The Don And His Flower

54

Nine months.

Another cry.

Valis listened to the pained voice of his brother. Watching him fail to escape from the confinements he was stuck in. The man had been here for almost a full year. 

Asshole.

Bastard.

Murderer.

The words repeated on and on with the occasional kick failing to connect. The Don remained in the familiar seat. The seat he had once sat in across so many men, his own father included. 

Now he sits across from his only sibling. His younger brother. 

"I'm not your enemy Nikolai. You must understand that." The words were repeated once again, just on a different day. "You are. You've been jealous and full of so much envy since the day I was born." Nikolai spat out a familiar response, eyes glared to the Don he once respected as his brother. 

"That isn't true. I'm trying to make amends with you, Niko. I am. But what can I do to fix this? You surely can't expect me to just let you go. Not after you threatened Xander, not after you've threatened Imani."

His younger brother scoffed with a raised eyebrow. "Valis Kholodov. Hear me when I say this to you. Fuck you. Fuck your wife. Fuck your son. Fuck whatever bastards she carries now and in the future. And a high mighty fuck you to the clump of shit you have buried underneath that willow tree-"

Nikolai went backwards. Head bouncing once off the concrete floors as his nose stung in pain. Valis had his own chair gripped into his hand, folding the black metal together. Holding the legs in his hands, Valis swung it up before bringing it down hard. Over and over, Valis had swung the metal chair to his brother's face. 

The Don screamed. 

Valis cried and cursed.

All while beating on his brother. 

Almost ten minutes had passed. The Don was sitting on the floor, watching the few soldiers inject his brother with adrenaline. There was silence, only sounds heard was Nikolai gasping for air from his bloodied cracked teeth with a shattered nose. Eye watered and swollen with blood, Nikolai kept his gaze on the cobwebs that hung from the ceiling. 

"If I must kill you, make myself the only asshole that survived the shit life we've dealt with. So be it. I am trying to make this a common ground Niko. But if you continue to disrespect my wife, I can't promise you that I'll keep you alive." He sighed with his hands interlaced together.

"The people of Sontarc. The people of Russia and everywhere else, have celebrated in the news of my wife carrying my children. Gifts flying in from everywhere, celebrations left and right. I have a dinner to attend to. You sit here by yourself, think about how you'll apologize. How you'll be happy to reconsider your thoughts, understanding that making amends from the past is what's best for everyone involved." 

***

Imani kept her hands to her mouth, eyes watery and body frozen.

Nikolai Kholodov.

His brother was here the whole time.

Valis had not told her anything about the man. She didn't think that he'd actually try to sneak in and harm her, or Xander. Yet, here Nikolai was. Dripping such insults and degrading words about the lives that depended on Valis Kholodov.

He wasn't going to make amends. Nikolai wouldn't dare to have common ground or peace with anyone who had taken the life of his husband. 

Valis wouldn't dare to ever insult himself like that. He'd never make amends with any man if Imani had died from such actions. Travis Morcan blocked her view, keeping them in the far distance as they listened to the conversation ahead of them. Hiding behind the distance corner of the basement, way into the dark, Imani and Travis had hidden.

Imani had unknowingly reunited with the soldier right at the beginning of her eight months stretch of pregnancy. She had gone to the garden during a late evening, with the thoughts of nothing but plum tomatoes in her eyesight. A letter was tucked underneath a few vines, explaining the continuation of a plan she had unspoken. Imani had left one in return, finding another one the next day. 

Now nine months pregnant, Imani was snuck into the massive basement, unseen and unheard of. She'd come up with an excuse as to why she was late, why she hadn't met up with her husband before the Kholodov celebratory dinner. The words were faint, soft as light scuffling was heard. Imani hitched her breath, watching the six-foot frame of her husband come out the room first. All of the soldiers following behind him as they all left Nikolai alone in the dim lit room. 

Travis and Imani had waited thirty minutes after the door finally shut. "Are you sure?" He asked carefully, leading her into the room where Nikolai had remained. "Are you?" She responded softly. Travis had explicitly explained to the woman that he was gone. The soldier was going to disappear from the face of the earth after this was done, that he'd be nothing but a ghost. Which Imani didn't want, she wanted at least one friend to have besides her husband. 

He gave a small nod, entering the room before her. The putrid smells filled her nostrils, eyes squeezing as she tried not to gag. Her view was torn from the blood-stained walls. The disgusting-colored water that remained in a large bucket that was besides a cracked sink. She looked at the body bag that was dusted with cobwebs and dust. It was just thrown in the far corner, possibly forgotten about. Taking her attention away, she looked at the old mattress that was on the floor. Stained with urine and blood, the mattress barely had any use left. Infront of the mattress, Imani looked at the man that was tied to a chair, body numbly sleeping with his head bent downwards. 

She sighed, nodding her head as she shakingly accepted the cloth covered knife in her hand. She wasn't sure what to expect when she came down here. Imani didn't like seeing her husband upset, so unfocused. Nikolai groaned, chest heaving as he looked at the heavily pregnant visitor that stood before him. What actually drove fear into him wasn't Imani or the soldier that stood beside her. 

"Imani?"

She ignored him, eyes watery at her own selfish motives as she inspected the sharp blade. 

"Imani. Please..I'll leave, okay?"

She ignored her brother-in-law, once again.

"Imani?"

The woman breathed, taking a small step forward with her eyes now on Nikolai. For the sake of Xander. For the sake of the children she carries, for her own husband and let alone herself. Imani was convinced that she had to do this. 

"I just..do it. Right?"