Page 105 of His Surrender
Relief crossed my brother’s face, and he turned away from me. “Be right there, Foss.”
“Vanya.” I grabbed his arm. “This conversation isn’t over.”
“Later,” he said. “Not now.”
I’d hold him to that.
Ivan went to see what Foster wanted, and I found Remi on the back porch with my mom. She was showing him her garden. I slid my hand into his and walked with him around the yard as Mom talked about her flowers and all the things she planned to plant that weekend. The weather was perfect for planting, according to her.
When the food was done, we sat around the dining room table as a family and ate. Warmth traveled through me as I realized Remi was now a part of our family. We didn’t have to be married for me to know I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.
Johnny got there after dinner, apologizing for being late. He was a music professor at the college and had a one-on-one tutoring session he’d had to attend before coming over.
“Sit,” Mom told him, guiding him toward the table. “I’ll make you a plate.”
“You’re much too kind, ma’am,” Johnny responded.
Dad and Johnny then got to talking. They hit it off extremely well too. Apparently, Johnny had been in the Navy for five years before realizing he wanted to teach music. They exchanged funny stories from their days in the military, mostly revolving around men in their units and the stupid shit they’d done to entertain themselves during long voyages.
“Look at that,” Remi said with a smile, watching them.
Ivan sat beside them and joined into the discussion while Foster sat on the couch and played a game on his phone. What did Ivan need to tell me? Whatever it was seemed to freak him out. Something about his time in the Corps.
“Come,” Mom said, walking by us with a tray that had a teapot, three cups, and dishes with cream and sugar.
We followed her to the sitting room, which we got to by passing through a sliding door on the other side of the dining room. She poured us each a cup of hot tea and talked about her life in Russia before immigrating to America. I sat down beside my boyfriend and pulled his chair close to me, listening to my mom’s stories from when she was a young girl. Many I’d heard, but I still enjoyed them.
“I love your family,” Remi said later that evening as we drove to my house.
“They love you too.” I turned onto my street and pulled into the driveway three houses later. “Just like I do.”
“I’ll never get tired of hearing you say that.”
Sputnik walked around our legs as we entered the house before going over to his empty food bowl and staring at me. I fed him and scratched his back as he started to eat. Remi had still been in dress clothes and had gone to my room to change. I pulled my phone from my back pocket and texted Ivan.
You owe me a conversation.
He texted back.Forget about it, Jay.
No, I replied.You can talk to me about anything.
I will, Ivan responded.When I’m ready.
Was he in some kind of trouble? Not knowing was driving me crazy. I’d hope if it was something serious he’d tell me.
“Have you responded to Andrew’s message yet?” Remi asked, walking into the kitchen. He’d taken off his shoes and changed into his sleep pants. No shirt.
I looked out the glass doors leading onto the back patio. Andrew had messaged me the day before, and I’d immediately shown Remi, who had been in bed next to me when I saw the notification on my Facebook messenger.
“Not yet,” I said before sighing. “I’m not sure I evenwantto respond or what to say if I did.”
I exited the conversation with Ivan and clicked on the message from Andrew, reading it again.
Jay.
I apologize for the way things went in New Orleans. It was just as much a shock to me as it was to you. Though so many years have passed, you have often crossed my mind. I carry so much guilt for the way I treated you when we were together. I know you’re happy now. Your man cares about you a lot. I can tell. I don’t wish to ruin that happiness. I only wish to extend my deepest apology once again and hope that one day you can forgive me.
-Andrew
