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“Hi there, Leonid.” Tears run down Babushka’s withered cheeks as she smiles down at him. Then she looks up at me. “Your father would have been so proud of you, Alex. So proud.”
The image of my father flashes into my head. Yes, I suppose he would have been. But I wouldn’t be here today, if not for Cindy.
I help Babushka gently back to her seat and Cindy puts our son into her frail arms.
“Leonid Joseph. That’s a good, almost biblical name for a strong boy,” she says, smiling with approval. “Now tell me, Alex. How did such a good biblical baby come into the world only eight months after your wedding?”
I grin at Babushka’s nosy, mocking question and Cindy starts fussing with Leonid’s blanket so she doesn’t have to look her in the eye.
“Well, if you really want to know …” I say trailing away when Cindy gives me a horrified look.
Babushka laughs and I can see the twinkle in her eye.
“Ahhhhhh … look at that gorgeous little face,” she says, not looking up. She only has eyes for baby Leonid. “He’s going to be a little stunner, just like his mum and dad.”
She finally manages to tear her eyes away from the baby’s face long enough to glance up at Cindy. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come to the hospital. I really wanted to, but Alex wouldn’t let me.”
“Quite right. A hospital is no place for you. You are safest here, at home.”
“Yes, I suppose all those antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a worry when you’re old and decrepit,” she says mildly. “Enough about me, how are you feeling, my dear?”
“Absolutely fine.” Cindy smiles. “Having Leonid here is worth the pain. Anyway, I found out giving birth is an apparently really good time to swear continuously at your husband. It’s totally acceptable, even encouraged. The air was blue while I was giving birth.”
Babushka laughs uproariously. That is the one thing that has not dimmed even with the sickness eating her up from the inside. Her beautiful laugh.
“It was different in my time,” she tells Cindy. “All I could think of was I didn’t want to push out a roll of crap while I was trying to get my Marina out.”
Cindy grins at Babushka’s frankness.
Unfazed Babushka continues. “Still, I remember that feeling of holding my baby for the first time well.” Her eyes fill with nostalgia. “There is no feeling purer or greater than the love you feel for your newborn baby.”
Cindy smiles softly and sighs. “No, there isn’t.”
“You are a lucky girl, Cindy. He is an absolutely beautiful baby.”
“I know. I’m so glad you got to meet your great, great nephew, Babushka.”
Babushka beams at her words and looks down at Leonid again. “Just to give you both fair warning, you do know I’m going to spoil him rotten, right?”
I know she means it as well. “I wouldn’t expect anything else,” I say with a laugh.
“I’m so pleased you two got together. You’re a lovely couple. Or you were. Now you’re a lovely family,” she says.
Cindy smiles at her and my aunt winks at her.
“Tell me the truth, Cindy. It was when you went out riding together to the creek, wasn’t it? The moment you fell in love with him. It was the magic of that place.”
I feel a little pang of fear. Is Babushka starting to get confused? “We went to the creek only when we came to your house remember, Babushka.”
“I know,” she says, her tone suggesting that I’m the one who is confused.
“We were already engaged then,” Cindy reminds gently.
Babushka throws her head back and laughs. “I think we can drop that one now, don’t you think?”
“What do you mean?” Cindy asks, her tone cautious.
“Did you two really think I didn’t know your whole so-called relationship was made up? Honestly. That proposal story was sweet and all, but it was so far from your style Alex.”
“But if you knew, why did you go along with it?” I ask.
