Chapter 69: One Visit A Year And The Occasional Phone Call

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A lot of pov changes this chapter. I couldn't do it any other way.

Natasha

Natasha swung her coat over her shoulders, stuffing her hands in the pockets as she wandered to the pig enclosure. The noise they made annoyed her, but it was something to look at, at least. Was her reaction a bit much? Maybe. But maybe she hadn't accepted those five years like she thought she had, and did it hurt more to look at the pictures than she expected.

Nevertheless, Maya deserved to know more about her mom's youth and see the pictures. So, she excluded herself from the conversation for a while, wondering what Melina was telling them.

After barely a minute of standing outside, a door slammed shut behind her, hard, and automatically, her eyes rolled. She didn't need to turn around to know who that was. Both Katya and Maya would be so much quieter, and she guessed that also worked for Melina.

The big man stopped beside her, hands in the pockets of his cardigan. Side to side, they watched the pigs root in the earth, slowly pushing their heavy bodies around the corners. A gust of wind blew Alexei's horrible vodka fueled scent in Natasha's direction, her nose scrunching up. This was beyond awkward, and within her pockets, she clenched her hands into fists to keep from walking off.

''So, you and her...'' He trailed off, and when she cocked an eyebrow, he pulled his hands from his pockets and made a clear motion that sent realization through her body, followed by deep disgust. She got that the whole gay thing was new territory for him, but was he seriously asking if she slept with her own wife?

''Ew, what the hell. I am not talking to you about that.'' She scowled. A shudder traveled through her body, feeling awfully violated. Why did this man always manage to say the wrong things?

''I am just trying to get used to the... the gay thing,'' he defended himself, but according to how much effort it took to actually say that word, he had a long way to go. Natasha completely understood the nausea Katya felt this morning. She was pretty sure if he kept going, she'd throw up right here.

''It's nothing special. Get over it,'' she replied harshly, digging her nails into her palms to contain herself and not start another screaming match. With him, that only worked counterproductive.

''Okay!'' he threw out loudly, annoyed, muttering things under his breath that she couldn't figure out. After that, the silence returned, only she was now even more annoyed, so when he genuinely said, ''I only ever wanted what was best for you,'' she groaned.

''Not this again.'' She turned to walk off, to stand anywhere else really, but he started to plead, desperately.

''Let me talk, Natasha. Please. Please.'' His mood swings were exhausting and so sudden.

A sigh left her lips, but she stayed in her spot anyway. ''Fine.'' His body was turned in her direction, with an expression she could only describe as desperate, but she strictly stared at those animals in front of her. He could talk to her, not with her.

''I wanted what was best for you. But now I see that we both had different ideas of that.''

''Have,'' she corrected him coldly. ''Have different ideas.''

''Whatever,'' he discarded her, causing her to roll her eyes. ''What I want to say is that it looks like she's best for you.'' It was so obvious he tried to show that he was accepting of Katya. It was pathetic. The absolute last person she would ever need acceptance from, was him. His opinion mattered less to her than the health of these pigs.

Natasha scoffed loudly. ''If you're giving your approval, you're about eight years late. I already married her. Besides, I don't need it. I get to make my own choices now. You aren't controlling me anymore.''

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