Dimitris POV
Any fears Rose had about not fitting in seemed to vanish the moment she stepped in the door. Not only had my family been kind to her, but they made her feel like she belonged here, and by the end of dinner I knew she felt like she did too.
Victoria and Paul had taken an immediate liking to her, and had barely left her side since we arrived.
My nieces; Zoya who was 5 and Yulia who was 3 seemed pretty attached as well and when we finished up with dinner, continued to fight over who would get to sit next to her while we watched a Christmas movie. Rose had insisted on bringing the Christmas classics we'd watched last week and the children were ecstatic when she pulled them out of their bag. But when the first disc of movie's ended, sadly it was time for bed.
"But Babushka, there's another disc with movies" Paul complained trying to convince his grandmother they should stay up later.
"And you are more than welcome to watch them tomorrow" she told him sternly before the three small kids drudged up the stairs.
After setting up all the sleeping arrangements, Ivan and I settled our things on the couch before heading up stairs to tell everyone goodnight.
Mama and my babushka were sleeping in her room. Victoria and Sonya were sleeping in Sonya's bed, while all the kids camped out in Yulia's room. Tasha took the guest room and Victoria offered her room to Rose. My eldest sister Karolina and her husband were at their own house not far, but agreed to let their two kids spend the night when Paul insisted he couldn't leave Rose. It warmed my heart to know how much he had taken to her so when I went upstairs to find him, I shouldn't have been surprised to see him with Rose.
I had just rounded the top of the stairs when I found my Mama leaning against the wall outside Victoria's door. I was just about to ask her what she was doing but she held a finger up to her lips and pointed towards the room. That's when I heard them, and a huge smile spread across my face.
Taking a quick peek into the room unnoticed, I saw Rose sitting on the bed with Paul, Zoya and Yulia snuggled around her, completely engrossed in the story in her hands.
"The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be that his head wasn't screwed on quite right.
It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small."
"My shoes are too small!" Zoya interrupted causing Rose to laugh, but a quick shh from Paul shifted her attention back to the story.
"What are you guys doing?" Ivan whispered with a smirk, and like she'd done with me, Mama pointed towards the door. After peaking in himself, Ivan settled beside us in the hall to listen.
"And they're hanging their stockings!" he snarled with a sneer.
"Tomorrow is Christmas! It's practically here!"
Then he growled, with his Grinch fingers nervously drumming,
"I MUST find a way to keep Christmas from coming!"
As Rose kept reading, the kids kept laughing. She told the story with enthusiasm, and even made character voices.
Then he got an idea!
An awful idea!
THE GRINCH
GOT A WONDERFUL, AWFUL IDEA!
"I know just what to do!" The Grinch Laughed in his throat.
And he made a quick Santy Claus hat and a coat.
And he chuckled, and clucked, "What a great Grinchy trick!
"With this coat and this hat, I'll look just like Saint Nick!"
"All I need is a reindeer..."
The Grinch looked around.
But since reindeer are scarce, there was none to be found.
Did that stop the old Grinch...?
No! The Grinch simply said,
"If I can't find a reindeer, I'll make one instead!"
So he called his dog Max. Then he took some red thread
And he tied a big horn on top of his head.
THEN
He loaded some bags
And some old empty sacks
On a ramshackle sleigh
And he hitched up old Max.
"She's really great with them" Mama whispered and when I tore my gaze away from Rose, I saw a knowing glint in my mother's eyes. I wanted to say something to defend myself, explain the staring, but it was pointless. She's known me my whole life, and I'd be a fool to think I could hide something from her.
Then he slid down the chimney. A rather tight pinch.
But if Santa could do it, then so could the Grinch.
He got stuck only once, for a moment or two.
Then he stuck his head out of the fireplace flue
Where the little Who stockings all hung in a row.
"These stockings," he grinned, "are the first things to go!"
Then he slithered and slunk, with a smile most unpleasant,
Around the whole room, and he took every present!
Pop guns! And bicycles! Roller skates! Drums!
Checkerboards! Tricycles! Popcorn! And plums!
And he stuffed them in bags. Then the Grinch, very nimbly,
Stuffed all the bags, one by one, up the chimney!
Then he slunk to the icebox. He took the Whos' feast!
He took the Who-pudding! He took the roast beast!
He cleaned out that icebox as quick as a flash.
Why, that Grinch even took their last can of Who-hash!
Then he stuffed all the food up the chimney with glee.
"And NOW!" grinned the Grinch, "I will stuff up the tree!"
And the Grinch grabbed the tree, and he started to shove
When he heard a small sound like the coo of a dove.
He turned around fast, and he saw a small Who!
Little Cindy-Lou Who, who was not more than two.
The Grinch had been caught by this little Who daughter
Who'd got out of bed for a cup of cold water.
She stared at the Grinch and said, "Santy Claus, why,
"Why are you taking our Christmas tree? WHY?"
But, you know, that old Grinch was so smart and so slick
He thought up a lie, and he thought it up quick!
"Why, my sweet little tot," the fake Santy Claus lied,
"There's a light on this tree that won't light on one side.
"So I'm taking it home to my workshop, my dear.
"I'll fix it up there. Then I'll bring it back here."
And his fib fooled the child. Then he patted her head
And he got her a drink and he sent he to bed.
And when Cindy-Lou Who went to bed with her cup,
HE went to the chimney and stuffed the tree up!
Then the last thing he took
Was the log for their fire.
Then he went up the chimney himself, the old liar.
On their walls he left nothing but hooks, and some wire.
And the one speck of food
The he left in the house
Was a crumb that was even too small for a mouse
"How come we never read this as a child?" Sonya asked. By now her and Victoria had joined in the story too, and even Tasha had made her way into the hall to listen.
"I'd never heard of it" answered Mama. "But I sure wish I had." No one else spoke and we listened intently to the end.
Three thousand feet up! Up the side of Mount Crumpit,
He rode to the tiptop to dump it!
"Pooh-pooh to the Whos!" he was grinch-ish-ly humming.
"They're finding out now that no Christmas is coming!
"They're just waking up! I know just what they'll do!
"Their mouths will hang open a minute or two
"The all the Whos down in Who-ville will all cry BOO-HOO!"
"That's a noise," grinned the Grinch,
"That I simply must hear!"
So he paused. And the Grinch put a hand to his ear.
And he did hear a sound rising over the snow.
It started in low. Then it started to grow...
But the sound wasn't sad!
Why, this sound sounded merry!
It couldn't be so!
But it WAS merry! VERY!
He stared down at Who-ville!
The Grinch popped his eyes!
Then he shook!
What he saw was a shocking surprise!
Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small,
Was singing! Without any presents at all!
He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming!
IT CAME!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!
And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so?
It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
"It came without packages, boxes or bags!"
And he puzzled three hours, `till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store.
"Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"
And what happened then...?
Well...in Who-ville they say
That the Grinch's small heart
Grew three sizes that day!
And the minute his heart didn't feel quite so tight,
He whizzed with his load through the bright morning light
And he brought back the toys! And the food for the feast!
And he...
...HE HIMSELF...!
The Grinch carved the roast beast!
~Dr Seuss
"The end"
"Alright you three, bed time" Mama announced as she made her presence known in the doorway.
All three kids groaned and reluctantly climbed off the bed.
"Goodnight Roza" Paul whispered as he kissed Rose lightly on the cheek, and a beautiful smile lit up her face. "Thank you for the story."
"You're welcome Paul. See you in the morning."
I gave Paul a good night hug as he passed before going to sit beside Rose on the edge of her bed.
"Did you come to get a goodnight story too Comrade?" She teased as she ran her long slender fingers through her loose hair.
"So this is a Grinch huh?" I asked, taking the book off the bed and flipping lightly through the pages.
"It was my favorite growing up. My mom used to read it to me every Christmas. Well, at least the first nine Christmas's anyway." She told me looking down at the bed spread. I knew she was remembering her mother, and without thinking I reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear before cupping her cheek in my hand.
"Are you going to be okay tonight?" I asked her, wishing she would beg me to stay. I hated the idea of being all the way down stairs, especially after I'd grown used to sleeping closer by.
"I'll be okay Comrade; you're just a flight of stairs away." Her words were strong, but I could see a trace of hesitation in her eyes. I wanted to argue, but with Rose I knew better. Standing up I leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on her forehead before walking out to flip the light.
"Goodnight Roza, you know where to find me if you need me."
Closing the door I went downstairs to find Ivan. Unsurprisingly he was waiting for me on the couch with a beer.
"Thought you could use this." He told me as he popped the cap open.
"Thanks" I told him taking a long swig. "Fuck Ivan, what am I going to do?"
Seeing Rose with my family tonight had only made me that much more certain I was falling for her. Everything about her captivated me and I couldn't deny the effect she had on me. Even my own family could see it now.
"Well, you've got two options D. Option one, you can keep pretending you aren't crazy about the girl, or two you can grow a pair and tell her. Anyone with a pair of eyes can see what's going on between you too, even Paul and he's only 8 years old. You keep telling me Rose is too fragile, that she's been through a lot and she doesn't need you confusing her, but Dimitri I've talked to the girl, and the only thing she's confused about is why you haven't made a move already!"
"What if it's too soon for her Ivan? What if she's not ready?"
"Why don't you let her decide that for herself D. Just talk to her."
He didn't say anything else about the matter, and for that I was grateful. I knew how I felt about Rose, and I was pretty sure she felt the same. But I also knew she'd been through hell these last few weeks and the last thing I wanted to do was pressure her. She needed me right now, and it didn't seem right to take advantage of that.
Sleep didn't come easy that night, and when it finally came it didn't' last long. I felt like I'd barely dozed off when I heard Rose screaming. Shooting straight up I took off at a sprint up the stairs. Mama was already out of her bedroom when I reached the hall and I could hear her trying to comfort Rose in the still dark bedroom. Flipping on the light switch I quickly ran to her side.
"She won't wake up" Mama told me frantically, and I tried to give her a reassuring look.
"It's okay Mama; can you just go get her a glass of water?" Without argument she rushed out of the room, eager to do something to help.
"Roza" I called out to her pulling her gently into my arms."Roza wake up."
Immediately her screams began to quiet down and I held her closer while I lovingly stroked her hair.
"I'm sorry" she sobbed. "I hate this."
"Shhh, just breathe Milaya. You have nothing to be sorry about. It's okay. You're okay."
By now Mama was back with the glass and Rose tentatively took a few sips.
"I'm so sorry Olena; I didn't mean to wake you."
"Hush now Roza, I'm just glad you're okay. Do you need anything else?" she asked looking at both of us.
But when she was satisfied I had things under control she quietly left the room. By now Rose's sobs had quieted down but I still wasn't ready to leave.
"Dimitri…" Rose looked at me. "Will you stay? I don't want to be alone." She looked so broken and scared and that it caused an ache in my heart.
Without another word I pulled back the covers and climbed in beside her. She didn't waste any time snuggling into my chest, and I instinctively wrapped both arms protectively around her.
"You're not alone Milaya. I'm not going anywhere."
"Well this looks cozy" A sarcastic voice called out.
When I woke up the next morning, Rose was still wrapped securely in my arms. I could tell she was still asleep by the sound of her breathing, so I opened my groggy eyes to identify the voice.
Tasha was standing in the doorway leaning against the frame in her work out clothes.
"I was just headed out for a run, and thought I'd see if you wanted to join me."
I didn't really want to leave Rose, but it had been weeks since I'd gone running, and I'd been missing it. It was something I used to do every day, but staying with Rose had made finding the time nearly impossible.
"Yeah sure, that sounds good actually. Just give me a few minutes to get ready."
After changing into some warmer clothes I headed back down stairs. It was still early but I was less than surprised to find Mama already in the kitchen, she'd probably be in here for the rest of the day.
"You're up early" she observed turning her attention back to the bilini.
"Tasha and I are going to try and get in a run. Will you keep an ear out for Rose for me?"
She tended to sleep in pretty late when she had one of her midnight episodes and with any luck she'd still be sleeping when I got back.
"Of course Dimka. Have a good run."
As we made our way through the familiar trails of our old town, I realized just how much I needed this. Running had always been an escape of sorts for me. A way to block out the problems of the world and just clear my head.
"So are we going to talk about this?" Tasha asked while we did some cool down stretches.
"Talk about what?" I played dumb knowing full well she was talking about Rose.
"Cut the crap Dimitri, is there something going on between you two?"
Wow, she used my full name, now I know she's pissed.
I didn't really want to talk about this with Tasha especially knowing how she feels about me, but I knew she'd keep hounding me until I did, so I gave up on stretching and looked at her.
"I like her, okay? I can't help it but I do, and before you start lecturing me on all the reasons this is wrong, you should know that nothing's happened. I haven't even kissed her. I can't help how I feel about her, but I can help my actions and I'm not going to act on anything. Even if she feels the same way about me, she's been through a lot; the last thing she needs is me taking advantage of her feelings."
I expected to still get some more of argument out of Tasha but when I looked in her eyes all I saw was compassion.
"I know I've been hard on you Dimka, but I just don't want to see you get hurt. You never open your heart to anyone, I should know, I've been trying for years. And right now this girl has this whole hero worship thing going on, but what happens when she gets back on her feet? When she doesn't need you anymore?
It was something I'd thought of plenty in the last few weeks and for that, I still didn't have an answer.