Destined | 18+

Part 26 - Revelation

Isla's POV

Roman finished his comparison of Russia and America and I sat there stunned, trying to digest everything he said. Clearly, he didn't just come up with this and this showed his knowledge of history and geopolitical circumstances as well as general interest in cultural and world affairs.

He was intriguing and I caught myself thinking that no matter what we spoke about, he always held up his side of the conversation.

"Do you believe in God? Seeing as you're both Russian and American?" I have no idea why I asked that but then I watched him consider it.

"I don't know." He responded truthfully. "I don't know if I believe in God. I was an atheist but then...certain things happen in your life and you think...that can't just be a coincidence, it can't." He paused for a second but then asked me the same question. "Do you believe in God?"

I didn't need to think about it. "No. I don't. If there was God, there wouldn't be so much pain and suffering...that was undeserved." Oh shit. I got emotional just talking about it, not sure why the fuck I even brought this up. Immediately, images of my parents' lifeless bodies floated to the top of my mind.

I saw Roman only nod in agreement. He leaned closer to me, putting his hands on my shins underneath the water and slowly dropping his head.

"I agree." He spoke quietly. "There is a lot of pain and suffering in the world...that is given to the most innocent ones."

I realized that he too lost someone to a very tragic fate. Someone who didn't deserve it. I wanted to know more.

"Do you ever see your dad?" I asked him quietly, shamelessly probing deeper into who he was. He remained in the same position but I saw him shake his head and slowly say no. Seemed like Roman crossed the ocean to see his aunts but not his dad.

"How come?" I asked more, hoping he wouldn't shut down my curiosity. He didn't, and answered honestly, looking at me now.

"Because he left. When I was very young and he abandoned my mom with an eight and a three year old, here, in a completely foreign country. I don't ever want to talk to him."

That made sense. It sounded like him and what was left of his family had to go through a lot when they immigrated. "Why did your family leave Russia?" I wondered so many things about him realizing I fucking knew nothing. He leaned back onto the bathtub ledge and answered truthfully.

"Because the 90s was a very hard and awful time. The country was falling apart. My dad was an engineer and he lost his job overnight. My mom was a professional pianist and she was also left with nothing. There was rampant and open crime, gang wars right on the streets, all infrastructure failing, government assets being sold off, and of course, war in Chechnya. So they left to come here, for a better life but then...it all got fucked up here too." He furrowed his eyebrows and looked down at the water.

"I'm sorry. That sounds like a very difficult childhood." Now I leaned and climbed closer to him in the bathtub that was difficult to maneuver in because of his long limbs. I gave him a soft kiss on the cheek and just wanted to comfort him. But it dawned on me how he looked and acted like he was in total control, over everything, all the time but inside, there was a lot of pain.

He smiled at me with so much love and affection but came back with a question of his own. "Did you have a happy childhood?" He looked hopeful and ran his hand down my cheek, getting drops of water on me.

"I did. I had a great childhood and overall, everything was going really well. My parents loved each other and me and my brother. My mom was an accountant and my dad had a large construction and concrete company. But then, like a switch, one day everything just went to shit." I finished quietly and scooted back, watching him look at me seriously. He spoke up after a long silence.