Strings Attached
part 3
by Mrs. Eyre
"It's very late and you boys are on the verge of drinking too much." Tatijana's smile at Abby was a little conspiratorial. "Better to break up the arguments before they start I think."Not mine, sister, you're not depriving me of mine Abby thought, willing Luka to look at her. He didn't but his resignation to what was to come was written in every line of his body. In fact he'd drunk very little, pleading work the next day, but Abby suspected he felt the need to keep his wits about him for the expected onslaught. Smart move.
"Besides," Tatijana went on, "Abby and Luka have work tomorrow."
"Not me" Abby said recklessly, only then realising what she'd done. Luka closed his eyes and murmured something under his breath.
"You're free tomorrow?" Ivica said.
"Well - "
"But that's perfect! Here we are, getting along so well and we have to leave because Luka is working. It's not fair - but now we can spend time together. You can show me what this great city has to offer."
"Tata." It was Damir who had spoken. Ivica answered in Croatian and Damir said no more.
"Tatijana will want to go shopping and Damir will have to go with her. We don't need a bankrupt in the family, eh? The Art Institute - I would like to see that. And the Museum of Contemporary Art. But which would you prefer?"
I'd prefer you to head straight back to the airport actually
"No, you choose. I don't know much about Contemporary Art," Abby said, speaking the words as though they had capital letters. "but perhaps you could explain it to me." Her smile was sweet. Ivica met her gaze.
"Institute. There are some Edward Hoppers there. Very dark, very - " he faltered, threw a word at Luka who fed back "Alienated"
"Yes - alienated. Very American. Do you like Hopper?"
"Yes."
"I knew it. So it's settled. I meet you there tomorrow at 10 O'clock. And I buy lunch. Now, I need to pee." Abby saw Luka close his eyes, mortified. "Luka - go and get us a cab." Ivica left the table and Damir scrambled after him, apparently unwilling to be the sole male presence remaining. Luka stood, hesitated.
"Abby - "
"Cab, Luka." she said with a brittle smile.
Left alone with Abby Tatijana leaned across the table and took her hand. "Luka told us you were pretty."
"Oh?"
"Yes. He's right. You have such a pretty smile." Abby didn't answer; lit a cigarette. "Don't let the old man frighten you."
"What?"
"He was the same with me. I was terrified. But he can't keep it up. He loves easily."
The words came slowly from Abby. "And ... Danijela?"
"Oh, Dani was different. She was the daughter of an old friend of Ivica's, an illustrator. He'd been living in France and came back when Dani was - what - about 16 I think. She had no trouble from Ivica."
"Great."
"Abby. No-one is comparing you."
"Of course they are."
"No - she's gone, it was a long time ago. Another life, another world. Don't think it."
"Kinda hard not to."
"Luka doesn't think it." She couldn't argue with that; she'd never felt Danijela's presence in their lives, in their bed.
"He didn't tell me."
"What?"
"About tonight. Can you believe that?"
"Yes."
"What?"
"Kovac men." Tatijana shrugged. "I've seen too much of them to be surprised by anything they do. I mean, Ivica ... look, he's more afraid than you are."
"Of me?"
"No. For Luka. Ivica has such high hopes for you. We all do."
No pressure then
"Try to -" Tatijana stopped short as Ivica and Damir returned to the table and a second later Luka also returned to say that their cab was waiting. He helped Tatijana on with her coat and his father did the same for Abby. As he settled the coat on her shoulders he lifted her hair up and away, exposing her neck.
"What are -"
"Just checking."
"For what?"
"Scorch marks". Luka said something sharply to him in Croatian and the old man shook his head, laughing. Taking her by the shoulders he turned her around and caught her in an immense hug.
"Until tomorrow" he said and kissed her, bent over her hand for a moment and shooed Tatijana and Luka ahead of him. Damir motioned for Abby to follow but then caught her arm and detained her.
"Look, Miss Lockhart -"
"Abby."
"Abby. Sit up to him."
"What?"
"That's wrong isn't it? Stand, I mean stand up to him. He can be a ... a monster, he can be a monster for Luka. He's a father, that's all, you understand? Yes? He will see that Luka has nothing to fear from you," Don't bet on it "Just let him see that. And then, if he goes too far ..."
"What?" Damir shrugged.
"Slap his face. It works every time for Tatijana." And then, astonishingly, he winked, and in that moment he was so like Luka that she laughed aloud.
"Luka is right." he said.
"About?"
"You have the prettiest smile."