Edge of the Past (14 page)

“I’m gonna need some of that pasta I smell,” Chris said.

The aroma of Uncle Joe’s chicken pesto pasta had been teasing us since we’d arrived. Three booths to our left, my uncle stood with a large serving spoon in one hand and an apron tied around his hefty middle.

“I’ll tell Joe to put some on the side for you and Em,” Aunt Debbie said, reaching out to us. “I really appreciate you guys spending your Saturday here. I know you don’t get a lot of free time.”

“We’re glad to help,” I said.

She hugged me to her side, cozy against her cashmere sweater. “How are you doing? Your mom’s kept me up to date with everything that’s going on.”

I wasn’t surprised my aunt knew all the news since she and Mom were as close as two sisters could be, despite their personality differences. Aunt Debbie was the classic “glass half full” type, and she didn’t have a snippy bone in her body.

“I’m okay.” I tipped my head from side to side like a see-saw. “It’s nice to have an escape from it all today.”

Mom rushed up to us in a tizzy and grabbed Aunt Debbie’s shoulders. “Deb, they need you at the door. Some confusion about the tickets.”

My aunt left us with a parting smile, and Mom zoomed off to handle another crisis. I was about to take a seat when my great-aunt Rafi snuck up behind me and bombarded me with a smothering hug. I coughed from the lack of air and Aunt Rafi’s strong citrusy perfume.

“How’s my favorite skater? It was terrible you had to pull out in Russia.” She released me and corralled Chris into her grasp. “Is your arm feeling better, young man?”

I stifled a laugh as Chris leaned his chin away from Aunt Rafi’s poufy white hair. “It’ll be ready for Worlds,” he said.

“Well, I’m glad to hear that!” She turned to me. “Where’s that handsome fiancé of yours?”

I looked down and twisted my diamond ring back and forth. “He had another commitment today.”

How was I going to explain to the extended members of my family that Sergei suddenly had a child? It wasn’t the type of thing you could mail out in an announcement.

“Oh, that’s too bad,” Aunt Rafi said. “I’m selling those anise cookies he loves. You’ll have to take some to him.”

Hmm…
I don’t know if he deserves any treats right now.

“I have to get back to business, but I want an autographed picture later.” She pointed at us. “Even though I already have a whole album of them!”

Chris made a half-choking, half-laughing sound as Aunt Rafi walked away. “Is that more of your family?” He jutted his head in the direction of the cookie booth. Three middle-aged women and an elderly lady were setting out little bags of goodies.

“Didn’t you meet some of them at my engagement party?” I asked.

“All I remember is being hugged a lot, having my face squeezed by old ladies, and hearing lots of
Bahston
accents. I couldn’t keep track of everyone.”

I laughed. “That sounds like my family.”

We stationed ourselves at our table with markers in hand and ribbed each other over our apparel choices. Out of all the Team USA and Olympics gear we owned, we’d both shown up in the same navy 2002 Olympics jacket.

“People will think we were dorky enough to plan our outfits,” Chris complained.

I laughed loudly, so relieved to be away from Elena and her drama. I’d gone to the movies with Aubrey, Marley, and Chris the previous night while Sergei had taken Elena and Liza sightseeing.
Daredevil
hadn’t been the greatest movie I’d ever seen, but Ben Affleck in a skin-tight bodysuit had briefly taken my mind off of Sergei cruising around the island with his ex.

As soon as the doors of the festival opened to the public, a line formed at our booth. Chris and I signed photos, posed for pictures, and chatted with the endless stream of people who visited us. Aunt Debbie brought us two bowls of pasta as promised, and we grabbed bites between greeting fans.

I handed over what had to be our hundredth signed photo while I checked out the crowd waiting for us. The people near the end of the line shifted aside, and my mouth popped open. Sergei grinned at me, a sparkling light in his eyes. Both my lips and my heart smiled back.

“Sergei’s here,” I told Chris.

“I thought he was with Liza.”

“Maybe he’s planning to see her later.”

We took care of the next few fans in line, bringing Sergei closer to the table. I was gearing up to give him a hug and a kiss when the crowd parted and I saw he wasn’t alone. Standing at his side was Liza.

The two of them stepped up to the booth, and this time I had to force a smile. “Hey, I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“It sounded like a fun event, so I thought we’d surprise you,” Sergei said.

“I’m definitely surprised.” I kept the plastered grin on my face.

“Liza, do you want a picture?” Chris asked.

She nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, please.”

After I signed my name, I stood and asked Sergei, “Can we talk for a sec?”

He glanced down at Liza, and Chris said, “She can hang out with me and keep Em’s spot warm.” He smiled at Liza and patted my chair.

I turned and walked as far behind the booths as I could get before meeting the stone wall. Sergei joined me with a confused look on his face.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“You promised no more surprises.”

“This is a good one, though.” He took my hand and pressed it to his palm. “I know you’re busy, but I wanted to see you, even if it’s just for a few minutes.”

“But you brought Liza.”

His grip on my hand lightened while his confusion deepened. “I didn’t think you’d have a problem with that. Now, if I’d brought Elena…”

“I told you my family was going to be here. They don’t know about Liza, and this isn’t really the place to get into it.”

Sergei rubbed his stubbly cheek. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think about it.”

I pulled my hand from his and tugged on my necklace. “You haven’t thought about a lot of things lately.”

He frowned and dipped his head before his eyes met mine again. “Do you want us to leave?”

“You just got here. What would you say to Liza?”

“I don’t know. I just don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

I folded my arms and peered at Liza and Chris. They were drawing on one of the glossy photos.

“How’d you get Elena to let you bring Liza all the way to Boston?” I asked. “And without her?”

“I had to do a lot of pleading, but I finally convinced her that Liza and I should have some time alone.”

“Sergei!” Aunt Rafi called as she came forward with outstretched arms. “Emily said you weren’t coming.”

Sergei accepted her hug while I groaned inside. There was no way my family wouldn’t see Sergei and Liza roaming around the festival together. And knowing how nosy they were, short answers to their certain questions wouldn’t suffice.

“Had a change in plans,” he said.

“You have to come by my cookie booth. I have something special for you.” She squeezed his arm.

Sergei smiled. “I’ll definitely stop by.”

Aunt Rafi continued on to Uncle Joe’s pasta station, and I looked at Sergei. “This is so awkward. What are you going to do, walk up to my family with Liza and say, ‘Hey, this is my daughter that I’ve never mentioned’?”

Sergei took the slightest step backward and studied me. “Is it awkward because you’re embarrassed I have a daughter?”

His question sliced into me and revealed hidden feelings, ones I’d buried under the frustration and jealousy I’d been battling. When it was our little secret, Sergei’s past hadn’t been an issue. But now that everyone was going to know about it, maybe I
was
embarrassed that my fiancé had gotten his teenage girlfriend pregnant. And I’d criticized my mother for being judgmental. I wasn’t any better.

I shifted my eyes away from Sergei’s stare. “What if we talk to my family before we introduce Liza so it’ll be a little easier?”

I felt him continue to stare at me, probably noticing I didn’t answer his question. “That sounds like a good idea,” he said.

He held out his hand, and I hesitated a moment before giving him mine. We asked Liza to hang with Chris for a few more minutes and then made our way to the cookie stand. My cousins and my great-aunt Julia greeted us with tight hugs while Aunt Rafi flitted in from behind the booth. As usual, they all gave Sergei an extra bit of affection, their hands lingering on his shoulders or his biceps. I always had to stop myself from laughing at their obvious grope fest, but my current level of tension overrode any amusement.

“Sergei, I have your special bag right here.” Aunt Rafi picked up a clear plastic sack, bigger than the ones up for sale, and full of white anise cookies with colored sprinkles.

“Do I get a special bag, too?” I asked.

“Of course!” She handed me one of equal size. “I put a variety of all the ones you like in there.”

Sergei took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “There’s actually someone I brought with me today that will enjoy these a lot, too. I want you all to meet her, but I wanted to tell you about her first.”

He had the attention of all five women, and their admiring smiles had turned into quizzical stares. My face and neck started to warm, so I pulled down the zipper on my jacket.

“When I was skating in Russia years ago, my partner Elena and I had a child together. Circumstances prevented us from raising the child, but things have changed recently, and I met my daughter when Em and I were in Russia last week. She came back with us to the Cape.”

The quizzical stares morphed into wide eyes. Sergei continued, “Her name is Liza, and she’s almost nine years old. I’m just getting to know her, but I think she’s pretty amazing. And she adores Em.” He looked at me with a smile. “Who wouldn’t, but… it’s definitely helped her feel more comfortable here.”

My family turned their eyes to me, and I forced the corners of my mouth upward. Aunt Rafi was the first to speak as the others stayed frozen. “Well, Sergei, that’s wonderful you’ve been able to connect with her. Is she living with you now? Are you and Emily going to raise her?”

“Is her mother still in Russia?” Aunt Julia asked.

Yep, here come the questions.

Sergei explained the complex details and fielded the additional questions my family posed. Just when I thought they couldn’t come up with any more, they’d ask another one such as, “So, why didn’t Elena tell you she knew where Liza was all along?”

I noticed a new line forming at the autograph booth, so I touched Sergei’s forearm as he concluded yet another answer. “I have to get back to Chris.”

“Yeah, I need to get back to Liza.”

“We’re looking forward to meeting her,” Aunt Rafi said.

As we left, I glanced backward and both my aunts were watching us with their thin eyebrows raised. Sergei and I squeezed through the crowd, and Liza hopped out of my chair when she saw us.

“Can I get a flower painted on my face? I saw another girl with one.”

“Sure,” Sergei said. “Let’s go find the artist.”

I sat beside Chris, and he asked, “Everything okay?”

“Yeah.” I uncapped a new pen and sighed. “Just family stuff.”

Between signing autographs, I kept an eye on Sergei and Liza’s progress around the rink. After Liza had her cheek adorned with a large purple flower, she and Sergei approached my family. They talked for quite a while, and Sergei bought a couple of bags of cookies for Liza. Elena wasn’t going to be happy when she saw all those sweets.

Sergei and Liza moved on to a game booth, and I watched Sergei become more animated with laughter as he and Liza played Ring Toss. He had a new exuberance about him, and it grew with every minute he spent with Liza. I feared it was going to crush him to say goodbye when her visit ended.

A hand clamped my shoulder, and I looked up. Aunt Rafi asked Chris, “May I borrow your seat for a moment?”

He stood and picked up his empty paper bowl. “I’m gonna get some more pasta.”

Aunt Rafi sat and squinted at me with concern. “It’s gotten a little messy with Sergei, hasn’t it?”

“That’s a good way to describe it.”

“How is it having Elena staying with you? Sergei made it sound like everything was going smoothly, but I’m not buying it.”

“Honestly? I think she’s rude and difficult and the last person I want staying in my house. And she doesn’t like me much either.”

“Well, think about if you were in her shoes. She’s still learning how to be a mother, and now Liza’s latching on to you and Sergei. She probably feels threatened.”

I snapped the cap onto my pen and clicked it off and on with my thumb as I thought about the irony of what Aunt Rafi said. I’d felt threatened by Elena since I first laid eyes on her. Maybe our feelings could somehow cancel each other out.

“How do I make Liza feel welcome while also encouraging her relationship with Elena? I feel like if I reach out to Liza even a little, Elena will get annoyed with me.”

“Maybe you should have a chat with her and assure her you’re not trying to come between her and her daughter.” Aunt Rafi patted my hand. “I bet it will make all the difference.”

I wasn’t so sure about that. Nothing seemed easy when dealing with Elena, but I hoped she was right. Something had to give because I couldn’t take another couple of weeks of the tension in my house.

Chapter Fourteen

Chris shuffled the thin stack of photos on our table and counted them. “Only five left over. We were pretty popular.”

I rubbed my eyes, careful not to pop out my contacts. The constant camera flashes all afternoon had me seeing spots. Only a few people remained at the festival, and the vendors had started to close up their booths.

“Can you get a ride home with Sergei?” Chris asked. “I’m going to Marley’s, so your house is out of my way.”

“Come on, you were going to bring me home before you knew Sergei was here. I don’t want to butt in on his time with Liza.”

“Liza will be ecstatic. She’s your little fangirl.”

“I need to squash that some.” I motioned downward with my hands. “I think it’s making things with Elena even harder.”

“Riding an hour to the Cape won’t hurt.”