Nicky was curled up on the living room sofa wrapped in the comforter from her bed. She hadn't moved from this spot since she had woken up that morning to watch Red rush around getting ready to leave for Litchfield. Nicky had considered tagging along to go see Gloria, but Red had shut that idea down the moment that she had suggested it. Julio and Benny had left for their class trip the day before. They would be gone until Monday and Red was really excited about having the rare opportunity to go see Gloria by herself. Nicky was only slightly offended.
She sat up when she heard the knock at the door and grinned broadly. She knew that it was Luschek. After Red had turned down the pleasure of her company, Nicky had sent him a text to see if he wanted to spend the afternoon with her today. She had not wanted to spend her rare Saturday off alone and he was the first person she had thought of.
"Afternoon, Sunshine," Luschek said brightly, when Nicky answered the door still wrapped in her comforter. "Are you cold or something?"
"I'm just being comfortable," Nicky replied, "I don't want to do anything today. That's why I invited you over. You're the laziest guy I know."
"And I'm proud to be," Luschek replied, as Daisy raced forward to sniff his feet.
"Ugh, not one of those ankle biters," Luschek groaned, "if you were going to get a dog, you should at least have gotten one big enough to count as a real dog."
"We have a bigger dog too," Nicky told him, "but Red's son took him along on some hiking trip." Maxim and Luca had gone away for the weekend on a wilderness adventure tour. They would be gone for four days without cell reception and be pitching a tent every night to sleep in. It sounded like a nightmare to Nicky, who preferred vacations that usually involved being poolside with tons of pampering.
"That sounds like a lot of work disguised as a vacation," Luschek shuddered as he took a seat beside Nicky on the couch. Nicky lay back down and placed her feet in his lap. She smiled.
"So, how's prison treating you?" Nicky asked, "did you find a new witty smart mouth to take my place yet? That place is filled with people wanting to shoot their mouths off, but I doubt any of them have my way with words."
"The place isn't the same without you," Luschek replied, "is that what you want to hear?"
"Just like to know that I'm irreplaceable," Nicky smirked, scratching Daisy behind the ear when she jumped up on the couch beside her. She reached for the remote and recommenced the show she had been watching.
"So, did you invite me over today just so that you would have someone to watch television with?" Luschek asked.
"I thought you might be craving my company," Nicky replied, "we haven't hung out since we went paintballing back in March."
"You've been avoiding me," Luschek said.
"I have not," Nicky retorted, "I've just been busy. You know how it is, or do you? Collecting orgasms and breaking hearts."
"Everybody has to have a hobby, I guess," said Luschek easily, "who has it been this time?"
"Nobody you know," Nicky said, "just a couple of girls from the restaurant and the latest was somebody from my class at college. I just got rid of her."
Nicky had formally ended things with Brooke when they had gone out to dinner together before their evening class this past week. She hadn't wanted to do it, especially not before the course had ended. She just hadn't had any patience left for Brooke's clinginess or talks about a future together that was never going to happen.
"You player," Luschek teased.
"Hey, you and I both know you'd be doing the same thing if you had an ounce of my charm," Nicky grinned wickedly, "you want me to wingman for you sometime? I promise not to take all the best ones for myself."
"How do you know I'm not currently seeing someone?" asked Luschek.
"You're not," said Nicky confidently, "or, if you are, it's definitely not someone you're serious about. Otherwise, why would you be sitting here with me right now?"
"I thought there might be good food around here to eat," Luschek joked, "I'm getting sick of ramen noodles and stale pizza for dinner every night."
"Gosh, Luschek," Nicky rolled her eyes, "just because you work in a prison doesn't mean you have to eat like an inmate." She got up and went to the fridge to get him the leftover Chicken Parmesan that Red had cooked last night for dinner.
"You came to the right place for a good meal, though," she told him a few minutes later, when she brought the warmed-up food back to the couch. She handed him his plate.
"See what good care I take of you?" she asked, "you're so lucky to have me. I'll even get you a glass of water to go with it."
"You don't have anything stronger, do you?" asked Luschek.
"Just a bottle of cooking wine," said Nicky, "we're not party people around here."
"Funny, I always dubbed you for a party girl," said Luschek, "or maybe just a bad girl."
"Well, now I'm a good little school girl," Nicky replied, as she handed him the glass of water she had fetched. "I'm going for my Bachelor's degree in Psychology at NYU in September. Are you proud of me?"
"I never cared much for school," Luschek said, taking a sip from the water glass, "bet that doesn't surprise you, huh? But I'm glad you're doing that. You're too damn smart for your own good."
"Is that one of the things you like best about me?" Nicky asked him. She kneeled on the couch beside him and leaned her head forward to take the fleshy skin of his neck between her teeth. Luschek shivered as goosebumps appeared on his skin.
Nicky chuckled and relaxed her jaw that was clenched on his neck. "Okay, maybe there is something I feel like doing today," she admitted casually. She leaned down to tenderly kiss the bite marks she had left on his skin.
Luschek guffawed, and placed his dishes on the coffee table. Then he turned and wrapped his arms around Nicky. Tilting her head up he pressed his lips against hers in a soft, gentle kiss.
"Let's go to my room," Nicky said after a moment, gripping his arm and tugging him into a standing position. "Red would kill me if I had sex on the couch."
She pulled him along down the hall to her bedroom which was very messy. Clothes were all over the floor and her dresser was littered with makeup. Red had long ago declared Nicky's room a disaster zone and refused to go in there. Nicky had given up pointing out that the room wouldn't get into such a state if Red didn't keep tossing items onto the bed whenever they were left lying around other parts of the apartment. Now the mess was too overwhelming to clean.
"This is just as bad as my room," Luschek observed, as Nicky knocked some clean laundry and a couple of magazines off of the bed and onto the floor.
"Then you should feel right at home," Nicky replied, pulling back the covers and lying down in the bed, "are you coming?"
"Sure," Luschek conceded, unbuckling his pants and stripping them off. He crawled into the bed next to her. He slid his hand beneath Nicky's thigh and noted with delight that she had kicked off her pajama bottoms beneath the covers.
Nicky excited him and her attitude made everything even more appealing during the handful of times they had been intimate with each other. Luschek knew that she wasn't really into him that way, that she only penciled him in for these friends-with-benefits hook-ups when she wasn't seeing somebody that actually was her type. However, that was more than okay with him. Luschek just enjoyed being in the now with her. With a partner who equally didn't give a f**k.
Nicky flipped over so that she could straddle his lap. She leaned down to kiss him and bit his lower lip teasingly, pulling it out and enjoying the way she could tell that he was smiling. She placed her hands flat on his chest and slowly crawled her fingers down until they wrapped around his arousal and began stroking him softly. It wasn't her favourite part of this intimacy, but she enjoyed seeing how the gentlest of touch could affect him. It made her feel powerful and Nicky liked the control it gave her.
Once the condom had been put on, Nicky gripped his sex in her hand and mounted him. Sometimes she had allowed him a bit more control over the movements, but right now she wanted it done her way. She lowered her upper body down so that he was plunged as far into her depths as could be. Luschek placed his hands on her hips and thrust in sync with the rolling of her hips.
Needing more, Nicky placed her hand atop of Luschek's right and encouraged him to slide towards her centre. She put pressure on his fingertips petting her clit with light and electric movements that made her tremble. Once the rhythm had been set, Nicky took her hand away and wrapped it around his neck.
Forehead pressed against forehead they held one another and moved as one, both panting together. Flurries of light butterfly kisses were exchanged between them and they would alter their speed, slowing down whenever they sensed one of them was getting too close to the end. Both of them wanted it to last as long as it could. They didn't have sex together often, but when they did they took it seriously. Exploring one another's bodies, nipping, and teasing. They had both learned what the other one needed and they nearly always came at the same time.
Gripping one another tightly as they neared their peak, Luschek rocked forward and maneuvered Nicky onto her back, as he went on top and she allowed him to take the lead. Nicky wrapped her legs and arms around Luschek's torso and neck. He thrust deliberately into her and, had she not been so wet, the force may have almost been too much, but instead she purred and allowed waves of euphoric pleasure to come over when at last, she surrendered.
Luschek rolled over and laid on his back beside her in the bed. Both were breathless and both were completely sated.
"That was good," Luschek said, linking his fingers together and stretching.
"Same," Nicky agreed. She curved onto her side and hugged her pillow. She yawned. "I feel like I could take a nap right about now."
"Did I wear you out?" Luschek grinned. Nicky scoffed and rolled her eyes, but within minutes they were both sound asleep with Nicky's pillow acting as a divider between them. They weren't the cuddly sort once the act was done.
It was much too soon when Nicky was rudely woken up by the sound of her phone ringing. Luschek was still snoring loudly beside her. Nicky jumped out of the bed and hurried into the living room before she missed the call.
"Hello?" Nicky said into it, feeling a bit groggy.
"Nicky! Thank God you answered!" said Lida, sounding frantic, "I couldn't get a hold of anybody else. Mama is gone today, Maxim and Luca are away, Klara is visiting friends out of town, and Yuri isn't answering his phone for some reason. I need to take Vasily to the hospital. He fell off the roof and I think his arm might be broken. Would you be able to come stay with the kids?"
"You want me to watch the kids?" Nicky said skeptically, running her fingers through her tangled hair. She still wasn't the biggest fan of small children, although living with Red ensured she saw quite a bit of Alexei and Vera.
"Please?" said Lida, "I don't know who else to call and I really don't want to take them to the emergency room with us."
"Yeah, sure, I'll do it," Nicky sighed, mourning her planned day of relaxation. "You don't mind if I bring a friend to help me, do you?"
"Not at all," Lida said automatically, "are you leaving now? Can you come right now?"
"Just let me put pants on first," Nicky yawned, "I'll be there in twenty."
Once she got off the phone with Lida, she immediately went back into her bedroom where Luschek was seeping soundly. She shook him. "Wake up!"
"No, mommy, I don't wanna go to school today," Luschek mumbled and turned onto his stomach. Rolling her eyes, Nicky shook him even harder and he jerked wide awake.
"What the f**k were you dreaming about just now?" asked Nicky, giving him a strange look. "Never mind, I don't care." She picked up his jeans that had been lying on the floor and tossed them at him. "Put these on quickly," she ordered, and then shifted through some piles on the floor of her own clothing for a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.
"Are you kicking me out already?" Luschek asked. He stood up to slip his blue jeans on.
"Not exactly," said Nicky. "I just got suckered into a babysitting job because Red's son fell off a roof and apparently broke his arm." She rolled her eyes again. "Vasily's probably fine. Lida just likes to get over-excited about things."
"Umm…okay," Luschek blinked, not at all following what was going on. "I'll let you get to that then." He made to walk out into the hallway.
"Not so fast," Nicky said, grabbing him by the arm when he tried to pass her, "I need reinforcements. You're coming with me."
"To babysit?" Luschek scoffed, "no freaking way. You're on your own there."
"Come on," Nicky prodded, "I need help. I don't know anything about how to keep two kids alive for an afternoon."
"And you think I do?" asked Luschek.
"Let's find out," Nicky replied. "Besides, I need a ride."
In a matter of minutes, Nicky and Luschek drove up in his beater truck and parked outside of Vasily's house. Lida rushed out the doors to meet them.
"Thank God you're here," Lida said breathlessly, enveloping Nicky in a hug, "Vasily's in a lot of pain."
"Let's try and relax, eh?" said Nicky, as she patted Lida on the back. "I mean it's his arm, not his neck."
Lida sniffed. "Yeah," she said, trying hard to look more cheerful. She smiled half-heartedly at Luschek. "I'm Lida Reznikov," she introduced herself, holding out a hand.
"Luschek," said Luschek, shaking her hand, "we, uh…met on New Years Eve though."
"Oh gosh," Lida giggled, turning to lead the way up the walkway to her house. "I'm sort of embarrassed that I don't really remember anything about that night."
"That's not surprising," Luschek replied, while Nicky sniggered.
As soon as Lida opened the front door of the house, Nicky heard the Paw Patrol theme song blaring from the television. Alexei raced down the stairs wearing just his underwear and a Super Man cape. Vera was husting after her big brother as quickly as she could. Both kids ran past their father without a sideways glance as he sat on the Deacons bench with his right arm cradled, and looking thoroughly miserable.
"Nicky's here," Lida told her husband unnecessarily, "and Luschek."
"Great," said Vasily, sucking his teeth as he adjusted his position.
"Can we go now?" he asked.
"Just let me give Nicky all the instructions first," Lida replied. She motioned Nicky to follow her into the kitchen, leaving Luschek and Vasily to make awkward conversation in the foyer.
"This bone will heal itself by the time you're ready to go," Vasily called after them, "hurry up, honey!"
"I'd ask if this behaviour is normal," Nicky told Lida, glancing into the living room at the kids who were busy taking all the cushions off of the sofa. Vera had managed to remove her pants too, and was now jumping around in just a diaper. "But these are your kids and I've become familiar with their work."
"Just make them put pants on if you take them outside," Lida smiled. She handed Nicky a piece of lined paper where she had written a full page of instructions.
"Are you not planning to ever come back or something?" Nicky asked, as she glanced down the list lazily. "When do I give them their nap?"
"They don't really nap anymore," Lida told her, "they're outgrowing it, I guess."
"Smart of you to keep that information to yourself when you called," Nicky groaned. She folded up the note and shoved it in the back pocket of her jeans.
"There's lots of food in the fridge," Lida told her, "they can have some apple slices for a snack and I was planning to make pork chops for supper. If I'm not back by then you could start dinner for them."
"Or just order a pizza," Nicky replied, nudging Lida back down the hallway. "Don't worry, I won't let them starve. Go take care of your husband."
"Alright," sighed Lida. She stepped into the living room where Alexei was now running with a couch cushion in front of him and crashing into the wall.
"Mommy's leaving now, guys," Lida told them, scooping Vera up into her arms. "Mommy has to take Daddy to the hospital to fix his arm and Auntie Nicky, and her friend Luschek, are going to stay with you. Okay?"
"Mommy, I want to go with you," Alexei whined, dropping the cushion and wrapping his arms around Lida's waist.
"I'll be back soon," Lida promised, leaning down to kiss the top of his head. "As soon as I can." She placed Vera in Nicky's reluctant arms and then worked to untangle Alexei's limbs from around her legs.
"I'm holding you to that promise," Nicky said, over the sound of Vera crying. She had started wailing the moment she had realized that her mother was leaving. "No dawdling. Get back here as quickly as you can."
"Thanks again, Nicky," Lida smiled, "text me if you need anything." It was still several long minutes before Lida managed to put her shoes on and walk with Vasily to their car. Alexei insisted on them all standing in the window to wave goodbye until they drove out of sight.
"Alright, cut the dramatics," Nicky said to Vera, who hadn't stopped whimpering since Lida had handed her to her. "I want your mommy to come back too, but until she does, you and me are going to have to make the best of things." She placed Vera back on the floor.
"You guys want to watch a movie?" she asked hopefully.
"I want to build a tent," Alexei told her, jumping up and down.
"I don't know how to make a tent," Nicky told him, "maybe my friend, Luschek does though." She smirked.
"Don't you just drape some blankets over a few chairs?" Luschek asked.
Nicky shrugged, "works for me," she said, "let's go find some blankets."
Alexei raced up the stairs ahead of everyone and came back dragging the large Queen size comforter off of his parents' bed.
"Don't fall," Nicky told him, "or your mother and grandmother will kill me."
"Where is Grandma?" Alexei asked, "she always babysits us."
"She's away visiting a friend of hers today," Nicky grumbled, "otherwise I assure you she would be here. Now, are you ready to go build your tent?"
Alexei threw the blanket the rest of the way down the stairs and then turned back around. "I need more blankets," he told them.
"Umm, hi," Luschek said awkwardly to Vera, who had just wrapped her arms around his legs and giggled while looking up at him.
"She seems to like you," Nicky observed, "probably can tell that the two of you have about the same maturity level. At least she stopped crying."
"She's pretty cute," Luschek admitted, picking the little girl up. "I don't mind visiting them but I definitely wouldn't want to live here."
"Auntie, you ready?" Alexei asked, re-emerging at the top of the stairs with another large blanket and the sheets from all of their beds.
"Your sister-in-law is going to love you when she has to remake every single bed in this house tonight," Luschek told her.
Nicky shrugged, "her list didn't say anything about beds. At least, I don't think it did. I didn't actually read the whole thing. She worries too much." Nicky bent down to pick up the large comforter at the bottom of the stairs and carried it into the living room. Alexei followed with the other blankets, and Luschek picked up the rear with Vera. They grabbed all of the chairs from the kitchen table and arranged them in a circle before draping the blankets over them. Then Alexei grabbed all of the couch cushions and used them to make walls and tents.
"You can't come in my tent, ha-ha," he told them, before blocking himself in with a cushion.
"We didn't want to come in anyway," Nicky said back, "all the cookies are out here."
The cushion was slowly pulled back and Alexei's eyes peered out, "I want cookies," he told her.
"Can I come in your tent then?" asked Nicky. Alexei nodded. So Nicky went into the kitchen and began rummaging in the cupboards until she found a Tupperware container full of homemade sugar cookies. She didn't get why Lida was insisting on apples for a snack when there were better options lying around.
Nicky handed Alexei a cookie as payment and then crawled into the cramped hideout with him. Vera toddled in behind her.
"Vera, hurry up," Alexei said in a spooky voice, "we're hiding from the monster!"
"What monster?" asked Nicky.
"Eeeeeehh MONSTER!" Vera squealed in delight as she pointed out of the tent.
"Luschek's a monster?" Nicky asked, peering up out of the blankets at him, "I guess he is pretty scary looking."
"Go away, Monster!" Alexei shouted, shoving the couch cushion into the opening and enveloping them in pitch darkness. Nicky helped herself to a second cookie from the container while Luschek played along with them, shaking the tent while Alexei and Vera both screamed and laughed simultaneously.
Once that game got old and the tent had been demolished, Alexei and Vera started running across the room and jumping into the pile of blankets and pillows. Nicky checked her phone and rolled her eyes at how Lida had blown it up with all the text messages asking how the kids were.
"You'd think she didn't consider me to be a responsible babysitter," Nicky said, as she sat down on the cushion-less couch next to Luschek. "Man, these kids are hyper."
"Well, you did just feed them each about a dozen cookies," Luschek pointed out, "how are you going to explain that one away?"
"I'm going to blame it on you,' Nicky replied. She replaced her phone back in her pocket. "Well, Lida just said they're going to be late for supper," she told him with a groan. "Vasily is getting fit for a cast and then they need to go pick up his prescription at the pharmacy. You want to order a pizza? She defrosted some pork chops for dinner but I'm not cooking."
"Yeah, sure," Luschek shrugged, "get some wings as well."
"Are you chipping in?" Nicky asked, her phone to her ear as she waited for the pizza place to answer.
"I'm spending my entire Saturday babysitting kids for people I barely know," Luschek pointed out, "I think I deserve some free wings."
"Fine," Nicky relented. She placed an order for delivery which would arrive in approximately twenty minutes. The kids were still amusing themselves jumping on all of the blankets and pillows. Nicky considered cleaning them up briefly but then decided that it seemed like too much work. Once the food had been delivered and Nicky had paid, she turned to the kids and asked them if they wanted some juice to go with it.
"Mommy says we have to have water to drink," Alexei told her, "juice just in the morning."
"Yeah, well mommy's not here," Nicky told him, "and I say it's okay. So, would you rather water or juice?"
"Juice!" Alexei shouted.
"Juice!" Vera repeated.
"That's what I thought," Nicky said, and she went to fil their sippy cups with juice.
The four of them were sitting contentedly on the mountain of pillows and blankets when Vasily and Lida walked in. Nicky and Luschek were both completely engrossed in The Lion King, which they had found in their DVD collection and put on after supper. They didn't notice them right away.
"Mommy! Daddy!" Alexei exclaimed when he saw them in the doorway. He jumped up and ran to hug them. Vera wiggled off of Luschek's lap and hurried over to her mother.
"You guys look like you had a lot of fun," Lida remarked, looking around her completely trashed living room with widened eyes. "Did you behave for Auntie and Luschek?"
"Yeah, they were fine," Nicky said, getting to her feet, "I'd watch them again if you ever need me to. How's the arm, Vasily?"
"Painful," said Vasily, "I thought I was going to die when the doctor set it."
"Oh, don't be dramatic," said Lida, "that took like five seconds."
"Just take some pain pills and go to sleep until it eases up," Nicky advised him, "you…uh…might want to make the bed up again before you do that though."
"Auntie and Luschek helped me make a tent," Alexei told them happily, and then began describing to his parents in extreme detail everything they had done that day. When he got to the part about the cookies, Nicky decided it was time to say goodbye.
"I'll let your mom know how you're doing," she said to Vasily, "so she might come over later to check on you."
"If not, she'll be by tomorrow morning to return my car," said Vasily.
"I don't know why you haven't made her buy her own yet," Nicky said, slipping her denim jacket on over her t-shirt. "She steals yours every week."
Vasily laughed, "I guess I'm going to need to get firmer," he said, "but it doesn't really matter since Lida and I have the two. Is she home yet?"
"She should have gotten home a couple of hours ago," Nicky replied, "although she conveniently ignored my text message telling her to come straight here to help me with the kids once she got back to the city. So, you can blame this mess on her. I didn't have a chance to clean up." Lida chose that moment to walk down the hall. She was barely able to see over the bundles of blankets in her arms.
"Do you want some help?" Nicky asked her half-heartedly, at the same time slipping her feet into her shoes and wrapping her hand around the door knob. She was more than ready to leave.
"That's alright," Lida replied, "I can do it. Thanks so much for helping us out today though."
Nicky was still feeling in pretty good spirits when Luschek dropped her off at home a few minutes later. She had enjoyed her afternoon with Vasily's children. She would never stop appreciating the chaos that came from being a part of a large family.
Waving goodbye, Nicky hurried up the steps to the porch and pulled her key out of her pocket. She had seen Vasily's car parked out front so she knew that Red was already home. She let herself into the apartment where Daisy was excitedly waiting. After she had finished properly greeting her dog, which consisted of lots of kisses and cute baby talk, Nicky kicked off her shoes and went to find Red.
"You're in bed already?" Nicky commented, as she walked into Red's room and laid down beside her. "I suppose I could do with an early night myself though. No offence, but your grandchildren are wild animals."
"Hmm," Red mumbled sleepily. She was under the covers and had them clutched beneath her chin.
"Thanks for ignoring my text messages by the way," Nicky rolled her eyes, "aren't you even curious why I was watching the kids in the first place?"
"A little,' Red admitted, her voice sounding a little hoarse, "so why were you?"
"Your son fell off the roof of the house," Nicky answered.
"Is Vasily okay?" Red asked, sitting up in bed, her forehead creased with worry.
"He's fine," Nicky said dismissively, "broke his arm though. He's going to need to wear a cast for six to eight weeks."
"Dummy," Red replied, "he was always clumsy." She leaned back into her pillow again and closed her eyes.
"So, how was Gloria?" asked Nicky.
"Don't ask," Red grunted.
"Why not?" asked Nicky, "did something happen?"
"You're asking," Red said grimly.
"Well, come on you can't not tell me," Nicky pressed, "we tell each other everything."
"Nicky, not now, alright?" Red pleaded, opening her eyes and giving her a meaningful look. "I'm not in the mood. I don't want to talk about Gloria right now. If you're going to stay, why don't you tell me what you and the babies did today?"
"You didn't break up, did you?" asked Nicky jokingly.
"More or less," Red said stiffly.
"What the f**k is that supposed to mean?" Nicky asked, beginning to get impatient. "You either did or you didn't. Did the two of you have a fight?"
'Huh," Red sighed, "Nicky, I just...I don't know what to say right now. It's just that woman is so difficult sometimes, it drives me insane. And she thinks I'm the one with the problem? Ha!"
"Umm, okay," Nicky blinked, "what was she being difficult about?"
"You know, sometimes I think she just likes to create this drama just so that she can irritate me," Red said bitterly. "I have driven up to that despicable prison every week for her, wasting hours of my life in Vasily's uncomfortable car with all of the traffic and the bad weather. She waits until now to tell me I shouldn't bother?"
"She said she doesn't want you to visit her anymore?" Nicky asked, trying to make some sense out of Red's ranting.
"Well…not exactly," Red conceded, "but she might as well have."
"What exactly did she say then?" asked Nicky.
Red pursed her lips, "she said that she doesn't want to be with me once she gets out."
"She said that?" Nicky asked in disbelief, squinting slightly in confusion.
"Well, no," Red admitted, "she said that she is moving in with Lourdes once she gets out. She doesn't want to move into the larger apartment with all of us. Apparently, sleeping on a lumpy couch is more preferable than being under the same roof as me."
"Okay, I think you're blowing this way out of proportion," Nicky took a deep breath. "I mean, I wasn't there, but I doubt she's trying to avoid you. Maybe she doesn't think the boys are ready for such a move?"
"Those boys," Red gritted her teeth, "she thinks I'm not good enough for them now? I do everything that I possibly can for them. I've driven them up to visit her, I've taken care of them when they're sick, I take them on vacation, I even helped Lourdes pay for the f**king field trip they are currently on, but Gloria doesn't appreciate any of that!"
"That's not true," Nicky insisted, "I've seen the way she looked at you when you brought her sons to see her. And the woman was practically crying from joy on the phone when she learned that you were taking them to see Feliks and Ivanna with you. You are so important to her, and to Julio and Benny too."
"That's what she said," Red admitted, sounding positively miserable.
"Okay then," said Nicky, "that's good. Huh?"
"Gloria thinks she is doing what's right for her sons, but I have spent more time with them in the past few months than she has in years," Red told her. "They're comfortable with me. They've stayed over with me several times by choice this year."
"It's still going to be a big adjustment for them to have you and her both around together," Nicky argued, "and let's not forget about Lourdes. Getting their mom back is probably enough of a change for right now. You're right, you have spent more time with them than she has but that wasn't her choice. Would you like Klara pointing out how much more time she got with your sons compared to you?"
Red scoffed, "it's not anything like that," she said spitefully.
"Except that it sort of is," Nicky argued. "Remember, you have had time to focus on your family uninterrupted. Give Gloria the same opportunity. Let her focus on them first and just be patient."
"I've been waiting for two years," Red said dramatically.
"And it's been even longer for the boys," Nicky reminded her gently. "They were little when Gloria left them." She scooted closer to her in the bed and kissed her mother's cheek.
"I'm just so sick of doing everything for everyone else and then getting slapped in the f**king face," Red sighed, looking down at her hand, which Nicky had entwined with her own.
"I'm so tired," she whispered.