Chapter 15: Old News
Demyan
It had been a day since the ball and I was stuck in the whirlwall of wanting to go about my schedule like how I planned for the month or just choosing to stay locked up in the mansion for a few days and deal with everything later.
Even though I wanted to pretend like the dance between Ethan and I had never happened, it lived in my mind rent free for the entire night. I was sleep deprived because instead of ignoring a problem that had been bothering me since I was twenty, I spent the whole night once again letting it eat me up inside that halfway through I just sat outside by the balcony.
I was lucky Dad and Pa had noticed Ethan and I danced but simply thought we were just having a good time. I was not sure if they were just saying that to prevent me from stressing about it anymore than I already was because they knew I overthought a lot.
You would think after all these years I would finally learn how to conquer my thoughts that often ran wild with me but it seemed they were doing a better job at evolving than I did. Plus it was hard to ignore my chaotic feelings for Ethan when I was stuck in the room we spent so much time in.
Even though I had taken out every picture, teddies and whatever other gifts he had gotten for me throughout the years, it still felt like he would just randomly walk into the bedroom with his collection of juice boxes and very roughly throw himself on the bed as we got ready to spent the night watching movies on his laptop.
Malia had spent a few nights here as well but I preferred to keep her away from the very room my ex had been in just out of respect for her. I was lucky I had a girlfriend who was as understanding as her because I knew if it was anyone else, they would have probably forbid me from being in the same room as Ethan with our past.
"I saw the picture," she smiled as she wiggled her eyebrows through the screen of my phone as we video called the next morning, "Of you and Ethan."
"Oh no, don't tell me you're jealous," I laughed as I brushed my curls in the bathroom; whilst my phone was balanced on a small stand, then raked a hair mousse to keep my hair moisturised throughout the day.
She let out a cute snort before she rolled her eyes, "That's old news. Plus you two seemed to be in two different parts of the universe even though you were next to each other."
I shrugged as I let out a sigh. The great thing about Malia and I we were best friends before we started dating therefore a topic such an one's ex never frightened any of us. "I was there for Dad and the family mostly."
"Ethan is family too Dem. You have to remember that."
"I know," I gave her a small smile, "I just think I was a bit overwhelmed by everything. Plus it's different knowing he was my boyfriend before."
She nodded as she hummed, "Well I think you were very mature to show up and I'm sure it meant a lot to your fathers. Plus I'm sure after your last conversation with Ethan a few months ago he has probably given up."
My stomach flipped slightly when I thought about our dance. Even though I felt like I did nothing wrong by dancing with Ethan, I also still felt it would not be the wisest choice to tell Malia, Ethan had not given up. I just felt like it was something I could handle on my own and the last thing I wanted was for her to be upset whilst she was pregnant.
"I think it has," I smiled, "He's probably wrapped up around someone new."
"And the news of the baby must have discouraged him," she agreed.
The other thing about that was that no one but the direct Chernyshevsky-Coleman family knew about Malia's pregnancy because I asked them to keep it that way for now. I was not sure why I had done it. Maybe because I did not want Ethan to find out through word of mouth.
I still felt like I owed it to him to tell him myself because there was a point where I genuinely thought I would be having children with him and no one else. At first I hoped when I came to London maybe he had truly moved on and that would make it easier for me to tell him, but after last night I knew how much it complicated things.
"I think it has," I smiled as I lied to her for the second time in a few minutes. It had probably been the most I had lied to Malia in such a short time frame since I had met her, but I truly believed a little white lie would not hurt. As long as I did not cause her any unnecessary stress I would do anything in my power.
"Will you be available for the first ultrasound in two weeks?" she beamed as she then pointed the camera to the full body mirror that showed off her still extremely flat stomach.
"I will be, it's huge on my calendar I wouldn't miss it for the world," I sent her a kiss through the screen which she blushed too before sending me one back. "I love you very much Malia."
"I love you Dem, I'll call you tonight again."
"Okay babe," I winked, which made her shriek in laughter before we finally said goodbye to each other.
Once the call had finally ended I looked at my reflection in the mirror with absolute confusion. How in the world was I going to sort all of this out before Malia arrived in two months?
Just as the thought crossed my mind, a ding from my phone caught my attention as I saw a message from a number I had not contacted in a very long time.
It was from Ethan.
Chapter 16: Their Daddies
Demyan
I did not want to rush into looking at the text because I did not want to seem eager. Why would I even look eager to see Ethan's text because I did not expect a text from him after last night.
When I came back from the bathroom, he took some time to come from wherever he was with Luca who gave me a cheeky grin. I did not even want to guess what they had been talking about but I knew it had to do with something about us. Ethan and I spent the rest of the night avoiding each other from there.
We would catch each other's eye once in a while but I did not think any of us were brave enough to cross paths again. I figured after I had left hours later that he would probably not want to talk to me for sometime after how I had blown up on him.
Most of me was filled with regret during the car ride home. It was not the right place or time for me to want to tell him off. The whole night was meant to celebrate his promotion and our family's success. I was simply meant to be there so we could look like a united front and the first thing I did was show off there was a problem between the ex-couple that was still family whether we liked it or not.
I finished dressing and decided there was no point in mobbing around the house for something I could not fix. Whatever Ethan had to say surely it could wait until after I was done with my morning meetings. I quickly dressed in black palazzo pants, white sneakers and a white button up shirt. One diamond earring decorated my left ear whilst I kept the other bare. I wore my 'Apple' watch, grabbed my phone that I was ignoring with everything in my heart and grabbed my office bag.
By the time I got downstairs I was surprised to find Oksana, Pa and Dad to be the only ones by the kitchen dining area whilst the chefs made breakfast. I greeted everyone with a happy smile whilst Dad read a newspaper with his glasses hanging off the bridge of his nose because he was that old school, Pa was busy yelling on the phone in Russian; well I thought he was until he burst out laughing, and Oksana was still in her pajamas.
"Why aren't you in your uniform?" I kissed her forehead before I sat down.
"Dad's taking me to the orthodontist. I'm getting my braces," she sighed as she looked down to the table with a sigh.
"That's amazing Sana," I ruffled her hair.
"She's depressed because she's worried they're going to make fun of her," Dad chuckled as he looked at us.
"Don't bother with them," Pa rolled his eyes, "Their daddies aren't us and that's worth laughing at."
I could not help but snort as a laugh bubbled from the back of my throat. "I missed your comments in the morning." After breakfast was served I finally remembered to ask, "Where's Vasilisa and EJ?"
"Junior had morning practice and Vasilisa went home with Christina. She'll probably be back whenever Christina leaves again," Pa sighed before he took a sip of his morning iced coffee, "This is normal, we're practically just a hotel to you kids."
"I thought you said you wanted to move back home in the meantime."
Dad shook his head, "That's what all parents are supposed to say then you're supposed to say 'No it's alright. I want my own space anyway'. Yet none of you ever say that."
"Because if we don't sleep at home we won't hear the end of it from Pa," I laughed.
"Look, excuse me if I like the family environment," Pa held his hands up. "Plus don't pretend like you don't sob in the kids rooms when you miss them."
Oksana was quick to chime in, "Trust me I've heard the sobs."
Dad's face became incredibly red. "Listen I don't want you far but I don't want you close enough that I can hear Junior's snores from upstairs. You'd think at sixty-five I would finally be able to retire and kiss your father wherever I like without anyone invading our privacy."
"I think that's what bedrooms are for," Oksana gagged.
"Where are you going?" Pa finally took in my outfit, "I thought you were off."
"For ballet Pa, work as usual for everything else," I smiled.
"Look at him being a responsible working adult," Dad beamed, "I did good with this one."
Pa looked at Dad with raised eyebrows and parted lips but then seemed to choose peace. He simply gave him a very tight smile before he stabbed into his omelette. After breakfast, I went down to the garage and climbed into Pa's matte black BMW M5 that he let me borrow for the morning.
A few of my cars were still in London but the garage was not big enough to hold all of our cars so a few were left in the storage in the city. I just felt no use to get them right now since I was sure the twenty cars in the garage could work.
Even though being a ballet dancer was my main career priority, I had now expanded my art slash gallery business to now have its own interior design business. Besides ballet it was what really got me out there and I loved it with everything I had in me. I now had branches in New York, London naturally, Paris and Moscow which to me was one of my biggest achievements.
My office was just two blocks away from Coleman Enterprise which was nice because whenever I was in the city, I could quickly meet Vasilisa for lunch.
The weirdest thing about being back home was driving through the streets and seeing my face on almost every billboard, not that it was much different from Russia. It was going to take some time to get used to especially since this was my home.
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