Under Control: Chapter 44

Ten Months Later

Mama shuffles around the hospital room fussing with everything. She’s chatting up a constant storm, I think because she’s nervous about being back here. She doesn’t have a lot of good associations when it comes to healthcare settings.

But I can barely hear her. I’m exhausted, I barely slept the night before, and there’s a beautiful, perfect little distraction lying nestled in my arms, happily feeding away though starting to slow down now.

“Did you hear me, Karine?” Mama asks. “You have to get them to bring more pillows. Look at these.” She fluffs the ones behind my back, jostling Anna awake. Her big, blue eyes open and she blinks up at me and I swear, my heart stops. We stare at each other, and her lips pull back.

She’s smiling at me. She’s beaming, grinning, so happy it’s absurd.

And then she’s screaming.

“Oh, shush, little one,” Mama says and tries to take her away, but I hold on tight. “Come now, Karine, let me try to calm her down.”

“It’s okay, I’ve got her.”

“You haven’t let anyone hold her since she was born.”

“I let Valentin.”

“He’s the father.” She scowls at me. “Give me the baby, Karine-jan.”

I don’t want to. I know my mother is going to be a wonderful grandmom, but right now, Anna is just so perfect I can’t imagine letting anyone take her from me. I know I’ll be begging Mama for babysitting—not that I’ll really need it, considering Valentin already informed me that Nikkita will now be responsible for watching over our child—but right now, I’m too happy, and things are too perfect.

The door bangs open. Valentin rushes inside, shoving his phone back into his pocket. “What’s the matter?” he asks, hurrying to my side. “Is she okay? Is she hungry? I heard sometimes newborn babies have mucus plugs⁠—”

“She’s fine,” I say, waving him away. “She’s completely fine and healthy. Just startled, that’s all. Right, little baby?”

Valentin gets on his knees beside me and leans over to look into his daughter’s face.

He hasn’t left my side since I went into labor. Just now, he stepped into the hall for a few minutes to give me some time alone with my mother, but I can tell he’s just been hovering right outside the door waiting for something to go wrong.

Valentin’s going to be a very overprotective father.

And I don’t mind it one bit, because he’s looking at Anna with a deep, obsessive devotion, just like when he looks at me.

That’s love. Raw and true and deep.

I calm Anna down and Mama decides to run down to the cafeteria to get everyone something to eat. We’re alone in my private room at the top of Jefferson Hospital with my perfect husband, and I feel like everything’s right with the world.

When my phone rings.

“Ignore it,” Valentin murmurs. He’s half in bed with me and playing with Anna’s little hand. Her eyes are drooping, finally falling asleep.

“It could be important.” I reach over and grab my phone. Valentin takes Anna, cradling her sleepy body in his arms, and paces back and forth at the foot of my bed, staring at her like she’s perfect.

Then I stare at the screen before answering. “I haven’t heard from you in a while.”

“Congratulations,” Arsen says. He sounds simultaneously older and lighter, like the last year has deeply aged him, but he’s finally free of all the binds that kept him trapped.

“How’d you hear?”

“Your mother posted like fifty times on Facebook.”

I roll my eyes. “I told her not to do that.”

“And yet.” Arsen laughs lightly. “How’s everything?”

“She’s doing great. Little baby Anna.”

“And the husband? Did he murder your doctor for seeing your private parts?”

I snort a laugh. “He made sure a woman would be delivering for me.” Valentin gives me a confused look and I wave him off. “How’s Baltimore?”

“Oh, you know. Still killing people I once thought of as family. But it’s dying down now.”

“I’m sorry about how it all shook out.”

“I know. It isn’t your fault though. If anything, I’m happy you talked me into it. This war’s been ugly, but at least it’s my war, right?”

“That’s one way of looking at it.”

There’s a short silence. Arsen and I have kept in touch, but we haven’t exactly been close. He was busy with his war, and I’ve been busy being pregnant. Now though, the world seems new and there’s so much possibility floating through the air.

“By the way, I got married a few days back.”

“Seriously?”

“It’s been a long time coming.”

“Congrats. Seriously. I’m happy for you. What’s her name?”

“Lena. You’ll meet her soon.”

“Is that Russian?”

He laughs loudly. “It most certainly is. But don’t worry. She’s not in the life.”

“Either way, that’s great.”

“Yeah. Right. Well, listen, I’m glad you’re doing okay. We’ll talk again soon.”

“Bye, Arsen.”

The line goes dead. I put the phone aside and find Valentin watching me with that serious, careful look he gets. “Should I be worried?” he asks.

I gesture for him to come over. He climbs into bed, but doesn’t relinquish the baby. I let him hold her as I lean against his shoulder.

“Arsen got married. I think the war’s winding down too.”

“That’s good, right?” He tilts his head, studying me, and I can tell he’s got his pakhan brain working at the moment.

“You know what?” I smile and tilt my chin toward him. He comes and kisses me. “I don’t really care.”

“Yeah? Why not?”

“Because I have everything I want right here.” I wiggle my finger into Anna’s little belly and she beams at me.

Right before she starts screaming.

“Same,” Valentin says.