ROSE

Stepping off the plane was like stepping into another world. I could hear voices all around me, but I understood practically nothing. It all just became noise, with random syllables and sounds that I vaguely recognized but couldn't place. I had heard Dimitri speak Russian before, even in conversations with other people on a few rare occasions, but listening to him was nothing like being immersed in all of this.

My focus was drawn to any bit of English I heard around me, immediately clinging to it like a lifeline. A man in a business suit gave me a slight glare when I stared at him a bit too long, unintentionally eavesdropping while he made plans to meet someone for lunch later. An overhead announcement sounded in Russian and then (thankfully) in English, welcoming me to the Novosibirsk Oblast International Airport. For the first time since leaving Spokane, I felt like I could breathe a little. I was going to be okay. I could handle this.

I closed my eyes for a moment, centering myself and letting go of my initial panic, before opening them again to look around with a clear mind. Dimitri was right. Many signs, at least the ones that truly mattered right now, had an English translation underneath.

'English is considered the common language of the world,' he had insisted. 'Russia doesn't use it as much as other countries, but you'll find more English speakers in the larger cities. You'll be okay until you learn Russian.'

Looking at the near hieroglyphic symbols on the signs and listening to what currently sounded more like gibberish than actual language around me...it seemed like I had a long way to go before I truly learned Russian. It had all seemed so much easier when Dimitri had me repeating words on our date yesterday.

Was it really only yesterday?

I followed the signs, ignoring people as they pushed past me. I had to catch my bearings and redirect a couple of times, but I eventually made it to the baggage claim. It was pretty easy to spot my bag since most of the other passengers had already come and gone by the time I got there. My bag was one of the only suitcases left on the carousel, but something else was even easier to spot: my name.

It was written on a piece of paper in thick black marker, and the woman holding it instantly started waving the moment she spotted me. I don't even have to question who she was—Dimitri had inherited her eyes.

I raised my hand with a smile and then grabbed my bag before making my way towards her. "Olena Belikov-a?" I barely remembered to tack on the 'a' onto the end.

"Yes," she replied. Her accent was much thicker than Dimitri's, but I was relieved that she spoke English at least. "And you are Rose Hathaway."

She butchered my last name, and I grinned. It was pretty reassuring, considering I was going to be butchering her language for who knows how long. I nodded, silently answering her even though she seemed well aware of who I was.

"Is that you're only bag?" Her brow rose in question, just like Dimitri's did. I was always so jealous of that talent of his, but seeing it on his mom now almost made me laugh.

"Dа," I replied, trying out some of the very limited Russian I had managed to remember from Dimitri's mini-lessons. 'Yes' and 'no' were easy enough, 'hello' was pretty simple, too. However, as she led me to her car so we could start the long drive to my new home, I was desperately trying to remember if 'thank you' was pronounced spasi-bo or spasi-do.

"Do you need anything to eat? Drink? We can grab some food."

The air was incredibly thick with the amount of awkwardness lingering between us. This was not how I had imagined meeting Dimitri's mother for the first time. Granted, meeting his family hadn't been a consideration at all until recently. Dimitri and I hadn't had much of a romantic relationship until a few days ago, so why would it have even been on my radar? Still, it would have been nice to have him here to personally introduce me to her. I'd heard a few stories about her, but I wasn't sure she knew anything about me beyond my name.

Oh no.

My mind suddenly clicked on a horrid thought. What if Dimitri didn't tell her about us? What if she thought I was just his former student that he was trying to help after she screwed up her education beyond all hope.

"How was he?" Olena asked, taking her eye off the road for just a moment to shoot me a concerned glance. "How was Dimitri when you left? He sent me a picture yesterday so I could recognize you, but he hasn't answered his phone since."

I wasn't sure what to say without giving too much away if she wasn't aware of mine and Dimitri's relationship. However, if I was expected to keep it a secret from them, then living with his family would be impossible. Still, it wasn't my place to tell her. I looked out the window so my face wouldn't give me away as I told her, "He was okay. I'm sure he's disappointed that I was kicked out so close to graduation, especially after how hard we had worked together to get me there, but it isn't his fault they expelled me. He did his best to help me. I'm grateful for what he did and what he's still doing. I'm not sure where I'd be without him."

Another wave of silence fell over us, and when I finally chanced turning her way again, she was staring at me in total confusion.

"He sounded heartbroken when he called us and asked for you to stay," Olena said. The scenery around us started shifting away from the busy city to something quieter the further we drove. "He didn't sound disappointed. He sounded upset that they were taking you away from him. I might have questioned him a little if you were just a student to him, but you are obviously much more than that."

"Did he say that?" My question was almost unnaturally timid, but there was a part of me scared of disappointing someone who Dimitri so clearly revered. Worse, I was terrified of making him look bad.

She smiled sweetly but with a clearly bemused look of someone who thought I ought to know better. "Yes, but he didn't have to, Rose. I could hear it in his voice. He loves you, so I do, too."

Perhaps if I was feeling more like myself (less exhausted and grimy from an overwhelmingly long flight with a mound of anxiety heaped on top) I might have given her a snarky comment about how she should probably get to know me more before making any judgment calls. However, I choose to tuck my arms around me instead, embracing myself in the comfort of her love and acceptance concerning my place in her son's life.

Dimitri's childhood home looked picture-perfect. Literally. You could probably search "idyllic family home" and end up with an image of the house in front of me.

The house itself wasn't painted. Instead, it looked like it was made up of stained wood planks with a tin roof and a little porch complete with two rocking chairs. What really caught my eye were all the little details. Each window was surrounded by beautifully carved and painted frames. Looking down the street, I could see that almost every house was decorated with similar window frames. Some were simple, with only a few scrolls in a single color, but others were so ornate that they were like mini works of art. The neighbor's windows, for example, looked almost like filigree with how intricately everything was designed. The Belikova house fell somewhere in between.

I lifted my suitcase from the trunk of the car, half dragging it across the unpaved driveway and up the stairs leading to the porch. The wood creaked, but Olena paid it no mind, instead opening the door and guiding me into a small room. It didn't seem like part of the main house, but a small entryway meant to store winter gear. With snow still lightly dusting everything outside, the little entry was filled to the brim. There were a variety of hooks screwed into the wall to hang your coat and a small shoe rack below it with boots lined up in a neat little row.

Olena sat down on a stool tucked up against the wall, removing her boots and sliding on a pair of light purple slippers that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"Feel free to put your coat and things with the others," she urged before pulling out another pair of slippers, this time in a dark grey felt, from a little pail that had been hidden behind a couple of scarves just moments ago. There seemed to be a dozen or so little shoes tucked into the bucket, each one different. "We'll get you your own pair of тапочки, but until then, you can use these."

Under my breath, I mouthed the word that Olena had just called the shoes. Tap-uch-keh. It still didn't sound like what she had said, but it felt awkward to ask her to repeat herself. The shoes themselves were a little large, but they were also nice and warm, so I didn't mind.

Once we were stripped of our outerwear, I was finally ushered into the main living area. For a moment, all I could do was stare. Somehow, it was everything I imagined a home should be. There was a warmth that was undeniable, and not just because of the smoldering log in the nearby fireplace. It was the multicolored quilt hanging over the back of the old sofa. It was the faded path in the carpet that led from the bottom of the stairs towards the kitchen as if someone had walked that exact route a million times. It was the mismatched art on the walls that ranged from decorative plates to school photos to children's drawings. The photos drew me in, and while I was hesitant to explore right now, I was curious to see if a younger Dimitri was hidden within the collection of frames.

Olena gestured to the stairs. "I'll show you to your room. I'm sure you are tired from your travels, and you can rest for a little while before dinner. The others will be home by then, too."

I nodded, suddenly realizing how quiet the house was. Dimitri said that his sisters still lived at home, as did his grandmother. The grandmother he had described as a witch. He had called her that affectionately, but I still remembered a hint of deference in his voice when he told me about her. That alone made me nervous.

Before I could ask about her or anyone else, Olena was leading me up the stairs and down a short hallway. "This is the bathroom," she said, tapping on the first door as we passed it before pointing to the two doors on the left. "Those are the girl's rooms. Karo shares a room with her kids for now, and Vika and Sonya share a room when Vika's on break. She'll be coming home next week for a little while."

I nodded, filing all the information away as she continued talking.

She paused at the final door a second later and placed her hand on the knob. "This will be your room."

I almost couldn't breathe as I stepped inside. It was more than just a bedroom. It was a time capsule. One dedicated to Dimitri.

I took my first steps with caution, careful not to disturb anything. The place was clean, obviously maintained to keep dust at bay, but it looked like it hadn't been touched since Dimitri lived here. "This is Dimitri's room," I said, pointing out the obvious.

"It was," she admitted, "but now it's yours. I didn't want you to have to share with Sonya and to be perfectly honest, this room has been empty for far too long. Plus, this way, you and Dimitri will have some privacy when he comes to visit."

I had been looking at one of Dimitri's old academic awards when I froze, suddenly grateful that Olena couldn't see my face. Was she actually suggesting that Dimitri and I share a bed whenever he came back home? I mean, I wouldn't mind that, but for her to suggest it. And so casually, too?

I didn't know what to say to that, so I just stayed silent. When it became obvious that I wasn't in the right headspace for conversation, Olena excused herself, but not before reminding me that I should rest before dinner.

She was right. I should lie down for a bit. Lord knows I was tired enough to take a nap, but no matter how enticing the bed was, it felt wrong. I scanned the room again, taking time to notice every little detail. Beside the double bed, there was a nightstand, desk, and wardrobe, each of them mismatched, which was somehow endearing. Everything at the academy had matched with a boring, almost utilitarian look to them. This felt more homey. The wardrobe was large enough to replace the lack of a closet, and when I opened it, I was surprised to see that it wasn't completely empty. A track jacket, much like the ones that were part of the novice uniforms during my combat classes, was hanging off to one side while a few folded tees were tucked away in one of the drawers. The black shirt on top had a hint of bright yellow peeking through, and on a whim, I picked it up, shook it loose, and was met with an iconic smiley face with crossed-out eyes.

"Nirvana?" I laughed out loud, trying to imagine Dimitri wearing the shirt. I wouldn't put it past Christian to own something like this, maybe even Mason, but Dimitri? I quickly ran through the playlists that Dimitri had forced on me during our training sessions. I was pretty sure that 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' never made an appearance. Maybe he went through a phase or something. The thought made me laugh again, and I suddenly felt a little more comfortable exploring. It was worth the guilt of snooping if it led me to more random discoveries like Dimitri's grunge phase.

I didn't find any more Nirvava memorabilia, even among the small stack of CDs I had discovered, but a photo of Dimitri with his arm slung around a Moroi guy with blonde hair and a tilted smile caught my attention. I had never met Ivan or seen a picture of him before, but I was confident that this was Dimitri's best friend and former charge. They both looked about my age, and while Dimitri was clearly built from all his combat training, especially in comparison to his lithe friend, it was a little strange to see some more adolescent traits. He looked so carefree and open in the picture. This was obviously taken before the guardian lifestyle had stolen that playfulness away from him.

I moved on, trailing my finger along a shelf full of books. None of them were in English, so I had no clue what they were about, but it didn't surprise me that he had so many. I bet if he were given a chance, he'd have an entire library of books. While the space was incredibly organized, there were a few other trinkets here and there, including a strange gold medallion that didn't look quite like a medal but obviously was somewhat important to him. An award maybe? I'd have to ask him about it one day.

Eventually, I couldn't deny sleep any longer. I pulled out my phone charger, plugging it into a nearby outlet before sending a few texts. I sent one to Lissa and Adrian first since I had promised them that I would once I settled in a little. I half expected Liss to call and chew me out for leaving without saying goodbye, but thankfully, my phone stayed silent. Then I typed one out to send off to Dimitri, but not before slipping on his shirt and sending him a picture.

(Rose) Finally made it to Baia. Call me later?

(Rose) P.S. I really like your mother.

When I woke up, there were several messages on my phone. I must have been exhausted to completely miss the notifications earlier, but as I scanned through them, I couldn't help but grin. Adrian and Liss both sent back a quick response, with Lissa's text including a picture of her, Christian, and Eddie all together.

It was Dimitri's text that made me really smile, though.

(Dimitri) You look good in my shirt, Roza. I'm glad you're home safe. I'll call you in a little while.

(Dimitri) P.S. Mama says she likes you too.

I did some quick math, calculating the time zones between us. Even though there was a thirteen-hour difference between here and Montana, it actually worked in our favor. I would be switching to a daylight schedule while Dimitri continued with his mostly nocturnal one. That meant we'd be awake roughly at the same time, even if I was technically a day ahead of him.

I was tempted to call him, but before I could pull up his number, a knock sounded at the door.

Opening it, I came face-to-face with a dark-haired girl a couple of years older than me. Maybe around Adrian's age? Thus far, it seemed like Dimitri's eyes were a family trait. However, it wasn't her eyes that caught my attention, but the curve of her belly. This had to be Sonya.

Dimitri had mentioned his younger sister was pregnant, but I didn't realize quite how pregnant she was. I did my best to keep my eyes on hers, but she caught my quick glance and gave me a little scowl.

"Dinner is ready." Sonya's accent was stronger than Dimitri's, but not quite as strong as Olena's. Somehow that made her bluntness sound harsh. Maybe even a little hostile. Apparently, I didn't make the greatest first impression on her.

Awesome.

"Thanks. I'll be right…" she was already walking away. "...down."

Meeting Sonya made my anxiety skyrocket. I knew the others were down there also, all just waiting to meet me. What if they didn't like me? Usually, I couldn't care less about what people thought of me, but this wasn't a normal situation. What if they decided that they didn't want me living here? What if they kicked me to the curb?

What if I made a huge mistake coming here?

No, I told myself, trying to shake the doubt away. It'll be fine. Dimitri just texted me and said his mother liked me.

I quickly pulled out my phone, just to be sure that I hadn't imagined his reassurance. Relieved that it wasn't all in my mind, I took a deep breath and went to make my grand entrance.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Rose is finally in Russia! What do you think of her introduction to Olena? What about Dimitri's childhood home? If you get a chance, you should really look up Russian decorative window frames because they are stunning.

I am so grateful for all your kind reviews. In the past, I have tried to reply to each review as much as possible, but your guys' outpouring of love is almost making it hard to keep up! If for some reason I haven't replied to your review, please know that I have read it and I do appreciate each and every one. Your words of encouragement and excitement over this story are inspiring and keep me going through moments of frustration and writer's block. Thank you so much for your support.

Question of the Week: Do you have any unique holiday traditions?

We usually spend the holidays with some family friends and always watch "Muppet Christmas Carol" on Christmas eve. We also play Jackbox games.

Thank you again for reading, commenting, and sharing. You guys are amazing.