Falling In Love with Mr. Motherf**ker

Family You Choose

Clara's POV

It was Sunday, almost midnight, and I was working the whole weekend again. As I made my rounds, checking in with customers and taking orders, I reached the lounge where Ivan, one of our regulars, called out to me.

"Sup, Ivan?" I asked, trying to sound cheerful despite my exhaustion.

"Beautiful, you are still sad!" he exclaimed with his strong Russian accent.

"I'm never sad, Ivan. You should know that by now," I said, approaching him to refill his shot glass with vodka.

"You sit down with us! We make you happy," he insisted, grabbing my hand and pulling me to sit next to him.

"Ivan, I told you already, you can do this to hookers, not me!" I hissed.

"Oh, stop being like this. You are family and I treat you as such. You're like the daughter I never had! Now you give out last call and join us! Today we drink to make Clara happy!" He yelled, and the family cheered in agreement.

Ivan had been coming to my bar with his family since before I started working there. He'd been a big support during my tough times, even helping me navigate difficult situations with Jayson. I nodded and went to give out the last call.

"Hey guys, sorry for that, but we have to close earlier today due to some technical issues. Can I get you anything else, or may I bring you the bill?" I asked the first table, forcing a smile.

FLASHBACK

"Okay, so the last thing you need to learn here is how to handle our 'special' customers," Cody, my new colleague, said on my third day working at the bar. "Here's the guest list for the VIP lounge. Only these guys are allowed in, unless they bring someone with them. Ivan is coming today with his 'family,' and Jayson wants you to serve them. Friendly advice? Do whatever they ask, don't look them in the eyes, and be as respectful as you can. Don't ask stupid questions. Follow my advice, and you'll be fine."

Half an hour later, the doors opened to reveal two men with heavy Russian accents. One was shorter than me, the other much bigger. Cody nudged me to go after them.

"The shorter one is Ivan. Be on his good side," he whispered.

I rolled my eyes and walked over.

"Good evening, sir. What can I get for you?" I smiled brightly.

Ivan whistled. "Since when is this place hiring pornstars?" he laughed.

I felt a surge of anger but managed to keep a straight face. "Sir, may I ask you to leave the room? I need to speak to your... colleague... privately."

He looked at Ivan, who nodded, and the other man left.

"Sir, now listen." I pulled out a chair and sat in front of him, determined to be on his level. "You might be used to my colleagues cowering at your presence, but that ends now. You demand respect? Great. Me too. I'll stand up, ask you the same question, and you're going to reply as if your mother were sitting right next to you. And don't try to tell me how I could lose my job. If you're in a position to fire me, you can do so without a public service announcement. Thank you for understanding."

I stood up and put the chair back. His face remained unreadable. "Good evening, sir. What can I get for you today?"

"Beluga, gold line. Three glasses," he said, finally softening.

I walked out, my hands shaking. Cody had already prepared the vodka, so I took the glasses and returned.

"CODY! She's on break now!" Ivan called out, motioning for me to sit down. I gulped as I saw him pour the vodka—something that should have been my job.

"I like you. Call me Ivan. This is Vlad," he said, as Vlad nodded in agreement. "You are brave, and you stand up for yourself." He handed me a glass. "Today, you don't work. Today, you drink with us." He smiled and raised his glass in a toast.

This memory was one of my favorites. A few days later, Ivan learned about my love for Russian culture. A week later, he called me family. A month later, he arranged for a raise so I could be on the same pay grade as Jayson, and I had a strong suspicion he was making up the difference himself. They taught me poker and were the reason I stayed at the bar for so long. I knew I could always call Ivan if something went wrong, though fortunately, I never needed to.

BACK TO PRESENT

After everyone had left, I sat down with Ivan's family in the lounge.

"So what's troubling you, kid?" Ivan asked.

"Nothing," I replied, taking my first shot.

"Nothing? Since when are you lying to us?" Ivan asked, disappointed. The shivers ran down my spine. He could be really intimidating.

"It's nothing important, Ivan," I began, but a tear slipped down my cheek. Ivan's patience was legendary, and I knew he'd wait me out. "It's just boy troubles. This guy is playing me, and I'm letting him, and it hurts. Nothing you should even pay attention to," I said quietly, taking another shot.

"Clara, Clara... Your heart is full of love. Imagine a balloon. The more you blow into it, the easier it is to burst. You're filling your heart with love, and it's too full. It's a good thing because our love differentiates us from monsters. Do you understand?" he said.

I nodded, though I didn't really grasp what he meant. There was a moment of silence as everyone looked at me.

"No. I don't understand," I admitted, and the entire group burst out laughing, even Ivan.

"Bring a new bottle and tell us all about this man," Ivan said, tears of laughter in his eyes.

After an hour of drunkenly recounting my story with Mark, I realized the absurdity of the situation. Here I was, telling eight drunken Russian men about my failed relationship. The best part was how invested they were in my story.

"So, he was cheating on you?" Vlad asked.

"No, they were never officially together," Igor interjected.

"Well, that's because they COULD NOT HAVE BEEN OFFICIALLY TOGETHER, YOU APE. Are you even listening? He lied to her about being on the train," Ivan said, getting animated.

"Yeah! And I don't know what this bitch is lying about... like wha- what else," I stuttered drunkenly.

"I can persuade him not to lie again," Igor said, struggling to stand. "Give me his name!" he demanded, and I laughed at the image in my head.

I looked at my watch. It was almost three in the morning.

"Hey! I have school today!" I cried out.

"FUCK!" They groaned in unison.

"Wait! We can walk you to school," Vlad said through his hiccups. I handed him a glass of water.

"No guys. Just... call me an Uber so I can sleep this off," I giggled.

And so they did. They walked me to the car and warned the driver to get me home safe. Let's just say his hands were shaking the whole ride.