The Wrong Way Around

8. Teddy

I was going to puke. I could feel it rising in my stomach, especially as Millie came downstairs, dressed in a lilac-colored, knee-length dress. Her brown hair was curled and styled. Even Ollie was dressed nicely, wearing a pair of black pants and a dark blue button-up. It's been a couple of days since we moved in, and things were moving way too fast, including my heart. For the past couple of nights, since Aleks opened up to me, he's been coming into my room and saying goodnight to our baby. I was barely two months pregnant, but I could already tell he was going to be an amazing father. I was starting to see the man I met that day who saved me off the side of the road. Not the scary Bravta boss that killed a man in front of me. 

"I think we should wait," I said, nervously tugging on my dress. 

"Temnota...We've waited enough," Aleks sighed, trying to wrestle Ollie into a jacket. "My mom's been asking to meet you for the past several days." 

"Do we have to take the kids?" 

"I want her to meet you. She wants to meet you." 

"Relax, Teddy," Millie smiled, going over to her sister to hug her. 

"Listen to your sister. Relax. We're meeting at a restaurant, in a public place. She can't kill you in public," Aleks smirked. 

My mouth opened in shock. "Bad joke?" 

"Would she really?" I whispered. 

"Well..." he hummed, shrugging with a grin. 

"You're teasing me," I scoffed. 

"My mother was a pahkan's wife. She knows how to protect herself when needed. Something you will learn in time," Aleks assured me. Sensing my distress, he came over to me, brushing a piece of hair from my face. My eyes went to his impossibly blue ones, my heart fluttering faster. "She's gonna love you." 

"Everything seems so fast. Ollie just barely got comfortable enough to eat." 

"We're getting married next week. This is the easy part." 

"Meeting your family isn't easy," I groaned. 

"Your mom is nervous, malysh...Go give her a hug," Aleks whispered to Ollie. 

My heart warmed at their newly formed bond, Ollie running into my legs. Millie gave me a secret smile as I hugged Ollie. Taking my hand in his, he squeezed it. "Thanks, love-bug. Okay...Let's get this night over with." 

We filed into Aleks's car, and drove toward the restaurant, with an entourage following. It was still weird seeing all the men with guns attached to their hips. But so far, they've been helpful and respectful to me and my kids. Aleks drove to the restaurant, looking calm and relaxed. My heart continued to flutter, my hand twitching to hold his. As he pulled into Little Russia, my eyes went to the storefronts and the Russian names on the storefronts. I couldn't read them, but as I looked at Aleks, I remembered what he told me a couple of nights ago. This would be my baby's heritage, and I was surprisingly okay with that. 

"We're here...This is my mom's favorite restaurant. We've been coming here for years." 

My stomach twisted as he parked. He stiffened, cursing under his breath. "Blyat'. "

"What?" I asked. 

"My sister is here. Fucking Koyla." 

"Oh..." 

"I'm so sorry, Temnota...I assumed it would just be my mother. We can leave if you want." 

"At least we'll get all the introductions out of the way, huh?" I lamely joked. "Let's get this over with."