I take Penny’s hand as we approach my mother's house. Penny is holding a bottle of non-alcoholic wine in her free hand.

I open the door and let her in, following behind her. “Mama?” I call out.

“In the living room,” Luka calls back.

“Your brother is here?” she asks me curiously.

“They’re probably all here to witness this,” I murmur. “Just play it cool.”

Penny squeezes my hand, and we walk into the living room. “Mama, this is Penny. Penny, this is…”

My mother stands and moves forward, holding her hand out. “Call me Mama Milov.” She takes Penny’s hands. “Such small hands. How will you keep up with the baby?”

“I’ll be fine. Kervyn likes my small hands,” Penny says with a grin. “I brought some non-alcoholic wine. It tastes nice.”

“I will not drink it. People baby their children too much. I drank while I was pregnant, and they all turned out alright. Or do you disagree?” she asks.

“Mama,” I say tersely.

Danil comes in just then and smiles. “Hello, Kervyn. Penny.”

“Is Penny short for something?” my mother asks suddenly.

“Penelope, though people who like me call me Penny.”

“Penelope is the name you were given. I will call you that.” My mother waves her hands about. “Let’s go eat before the food gets cold. Danil, take this strange drink from her and pour her some.”

Penny and I follow her to her dining room. She’s prepared a feast of Russian dishes, nothing Penny will be familiar with.

I want to say something, but Danil gives me a look, and I look at Penny, who is smiling. “This all looks absolutely delicious. Surely you didn’t make this all yourself?”

It’s a dig at my mother. We all know it is. My mother nods. “I used to, but now I have someone who does it for me. Surprisingly good for an American.”

“Americans are good with food,” Penny says.

“I can tell from your size,” my mother sneers.

“Mama,” I hiss.

Penny touches my arm. “Mrs. Milov. I love your son very much. If you think we’re unsuitable, I’m sorry to disappoint.”

“I just want what's best for my son,” she says as she starts to dish up food.

“I want what’s best for the family,” Penny says. “And that can include me.”

There’s a silence around the table before Luka cracks out laughing. “Mama, leave her alone. She’s not going to give in.”

I smile as my mother purses her lips. “I am sorry if I offended you. Americans are easily offended.”

“Not this one,” Penny says and starts to dish up food.

As we eat, my mother talks more to my brothers than me, and I know it’s her way of punishing me. To be fair, Penny hasn’t been rude at all, but I know my mother is irritated that Luka likes her so much.

I clear my throat. “I would like to make a toast to Penny and me on our engagement. Although she’s got the engagement ring I chose for her, I wanted to make her feel more part of the family.”

My mother stares daggers at me.

Good, she’s figured it out.

I pull out the little box and open it. “Penny. I didn’t get to ask you officially.” I move to get on one knee next to her as I hold my grandmother's wedding band up. “Will you marry me?”

The dinner table is silent as Penny nods and smiles. “Yes. Of course.”

My mother clears her throat and carries on eating as though nothing has happened while my brothers reluctantly start to clap and congratulate us.

I slip the ring on Penny’s finger and smile brightly at her before I kiss her softly.

I sit back in my seat and look around cockily at my brothers, daring them to say a word.

Chapter 22 - Penny

Everything has been perfect, even if Kervyn’s mom took long to warm up to me. She’s still a little snippy, but mostly, she leaves me alone because she cannot get a rise out of me. That was the best plan I ever had, not to react to anything she said.

I wake up in Kervyn’s arms. He’s spooning me. I yawn and nudge him. He rolls over, and I stretch. I’m just wearing a nightie because of the warmer weather. I get up to get washed up and changed. I have a doctor's appointment today that I need to go to. When I’m dressed, I come back into the room and find Kervyn sitting up sleepily.

“I’ll be ready shortly,” he mumbles.

“Are you coming with me?” I ask curiously.

“Yes,” he says, moving toward the bathroom.

I’m moving into the third trimester, and I’m getting nervous and excited at the same time. I’ve heard a lot about people having premature births, and I’m so worried about our child. I want to protect them at all costs.

We have a quick breakfast at the table in the kitchen, much to Mrs. Beth’s chagrin. She hates us being underfoot but wouldn’t dare say a thing.

Currie takes us to my appointment, and Kervyn grabs a bunch of pamphlets about being a parent and reads them while we sit in the waiting room, waiting for Sofia to finish her current appointment.

When she’s done, she takes us in, and I get changed before climbing onto the bed. Sofia quickly has to go out and chat with the receptionist about something, and Kervyn grins at me.

“What is so funny?” I ask.

“I’ve had your legs that high before,” he says quietly as he motions to the stirrups in the bed next to us.

“Kervyn!” I say, blushing crimson. “Is it your sole wish to see me embarrassed?”

“Kinda.” He grins again, and I shake my head, falling silent as Sofia enters.

Kervyn watches curiously while I get examined, and then she pours the gel onto my belly and begins the scan. She pauses the picture and smiles. “That’s your baby.”