Chapter Twenty Two
Linka woke early on Christmas Eve, felt the cold air biting at her nose, and snuggled back down into the warmth of her boyfriend's arms.
She'd expected some awkwardness about sharing her small childhood bed with him but, whether it was the relationship they'd developed over the last few months or the fact that were both extremely tired by the time they'd climbed under the covers, it felt natural to curl around each other and settle down for the night.
The last few evenings watching movies and playing board games with her family, continuing as couples after Nat and her Grandmother had retired for the night, had been fun and a much needed dose of normality.
Wheeler pressed a kiss to the back of her neck and she smiled, "Good morning Lyubov."
"S'not morning yet," he mumbled, "go back to sleep."
He kissed her again and his hands found the edge of her top to explore the smooth skin beneath. She chuckled, "Make up your mind Yankee, I cannot go back to sleep when you are waking me up."
"Just trying to convince you not to get up." He nuzzled her, "Is it working?"
She giggled and turned over, cuddling into him, "There is still lots to do today so I cannot stay long."
He'd wrapped his arms more tightly around her, holding her close as he came to. "Need me for anything?"
"Nothing in particular, you could watch the sports with Mishka?" She suggested, wanting to encourage their friendship.
"I don't mind helping…"
Linka shrugged, "Maybe keep an eye on Nat if she gets restless." Sighing, she pulled away, "I had better get up, Nat will be awake, you can sleep in if you want to."
He turned onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. "I'll be ready for breakfast, like usual."
"Goal!" Wheeler called with glee, and a similar exclamation came from Mishka.
Nat had seemed happy enough helping the women in the kitchen and since they'd appeared to only be in the way, the two men had settled in front of the television. The game, resembling Ice Hockey, but which Linka's brother referred to as Bandy, was actually a welcome change from the Christmas preparations in the American's view.
During a lull in the action, the older man surprised his friend by commenting with an acknowledging nod, "My sister is happy, we have you to thank for that."
"I… I hope she is." Wheeler replied uncomfortably, "She thinks about so many things, sometimes it's hard to tell."
Mishka chuckled, "She has always been like that, it got worse when we lost our father, and later… after Nat. I see the way she reacts to you though, even before she was admitting that she likes you, you calm her."
Wheeler smiled, he couldn't help being pleased, but he said, "You wouldn't say that if you saw us when I've pissed her off."
Again her brother laughed, louder this time, "That is different. You do not really doubt that she is happy, do you?"
"No," he replied almost immediately, his smile satisfying her brother. In his head however he added, 'I just think you're giving me too much credit for it.'
They returned their attention to the match but were interrupted half an hour later by a knock on the door.
Wheeler assumed it was one of the neighbours and that the conversation would be carried on in Russian, so he didn't turn his attention from the TV until Mishka's joyful cry caught his attention, "Nicolai!"
The rest of what he said was lost in a torrent of Russian, but the manly embrace and the way he was ushered into the house left the Planeteer in no doubt that their visitor was Tanya's brother.
Nicolai was tall and handsome, his light brown hair a shade or two darker than his sister's. He moved with an air of confidence and it was all Wheeler could do not to grind his teeth together.
As irrational as it probably was, jealously rose up in him like a tidal wave, and the only thing that kept him from walking straight up to the stranger and punching him was the promise he'd made to Linka to keep her secret.
"… Linka's boyfriend." Mishka was introducing them, and though he'd missed the rest of what had been said, Wheeler rose and shook the man's hand. He didn't miss the shrewd look Nicolai gave him however, as if he was sizing up the competition, and the tightness between his shoulder blades increased.
"It is good to meet you, Jason." Nicolai smiled, it looked sincere but Wheeler didn't believe it for a second. "Tanya told me that Linka was bringing one of her friends along with Nina's child, but if she told me anything else I have forgotten, but I will not forget you again."
Wheeler chuckled with an ease he was far from feeling, "Tanya didn't mention you coming at all."
"She did not know." Nicolai finished shrugging off his coat, letting Mishka take it to hang up, "I wanted to surprise my parents but when I arrived, I found the house locked up."
Surprised the American asked, "They didn't tell you they were going to relatives for the holidays?"
Nicolai shrugged and said self-deprecatingly, "I am a doctor and work very long hours, when I have time to talk to my family, I am not always fully awake. They probably told me, and Tanya will scold, but I hope that I will still find a welcome with my old friends."
Mishka assured him that he would as he returned, and Wheeler – his brain starting to function again through the fog – excused himself to "…let the girls know about their visitor."
Wheeler could think just as quickly as Linka when the occasion called for it – although he tended to be focused on a single thing instead of balancing many – so in the short time it took to walk the hall to the kitchen he'd formulated a plan, based not just on what he needed to convey but on the likely reactions of his audience.
Not saying anything as he entered the room, he walked up behind Linka and slipped his arms around her waist, lowering his lips to nuzzle her neck."
She laughed, "Hungry?"
"No!" he pretended outrage, "I can't hug my girlfriend without being accused of having an ulterior motive?"
She turned in his arms, and wrapped her own about him, careful to keep her hands off him since they were sticky from her preparations. "Not when you leave the television in the middle of a match, to risk being put to work in the kitchen."
He leant his forehead against hers, it looked intimate to her relatives but he wanted to catch her gaze and hide her reaction from them for another reason. "And here I was doing a good deed. We have an extra for dinner, I just came to tell Tanya her brother is here."
Linka stiffened and gripped him, forgetting the state of her hands. Her face had paled and her expression, though momentary had been one of horror.
By contrast, Tanya and her grandmother were clearly delighted and left immediately to welcome him.
"Where is Natalya." Linka half turned in a sudden panic, though she didn't release her hold. Seeing the curious look her child gave her she quickly improvised, "I need the flour Tanya was sifting, will you take over please?"
"Sure." Nat grinned, leaving the picture she'd been drawing while she had nothing to help with, and moving round to climb up into Tanya's chair.
Linka looked back up at Wheeler and gave him a weak smile.
'Ok?' he asked silently.
She nodded, mouthing back the word 'stay?' "Will you help me check on the roast Lyubov? I think the family reunion might take a while and everything here is on a timer."
"Whatever you need." He kissed her gently, not releasing her until he felt her relax.
They both knew it would be only so long before they were forced to go out and make nice with the last person either of them had wanted to share their Christmas with.
Linka managed to avoid saying more than a brief hello to Nicolai until they were seated at the table, and even then her brother dominated the conversation minimising the need for direct interaction. Everything was going smoothly, until their guest decided to ask Nat what she was hoping Grandfather Frost would bring her.
The young girl lowered her fork and her eyes, "Nothing."
Putting down her own cutlery, Linka leant over to give her a hug, "We are focusing on spending time together with family this year."
Nicolai began to nod in understanding but Nat's kitten chose that moment to jump up into her lap and poke his head over the table, and he frowned. "That is not hygienic."
Nat picked her pet up and held it close, her expression was wary though it was taking on a stubborn cast.
"Chill Dude." Wheeler – who hadn't been able to help notice how often the other man's eyes had strayed to Linka during the meal and was consequently already unhappy with him – rubbed the cat's head with a gentle finger, "He's just looking for somewhere to sleep off the big saucer of milk Gram gave him."
Nat smiled up at him and he grinned back. At his instruction, she let the already half asleep animal curl up in her lap, and returned to her meal.
Nicolai was clearly not happy at being disregarded but before he could say anything further, Mishka drew him back into conversation and the moment passed.
To be continued…