Fist to the Heart

Chapter Sixteen - Soon To Be

Ruslan watched his father talking on the phone. That deep etch on his face, between his furrowed eyebrows let out nothing good. Who could the old man be talking to? The conversation was held in a hushed tone, and Ruslan didn't want to intrude, as he knew his adoptive father to be a man of great secrecy.

"I'm sorry, Russy, it was important," Douglas apologized as soon as he was off the phone with the mystery caller. "Do you want to tell me something?"

"How would you feel if I told you that you would soon become a father in law?" Ruslan chose his words carefully, but could not keep in a playful smile.

His father's eyes grew wide and then filled with fondness. "Should I gather that he said 'yes'?"

Ruslan nodded happily. "All we need is your blessing. And, of course, Johnny's mom's, too, which is exactly what we plan for today. I thought about letting you know that I'm taking the day off from work. I know it's in short notice, but I still have plenty of leave days."

Douglas waved. "Do you really think you should worry about such things now, Russy? I know how much you work every day. You really are an asset for my business, and I didn't just give you a job to have something to come back home from. Take as many free days as you need to plan the wedding. Of course, unless you want me and Martin to take care of everything. We would love to do that."

Ruslan got up from his seat by the window and hurried to hug his dad. "I know I would, but Johnny would throw a fit. He becomes fidgety when he has nothing to do. And an imposed vacation wouldn't work on him. I must have him involved. And, seeing how the wedding won't happen sooner than several months -"

"Several months? I thought you, young people, are all for making things happen in a rush."

"Johnny and I decided that he should first liquidate his debts toward Francis Davenport."

"You mean he decided."

"Well, you know how he is," Ruslan said apologetically. "I could squeeze him into doing things how I want, but I am well aware how important his duty is to him."

"I would not call it duty, but plain blackmail," Douglas replied.

"Johnny doesn't quite see it that way. And, since he said he would marry me only after dealing with his past, I can't antagonize him much. I'd rather have him feel happy and free with his decisions, including the one to marry me."

"Ah, Russy, you have no idea how happy I am to hear that you wish to settle down. I would not want to go away without seeing you happy and protected. I have great trust in Johnny that he would do that."

"Hey, it goes both ways, and I'm not helpless," Ruslan protested. "And what's this talk about going away? You're not sick. Are you?"

Ruslan could feel familiar fear creeping in. The old man looked healthy, and nothing seemed wrong, but not all ailments could be easy to notice. He was no doctor to know about such things.

"I'm not sick; don't worry, Russy." Douglas caressed his hair slowly. "I want to know that you are in good hands. I would have expected it to happen many years from now, so I'm happy to see you don't throw your youth away on mindless and reckless entertainment. What's going on between you and Johnny, Russy, is real. Don't you ever forget that. Even if there are moments in life when you might feel differently, don't forget. You love Johnny, and he loves you just the same."

Ruslan scoffed to hide his nervousness from earlier. "We wouldn't get hitched if we weren't serious about one another. Have you ever been married, papa?"

Douglas smiled. "This isn't about me, right, Russy?"

"You never tell me anything." Ruslan pouted, pretending to be childish to rouse a reaction from his father.

"You'll know everything soon enough, my dear child. Soon enough."

Ruslan rolled his eyes. "You're just so mysterious."

"Maybe I exaggerate. But everything I have ever done was to protect you. Forgive an old man a few secrets or at least, to hold on to them a little while longer. Now, Russy, you go and see Johnny's mom. Don't forget that your soon to be husband just has to say the word, and I will arrange for his mother to be transferred to a better facility."

"I won't forget, but Johnny is stubborn. It's all about duty with this man. Of course, once we're married, I'll make sure he understands his new position."

"Make sure you do that." Douglas's face was all a smile.

***

"Do I look all right?" Ruslan patted down his shirt as if he was trying to smooth out imaginary wrinkles.

"You look beautiful," Johnny made doe eyes at him.

Ruslan snickered. "For you, maybe. But I must look good to see your mom, and not just my usual self. Are you going to tell her, Johnny, that we -"

"Of course. She might not understand or forget as soon as we're out the door, but I must try. I would not keep such a thing away from her. I'm getting hitched, and that's the kind of thing moms want to know about their boys."

Johnny looked so serious but in a solemn way. Ruslan felt like walking a bit stiffly, to make sure he didn't appear aloof, given the occasion. After all, he was on the point of meeting his mother in law, or soon to be, as he tried to correct himself mentally.

Ruslan was pleased to see that the care unit where Johnny's mom was housed seemed a decent enough place. Not that he would ever suspect Johnny of not doing everything he could to give his mother the care and protection he needed, but he knew well that limited funds could only do this much, particularly for people with special needs.

He breathed in, one last time, as the nurse nodded for them to proceed and walk down the hall. Johnny squeezed his hand. "Don't worry. She'll love you."

Ruslan wished he could share the same conviction, but the truth was he could not repress the nervousness that had seemed to be with him since he had decided to meet Johnny's mom.

Johnny opened the door and signaled for him to walk in. Ruslan entered and took in the small, grey-haired woman on the bed.

"Mom, this is Ruslan Kent," Johnny said first.

"Hello, Mrs. Bryne," Ruslan hurried to greet her.

"What a beautiful name. Who is this handsome man, Johnny? Is he a prince?"

As Johnny had said, his mother seemed out of it. Ruslan offered her the daffodil bouquet and the chocolate he had brought with him.

"Daffodils," Johnny's mom whispered, and touched the heads of the flowers gently as if she was afraid to disturb the arrangement. "And chocolate. Ah, Johnny, I haven't had Belgian chocolate since your father brought us from the hospital after I gave birth to you. I wish you could remember him as he was. Sometimes, he was a good man."

Ruslan could sense Johnny tensing as his mom mentioned his dad. He was about to say something and break the awkwardness threatening to tear this little get-together, but Johnny beat him to it.

"I'm getting married, mom. To Ruslan. I thought you should know."

For a couple of seconds, Johnny's mom looked a bit confused at her son, and then back at Ruslan. "Are you getting married to a prince?"

Ruslan exhaled in relief. He was afraid of many other reactions that could all be possible. "I am no prince, ma'am, I can assure you. I am sincerely flattered, but I'm just an ordinary person. Nonetheless, Johnny and I would like to have your blessing."

Johnny's mom took a long, thoughtful look at him. "Such beautiful golden hair." She raised one hand as if she wanted to touch Ruslan, but dropped it on the sheets without doing that. "Just like a prince. Will you take care of my Johnny? He gets in trouble sometimes. Someone like you could protect him and keep him from harm's way."

Ruslan threw a look at his lover. It might have seemed to some completely ludicrous that Ruslan should take care of Johnny, but he knew what his soon to be husband's mother wanted to say. He took the woman's frail hand in his. "I promise you that I will do everything in my power to protect Johnny and that I will always love him."

Johnny's mom seemed delighted to hear that and squeezed Ruslan's hand, too. "I trust you. You are so beautiful."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Is Johnny good to you? His temper is too quick sometimes. He must take after his father."

"Yes, he is." Ruslan looked at Johnny with stars in his eyes. "You have nothing to worry about, Mrs. Bryne. We will take good care of each other."

"That's good." Johnny's mom nodded. "It's everything you have in this world. Nothing else matters but the one you're sharing your life is. Is your father coming today, Johnny? I feel like I haven't spoken to him in years."

Ruslan could feel Johnny's pain at those words by how the big man shifted in his seat, making the chair under him sigh mournfully. "I would like to join Johnny when he visits you, Mrs. Bryne, if you allow it," he asked respectfully.

"I would like to see you again, Ruslan. Is your name Russian? It just sounds so exotic. Where are your parents from?"

"I am adopted, ma'am, so I wouldn't know," Ruslan replied promptly.

"Do you want me to brush your hair, mom?" Johnny intervened. "Ruslan can read you something."

Ruslan was sure he wasn't that much in need of saving, but he appreciated Johnny's care. It just showed, once more, how Johnny felt about him. He took a book from the nightstand and began reading out loud, after a few indications from Johnny's mom. At times, he stole looks at his lover, amazed to see those large hands which he knew to be rough, but gentle, skillfully brushing and braiding the woman's long, grey hair.

***

"So, what did you think?" Johnny asked, after a few minutes of silence.

They were on their way back, and they both seemed to be with their thoughts. Johnny was dying to know what Ruslan thought of his mom. Right now, he was so happy like he could not remember being too often before meeting Ruslan.

"You have her eyes, Johnny. I liked her a lot, and I'm seriously happy she didn't hate me although I think I butchered the names of some of the characters in the novel I read to her. Your mom really loves fantasy books, doesn't she?"

"Yeah, right now. It was pure torture when she was in her romance period. I had to read some pretty embarrassing things at times, I'm telling you. I skipped a lot, and I was lucky that she fell asleep fast. I might be the reason why she now prefers fantastic stories."

Ruslan laughed. "I had fun today, Johnny. And she gave us the blessing we came for. I want you to take me along when you go to visit her. As much as possible, I would like her to be part of our lives."

"You would?" Johnny looked at Ruslan, his heart big as the sun in his chest.

"Of course. I'm sure she can tell me a lot of embarrassing stuff from your childhood. I would not pass that for the world."

"Come here, pretty." Johnny pulled him close. "I'm a damn lucky bastard. You know that, right?"

"Make that two lucky bastards, Johnny. I'm so happy I met you." Ruslan leaned into the caress, as Johnny brought one hand to touch one smooth cheek.

They were on the backseat of a taxi, as Johnny wasn't big on showing off his lover's money. He knew that they were putting on a bit of a show for the driver, though, one of a different kind, but he couldn't care less. So he brought their mouths together and kissed Ruslan deeply, without giving a damn if the entire world was watching.

They were back at Ruslan's place before dinner. Johnny climbed out of the car and took a lungful of chilly air. The spring had yet to come fully. A small shiver made him pull his coat around him tightly.

Johnny looked around by force of habit. Now that was a bit odd. A man dressed in black, with a wide brim hat was tinkering something at a parked car. Ruslan's house was located in a pretty remote area, and seeing such domestic scenes was not quite a common occurrence. Also, he had a slight sensation that he had seen something like that before. That man appeared to be out of place there.

"Neighbor of yours?" he asked Ruslan and pointed at the man in black.

Ruslan shrugged. "I don't think so. But let's just say that I'm not big on neighborhood meetings, so I am not familiar at all with who lives around here. Let's hurry inside. I can't believe the weather is still so chilly. I wish summer were here already. What would you like to eat? I could whip out something, or we could order in. I'm fine with either."

Caught by Ruslan's happy chatting, Johnny turned his attention on his lover. And the annoying sensation that they were being watched by malevolent eyes slipped from his mind.

***

"We are invited today to join papa for dinner. Apparently, there will be some other guests, but papa didn't mention who they are," Ruslan leaned against Johnny and kissed him on the cheek. "We need to be a little formal if that's not too much for you to bear."

"I suppose that marrying up comes with strings attached, like dressing up for fancy dinners," Johnny joked and kissed Ruslan back. "I believe I can go through a formal dinner now without making a total fool of myself. Martin taught me all about that."

"Well, I'm glad he did. Is there something on your mind, Johnny? I've seen you lost in thought lately, more often than not. You're not getting cold feet about the wedding, are you?"

"I got no cold feet," Johnny replied. "Don't you worry your pretty head with that. It's just that I got this gut feeling that someone's been watching us."

"Can you tell me more about this gut feeling?" Ruslan asked.

Johnny shrugged. "Not much. It's like that man pretending to repair his car not far from your home a few days ago. He seemed pretty damn shady."

Ruslan seemed to ponder. "Just because he was fixing his car?"

"Yeah. I mean, in this kind of neighborhood? Who doesn't call some repair service? What was he trying to do? Change the oil dressed up in a suit?"

"Now, that you put it like this, it's kind of odd," Ruslan admitted. "Besides that man, what else did you notice?"

"I can't really say. I told you, it's more like a gut feeling. Just like that cockroach in the ring. He was trying to rile me up good about you. Don't tell me it was just smack talking. It was more."

"I believe you, Johnny. And that's why I asked papa to investigate more since he has the means. I'll tell him about all these, too."

"If anything happens, I will protect you," Johnny said as he pulled Ruslan close.

"Don't worry that much. Papa is a pretty influential man. He will find out everything and quench this, whatever it might be."

"You're my business now, not only your dad's," Johnny said.

Ruslan looked at him, a bit guiltily. "I know. I have relied on him for so long. I will rely on you from now on, right? Is this what you're trying to say?"

"You can bet that's what I'm trying to say," Johnny replied, pleased with how quickly Ruslan had realized what that was all about. "I'm by your side from here on out. Strapped to you like a friggin' gun."

"Hmm, that's quite the confession. I'll take it." Ruslan glued to him and nuzzled his neck. "I can't wait to get married, Johnny. Then I know you won't be able ever to get away from me."

"Big words, pretty. But there's no need to fear." Johnny caressed Ruslan's cheek slowly. "I'm not letting you go, either. So, what's this fancy dinner all about?"

"Maybe papa has like a big announcement to make or something. I can't really tell when he's all mysterious like that. We'll see when we get there."

Ruslan hugged him tightly. Johnny kissed him deeply, and then pushed him away. "Too bad we don't have time to fool around."

"Don't worry. We'll have plenty of that when we get back," Ruslan promised with a small smile.

***

Johnny could not shake off the feeling of uneasiness creeping in, as he walked inside Douglas Kent's house. The same dreadful, oppressing sensation that they were being watched didn't seem to let go of him.

The house was brightly lit, in waiting for the guests, and even that Johnny felt like an overwhelming detail that would not let him focus. Sometimes, in the ring, the lights felt like that, and he had learned to ignore all other senses except for the will to crash the man in front of him.

The same sensation overcame him when he walked with Ruslan, guided by Martin, to the impressive dining room. This was no usual, family only, dinner. And Johnny realized why he had felt like that as his eyes set on one of the people already seated at the table.

He pursed his lips and frowned. Ruslan squeezed his arm tightly, a clear sign of nervousness, in synch with what he was feeling. For Ruslan, it was a different reason, or better said, a different man to elicit such a reaction for him.

What could that mean? Why were the Davenports, both despicable father, and equally despicable son there? What was Douglas playing at?

"Welcome," Douglas said and stood up to come to them and embrace them.

"Papa, what's the meaning of this?" Ruslan asked what Johnny didn't dare. "Why are these people here? Why is Nigel here?"

Douglas's eyes were deep shadows, despite the bright lights shining over the room. Somehow, to Johnny, that very moment, the man looked older than he was, his face sallow. "I believe it is a good moment to bury the hatch. We will talk over dinner."

The guests stood up to greet them, and Johnny could not help but glare at the man who had changed his life and his mother's for the worse and continued to loom over them for years now.

With reluctance, he shook Francis Davenport's hand, but he refused to take Nigel's.

"For my sake, Johnny," Douglas said.

Nigel's eyes were glinting with something nasty in them as Johnny shook his hand. His half-smile disappeared, as Johnny's hold increased. Nigel rubbed his hand as soon as Johnny let go of him.

They sat at the table without a word. Johnny could sense Ruslan's restlessness without even looking at him. He looked at Douglas, but the old man's eyes and entire face were shut, hard to read.

"What my son did was unpardonable," Francis Davenport was the first to break the silence. "We are here to present our formal apologies. There is no need for bad blood between our families over something like this."

Johnny eyed the man across from him, trying hard to control his anger. "Something like this?" he asked through his teeth.

Francis Davenport looked like he had seen better days. Now, that they were side by side, Johnny could see clearly the resemblance between father and son. Only that, while Nigel was stout and healthy, at which his inbred arrogance came only to complete the picture, Francis looked small in his seat, the big bones supporting the expensive suit, but looking like the body underneath had not much to fill it with. Francis appeared ill, although he must have been younger than Douglas. Johnny could not stop thinking that the man who had ordered for him to be tortured looked nothing like the one who still came to visit him in his nightmares.

"Let's look at things with a cool head," Douglas intervened.

"Papa -" Ruslan started.

A single glance from Douglas was enough to shut up Ruslan who looked away, his face even paler than before.

"We are seeking to treat this situation as gentlemen," Francis continued, seemingly undisturbed by being interrupted. "It was all Nigel's fault," he looked over at his son with stern eyes, "and I feel that, as the head of the family, I need to step in and reestablish the status quo. Our families have known each other for a long time. It's only natural that we should continue in the same manner, despite mistakes committed by young people with no life experience and too much hubris to show off."

Johnny remained silent. He noted how Nigel seemed unaffected by being called out by his own father.

"We want to extend a friendly hand and do everything in our power to leave this behind us. Johnny, I know you still have some of your debt to pay."