Marital Concerns pt. 1

We found Lana in the kitchen island, her feet dangling from the tall stool. She's enjoying a piece of baursak. Leila has her back turned and is cooking something on the stove. Lana turned her head and saw the two of us walk in. A huge grin split her face.

"You're here!" she squealed.

"You're enjoying yourself here, aren't you?" I said, ruffling her bangs.

I took a seat next to her.

"Yes aga," she grinned up to me and I couldn't resist pinching her cheek.

"I miss you baby."

She inclined her head to the side as if to contemplate first.

"Hmm."

"You don't miss me?" I said, exaggerating a hurt, shocked face.

"Oh I do," she giggled.

"Your coffee Sir."

I looked up to Ms. McCrae who placed the cup of coffee before me.

"Thank you," I told her.

"Thank you Leila," I called over to Leila.

"Do you want some manti?" she asked me without turning away from the stove.

"Yes please."

"Okay."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome son."

"Can you help me down aga?" Lana asked me.

"Where are you going?"

"I want to sit next to Dahlia taté," she grinned.

I carried her to the seat between me and Ms. McCrae.

"She's the pretty auntie you told me about?" I whispered in her ear.

"Yeah," she whispered back.

I chuckled.

She turned to Ms. McCrae

"Do you also like baursak taté?"

Ms. McCrae is eating a piece of baursak and she nodded at Lana.

"I like baursak too. And I like you."

I almost choked on my coffee. That's smooth.

"I like you too Lana," Ms. McCrae responded with a smile.

The back of her head bobbed up and down in a nod and she turned to face front, revealing to me her satisfied smile.

"Will you play with me?" she turned to Ms. McCrae again.

"Anytime baby," came the response.

"Oh, I like you!" Lana gushed.

For the second time, I heard Ms. McCrae's infectious laugh.

"I guess there's another one smitten by you Dahlia," Leila said as she walked towards us, carrying a bowl of baursak.

"I need to head out to the family room to deliver this baursak. Please take out the manti after a few minutes for me."

"Okay Ms. Leila," Ms. McCrae responded.

"Wait. Is the other smitten one you? I know you like me too," she teased.

Leila gave her a shrug and walked off.

"I know it's you," she called after her with a chuckle.

I didn't expect that she can be mischievous with Leila. Or that she can be mischievous at all.

"You are pretty close with Leila now," I said, hiding my smile behind the coffee cup as I took a sip.

She nodded.

"Yes Sir. She didn't like me hanging around her at first but she warmed up to me eventually."

A glum look flitted across her face for a second.

"She reminds me of my mother."

"Is your mother in New York?" Lana butted in.

She looked at Lana and gave her a small smile.

"No baby. My mother died when I was younger."

"Died? You mean gone?"

Ms. McCrae nodded.

"I'm sorry," Lana said to her with doleful eyes.

"It's okay baby."

Ms. McCrae gave her a pinch in the cheek, a cheerful smile back on her face. 

"Oh wait. I need to take out the manti."

She left her seat and Lana turned to me with a thoughtful look.

"I don't like seeing Dahlia taté sad. Now that she doesn't have a mama, can't Leila apa be her mama instead?"

"I don't think so baby. We only have one real mama and we can't just make someone our new mama," I responded.

"But she said Leila äzhe is like her mama," she reasoned.

I looked at her eager eyes with a defeated smile. How do I explain this to a five year old?

"Well, I guess Leila apa can be your taté's mama," I gave in.

"But not a real mama," she sighed and went on eating her baursak.

I can only laugh. Her train of reasoning is always a surprise to me.

"Here's your manti Sir."

Ms. McCrae placed a plate before me containing several pieces of manti. I gave her my thanks.

"Will you play with me now taté?" Lana asked her.

"Sure. What are we playing?" she responded.

"I'll show you," Lana said as she gestured to me to carry her down.

This bossy kid.

I carried her down to the floor.

"You finish your breakfast aga. We will go first and play," she said, craning her neck up towards me.

"Okay. I'll play with you later," I told her.

She held Ms. McCrae's hand and led her towards the door.

McCrae looked back to me and mouthed.

"Sorry Sir."

I shook my head at her and gestured her to go on.

I stuffed myself with the plate of manti and finished everything after a few minutes. I placed the soiled utensils on the sink before going back to the family room.

Everyone had left except for papa and mama and Aunt Dasha. My grandparents are eating some sliced apples while Aunt Dasha is poring over my awards on the other side of the family room, in the fireplace area.

"You haven't gone to your room papa, mama," I said as I walked over to my grandparents.

They both looked up to me.

"We are quite comfortable in this sofa dear," mama responded to me, smiling.

I settled myself in between them, putting my arms around their shoulders.

"I'm sorry for not visiting the two of you in Nursultan for the past month. My friends and I were really busy working on the new album."

"We miss you too Arys my soul," mama said, kissing me on the cheek.

"Don't worry about it son. How is that album coming along?" papa asked.

"It's going well papa. We still have two more songs to make to complete the album. Arlan and Miras aga said that we can finish everything by the end of February next year."

"That's very good to know dear. But we are sorry to hear that you spent your break still working," mama said.

"It's okay mama. I promised my arysers a Kazakh album and it's my pleasure to work on it for them."

Mama sighed.

"How we wish that you take a real break, give time to yourself, find love, a wife, build a family of your own."

I can't help letting out a dry laugh.

Here we are with this again.

"I am serious dear," mama said in a reprimanding tone.

"We trust you of course. We trust your decisions but we are worried that you will be too preoccupied with your career while your youth passes by. You are almost thirty now."

I kissed her cheek.

"I know mama. But the right one had not come yet. I don't want to dive into marriage just because I'm getting older."

She gave me a soft tap on the cheek.

"Alright. Alright. In your time. I hope your love is not going to take too long to come."

"Want me to find a lady for you, son? I have friends who have marriageable granddaughters," papa teased me.

"I'll take care of that myself papa," I chuckled.

"Now, why don't you go talk to your Aunt Dasha? You probably won't remember but she used to change your diapers and play with you when you were a baby," mama said, taking my arm off her shoulders.

"You don't want to go up to your room now?" I asked her.

"No. We will go up after we have our lunch."

"Okay," I said, standing up.

"Would you like me to turn the TV on?"

"Please," mama smiled to me.

I walked over to the TV and plugged its cord into the socket. I handed them the remote and mama took it from me.

"Thank you dear," she smiled.

I turned my way to Aunt Dasha who is now squinting her eyes to read the citation in one of my trophies.

"What do you want to watch dear?" I heard mama asked papa.

I smiled to myself. If I ever find someone, it would be great if she is thoughtful and kind, like mama.

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