Drey gasps and claps like I’m a fairy who’s just granted his heart’s desire.
“Ehhh-funt,” he declares with absolute authority.
Andrei huffs a quiet laugh, the sound so warm it still surprises me sometimes. There are parts of him the world will never see. He’s kind and he’s sarcastic. He’s also a little goofy, especially with Drey. No matter how tired he is when he gets home from work, he always makes sure to play with our son, and he’s the king of bathtime.
I used to think loving him meant living inside danger forever. I was wrong. Loving him meant watching a man rewrite himself piece by piece until the life we wanted could actually exist.
The elephant enclosure is crowded, parents lifting children to see, cameras flashing, the low rumble of conversation blending with distant animal sounds and the bright, chaotic energy of a weekend afternoon.
Andrei shifts Drey higher, settling him onto his shoulders with practiced ease. Our son immediately grabs a handful of dark hair and leans forward, completely mesmerized by the massive gray shapes moving slowly beyond the barrier.
His whole body goes still in wonder. I think that might be my favorite part of being a mother, watching Drey discover the world for the first time. Every sound is new. Every sight is magic. Nothing is ordinary yet.
I step closer and rest my hand lightly on Andrei’s arm, grounding myself in the solid warmth of him
“You look happy,” he says quietly without looking at me.
“So do you,” I answer.
“I do not,” he says, forcing a frown. “Watching elephants makes me incredibly grumpy.”
Drey laughs from above us.
“Gumpy,” he manages with a peal of laughter.
Drey then points dramatically at the elephants and shouts something unintelligible that sounds very urgent. Andrei murmurs back to him in Russian, translating the world into soft, steady words our son will grow up understanding in two languages, two cultures, two histories somehow braided into one small life.
A slow ache pulls my attention downward, and I rest my free hand over the gentle curve of my stomach without thinking.
Andrei notices immediately. He always does. His gaze drops, softening in a way that belongs only to me.
“How do you feel?” he asks quietly.
“Good,” I say. “Tired. Hungry. Emotional about zoo animals. The usual.”
His mouth curves into a private smile. “You do cry at everything,” he says.
“I’m growing an entire human being,” I remind him. “I’m allowed.”
Drey chooses that moment to squeal loud enough to startle a nearby pigeon, and we both laugh, the sound easy and unguarded.
The elephant lifts its trunk slowly, dust swirling in golden sunlight, and Drey gasps like he’s witnessing a miracle. Maybe he is.
I lean my head lightly against Andrei’s arm, breathing in the quiet steadiness of this life we built from chaos. Two years ago, everything felt impossible. Now the impossible is real, and we are happier than we ever thought we could be.
EPILOGUE II
ANDREI
Five Years Later
The water is perfectly still around us, broken only by the slow movement of Alina’s arm as she drifts her fingers through the surface beside her. The infinity edge disappears into a sweep of impossible blue, ocean blending into sky so seamlessly it feels unreal, like we stepped into a painting.
I always rolled my eyes at places like this. I didn’t see the appeal of overpriced tropical resorts with infinity pools. Romantic destinations were for whipped men who couldn’t tell their wives and girlfriends no.
I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m whipped now. So is she, though. We are completely gone for each other, even after all these years.
Alina leans back against the smooth stone edge, eyes half-closed as sunlight warms her face. There is a softness to her now that came with motherhood. She’s just as ambitious and stubborn asshe ever was, but she’s more patient, too. Especially toward me. Thank goodness, because I can be a real asshole sometimes.
