"Are you going to talk to Baba today?" Vasily asked his son excitedly. He hoisted Koyla up in the air and then sat him on his lap as he took a seat in front of the glass window.

"You're going to say hi to her?" Vasily pressed his lips to the top of his son's head while Koyla reached for the phone they'd be able to talk to Red on.

Vasily had woken up that Saturday morning and decided on a total whim to load his family into the car and surprise his mother. It had been a long time since he'd had any communication with her, though she had never been far from his mind. Trying to process the ramifications of her extended sentence in a maximum security prison, it was an understatement to say that Vasily had been grieving.

He couldn't believe that he lived in a world where his mother didn't even know his children. She would have made the most wonderful Grandmother, and it still devastated Vasily that they were meeting her under these circumstances. He hated the idea of them seeing her so unlike herself and clearly unwell in this awful place, but the alternative was them growing up without knowing her at all. It hurt like hell, but Vasily felt like he had finally reached a level of acceptance that inspired him to try to make the best of what was, instead of lashing out at everyone around him because it would never be good enough.

"Next time, let's try to get here earlier so the kids can spend some time outside before we have to bring them in," Lida said, looking stressed as she swayed with the baby in her arms.

"Yeah," Vasily agreed.

Koyla was slamming the phone against the counter, and trying to climb up on top of it. It had taken them about two hours to get here, and they had been rushing since the trip hadn't been planned in advance. The baby was fussy since they'd woken her while getting out of the car, and Koyla just wanted to run.

"Enough!" Lida hissed, as Koyla began slamming his fists against the glass that separated the visitors from the inmates.

"I'm afraid we're going to get kicked out," she added nervously, glancing over her shoulder at the guard leaning against the wall who she could feel watching her back. The baby continued to cry, any time her mama slowed down in bouncing her. This was an uncomfortable environment to be in anyway, but especially when your kids were making so much noise.

"Just five minutes," Vasily told her. "And then you can take the kids to play outside while I visit. Okay?"

"Yeah, fine," Lida nodded. She placed the baby over her shoulder and patted her back firmly.

"Next time, they'll be able to stay longer," Vasily said confidently. "The more they get used to it."

Lida gave him a small encouraging smile as she turned to start walking circles around the room. It was a claustrophobic environment and she was almost positive that the baby's fussiness was accelerated from being in such a stressful and depressing place. Lida was already looking forward to going back outside into the fresh air, and it was so easy to see how being told you couldn't leave here would drive anyone crazy. It was very unfortunate, and she hoped that them coming today might provide Galina with a bit of comfort. Vasily was counting on this becoming a regular thing for the family, and for everyone's sake, Lida really hoped it went well.

"Baba's going to be so happy to see you," Vasily told Koyla. "I think you should sing her that song you learned in kindergarten this week. I think she'd like that."

He had done his best to prepare his son on what to expect and build up just how special today was. Koyla had always known he had a Grandmother who loved him and couldn't be with them right now. Often it was too painful to even think about the many good memories he had of his mother, but Vasily and his brothers sometimes got in the mood to share stories, laugh, and reminice together. Usually after they'd been drinking.

"Where is she?" Koyla asked, pressing his face to the glass.

"She's coming," Vasily assured him.

Though he frowned slightly, as he craned his neck to try and see her approaching. Most of the seats on that side were already filled, and Red still hadn't appeared. Vasily tapped his foot impatiently on the floor, while the baby's foot kicked against the back of his head. Lida had come over to stand behind his chair.

"Baba," Koyla called loudly into the phone.

"Shhh, she's coming," Vasily told him, though the delay was making him stressed. The last time he had come, there hadn't been any hold up at all.

"Vasily," Lida said skeptically.

"Just wait," Vasily said impatiently.

"No, look," she tapped him on the shoulder.

Vasily turned his head to see that a guard had come out into the visitation hall. He looked angry and was staring directly at them. Vasily felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as the guard began coming closer. Lida was bouncing the baby nervously, as Vasily set Koyla down on the floor and rose to his feet. There was still no sign of his mother.

"You'll have to clear out," the guard told them curtly.

"What's going on?" Vasily asked tersley.

"I'm sorry if we're too loud," Lida interceded apologetically. "It was a long drive for the kids and they're a little restless. I'll take them out, but we'd really just like her to see them for a minute."

"Yeah, none of you are going to see her for a minute," the guard replied.

"You can't do that," Vasily said angrily.

"I can do whatever I want," the guard scoffed.

"Listen, I just walked my kids through like three metal detectors," Vasily said, balling his hands into fists. "You guys dumped out the diaper bag, even confiscated my daughter's fucking sophie the giraffe….we get to see her."

"V." Lida cut in warningly.

"Do you seriously fucking think I'd stuff drugs in a fucking teether my baby sucks on anyway?" Vasily's voice was rising. He jerked his arm away as Lida tried placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Maybe if she had her chewie she wouldn't be crying so much right now!" Vasily exclaimed in frustration. "And does it even matter what we bring in here when you have fucking glass dividing the room in half anyway? Like my mother's a fucking zoo animal we've come here to gawk at instead of a person who just needs to spend time with her family!"

"Vasily, stop it," Lida said in a deadly voice, her eyes were as big as saucers. She was still holding the crying baby, and now Koyla was snivelling too.

"Just go" the guard ordered. "Or we'll make you leave. And if that happens you won't be allowed back."

"Please," Vasily took a deep breath.

"She has a right to see us!" he was begging now. "And we have a right to see her. You can't stop that."

"Well, we just had to take her down to the security housing unit," the guard smirked. "Which means no visitors, no calls, no mail...and after what she just did, we're going to have no choice but to keep her down there for quite awhile. So sorry for your loss."

"Security housing...is that like solitary?" Lida asked, looking horrified.

"No fucking way," Vasily snapped.

"Please," Lida implored, placing her hand back on Vasily's arm. This time he didn't pull away. "There must be another way. She's too fragile...you cannot do that to her."

"Sometimes they don't give us a choice," the guard said indifferently.

"What did she do?" Lida asked quietly.

"She took one look in here, and then she decided to put her hands around another inmate's throat instead," the guard replied, his mouth twitching. Vasily looked like all the blood had just left his face and his eyes looked unfocused for a couple seconds, before he seemed to flinch.

"That's a lie," Vasily shook his head, as Lida squeezed his shoulder supportively. She briefly wondered if this might be the same woman that Galina had ranted about on the phone with her. Maybe Lida should have taken those threats more seriously. It just didn't make sense.

"She'd never do something like that," Vasily said confidently.

"I'm sorry you wasted your time driving up here today," the guard said indifferently. "Although, if I were you, I'd question whether that's someone I actually want to expose my kids to...Have a nice day."

He walked away without a backwards glance, and disappeared through the door he had come. Lida let go of Vasily's arm so she could take hold of Koyla. Both kids were crying now and they were getting several dirty looks from bystanders. Though Vasily seemed not to notice. Lida took a few steps towards the exit before realizing that he wasn't following.

"Coming?" she turned back, raising her eyebrows expectantly.

"Well, I can't leave her like this," Vasily stammered, still rooted to the same spot.

"Honey, the only thing you can do is follow me out of here," Lida said. "Let's go get our things...that fricken giraffe you suddenly care so much about."

"I was just making a point," Vasily replied.

"I know," Lida said quietly. "And now I'm making mine...get me the hell out of here, before I say something I can't take back."