Susan Mallery - To Love and Protect

“Everything is good here,” David said as he handed her a menu.

She glanced down at the laminated cardboard, then laughed. “It’s all in Russian.”

“You did say traditional.”

“Then you’re going to have to translate.”

“Fair enough. What are you in the mood for?”

They sat close to each other, their knees touching, their arms bumping. This afternoon was thousands of miles and nearly five years from their last lunch, but there were still similarities: the need to discover everything about him all at once. The sense of there not being enough time. The wanting that lurked just below the surface.

“Liz?”

“Hmm? Oh, lunch. Why don’t you decide for me?”

He placed their order, then smiled at her. “Nervous about tomorrow?”

“A little. I know Natasha is too young to remember me from my first visit. I just hope I don’t scare her. I’ll get to spend some time with her, but she won’t be returning to my hotel with me for a couple of days.”

“You’ll both need to adjust.”

“Me more than her.” She bit her lower lip. “I want to be a good mother.”

“Why would you doubt yourself?”

“Lack of experience.”

“So you’ll learn as you go. Isn’t that what usually happens?”

“I guess.”

What she didn’t say is that many new mothers had assistance from family members. There were other women around who knew what the different cries meant and what to worry about and what was no big deal.

“How old is she?” he asked.

“Four months.”

“Can she do anything? Walk? Talk?”

Liz laughed. “She’s just learning her multiplication tables, but we’re going to have to wait another week until she masters fractions.”

He grinned. “Is that your way of telling me no?”

“Pretty much.”

“I’m not a baby person. I don’t know from timetables.”

“She can hold up her head and will soon be rolling over.”

He leaned closer. “Sounds exciting.”

A wild and potentially insane idea popped into Liz’s head. She tried to let it go and when she couldn’t, she opened her mouth and blurted it out.

“Would you like to come with me tomorrow when I go see Natasha at the orphanage?”

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