That Summer In The Country

Forty-six:

Forty-six:

Alina was in the middle of cooking lunch for Mika when they got the phone call. Aleksander, who was reading to the little boy by the table, picked it up. "Genya?" he said. "Slow down. What's wrong?"

Alina could hear Genya, panicked, on other end of the phone but she couldn't make out what she was saying. Whatever it was, Aleksander furrowed his brows together in worry. Alina stopped what she was doing and turned off the stove so that she could watch. Aleksander stood up from where he was standing.

"What do you mean, Mal was there?" he asked. "He was talking with Zoya?"

Aleksander stroked his bearded chin. "Genya, please slow down. What are you talking about?"

"Petyr was there? Petyr...."

Alina flinched at the mention of Nikolai's father. She glanced at Mika, who was sitting there innocently coloring. Alina couldn't imagine how a child that was so sweet would come from something so terrible. She was not someone that liked violence, but someone like Peytr needed to be hurt as badly as the ones that he had hurt. Or to simply not be. Aleksander was listening intensely to Genya as she hurriedly described everything that had happened.

"Yes, I can...of course I can," said Aleksander, "meet me at the airport. I'll get you out of here as fast as I can."

The call ended, and Aleksander looked up at Alina.

"What's happened?" Alina asked.

"Mal went to the engagement party," Aleksander explained, "him and Genya were talking, and Petyr heard the whole thing. He confronted Genya, and he's demanding that she give him Mika."

Alina shook her head. "No. Absolutely not. That's not happening."

"Of course not," said Aleksander, "we're helping Genya escape. I need you to come with me to help keep Mika calm. I don't exactly have a calming presence."

"I'll come. Sure."

Aleksander reached out and took her hand in his. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you everything from the beginning. It wasn't my story to tell. I was trying to be---"

"Honorable," Alina finished, "I get that."

"If you want to go with Mal, I won't stop you. I know that you've said that you were in love with him and...."

Alina shook her head. "I'm not leaving you, Aleks."

"Is this because of your aunt?" Aleksander said. "Because I would never fire her because things ended up badly because of the two of us. She's been with our family for years. I'm...."

"I'm with you," Alina said.

He looked up at her sheepishly. "Good. Are you ever going to enlighten me as to why?"

She smirked. "Well, I mean, the black card you've given me does help."

He chuckled. "As long as your motivations are pure, then."

"Always."

She kissed him, and from beside them Mika made a face. "Ew!" he blurted. "Don't kiss."

Alina blushed, and Aleksander smirked. "Only because you're such a gentleman, Mika. Come on. I'm going to help you pack your things and we're going to help and go see your mom. Is that okay?"

Mika nodded. "Okay."

The two of them helped get Mika ready, putting his things in his backpack. Alina carried him out to the car and she sat him on her lap since they didn't have a car seat. They drove to the airport in silence.

"Did Mommy's party go badly?" Mika asked. "Is that why I'm going home early?"

Alina squeezed his hand. "Your Mom just wants to see you sooner. That's all. Everything's fine, okay?"

"Okay," said Mika with a nod.

They rode in intense silence, with Mika watching a tablet the whole time. Alina gripped Aleksander's hand tightly. When they finally arrived at the private airport Aleksander owned, Genya was there waiting for them. Standing next to her was a tall, dark haired young man with brown skin.

Alina assumed this must have been her fiancé, judging by the way that he was holding her close. Alina got out, carrying Mika close to her chest. Genya ran to the two of them and swept Mika up in her arms.

"Mommy!" Mika called out.

Genya smiled at him. "My little boy," she said, "are you okay?"

Mika nodded and buried his head in her shoulders.

Genya turned to Aleksander. "Thank you. I'm so sorry to burden you again..."

"You're not a burden, Genya," said Aleksander, "don't ever think of yourself like that."

Genya smiled. "Well, thank you either way."

"Don't worry about Petyr. I'll handle him," Aleksander said.

She smiled. "You're always rescuing people. Maybe let Mal see that sometimes. He still thinks you're the big, bad wolf."

"What makes you think I don't like being the big, bad wolf Genya?" Aleksander said.

Genya glanced over at Alina. "I don't think you'd reach for bright, soft girls if that were the case."

Alina frowned. "I'm not certain if I should take that as a compliment or an insult."

She laughed. "You didn't see him before. It's a compliment."

Genya kissed her little boy on the cheek, then she glanced at her fiancé. "Come on, David. Let's go."

"Of course, my love." David reached out to take her hand, and the two of them boarded the plane together. As they disappeared, Mika waved his tiny hands at them. Alina waved back.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" Alina asked.

"I hope so," Aleksander answered, "I'm going to try my hardest to make sure that they are. But Petyr's reach is vast...."

Alina wrapped her arms around Aleksander's waist and rested her head on his chest. "Don't do anything to make me lose you, please. I couldn't...."

"I know," he said, "I won't."

He kissed her on the forehead and then dragged her back into the black sedan car, and the driver took them home.