to be good for them.

Nazyr’s looking over the menu and asks me what I’m going to get the girls, so I tell him. He thinks it’s a good idea for me to get them two separate dishes and tells me that if they want to pick off any of our plates, they can. We’re both getting some seafood dishes we’ve heard about, and by the time the waiter comes back, we’re all ready to order. Nazyr tells the waiter everything we want and adds a couple of apple juices for the girls since they’re not drinking too much of their water.

Over the course of the next hour and a half, we enjoy dinner with one another. We don’t leave until we each finish our plates, which can be a bit difficult when you have toddlers. But they managed to finish their food, and we promised them they could get a treat afterward, so we left the restaurant and walked down the well-lit street, looking for a bakery, an ice cream shop, or something of that sort.

Thankfully, we find one shop that is still open and walk inside. It’s a sweet shop, and there’s a variety of goodies behind a display case. From cupcakes to cookies to pastries, they seem to have it all; there’s even a self-serve ice cream station along the wall to the right. But that isn’t all. They have freshly made ice cream in a case behind the counter. One big flavor here in Sweden is lingonberry, so I know I want to try some of that.

“What goodies do you girls want? Hmm?” I ask my little ones, kneeling down in front of them.

Vanina looks at the display case and points at a chocolate cupcake. Okay, simple enough.

“What about you, baby?” I ask Ira.

Ira walks closer to the display case, and Nazyr chats in a friendly manner with the older woman behind the counter. I hear him telling her we’re here on holiday, and Ira is taking a long time trying to figure out what the heck she wants. After a couple more minutes of deliberation, Ira settles on a sugar cookie with sprinkles.

“Okay, I think they have decided what they want.” I laugh as I rise, and the older woman dotes over my two little girls.

“Perfect. What would that be?”

“A chocolate cupcake, sugar cookie with sprinkles, and I’d love to try some lingonberry ice cream, please. What would you like, honey?” I ask Nazyr, who smiles sweetly at me.

“I’ll have the same, please,” Nazyr tells the older woman, and she smiles at the two of us. Nazyr throws his arms around me and pulls me against him.

Over the course of the next few minutes, the woman gets our order prepared. While this might be so simple to some people… it means the world to me. I’m in a beautiful city with a man I’m one thousand percent in love with, and my little girls are right here by our side.

We all end up enjoying everything we got from the bakery and proceed to spend the rest of the day touring the town and the surrounding area. By the time I get the girls in bed, and they both fall asleep, Nazyr is in the small living room area with two glasses of wine.

One’s in his hand, and the other is on a coaster.

“Is that for me?” I ask, knowing it’s likely for me.

“I’m not double-fisting, so what do you think?”

I laugh lightly and walk over to him, taking a seat on the plush white couch. I lean over and press a chaste kiss against his lips. Nazyr wraps an arm around me and pulls me closer to him, deepening the level of the kiss we’re sharing.

“Nazyr, let me at least enjoy my wine first.” I know what he wants, but we’ve had a long day, and we’re going to end up getting there. He just needs to be patient with me a little bit longer.

Nazyr releases his grip around me, and I sink back against the cushion. He hands me the glass of wine, and an interesting scent wafts up from the glass. “It’s lingonberry wine. I know you want to experience whatever you can while we’re here, so I figured you’d enjoy this.”

I’m not certain if it will be sweet or dry, so I take my first sip of the cool liquid. Sweetness immediately floats over my tastebuds. This is so bloody good, honestly better than I thought it would be.

“It’s amazing. Would you care if we grabbed a few bottles to take home?”

“Of course not. I want you to have whatever it is you desire in this world. We’ll grab a case directly from the winery.” Nazyr smiles softly at me, and warmth floods through my chest. I feel so lucky to be with this man. A man who truly cares if I’m happy. He’s not just saying it. He actually means every word that’s passing through his lips.

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