Page 67 of The Russian Pakhan's Forced Bride
It rings only once before I hear that familiar voice again.
“Holy shit,” Vanessa says without needing even a moment to breathe and take in the moment. “Victoria? You’re alive?”
The sound of her voice brings me both relief and a touch of guilt. “Hi, Nessa.”
A small scoff comes through. “No, no…don’t ‘hi’ me…it’s been months of no texts or calls. That’s all you have?”
Wincing at her incredulous tone, I know she has every right to be upset with me. “Sorry…I should’ve called.”
“You think?” Vanessa poses with a half-tense, half-relieved tone. “Everyone thought you joined a cult or got abducted or something…”
Well…
Before I can say anything else, she sighs, and her tone softens slightly. “I’m pissed with you…But I’m also really glad to hear your voice again. Where have you been?”
“It’s a lot to dive into, but I just needed to get away. I needed a break from everything, so I went soul-searching.”
The recycled excuse from Roman feels wrong coming from my mouth, but I can’t tell her everything. Not even close.
An amused sound escapes her. “Soul-searching? I didn’t take you as the spiritual type…and since when did you decide to do something other than grading spelling quizzes during your weekends?”
“I guess I took your advice about taking a break to heart.”
“No shit,” she says, allowing more of her usual humor to slip into her words. “I have to say, it feels pretty good to be taken seriously for once, even if I’m going to take at least two business days to recover from the shock of hearing from you again.”
I smile at her dramatics, realizing how much I missed talking to her.
As easily as we normally do, we fall into our usual rhythm. We touch on everything from small talk, changes happening at the school, promotions, and whatever other gossip she’s been saving up for me.
I find myself easing into a place that feels comfortable and familiar to me, and in a way, it’s relaxing.
When there’s a small lull in conversation, Vanessa asks, “Are you okay over there?”
I think about it for half a beat. “Yeah…I’m figuring things out.”
“And are you happy at least?”
Closing my eyes, I try to focus on the positives. I see Roman’s face from the night I told him, and later, once the pregnancy was confirmed. I feel the ghost of his skin against mine and all the reverential attention he has given me since then. The way he looks at me like I’ve given him the world.
“I’m getting there.”
Surprisingly, Vanessa sounds satisfied with it and doesn’t press any further.
After saying our goodbyes and promising to call her again soon, I stayed on the bed for a time, simply looking at her name and number.
A small smile lingers on my face, and after all this time, something finally feels more settled within me.
Speaking to Vanessa wasn’t an absolute cure, but it certainly helped.
By the time Roman comes home, it’s dark, and I’ve already long eaten.
He comes in looking more tired than usual, and there’s something different in his gaze. Something more contemplative, as if his mind is elsewhere.
When his eyes land on me while I’m curled up on the couch, not paying attention to whatever’s playing on the screen in front of me, he seems to debate something with himself before his expression softens and he approaches.
“Long day?”
Roman lets go of a breath, then he collapses on the couch and shifts until his head rests on my thigh. He places a hand on my stomach. “That’s an understatement…I needed to see you.”
