Or perhaps it’s not over just yet.
“You have one child each. Whose turn is it next?”
“Turn for what,Babulya?” I ask her.
“For a baby, of course. How does it work?” She glances at my men. “Do two of you have blue balls until my Lilia is pregnant again? Or do you let nature take its course?”
I choke on my tea and nearly spit it out.
Konstantin grins at her. “A little bit of both. And it’s my turn next.”
Kirill glares at Konstantin. “Who said it was your turn?”
“Maybe it is my turn again,” Elyah murmurs, gazing at me speculatively in a way that makes heat flush through my body.
I listen to them arguing good-naturedly about who is next, and notice thatBabulyais happily biting into a jam tart.
Finally, Konstantin turns to her. “Are you satisfied with Lilia’s husbands, or do you still worry about how we are treating her?”
She examines each of them in turn. “My Lilia has the strength of heart to bring three stubborn Russian men to their knees. I am not worried about her. I am worried about all of you.”Babulyalifts her chin proudly. “Her daughters will run rings around you. I hope you are ready.”
Kirill grins at her. “Do not worry, we are ready. And able.”
“And we have more love for these girls and our Lilia than you could imagine,” Elyah adds, with a smile at me.
As I gaze around at my husbands and beautiful daughters, andBabulya, who is a mother and grandmother and friend, I can feel the past melting away. I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life.
The road was long and bumpy, but we’ve made it.
