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“Did you intentionally keep your distance because,” he paused blinking several times, “because you saw him in me?”
She draws up, her shoulders go rigid. “How did Sergei die, Bash? Answer that, and you answer your own question.”
His face darkens with anger. “I was only twelve when you left. Maybe I’d have a different answer if you hadn’t abandoned me to him.”
“I had to save one of you,” she retorts. “I saved Alexi’s son.”
He glowers at her with jaw clenched.
She gives him a cruel smile and gestures at him. “You turned out not so bad with your American Ivy league MBA and your,” she looks me up and down, “American surgeon. Maybe I did the right thing after all, huh?”
“You did what was most convenient for you. To hell with me, right, mom?”
And now I began to understand Sebastian’s intense anger over my initial response to my pregnancy.
“I did what I had to,” she says defiantly. “I will not live with regrets, not over this.”
He presses his hands together as if praying, he holds them against his lips and closes his eyes. Ekaterina stares at him for a few beats more and rolls her eyes and looks away.
What a cold bitch, I think. Feeling a protective instinct, I place a hand on his back to sooth him.
His eyes flick open. “I know that you haven’t asked for it, nor probably even want it…but I forgive you, mom. I’m about to start a new chapter of my life. I’ve got to let go of the baggage, of all the things pulling me down into the mire. I’ll make my own way and won’t be defined by Sergei…or even you, for that matter.”
She flinches as if he’d slapped her.
He abruptly rises from the sofa and holds his hand out to me. I take it and stand alongside him.
“You’ll understand if I choose to keep this visit brief.” He turns to Ulyan, gives him a curt nod.
Ekaterina and Ulyan rise as well.
“Yes, this is best,” she replies, smoothing the fabric of her blouse.
“It was a pleasure meeting you,” Ulyan says to us both with an apprehensive smile.
“Likewise,” I say.
We all make our way to the door with nothing but the shuffling of feet to be heard.
When Sebastian reaches for the door handle, Ekaterina reaches out for him, grasps his arm. He turns to look at her with a hard edge in his eyes – eyes that mirror hers. She moves forward and gathers him into her arms.
Ulyan and I exchange bemused looks.
At first, Bash’s arms remain at his side, but then they slowly rise to return his mother’s rare embrace. Ulyan looks away as if the moment is too intimate to gaze upon.
My stomach knots up with emotion sensing what this must cost them both. I hear her whisper in Russian, but I’m fairly certain she is saying that she’s sorry.
He hugs her tighter, burying his face in her shoulder.
When they finally release each other, both sets of eyes are wet. She gives him a tremulous smile and then glances at me. “I will call you to make dinner plans before you leave.”
I smile back. “I’d like that, Ekaterina.”
We slip out the door and don’t say a word until we’re back in the car half a mile down the road. Bash’s hand encloses mine.
“You were right,” he says softly. “It was good to clear the air.”
“I’m so proud of you, Bash. I know how difficult that had to be, but you handled it so well.”
