Act Two

XXI

Mentions of PTSD and alcohol are present in this chapter. Read at your own risk.

Pulling up to the station, Lilia rises from her seat to gather her belongings to exit the train car and meet her sister. Its been a long journey south and the young woman is relieved that she finally made it. Luckily, she was able to get some rest during the ride. Once off the engine, she braces for the harsh winter air. It is much colder here than Saint Petersburg, the thought already making her miss her new home. Now off and heading inside, it is bustling with commuters, visibility poor from the amount of people in the way, all dressed alike. After some searching around, Lilia hears a familiar voice calling out her name from the entrance of the station. Turning around, she is able to spot the slightly taller brunette under an archway, waving her over. The two meet in the middle and join in a tight embrace, the feeling surreal.

"We've missed you, Lilya." Her sister quietly mentions before the two pull away. Lilia nods, feeling a nudge on her leg before she can respond. Looking down, she meets the eyes of her young nephew, tugging on his mother's long skirt. "Oh, (1) *привет, Ilya. It's been so long since I've seen you." Lilia bends over to scoop him up, ignoring the whine from him. "He's gotten so much bigger since I left." Lilia points out, setting him back down before he throws a fit. "I know. Maybe his parents are tall?" Larisa suggests, plucking her son so they can head out to the car. The comment makes the younger sister chuckle, following the elder one outside.

"Your husband must be out of town if you have the car." Lilia points out, following Larisa through the lot, approaching the back of the Gaz Chaika M13. "He is. He's in Yekaterinburg for two more days before he'll be back. Always something about business." Larisa nods, unlocking the vehicle to buckle Ilya in his car seat. The trunk is popped for Lilia to set her belongings in the back, settling in the front passenger seat once finished. Larisa joins in the front, buckling before taking them on their way home.

"Thank you, again, for picking me up and letting me stay." Lilia brings up once they're on the main road. "Of course, Lilya. You're my sister, I would never turn you down." Larisa glances over at her sister, returning her eyes to the road. The ride is comfortable when it falls into silence, it feels like no time has passed since Lilia moved North. Larisa does have plenty of questions to fill in the silence, however. Questions about Lilia's new relationship and how things have been at the new dance studio.

"So," Larisa glances over her shoulder, noticing Ilya had fallen asleep. "Tell me about this guy you are seeing." She finishes, her gaze straight ahead although, she can see Lilia shifting in her seat from the corner of her eye. "Well," Lilia starts, searching for everything she can tell her sister about. Where does she even start? There is simply too much to share about her experience with Yakov so far. "He's very caring." Is the first thing that comes to mind, making the younger sibling smile from the thought. "That's good. Does he take care of you?" Larisa responds, taking a quick glance over at her sister. "He does. He always finds a way to do so, even if I don't ask for it. I know you're hesitant but there's nothing to worry about. Yasha is... Yasha's a gentleman, nothing like the boys from home. He's the opposite." Larisa gently nods, listening. Lilia is right, she is hesitant about this Yakov but she also wants to be open and accepting of her sister's partner. If Lilia's happy, she will try to be happy for her as well.

However, it is hard to stop protecting someone you raised.

"What else is he like?" Larisa asks, wanting to know just about everything. If this man is going to be around and in Lilia's life for a while, she ought to know as much background as she can. "He's a coach at the local skating rink in Saint Petersburg, I can't remember if I told you that or not. He really enjoys it as well." Larisa is quiet while Lilia talks about this man during the rest of the ride. Lilia has hardly taken a breath since she started discussing him and Larisa is starting to pick up some silent signals that her sister may be oblivious to.