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A thunderous, joyous applause follows, and Adam's cheeks redden with a mix of bashfulness and delight. He nods, accepting the mantle we've bestowed upon him, and for a moment, I see the man he'll become: strong, loyal, fierce.
"Welcome to the inner circle, Adam." I ruffle his hair, earning a grin that could outshine the sun.
"Let's eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow..." Lev starts, raising his glass with a smirk.
"We teach Adam how to change diapers!" Damien finishes, and the laughter that bubbles up is rich and full, echoing through the high-ceilinged rooms of Vanya's house.
"Cheers to family," I say, lifting my own glass, feeling that familiar surge of pride and protectiveness for these people who are my blood and now Robin's too.
"Cheers," echoes back, a chorus of voices that bind us tighter than any vow or blood oath ever could.
***
The merriment has settled into a comfortable lull when Ivan, the eldest of my cousins, clears his throat. Every eye turns toward him as he reaches beneath the couch, pulling out a small, meticulously wrapped package.
"Adam," he calls, beckoning him over with a nod. "You're part of this crazy family now, too."
I watch as Adam approaches, tentative steps betraying the bravado of a kid trying to act older than his ten years. Ivan hands him the gift, and I see the flicker of surprise in the boy's eyes as if he's been given the keys to a kingdom he never knew he could enter.
"Go on, open it," Anoushka encourages, her voice soft but filled with an irrepressible excitement that is all her own.
The paper tears away to reveal an ancient wooden box carved with intricate patterns. Inside, nestled on a bed of velvet, lies our grandfather's compass. More than just a tool, it was a symbol—a promise that no matter where life takes you, you can always find your way back home.
"Every Zolotov man has held this at least once in their life," Lev adds, clapping Adam on the shoulder with a grin.
"Some for longer, who needed more direction than others," Damien says, throwing a sly look in Lev’s direction that has the room chuckling.
Adam's hands tremble slightly as he touches the compass, his voice just a breath as he whispers, "Thank you."
"Hey, none of that teary stuff," Mikhail jests, ruffling Adam's hair. "You'll make me start, and we can't have that."
"Indeed," Sergei chimes in, raising an eyebrow dramatically, "the Zolotov men are known for their steely composure."
"Except when facing down their wives," Vanya retorts, sending another wave of laughter through the room.
My gaze shifts from the playful scene to Robin, and I catch her eye. Her emotion is raw and unmistakable. She clutches her belly, a protective gesture that speaks volumes, and her lips quiver as she tries to form words.
"Thank you," she finally whispers, loud enough for only me to hear. "For everything."
"Come here." I pull her gently into my side, feeling the curve of her bump against me. "You're family, Robin. So is Adam. And that means something to me. To all of us."
"Even after just a one-night stand gone wildly... unpredictable?" Her voice is a mix of humor and disbelief.
"Especially then," I say seriously, squeezing her hand. "We Zolotovs don't do things by halves."
Her laughter rings out, bright and clear, mingling with the sounds of family banter around us.
The clink of glasses and the rich aroma of home-cooked chocolate cake fill the air as we settle around the fireplace. I glance at Robin, her cheeks flushed with laughter, the golden light from the chandeliers above dancing in her eyes.
"Damien, my man," I call out, raising an eyebrow in his direction as he tells us of his plans with his friends tomorrow. "Enjoy this while it lasts, for soon, you’ll be tamed by Genevieve."
He shoots me a glare that is all bark and no bite, then smirks, tossing back his vodka like it’s water. "Boris, you know as well as I do that a Zolotov never gets tamed. We're just... temporarily domesticated."
Howls of laughter erupt around the table, and even Vanya snorts into her napkin. Damien, the stoic, perpetual bachelor of our family, getting hitched is something none of us saw coming—like a bear voluntarily walking into a zoo enclosure.
"Temporarily, huh?" Lev chimes in, waggling his eyebrows. "So, what's the verdict on you escaping to Siberia before the 'I dos'?"
"Da, and how many shots of vodka would it take to make you walk down the aisle?" Ivan adds, earning a playful punch on the arm from Caterina.
