chapter 297
They had arrived in New Orleans in the morning and, after resting, Elena had gone to visit her uncle, taking Vlad with her. After this visit to her uncle, he had been happy to see her back in New Orleans and Elena, who had thought that he had forgotten his idea of medicine, apparently hadn’t and hoped that he wouldn’t once again force her to do so. She was home very early and remembering that she had promised Olivia to visit her once she was in New Orleans, she figured she could go then. When she’d announced her visit, Olivia had told her she was planning a little party.
-Is your friend nice? asked Vlad.
-I’m sure you’ll like her, especially her daughter, Rheane’s a really nice baby.
-A baby, you say? Babies cry a lot and I’d rather stay at your place, Elena. I don’t want to hear baby cries.
-I’m not going to leave you alone in the apartment when you’ve had a chance to get to know my world, Vlad. You know there are two of us now and we’re staying together. You’re coming with me to Olivia’s. You’ll love them, I promise.
Vlad huffed. He didn’t want to go. He’d never liked being around people because his parents weren’t very nice people, but now he had no choice. He had to give in and hope he’d really enjoy it. When the cab stopped in this residential area of New Orleans, he couldn’t believe it. He understood that just as Finn was rich, so was this man. When they got out of the car, he marveled at what was in front of him. It was so beautiful.
-This is it,” said Elena, pointing to the house.
As Vlad moved forward, Elena held him back. She wanted to tell him something, a truth that was bound to hurt. When he stopped and looked at her with all his seriousness, she smiled at him as if nothing had happened. She told herself that perhaps she was going too far in her thoughts and that what she was imagining was certainly not going to happen. When she pressed the doorbell a few minutes later, the gate was opened and they entered. No sooner had they entered the hall than Maggie pounced on Elena. Elena hadn’t expected to see her there at all.
-Elena Montoya, the niece of Dr. Jones, the best employer in the world. You’re so beautiful, darling. Russia really suited you, I must say.
Vlad made himself very small. It seemed that girlfriends’ reunions were always so eventful and he regretted why he’d given in when Elena had insisted. He could have been adamant about his decision.
-Elena, our savior, you’re here, my darling,” Oli said, taking her in his arms.
Vlad huffed in exasperation. This scene was certainly not going to end. He wanted to get out of there, but this wasn’t his home and nobody had asked him to make himself at home. When he saw an old lady arrive, the conversation began, but the most surprising thing for him was to see a man as tall as Finn come into the room with a baby in his arms. He realized that this must be the baby Elena was talking about.
-This is my nephew, Vladimir Fyodoras.
Vlad saw the two young women looking at him with interest and he hated it so much. He didn’t like the way people looked at him because he was afraid of what they thought of him. He was also staring at Damon with interest and had the impression that he saw something in him that he saw in Finn. He shook his head to stop thinking about it for fear of being called crazy.
-Is everything all right, Vlad?” asked Elena.
-I don’t know if you see it the way I do, but Elena, this man looks a bit like Finn. Not physically, but a little something.
-I think you look like Betty. It’s silly because you don’t even know her,” Maggie finally said.
Vlad’s face suddenly changed. He didn’t understand why she was talking about his mother, and he didn’t even know when Elena had told them about her. He looked at her with disappointment and Elena didn’t understand.
-But Vlad, I didn’t do anything.
-How do you explain the fact that these people know my mother? These women live in New Orleans, don’t they?
he remembered at that moment that his mother also lived in New Orleans, according to what his father had told him when he asked where his mother was. He began to tremble and it was Olivia who made him sit down and stay close to him, but in an excessive movement, Vlad stood up.
-How did you know her? How did you know my mother?
-I don’t understand what you’re talking about, Vladimir. Betty didn’t have any children or she would have told us. I think Maggie said that without thinking, you know.Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.
-And who were you to her?
-Very good friends,” replied Olivia.
Maggie glared at her, probably because she didn’t like the lie. It was true that Betty had changed over time, but they’d still been very good friends until she’d decided to find herself a rich man. Vlad was just a child and she didn’t want to tell him about their differences.
-So you really are my mother’s friends, she’s dead.
Olivia and Maggie cried out at the same time. They didn’t understand how it was possible that Betty could have such a large child. They’d spent time together and had been friends for ten years. It didn’t make sense and they didn’t want to believe that they were talking about the same Betty. They remembered that she had had problems with her family at some point in her life and that she had spent over a year in Russia, but they had never thought that she had given birth to a baby that she would certainly have abandoned to return to New Orleans.
-That can’t be possible. Elena, did you know Betty before?
-No. I only met her when I arrived in Russia.
The girls nodded in acceptance. It was hard to believe, and they told themselves that even if Betty had come back with the baby, they would never have judged or even rejected her. Olivia opened her arms and looked at Vlad, who took refuge in them. Tears welled up in his eyes and he couldn’t contain himself. No matter what her friend had done to her, she still loved him just as much, and seeing her son made her happy.
-You’re so cute, big boy. Reassure me you’re going to stay in New Orleans with us.
-I don’t think so. When my father comes, we’ll go back to Russia.
Elena choked on her drink when she heard what Vlad had just said. Paolo was dead and she hoped he wasn’t thinking of coming back from the land of the dead, because that was impossible. She was afraid he hadn’t yet mourned. She was already beginning to regret her choice to leave Russia.
-What did you just say, Vlad?
He didn’t answer her because he was concentrating on listening to Olivia. Elena didn’t know what she was going to do until Olivia asked Vlad a question she was afraid would bring back sad memories.
-And who’s this daddy coming to get you, Vlad?
-Finn, he’s super tall and very nice. Elena’s even in love with him.
Seeing the look he gave her after her sentence, she realized he’d said that on purpose. Perhaps to provoke her. She had no idea that Vlad considered Finn his father to the point of saying so in public.