Strictly Mysterious

Chapter 30

~ 21st March 2020 ~

"Hey Luba.. " Nadiya says absentmindedly, answering her phone while eating some toast.
"Not Luba I'm afraid.." Katya smiles.
Nadiya drops her toast back onto the plate and her jaw drops open. "KATYA?! Fucking hell, is that actually you?!"
"It's me.." she chuckles. "I've got nothing to report, I just wanted to hear your voice.."
"You have no idea how relieving it is to hear yours.. we've all been so worried about you.." Nadiya says, unable to stop smiling.

After some sweet conversation and welcomed small talk, Katya hangs up and passes Luba her phone back, slouching into her side. Over the past month, she's never felt safe, not once. But being here, back with Luba, she couldn't feel more on top of the world - even if she is within the constraints of a hospital bed.

As always, Neil and Luba were there with her. Luba was lying on the hospital bed with Katya, her arms wrapped protectively around her girlfriend; Neil was sat in the chair opposite, thanking his lucky stars for Katya appearing comfortable and not frightened. No one would blame her for being petrified, and maybe deep down she is. But having the people she cares about most there with her, it honestly really helps. After all, they're in Russia for God's sake.. they were willing to cross countries for her, and she simply felt so grateful.

"Who found me..?" Katya asks.
Neil sighs. "We did, Kat.. It's one hell of a story, but.."
"Oh.. " she responds, looking downwards. "I-I remember being put there.. and I remember trying to yell for help but.. I must've blacked out, I don't remember anything afterwards.."

Luba and Neil look to one another; They know that this was the time. This was the perfect setup to have the conversation they needed to have, but no one particularly wanted. Wether it's hard to hear or not, they simply had to know what happened to Katya, and if it's true that her own family hurt her. It might not be the easiest thing to talk about, but nothing important ever is.

"Kat.. what happened before that? Who put you there..?" Luba questions.
Katya braces herself. She knew this was coming at one point or another. "I came here willingly.. at first. I just wanted to visit my family.. I wanted to tell them about us.." she says, looking up to Luba. "I think it goes without saying that they didn't take it too well.."
"They hate you being with Luba so much that they starved you and trapped you?" Neil asks with shock.

It was obvious from the comments Tatiana made yesterday that they weren't too accepting towards queer people. But to hurt someone for that reason alone seems excessive, even for them; let alone the fact that Katya's their own bloody daughter? No matter how many answers they get, nothing ever seems solved. Maybe detective work just really isn't their forte?

"I guess.. I don't think they meant to." Katya says. "To begin with, they just took my phone away from me.. but then they cancelled my flight home.. It happened before I really knew it, but I think they were trying to trap me in Russia somehow? I think.. I think they hoped that, if they kept me away from you for long enough, I wouldn't love you anymore or I'd 'realise' I didn't like women.." she explains.
"Katya.. Kat, I'm so sorry.." Luba whispers, kissing the side of her head gently.
"Eventually, I tried shouting out the window for help.. they got scared and locked me in a room in the basement, so no one could hear me. I spent all day, everyday, kicking the door, praying it would break."
"You shouldn't have gone through this.." Neil says, his anger beginning to overspill.
"I managed to kick a panel off.. But by the time I got out, they noticed. That's when they put me in the car." She finishes.

Staring into space, Neil does his best to process what Katya's told him. It's just unthinkable.. fair enough, they made a bad decision, and sometimes bad decisions end up spiralling. But that's rendered void when said decision is made from a place of homophobia, and leads towards hurting your own family. Neil's spent Christmases with these people.. birthdays, countless meals, hours upon hours.. and he would've never guessed that they were capable of this? But then again.. during all that time they spent together, they were under the impression that Katya was straight. Which, when you think about it, is even more disgusting.