Chapter 4—They're Tag-Teaming Us!
1
"Mama, where's Kira?" Raisa asked. "She wasn't in her room."
"Raisa, mind your business," said her father. "Kira got hurt last night so she is in the hospital."
"But you didn't tell me. I'm still the boss."
"Indeed?" hissed her father. "At the moment, you are not going with Bubbie and Dedushka this weekend. You keep it up, you'll be in your room until Monday morning. Do you understand me?" he growled.
"Raisa, what's with the baby behavior?" Anna asked. "I thought you had stopped that, and had grown up. I guess I was wrong."
"Are you sure you want to keep being the boss?" Callen asked.
"Of course. I am the boss!"
"That's fine. That means you go nowhere except to school, and maybe to the ice cream parlor. No excursions to the Arcade or the mall or the department stores. Remember, we are doing this your way," Callen said.
"Callen—!" Anna began.
He glared at her. "No, Anna," he said firmly. "I am sick and tired of this nonsensical baby behavior, and if she is going to persist, then she needs the consequences that go with it."
"But Papa, I have to go with Bubbie and Dedushka!" Raisa objected.
Callen shook his head. "Make up your mind, Raisa. You cannot have it both ways. You are almost thirteen years old, and you still want to be a baby. Which do you want?" He was fuming.
2
"All right, guys!" Anna interrupted. "Go finish getting ready for school. Nobody is staying home today."
"But, Mama, it's past nine o'clock," Anya objected.
"So?" said Anna, becoming as irritated as Callen. "Go get ready! We are leaving here in seven minutes!" She scanned her children, and noticed that the only one who wasn't ready was Raisa. "Raisa, get changed right now!"
"But babies—"
Callen cut her off. "Don't go there, Raisa. You'll lose."
"How?" asked Anya.
"You need to mind your own business!" Callen growled at her. "If you are not careful, Anya, you'll be staying home instead of going with Bubbie and Dedushka also."
"Oh, no, no," Anya objected.
"Then keep quiet!" Anna told her.
Nikolai snaked up Anna's front, and hugged her. "It's okay, Mama," he said, kissing her cheek.
She held him for a minute, and then put him down. "Go get your stuff, baby," she said.
"Okay, Mama," he replied amiably.
"Callen, where is Raisa?" Anna asked him.
"I hope she is upstairs getting ready. If not, I swear I'll drop her off in her pajamas!"
Within five minutes, Raisa came downstairs dressed in her flannel teddy bear outfit.
"You cannot wear that!" Anna squawked.
"Yes, I can. This is what babies wear," Raisa contradicted.
"Anastasia, bud' spokoyen!" Callen hissed at her as he sensed that she was about to argue with Raisa. (Be quiet.)
"Oh, God, Mama!" Anya cried. "They are going to laugh at her!"
"Anya, you're a nice sister, but don't make it your problem, okay?" Callen said.
"Okay, Papa," she said, feeling bad for Raisa.
"Guys, let's go!" Anna barked. "Get in the damn car!"
The three grabbed their backpacks, and ran out to Anna's car. Both Anya and Nikolai let Raisa sit in the way back, and didn't even give her a hard time about it.
A few minutes later, Anna dropped off Raisa first. The other two kids kept quiet, and then they were dropped off accordingly.
Anna drove home slowly, and when she went inside, she flopped down on the couch.
"Callen, I want to evaporate!"
He laughed at her. "Nuh-uh. Me first," he said, smushing her. "This day can only get better."
"Da," she said softly, leaning into him. She closed her eyes.
Callen closed his eyes, too, and they slept for more than two hours.
3
Callen picked up the kids on time, beginning with Raisa. She was crying. He didn't say a word because he knew what was wrong with her.
Next, he picked up Anya, who also knew what was wrong with her.
"You are so dumb," she muttered under her breath.
"Anya, you be quiet, too," Callen said. "She has to work through this mess on her own."
Nikolai was ready, and he flew out to his father's car. He closed his seatbelt.
"Hi, Papa!" he shrieked.
4
"Mama, they all laughed at me."
"Yes, they did. What did you expect they would do?" Anna said, feeling terrible for her daughter. "Raisa, you're in eighth grade, and almost thirteen years old. People who are teenagers do not behave like babies, no matter what!"
"But I'm not a teenager!"
"The hell you aren't!" Anna shot back. "You're very teenager in everything you do, except your behavior. Nobody in your school wants anything to do with you, Raisa. They are all teenagers who want nothing to do with babies. They are getting ready for high school next year, and that's what you're supposed to be doing.
"Dressing like a big baby did nothing to help you! Of course they laughed at you all day long. What did you want them to do, Raisa? You're a cute girl who has a lot going for her, although you can't see it. Don't you want to be friends with anyone?"
"Just David and Ursie."
"Uh…NO. David landed in jail for selling drugs, and I don't know what happened to Ursie."
"She got left back a lot. Right now, she is in fifth grade, and everyone else is in ninth grade, or eighth grade."
"Raisa, you're weeks away from being in ninth grade. Why do you want to hang out with people who are inaccessable? You can't go near David no matter what, and Ursie is messed up. You're thirteen, and kids in your grade are, too. They go to movies and the mall, and shopping. Why don't you want to go with them?"
"Because Anya won't be there—"
"No, she won't. She is in tenth grade, and won't hang out with an eighth grader in public. She has her own friends, Raisa, just as you should. On the weekends, she makes it a point to hang out with you."
"Not this weekend. She's going with Bubbie and Dedushka."
"Whose fault is that, Raisa? You need to listen to both parents at the same time, not just when you feel like it."
"Papa won't let me go."
"He might, if you cooperate with both of us. You need to do some serious thinking about it, and your general behavior. If you can fix it, maybe he'll change his mind."
"You're going to talk to him?"
"Most certainly not! Raisa, that all has to come from you, not me. I am not grounded."
5
"When are my parents coming?" Kira hollered.
"Not until later or tomorrow."
"But I have to go home," she added.
"Yes, you do, but not just yet. You're still having slight after effects of the mannitol."
"Oh, yuck! How much longer?"
"Not much."
6
"Maybe we should call her," Anna suggested.
"Think it'll matter?"
"No, not at all. If she's ready, they'll tell us. If not, they'll tell us that, too."
She dialed the room phone, and the nurse answered.
"How is she?" Anna asked.
"Okay, but loud," the nurse said.
Anna chuckled. "I'd rather have the loud than the crying," she said. "Is she any better?"
"Oh, yes, but still not all the way just yet. It would probably be better if you came late in the day. That way, I'll make sure she has a nap."
"Sounds good to me. Thank you, nurse. We'll see you after four."
She put her phone in her pocket.
"What's the scoop?"
"Just what you expect."
He smirked at her, and his eyes twinkled. "Like what?" he persisted.
"Will you stop?! She is loud like you."
"Oh, ho ho!" he snorted before he laughed at her. "Be serious. What else did the nurse say?"
"Not much. She wants us to visit after four so Kira can sleep."
"That's fine, baby. Has the diarrhea stopped?"
"No. Not all the way. I think she'll be fine by the time we get there."
"Probably. Baby, I need to call Hetty. Then we can go to the Arcade."
Anna nodded, and slouched against him.
"Hetty, I'm sorry we couldn't be there. We had a family emergency that isn't over yet, but it's better. We'll both stop in tomorrow."
"Mr. Callen, there's no need to apologize. These things happen. Is your daughter okay?"
"Thank you, Hetty. Mostly. She doesn't feel good, but she is a whole lot better than yesterday." He stood up to stretch, and Anna jumped right on him. He caught her with one arm. "Stop!" he hissed at her.
Hetty bit back a chuckle, although she had a good idea of what was happening. "Okay, Mr. Callen. We'll see you both tomorrow."
7
"What is with you?"
"Nothing. Can we get a new TV yet?"
"No. Not until the bullshit with Raisa stops," he said. Then he kissed her. "Are you ready for the Arcade?"
"Yes, please, Callen. I can't wait!"
They spent several hours at the Arcade, playing mostly retro games. Anna's favorite was Tank, and Callen enjoyed Pac-Man. After, they saw that they fit into the bumper cars and had a blast crashing into each other. Last, they played some skill games, such as Skee Ball, and the Basketball Shoot. Anna crowed because she won the Basketball Shoot.
"Stop that," Callen said. "Don't be a sore winner!"
She laughed. "Okay. I'll stop. Hey, Callen…thank you for a fun afternoon."
"Anytime, baby. Anytime." He hugged her, and then snuggled her. Then he whispered, "We have to get the kids now."
She made a face. Sometimes, she hated sharing him. "Must we?"
He picked her up. "Yes. We'll switch cars at home, and then get them, okay?"
"Yes, please," she replied. She laid her head on his shoulder.
A few minutes later, they were on their way to get their three children.
"Guys, get settled," Callen commanded. He was annoyed that Raisa had decided where the other two kids should sit. "Raisa, go sit in the way back, and you other two…settle down!"
"But that's not where I —"
Callen glared at her. "That doesn't matter. This is Mama's car. Here, you sit where you're told. With your own car, you can sit where you want."
She groused the entire ride home.
8
JD went to the restaurant again, but solo.
"Why are you here?" one older guy asked him. "This is a hangout for college MEN, and you are not a man by any stretch. Take yourself out of here before we throw you out."
Another guy spoke up. "Did you kill that girl the other night?"
"No, but I should have! She's nothing but trouble," JD replied.
The two men exchanged glances, and then grabbed JD by his lapels.
"What is wrong with you, you dumbass? You don't go around beating up girls because they have their own minds!" the first man said.
"You better hope her family doesnt have you arrested," the second man said.
"I didn't do anything to her!"
A third man spoke up. "Are you serious? You beat the shit out of her!"
"She deserved it!"
"Nobody deserves to be beat up like that! Take your sorry ass out of here before you have more trouble. We'll beat you up!" the third man said.
A fourth man joined the group. "Show me your college ID."
"I left it at home," JD gasped.
"Not good enough. Show me your ID!" said the fourth man.
JD swung at him, and then lunged for him. The other three men captured him, and put him in strangle holds.
"Get your ass out of here, and do not come back!" the first man growled.
The second man searched JD, and found his wallet. He looked through it untl he found his ID card. Then he burst out laughing.
"This guy is in eleventh grade!" the second man declared.
"A high-schooler?! We could lose our liquor license because of you!" the third man squawked. "Get the fuck out of here right now, or we'll call the cops on you!"
"You wouldn't dare!" JD roared.
The first man glared at him. "Who the hell do you think you are, you little prick? You're certainly not above the law!"
JD was all about JD, so he didn't realize what the man was actually asking him. "JD Thompson," he said stiffly and proudly.
"Okay, JD Thompson," the second man said. "You have exactly three seconds to get out of here before we take your picture and email it to the cops! Move!"
JD looked at each man in terror. He wasn't sure what they would do, so he ran out as fast as he could go.
The first man pulled a clipboard out from under the bar, and added JD's name to the list of undesirables that were there.
"If that chicken-shit comes back, with or without a girl, have him arrested," he told the other three men.
9
"Since my parents are coming soon, why do I have to take a nap?" Kira bellowed.
"Because it's not all that soon," a male voice responded.
Kira sat up. "Who are you?"
"Somebody who wants you to be more quiet. Your noise is disturbing the other patients," he said.
"So, who are you?"
"My name is Alexei," he said. "Who are you?"
In spite of herself, Kira said, "I'm Kira."
Alexei entered the room. He held his hand out, and she shook it.
"Hello, Kira," he said.
She was acutely aware of the feel of his hand. "Hi."
"Why are you here?" he asked, although he could clearly see why.
"Why are you here?" she countered.
"I work here," he said pleasantly. "Try again."
"I got beat up badly by a punk-ass bastard," she answered.
Alexei knew more about her than he was willing to acknowledge, so he guarded his comments. "Such crummy language from such a pretty girl."
Kira could feel her face turn red, and it hurt because of the swellings. "I don't know how else to tell you," she responded.
"That's okay," he said. "I get it. When are your parents coming?"
"Not until after four."
"It's barely eleven o'clock," Alexei replied, "Why don't you lie down for a little while?"
"A nap? No! Naps are for babies!"
"No, they aren't. They are for adults, too," he added. "I like my naps!"
She looked at him with wide eyes. "You take naps?!"
"Sure. I take a nap every day during my lunch break."
"Oh, man," Kira said. She lay down. "I'm not being rude by lying down?"
"Nyet," Alexei said. "That's an advantage to being here. People expect the patients to take naps."
She rose up on her elbows. "Oh, really?"
"Da," he said, watching her face for a reaction to his Russian. He smirked at her.
Kira collapsed, and laughed. "Nobody smirks like my papa!"
Alexei laughed, too. "Don't be so sure, Miss Kira!"
She covered her face with her pillow. "Oh, man," she muttered from underneath. She was grinning from ear to ear.
"Okay. No more funny stuff," Alexei said.
Kira flipped the pillow off her face. "Not a problem."
He checked his watch. "My break is over, so I'll see you another day."
"That was fast!"
"The breaks are only fifteen minutes, and I took twenty. I might lose my next break because of it," he explained. "Lie down and get comfortable."
Not knowing what else to do, Kira laid down and snuggled into her blankets.
Alexei pulled the blankets up over her shoulder, right into her neck. He didn't kiss her, but he did pat her shoulder. "So long, Kira."
"Bye, Alexei," she said, feeling very comfortable…and tingly.
10
Later that day, Anna and Callen did visit Kira. She was dozing, so Callen shook her lightly. Then he kissed her cheek.
Anna spoke to the nurse, and was glad to hear that Kira was much better. She had no more fever, and she was able to eat.
"How long has she been sleeping?" Anna asked.
"Probably since about eleven," the nurse said.
"Eleven?!" Callen reacted. "How'd you get her to do that?"
"One of the aides stopped in and got her to lie down."
"A man or a woman?" Anna asked.
"A man," replied the nurse. "Why?"
"No reason," Anna said, while her mind was whirling.
Callen kissed Kira again. "Come on, baby. Wake up."
Anna kissed her cheek, too. "Kira, get up, please."
11
With a little more coaxing, they got her to wake up.
"Come on, Kira. Sit up," her mother said.
Finally, Kira woke up and sat up. "Mama! Papa!"
"Hey, baby," Callen said, giving her a hug.
Kira hugged Anna, too, and then lay back down.
Anna studied Kira's face, and noticed that she appeared to be less stressed than earlier. "You sleep good, baby?"
Kira looked at her mother. "Yaa. I did."
12
During his many errands, Alexei had to walk all over, and he passed by Kira's room several times. He concluded that the couple in the room with her had to be her parents.
He stood watching them for a few minutes, but wasn't keen on Kira catching him. But she did, and her eyes began to twinkle.
Her mother turned around quickly to see what had caught her daughter's attention but there was nothing there. Anna was fascinated.
13
"Papa, I need to go home!" Kira whined.
"Stop, Kira. Whining isn't your style," Anna said.
"Not today," Callen said. "You have to be cleared by the doctor."
"Oh, man. Really, Papa?"
"Yes, so stop complaining about it," he added. "Kira, you do realize that you cannot go gallivanting all over with Bubbie and Dedushka, or even Mama and me. You have to be on bedrest for the next week or ten days, with no school for the next two weeks, right?"
"Oh, come on! I'm not staying in bed for two weeks!"
"Well, the alternative would be to stay here for the two weeks," Anna added.
"No!" she screamed. "I need to go home!"
"Vashe povedeniye nepriyemlemo. Ty mozhesh' krichat' doma," Callen said evenly. "Kira, khvatit znachit khvatit." (Your behavior is unacceptable. You can shout at home. Enough is enough.)
Alexei heard most of what Callen had said. He decided to visit with Kira for a moment although her parents were still there. He gambled on his Russian, hoping that she would hear him. He knocked on the door.
"Yes?" Callen said.
"May I come in?" Alexei asked.
"Sure," Anna said. She was pretty sure that he was the calming influence on Kira.
"Kira, ty snova stanovish'sya gromkim. Pomnite o drugikh patsiyentakh. Pozhaluysta ostanovis'," Alexei said softly. (You're becoming loud again. Remember the other patients. Please stop.)
Callen and Anna looked at each other but they didn't say a word. After hearing Alexei speak, Anna knew instinctively that the young man was definitely the source of Kira's calm.
"Nyet!" Kira hollered at him.
"Oh, boy," muttered Callen.
"Pozhaluysta," Alexei repeated. He moved closer to her bed. "Give me your hand." And he held his hand out to her.
Once again, Kira was mesmerized by him, and she took his hand, and sat there holding it. She became very flushed.
"Lie down," he suggested.
"No."
"Raise the head of the bed up when you don't want to lie down," he suggested strongly.
Intrigued, she said, "How?"
Alexei bit back a smirk that was not lost on her parents. "Push the button where the little man is sitting up." He pushed it, and the head of the bed went up.
"Whoa!" Kira leaned back and was surprised to find out that she wasn't lying flat. "Thank you!"
Callen interrupted. "Excuse us, sir, but we are Kira's parents."
"My bad!" Alexei said. "I am Alexei Glebov."
"Nice to meet you," Anna said. "I am Anna Kolcheck, and this is my muzh G Callen." (Husband)
The men shook hands.
"We apologize for Kira's noise," Callen said.
"It's okay," Alexei replied. "I'm used to it," he replied with a smile.
"Hey! I am right here!" Kira bellowed.
"Tishe!" both men said. Then they laughed. (Hush)
Anna laughed with them.
"Mama, it's not funny!"
"I suppose not," Anna agreed, hugging Kira. "You'll be fine."
Kira sensed that her parents were getting ready to leave. "Can't you stay?"
"No, baby. We cannot," Callen said, giving his daughter a hug. "You'll be fine."
"That's what Mama said. What if I'm not?"
"Don't go there, okay, Kira," said Callen. "You'll wind up in big trouble. Or grounded."
"Oh, no, Papa! You can't ground me; I'm in the hospital!"