Page 76 of Cookie: Part One
“Pechenye, do you vant—” A clink of a glass at the front of the room draws all of our eyes and we turn to see Grandpa Viktor standing there near another man that looks like Veronica.Is that Veronica’s dad? He’s got to be…
“Let’s take our seats,” Grandpa Viktor states, but Misha ignores him.
“Vee can leave, sveet one… I?—”
“No…” I shake my head because why would I leave? None of this will matter to me in a few days anyway… this is just… this is just drama and a crazy story to tell my friends when I get home. Igots to see it through, my boy…no matter how much I’m reeling and hurting.
I’m already here now… what the fuck is leaving going to do?
Misha looks me over and I see Pyper standing behind him. So are Nadya and Dimitri, who are waiting for me.
“I’m good.” I smile, doing my best to look unbothered because who the hell am I to feel hurt in this situation?
I’m a bitch who prides herself on being VERY self-aware, and right here right now… even though I’m not going to act like it’s all my fault, I still showed up pissing and shitting in high cotton and grand stepping at someone else’s engagement party withtheirman.What goes around comes around.
So I’ma take this on the chin, eat this L, look the fuck good, and smile while doing it.THENI’ma beat Pyper and Alik ass…
Sighing, I grab a tray of champagnes, shocking the waiter, but before he can say anything, I knock back four glasses and nurse another in my hand…if I’m going to sit through this shit, I’ma have to be drunk doing it.
“Let’s go,” I huff placing my hand in Misha’s. He watches me as if trying to figure out whether he should make me leave or not. “I’m staying,” I tell him and he sighs.
“Vhatever you vant, Pechenye.” He kisses my head, leading me all the way to the very front of the room. Every-fucking-body follows our every movement as we approach the table, where clearly only the two engaged couples and their immediate families are supposed to be sitting per the name cards …well, duh!
“I can go sit at?—”
Misha cuts me off by wrapping his hand around my waist and setting me down on his lap, making me squeak, freezing, now in front of the whole room and bitch, I can feel a thousand pairs of eyes drilling into my forehead, but I only feel one pair that’s particularly harsh.
I glance at the seat next to Misha, where Vernonica is sitting, beet fucking red, fist curved around her wine glass, her lips are pressed into a thin, white line.Oh, how Plies say it? She big mad, huh…
Well, I don’t blame her at the fuck all… like, this is all kinds of dis- fucking-respectful. If this happened to Pyper, I don’t see how I wouldn’t have dragged the bitch up out of here and tag teamed and jumped the fuck out of her.
Even though we have only known each other for a small time, all this man has given me is dick and heartburn, and I know Misha is undoubtedly a fucking dog for doing it, BUT until I’m gone and can peace the fuck up out of here, he’sMYdamn dog.
No one speaks, but Grandpa Viktor holds up his glass, and everyone else follows along. I think he’s about to do some grand speech, but he just huffs out in a cold tone I’ve never heard from him.
“To ze couples,” he states.
“To ze couples,” everyone repeats after him.
He takes a breath before he speaks. His voice is a low, powerful rumble, carrying easily over the muted crowd.
“Tonight,” he begins, his tone ringing with a grave authority. “Vee celebrate not just one couple… but two vho carry a great and vital promise to ze future of all zhat vee have built, all zhat vee cherish.”
He pauses, allowing the words to sink in. I watch as he slowly turns his head, scanning the guests, ensuring every single person hears his carefully chosen words.
“For many generations,” he continues, leaning slightly toward the microphone. “Our pazh has been… complicated. Zhere have been struggles and divisions. Zhere have been moments vhere it felt as if ze very soil of our legacy vas poisoned by internal strife, and ze burden of zhis curse!”
I feel a tremor run through the crowd, and Misha rubs the goosebumps on my arms.
“But nov,” he says, his voice rising, imbued with a fierce optimism that feels almost forced. “Vee look upon zhese young faces. Vee look upon zhese unions vho vill be visely bonded tostrengzhen ze Bershov’s name and legacy.”
He looks directly at the couples, his eyes hardening.
“And vee say zhat tonight ze errors of ze past, ze cause of ze cursevhich has haunted our prosperity for too long… are finally, decisively, put to rest.”
The wordcursehangs in the air and I feel like even though I’m sitting in a room with regular ass people, the air feels heavy and archaic. This is not a speech you give for the love and prosperity of a couple. This feels…cold.It feels like Grandpa Viktor is talking about something deeper than what my Black ass is too pissed to be curious about.
I watch as he lifts his glass high and everyone follows suit.
