Page 60 of Merciless Union
“See, I think it takes strength to grieve and still carry on with your life.”
She smiles at me. “You think?”
I cross my arms. “Well, I was just lectured on the real meaning behind strength and weakness, so I’d say I’m fairly qualified.”
She snorts, shooting me a look. “Ok,you.” She resumes painting.
It’s a marvel that we’re sitting here actually teasing each other as if we’ve been married for years. If I’m not careful, I might grow to care for Arina too much.
“There,” she says, taking a step back. “I got the first sketch of it done. Now I just need to go back in and add detail, which will take some time.”
“Let me see,” I say, standing up.
She shields the canvas with her body. “No. I don’t want you to see it until I’m done.”
I squint at her. “All right, then.”
She shoos me away until I go back inside, and as I step inside, the doorbell rings.
I answer the door, revealing my mother and sisters. “I didn’t know you were coming over.”
“Do I need an invitation to see my son?” My mother walks past me into the penthouse.
“Sorry,” Elena says. “She insisted on coming over. I tried to tell her that you prefer your privacy, but she wasn’t having it.”
“It’s all right.”
Elena huffs, walking into the house.
I hug Kira. “It’s always good to see you.”
“And you.”
Elena rolls her eyes. “God, you two are the worst. So mushy.”
“That’s because you don’t have a heart,” I snap back.
She makes a face. “Oh, and you do?”
Touché.
I guide my family into the living room as Arina walks in, having stored the painting in a hidden location, so I can’t find it. She stops short once she sees my family.
My mother takes on look at Arina in her paint-splattered apron and sniffs, raising her nose high to the ceiling.
Arina glances down, blushing and quickly untying her apron. “Mrs. Petrov. Elena. Kira. I didn’t know you were coming over.”
“Clearly not,” my mother says, sitting on our new couch. She frowns, looking down at it. “Where’s the couch I gave you?”
Arina and I exchange a look.
I clear my throat and take a seat, gesturing for Arina to sit beside me. She walks over slowly, sitting down even slower. “Arina got it for the penthouse.”
“Why?”
“Because this place needed some new furniture.”
She huffs. “Why? The furniture in it was already perfect.”
