Brother From Another Mother

So many questions....

Belarus gripped her dress tightly as she thought about the questions she wanted to ask, and hopefully get answers for. Meanwhile her grandfather,RE, sat patiently next to her. Mentally preparing himself for her questions and what memories might resurface because of them.

"Why did you sell the land to the USA specifically?"

RE made a sound that was a mix between a sigh and a chuckle looking to Belarus then back out into the room.

"My government thought it would be easier to sell it to him as at the time his own government was hungry for new land to build upon. And we didn't want to give more land to the already powerful French and British."

Bel nodded at her grandfather's response.

Now see, she knew of Americas history and bit and pieces of how they came to be, but she never looked past the surface of it. As it was never one of her interests growing up and it still wasn't today. But she couldn't help but feel guilty about it as if maybe if she did look past the surface she would have found this information sooner.

But with these thoughts new questions came to her,"How come dad didn't know about his brother?"

"Alaska was born before your father so for the first few years of his life it was never a concern, but when Soviet did come along I quickly sent the boy to live on his land across the sea. And any time he came back home I sent Soviet on long trips across are country or even into others for business. I thought that it would be best that they didn't meet as I and my government viewed it as unethical to have an attachment to another living thing." RE said while sitting on the box, unmoving as he spoke.

Bel listened to her grandfather's, knowing that an opportunity to ask such questions from him would probably never happen again after they get up from their seats.

So she asked and listened, taking in every single word he said and placing it somewhere for her to always remember. These words her grandfather spoke came from a time that was far in the past but also from a place of truth, sadness, and regret.

As time passed the earlier tension between them became less pronounced, still there but definitely less than before.

But of course, things like this don't last.

"What about his wings? I haven't seen you or family with them?" Bel asked, looking up at RE with interest.

RE chuckled at his granddaughter's enthusiasm for the answer to her newest question.

"Ah, well you see his mother,-"

*BANG*

"YOU TWO HAVE BEEN UP HERE FOR TWO HOURS!"

Both Belarus and RE quickly snapped their necks towards the door to see it was Ukraine who had kick down the door, even though the door was not locked as it didn't even have one to begin with.

"Apologies, it has seemed that we lost track of time." RE said while standing from his seat, Belarus following his lead in to standing as well.

"Well we got food down stairs for dinner. So if you two wanted some while it's still warm and  fresh I suggest you both finish up here and make your way down stairs." Ukraine said as they turned to leave the room and go down stairs themselves.

Belarus couldn't help but roll her eyes at her siblings antics as she and RE followed in her older brother's footsteps down the stairs for dinner.

———————

Dinner was overall peaceful and pleasant for everyone, but no one could deny the small hint of tension that seemed to refuse leaving the families alone.

It probably didn't help that the old book that started this whole mess was left in eyesight of the group. Sitting on a small table next to the chair the group had their first viewing of this same book together.

As dinner was getting cleaned up the tension between everyone only seemed to rise, despite everyone's silence attempt to keep the overall peace. But alas their efforts were all in jeopardy.

"So ima just come out and say it, what the fuck are we going to do about this whole, 'long lost forgotten child' situation we have now?" East said from the couch, his twin next to him.

Everyone paused in their actions, some freezing entirely. But slowly everyone's head turned to RE, who was washing his dishes in the sink.

Times seemed to have paused as everyone waited for an answer, or at least for something to happen. But it started again when a soft but deep sigh came from the past empire.

"I don't have an opinion on what everyone here does with the information, but I personally feel like it is not my job to make the call in the first place."  RE said in a neutral tone.

Everyone, except RE, quickly turned their heads to look at Soviet, who was previously wiping down the table. His mouth was slightly open as he starred at his father, who was still facing the sink.

It took about a minute for Soviet to fully grasp what his father had said, and what he meant. To which he closed his mouth and stood up fully, wet rag in hand. And he slowly made his way cover to where his father still stood unmoving from his spot.

When he finally reached his father he moved to his left and put the, still damp, cloth on the counter next to the sink. He then turned his whole body to the right, facing his father, who still hasn't moved an inch. He quickly placed his hands on both of his father's shoulders and turned him so the two were now facing each other.

By now everyone was practically holding their breath as the silence got longer by the second, not to mention the tension was thick enough to cut it with a knife.

But what no one expected was for Soviet to pull his father into a hug. A nice big bear hug.

Some stayed the same as before, others mouths fell open,  and a few smiled as the two men hugged over the sink.

After a minute or two they separated from the hug, but Soviet kept his hands on his father's shoulders, both now looking straight into each other's eyes till finally one spoke,

"Father, I want to meet my brother"