Forbidden Bliss✔ (Completed)

Chapter 8

*Améthyste Joie*

That was way too much vodka last night.

I winced as consciousness drifted back to shore and sat up in bed, her old bed. Next to me, Alexei breathed quietly which told me that the time was before five my time back in Edenfield. I slid out of bed and went to hunt for some Aspirin. Having a child had since taught me to prepare for the worst possible scenario and so I always travelled with a contingency plan of the contingency plan. I rummaged through my toiletry bag and came out with two tablets then went to the kitchen for some water. Memories of lonely birthdays and chocolate soufflés flooded my mind as I opened cupboards until I found a glass.

Part of me wished I had invited Alek to stay the night but I had decided against it seeing as half her relatives were sleeping in the twenty eight bedrooms and she didn't want to leave Alexei alone. Nothing like comfort-sex to pick me up. Alek had gone back to his hotel for a conference call after the funeral and Lilia, well my best friend was still too pissed to come to the funeral. This was a good thing; I thought as I placed the glass on the bedside table and slid back into the crisp white sheets, I couldn't deal with Lilia's control-freak tendencies right now.

I eventually fell back to sleep and woke up to a light assaulting my eyes as Mrs Coulter pulled the curtains apart. My hand instinctively pawed for Alexei next to me but did not find him. She shot up and looked around.

"Oh Mademoiselle, the little one is downstairs in the kitchen with your cousin." I pushed my hair out of my face, "Do you wish for me to bring your breakfast?"

"Uh, no thank you. I'll head downstairs." I found my nightgown, put it on and walked out. This reminded me of old times, Mrs Coulter waking me up for school, giving me a message from my father or setting out my school uniform.

"Mhmm, something smells like coffee." I said sleepily as I walked into the kitchen and kissed Alexei's dark, ruffled head.

Natalia eyed me as I poured the dark brown liquid, "Worst coffee in the world." She mumbled and loaded a spoonful of cereal into her mouth, "You have ruined me for all coffees."

It can't be that bad, I thought and took a swing after adding milk and sugar, "My gosh, you're right. It tastes like coffee flavoured poison." I winced and dumped the disgusting contents of my cup and the coffee maker into the sink. "Did they let André go?" I rinsed the glass jug and made fresh coffee, "Whoever made this should be convicted of a crime."

"I think it's one of our second cousins, or Aunt Greta. But if we are convicting people of bad coffee we should also round you up for that disastrous macaroni and cheese." Natalia made gagging noises with her throat.

"It wasn't that bad." Amy defended herself.

"Bad? That sticky chunk of glob left a dent on the kitchen floor and burnt part of the tile." She shook her head, "Who tanks mac and cheese?"

Alexei giggled, "Mommy does."

"You got that right little buddy, you've got that right." Natalia nodded and turned to Amy, "So what did—" she gestured her head toward Alexei's downcast head, "—want yesterday?"

"He said he was adding emotional perks to our relationship. Came to support me." I shrugged.

"Did you tell him about—" she glanced at Alexei again.

I scoffed and poured ground beans into the machine and turned it on, "You would know if had. Do you think I'd still be alive?"

"Fair point." Natalia nodded, "But eventually you will have to tell him. Preferably before one of them needs a kidney transplant or a blood donation."