The Fine Print: Daniel Knauf and HBO own Carnivale and, unfortunately, Justin and Iris.
Minutes Like Hours
By twinb80
Chapter Eleven: Dreams
Iris dreamed that night about her life in Russia with her mother Plemina. To Irina, her mother had been the most beautiful and talented woman she had ever met. Her mother had been her whole world as a small child, and she thought she would never be happier. They went on picnics together and her mother had sung to her as she brushed her hair at night. Plemina Belyakov had married young, and sometimes people thought her and her daughter were sisters. Whenever this happened, Irina would giggle as she held her mother's hand and listen as Plemina explained the truth. Her father adored her mother, but he was rarely home. Even as a small child, of almost six, she knew her father was an important man. He was a soldier and would bring her home dolls from his many trips. But since he was rarely home that left Irina and her mother to do whatever they wanted. Of course her lessons had come first, but in the beginning there weren't that many lessons to learn.
One day Irina noticed that her mother's tummy had gotten bigger and when she asked her what was inside, her mother had just smiled. Irina could still feel the gentle touch of her mother's hand as she took her small hand and placed it on her tummy. They both stood there quiet as church mice as Irina had tried to figure out what was inside her mother. She looked up to Plemina's face and found her smiling down at her. The window behind her glowed around her head and Irina had thought her mother looked like an angel. Suddenly, she felt a movement beneath her hand and she jumped back. "Mama, your food is moving around in you." Plemina laughed and took her hand in hers. She led Irina over to their parlor room and sat down beside her on the sofa. She then explained to her that a baby was growing inside of her, and, one day soon, she would have a little brother or sister to play with.
Shocked, Irina had run from the room tears running down her face. Her small shoes had brought her to her room, and she threw herself down on her bed and really began to cry. She didn't want a little brother or sister. If there was a baby, her mother wouldn't have any time for her anymore. Babies, Irina had found, took up a mother's time and energy. There would be no more picnics or singing as her hair was being brushed. No, she would be forgotten when the new baby came. Pushed aside for someone smaller and cuter. Her mother would forget her, so happy with this new baby. She didn't want a new baby. Maybe they could send the baby away before her father came back home? Yes, that would work, and then she wouldn't have to worry about being replaced. Irina sat up on her bed, happy that she had found a solution to her problem.
She wiped the tears away from her face as her mother knocked on her door. The doorknob slowly turned and her mother entered the room. She said nothing, but merely walked over to Irina's bed and sat down and opened her arms up to her daughter. Irina had rushed into her arms and hugged her mother tightly, the whole time telling her of her plan to send the baby away. Her mother sighed and rubbed Irina's back. Plemina explained to her that the baby was not going to be sent away. Before Irina could off another protest, Plemina went on to tell her that she would not be replaced. That her mother and father loved her because she was their daughter, and no new baby would ever change that. Irina's bottom lip had begun to tremble again at her mother's words. Was she lying to her? Irina prayed her mother was not. She looked up again into her mother's face, and found only love and truth reflected back at her. She hugged her mother tighter and was overjoyed to find her mother's arms hugging her back with as much strength.
Now it was five months later, and her mother was in labor. Irina had been put to bed by her Nanny and had not seen her mother at all that day. Her father had been home the entire last three months and Irina didn't know what to think about to think about this. She loved her father, but she wasn't used to him being home for such a long period of time. Around midnight, her Nanny had woken her up and told her she had a baby brother. She was still sleepy as they walked down the hallway to her parent's room. Inside, she found her mother in bed, holding her brother in her arms. Plemina smiled at her and signaled for her to come closer. Irina slowly made her way to the bed and peered into the bundle her mother held. Her brother greeted her small eyes, and Irina was amazed at how small he was, like one of her dolls. Her mother then told her that his name was Alexei, and that he would grow up to adore her. Being a big sister was a big responsibility, but her mother reassured her that she could handle it. After all, she was a big girl of six years old. Irina smiled and sat down beside her mother. Her back was against the headboard as she continued to stare at her new little brother. Irina was surprised when her mother then asked her if she wanted to hold the baby. To her amazement, she wanted to. She held very still as her mother placed the small baby in her arms, reminding her to hold Alexei close to her body. She looked down at him, and found that he had woken up and was looking at her. A sweet peace stole over her as she smiled at Alexei. Irina could tell, without him saying anything that he liked her, and she felt an instant connection pass between them. So lost in her own thoughts, she didn't notice her father was in the room until he spoke. Irina looked up and found him looking directly at her. Had he too felt the connection between Irina and Alexei form? No, he didn't say anything to Irina, but, instead, spoke to her mother, letting her know that she had done her job in bearing him a son, and that he was pleased with her. Plemina said nothing to this and watched as her husband bent down and kissed his son's forehead and placed his hand gently on his daughter's head. He finally spoke to Irina as he told her that it was her job to look after her brother and to protect him always. Irina hadn't known what to say, so she nodded her head and watched as he left the room.
The years flew by, and her brother Alexei grew bigger every day. He was her constant shadow in everything she did, and Irina's love for him grew each day. Alexei, she had found, was better than her dolls. Suddenly her dream changed from its happy memory, and Iris found herself back in that dark cold river. The train had crashed. Water filled her lungs as she was tossed around like a rag doll by the water's current. She could not see Alexei as the water washed around her. She prayed that he was still holding her hand. Her father's face flashed before her condemning her for not keeping her word to always to protect her brother. Irina had tried to scream out that she hadn't broken her promise, but the river's current stopped her. She was suddenly on dry land and Alexei was beside her. That night was dark and forbidding, as she looked around to find that they were near a forest. The silence of the night echoed among the trees and Irina knew in her heart that her mother was dead. Alexei began to cry, and she gathered him in her arms. Telling him that they would be all right, and that they would survive. Irina did not know how they would be all right, but she didn't want to scare her brother any more than he already was. He looked up at her and spoke his first words since the accident.
"We will survive. Because we're in this together."
Irina hugged him closer to her, vowing that nothing would separate them. She wouldn't allow it. And neither would he.
