Don't Go Into The Woods

Chapter 23

I didn't take much notice as to how easily he had accepted my answer. Instead, I decided to keep quiet and try not to think too much about my mom and how she really did not approve of me going anywhere near the woods. These very same woods that she believed made my dad crazy. I stared out of the window and took in the beauty of the white snow that blanketed most of the town. I hoped I was going to enjoy this walk down memory lane. I just could not believe I was actually going to go through this with Dimitri of all people. That truly shocked me. I sneaked a peak at him on the sly as he drove. I am not sure what I just experienced when I stared at him with his eyes focused on the road ahead and this gentle breeze blowing through the slightly opened window beside him. But it felt good though. Before I knew it, I found myself hiding this smile which just kept popping onto my face. Never did I ever smile this much.

I almost felt happy and even relieved to pull up at the parking lot near to the woods just so I could have an excuse to smile and grin at other people which consisted of his family who appeared to have just arrived here themselves. We were greeted with warm welcomes and I got this big hug from his father, Vladimir who was particularly happy to see me. He almost crushed me with his hug. I didn't complain of course. I was glad that someone actually wanted to see me. After all the greetings, we finally started to get ourselves into gear and started the hike. We walked together with Dimitri and his father carrying anything which may be needed, including a first aid kit. Apparently Dimitri's sister was persistent on taking one with. She was clearly the motherly type here. I wondered where their mother was, but was far too afraid to ask Dimitri straight out. Though I didn't know I was about to get my answer from an unlikely source. Dimitri got whisked away by his brothers who were in the need to annoy and tease their little brother. I found myself leading the pack and walking alone most of the time till suddenly I heard a voice not far from me and I looked up to see Anastasia walking a few feet beside me. She gave me a smile as she dove her hiking stick into the snow before her. Vladimir was walking at the end of the pack, accompanied by his loud mouthed daughter in-laws whose company he did not look like he was enjoying right now. Anastasia let out a laugh, looking back at them before returning her attention to me.

"Thank you." Anastasia said.

"For?" I asked.

"This. My father loves the woods. Any woods. It is almost like his second home." Anastasia explained to me. "He is a bit out of shape though." Anastasia let out a giggle at that which I too shared with her till she suddenly fell silent and her smile dropped a bit. "He hasn't had much interest in hiking ever since our mama passed on." Anastasia said softly. I felt relieved that I had not asked anyone where their mother was. That would have been a real disaster. Though I also felt guilty for feeling so relieved. That was not all I felt guilty for. I had openly admitted to Dimitri that I didn't get along with my mom meanwhile he didn't even have a mother to disagree or argue with.

I tried my best to hide the guilt as I walked along beside Anastasia through the snow talking to each other. "I'm sorry. I didn't know." I said sincerely.

"It is alright. It has been quite a number of years since she passed on. Dimitri was a young boy." Anastasia said. "This is the first time I have seen that special glow in his eyes since our mama passed. I suspect it has something to do with you." I just blushed and remained quiet. A frown stretched over my face. I honestly did not know what to say to this. I guess Anastasia must have been telling the truth seeing as she obviously knew her brother far better than I did. Still. I became speechless at hearing someone saying this to me. Although I did have some part within me that already knew this. Dimitri behaved differently around me than what he ever did when he was around Candice. That was just my own observation. Again, I wondered than if Candice had ever been introduced to this family. "Dimitri is a very complicated young man. My brother has always been the reserved type. I hope you have enough patience for him because our father seems to like you a lot." Anastasia said.