I'll Be There

nine

Ava giggled wildly as Evgeni swung her around, her little hands clasped in his and her arms stretched up above her head. She was looking rather cute that day in her new magenta pea coat and black beret to keep her head warm. It was the day after Christmas and they were just getting home from a team get together at Mario’s house.

Ever since the Florida trip, things with Ava had been a breeze. She was pleasant to be around, liked to play with Geno and would even listen to him when he had to discipline her. Rachel walked alongside the two with a wide smile on her face. It had been a while since she had known what a real family felt like and was so happy that Evgeni was able to provide that kind of love for Ava.

Evgeni had more plans to make his position in her life more concrete. He wanted to ask Rachel to marry him. He knew it was soon, but he knew that he loved Rachel, he loved Ava and he wanted to a permanent part of their family. He and Rachel had already talked a bit about having more children, so he knew that she was planning a future with him as well. The one thing he worried about was taking that step too soon and ruining his relationship with Ava. Sometime he still worried that he needed to be walking on eggshells, especially when it came to her father. He knew that another appearance by her deadbeat dad would send her right off the wagon again.

“Come on you two, I’ll make some cocoa and popcorn and we’ll watch the show,” Rachel insisted, scooting them both upstairs to change into warmer clothes. The PensTV episode was airing that day that featured the team in Florida as well as a few snippets of their Christmas celebrations from Christmas Eve.

Ava flounced into her room, peeling off her new coat she got the day before and tossing her hat on her bed as she shimmied into her new pajamas. Evgeni had managed to get a set of sweats from the Penguins staff that were identical to the ones that the players wore. Small, black, a Penguins logo on the thigh and just below it the number ‘71’. She sat down on the ground as she pulled her sweatpants on. She had a hard time stepping into them on her feet and Evgeni walked by in time to help her pull her sweatshirt over her head. She giggled upon seeing that Evgeni was donning his set of sweats as well.

When the two were dressed, he carried her downstairs on his shoulders. They could smell the popcorn and the cocoa and snuggled into the couch.

Things in the Malkin home were peaceful and happy for one of the first times in many.

Later that afternoon, Geno was scooted along to the grocery store to get a few things that Rachel needed to make dinner. She was going to attempt to make one of his favorite dishes from back home. She was a good cook, so he had every faith in her, but she was a little nervous to try and replicate one of his mother’s dishes. She’s also be making a separate plate of chicken nuggets and tater tots for Ava who would never go for the pork and pelmeni.

Carrying the basket in his hands, Evgeni wandered around the grocery store that was closest to their home. Just as he was reaching for a box of grape Capri Sun, Ava’s favorite flavor that was sometimes hard to come by, he saw him. He dropped the box into his basket and eyed the man closely. He knew that Ava’s father lived easily an hour away from their home in Fox Chapel.

“Ava’s favorite, huh?” The man he had come to know as Dave asked from behind him, causing the big Russian to turn on his heel.

“Surprised you know that.” Evgeni chirped back, not wanting to give him the time of day.

“So you swoop in and now I’m what? The scum beneath your feet?” The man countered, making Geno’s chest flare up, reminding himself not to pummel Dave. “I did raise her for six years.” He added.

“And then you left with no explanation. You are joke.” Evgeni growled, his English getting a little messier with his amounting anger. “If I see you in my neighborhood again, I have no problem putting you right in your place – beneath my feet.” He used his own words against him.

“Don’t worry about it. You can have the bitch and her brat. There’s a reason I got out of there, you can have ‘em.” Before Evgeni could bury his fist into Dave’s teeth, he took off away from the large Russian. Evgeni quickly moved through the store, getting the rest of what Rachel needed and paying before hurrying home. He really wanted to see his girls.

Walking into the house, he could hear loud music from the kitchen and when he turned the corner, the knot in his chest eased. Rachel and Ava were dancing around the wood floors, Rachel singing and twirling Ava who spun right into Geno’s awaiting arms. Setting her on the counter, he wasted no time in walking right up to Rachel, dipping her down low and setting a hot kiss on her lips. He only got away with it for a few moments before Ava groaned loudly.

“Come on, Ev-geeny! Gross!” She screwed up her face in disgust. Evgeni laughed and Rachel gave him a peck for good measure as he set her upright. Placing her hands on his chest, she searched his troubled teddy-bear eyes.

“Everything okay?” She asked softly, running a hand through his hair.

“Everything’s perfect.” He replied, taking a stride over to Ava and hauling her up into his arms, crushing her to his chest. “Love you.” He murmured, “love you so much.” He whispered as she let her head rest on his shoulder.

“Love you too, Geno.” She replied, looking up at him with her big eyes, “but I’m also hungry.” She added, making him grin.

“Well then Mama better feed us!” He laughed, spinning her around. “Then maybe we can have ice cream for dessert.” He added, making the little girl smile widely.

“Ice cream?” She eyed him carefully.

“And watch Toy Story.” He added, making her eyes shine in admiration. Rachel looked over to her boyfriend with a small smile, wondering what he was up to.

“You’re the best, Geno!” Ava smiled, kissing his pink lips. To anyone looking in from the outside, they looked just like a family.

•••

“Remember our deal?” Rachel asked as she set Ava on her feet inside of the Staal home a few weeks later.

“Be nice to Jonathan and I can build a pillow fort when we get home.” Ava nodded her head dutifully. Geno laughed as the little girl ran off into the house, knowing exactly where she could find Jordan. Rachel turned and set one hand on Geno’s shoulder as she stepped out of her high-heeled boots. Geno had no problem helping her balance, sliding a hand down into her back pocket.

“Geno.” She giggled, stepping out of her other shoe before turning to face him, not minding as he gave her ass a squeeze.

“Love you.” He mumbled, dipping his head down to kiss her lips gently.

“I love you, too, baby.” She smiled excitedly, sliding her hand up his chest, letting the diamond on her left ring finger glint in the light of the Staal’s chandelier. “I’m excited to tell them.” She added. Geno simply nodded before kissing her again, not minding slipping his tongue along her lip before the biggest, most annoying Staal could interrupt them.

“Gross.” He called out loudly, followed by a slew of feminine little giggles. The two broke apart to see Ava in Jordan’s arms, double fisting chocolate-covered strawberries.

“You’re gross.” Rachel countered, sticking her tongue out at the large blonde before heading into the family room.

“So mature.” Jordan complimented, looking at Ava who simply shrugged in response.

“What’s to eat?” She asked instead, looking into his big blue eyes with a dreamy sigh.

“Chicken, steak, hot dogs… lots of good stuff. What sounds good baby girl?” Jordan asked. The blonde had taken a liking to Rachel’s daughter – finding fun in hanging out with a little girl for a change rather than his brood of little male clones. He wanted a little girl – bad. Ava had taken a much different liking to Jordan – she was sure she was in love with him more than she loved Buzz.

“Whatever you’re having!” She smiled as he carried her back through the house where some of the other guests were sitting, including a few of the little Staal boys mixing with their uncles and cousins.

The Staals had invited Evgeni and his secret fiancé over that afternoon for dinner because they knew it would be nice for Ava to be with more children her age. That, and Geno had gotten rather close with the Staal clan now that Jared played for the Penguins as of a month ago and Marc took frequent visits to Pittsburgh to see all of his nephews – including Jared’s son, Tucker. Tucker had been conceived out of wedlock between Jared and his longtime girlfriend – now fiancé Kara. Something that his brothers loved to give them shit for whenever they could.

“You look pretty, Ava.” Jonathan smiled upon seeing his favorite girl enter the family room with his father. Ava grimaced, but caught her mother watching across the room.

“Thanks.” She mumbled, making Jordan chuckle. Ava was wearing dark jeans and her favorite pink cable-knit sweater with a pink daisy in her ponytail.

“I got new legos, want to see ‘em?” He asked, “they’re up in my room.” Ava’s eyes turned to her mother, pleading, but Rachel nodded with a smile, causing the little girl to frown.

“Sure.” She mumbled, following him upstairs, through the halls and to the end, watching as he pushed a blue door open to reveal what was definitely a boy’s room.

“Over here, look, they’re space legos.” He pointed out, making her smile just in the tiniest. They quietly sat down together, playing quietly and assembling small space ships and rockets. “You can live on my space station, Ava.” John smiled, holding up his little plastic apparatus.

“Mine’s bigger.” She pointed out, holding up hers as well.

“Can we live on yours instead?” He asked, setting his down and looking up at him with the same big blue eyes his father possessed. Ava weighed her options and decided that she could end up with worse people as her second in command.

“That works.” She nodded.

“We can get married and then have babies that will play hockey and I’ll be a firefighter and you can stay at home and make grilled cheese.” He listed off, making her eyes wide as she stared at him.

“No.” She shook her head. “If we get married, I’m going to be an astronaut and you can stay home and have babies and make me hot dogs and potato smiles.” She listed off.

“Okay.” John smiled dreamily. “I have to get you a ring so we can get engaged.” He elaborated.

“En-what?” She asked, tilting her head.

“Engaged, it means you’re gonna get married.” He insisted. “We should kiss.” He added, looking up at her hopelessly as she stood from their little spot on the floor and exited the room.

Ava quickly made her way down the stairs and through the entryway to where her mother and Evgeni sat, walking right up to her mother and inspecting her new piece of jewelry. Rachel watched her daughter curiously as she inspected the diamond on her left finger. She knew that Ava didn’t know the meaning of the ring.

“This is different,” she stated blankly. Her mother used to wear a different ring and wore just a plain band for a while - something that Ava liked to play with. “Are you and ‘Geni getting married?” She deadpanned, making Rachel look over to Geno who was just as shocked.

“Why do you ask that, Ave?” Rachel prodded, wondering where in the world she had gotten that information.

“Are you?” She asked again.

“We were… thinking about it.” Rachel nodded. Ava eyed the two warily. She had so many questions. What about her Daddy? Was Evgeni going to be her new Daddy?
Did her Daddy know that her Mama wanted to marry Evgeni?
Deciding against exploding all over the two, she went back upstairs without a word, leaving Rachel and Evgeni on the couches.

“That went well.” Evgeni broke the silence, eyebrows high on his forehead with a thoughtful expression.

“I promise that’s not the last of it.”
♠ ♠ ♠
if you've been on my page you know this week is awful for me!
but between hours of studying, i've been writing to find a little sanity!
please let me know if you're still with this! big drama in the next one before it starts to wrap up!
love love love
kara