Teach Me How To Love

Chapter 11 - Late Night Visitor

She eventually found her way to catering when the show was over and grabbed a bottle of water and a bag of pretzels on her way out of the door. Her phone rang in her back pocket and she pulled it out, exiting through the back door to escape the noise as she answered it.

"Hello?"

"Yelena? It's your father." Her dad said in Russian.

"Hey daddy, how are you?" she said, switching over to her native tongue. Her father spoke English well, but she knew he preferred her to speak Russian.

"I'm doing fine honey. Your mother is grating on my last nerve though"

Yelena rolled her eyes "Yeah she's very good at it. What's wrong with her now?" she asked.

"She keeps complaining about how you've been ignoring her phone calls".

Yelena sighed. She knew her mother would eventually whine to her father about her. It was just like her to play the victim.

"Did she tell you why I've been ignoring her calls?" she asked, growing annoyed when her father told her no. She briefly told him about what had happened that night and her father sighed.

"I understand why you're upset with her. Your mother can be very blunt and inconsiderate of other people's feelings sometimes."

"Tell me about it" Yelena muttered.

"But you know that's the way she is, so you shouldn't hold it against her. You know that you don't need to lose any more weight, don't you?"

"I guess." she said softly.

"You don't. You're perfect just the way you are. Remember, you can't take everything she says to heart".

"I know dad." she sighed.

Her father was right. She couldn't hold a grudge forever, but she just wished her mother would be a little bit more sensitive towards her, considering what she's been through.

"Give her a call. She's really sorry and I'm tired of hearing her complain. If you value your poor father's sanity, you'd give her a call."

She laughed, knowing that her mother was probably driving him insane.

"I'll give her a call." she agreed.

"That's all I ask. Well I'm going to go to bed. I'll talk to you soon. I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too dad. Good night." she said before hanging up.

She loved her dad. While her mother was busy spoiling her sisters rotten, Yelena was more of a Daddy's girl. She loved her father dearly and valued his opinion over any other. He always defended her against her mother and was there for her no matter what. She was glad that someone was on her side. Irina always sucked up to her mother and Valilisa smartly chose to exercise her right to remain silent, so her father was all she had really.

"I didn't know you spoke another language" a voice spoke behind her.

She turned and found Mike and Punk along with Rosa Mendes.

"What was that, German?" Mike asked.

"Russian, and yeah I speak three different languages; Russian, Italian, and Spanish"

"No way, say something dirty in Spanish." Mike asked, enthusiastically.

"Mike!" Rosa chided, shaking her head.

"What?" he asked as Phil rolled his eyes "Consider it your initiation. Let's hear it, new girl." Yelena smirked.

"Eres un idiota pomposo con una gran boca" she said smugly. She had taken care to say it flirtaciously.