Unnamed [18+]

Dvadtsat' divyat'

|Ilya Zharkov|

Through most of the flight, she didn't speak a word and only looked out the window whilst I held her in bed. She's having a hard time, I can tell but she doesn't want to talk about it and I won't force her to. If she needs my amazing big strong body to protect her whilst she reflects in silence, so be it. She has held me many times and will probably do it for the rest of our lives.

"This is the prettiest momma I've ever held," I sang into my wife's ear as my right hand gently rubbed her stomach. "This is the prettiest baby someone has ever carried but don't tell that to Arabella because she'll slit my throat," I sang and my wife chuckled, looking at me over her shoulder.

"I do hope I'm the only momma you've held," ugh, her voice is extremely invigorating.

"You certainly are," I leaned in to peck her lips. "How's your mind, malyhska?"

A deep sigh left her mouth "I haven't been back to this place since everything happened but it's still my property and it's an important part of my history. It's a full-circle moment because things ended so ghastly in that place but now we aren't carrying anything but happiness."

"A little bundle of happiness," my hand slithered in her sweater but she pushed it away because it's cold. "You're so mean, I'm trying to touch the oven where our bun is baking," I groaned.

Sybella chuckled "Fine," she took my hand and placed it on her stomach but on top of her sweater. "Your hand is too cold."

"That's because I'm Russian," I stated.

"Oh, shut up!" My wife laughed, pushing my hand away.

|Sybella Fiori|

"I hate how we stand outside buildings that hold so much negative energy from my past," I stated.

Ilya intertwined his arm with mine "Why don't you tell me some good memories you lived here?"

A light smile curved the right corner of my lips "I painted the nursery alone and I just kept on smelling every clothing item before putting them in the drawers because Avyanna's scent was always so prominent to me." I looked at him "Let's go inside."

We walked down the gravel path until we were in front of the front door which I unlocked with the key that's still in my keychain; it's a token from my past but I need to bury everything from it.

Before pushing the door open, I took a deep breath and looked at my husband who was showing me a soft smile "Even if I'm sad about what happened in this house, it doesn't mean that I don't love you or what we are building."

"I would've never thought of it like that, Sybella," he gently pinched my chin to tilt my head up. "I love you, malyshka," Ilya leaned down to peck my lips.

It seems impossible to find someone as perfect as him but here I am, the luckiest woman on the planet even if it's taken almost a decade, I can finally say that I'm utterly happy, which is something I think about everyday and maybe too much.

Once I pulled away, my foot pushed the door open to reveal the empty interior of the home. I took his right hand and guided him inside, past the metal and glass staircase, into what was once the grand room with a wall made out of floor-to-ceiling folding windows that let you appreciate the privileged view of the turquoise water. To my left there's the kitchen with custom-made marble countertops and a lovely massive stove that Jay insisted on getting for the future, when Avyanna had too many siblings to count.