Time Heals All Wounds

Chapter 9

Yelena continued to speak on their behalf before leaving as well. She walked into the room where Irina sat on her old bed. Yelena knew she had had a power breakdown because things were strewn everywhere, and the windows were broken, and she was crying. " I brought alcohol." she said, sitting next to her. " I heard what you said out there, after I left. Thank you." Irina whispered. " You should probably clean this all up, then the heart to heart." Yelena stated gesturing to the messy room. Irina waved her fingers, and after about 10 minutes everything was back in place. She looked at her sister, " How come my family doesn't want me? What did I do?" Irina asked tearfully, and both girls were crying, taking sips of the vodka. " You are my sister, and you will always be my sister, no matter what they say." Yelena told her. She pulled something out of her pocket- a picture. It was a 6 year old Yelena holding a small Irina, and both girls smiled. " You are my sister, and you will always be my sister." she repeated, and gave Irina the picture. " Same with you Yelena." Irina told her, and Yelena smiled at her. Then the ranting began- " such bullshit" " completely unfair" " how could they say that?" among swigs from the vodka, and tearful hugs. Eventually, Irina left the room to clear her head, and was about to go outside when she saw a book, a photo album. She looked around, before taking it. She was about to leave with it when Melina was behind her. " You don't believe anything you said there, do you?" irina asked her, holding the album close. Melina didn't answer, but that gave Irina all the answers she needed. " How could you say that? And just for show? Do you even realize how much you have destroyed me and Yelena?" Irina yelled. " Shh, little warrior, come with me. We will talk through everything." Melina said calmly, and Irina hesitated before following her out into the field.

They sat on a tree stump in silence. " Well?" Irina prompted. " I'm sorry, little one." Melina said softly. " Not good enough. I need to know why. With the amount of apologies I've been getting, I have not been getting nearly enough explanation. So tell me, what was it about me that made you give me up, stick me with a serum, withhold extremely valuable information, and say all those horrible things, only to realize you didn't mean a word of it." irina said venomously. " You think I wanted to give you up? When have you ever known the Red Room to give choices? I was forced into it. I had been shot getting out of Ohio. I was weak, and Alexei was in charge of that exchange. They told me you had been taken to be trained, and the moment I was alone I cried for months. I didn't know what to do. They had me make the serum, and administer it years later; how would I know it would be you lying there? Of course I would recognize my own daughter; you have my eyes. But I couldn't help you because they would have killed both of us. It was better in the long run. Then years later you came to me, and I felt guilty. You came broken, tired, almost dead. It killed me to see you the way you were, and to know I had done it to you was too much to bear. So I was in denial throughout your time here, but then you came back like I said you would, and there was no avoiding it anymore. You have to believe me when I say I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not trying harder, I'm sorry for not being there, I'm sorry for sticking you with that serum, I'm sorry I'm a horrible mother!" Melina said, and she started crying. Melina Vostakoff- one of the Red Room's finest was crying like a baby. Irina didn't know what to say; the whole revelation was shocking. She put her arm around her mother, and gave her a hug. " I thought it was my fault. I thought I had done something to not be worthy of your love. But all this time they kept you from me, and you couldn't do anything about it. I cannot imagine how awful it was for you. Thank you. Thank you for telling me, and I'm sorry for misplacing my blame. And for the record, the Red Room didn't raise us to be mothers; they raised us to be assassins, cold and heartless. You were in there a really long time, and yet when it came to me you did what you could to protect me. That is a true mother, so don't ever say you weren't a good one because it is not your fault you never could be a proper one, and despite that you still tried." Irina said, looking into her mother's eyes. " I will try. After all this is over, let me try." Melina whispered. Irina's eyes welled up with tears, and she nodded. " I'd love nothing more, Melina." Irina told her, and her mother embraced her. The once thought heartless Melina Vostakoff had her heart once again as she hugged her daughter properly for the first time since she was born. And neither of the two could be happier. " Let's go inside." Melina said, and the two walked together, much calmer than they had walked out.