“I have business to discuss,” Babushka announced.
“Babushka, hi.” Sadie scooted around the side of the desk, now totally ignoring Roman. “What can I do for you today?”
“I need legal help.”
“I am an attorney, so this is perfect.” Sadie smiled at the old woman, again pretending that Roman wasn’t even present. “What can I assist you with?”
“You don’t want to ask that.” Roman sat on the edge of the reception desk, settling in for the show his babushka was sure to put on. Looked like she was ready to continue her reign as the queen of getting involved in other people’s business.
Sadie did not acknowledge him.
As soon as she walked in the room, every part of him screamed,Sadie’s here!Yet, she seemed utterly at ease with his presence. So at ease that she didn’t even acknowledge his existence anymore.
“You are divorce attorney? Yes?” Babushka asked.
“Among other things, yes,” Sadie said.
Uh-huh, Roman had explained that back in the sanity of his studio. He crossed his arms, struggling with an internal war between being curious about his grandmother’s angle and ensuring his grandmother didn’t go too far into the weeds with this endeavor he’d talked her into. What his grandmother needed was a micromanager for her meddling.
That would be him.
Sadie gestured to her office. “Come in and sit down. We can talk in my office.”
Babushka followed her. Roman followed Babushka. They both took chairs at the little round table by the window in Sadie’s personal office. Streams of light filtered through the window, highlighting a couple of dust motes flitting through the air.
“Can I get you a beverage?” Sadie asked his grandmother
“Vodka?” Babushka asked.
“Fresh out.” Sadie didn’t even flinch at the request. “I have water?”
“That vorks,” Babushka said with aharrumph. “In a cup please.”
Right, because the bottles were filled with venom.
Funny, Babushka playing her games was exactly what Roman had been hoping for. Yet, deep down, a niggle of this-is-a-bad-idea took hold. A part of him wanted to stand up, declare what was going on, and simply beg for Sadie’s understanding. That was not the part of him that won out. The part of him that won out decided to sit down, shut up, and wait this out.
“Tell me you don’t have vodka in your purse,” Roman said.
He had a feeling that, given the opening, Babushka would just steal a nip from the emergency vodka canteen she sometimes stashed in her oversized Louis Vuitton.
Babushka shrugged.
“Is it okay for us to talk with Rome here?” Sadie whispered toward Babushka. “If it’s a legal matter, I can ask him to step out.”
Okay, so she knew he was there. Even if she hadn’t glanced his way once since they’d entered her personal office.
She’d done it up nice. A little more beige than he would have liked for his own space, but it seemed to be the appropriate color to have on the throw pillows when one’s job was to relieve couples of their relationships. Not that he judged her for that. Everyone deserved an attorney. But that choice of law didn’t seem to bring light into her eyes.
“He can stay.” Babushka patted his hand. “As long as he does not speak.”
“Seriously?” he asked.
She could not expect him to stay totally silent. It went against everything he believed in.
Babushka held her fingertip up to his mouth. “Shh.”
She winked, but it looked a little like she was mid-stroke as the entirety of the left side of her body seemed to freeze as she pressed that eyelid closed.
