Where The Spirit Meets The Bone

Sixty-eight: Alina Starkov

Sixty-eight:

Alina Starkov

To Alina, who has to deal with her feet swelling, morning sickness, and sometime not even being able to eat anything, the baby can't come fast enough. Aleksander, on the other hand, has gone into full on father mode. Since killing The Darkling, he stayed at home more. He kept his work in his study instead of going to the office.

Alina watched, from a couch in the den one day, as he went back and forth baby proofing the apartment. "Aleks," she chided him from her spot on the couch, "we won't need to worry about any of this for months."

He popped his head into the den. "We have to be ready, Alina! In case you've forgotten, you glow anytime Sun Spot so much as moves inside of you. This isn't you're average baby. We've got to make certain that Sun Spot can't do things like light our kitchen on fire."

Alina frowned. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Well, that's why you've got me," he said with a smirk.

"I don't know that's how the power works----it's just light----it's not fire."

"Light can get hot enough to burn things," Aleksander reminded her, "it produces heat, remember?"

"Right," she said, "alright, but I still think you're being paranoid."

He paused whatever new task he'd started doing then went into the room, leaning over her on the couch, and kissed her. "You'll thank me when the baby doesn't set our breakfast on fire."

Alina tilted her head to the side. "Are you.... baby proofing the toaster?"

He kissed her again. "I have work to do. Relax." He swept from the room, leaving her very confused, and Alina returned to the drawing she'd been working on beforehand.

She liked watching him prepare to be a father. The baby hadn't even arrived yet, and already, she could see how much he was going to love them. Aleksander had conquered his past and she felt safe with him. They had an entire future together that she was extremely excited about. Her, Aleksander, and their Sun Spot.

She placed a hand on her stomach. She was three months along now, just beginning to show. Soon, there would be a baby in the house. A baby that was part her, and part Aleksander. When she first got married, the idea of being married to him, had left her terrified. But he had dealt with his past, and now they were ready to face their future together.

Alina wished that she could do something for him to show him her gratitude. Alina pushed herself up off of the couch and went to go find Baghra. She was in her room, knitting of all things. It was the most elderly thing that Alina had ever seen her do. Alina tilted her head to the side. "Are you knitting?"

Baghra frowned but kept on knitting. "It keeps my hands from getting stiff and keeps me active. What do you want, daughter-in-law?"

"I want to do something for Aleks," said Alina, "I think he's changed a lot....and he's been so good to me, I thought that it would be nice to do something for him. But I don't know what to do."

Baghra smiled. "Aren't you sweet? What is it that you would like to do?"

"I thought I could cook him dinner," she said, "but the problem is---"

"You've never cooked before."

Alina nodded. "I have never cooked before. Well, nothing complicated, but peanut butter and jelly sandwiches aren't exactly the most romantic meal on the planet. I thought that we could have a romantic dinner at the country estate, but we need to get him there, and he's been obsessing over everything baby related lately. I thought you could tell him that you weren't feeling well, and you needed a weekend jaunt to the countryside."

Baghra raised an eyebrow. "A jaunt to the countryside, eh? Are you sure you aren't the one that's old?"

"The last time we were there, we were attacked," Alina reminded her, "we were supposed to spend two more weeks there. I would love to take us back to that moment and fix it. I want us to finish our honeymoon."

Baghra smiled. "That's awfully romantic of you. I like to see the two of you getting along so well."

"I do too," she said.

"Alright, I can get him to the countryside. You're going to want to have Barker Porter teach you to cook though. I'm not exactly the most domestic of women. I was raised to run a household, not take care of it."

"Alright," Alina said, "but you'll help me get him there?"

"Conning my son into relaxation? Yes, I believe I can do that," said Baghra with a smile.

"Thank you, Baghra."

"Of course, my dear. We are family now, after all."