NERVES OF STEEL

EPILOGUE

            That crisp morning. Everything was back as she remembered it to be as she stepped into the military base that morning. Soldiers moving in unison across the training grounds, their grunts punctuated by the bark of commanding officers.

          On one side, recruits crawled through mud under barbed wire while others scaled towering obstacles courses. She smiled, remembering her first time also. Her father wouldn't stop yelling at ever slightest sign of weakness.

         The sharp cracks or gunfire echoed from the shooting range, blending with the rise of tactical vehicles tearing through a nearby course. The air was thick and smelled of dust and of sweat and metal. Concrete buildings loomed in the background, their stark facades a testament to the base's grim purpose.

       As she walked into Russo's office that morning, her heart fell as she finally came to accept that she couldn't convince him to change his mind. Today made it a week since Lewis and his cohorts were sentenced to prison and the day, Russo announced he was leaving the army and renouncing his title as General by 12pm that day.

       It was his way of atoning for his sins. This was so sad. To her, he had atoned already. Just by admitting he was wrong and genuinely feeling sorry but for Russo, it wasn't. He was already packing his paperworks and the awards in his office.

     "Is anything I say, not gonna change your mind?" She asked.
     "Love..." Russo smiled, pressing a swift kiss on her lips.
      "Russo..."
      "My decision is final, honey." He said. Softly holding her gaze."
      Diane nodded, with a faint smile. "Fine. I respect that."
       "Thank you."
       "I'll help you pack."
       "Very much appreciated."
       "Atleast now, I have a chance at beating your awards." Diane said as the admired the most recent one.
      "What?" He asked, half chuckling.
      She only shrugged. "I fear the longer you stayed in the army. The higher your awards would get."
       "Then it's a good thing I'm leaving, isn't it." Russo smiled.
       "It's not gonna be the same without you around here." She admitted, in a whimper.
       "Darling, you'll always have me—"

       Disrupting his words was the sound of the telephone ringing. Russo reached out for it and immediately answered. "What? Alright, I'll be there." Just five words but she could see the bewildered look in his eyes and it made her anxious.

     "What's going on? Is something wrong? Who called?"
     "From the hospital. It's my father."
     "Yes?"
     "He just regained consciousness and requested my presence."
     "Oh my God!" She gasped, gladness filling her voice.
     "I need to go see him."
     "You should, yes."

            Diane smiled, the delight on his face was infectious. Turning around, Russo made his way out of the office only to return back a few seconds later, pulling her wrist out behind him.

      "What's going o—?"
     "I never go anywhere without my Chanel purse, remember?" He asked, staring straight into her flushed cheeks as she looked away.

    
SAINT PETERSBURG MILITARY HOSPITAL
WARD 001
VIP SECTION.

             By the time they had arrived, Russo was more than relieved to see his father sitting on the bed, his back resting on a pillow.

      "Father...." Russo called out.
      Marcov turned to his son, Joy filling his soul at the sight of him again. "Come here, boy. Come give your old man a hug."
       With a smile, Russo went over and engulfed his father in a warm hug.
       "It's a pleasure to see you well again, sir." Came Diane's voice from behind.
       "Thank you, Major." He nodded in acknowledgement.
       "I thought I'd never see you again." Russo sighed in relief. "I'm sorry."
       "What for?"
       "A lot has happened and—"
       "I've already been briefed." Marcov cut in. "And I must say that I'm very proud of the son I raised and your mother would be more than proud wherever she is right now. You're more than capable of ruling over Russia, my son. I'm only sorry, I thought you incompetent during my reign. I guess, it's the parental feeling of never being able to see their kids as anything other than the little child they held years ago but now? Now you've proved to me just how capable you are."

        Russo could feel his throat tighten with an emotion he could pinpoint. His father had denied him the position of General because of love and what did he do? He misunderstood him and tried to kill him. What a goddamn son he was!

        "I'm sorry to disappoint you, father."
        Marcov glanced confused at Diane behind him and back at his son.
        "I'm leaving the army." Russo confessed.
        "What? You will do no such thing, Russo."
        "You don't understand, Father. I...I was the one who put you in this condition." He sighed, regretfully. "Along with countless other people I've made suffer in my stead. I just think Justice is better served this way."
         Marcov kept calm for awhile. "Before judging you son, I asked myself if I would have done same in your shoes. True, you haven't been a saint but I'm no different. There are a lot of things I ended up not being proud of doing. Life is a lesson, Russo and if you keep running from your mistakes—"
       "I'm not running, father. I'm—"
       "Then acknowledge your wrongs like a man and live a guilt-free life you wont regret. We both know the military is where your heart lies. If you leave because of guilt, you will only regret it even till you're old and grey."
           Letting his father's words sink, Russo let out a deep breath, turning to Diane who nodded eagerly that his father had a point.

       "You've won, father. I'll stay."
       Marcov chuckled. "I always do."
       "But...I still think I should be away for a short while." Russo was quick to add.
       "Whatever you say."
       "And before I forget..." Russo started, sliding arm around Diane's waist as he brought her closer to his side. Taking her by surprise, embarrassment crawling to her spine. "...father I'd like to introduce—"
      "When I tell you this was the same way I introduced your mother to my father." Marcov cut in, smiling at the memory. "Only in my case, I was far too clumsy."
      "Doesn't sound like you." Russo smiled back.
      "Now isn't this some kind of twist." Marcov chuckled, staring from Russo to Diane. "Damn! Just how much did I miss."
      "Nothing you can't be rebriefed about."Russo grinned.
      "Alright when's the wedding?" Marcov asked. A small surprised gasp escaped her lips at that moment as she locked eyes with Russo.
      "Sir, I don't think it's tim—"
      "As soon as possible, father." Russo cut in, assuringly.
       "What?"
      "That's marvelous. Now, you two hurry up. I would very much like to see my grandkids before I die.....for real this time."
        Russo let out an amused laugh. "How many would you like, old man?"
        "Why, the more the merrier! Let's say six."
        "Six! What the hell!" Diane exclaimed, not finding this in the least bit, funny.
        "How about we double it and make a complete football team?" Russo asked.
       "You're out of your mind."
       "Football team, it is!" Marcov agreed.
       "Do I even have a say in all this?" Diane asked.
        "Ofcourse, you do, honey." Russo answered, holding her gaze. "Six is negotiable. A football team however? Isn't."
         "You're delusional if you think I'm birthing eleven kids. Try again, General." Diane rolled her eyes.
         "She's a feisty one." Marcov chuckled. "Although I'd settle for five grandsons to teach the ways of the battlefield and the rest....well, they can keep their mother sane."
       "What the hell?" Diane huffed. "I'm going to need a bunker just to survive the chaos you two are planning." She said, pointing fingers at them both.
      Russo leaned in, his voice low and teasing. "In the meantime, eleven is a pretty big number. We'd better start getting busy."

        Diane's cheeks turned red as her eyes darted to him, wide with shock. She struggled to hold his gaze, her embarrassment clear in the way she shifted uncomfortably. "You're impossible." She mumbled. How could he say that in front of his father but the man was only chuckling at his son's words.
   
         "You took after me well enough." He commanded still all smiles.
        "I aim only to please ofcourse."

        Shaking her head, Diane turned away, smiling. What was she going to do with these two grown men? She didn't realize they were so overbearingly alike. She sighed, smiling. She could get used to them.

 
      Like father, like son.

                              THE END