Malkin and Me

Chapter Twelve

"Kat!" I shrieked as loud as I could. I heard a crash from downstairs. After a few moments she slunk into the room, looking like a beaten dog.
"What the hell were you thinking? You lied to me, you lied to Mama! This is no way to gain trust, this isn't how you get what you want!" I shouted.
"But I'm here, so it obviously worked," Kat said, crossing her arms. I thrust the phone at her.
"Talk to Mama about it," I said and stomped out of the room. Evgeni just watched after me, eventually following when Kat began to argue with my mother.
"I'm confused," he said, finding me on the stairs.
"She lied. My mother never said she could come, but she just came anyway," I said and sighed.
"Oh," Evgeni said softly. He twisted his fingers in my hair, relaxing my scalp.
"I just don't get it. I've tried so hard to teach her good morals. Why does she think lying is okay?"
"She probably just though, 'Oh, Lida gets to live in America, why can't I?' Know what I mean?" Evgeni soothed. I sighed again, leaning into him.
"I love you so much," I whispered. He kissed the top of my head. After several minutes, and the muffled sound of shouting, Kat yelled for me to come to the phone. When I took it, I could tell my mama was still angry but trying not to argue with me.
"I guess she can stay for a little while. I would hate for Evgeni to have wasted all the money on a ticket there just to send her home. But punish her, Lida! I mean it!"
"Of course, Mama," I said.
"Make sure she eats well!"
"You know I will," I said.
"Oh Lida. I'm sorry. Just... make sure she calls everyday," My mother said, sounding dejected. I knew she was alone now, and I felt bad for her. I also was happy to have Kat here now though. The conflicting emotions were beginning to make me feel dizzy. When I hung up, Kat chewed her lip nervously. I said nothing.
"Well?" she finally demanded.
"You can stay... for now," I said. Kat let out a cheer and lept in the air. Evgeni gave me a shocked look and I smiled.

In the morning, I made omlettes.
"Aw, but Lida you know I hate omlettes," Kat complained.
"That's the point. I told Mama I would punish you," I said. Evgeni laughed.
"With eggs?" he snickered. We joined him in his laughter.

At the game that afternoon, Kat had the time of her life. It was her first NHL game. She clasped me everytime Evgeni had the puck and she screeched at every shot.
"Katy, calm down," I suggested, laughing.
"I think I love him more than you do!" She joked, hoarse from screaming. I pinched her side and we laughed.

I felt so much more at home and happy with Kat there. When Evgeni went away, we went shopping. We dressed up in high heels and skirts, wearing big sunglasses and pretending to be famous. In the stores, associates tried to help us but we shrugged them off, giggling and buying everything we liked. When Evgeni came back, the basement was completely re-done. Kat's room was now blue and silver, with a patterened bedspread and rug. We hung a disco ball from the ceiling and jumped on the bed. Evgeni didn't often partake in our charades but he laughed along with us. At night, I completely forgot about Kat, laying in bed with him.

"Evgeni," I whispered, my lips brushing against his shoulder. He rolled back a little, his eyes half closed.
"Zaychik moy," he said. His voice sounded rough.
"Were you asleep?"
"No... What's the matter?"
"Nothing. I am just so happy." Evgeni's face lit up, and he squeezed me tightly, kissing my forehead.
"That's all I want in the world," he said.
"You are... amazing. You are everything I've ever wanted and so much more. I can't believe that this is real life. I feel like I live in a movie," I said, tracing shapes on his chest.
"Lid, I love you. I will always love you. There is nothing I wouldn't do for you. Thank you for being happy," he said, pulling me closer to him. I kissed his lips, and rolled over, cuddling against him. We spooned all night, so I was surprised when I woke up in the morning that I couldn't feel him behind me. Normally that would have woken me up. I rubbed my eyes, rolling over and still not finding him. When I sat up, I noticed a heart shaped sticky note on the door handle. I climbed out of bed, peeling it off.
Your freckles, because even the angels love you. It read. Confused, I opened the door. There was a trail of sticky notes leading down the stairs.
Your laugh, like your soul is singing read the next one.
The little noises you make in your sleep.
When you laugh at your own jokes.
The way you hold my hand in both of yours.
Your kisses.
Your political opinions.
Your morals.
Your crowded bottom teeth.
The expression on your face when I get home.
Breakfast with you.
The way you cry.
You. Was the last one. It was underlined. I looked up, a pile of sticky notes in hand.
"Those aren't even a quarter of the things I love about you," Evgeni said.
"Love, this is too much," I whispered.
"Lida, you are my everything. My happiness relies solely upon yours. I know without you my life would lose all joy, all meaning, all light. I am asking you to never put me in the dark," he said, dropping to one knee. "I am asking you to marry me, and let me be there for you for the rest of our lives, to love you forever and to have everything." The sticky notes made a sound like birds wings as they fluttered against the ground. In Evgeni's hand was a ring, he was on one knee.
"Me?" I whispered. "You really want me, forever?"
"No, I'm just fucking with you," Evgeni said. I crossed the two steps between us, wrapping my arms around him and kissing him everywhere as he stood up.
"Of course, of course, of course. Yes, one thousand times," I said. I could feel his smile but I couldn't stop kissing him.
"Zaychik moy," he whispered against me and I remembered the first time he called me that.

Engaged! I couldn't believe it.