Chapter Twenty-Six

Lenya: I will see you soon, Moya Krasivvy Tsvetok. Kiss our syn's for me. We are coming home.

Home. He is coming home. The anticipation of his arrival makes my heart race. I dial Mila's number and while it rings, I shout, "Dima!" The sound of his feet pounding against the wood floor fills the room.

"Mama? What's wrong?" With a gun in hand, Dmitiry slides into the room.

"Gospodi, pomiluy!(Lord have mercy!), Dima put it away! I got a text from your father, is all." The line picks up and I hear Mila"s voice come through.

"Lina, they're coming home!" Mila shouts in excitement. "Did Lenya tell you what day? Oleg said that he couldn't say via text message because it's not safe." I can hear the pouting in her voice. I know she misses her husband just as much as I miss mine.

"Net (No), he didn't, but I think we should just be ready for them. I figure, maybe two days?" I consider their travel time from the US, then across Russia. They will also be hiding Igor, and that's when I realize that coming home is more dangerous than when they entered the United States illegally. Lingering enemies may still be present from his father"s Pakhan role.

"Should we come by? Let"s go shopping together and gather supplies for a big family meal. Maybe we can even go get your sister, you know, for Ilya?" I can hear Mila gathering things in the background. Alexei makes cute little coos and awes.

"Da (Yes), let's do that. I"ll call the school to arrange for someone to bring her home. Head on over."

As we navigate through the aisles, we discuss the dishes we plan to prepare for the big family meal. Mila suggests making fresh bread, pelmeni, and stroganoff and mentions that she will bring the compote from home. I have Vasya in a baby carrier on my front, while Mila carries Alexei in a similar manner. Not far behind us is Danil, who Lenya has enlisted as my personal bodyguard. He keeps just enough distance from us so he can make sure no one is following. It made me so very happy when Lenya offered Danil a position within his inner circle because of his sacrifice in saving me.

Together, we search for the ingredients we need, filling up the cart as we go along. We are expecting Raisa's arrival in just a few hours, as she is excited to be back home to welcome Ilya. In the meantime, we gather everything necessary for a delicious and heartwarming family meal.

"Do you think we should make the desserts or just get some from a shop?" Mila asks as she looks around the aisle with baking supplies.

"Do you think you will have the energy to bake after all the cooking we will do?" I laugh, knowing her answer is going to be the same as mine.

"Net, (No)" we say in unison, chuckling.

We finish up our shopping at the store and once we are all situated back in the SUV; Danil drives us to the little Georgian Cafe, where Lenya took me after Liturgy. They make these delectable bite-sized cakes that melt in your mouth. Once we pull over, I hop out and head inside to place the order. The family that runs the cafe knows us by now. They try to give me the order free, for the Pakhan.

However, I politely decline their offer, insisting on paying for the order. It's important to support local businesses, especially being the Pakhan's wife. They should know, despite the Bratva"s criminal nature; we support our own. As I return to the car with the delicious cakes in hand, Mila and I exchange excited glances. We know these desserts will be the perfect addition to our family meal.

Back at home, Danil and Dmitriy unload the groceries and Mila and I start preparing the dishes. Mila kneads the dough for the fresh bread, while I make the pelmeni filling. Alexei and Vasya watch us from the little portable crib we have set up.

As the aromas of our cooking fills the kitchen, we can't help but feel a sense of warmth and anticipation. We know that soon, our family will be complete when our men get home. As we put the bread in the oven, a knock on the door is heard. I make my way down the hall and throw the front door open, my sister jumps into my arms.

"They are coming home!" Raisa shouts, excitedly. She kisses my cheek before hopping down to grab her bag.

"I'm guessing they will be here in a few days," I shrug my shoulders. I hate not knowing when they will exactly be home. "Come. Join us in the kitchen, where we"re preparing food ahead of time. We can use your help."

With Raisa's help with the cooking and baking, we get everything done. We package up the food and store it in the refrigerator. It's already late so Mila and Alexei will just stay the night. I head to one of the guest rooms where I had Dmitriy set up the portable crib for Alexei.

Mila gently places Alexei in the crib, making sure he's comfortable and secure. Raisa joins us in the room, admiring the sleeping baby. We exchange knowing smiles, grateful for our growing family. I walk across the hall to Lenya and I's room, so I can put Vasya in his bassinet. I'm not quite ready to sleep, so I feed Vasya and rock him to sleep. Once Vasya's breathing deepens, I put him in his bassinet. Waiting to make sure he stays asleep, and when I am sure he is, I leave, keeping the door cracked open so I can hear if he cries.

As the night settles in, the three of us gather in the living room, sharing stories and catching up on each other's lives. Raisa talks about how school is going and how well she did on her exams. We feel comforted by each other"s presence, aware that our family will soon be whole again. That's what we are, a family, bound by love and friendship rather than blood.

Lenya: See you very soon, malyshka.

The house buzzes with excitement, the time needs to go by quickly. We check our phones, eagerly awaiting when our men will walk through that door. The aroma of freshly baked bread and the savoury cooked dishes continue to linger in the air, reminding us of the love and effort we put into preparing for their return.

We gather in the living room, unable to contain our excitement. The sound of a car approaching sends our hearts racing. Tears of joy fill my eyes as the front door creaks open. Footsteps echo on the hardwood floor as the sound of bags dropping resound through the small entryway.

He's home…he's home.

"Tsvetok (Flower)?" Lenya's deep voice booms from the hallway.

I hold Vasya in my arms, kissing his face and whispering, "Your Papochka(Daddy) is home." Lenya turns the corner into the living room and I can't help the tears that fall. Vasya wiggles in my arms as if he is excited to see his papa too. Oleg and Ilya make their way to the ones who matter most. Ilya saunters over to Raisa, coming face to face with her, flicking her on the nose. Oleg takes Alexei in his arms and pulls Mila in to kiss her.

Our family.

Lenya walks toward us, stopping with a smile on his face. He pulls Dmitriy in for a hug. "Vy s bratom khorosho otnosilis' k vashey materi?(Were you and your brother good for your mother?)"

"Da (Yes) papa. We were."

Dmitriy smiles, looking up at the man who has quickly become his hero, his favorite person in the whole world.

Lenya"s hand reaches out to caress my face, his thumb tracing a gentle path across my cheek. "Is it done? Did you find him?" I ask, my hand resting on his, seeking comfort in his touch. With just a single touch, my body ignites with a pulsating heat that engulfs me completely. I look deeply into his eyes, silently telling him how much I missed him.

"He is at the warehouse. Under heavy guard. Soon he will cease to breathe and you will never have to worry about him again."

I find great solace and comfort in those words.

"Vasya," Lenya coos, taking our tiny son in his arms. "Moy milyy malen'kiy mal'chik. Ty skuchal po pape?(My sweet little boy. Did you miss your daddy?)"

Vasya makes his cute little noises as if he is talking back to his father. It makes my heart so full.

"Have you eaten?" I ask, brushing Vasya"s hair back. Dmitriy's eyes light up at the idea of food.

"Net (No), we are starving." Lenya says, cradling our son to his chest.

"Well, lucky for all of you, we've prepared a ton of food. So come on, let's eat."

We gather around the dining table, sharing the delicious meal that we prepared with love. Laughter fills the room, and Lenya rises, clinking his glass. "I want to thank everyone here. Your love and support made all of this possible. I didn"t know if I would be okay when Lina was taken and I fell apart. Oleg and Ilya, you guys held me up when I wasn't strong enough. Mila, you helped care for me when I was too drunk to care about taking care of myself."

Lenya turns to me. "The moment you became mine, my life took on a whole new meaning and I"ll never be the same. I thank God everyday for you, Kalina. You are the greatest blessing he could have ever given me. Then he gave me Dima and Vasya, and I pray for more children someday. Moya krasivvy Tsvetok (My beautiful flower), you have tamed the heart of the lion. My heart is forever yours."

The sound of glasses clinking together fills the room. Lenya sits back down and we continue to eat. We exchange stories and catch up on everything that has happened in our lives during the time apart. Dima eagerly shows Lenya the knife skills he has been practicing while he was gone.

"Not at the table." I hiss, giving both of them a scolding look. Lenya gives Dima a look, which prompts him to close his knife and slide it under the table to his lap.

The joy and happiness radiate from every one of us, and it feels like we are complete again. We indulge in the heavenly bite-sized cakes from the Georgian Cafe. We can't help but appreciate the interconnectedness of our lives. Supporting local businesses and cherishing family traditions are both integral parts of who we are. Lenya begins to talk about all the changes he wants to make once he is officially the Pakhan.

Life is about to change even more now.

As the night draws to a close, Alexei and Vasya snuggle up in their fathers" arms, looking exhausted but content. Dima is sitting at my feet. His head bobs to the side as he sleeps against my leg. Ilya is asleep on the floor in front of the loveseat where Raisa is curled up, sound asleep. I give Lenya a look, and he already knows that it's time for bed. "Dima," I lean forward and kiss the top of his head. "Bedtime."

Dima groggily grumbles, rubbing his eyes as he forces himself to get up from the floor. "Spokoynoy nochi.(Goodnight)"

Lenya gently stands, carefully holding a sleeping Vasya close to his chest. He gently carries Vasya in the direction of our room. My attention shifts to Oleg, who is enveloped in his phone, while Alexei slumbers soundly in his arms and Mila seeks warmth by snuggling up next to them. I gently tap Oleg's shoulder to get his attention.

"Hey, Oleg," I say softly, "it's getting late. You should stay here for the night. No need to drive home." Oleg looks up, momentarily distracted from his phone. He nods at my suggestion, checking the time. He sets his phone aside and stretches his tired limbs before waking Mila. She stirs, her eyes fluttering open. With a sleepy smile, she detaches from her husband and they head off to bed.

As I make my way back to our bedroom, I feel relief for the first time in months. Knowing that Lenya found his father, the man who had me raped and held me captive. Just knowing he is awaiting his death brings me so much peace. I look to see that Vasya is in his bassinet and Lenya is already in bed. I lift the covers and slide next to Lenya on his side of the bed.

"Tsvetok (Flower)?" Lenya mumbles, as I wrap my arms around his naked chest.

"Da (Yes), I just want you to hold me. Can we do that?" I whisper into his chest, kissing the tattoos that cover his heart.

"I will always hold you, moya lyubov (my love)." he kisses the top of my head and wraps his arms around me, pulling me tighter to his chest.

Lenya is my home.