Page 37 of Lenkov

“I gots cousins?” Jaycee asks.

“Yeah, buddy. Quite a few. And you’ll get to meet your Grandma and eat her food.” I groan. “It’s so good.”

“Like what?” he wrinkles his face.

“All the best Russian classics. You are part Russian, so you should learn about these things.” I launch into explanations of some of my favorite foods as I run my hand up and down Rylee’s arm.

She’s gone quiet, and I’m unsure how to gauge what’s going on in her head. I nuzzle her neck.

“You doing, okay?” I whisper.

“I don’t know what I am.” She shakes her head.

“Fair.”

“Where are we going?”

“My parents' house. It’s the fallback point when anything major goes down.”

“And this happens often?” She asks, alarmed.

“Every now and then.”

She closes her eyes. “Jesus.”

“Mary and Joseph,” Jaycee chimes in.

I snicker. “You’re right. Those were his parents, buddy.” We pull up to find guards at the gate waiting for us. They open the fence by hand, and we pull through with a wave.

“Ready to meet the in-laws?” I ask teasingly.

“No. I’m still in my pajamas.” I glance down at the Minnie mouse pants and t-shirt.

“Don’t worry, you won’t be the only one.” I kiss her temple as we park.

“Does she know about us?” Rylee whispers.

“No. I hadn’t gotten around to it.”

“Lenkov.”

“Smile. Mama’s walking out with Papa.”

“I’m going to kill you when this is over,” she mumbles as she unbuckles Jaycee.

“Honey, are you ready to meet your grandparents?” she asks cheerfully.

I push the door open and find myself on the wrong end of my mother’s brown-eyed glare. The censure and disappointment she conveys hit hard. I glance down, wishing I hadn’t put off updating her. At least Papa told her before we arrived, and they exited the car.

“Where’s my new grandbaby and that pretty girl who’s got to put up with you, Lenkov?” I smile, grateful for her big heart.

I hold out my hand and help her down. This isn’t how I wanted to introduce them, but it’s a positive made from a shitty day.

“This is Rylee and Jaycee Mama.”

“Welcome to the family.” She holds her arms out, and the two walk forward hesitantly, accepting her embrace. “Everything is going to be just fine. The Orlovs know how to weather the storm. The boys will have their meeting now and be up to the wee hours. Let me get the two of you settled into Lenkov’s room.”

Rylee looks over her shoulder, and I nod.

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