Page 9 of P.S. I’m With You (Hel’s Ink: Extended)

Seven

NIKA

PRESENT DAY

“ W ow,” Stefa breathes out as she leans back against the chair. “So all those stories, they were real?”

“Ah.” I scoff, waving my hand. “You think Baka have the time to come up with the fairytales to amuse you, Stefa? No, it real life.”

“But, Mama,” my Zora says softly, her eyes looking at the box. “What does this mean? It’s been decades, who would’ve found you, and why? How?”

My hand trembles slightly as I open the box and look inside.

“Oh.” The sob that escapes is unexpected as my eyes land on the picture frame. It is of me when I gave birth to Zora, Dominik next to me.

“Baka, that was you?” Stefa says in astonishment.

“What? You think Baka come out looking like old lady with the wrinkles? You make me wrinkle with your back talking.” Stefa snorts as I pick up a piece of paper. Zora looks over my shoulder at it.

“What does it say, Mama?” she asks, unable to read the language.

“Certificate of Death, Dominik Novak.” I hear Zora gasp, but pay no mind. Certificate of Death? Dominik? How…

“Excuse me,” I say, standing up.

“Baka, where are you going?” Stefa asks while reaching out to grab me.

“I have many things to do, Stefa. You think this place just run on wishes and sunshine? Hard work, Stefa, no time to dwell. No… no time to think. It was long time ago. ‘I with you’ . Ah, he no with me. He stay there, become Lord of the Damned. He made the choice. No calls, no letters—”

“Mama.” Zora’s voice grabs my attention and I look to see her pulling envelopes out of the box. I walk over and read the writing on the front. “My Queen”. And on the back. “PS I’m with you.” The box is full of them—letters he had written but never sent? Why?

“Mama!” Zora calls after me as I walk out of the bakery. How dare he? Nothing for over five decades, and then I get a box of heartbreak. To do what? To hurt all over again and realize that he has, once again, left me alone to figure out the world?

“Fucking asshole,” I growl while resting my hand against the back of the building.

“You’ve called me worse.” The male voice causes my heart to nearly stop. I know that voice. Even after half a century, and even though it’s become rougher with age, I know that voice. Looking up, I’m met with familiar blue eyes, and salt and pepper hair.

“Dominik,” I breathe out in shock. His weathered face crinkles as he gives me his signature smile.

“It’s been fifty-five years since I’ve heard that name. It’s been Kasapin, and when I left, it was Alek.” He steps forward and I take a step back.

“Left? When did you leave?”

“About twenty years ago,” he admits, and I feel my heart break all over again.

“Twenty years?” I repeat weakly. “Twenty years and you never thought to come find me? How’s that for true love.” I scoff while shoving past him.

“Nika! Wait!” he calls, and I hear the clicking of his cane as he rushes to me. “I couldn’t come here. I was in prison.”

“Prison,” I repeat, not believing him.

“Yes! Prison! Did you forget what we were trading in over there? I got out because I got caught. I took a deal that put away some really bad people, but the one person they wanted to put away, I couldn’t help them with.

So, I went to prison. I got out three years ago and have been making my way here.

You know, it’s not easy for an old criminal to get into different countries. ”

“Nice try. Kasapin doesn’t get caught, and definitely isn’t a rat.”

“I’m not you, Nika!” he barks out. “I did get caught. I had a heart attack and was in a weakened state. They were able to figure things out. And absolutely, I ratted each of those fuckers out to lessen my sentence. Why? Because I knew, with every year I had taken off, it gave me a larger sliver of a chance to get to see you again one day. There was only one name I couldn’t give—the one who would’ve had me walking free. ”

“Who?” I ask softly, and I shudder as he tucks a strand of fallen hair behind my ear.

“Nika ‘Kasapin’ Galic.”

“You spent fifteen years in prison to spare me? A woman you haven’t seen in a lifetime.”

“No,” he states firmly. “I spent seventeen years in prison, and ratted out the entire criminal enterprise over there to spare the woman I’ve loved since I was a child from having to lose her freedom.

And I would do it over again, just as I sent you on that train and returned to the throne, taking the title as Kasapin and removing any who questioned it. ”

“Why?” It’s a weak question, and I hate that I feel my eyes welling with unshed tears.

“Because.” He releases a breath. “It was the only way I could stay with you. I had to get you away. I never planned to see you again. I figured you would marry, have more kids, and put us in a box, so I did the same—I put you in a box that I would visit far too often. I’d write you letters, telling you I saw you moved to Louisiana, then here.

You opening the bakery. Our Zora becoming a mama.

I wrote to you constantly, and upon my death, you were to receive the box full of the letters, the few mementos I had of us and my money. ”

“But you’re not dead.”

“Dominik Kovac is indeed dead. I told you, I go by Alek, see?” He reaches into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and pulls out a passport. His name: Aleksandar Broz.

“That is a stupid name,” I spit, causing him to burst out laughing.

“Well, I apologize I couldn’t consult you first, but it was the only identity my friend could get me on such short notice.”

“Well, yeah! Because no one would want that name! Now, why is Dominik dead? Seems awfully dramatic. Isn’t your wife going to be upset?”

“You know...” He chuckles lightly. “She’s not nearly as upset as I thought she’d be. She seems more pissed off than anything. In fact, she may hit me.” Five decades later and he still brings a blush to my cheeks and a flutter to my belly.

“Ah, no one dumb enough to become Mrs. Kovac?” His amused smile remains firmly planted on his face.

“There was already one dumb enough and I never looked after her.” I snort at his response.

“Never, not even by accident?”

“How do you accidentally find yourself in that position?” I give him a shrug.

“You’d be surprised what I hear kids say these days. So, what now? You’re here, and I’m supposed to leap into your arms and run away?”

He laughs loudly, his blue eyes twinkling in the sunlight. “My love, I fear my days of lifting you are behind us.”

Giving him a shrug, I walk closer and wink. “It’s overrated. I’d much rather someone stand beside me than carry me. You know I was never one to be a damsel in distress.” His hand shakes as it goes to my face, his thumb running over my cheek.

“Fifty years and you still manage to take my breath away.”

“Dominik.” I manage over a sob growing. “Is this it? Will you stay with me now?”

“If you’ll keep me, I’ll stay with you.” He leans in and presses his lips to mine and I am transported back to my late twenties. I feel alive, happy and free. I feel complete. Dominik is here, he’s with me, finally.

“Hey!” I break at the sound of Stefa’s loud voice. “Get your fucking hands off my grand… ma? Baka? Why are you crying?” She sounds genuinely fearful—understandable, since I’ve never cried in front of her.

“Bejbe! What’s with the shouting!” Zora huffs as she walks out, but stops a few feet from us when she spots Dominik. “Mama?” she questions cautiously as Dominik lets out a shaky breath.

“Zora?” he asks me, and I nod.

“And her daughter, Stefa, she goes by Stevie.”

“Baka! No full-on Croatian if you’re talking about me,” Stefa huffs, and Dominik laughs before looking at Zora.

“Look at you,” he says in English. “My little girl has grown. Such a beautiful woman.”

“Daddy?” Zora whispers, tears welling up in her eyes before walking over and hugging him. Dominik pulls me and Stefa into the embrace, holding us all tightly as he and I cry freely.

Finally, after a lifetime, we are able to be together, to hold each other with no fear. Kasapin is long gone, and I can be the baker with her old husband—we can have our own happily ever after.

“I love you,” I say, kissing him again. He smiles down at me.

“I love you too, my queen.”