Page 30 of Born into Madness
When Mia texts to let me know that Yel’s started pushing, I set Chort up with supper and grab the keys to the Jeep. The private hospital is one I’ve become familiar with over the last few years, and I’m sure the entire staff is very aware of our family. They tolerate us with smiles, but I think that’s only because we give them so much business, and also maybe out of fear. My family may be into some shady shit, but we’d never take down a maternity ward. We look like we’re capable of it, though, and so their fear is understandable.
By the time I reach the waiting room, most of my family is already there. My mom runs up and hugs me, just as excited as she always is when our family gains a new member. She’s already fighting tears, and when I look over and see my older sister, I’m not at all surprised to find that she is too. If I was born without enough emotion, they were born with double.
“Isn’t this so exciting,” my mom says while dabbing at her eyes. “After everything those two have been through, I’m just so happy for them.”
Shortly after Yel got pregnant and they finally admitted they were in love to everyone, Val and Max were kidnapped, the stress of it almost causing Yel to lose the baby. It’s been a rough road for them, and everyone will breathe a sigh of relief when this is over and Yel and the baby are safe and well.
“Yeah, it’s pretty exciting,” I tell my mom, because I know it’s what I should say, and I know it’ll make her happy to hear. She looks up at me and gives me themomlook.
Patting my cheek, she says, “You’re not fooling me. You may not be jumping up and down, but I know you’re happy for them.”
“I am,” I say, and she knows I’m telling the truth, so she smiles and gives me another hug before going over to check on my Aunt Alina and Uncle Matvey, both of whom look scared to death. My uncle’s arm is wrapped tightly around my aunt, comforting her, even though I know he’s just as worried as sheis. I hope for their sake that it’s a fast delivery. Val’s parents are looking a little more relaxed. Aunt Katya is holding their granddaughter Samantha, and Uncle Vitaly has his arms full with their twin grandsons.
I take a seat next to Luka and Damien. Stretching my long legs out, I prepare myself for a long wait, but before I can fully relax, I hear a very chipper voice yell, “Uncle Sasha!” In the next moment my niece is flinging herself into my arms and jumping up onto my lap. Instincts take over, and I quickly lift her up and set her on my thigh, protecting my newest tattoo and saving myself from an enormous amount of pain.
Isabella’s brown eyes are wide and lit up with excitement. Oddly enough, my nieces and nephews think I’m harmless. None of them have ever shown an ounce of fear around me, and I’ve worked very hard to keep it that way. The mask is always in place when they’re around. I don’t want them afraid of me.
“Aunt Yel’s having a baby,” Isabella tells me.
I grin and nod. “I know. Are you excited to meet your newest cousin?”
She gives a very exuberant nod of her head, and then turns her small four-year-old body around in my lap and asks, “How’d the baby get there?”
“Um,” I start to say, and then I look to my cousins for help. Damien laughs while Luka ducks his head and pretends to be very interested in situating the blanket around his daughter’s small body. I look around, but no one else is aware of what’s going on, and Nat’s deep in conversation with Mia and Dario and not seeing theplease help meeye contact I’m trying to give her.
“Uncle Sasha,” Isabella says again, and then pats her belly for emphasis. “How’d the baby get there?”
I’m the worst person to handle a situation like this. Give me a guy who needs killed slowly for information any day of the week,but a conception question from a small child is enough to make me break out in a sweat.
I decide to keep it very simple. Nat can give her details later when she’s older, way older.
“Well, you know that Uncle Val and Aunt Yel love each other very much, right?”
“Yep,” Isabella says while she starts to lightly kick her legs.
“Right, and sometimes when you love someone very much, that love turns into a baby.” I dart a quick look at Damien and see him biting back a laugh. I discreetly flip him off behind my niece’s back.
Isabella thinks about what I’ve said. Her small hand rests on my forearm. She thinks my tattoos are scary, but I’m wearing a long-sleeved tee today, so they’re safely hidden away. After a few seconds, she lifts her head and asks, “But how does the doctor get the baby out?”
I try to come up with an explanation, but when after several seconds I’m still drawing a blank, I finally say, “I have no idea, Bell. I’m not a doctor.”
I hear the snort of a laugh Luka tries to hide and ignore him. Lucky for me, Isabella grows bored with the baby questions and instead asks, “Do you have a snack? I’m hungry.”
It’s a much easier question to answer. I look around the room, spotting Uncle Vitaly easily enough. He’s handed his grandsons back to their dad and he’s now carrying an ice cream cake and wearing a T-shirt that saysTattooed Grandpaon it. Pointing to him, I tell Isabella. “Go ask Uncle Vitaly. You know he always has food on him.”
She laughs, but before she jumps off to go get cake, she wraps a small arm around my neck and kisses my cheek. “Thanks, Uncle Sasha.”
I hug her back, feeling enough warmth in my chest to know I’m not all monster. I kiss her head before she runs off, squealing when her dad catches her mid run and lifts her up in the air.
“That was really informative,” Damien tells me. “It’s really sweet how love turns into a baby. I’m left hanging on how the little guy gets out, but like you said, you’re no doctor.”
“Asshole,” I mutter with a laugh. “My mind froze, and that was the best I could come up with. I didn’t see you jumping in with an answer.”
“Oh hell no,” Damien says. “I have no fucking clue how babies are born.”
“Hey, language,” Luka says while smiling down at his youngest. “Mira doesn’t need to know the F word, do you, baby?”
Damien laughs and waves a hand around the room. “Yeah, good luck keeping that out of her vocab.”
