Avos'

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞

TOMMY SIGHS AS HE GLANCES DOWN AT HIS WATCH AND THEN BACK UP AGAIN AT THE SCENE IN FRONT OF HIM.

Oksana's been pacing for the last ten minutes, back and forth and back and forth in front of the main door of their home. Every minute or so, she stops, mumbles something to herself in Russian, fingers the necklace he gave her, and then continues on. He leans against the opposite doorway as he regards her, wondering if she realizes what she's doing, of the nervous habit she's displaying as she very impatiently waits.

"I'm going to need a new carpet," he drawls, taking a drag of his cigarette. When she stops in her tracks and furrows her eyebrows at him, he realizes he's going to have to explain himself plainly. "Because you're burning holes in it?"

She shakes her head at him in a type of angry confusion. "What? This is ridiculous. Holes not burned in carpet."

The sides of his lips quirk up at her choppy English. He has to admit that he finds it rather adorable that her English seems to fail her and her accent comes out stronger when she's stressed or worried.

"It was a joke."

"This joke not funny," she grumbles, pulling the curtains back to look out the window to the driveway. "They take a long time."

"You're nervous," he says, working his way to her and wrapping his arms around her waist. "You need to relax."

The worry lines on her forehead lesson as she rolls her head back on his shoulder. She closes her eyes at takes a deep breath. "I know. I just-They are here!"

It's almost comical the way she pushes him off her, but it's annoying the way his pride ruffles a bit as she throws open the front door with a beaming smile on her face.

"Oksappa!"

However, any slight irritation or jealousy fades to the back as Charlie rushes through the open doorway and launches himself into her arms. The sheer force of the impact sends Oksana flying back to the floor, laughing as she and Charlie try to sit upright.

"My little prince," Oksana giggles, planting several kisses on both his chubby cheeks.

"I've missed you," he cries, throwing his arms around her neck as he clumsily scrambles onto her lap. "Where have you been?"

"I have been with your Aunt Grissy, but I have missed you so much," she says, hugging him tightly before gasping playfully and gesturing at the little wooden horse in his hand. "Is this a new toy?"

As Charlie launches into a longwinded ramble about where he got said toy, Polly joins them. Charlie had been staying with her for the night while Tommy needed some room to think, and he sees the pleasant surprise that coats her face as she looks at the two of them on the floor.

"I see you two have made up," she says with a genuine smile as she looks down at the scene and then back at him. "Your sisters are miracle workers."

He snorts as he takes another drag. "That's one name for them."

"This is a sweet picture," she sighs, cupping the side of her cheek as she watches Charlie bounce up and down Oksana's lap, demanding that they go play. "It's nice."

"Agreed," he replies. When Polly looks up at him with hesitation, he rolls his eyes. His aunt never holds back from what she's thinking, but he can see that she's clearly debating the words over in her head. He doesn't doubt that she knows she was the reason he and Oksana had trouble to begin with.