A Dad is a Son's First Hero and a Daughter's First Love

Kate’s POV
Our holiday to Magnitogorsk felt short lived and we were soon back in Moscow in time for Evgeni’s training.

Ksenia offered to babysit the twins for us while Evgeni had his first training session with Mike and I was happy to be joining them.

“Go mummy go,” Asher cheered as Evgeni and I tried to outdo each other on the treadmill.
“No fair, you have a cheerleader,” Evgeni puffed.
“How dare you call my son a cheerleader,” I narrowed my eyes at him and focused on the spot over Mike’s shoulder.
“Come on G, push harder,” Mike clapped his hands.

But I knew I had it in the bag. Evgeni was spent, I could see it on his face.
“Just give up babe, we both know you’re done,” I have him a cheeky grin. I was puffed but still able to talk without dying so I knew I had plenty left in me.

He put his hands on the rails and jumped off letting the treadmill run between his legs. He slumped over the controls completely out of breath.

“Winner!” I cheered slowing down the machine.
“No was your job,” he tried to make excuses.
“Oh you’re just a bad loser, besides I have had twins thank you very much,” we all knew how Evgeni hated losing/

Asher gave me a high five and poked his tongue out at Evgeni.
“You still have cheerleader,” he groaned going for a walk around the room to cool down.
“Yeah yeah whatever,” I waved him off. He was such a baby at time, I wondered if Asher was more grown up then him.

“You ready to go skating?” Mike looked at Asher with a smile on his face.
“Yes!” he jumped up and down cheering, “Mummy are you coming?”
“Of course she is,” Evgeni wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his side, “you not skate for long time should be fun.”

I wouldn’t use the words fun to describe my experience on the ice again. I was just a little bit rusty.
“Evgeni stop,” I screamed as he pulled me out on the ice, “don’t do that,” I hit his arm and frowned before turning around and grabbing the edge.

“Mummy come on,” Asher smiled from the middle of the ice with Mike.
“Give mummy a minute.”
“Here I help,” Evgeni put his hand out.
“I can do it myself,” I assured him pushing his hand away.
“Fine,” he went to skate away.
“No Evgeni come back,” I pleaded.

“Here,” he grabbed my hand, “just calm.”

I made a mental note to myself right there and then. If I was going to ice skate I would do it all the time rather than every so often, purely because it was painfully embarrassing when you can’t stand up.

Evgeni’s POV
When we got home it was time for the twins naps. I came out and found Asher and Kate both curled up asleep on the couch.

I put a blanket over them and made myself busy in the kitchen when I heard a knock at the door. I remembered I had invited Maxime over for dinner. Shit, I was really looking forward to spending a lazy night with Kate.

“Zhenya!” he cheered as I opened the door.
“Quiet,” I let him in.
“Why?” he whispered.
“Everyone is asleep,” I closed the door behind them.

Max was always the ring leader in my group of Russian friends, but that was why he was so much fun to hang around.

“Daddy,” I heard Asher’s little voice behind me.
“Hey little man,” the tired little boy put his arms up for me to pick him up, “you remember Max?”
“Yes,” he nodded, “but I don’t feel well,” he laid his sleepy head on my shoulder.

I felt over his forehead and sure enough it was hot, “you going to be sick?”
“No,” he wrapped his arms around my neck.
“Do you want some water?”
“Ok,” he said quietly before shutting his eyes.

“Come on,” Max followed me into the kitchen.
I rummaged around for a while trying to find a plastic cup but my house was still in transition for becoming a child friendly place.

“Evgeni, what are you doing?” Kate walked in rubbing her eyes.
“Asher isn’t well so I try and find cup for water,” I explained.
“Aww my poor baby,” she came over and felt his forehead, “he is a little warm. Just here,” she grabbed her water bottle from the fridge and handed it over.

“Oh Kate you remember Max?” I pointed to my goofy Russian friend sitting on the stool.
“Yes I do,” she walked over to shake his hand.
“She’s beautiful,” he smiled kissing her hand.
“and taken,” she wiggled her fingers at him so he could see the ring.
“Zhenya you not tell me you plan to marry lovely woman,” Max got up and walked over to me and slapped my back.
“I plan to marry lovely woman,” he narrowed his eyes at my shit stirring.
“You live in America too long, make you crazy,” he walked away back to his spot at the bench.

“He didn’t have to leave,” Kate said as I walked into the bedroom.
“Max said it was best for me help with Asher, his choice,” I shrugged and sat down handing over the panadol for Asher’s headache.

I watched as she crushed it up and put it into the water so he could drink it without it being a problem and he was soon back to sleep.

“He will be ok,” she rubbed my back as I sighed. After seeing him go through so much it still wasn’t any easier any time he got sick. I mean he had fought of death and I couldn’t handle watching him with a headache, or runny nose.