Her Russian

Chapter 21-Saying Goodbye

Go figure today would be cloudy and overcast, there was a funeral taking place after all.

Galina was in a flowy black dress, one shoulder was off, empire waist, and the hem was just above the knees and Mary Jane heels. She had a black lace umbrella and black clutch.

Her jewelry consisted of a rose necklace and matching earrings, presents from Irina, and a chunky bracelet.

She was ready with five minutes to spare as she grabbed her sunglasses and phone and headed to her front door.

Her phone buzzed, it was a text from Max. He was outside and ready when she was.

With a heavy heart, she put on her glasses and picked up her umbrella and purse. Locking the door she headed to the car.

As she got closer, she stopped mid-stride when she was near the car. Oh hell no! She was not riding in the car with him.

"Maxim!" Galina hissed. "I am not riding in this fucking car with him!" Her tone was not lost on how she said him.

"Galina, I will not referee you two today. Irina was family. It's not about you or him" he said it the way she had pronounced it.

She felt bad with him putting it that way, so she got into the car and tried not to look at Ilia or touch him. But she could feel his eyes on her. It was unsettling.

Lord help her now. His long hair was slicked back and he was in his signature black fitted suit and sunglasses.

She wanted him. She missed him. She hated him. She loathed him.

This perpetual and constant pain in her heart was his fault. Would she ever get over him? Damn him, she'd fallen in love with him.

He took everything from her. Her virginity and her love. Love. What a joke. It brings nothing but darkness and sadness. She would never again allow her heart to be hurt in that way again.

Going forward, she would remain unmoving in this constitution. No one would ever have her heart again.

They finally arrived at the cemetery and while Maxim got her door, Ilia got out of the other door and walked away never looking back at her.

For some reason, she flinched at the hurt his actions caused. Max picked up on it right away. "Galina, he's just upset" he started.

Galina scoffed. "Are you always going to make up excuses for him, Maxim? He's being a total dickhead, he knows he's wrong and he'll never admit it. I shouldn't have come today. It's just too hard" her voice hitched.

Steadying herself, she walked on wobbly legs toward the burial site. There were chairs set up for the family but Galina went and stood in the back.

"You should be sitting with us, little kot. She was your cousin too" a soft voice whispered against her neck. And then she saw his hand.

Shivering, she knew who it was. The way his breath felt on her skin, his scent. It was Ilia and she wouldn't cause a scene, not here, not today.

So she took the offered hand followed him to the chairs in front. He took a seat next to a gorgeous older woman and Galina knew right away she was his mother.

"Valeria Savin" she said to Galina. "Galina Ivanov. And I'm very sorry to be meeting you under these circumstances" Galina said sympathically. The woman smiled as Galina sat down on the other side of Ilia.

She wanted so much to comfort him but she couldn't give that false hope to him or herself. His pull was draining her, she found it almost impossible to not go to him. But she didn't.

The service was short and soon they were making their way back to the car. Galina allowed him to open the door for her, said thank you, and slid in.

She looked out the window as they drove, trying not to think about the man sitting next to her. He was not going to make this easy.

Galina felt the tips of his fingers graze her knuckles, her heart starting to beat recklessly.

"Galina" he whispered. "Ilia. Please don't" Galina begged. Her voice cracking and betraying her. He removed his hand, placing it in his lap.

Pulling up to her home, Maxim jumped out and got her door. As she started to get out, when she turned slightly and said "I'm sorry about Irina." And then she got out.

With her hand up to her mouth, she ran past Max and into her house. Slamming the door, she slid down to the floor, sobbing.

How was she going to survive this? How was she going to live without him? She didn't do 'alone' well.

Taking her shoes off, she slowly got up and walked to her bedroom, discarding her dress along the way.

Deciding that she needed to get out of the house, she called Tori. "Hey Galina!" Tori said excitedly. "Tori, could I go ahead and start work today? I just really need to get out of this house" she stated.

"Sure thing! Just wear some jeans and shoes you can stand in. I'll give you the tee shirt when you get here" Tori said happily.

Galina pulled her hair into a high ponytail, threw on her skinny jeans, pink Chuck's and a plain pink V neck tee shirt. She freshened her makeup and grabbed her wallet, phone and keys.

Excitement flooded her as she neared Zoom. She was going to be around people, meeting new people and this would be her chance to work Ilia from her heart and mind.

Galina enjoyed a busy five hours as her shift ended at eight.  Thankfully it had slowed way down an hour before, so they started the closing routine and were out by eight-thirty.

"Galina you did great in there!" Tori enthused.  "Thank you for making it fun too!"  She asked Galina if she wanted a lift home, Galina took it gratefully.

As soon as she walked in the door, she headed for the bathroom for a nice relaxing bath.  With the water going, she threw in a bath bomb and soon a jasmine and honey fragrance flooded the air.

Laying her head back against the tub, her thoughts went to earlier in the day.  Ilia was in the forefront of those thoughts like always.

It wasn't going to be easy to rid her body of him or her heart but the problem surfacing now was, did she want to, forget about him?

Sighing, she used her toe to flip the drain plug to let the water out.  After drying her body and moisturizing, she dressed in her white tank shirt and boy leg shorts.

The end of this day screamed for tea and a treat. One of the perks of working at Zoom was she could bring any of what left over after closing.

The mini sweet roll was just what the doctor ordered, that and the chamomile tea.  Settling down into bed, she pulled the sheet up and closed her eyes, thinking of him.