"So when are you bringing my son home?"
Linka shares a look with Wheeler, unsure of how to answer his mother. They hadn't had a chance to discuss anything other than the fact that their future included each other, Vera, and possibly more children...no one had mentioned where they would live.
"Uh, well…I have a life and a job in Australia that I can't just ditch without any notice," Wheeler says to his mother.
"I know Dear…but surely you will be coming home at some point? I know you'll probably settle in Pittsburgh with Linka, but that's a heck of a lot closer to New York than Australia! And besides, I don't really have anything keeping me tied to New York…I could always move closer to you guys…not to be a burden or anything, just to watch my granddaughter grow up."
Wheeler chuckles.
"Ma, you've seen more of her childhood than I have!"
"Well, can you blame me for wanting to be closer?" She asks.
"No…I know I don't want to be away from her for a single second…but what if we decided to stay in Australia? Are you gonna move there?"
Linka looks at him, never even considering that they'd be moving to Australia. She has a job too; people and animals that depend on her. She can't just abandon them.
"Well, if that's what it takes to be with my son, granddaughter, and future daughter in law, then yes, I guess I will have to move there! I hope you have a big enough place!"
"Whatever you want Ma! Either way, I'll be in the States soon…either to stay, or to get Linka and Vera's stuff…and yours too I guess!"
"We should let you go. And we need to get back to the reception before people start to wonder where we are," Linka says, not wanting to discuss their future and all the tough decisions that lie ahead, but just wanting to focus on their happiness right now.
"Ok. I'm so happy for you two! I love you both so much! Goodbye."
"Bye Ma."
"Take care, Kathy. We love you too."
Just as Wheeler hangs up the phone, Vera comes through the door.
"Hey! I'm going to have a sleep over with Rukia and Aunt Gi in their room tonight!" She announces.
Linka looks up at her daughter and goes into "mother mode."
"First of all, yelling 'Hey' is not how you get someone's attention. Second, do you not think you should ASK PERMISSION before you make arrangements? And third, did you and Rukia come up with this idea on your own and does your Aunt Gi approve?"
"Wow, she's tough," Wheeler says to Vera with a wink.
"Yeah, tell me about it," she sighs. Then she turns to Linka to address her with just a hint of Wheeler's patented sarcasm. "First of all…Mom and Dad…second of all, may I please have a sleep over with Rukia and Aunt Gi in their room? And third, yes Aunt Gi approves. It was her idea. She thought maybe you two would want to be alooooooooooone!"
Wheeler and Linka laugh at the way she says 'alone' in a sing song voice.
"Aunt Gi was right," Wheeler says as he puts his arm around Linka and pulls her against his side and kisses the side of her head.
"Eww," Vera says, scrunching up her nose and closing her eyes.
"Yeah, it's very 'Eww'," Wheeler replies grabbing the little girl around the waist and setting her on his lap while he proceeds to tickle her. "You just keep thinking that it's 'Eww.' That'll make things much easier for me when you get older. I won't have to chase away the boys if you think being in love is gross!"
She giggles and struggles to hold onto his hands to keep from tickling her. She finally wiggles out of his grasp and hides behind Linka for protection.
"I don't think being in love is gross…I think it's great…watching your parents KISS is gross!"
Wheeler and Linka both start laughing and Linka says,
"Get used to it. You will be seeing it a lot!"
Linka then surprises Vera by turning around, grabbing her, and holding her steady to allow Wheeler to continue his tickle attack.
"Hey! No fair!" She squeals through her laughter. "Two against one…child abuse! I surrender!"
They release her and she runs away from both of them, wiping her eyes.
"I don't think I'm going to like this 'two parent' thing…I'm feeling a little out numbered!"
"Don't worry Rebel, there will be a few times when it'll be you and me versus your Mom," Wheeler reassures her.
"I can hardly wait," Linka says while rolling her eyes.
"So who were you on the phone with before I came out? Your boss? Telling him you quit so you can move in with us?"
"I don't have a boss…I have a partner. We run a business together. But I guess in a way, the person I was talking to is my boss…or at least, she used to be…I was talking to my Mom…your grandma."
"Oh…that's right. I have more family members now…I'll finally have grandparents to spoil me!"
"Uh, just one grandparent, sorry to disappoint…but she's ready to spoil you."
"She already has!" Linka says.
Vera gives her a confused look.
"Vera, Ms. Kathy…that is Wheeler's mother…your grandmother."
The little girl's jaw dropped.
"You mean…I've known my grandma all this time?"
"Da…and you already love her like family."
"Did she know?" Vera asks.
"Nyet."
"So she was nice to me, just because?"
"Da…she has loved you like family since before you were born and she has treated me like family since the day I went to her as a lost young woman with a child on the way. She took me in and took care of us both…although, she did admit that she had a feeling you were her son's child."
"How do you think she knew?" Vera asks.
"Women's intuition…you'll develop it too someday and drive some guy crazy," Wheeler jokes.
"Do not listen to him! Remember how I would always tell you how much you reminded me of your father? Well, she saw it too…she saw glimpses of Wheeler through you…and it made her happy to be reminded of him."
"She really missed you," Vera says to Wheeler.
"I know."
"You screwed up a lot of people's lives when you left," she says sternly.
"VERA!" Linka reprimands.
"It's ok Babe. She's right…I know."
"I didn't intend to be mean. I just meant that you had a lot of making up to do!"
"I know I do Princess. I plan on it."
"I am responsible for this whole mess…if I had just been honest with myself and Wheeler in the first place, he would have never left," Linka says. "I am the one who has a lot of making up to do. I cost Kathy a son, you a father, and Wheeler a daughter."
"And you. I didn't have you, and you didn't have me. We've all suffered because of BOTH of our mistakes and stubbornness…so let's just call it even and start over? Ok?"
"Da, ok."
"That ok with you Brat? I know you've been affected the most by all this: from no dad, to new dad and all sorts of changes that are still to come."
"Yes. I'm ready for a new start," she says as she hugs him.
"Good," he says, returning her hug.
"Would any of these changes happen to include a little brother or sister?" She asks.
"Would that be ok with you?" He asks.
"Umm, excuse me? She does not get a say in it!" Linka protests.
Wheeler and Vera ignore her.
"I always figured that Mom would never get married, so I always thought that I'd never have any brothers or sisters…but I want one of each."
"Oh ok…" Linka says. "Just place your order."
Once again, they ignore her.
"Ok…we'll try our best…you do realize that there will be kissing involved?" He asks.
"And you realize that I'll be spending the night in Aunt Gi's room for a reason, right?"
"Bozhe moy! That is enough! You are five!" Linka exclaims.
"Almost six," Vera counters.
Knowing that this will be the first of many arguments between mother and daughter that he will have to defuse, Wheeler stands up and says,
"Six going on sixteen! What's it gonna be like when she's a teenager?"
"Assuming she lives that long!" Linka teases as she pulls her little girl into a hug.
"Come on girls. Let's get back to the party and talk to Gi to make sure she is ok with the sleeping arrangements...and then I believe I have a dancing date with the coolest kid in the world."
"Yes you do!" Vera exclaims as she reaches up to him to pick her up, which he happily does.
Wheeler holds the door to the reception hall open and waits for Linka to enter before following closely behind her, taking her hand and locking their fingers together. A happy family after all these years; it's all new to them and yet it all comes so easy.
To Be Continued…