His Estranged Mate

Chapter 3: Bastard

CATRINA

I look into the baby's blue eyes as she gazes around herself trying to take in her surroundings. Her grip on my finger is pretty strong for a sick child and she's giggles when I let her twist my finger. I cry out in a fake attempt to make her comfortable. Dr. Vasil uses this opportunity to inject the syringe in the baby girl's other arm while I completely distract her. She only winces at the bite of the needle.

Once she's bandaged properly, I pick her up and take her over to her mother who's waiting anxiously and perhaps waiting for the cry of her daughter.

"It's done, Mrs. Volkov. She didn't even shed a tear," I say and hand over the baby to her mother.

"Oh, thank you. I thought she would throw a tantrum."

"Oh no. You have a brave little daughter. Aren't you brave, Lapochka?" I speak to the baby, waving my finger in front of her face, and watch as she giggles and catches my finger, twisting it. I laugh at her antics.

"She's just got the flu. Lots of fluids and sleep will do wonders. Don't worry," I tell the mother while she holds her now fussy daughter. After giving them proper instructions on the anti-biotics, I head towards Mrs. Ivanov's room. It has been a couple of days since the incident when he came to visit her and ignored me and today, Mrs. Ivanov is going to be discharged. I just want to say goodbye to baby Aiden and his mother which has nothing to do with the green-eyed monster who's haunted me for the last seven years. I reassure myself.

Knocking on the door and then twisting the knob to enter the room, I freeze when I see the new parents all ready to leave and their baby in a third person's arms. Don't they have any other friends? Why does he have to come here?

Why me? Doesn't the God Almighty have any other sinner to punish instead of me?

"Hey, Catrina. Thank you so much for looking after my wife and son. You were professional as well as a friend to her when she needed a woman by her side," compliments Mr. Ivanov and I blush, embarrassed that I am standing at the door without entering or greeting them.

That's completely unprofessional. Just his presence has me flustered and my emotions are all over the place. Fuck him! No, I don't want to. Shit!

"Uhhh, thank you, Mr. Ivanov. It is my job to make the new mother comfortable," I say.

"We have been given the "all clear" by Dr. Beaupre. He suggested that you are the appointed nurse to us if we ever need any help from the hospital staff," says Mrs. Ivanov.

"Yes, that's what I came here for. You can call me anytime you need my help. Do you need me for anything now?" I ask, desperately wanting to turn and walk back to the nurses' station rather than have him stare holes on my head.

"Oh no. We were just leaving. Our friend's here to help us. You remember Connor?" she asks and I curse her, mentally, of course.

She turns her head towards him making me turn my head and my gaze collides with his which were probably ready to glare at me. I nod at him, professionally and not wanting to be rude to Mrs. Ivanov.

"Well then. Take care," I say in the hopes of escaping. I don't want to sound rude but neither do I want to wait and get ignored like I did last time. I don't want to get my heart shattered into pieces especially when Mrs. Ivanov is trying to have us talk to each other.

Not happening!

So, I don't wait and take a U-turn, walking back towards the nurses' station, silently expecting him to follow me but he doesn't. Why would he? He made it clear all those years ago that he didn't think of me as a permanent part of his life. I was just a temporary fuck buddy.