The smell of the ocean waves hitting the sand filled my nose.
Children build sandcastles and play in the water.
Everyone was happy.
Their happiness helped my rainstorm of sadness. When I got the phone call about Dmitri's death on my way to Alessia's house. I couldn't function, I had to pull my car over before I crashed.
Everything after that phone was blurry. All I know is that I pulled over and then I was on a plane. I flew to Russia first to see it for myself. I didn't answer my phone that first week.
Then I called Alessia back, we let our emotions run over the phone. I was going to call Lorenzo but I couldn't push myself to hit that call button.
I didn't want him to see me at my worst, not right now at least. I was at the funeral blending in the crowd. The whole mafia and some other mafias came to show love to Dmitri.
We didn't do the whole speech thing because it was just too much. I left right after they buried him and came to Paris to clear my mind.
Now, two months after that horrible day, it's time for me to go back.
I have a lot of responsibilities now that I can't abandon or ignore them.
My dress waved in the wind as I walked, rubbing my growing belly.
I was going to go home a month ago but then I found out about the lives that are growing in my womb and I needed more time to handle it.
I'm five months pregnant with twins.
I'm going to have Lorenzo's babies.
Who would've thought Alessia and I would be creating our own families.
She's going to have my niece in two months. Her eight month belly takes over most of her body but she carries it well.
I look like how she was at seven months but it's normal since i'm growing a little girl and boy in my womb.
Hopefully, Lorenzo isn't too mad at me. I'm not going to be able to do this all by myself. I will always have Alessia but she's about to have her own baby and get married soon. I don't want to bother her too much.
But I have to handle my own responsibilities.
I'm going to go back to the place I grew up to call home and tell my loved ones about the little people in my belly.
We're going to go to Russia and claim our throne and become the queen's our parents knew we would be.
•••
"Inanna!"
Alessia ran, well wobbling towards me before she paused.
She stared at my growing belly and then looked at my face.
"Инанна Фрост Не могу поверить, что ты скрывал это от меня. Ты беременна!" (Inanna Frost I can't believe you kept this from me. You are pregnant!)
I walked up to her and wrapped my arms around her. Her tears wet my shoulders as mine did to hers.
"Мне так жаль. Я должен был сказать тебе раньше. Я на пятом месяце беременности твоей племянницей и племянником." (I am so sorry. I should have told you earlier. I am five months pregnant with your niece and nephew.)
"О Боже!" (Oh My God)
We stood there for some time, holding each other and enjoying each other's presence.
"When did you find out? Are you going to tell Lorenzo?"
We're now at this restaurant eating. I'm kind of dodging Lorenzo, well more like prolonging us seeing each other.
He's going to be so mad at me.
"I found out right a month after papa died, while I was in Paris. I was going to come back home then but I just needed to process this some more. I found out the gender last week and that's when I knew it was time for me to come home. Plus, we have a throne to take and of course I'm going to tell Lorenzo."
I stuffed the pasta into my mouth.
Eating has been a love of mine since I was young but it's nothing like now. I now eat everything because of these babies.
It's like I'm vacuum cleaning, sucking up all of this food. I don't know how my mother did this.
"He's been worried about you. I told him you were okay, but you should've called him or texted."
"I know and I wish I could change how I treated him these past two months but it's too late. I just hope that he can forgive me enough to help me with our babies."
"You know how he is. He isn't going to abandon you and you guy's babies. You just need to tell him soon before someone finds out and tells him."
"Well, we're going after this. I can't hold this in any longer."
Once, we were done with our food. Alessia's driver took me home.
"He's home," Alessia mumbled, looking at his car in the driveway.
Damn, I thought I would have more time to think.
One of Lorenzo's men helped me out of the car and with my bags.
His eyes widened at my belly but he didn't say anything.
Lorenzo opened the door as soon as I hit the steps.
"Who's in my driveway-,"
The phone in his hand hit the ground and shattered into pieces once he made eye contact with me.
