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

Evgeni’s POV
“Mummy when are we going home?” Asher climbed into our bed late one night.
“Why buddy?” Kate ran her hand over his forehead as he settled in between us.
“I miss Uncle Sid, Auntie Vero, Uncle Marc, Rhys,” he began rambling looking between us.
“I know buddy, but it’s just for the summer and you will make some friends soon.”
“But I want to go home,” he looked at me knowing that I was the reason they were in Russia, “I don’t understand anything here.”
“We go home soon,” I put my arm around him and pulled him into my lap.

“You want me to teach you Russian?” I looked down at the little boy resting his head on my chest, “you can be better than mummy, her Russian bad.”
“Hey, I am trying, it’s hard ok,” Asher giggled at his mother’s disapproving look.
“Ok I learn Russian,” he smiled, “you teach me now?”
“At midnight? Ok,” I got up to find some of the children’s books Sergei had given for the kids to learn.

“Ok here,” I brought in the books and he settled under the covers next to me.
“Alright first, mum. Mama.”
“Mama, that’s easy,’ he frowned.
“Dad, Papa.”
“Papa, easy.”

I wanted to pick harder words for him but at the same time I didn’t want him to think the language would be too hard and he would stop wanting to learn it.

I found a story book in amongst the collection, “how about I read and you listen.”
“Ok,” he rested his head in my lap.

I began to read as he laid there listening. He stared off into the room as the story went on and on into the early hours of the morning.

Kate’s POV
As I woke in the morning I looked over at my two boys sound asleep. Asher was lying with his head on Evgeni’s chest a book grasped tightly in Evgeni’s large hand that was hanging off the edge of the bed.

I got out of bed and walked around to the other side to take the book from his hand. I closed it up and put it on the bedside table before I went to check on the twins.

The boys were asleep for a few more hours and surfaced when I was making breakfast.

“Hey you two,” I turned around to see Evgeni carrying our sleepy little Asher who looked more than comfortable on his dad’s chest.
“Morning,” Evgeni came over and kissed my forehead.
“Morning… morning sweetie,” I ran my hand over Asher’s little head.
“Morning,” he mumbled rubbing his face on Evgeni’s shoulder.
“Look’s like somebody shouldn’t have been up all night reading, hmmm,” I looked between them.
“Worth it,” Evgeni yawned.
“Go into the lounge room, I will bring in your breakfast.”
“Thanks,” he smiled sleepily before disappearing with my son.

Evgeni was great with the kids, he laid on the floor most of the morning playing with twins while Asher stared at the Russian books trying to understand them.

I loved days like these. Where we could stay at home, do whatever it was we wanted, spend time with the kids. Just us.

“They smiled,” Evgeni looked up at me as the twins looked at each other, “they smiling,” he pointed to them.
“That is precious,” I knelt down and Luka smiled wider looking at me.
“He loves you,” Evgeni smiled looking at me.
“She loves you too,” Lacey grabbed a hole of Evgeni’s necklace and pulled him down to him.
“Love you princess,” he went with the pull and kissed her little nose.