This story has taught me something very important….I need to finish the story before I post it. I'm back to this one and I have two more in the works I will be posting once they're finished one chapter at a time. Honestly that last review got me back on track so keep um coming.
Chapter 16
We sit in Olenas kitchen Viktoria was nowhere among the lost and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.
Olena puts a plate in front of both Dimitri and myself. "Eat both of you."
"Mamma I'll find her I promise." Dimitri voice doesn't waver against the worthy of his promise.
Olena takes his hand "Don't make promises you can't keep. You have a family now, your job is to care for them. "
A soft knock interrupts the moment. " That's probably Abe." I whisper moving to open the door.
" Rose, where is my granddaughter?"
I smile in spite of myself. " Shes napping, she'll be up in a bit."
Abe makes his way to Dimitri. " I have a rescue group ready, we know which way they took her. If you're willing, I would welcome you to my team."
Dimitri's eyes meet mine, his own filled with desperation. He needs this but he won't go without my blessing. Slowly despite how much it kills me I nod to him. God please get him back to me. " Just make it back to us, Comrade. I don't think my heart could stand losing you again."
"I'll be back Roza , I promise you I'll make it back." He whispers, leaning his forehead to mine. His hand cupping my cheek.
Pushing back the tears forming I lean in giving him one last kiss. " You better go before Lennon wakes up. It will be harder to leave once she is."
" I love you Roza."is the last thing he says before following Abe out the door.
Olena comes up to me wrapping her arms around me, and the tears break each one filled with fear. I lost him once and knowing he is going to be out there without me it's agony. "He'll be back. " She whispers.
Hours pass by slowly, I'm not really pretty even here mentally I've checked out simple moving through the motions. I play with Lennon coloring in her cowboy themed coloring book. I nibble on the food that Opens places in front of me, we go through Lennon's bath time routine and I read her a chapter from one of Dimitri's westerns assuring her the whole time that he'll be back she pulls to sleep I move back down stairs and doze on the couch waiting for the door to open. It's like someone blurred the world. I'm completely numb to the monotone around me. I'm simply existing in the simplest way I can. I try to sleep but I never find rest every time my eye close nightmares play. It's the second longest night of my life. The first being the night of the caves, the daunting similarities of the two night are almost too much to bear. Slowly the sun rises peaking over the window seal.
The morning is early, quite the last two days still hanging heavy for those who have lost. The stillness pushes against my mouth, dragging air back to my lung before I can breathe it out. Just as the feel becomes too much the doors slam open a worn Dimitri falling through followed by Abe and Pavel. In the time it takes for the door to close I'm up and in his arms my hands are roaming him searching for any signs of injury. The only one standing out is a large cut along his cheek. His arms wrap around me pulling me close. "I told you I would be back." He smiles softly, brushing his lips to mine.
" Did you find her?"
The light seems to leave his very being as he nods. " She was turned ... .by my old mentor Galina. She wants me Roza. That's why she went after Vika. Now that she knows about you and Lennon…we have to get you somewhere safe. "
"But where are we going to go?"
Abe turns to me from his spot on the couch. " I believe I have that sorted. " The look On his face is not one I like.
" Oh no old man I know that look. What's the catch? Pointing my finger at I move from Dimitri's arms facing him head on.
" It's somewhere familiar. I've arranged for you all to stay at the academy." He won't meet my eyes which means he's hiding something.
" What is it?" irritation rising up. I'm tired nauseous and in no mood to play games.
He turns to me unease dripping.
" Alright kiz, calm down, it's not good for you." he sigh finders tangled in his hair " Alberta retired not long after you were expelled. I guess she put up quite a fight for you. It didn't end well."
Knowing she tried resolves some very conflicting feelings I've had for a long time. Alberta raised me she really was like a mother and thinking she didn't care about what happened to me hurt more than the thing my own mother said. "So who's the new captain of the guard?"
I turn from Abe who refuses to look at me still, to Dimitri who looks like there's just about any other person he would rather see. Who the hell could make them both cringe? Realization dawns on me. Of course it has to be her. " It's Janie isn't it?"
"Now kiz she agreed to play nice. I think she regrets a lot of the things she said that day." Abe cautiously continues. " She's keen to have you all at the academy. She offered to employ Dimitri as an instructor. I really think she wants to mend things."
I don't want to. She left me alone to deal with the hardest thing I've never been through. She let me go through pregnancy without the one person who might understand how I feel. I turn to Dimitri, his face crestfallen. "If you tell me you think this is what's best I'll do it. I trust you to understand how hard this will be weighed against it being the safest option."
"I wish I could tell you there was a better choice but we spent the whole drive back brainstorming. Court is too easy to have a spy infiltrate. With the baby we didn't think a safe house was a good option. I know its asking a lot but I think it really is the only way to keep our family safe." He sighs quietly, taking my hand in his.
" Alright. I'll get everything packed. We can leave after breakfast so Lennon can say goodbye to everyone. " And just like that I'm off to see the woman I used to call mom.