You Hold My Heart [Re-done]

Chapter Nine

I woke to the sound of vacuuming. Geno never vacuumed in the morning. I stumbled out of the bed, confused. When I went down the stairs, I was shocked to see Geno vacuuming.

"Geno, it's morning," I muttered.

"Sorry. MTV cribs coming. Agent says I have to."

"What? MTV Cribs? When?"

"At one." I turned and ran up the stairs. I joined Geno in the scrubbing of the house. Then I got dressed. I didn't want to look like I dressed up for TV so I opted for jeans and a white tank top. Geno wore a Pittsburgh Penguins t-shirt. When there was a knock at the door, Geno made me answer. There were three men, one with the camera, one holding the mike and another that did whatever he wanted, it seemed.

"Kyle, Rick and Aaron."  Geno came into the room and shook their hands.

"So, if you want, we can start with the entrance. We'll go back outside and pretend to come in again?" Rick suggested. They made Geno answer the door four times. I stayed off camera mostly. When Geno was showing them the living room, Ponchik ran to him. He rubbed his head against his leg.

"Oh, this is Ponchik. Ponchik very good boy," Evgeni said and pet him. When I went to retrieve the dog, he introduced me as well. "This is Kira, girlfriend. She live here too." I smiled. When they got the kitchen for the fridge shot, Evgeni asked me for help naming things.

"Uh, lots of lettuce. Kira likes lettuce. Vodka, wine, gatorade...Kira, what's fish?...Fish... Over here is bread. For sandwich... Cupboards, this coffee Kira favourite. This is my favourite," he held up a container of purple Kool-aid mix. "Can't have much. Lots of... Kira, sugar?... sugar. Is bad." Geno shrugged. I could tell he was completely out of his element. He hated this. He showed them my room, the upstairs room that no one ever goes in because it is full of boxes of crap. He showed them the basement with the gym, laundry and two bedrooms. He showed them our room, let them jump on the bed.

"Comfiest bed in Pittsburgh and Russia. None better," Geno said. In the back yard, Ponchik went wild for the camera. He chased his tail, he ran as fast as he could around.

"Ponchik wants be TV superstar!" Evgeni laughed. He patted his chest and Ponchik jumped up into Gen's arms. Ponchik licked his face and he laughed. They waved me on camera and we said good bye. After the camera was done, the guys hung out for a bit. I made them coffees and they asked question unrelated to the show.

"Now, I've always wondered, how did you guys meet?" Aaron asked.

"We grew up together. Our mothers were friends," I said.

"Were friends? They aren't anymore?"

"My mother is..." I trailed off. I looked at my hands trying to forget about her pale and lifeless face.

"Kira's mama passed." Evgeni saved me. He took my hands in his and kissed the top of my head.

"What do you miss the most about Russia?" Kyle said.

"Evgeni's Mama," I said without hesitating.

"Everyone understand me, I understand everyone. And family." Geno spoke after pausing.

"You have an older brother, right? Do you guys get along?"  Geno laughed.

"Sometime. He is brother. Love him, also want punch him sometime. Or sometime miss him much that want to go home."

"Is he good at hockey?"

"Yes. Denis play in KHL. I use play with him. He taught me how play when kids."

"Why do you think you made it to the NHL and he didn't?"

"Denis get distract by women. Me, ignore girls until already good." Geno shrugged.

"Kira, what do you do for a living?"

"I translate books." I smile.

"No kidding! Is it hard?"

"Sometimes, I guess. I'm fully trilungual. I wouldn't take on a book that I didn't think I could."

"What is the third language?"

"Spanish."

"How did you learn that?"

"I spent two years in Spain with my parents."

After they finally left, Geno breathed a sigh of relief.

"Don't like camera. Wish I could only play hockey. No other stupid stuff," he complained. I ran my fingers threw his hair, massaging his scalp.

"I'm not hockey. Do you wish I wasn't here?"

"God no." I laughed.

"I know. I was just kidding."

"How many serious relationships have you had, Geno?" I asked, thinking about what he said about ignoring girls.

"Before you? Two, I guess. Not last long," Evgeni shrugged.

"Tell me about them?" I pleaded, curling up beside him.

"You knew Elena back home. We date uh... three months. She go crazy. Quit her job, talk about get marry all times. Ask me quit NHL, spend 24 hours with her all days. She dump me when I no quit. Try and take back after, say she though I quit if she leave. Didn't work that.... Then I meet girl here named Adrienne. She kind of nice but too hard with language. Plus want move in after one week. Also, steal my stuff sell on Ebay. Mostly why I dump her. Creep, yes?"

"Yes, creep is the word."

"Creep. That's my stuff." Geno shuddered. "Now your turn."

"Well... none of my relationships were very serious. It's been harder since my parents died. Before that I had a relationship that lasted nine months. When my parents died, he didn't understand. After a week, he told me I should get over it, so I dumped him. After that, no one lasted even a month. It was like... Being in a relationship didn't help me stop missing them. If anything, it made me miss them more. Especially when the person I was with didn't even know them, nevermind miss them. It's been lonely, in all honestly. I feel like there is this big part of me, missing." Geno kissed me softly.

"Parents amazing people. I know you never stop miss them. I miss too. I don't want fill their hole. I want fill my own hole." He pulled me into his lap, and I cried softly. I felt the moisture on his shrit spreading from my tears.

"I remember when you born. Mama bring me hospital. I told your mama 'I'm sorry your baby is so ugly. Maybe she will grow up nicer.' and she laugh. Told me you are beautiful. You were purple... disgusting." I could feel his smile against the top of my head.

"Keep talking," I whispered.

"Your dad played hockey with me sometimes. He told me before you were born he always wanted a son to play hockey with. He said it turned out to be a blessing that you're a girl. He sees me and Denis get hit in the boards or hockey fight and his stomach turns. With you, he only worries that you'll get your heart broken. He told me that if I never do anything else in my life, I should have a daughter. I was eighteen, and I thought he was insane. Like I wanted kids then....

Our mamas used to make me two hot chocolates, both with secret ingredients. They would make me choose. I never knew what to do, I wanted to be loyal to my mama but your mama's hot chocolate was pretty good. I never found out what she put in it."

"Nutmeg and white chocolate," I whispered.

"God, it was good. And the rhubarb pies! Your mama made all the best sweets. My mama is a better cook, I hate to say.

Do you remember the time our fathers were arm wrestling? My papa broke his wrist and I had to drive them to the hospital? I didn't even have my liscense but your papa was too drunk. And you were eleven!"

"I could never forget," I said, with a little laugh. The laugh turned into a sob, and I was unable to control it anymore. I sat between Evgeni Malkin's legs and cried for my parents as if all the other times didn't count. Geno held me and rocked me. He tried to calm me. When I finally cried myself out, I realized his eyes were full of tears too.

"Gen, what's wrong?" I gasped.

"I don't want you feel this. There nothing I can do. Hard... sucks." He sighed. I wiped his eyes off and then my entire face. I was drenched, he had two tears. Yet somehow, I think he felt worse than me.