“Want to join me in getting the boys ready for another wedding?” he joked.
I laughed, agreeing to help him babysit. It seemed like a full circle that I had helped Alexsei watch Lev and Misha for Ivan and Raisa’s wedding night. Next week, they would watch Carina for me and Sadie.
I couldn’t wait. Not just because she should be cleared to actuallycelebrate, but because there would be no obstacles for the rest of the world recognizing that she was mine, my little agent, and she always would be.
All was well with the last of the loose threads tied up now.
I was at peace to enjoy and look forward to making her my bride.
Allwillbe well.
And I would keep my wife and daughter safe for as long as I lived.
40
SADIE
Iwoke up nervous on the morning of my wedding. It wasn’t cold feet. It wasn’t panic about being the center of attention.
Nothing like that.
It was the freak of nature that I was, turning into a mother at the mere hint of my daughter crying.
Actually, the sound ofanybaby crying triggered me to react. Milk would leak. My bra and shirt would show spots. And I’d sigh and have to go change. Yesterday, Andre didn’t get his way and started crying. Which prompted Helene to wake from a nap and cry. Carina was upstairs.
And lo and behold, I was a dairy cow leaking again.
It won’t happen.
I’m not walking down the aisle in that beautiful dress to marry the man of my dreams with milk spots staining or showing.
It just won’t happen.
I wasn’t sure my powers of mind over matter would do the trick, but I realized it was too late to have any kind of a backup of a solution.
Gabriella did, though. She and Raisa helped me get ready, and she gave me pads to protect the inner lining of my dress.
“I tested them last night.”
I paused from slipping them in. “You testedthesespecifically?”
“What?” She made a face. “No. Others out of the box. They really do hold the moisture.”
“And does what with it?” Raisa asked as she checked my hair. “Evaporate it?”
“Fuck, for as hot as it is in this dress, something will evaporate,” I muttered. “Why, again, did I say I wanted a corset?”
“Because you look hot,” Raisa reminded me.
Gabriella giggled. “You do. You are such a beautiful bride, Sadie.”
“Thanks, girls.” I hugged them both, loving that I had sisters now. But finishing with the bra pads, I frowned again. “Seriously, how do these work?”
Gabriella shrugged. “I don’t know. But you just fed Carina. I just fed Helene. They’re both milk drunk and won’t cry. Andre is happy with Allan. He’s good with making those goofy faces to distract him. If all else fails, I’ll just whisk them away if they start to cry so you don’t leak.”
I laughed, glad I hadgoodsisters who’d have my back in ways no one else could. This sisterhood was new, but I enjoyed the journey of us bonding.
We left the room where we had gotten ready, but I was stopped from getting into place. Lev and Misha ran up, presenting me with bracelets of white beads.
