The following day, we moved in the General's estate with the help of Sadiq who picked us up along with the coachman at the early morning hours of a cold winter day. When we had settled in and was around noon, I looked through my old papers in which I had written important addresses and telephone numbers for the General and found the address of his esquire. I decided to ask the coachman to take me to St. Petersburg and Sadiq insisted in coming along with me. I agreed because I wouldn't like the idea of going to the city alone.

While we were waiting for Mr. Shostakovich in his study, Sadiq intertwined his fingers with mine and looked at me with fondness in his green eyes. I smiled, knowing that he would be with me in every situation to support me and make me company. When the esquire entered the room, we both separated as he took a seat in his high-back chair which reminded me of the General's.

"Good morning, Mr. Braginski, Mr. Adnan, what can I do for you?"

I looked at Sadiq, who gave me a reassuring squeeze in my hand under the desk so that the lawyer couldn't see and I cleared my throat before speaking.

"I would like to know, Mr. Shostakovich, if there is any chance that I can leave my inherited goods in the hands of my older sister, Ekaterina, as I am planning to travel abroad in a short time"

The old man with small glasses seemed to think for a moment, surely he was considering the possibility of a woman having control of so much money without the help of a man, or in that case, myself. I trusted my sister enough to leave her what the General had given to me in death and I was sure that she would make a good use out of it. I just wanted to leave everything in her hands before I left with Sadiq to Turkey.

"Well... first I need to ask you, are you sure of that, Mr. Braginski?"

The old man asked with an inquiring expression, inching closer to the desk.

"Absolutely"

He cleared his throat and looked down at the desk for a moment before looking back up, straight into my eyes, which made me a little nervous. I had always felt nervous with people staring directly into my eyes, asides from the General, who upon looking into my eyes, I felt that he could look right through me and to my soul. I missed him, and I even miss him now. He is one of the things that I miss the most.

"This might take a while"

The man said. Sadiq looked at me and then at the lawyer sitting in front of us.

"How long is a while?"

"A couple weeks"

Sadiq looked at me and I turned to look at him in the eyes. I knew what he was thinking. How much longer would I have to stay in Russia instead of going with him that same night? But I had a duty and a responsibility towards my sisters that I could not ignore and I would do whatever was necessary for leaving them in a good economic situation. I looked at the lawyer with determination and nodded.

"I want to start right away"

After that, Mr. Shostakovich asked me to sign a couple papers and arranging a date for another day to bring some more papers. I was realising that I would be submerged in piles and piles of papers. Sadiq and I came out of the office and waited for the carriage to pick us up. We had told the coachman that we would be ready for him to pick us up at around one, but it was twenty to one so we would have to wait.

"Vanya, are you sure you want to leave everything to your sister?"

I looked at Sadiq with surprise. I didn't think he would ask me that, but I decided to answer nonetheless. It was chilling outside and I kept rubbing my gloved hands together.

"Of course I am sure. I trust her enough to do so. Why? You think that it's not convenient?"

Sadiq held up his hands.

"No, not at all, I see your sister Ekaterina as a very capable woman, but..."

He looked down at the snow-covered ground and I looked at him, humming for him to continue speaking. He looked up at me again.

"That money is rightfully yours, Vanya"

"That money is mine and I can do whatever I want with it, and what I want to do with it is give it to my sister"

I sighed and Sadiq said nothing as the coach pulled up in front of us and he held the door open for me. This time he wasn't smirking when I climbed up, and he didn't say a word during the entire trip back to the General's manor, where we took separate roads. He went to his room to continue packing and I went to see my sister Ekaterina, but I got lost in the sea of doors.

"Ekaterina? Where are you?"

I said loud enough for anyone inside the rooms to hear me. One of the doors opened and I was suddenly attacked by someone hugging me tightly from behind and nuzzling their head in my back.

"Oh, brother, you are home. Thank God"

"O crap" I thought as I realised it was Natasha who was embracing me and almost breaking my ribs with her extreme force.

"Natasha, leave brother alone, he's had a rough day"

Natasha huffed and let go of me. I thanked her silently and she left for what I supposed was her new room, or perhaps she was just exploring the house's many rooms. Ekaterina stood in front of me and I kissed her in the cheek.

"I've talked to General Winter's esquire"

She looked confused and tilted her head to one side.

"Why?"

I put my hands on her shoulders and lead her towards a small living room that was in that floor, next to a large window which allowed a good view of the gardens, completely covered in white, pure snow. She sat down next to me in the red sofa.

"I want to leave everything to you when I go to Turkey with Sadiq"

Now, she looked surprised and was speechless for a moment, her mouth agape, but then she spoke up, shaking her head.

"No, I can't have that. It's yours and besides, I wouldn't know what to do with it"

"Don't worry, the General's stockbroker handles it pretty well and I think you are the most capable person in our family to take good care of that money"

She shook her head once again but I stopped her.

"Katyusha, I trust you, I want you to have that money"

There was a moment of silence before she broke eye-contact and sighed, looking down at her lap. She put her hand on my knee and looked at me in the eyes once again.

"Thank you, Vanya. I promise I will take good care of it"

"I know you will"

I smiled at her and we sat there, smiling and looking at each other's eyes until I finally broke the silence and told her everything about the paperwork that had to be done in order for her to legally have absolute control over that money. She didn't understand much, but I trusted Mr. Shostakovich would be able to explain it to her better than I had. She agreed to come with me to my next appointment with the esquire in St. Petersburg.

I could feel my life changing at that point.