Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
“What do I think? I think you’re funny, laying your hand on your belly like that, as if you’re nine months along and ready to burst.” It’s only two weeks after we’ve come back to The Cove from Columbia, and she’s in full-on mama-to-be and queen-of-the-kingdom mode.
“I have a bump!” she protests, though her warm, dark eyes twinkle at me. “Honestly, Lev. You act as if it’s normal for me to have a belly like this.”
I brace my hands on either side of her slender frame and bend down to kiss her tiny belly. “You look like you had a burrito and maybe have a bit of indigestion.”
She bats me away but can’t help the grin that spreads across her face. “But I wasn’t even asking about my belly. Yet,” she amends. “What do you think about doing a nice, calm, neutral aesthetic?”
“Have you been talking to Polina again?”
“Of course,” she says with a sniff. “I never had a sister. I have years to make up for.” I was unprepared for how it would make me feel, seeing Isabella with my sister and mother. In some ways, I’ve taken it for granted, having a family like mine, something she never had. After all I’ve done to her, offering her the comfort of family and home seems like the least I could do.
I shrug. “I think you should do whatever the hell you want. I don’t care. You want to do rainbow-stripes or an underwater sea adventure or those cute little elephants, have at it.”
She snorts and purses her lips. “Cute little elephants?”
“You know,” I say, shrugging. “Those little cartoon ones they put on all the baby gift bags and shit.”
“Once again, we’ve hit another weirdly American thing. We don’t really do these elaborate theme things.”
I nod and shove my hands in my pocket. “Neutral it is. Do you have any Columbian traditions I do need to know about?”
She rests her hand on my arm. “I love that you’re asking.”
“I need to know these things. I mean, I could Google, but…”
“Much better to ask your wife. I like that theme.”
We walk out of the room hand in hand. I’ve learned that in some respects, it is better to ask my wife. The push and pull between us is something that thrills me. I never want to lose that spark, that fire. But Isabella knows her mind and I love that about her.
“Let’s see,” she says thoughtfully, as we walk toward the kitchen. “Baptism, of course. It’s a very significant event in my country. We have the ceremony and follow it with a large reception.”
I nod. “Done.” I pull out food and arrange it on the counter while she chops up lettuce.
“We do have baby showers.”
“Of course.” I take down plates and fill two glasses with water.
“In Columbia, we select the godparents fifteen days before the baby is born. We’ll have to talk about that, though, Lev.”
I put out silverware and nod. “You want Renata to be the godmother?”
She slides the chopped lettuce into a bowl and takes it to the sink to wash. “I do.”
Renata is still being held in captivity by Ollie. Though Isabella has said she trusts her, she didn’t argue when we told her we’d have to vet her thoroughly. That tells me she wants to be sure her best friend isn’t compromised either.
“Fair. I can make that happen.”
She takes out a container of rice and beans and begins to heat it up. I’ve gotten used to rice and beans around here, a staple of her diet and a nod to her heritage. “I’d like traditional foods at the baby shower. Empanadas, tamales, and arepas, please. And I’d like to help prepare them.”
“Makes sense. It’s important you help me understand what and how you want to celebrate your family’s traditions.”
She plates rice and beans for both of us. “Of course.” Reaching across the table, she squeezes my hand. “Thank you. I guess I must forgive you, hmm? Your groveling really is quite touching, mi querido jefe.”
I take my hand away and roll my eyes. “Is that so?” She’s not wrong. A man does not screw around with a woman’s birth control, knock her up, and go about his day like he didn’t majorly fuck up.
We’ve made peace with it all, though. We fought long and hard to get to where we are and we will still, but we’ve made it this far. She’s pregnant, and no longer furious at me for putting her in this position. She talks about the baby’s coming with excitement. She’ll be such a good mama to our baby.
We’ve united our two families. And while we still have a long way to go when it comes to outing all our enemies and putting an end to the threats against us, we both know this: we’ll always have to be vigilant. There will always be another threat, another danger. But with our families joined together, we’re so much stronger than we’ve ever been before.