Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 53693 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53693 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
“You don’t need to be terrified,” I tell her. “I’m here for you, every step of the way. I can’t wait to be the father of your child, as long as you agree to be the mother.”
She laughs and kisses me again. “You’re such a silly man,” she says, looking back down at the test and kicking her legs. “This is just crazy, though, right? What the hell do I know about being a mom?”
I turn to the fridge, pulling out a couple of bottles of water and handing her one. “You know a hell of a lot more about being a mom than Oksana,” I tell her, reminding her of what a horrible mother she has. “You know how to love and support someone and give them the room to be themselves.”
She takes a sip of water and seems to consider this. She hasn’t spoken to her mother since she told her about our engagement, and Oksana was less than thrilled to hear the news. She still hates me, which is fine. I’m not that fond of her either.
Oksana spent years grooming Kat to be the perfect wife and was disappointed that her daughter dare have ambitions larger than her own. I know Kat misses her mom sometimes, but something in her has changed. She sees now how she was manipulated all of those years, and she’s been processing that toxic relationship with me.
“You’re right,” she sighs. “I will be a better mother than the one I had. I’ll never force my daughter to marry someone she doesn’t love.”
Her hand moves down to her stomach, which is still perfectly flat. She looks up at me with a smug grin. “And I’ll never let my daughter get kidnapped by a man she doesn’t know on her wedding day.”
I chuckle and shrug. “I think it all ended up okay,” I murmur softly, looking at her with all the love I can muster. “So, we’re having a daughter?” I ask, though we both know it’s much too early to tell.
She shrugs and rubs her stomach. “I don’t know if this one will be a boy or girl, I just know it won’t be raised with double standards. Let’s make a pact right now that we’re going to treat our children equally and give them love and respect.”
I lean in to kiss her, more in love with her than ever.
“It looks like you’ve come around on this whole baby thing.” I laugh. “You looked like you might pass out earlier, but now you’re talking about the possibility of having multiple children. You must really feel certain about us,” I joke.
She looks at me with admiration and holds her hand out to me. I take it and squeeze tightly, feeling her engagement ring under my thumb. She’s mine and I’m hers, and for better or worse, we’re on this journey together.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” she says sweetly. “I’m still nervous about being a mother. And I’m already over the whole morning sickness thing. But I can’t wait to have this baby with you.”
I can already imagine what she’ll look like with a pregnant belly, and the many strange food combinations I’ll have to send out for. I’m so grateful and humbled to start this journey with her.
“I can’t wait to have this baby with you. Your mother is going to be thrilled, I bet,” I say sarcastically.
“Are you kidding?” Kat laughs. “My mother is going to be horrified when she finds out her unwed daughter is pregnant.”
I hadn’t considered this. I immediately feel guilty. We never did have a normal relationship, but now I want to do things correctly. We’re already engaged, we might as well make it official. There’s no one else in the world I want to spend my life with.
“Let’s go to the courthouse right now,” I say spontaneously. “I can pull a few strings and get us married tonight. Or we can drive down to Atlantic City and go to a drive-in chapel.”
She throws her head back and laughs out loud. “What on earth are you talking about?” she asks. “We’re not rushing out to get married because I’m pregnant.”
“But your mom is going to be upset,” I remind her.
A wicked glint comes to her eye and she smiles. “Exactly. I can’t wait to see the look on my mom’s face when she finds out the shame I’ve brought to her.”
That’s my girl.
EPILOGUE
ONE AND A HALF YEARS LATER
Kat
“Katrina Sidorov,” the announcer calls out, and I wrinkle my nose.
I didn’t want to use my full first name, but it was the policy of the university. So I walk gracefully across the stage as I hear the cheers for me. Johnny made all his men come to this. I feel bad for them. I’m sure they have better things to do than watch me graduate from college.