“Vhen is the last time you tell her you love her?” Babushka’s gaze bore into Rex so strongly that even Roman felt it in his bones.
“It’s been a while,” Rex admitted.
“So she does not know she is the ice to your vodka. The beets to your borscht?” Babushka asked.
“I thought she did…”
“Vhen you tell her you love her, vhen you mean it, she vill make the right choice. Then you back it up by telling her every day she is your love.” Babushka shoved her finger at Rex. “Vhen he was alive, my husband, he tells me every day he loves me. Even vhen ve argue. The things do not matter. It is the love. It is knowing the love.”
“You really think if I just tell her that I’m in love with her, it’ll fix things?” Rex sounded as unconvinced as Roman felt.
“I think if you vant my advice, you don’t question my advice.” Babushka shook her head. “Now, you go. You tell her. You vill be happy.”
Rex didn’t move.
“I said to go.” Babushka waved her hands toward the exit. “If you do not listen, she vill not take you back and it’s not my fault.”
“Thanks,” Rex said, eyebrows furrowed. The look he directed toward Roman indicated that he had no idea what had just happened.
Babushka waved him toward the doors again. This time, Rex took her advice and headed outside.
“I can’t believe I traded my daughter’s name for you to tell Rex to tell his wife that he loves her.” Really, Babushka was losing her touch if this was her idea of running interference.
“Sometimes love is simple, my Rome.” Babushka’s eyes crinkled with her smile.
“Rome?” Sadie called from behind him. She hurried up to him. “Hey, I caught you.”
“And sometimes it is not,” Babushka continued.
“What’s up?” Sadie asked, bouncing toward them.
“Rome is playing matchmaker.” Babushka tilted her head toward Roman.
“Yeah, with who?” Sadie asked, the grin on her face reminiscent of a different time when she had smiled all the time.
“My buddy,” Rome replied. “He’s having a hard time.”
“That’s a bummer,” Sadie said, sounding like she truly meant it.
“Sadie, vhat do you think of the name Nadzieja for your baby girl?” Babushka asked.
Shit on a brick. “Let’s not go there—” he said at the same time Sadie said, “I’m not…”
Sadie tilted her head toward her shoulder like she was sizing Babushka up.
Babushka flapped her hands in the air in front of her like she was preparing to take flight. “Oh no, no. Of course, not now. Butsomeday. Roman has promised me this vill be the name you call your daughter.”
Well, shit. In for a penny, in for a pound.
“That would assume I’m going to have children with Rome.” Sadie stayed planted in place, moving her gaze between him and his grandmother.
He couldn’t help it, he dropped his head to his hands and groaned.
“You do not have biblical relations?” Babushka asked, clearly concerned. “This is how you make me great-grandbabies. I do not mind if you are not married. I am not old-fashioned. You kids do things how you do them.”
He groaned louder.
Sadie paled, her mouth making an O but not letting any sound out.
