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Chapter Three
"Does my bow look okays?" Hadley asked, squeezing Sydney's hand slightly so her mother would look down at her.
Sydney cast her eyes towards her daughter. "You look very pretty," she assured her.
"Okays, good," Hadley said with a little sigh of relief.
"Are you nervous, monkey?" Adrian asked their daughter.
"Nope, nope," Hadley replied as she touched the bow with her free hand.
Sydney shot Adrian a look. Mr. Ivashkov had never been openly hostile in front of Hadley, but the little girl had once overheard her grandfather using some choice words to describe Adrian and Sydney. Sydney had talked about it with her and explained that nothing that was said had anything to do with her. During their time back at Court they had only visited with Mr. Ivashkov a few times and Hadley had never been edgy or anything, but tonight seemed different. Sydney sometimes wondered if Hadley sensed things other couldn't.
Adrian knocked on the front door to his father's home. Brett walked around the side of the house to check the perimeter while Avery stood behind the trio. Sydney had dealt with all kinds of Dhampirs before, but something about Avery was off putting. The female guardian stood quite a bit shorter than Sydney, but with her brown hair cut rather severely and her blue eyes always flashing she came across as standoffish. Sydney knew she was just taking her position seriously, but she wished she'd stop grimacing one in awhile.
"Everything seems in order," Brett reported as he joined the family again. The guardian smiled down reassuringly at Hadley. She granted him a smile of her own.
"Thanks, Brett," Adrian said as the door swung opened.
Mr. Ivashkov's maid greeted them politely. She took everyone's coats and guided them into the living room. Avery left to do a sweep of the house while Brett remained behind.
Mr. Ivashkov was already seated in his arm chair, sipping from a crystal tumbler. "Welcome, welcome," he said. He stood up as they walked into the room, setting his glass down.
Adrian and his father exchanged handshakes as Hadley half hid behind Sydney. "Say hi," Sydney whispered to her.
"Nice to see you, Hadley," Mr. Ivashkov said. He bent over slightly so he was closer to his granddaughter.
"Hi, hi," Hadley said softly, offering him a shy smile.
He patted her somewhat affectionately, somewhat awkwardly on the head before standing back upright. "Hello, Sydney," he greeted his daughter-in-law.
"Hi, thank you for inviting us tonight," she replied politely.
"Of course," Mr. Ivashkov replied. "How are you feeling?" he asked as he eyed her bump.
"Tired, mostly, but okay," Sydney replied.
"Then you should have a seat," he insisted.
Sydney and Hadley both sat down on the love seat and were quickly handed glasses of lemonade. Adrian stood at the bar, fixing a drink for himself.
Avery returned and stood next to Brett. In addition to Brett and Avery, Mr. Ivashkov's own guardians stood on the opposite side of the room.
"How do you like having guardians?" Mr. Ivashkov asked, taking his seat again.
"It's certainly different," Sydney said. "I'll be grateful when the ruling is settled."
"It's customary for you to have your own guardians, but you two have never really been much for tradition, have you?" Mr. Ivashkov commented.
Adrian rolled his eyes as he sat down next to Sydney. "I knew we couldn't go ten minutes without some kind of dig," he said.
"It was just a statement," Mr. Ivashkov assured him as he took a sip of his drink. "How are things going with Dr. Smirnov?" he asked.
"Pardon?" Adrian asked him.
"I spoke with him yesterday. He seems like a very intelligent man," Mr. Ivashkov said.
"Why were you talking to him?" Adrian asked rather tightly.
"Because I recommended that he come here," he said matter of factly.
Sydney nearly choked on her lemonade. "You did what?" she asked.
"I heard about his work from a colleague and talked it over with Dr. Brooks," Mr. Ivashkov said in a calm and even tone. "Dr. Brooks is a very kind man, but I think Dr. Smirnov will get you the results you need to contain this…situation."
"Situation?" Adrian asked, his tone quite strangled.
Brett, sensing this conversation was going to escalate rather quickly, spoke up, "Hadley, I need your help," he said to the little girl.
Hadley looked up at her mother and Sydney nodded. She gave Brett a grateful look as he escorted the little girl from the room.
"That was hardly necessary," Mr. Ivashkov scoffed. "This conversation involves her."
"She's a little girl, you idiot," Adrian said, standing up now. "You can't talk about her like she's not here when she's right in front of you!"
Sydney didn't have to have a bond with Adrian to see that her husband was running on a dangerous mixture of spirit and alcohol at the moment.
"If I wasn't involved in all of this she'd still be blowing up things around Court," Mr. Ivashkov. "You have to admit she's more under control now."
"Blowing up things? Are you listening to yourself? Nothing like that has ever happened. And she's not some situation that needs to be contained. She's a person," Adrian snapped.
"It was obviously my mistake to think we could talk about this like civilized adults," Mr. Ivashkov said. "You take everything as a direct attack. And if that's how it's going to be then fine, I'll speak freely. Your daughter is not only a Dhampir," he said, as if the word left a bad taste in his mouth. "but an abomination. She's unnatural and has to be fixed if you plan on continuing to give her the family name."
"She has the family name because she's a member of the family," Sydney said to him.
"Sydney, you're a reasonable woman. Don't you think if there's any hope for your new child to be normal we have to get to the root of the problem with Hadley?" Mr. Ivashkov asked her.
"The only thing I think right now is that we need to be on our way," Sydney replied. She would have liked to make a more dramatic exit, but in her condition the best she could do was heave herself off the couch and exit the living room at a snail's pace.
"Brett? Hadley?" she called as she walked into the foyer. She could still hear Adrian and his father arguing.
"Are you leaving, Mrs. Ivashkov?" the maid asked.
"Oh, yes…if you could show me where our things are?" Sydney asked her.
"I'll gather them. Just wait right here," she replied and scurried off to retrieve their belongings.
"Time to go?" Hadley asked as she and Brett walked in from the kitchen.
"Mommy's a little tired," Sydney said to her daughter.
"What abouts dinner?" Hadley asked.
"We'll eat at home," Sydney replied as Adrian, Avery, and the maid both walked into the hallway.
Brett helped Sydney and Hadley with their coats as Adrian stomped outside with Avery in tow. Sydney slung Adrian's coat over her arm and took Hadley's hand as they walked outside. Adrian wasn't anywhere in sight. Sydney groaned inwardly. This was not good.
"I can drive," Brett offered.
"That would be great. Thank you," Sydney said, rubbing her forehead. She gave him a weak smile.
Sydney got in the front seat while Brett put Hadley in her car seat. The ride home was short and quiet. Sydney made herself and Hadley grilled cheese and soup for dinner. Hadley didn't say much during the meal, only adding to Sydney's already anxious state.
"Where's daddy?" Hadley asked nervously as Sydney put her to bed.
Sydney smoothed some of Hadley's hair away from her face. "He just went to take a walk. He'll be home soon," she assured her.
"Will he comes in and say good night?" Hadley asked.
"The second he gets home he'll come in and tell you he loves you, promise," Sydney replied.
"Okays…did I do something bad?" Hadley asked softly, looking down at her blanket.
Sydney tipped her chin up so they were looking at each other. "You didn't do anything. You're the best girl, okay?" she said to her.
Hadley nodded, but still didn't look convinced. "Why don't we read a story?" Sydney suggested. She picked up a book from Hadley's nightstand and read until her daughter fell asleep. Sydney waited a little while longer to make sure she wasn't going to wake up. Once she was satisfied she was out for the night she walked towards the living room to wait for Adrian.
