It was now or never. I needed to let my parents know what was going on before things moved any faster. Though I wasn't sure there was anything faster than marrying a stranger in my parent's backyard when I thought we were just going to have coffee and chat.

I was now a married man. I was married to a gorgeous redhead that I had just met. I had no clue how it made me feel, there were so many emotions warring within me. I was terrified, anxious, excited, and absolutely terrified. Wait did I say that already? I was way out of my depth here. I had absolutely no idea what I should have been feeling, perhaps excitement, apprehension, elation?

I could feel the perspiration beading up on my forehead. My palm was damp and I could feel my shirt sticking to the small of my back. It was now or never. Go time. "Mom, Papa, can I speak to you in private?" I cornered the two of them in the kitchen where my mother had been ladling up borsch for everyone.

"What is it, Ivan?" My mother took in my distraught appearance. "Don't tell me you are having second thoughts about Heather."

My father looked at me sternly. "The paper is already signed and the ink dry." He reminded me.

"No, No, Heather is beautiful and I am sure I will be happy with her. I just need to talk to you in private." I mumbled now unsure if I should tell them what has been going on.

"You can't keep secrets from your wife, especially so soon in the marriage." My father said granting himself an elbow in the ribs from my mother.

"Bring Heather into the study and we will discuss whatever is troubling you." My mother said warmly casting a glare in my father's direction. I could see the regret on my father's face. He knew that his little slip up had cost him. I chuckled despite myself. If this is what being married looked like then I was in for a wild ride and a lot of elbows to the ribs.

I made my way across the room to where Heather sat chatting with Emily. "I hate to interrupt but may I steal my gorgeous wife for a moment?" I smiled warmly down at Heather. She was seriously gorgeous. I couldn't believe that I had somehow won the lotto when my parents found her. She had the looks that could stop traffic, making heads swivel.

Heather gave me a warm smile and stood taking my outstretched hand. "I promise, I will return her to you just as soon as we are finished," I promised Emily with a smile.

Though my words portrayed confidence, I was, in fact, shaking in my proverbial boots. I was absolutely terrified that Heather would regret marrying me. I was positive she had not signed up for a marriage full of drama and crazy exes. Heather gave my hand a reassuring squeeze as if sensing my plight. I smiled back at her nervously.

Once we had made it in the den I wasn't sure of what to do or where to begin. Tosha stood there waiting for us, his barrel arms crossed over his chest. Confusion crinkled my parent’s brows as they entered taking note of Tosha waiting for us.

All eyes fell to me as everyone eagerly waited to hear what I had to say with unease anticipation, unsure of why they had been drawn into a private discussion.

I felt as though I had been placed under a microscope as everyone's eyes rested on me waiting for me to speak. "Well," my father prompted, clearly disturbed by being drawn away from his guest.

"I-uh," I stuttered, scrambling for the right words. Was there a correct set of words one used when telling his family and a new wife that his ex-was a disillusioned nut job?

"I'm really not sure where to start," I admitted scratching the back of my head nervously. 

"You simply start at the beginning." My father ribbed, not one to mince words.

I groaned in response. "I suppose you're right though I hate doing this in front of Heather," I admitted giving Heather a sympathetic look.

Heathers face scrunched up in confusion. "Fuck, I'm messing this all up. What I mean is I would hate to say anything that would have you look at me differently. My parents have to love me, they have no choice. I would just hate to say something that might hinder you from ever loving me in the future." I tried to explain as the words rambled out of my mouth. I watched as Heathers features softened, her eyes taking on a warm affectionate glow her hand gently squeezing mine. The gesture was comforting and eased some of the tension in my shoulders, giving me strength where I had none. Satisfied, Heather released her hold on me, allowing me to talk.  

My father impatiently tapped his foot on the ground, my mother's hand resting on his forearm trying to sooth him. "Son," My father's voice had hardened, there was no more stalling, that had been my final warning. My final warning for what I wasn't sure but I wasn't intending to find out.

Tosha stood silently to the side, acting as a mitigate in case he was needed, at least I hoped that was the reason he was here. For all I knew he could have been here to watch as my parents and wife beat me to a bloody pulp. Sometime you just never knew with Tosha.

"When we were doing our last show in Russia I had met someone. I thought she was beautiful, smart, and enchanting. Once I got back home to the states we continued to chat. With each conversation we grew closer." I looked up to gage their reactions at the bombshell I had just laid at their feet. No one had known that I had been in a relationship before so I knew this was a rather large bombshell to drop at my parent’s feet, though not nearly as large as the one to come.

Heather's face along with my parents was schooled to reveal nothing. There was no hint of emotion on their blank faces. They stood patiently waiting for me to continue. I looked up to Tosha for support. He gave me an encouraging nod, spurring me to carry on.

I continued recanting my story despite my discomfort. My eyes rolled up to the ceiling as I drew in strength, unable to bring myself to look them in the eyes as I spoke, afraid to see the disappointment that would soon show on their faces as I told the next part. "I began to travel to Russia to court this woman. She insisted that we keep our relationship secret until we knew the direction we wanted to go. With each trip, we grew closer. I felt that the relationship had taken a turn, bringing us closer than before.” I blew out a nervous breath.

“On my last trip, I had asked her to marry me. I felt sure that I had found the one. She had been so understanding and forthcoming with her emotions. I really thought that we could make a go of it." I exhaled stalling for time. I couldn't bear to see their faces. I couldn’t stand to see the shame and hurt reflected in their eyes at my deception. I lied by omission, having never relayed my true intentions in Russia. Everyone had thought that I was scouting new talent and I let them believe that. Though the talent wasn’t musically inclined. 

"I begged her to let me scream it from the rooftops that we were engaged, but she still denied me. I wanted to come clean with my family and share in my elation but she begged me not to.  She wanted to wait just a little longer. He brother had just got engaged and she didn’t want to steal his joyous moment she insisted. The next day I had come home and found that my best friend had received a call. He had been arranged to marry a girl from Russia, my girl in Russia." I spoke slowly, letting the words sink in.

"What are you saying?" My mother exclaimed clearly disturbed by my revelation.

"I'm saying I was engaged to Nina Mikhailov" I said softly. The words tasted bitter in my mouth as I spoke them. 

"And what now?" My father's voice boomed clearly unhappy with the turn of events. I knew he had taken the deception hard. He had always preached about openness and transparency. He was a firm believer that lies beget lies and that family was the absolute in transparency. Though he did ambush me with the marriage to Heather, but that was somehow different. I could see where he felt the trickery was necessary, not that it made the situation any easier to swallow.

"I begged her to come clean, to let her family know, to allow me to let my family know, but she continued to deny me. She kept promising that it would all be over soon and that we could tell everyone about our engagement." My shoulders sagged in shame.

“And why didn’t you just tell us all anyways? Why didn’t you save Kiev from a situation that you knew was tearing him up inside?” My father berated.

“I didn’t want to betray her confidence in me. I trusted her to come clean and erase the issue. I trusted that she loved me enough to be forthcoming with her family and allow me to be as well with my own.” I pled, begging for forgiveness and understanding. My father’s look remained hard. He was clearly taking the betrayal personally. I couldn’t fault him. 

"Once word got out about Kiev and Emily marrying, I again begged her to let everyone know about our engagement. Again Nina denied me. She began to say I was smothering her and that I was pushing too hard for something that was inconsequential. She blamed the fact that her reputation would be in tatters if anyone should find out that she was engaged to one man and then immediately another after.” I tried to explain. Though speaking the words out loud to my parents I could see her words for what they were, open lies.

“It was a low blow. I felt hurt by her words but I respected her privacy. Soon it became clear that she was only toying with me. That she found this to all be a game. She would reel me in and then push me away with her words only to reel me back in." I ran my hand through my hair tugging at the roots to release the tension and stress that had been mounting. 

"I had finally had enough. I called it all off and cut her out of my life. I refused to be a pawn in someone else's game. I felt foolish for believing her lies. I felt betrayed.  It hurt more than I imagined it would but I realized that it wasn't love that I felt for her. I could not love someone that could so easily and eagerly manipulate me and toy with my affections. What I felt for her was attraction yes, perhaps maybe lust. But it was never physical or tangible. It was mental and emotional but not true love. I can’t express in words what it was that I felt, but I know now that it was not love in the least." I could feel the weight on my shoulders lifting with each word. Everyone remained quiet. The hard look on my father’s face had begun to smooth out, comforting me and encouraging me to continue.

"I quit taking her calls. I quit all communications with her. I couldn’t play her games anymore. I couldn’t be the pawn in her sick twisted game.  I came clean to my friends and I asked Kiev for his forgiveness. I am thankful every day that he accepted my apologies. I didn’t tell you because I found it a moot point. I had thought I had found something in my life to share only to realize it was but a dream.” Scrubbing my hands across my face I pushed on, eager to get everything out in the open so that I could begin the new chapter in my life.

“I thought everything was going to be alright finally. Life was returning to normal and I was now emotionally and mentally ready to start looking for something, someone, serious in my life.” My eyes drew to Heather as I spoke.

“I had realized first hand all of the things I didn’t want in a relationship and with that knowledge I also realized the traits I did want in my future wife. I was so grateful that I had gotten out in time, before I was jaded, before I closed myself off from the prospect of a relationship. It also made me open to finding that someone in my life. It made me realized that I did want to find someone to share my life with, someone who would accept me for who I was and that would be proud to stand by my side and let the world know.” Heather gave me a small smile in understanding.

“Then Nina began to call again. I continued to ignore her calls. There was nothing she could say to change my mind. There was no way in hell I would willing go back to the toxic environment she called a relationship. Tosha came to me this morning with the news." I inhaled deeply gathering the strength to finish the story, letting out a slow breath.

I looked over at Tosha, I saw the lines of anger creasing his eyes, and his lips firmly pressed shut. He knew what was coming next. "Nina says she is pregnant." I heard a collective gasp, sucking the air out of the room. I held up my hands in defense before any of them could get the wrong idea.

"Wait, wait, hear me out," I begged. My father shot lasers at me; my mother's face was full of disapproval. Heather, my sweet Heather looked crushed.

"It's not mine.” I plead. "I swear I never touched her in that way." I continued to plead.

“Why does she say it is?" My mother demanded finally speaking for the first time since we came into the den.

"I have no idea. But I promise you, I have never so much as placed a chaste kiss on her lips. She said she was saving herself for marriage and I believed her. I never once brought her up to my hotel room. I always met her out in public. I swear to you on everything holy that there was never anything physical between the two of us and I'm quite sure a woman cannot get pregnant from holding hands. At least not that I had ever heard of." I tried to soften the tension in the room with a little humor.

"So what do you do now?" My father demanded.

"I have no idea. There is no merit to her story; if she is pregnant I know for certain that it is not mine." I promised him.

“So you are just going to wait and see what she does?” My father asked confusion and irritation lacing his voice. His hands were balled into fist at his sides.

“Papa, there isn’t much I can do. She can scream it from the rooftops but it will never make her words true.” I promised him. My father just huffed. My mother gently stroked his arm in comfort. I knew it was a lot for her to take in as well.

“I’m sorry for all of this mess. I‘m sorry for not telling you the truth, for not being open with you about it in the beginning.” I said with complete honesty.

My mother bat the thought away with her free hand. “Nonsense. Why would you tell us about a girlfriend? I could understand the excitement of a secret romance, but really you shouldn’t feel bad for not telling us you had a girlfriend. I feel hurt that you did not tell us you were engaged but considering how things worked out, I hold no ill feelings. I am, however, enraged by this woman for playing with your heart and now trying to threaten you with a child. You and Heather must make me a grandbaby soon. It’s the only way my heart will heal.” When my mother first began to speak I felt such lightness in my heart at her forgiveness. I was right along with her in the moment until she decided to turn it against me and use it to manipulate me into giving her grandchildren. I wasn’t opposed to the fact, it was just the way she went about it. It was like saying “Here, have a cookie. Now you own me babies.” My mother was a sneaky one.

“You do know that I’m not the only one involved in the baby making process.” I reminded her with an arched brow. My mother just batted the thought away as though it were an inconsequential notion.

I finally braved a glance in Heather's direction. She seemed deep in thought. How I wished that I could peek inside her beautiful mind and know just what she was thinking. Was she disgusted by me? Annoyed, regretting her marriage to me? Sensing my eyes on her she gave me a small smile. That one tiny gesture was enough to let me know that it would all be okay, that everything would work out.

"I'm sorry," I said looking her directly in the eyes. I was sorry for the mess she had been drawn into and the blunt words of my mother. I was sure there was a whole host of things I should be sorry for and even sorrier for in the future but I would have to deal with that as it came.

Heather's smile widened slightly as she dipped her head. I held my hand out to her in an offering. It felt like the world had stood still as I waited to see what she would do. Would she take my hand? Slap me in the face for being an insufferable jackass? As if sensing my nerves Heather took my hand, putting me out of my misery. She curled herself into my arms, her head resting on my shoulder. Automatically my arms wrapped around her pinning her against my chest. Her soft breath caressed the side of my neck sending a different nervous energy through me.

"Well, if Heather can forgive you then I guess all is well. If what you say about Nina is the truth then you have nothing to worry about. You know we will always support you, son." My father said as he placed a hand on my shoulder in support.

"I'm so glad we found a girl for you, honestly, Ivan, you had to find the craziest nut in the tree?" My mother scolded giving me a teasing wink. I chuckled despite the gravity of the conversation.

"Well, Maw, you know I like to flirt with the lines from time to time." I gave her a cocky smile.

"I sure hope Heather remembers to remind you of your place. Don't you come crying to me when she has you scrubbing the bathroom floor with a toothbrush." My mother warned. I chuckled.

"Ah, Maw, Heather loves me too much to torture me that way." Heather's head jerked up in response cocking a brow at me, she shook her head side to side and tsked. "Seriously babe?" I asked. "You're my wife for all of five minutes and already you're taking my mother's side?" I asked indignantly teasing Heather.

Heather pinched my side causing me to cry out and jump away from her. Pointing a finger in my direction Heather gave me a silent warning. She would definitely kick my ass if I ever thought about getting out of line, that much was for sure. "Woman," I gasped in mock shock holding my hands out in front of me and hiking my knee up in defense much like a football player.

“Welcome to married life.” Tosha said patting my shoulder as he walked out of the room. I grinned at his comment. Welcome to married life indeed.

The carefree banter flowed easily between Heather and I making me feel that much surer of my parent’s decision to make her my wife. Though we were unable to communicate verbally, we communicated through easy touches, laughter, and smiles. Heather was an easily likeable woman. The chemistry between the two of us seemed to flow naturally bringing a smile to my face. Upon seeing the two of us together one would never imagine we had just met only hours ago.  Our bodies seemed to be drawn together by invisible magnets. I couldn’t be near her without touching her in small ways, a hand resting against the small of her back, brushing her long red hair off her shoulders or tucking a strand behind her ear. I felt my body leaning into hers as she spoke, her smile lighting me up from the inside out. Her minty breath had me aching for a taste of her lips. Her sweet floral perfume made my cock jerk against the confinement of my jeans. Everything about this woman drew me in.