This chapter took on a life of its own! Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter, clearly I'm too critical because it seems a lot of people enjoyed it. Still at 19 weeks...
Their car drew to a stop outside the venue, a wonderful open plan Russian estate, to celebrate the partnership which Harry said would make no difference to state of either nations security one little bit. "I can guarantee you will be the most beautiful woman in that building."
"You're my husband, you're biased," Ruth said.
"Nothing sexier than a woman who is pregnant with my child and with that gorgeous glow you have," Harry said, mirroring his honest thoughts. Ruth hit his arm playfully but appreciated the gesture nonetheless. She didn't realised he was speaking the Gods honest truth. As they left the car Ruth thought the building was very impressive, but the layout was very similar to the first meeting all those months before. At first Harry kept a tight grip on her arm as they slowly moved throughout the hall.
"I'm not going to fall over if you let me go," Ruth said with a smile. He kissed her cheek as they kept on going, loosening his touch a fraction. The first person they bumped into was Adam who was keeping an eye on everything on ground level. They had Tariq monitoring the surveillance too.
"You look amazing," Adam said to Ruth.
"Thank you," she said with a smile.
"Everything okay?" Harry asked in an undertone. He wasn't wired up but knew Adam was.
"Yeah fine," Adam murmured. "I think its going to go okay tonight."
"Good," Ruth said. They carried on through the room and eventually they met Ilya and Elena Gavrik. Ruth felt very uncomfortable when both of the Russians eyes were drawn to her stomach. She had been in the office permanently when Harry had point blank refused to let her into any meetings while carrying their child. She hadn't argued to strongly but this meant that neither of the Gavrik's knew about her pregnancy.
"So I see congratulations are in order," Ilya said when he looked at their faces again.
"Thank you Ilya," Harry said, keeping an arm on the small of Ruth's back.
"Whenever I meet you the number of children you have keeps increasing," Ilya said with just a hint of an insult. Harry kept a smile on his face even though he felt like throttling the man. How dare he cast aspersions on his personal life. Ruth was twice the woman Elena was, that he knew for a fact. In fact twice might be insulting to Ruth, more like three or four.
"So you battled for nuclear capability did you?" Harry asked in a gruff voice, changing tact. Elena smiled blandly at Ruth and she knew this was her indication to break away. Ilya was silent, clearly he didn't believe discussing business with women in earshot.
"Shall we get a drink Ruth?" Elena said. Ruth smiled and her eyes were twinkling at Harry that declared her happiness more than words ever would. She walked slowly beside Elena who wore a black floor length dress and her red hair streaming down her back. Ruth was more convinced than ever before that the colour came from a bottle. It might have been that luminous in her youth but not any longer. "Yes, a red wine and…?
"A lemonade please," Ruth said in the gap in the conversation. "Thank you," she said taking a sip.
"I'll echo my husbands congratulations," Elena said. Ruth knew it was empty but thanked her anyway. "How far along are you?"
"Nineteen weeks," Ruth said. "I know I'm bigger than most women are at 19 weeks."
"No, you're doing very well," Elena said honestly. "When I was pregnant with Sasha I couldn't move out of bed for about six months." Lazy cow. The Ruth thought that was probably uncharitable, after all she didn't like the woman but she'd do the best for her child. "Can I ask you a personal question?" Elena said.
"You can ask," Ruth said, anxious about what was coming.
"Does it bother you that Harry will just move on to the next woman once there's too much baggage with you? He'll get bored." Elena said.
Bitch! "Harry will not be moving on from me," Ruth said with as much dignity as she could muster. "I'm not naïve, I know he has a past and he isn't proud of it, but he doesn't lie to me or hide things from me. I know more about his past than he would probably be comfortable with, but he trusts me. We're happy. Why does it bother you what the state of my relationship with Harry is? At least we're happy."
"I think your expectations of him are too high. The entire time with me, he had a wife and two children which he didn't think twice about. It will become you. You're not exactly the young show wife a man of his age normally chooses for his second wife." Ruth felt like she'd been slapped. That jumped up little bitch!
"As opposed to you, the Russian who did everything right, married the man she was told to in her early twenties and got sunk in a web of deception and lies. You got pregnant as soon as you could and lost everything because you turned to spy for the west, except the fact that you are still married to a man you don't like. You have eternal sadness in your eyes. So yes, I did everything backwards and didn't marry at all until I turned forty, I didn't have a child in my twenties like is expected of most women but I am happier than you have ever been. Don't criticise my personal life when you yourself are so clearly unhappy." Ruth decided she'd had enough of the Russian and wouldn't stay talking to someone who degraded her and disrespected her life choices.
She left and stood alone by the wall trying to calm down because it wasn't doing her blood pressure any favours. She felt a painful kick in the ribs. "Don't worry sweetheart, ignore the evil witch, you know you're wanted don't you?" Another kick near her ribs. "Good girl. Both you and your brother are so wanted and loved by both me and your dad, okay?"
At that moment Harry came over to her, a slight crease on his forehead. "Are you okay?" he asked. Ruth checked to make sure no one was in earshot.
"Your Russian ex is a total bitch," Ruth said. "Apparently you have too much baggage and you'll get bored with me and move on to the next one because I'm not the typical show wife you should have picked and married."
"She said that?" Harry asked bewildered.
"Yes, she must be a very unhappy woman," Ruth said, biting her lip. "I just needed time to calm down."
"I'm going to have a word with her, she can't treat my wife that way."
"Don't bother," Ruth said. "It won't change anything anyway." He took a deep breath, knowing she was right but wanting to do something to take her mind off of Elena Gavrik.
"Do you want to dance with me?" Harry asked with a twinkle in his eyes that he knew she found irresistible.
"You don't want to dance with someone as fat as me," Ruth said shaking her head sadly.
"Yes I do," he said. "I want any excuse to wrap my arms around you." Ruth smiled and allowed him to lead her to the floor. By the time the first song had ended she felt much more relaxed. It was hard to stay upset or angry when Harry was holding her like this.
Halfway through the next song Harry gasped as he felt the baby kick. He was so tightly wrapped around Ruth that it was easy to feel. "She likes making her presence known doesn't she?"
"Yes indeed," Ruth said with a smile. Her eyes were glowing with happiness after she'd felt their daughter move and he couldn't resist planting a gentle kiss on her full soft lips.
It was this sight that made Elena see the truth. She would never be happy. Not with Ilya, not ever. She saw her husband was currently at the bar, no doubt stocking up on vodka and not engaged with conversation with any politician. Now was as good a time as any she thought.
"Ilya, I want a word with you in private," she said, switching to fluent Russian so at least some people wouldn't be able to understand their conversation.
"Can't it wait, tonight's a very important night in case you haven't noticed." She sighed. She was so tired of waiting for everything, always being last with him.
"Ilya, I want a divorce."
