“We’ll leave you to this,” I say, taking Katya’s hand and leading her out of the room. But the moment we step out of the bathroom, we run into Nina and Susanna.
“What are you two doing?” I snap. They both freeze for a moment before their usual haughtiness takes over.
“Using the restroom,” Nina says it like it’s obvious.
“We want to touch up our makeup,” Susanna adds, also like it’s obvious.
“The restroom is busted,” I explain. “Has a leak in it. Find another restroom to use.”
Susanna eyes Katya over. “Then where has she been all this time? You’re standing outside this restroom. If there was a leak, you wouldn’t be standing outside this restroom right now.”
Susanna is too observant. Katya has been gone for at least thirty minutes from the party. If there really had been a leak, Katya would have chosen a different restroom.
I know I can’t reason with Susanna so I try a different tactic. “Don’t argue with me,” I snap. “I know you ruined Katya’s dress.”
“I did not,” she gasps.
“She didn’t,” Nina agrees, shooting Katya a pointed look, which Katya ignores.
“I know you did,” I repeat. “No use in arguing with me about it. I am not happy with either of you right now. So don’t test me. Go find a different restroom.”
“She’s a gold digger,” Susanna spits out. “Why else is she marrying you after only knowing you for two days?”
“Katya is not a gold digger. She comes from money herself. Now, what do you have to say to that?”
Susanna snaps her mouth closed but shoots a glare Katya’s way.
“Stop causing trouble,” I say to them. “I love you both like you’re my own daughters. I know this is all so new. A lot of change. But Katya is my wife now. Accept it.”
“No,” Nina says point blank. “We don’t agree with this marriage. Something is wrong here. You just won’t tell us what.”
“I don’t have to tell you anything. Now, find another restroom.” I take Katya’s arm and tug her away but in the process my jacket falls off her shoulders, revealing her wedding dress… revealing the blood stain on her wedding dress.
Both Nina and Susanna see it.
“What’s that?” Nina asks.
“Is she so stupid that she got her period blood on her wedding dress?” Susanna mocks.
Katya clenches her eyes shut and moves in closer to me.
“She cut herself,” I explain. “It was an accident. Now, move along, girls.”
Susanna looks between me and Katya before storming over to the restroom. She tries the door, only to find it locked. “What is going on here?”
“I told you. There’s a leak. Now, move along.”
Susanna ignores me and knocks on the door, over and over and over again. “Hello?”
“No one is in there,” I say.
“But I saw you and Katya leave the restroom together. So who locked the door? Mmm?”
Damn Susanna. Sometimes she is too smart for her own good.
She continues to knock but Sam doesn’t answer. He knows better than to. “I’m going to get someone from the hotel to open this door.” She heads for the lobby but I grab her arms, stopping her.
“Listen to me this time, Susanna,” I warn. “Just stay out of this. For your own protection. Understood?”
