Page 162 of Kadra: The Unfeeling

“I love you, princess.” I tell her almost reverently. Then she throws herself at her father, and Vitali lifts her in his strong arms. “I missed you daddy. Don’t be gone too long, Da?” she pouts her cherry red lips at her father.

I watch, amused at my little girl chastising her father. Both my children have picked up a bit of Russian from their father and his family’s side. I love it.

I love that my kids have that.

They have everything Vitali and I didn’t as kids.

My husband’s gray eyes softened. “I won’t, lyubeemaya.”

As they both stay in their little world, because yes my youngest is a daddy’s girl even though i don’t doubt her love for me for a second. I’m happy she has that. She has what I didn’t. A loving father. A man who teaches her how she should be treated and shows her every single hour of the day how special and magical she is.

While I have my Azariel. He loves his father but I know he loves me a little bit more. He’s a momma’s boy who even though he’s growing into a handsome and strong young man.

“Azariel.” I call out to him. He lifts his head, and his gray eyes much like his father and sister fall on me. My favorite gray.

Without saying a word, I extend my arm his way telling him without using words to come to me. A second later, he joins us.

The years have changed him. He’s taller and stronger too from spending all his days when he’s not studying, in our home gym training with all of his uncles. I smile when he grabs my gloved hand, taking me back to the time when he was a young boy hiding under a cardboard and he held onto my hand just like he is doing now.

But instead of being an angry little boy with bruises on his face, a young man with confidence and strength stands before me.

I pull him towards me, hugging him closer to my chest and while I hold my son in my arms, I try to hold back the tears that threaten to fall. Tears of joy. “I love you until the sun dies, Azariel.” He pulls back and stares at me. I save his face in my memories for the day that he leaves me to find his happiness.

“I love you too, Mom.” he whispers so low, I almost miss it.

My heart swells.

Mom.

I’ve had many titles.

Boss.

Sister.

Friend.

Wife.

All of them sweet but none as sweet as Mom.

“Can we get ice cream, daddy? Pleaseeee.” Raiza’s happiness is contagious.

“Da, lyubeemaya”

I smile at my husband who can’t seem to tell his daughter no. She has him and her brother and every man in our family wrapped around her little finger.

“With a cherry for mom?” Raiza tilts her head my way with a small smile on her little face.

Thump.

Thump.

Look at that… What a beautiful life. The small voice at the back of my mind whispers.

What a beautiful life indeed.

“With a big cherry for mom.” Vitali winks at me.

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