Page 83 of The Keeper and I
“You want to sit together to watch training?” she offered. “Maybe some baby cuddles will make you feel better.”
“I’d love that,” Laci replied.
As she spoke, Jordan opened the locker room door and stepped out. He blinked in surprise before offering a nod in greeting. “Hey, Larysa. Yuri.”
Yuri squeaked back and raised his hands with excitement. He had a strand of athletic tape in his fist.
Larysa blanched. “Where did you get that?”
She tried to take it from him, but the child pulled it away.
“Obviously, he’s the new physio,” Jordan joked, and Yuri beamed. “Gonna wrap us up, are you, mate?”
Jordan reached out to pinch his cheek affectionately. The boy released the tape, and Jordan caught it before it floated to the floor. He turned to Laci, who felt like he ought to be calling for a mop because, surely, she’d melted into a puddle.
“You’re good to stay and watch,” he said. “Looks like you’ve got company.”
“Yeah, we’re all set.” She held his gaze for a long moment. “I…thanks for letting me come with you. I know it’s probably not the best situation, I—”
He cut her off with a kiss. “You’re always welcome with me, angel.”
She flushed but smiled. “I’ll see you after?”
“See you then.”
With one last kiss to her cheek, he disappeared back inside.
“You two are a very sweet couple,” Larysa said. “Ready to go?”
Laci nodded and followed her out to the practice pitch.
Laci stood Yuri up on her lap, met his bright blue eyes, and cooed at him. The little boy’s mouth turned up into a half-smile, but he must have deemed her friendly because he babbled back to her. It was precious. He looked remarkably like his mother, smiling to Laci’s left.
“He likes you,” Larysa said.
“I like him right back,” Laci said, and kissed Yuri’s chubby little cheek. “He’s adorable. I could eat him up. Well done, you.”
Larysa chuckled. “Artem did a little bit of the work.”
“Alright, he’s allowedsomecredit, but you did the hard stuff.”
Laci turned Yuri around and sat him on her knees so he could look out at the pitch. He squeaked with excitement.
“He loves football,” Larysa said, rolling her eyes. “He doesn’t even get that happy for kids shows.”
“To each their own, I suppose,” Laci replied. “Is he talking much yet?”
“Not yet, but our uh…what’s the word for the children’s doctor?”
“Pediatrician?”
“Pediatrician, yes,” she went on. “He says everything is good. Most kids don’t really talk until they are one year old.”
“Do you speak to him in Ukrainian or English?”
“At home, Ukrainian. We want him to know it. But outside, we use English. Hopefully, it means he will know when to use them, but it’s still early.”
“I’m sure he’ll be perfectly bilingual,” Laci said with a nod. She kissed the top of his head. “You’re a genius, aren’t you, darling?”