AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thinking about next year,” she says. “When we have a little one of our own.”
I press my lips to her temple, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. I'm excited beyond words. But before we get there, I have a very important question to ask her. Now isn't the time, though. I have the entire evening planned out, so I'm just going to have to be patient.
“Ballet shoes!” my niece exclaims with a delighted gasp. “They're so pretty!”
“Your Aunt Nikita helped me pick them out,” Sandra tells her kid with a chuckle. “You keep telling me how you want to try ballet, so your classes start in the new year.”
“Thank you so much, Mama! Thanks Aunt Nikita!”
“Would you like to try them on?” Nikita asks.
“Only if you teach me a few moves.”
Nikita laughs, her eyes twinkling. “Sure thing, sweetheart. Here, pop them on. Let's see how they fit.”
“Am I going to get up on my toes?”
“No, these are just ballet flats, not pointe shoes. It takes many years of training before you're allowed to get up on pointe. But don't worry, if you keep practicing, you'll definitely get there.”
My niece takes her hand and tugs her over to the kitchen where there's more space to move around. She giddily slides across the tile. “Papa, look!”
Across from me, Andrei chuckles. “I'm watching, baby.”
Pride rises in my chest as I watch Nikita teach her first, second, and fourth positions. Patient and calm, her instructions are easy to follow. Her sweet voice is encouraging, and her genuine love of ballet shines through with ease. She teaches my niece the proper way to turn, how to fix her posture, how to pose. Within a matter of a few minutes, my niece is brimming with unmatched confidence. This is what all good teachers do, and Nikita is a natural.
Seeing how good she is with children only solidifies my resolve. I can't wait to ask her, but first, dinner.
* * *
“Have a good night!” Nikita calls over her shoulder as I walk her to our parked car. We feasted for hours on a juicy turkey, the creamiest mashed potatoes, and an assortment of smaller dishes I honestly can't remember anymore because I've eaten myself into a food coma.
It's a little before midnight and we've slowly begun filtering out of Andrei and Sandra's home. The festivities may be done, but I have one last thing I need to take care of before Nikita drives us home.
The drive back to Moscow is a sleepy one. There's something nice about being able to drive down the streets with little to no traffic on either side of us. The stars are out and twinkling above us, the moon round and bright. I keep tapping the ring box in my pocket, almost like a reassurance that it's still there. I keep having the intrusive thought that I might accidentally drop it somewhere.
“Are you okay?” Nikita asks me softly. “You're really quiet tonight.”
“I'm always quiet.”
She giggles. “More so than usual, I mean.”
“I'm fine,” I say, offering my hand over the center console. She takes it without hesitation, giving my fingers a light squeeze. “How are you doing? You said earlier you had a headache?”
“I'm better. I think I ate too much gingerbread.”
“I told you not to dip it in the cranberry sauce.”
“Look, cravings are cravings, okay? I can't help it if the baby wants it.”
I feel myself smiling, the corners of my lips tugging upward. It's such a strange sensation, but I'm definitely getting used to it. Smiling doesn't feel so much like work where Nikita is concerned.
By the time we get back to the penthouse, I can tell Nikita is just about ready for bed. Her eyes are droopy and she’s yawning wide.
“I'm going to hop into the shower,” she says as she strides past me, dropping the keys on the table by the door. “Feel like joining me?”
When she turns to check on my answer, I'm down on one knee with the box in my hands, the lid popped open to reveal the diamond engagement ring tucked safely inside. Through the balcony windows, snow flutters down from the skies above, highlighted by the silver light of the moon.
A part of me wanted to jump the gun and pop the question while we were at dinner with my family, but I decided it was probably best for me to ask when it was just the two of us. I've never been a man concerned with spectacle. I care for my family deeply, but I want this just for us. I want to show Nikita she's the only one on my mind, that we can have this private moment together.
