"Sit," Babushka commanded, gesturing to the table. "Food first, then ve talk vedding."
"Oh, I don't—" Piper tried to protest.
"Food first," Babushka insisted, her tone not allowing for any argument. "Hungry people make bad decisions. Ve cannot plan a vedding vith bad decisions."
"She's not wrong." Shelby had zero problem sitting down and opening the Tupperware.
"Marriage is like this apartment," Babushka observed, gesturing around. "One neat, one messy. Secret is finding person whose mess fits vith your neat."
"We're not married," Piper clarified quickly. "Only roommates."
"Piper's allergic to marriage," Shelby supplied helpfully, serving herself a bowl of stew with absolute delight. "Her parents' divorce was like the Titanic hitting an iceberg made of lawyers. And then it happened a few more times."
"Shelby." Piper hissed.
Babushka merely nodded sagely. "Parents' bad example doesn't mean the institution is bad. Just means they did vrong." She set a bowl in front of Piper with surprising gentleness. "My husband, God rest soul, ve fight like cats for over fifty years. Secret is you go to bed mad. Feel your feelings. Then get over it."
Piper shifted uncomfortably. "I'm really only the wedding planner, Ms. Dvornakov?—"
"Vy do you call me 'Ms. Dvornakov' like I am a stranger at the grocery store? You don't like me?"
"Babushka," Piper amended. "I'm helping coordinate the wedding. I'm not really involved in the big-picture philosophy of marriage."
Babushka's eyes twinkled knowingly. "No such thing as 'just' vedding. You shape day that shapes lives." She settled herself into a chair, somehow making the IKEA furniture look like a throne.
That's how Piper found herself at her own dining table, watching in bewilderment as Babushka settled right in.
"This is amazing," Shelby mumbled through a full mouth. "Like, seriously, amazing."
Piper had to agree.
"Old family recipe. Secret ingredient." Babushka winked. "Now, ve discuss vedding. I have opinions."
Shelby caught Piper's eye across the table and mouthed, "She's amazing."
"Ve must have Russian traditions. Anna is sveet girl, but she knows nothing of proper celebration." Babushka leaned forward. "Drake is good boy, but American veddings? No proper customs."
"This wedding doesn't seem to be following any customs," Piper said carefully.
Babushka made a dismissive noise. "Young people don't know vhat makes good marriage foundation. That's vhy I help."
Funny, that sounded eerily like what Piper's mother had said around marriage number three. Turned out middle-aged people didn't know either.
"The thing is," Piper tried again, "my job is to create the wedding that Anna and Drake tell me to."
Along with their publicist, but she didn't need to mention that part.
"And they vant happy marriage, yes? This comes from proper ceremony." Babushka fixed Piper with a knowing look. "Your parents had American vedding?"
Piper blinked, caught off guard. "Yes, but?—"
"And they are still married?"
The question landed like a stone in still water.
"No," Piper admitted quietly.
"Mmm." Babushka nodded, as if this confirmed everything. "No traditions."
