Back Through Time With You (SEQUEL of Ttewy)

6

I hear the door ring open as my grandma walks in at the same time an older gentleman comes out behind the counter and smiles warmly at me. "привет дорогой ты должно быть валентина" he says in a warm tone as I just give a short awkward smile. His eyes flicker to my grandma, "you have such a beautiful grand daughter, she resembles you so much!" He smiles at my grandmother. She forces on a smile that exposes her wrinkles and with her gentle eyes she thanks him.

" oh Nikita I cannot thank you enough for letting my granddaughter work for you!" She thanks him immensely. he smiles back, "anything for a dear friend of mine I know how hard it must be, especially for you Valentina" he turns to me and looks at me with pity. I look down at my feet great is this how people see me at least it's better than thinking I'm insane. "This will be a good start for her" my grandmother says not looking at me I keep my head down not going to look at her I won't apologize for the argument in the parking lot.

Well Alice would you care to stay? it might be a few hours but I amsure Nikolai would love to keep you company" he suggests to my grandmother, great the last thing I want is her here. " thank you for the invitation but I think I'm going to run a few errands before picking her up" she replys. "well I best be on My Way, Valentina... behave" she says before leaving.

I look up at the old man. He has what I guess can be called vintage glasses on. He has a dusty looking button up shirt and grey hair sprinkled all over his head. "Welcome to the team Valentina! I am Nikita and this is my grandson Nikolai, I am sure the both of you even went to russian school together when you were younger" he smiles at me as I plaster on a fake expression as Nikolai watches me. "How wonderful" I manage to say. "Business is slow today but let me show you around" he says.

On my training I learn to work the register, what Keys to use to open the glass cabinets, and close up. Then I get taken to the back and I'm shown mounts of old newspapers and archives. "What is this?" I stare at it in shock. "Archives of old newspapers and copies of them. I tend to seek the truth if hidden history, my main gem is the Romanov sisters currently" the old man explains. "W-what?" I gulp. "What Secrets?" I start to get agitated.

"Recently they found one more skeleton near the sight of the Romanov remains" Nikolai pipes up. "One more?" I stand frozen. "And look what I uncovered" Nikita shows me fragments of a newspaper, under a special screen. You can partially see the picture but the face is burnt out, but I recognize that picture like the back of my palm, that's me, posing with Tatiana. "Scandal: Tsarina's secret daughter with Rasputin revealed?" I freeze looking at the newspaper with my face bright red, anger bubbles in me as Nikita talks, "I have not yet found out who the girl in the picture with grand duchess Tatiana is but imagine! The Tsarina's secret daughter with the mystical monk uncovered! Imagine the amount of press we will get! We just need the proof"

"We need another set of eyes" Nikolai says while I feel his eyes on me. "She did NOT have an affair." I say through gritted teeth. "Pardon?" Nikita says as I angrily turn to him, "SHE DID NOT HAVE AN AFFAIR!" I yell louder. "You people want fame. Want money! Look at this poor woman! I snatch a picture of mama off the wall, "she did not sacrifice herself, she did not die for such foolish behavior! You people make me sick! Of course you would judge mama, what else do you people have to occupy yourself with but lies" I slam the door open and walk out of the archive room and out the door.

I sit on the curb with my head in my hands. I feel like sulking. I don't even know what is real or not. I feel fresh tears stream down my face. I sit like this for sometime before l hear someone sit next to me."I- I'm sorry" I hear Nikolai say to me.I don't reply to him, instead I sit in silence, waiting to see if he has more to say. " I didn't know this would be
such a sensitive subject do you.tho I should have known, you bought a Romanov book that day. I'm sorry we upset you Valentina, that was never our intention.please," Nikolai begs.

"You know she really didn't have any affair right?" Is all I say, or well whisper as my throat is crisp from my crying. "I mean- there is no evidence of it but I guess my grandfather is pushing for something too big, he was once one of the biggest historians in the world, all the history channels wanted him, but he fell from Grace and ever since then he has been trying to find his great return." He explains to me. I wipe my nose and look at him, "well he is messing with the wrong family" I say as I stand up. "Where are you going?" He follows me, "the gas station across the street" I answer as I cross the road.

"Hey wait up!" He jogs after me as I enter the 7-eleven and go to the soda station, even in the year 2022 the gas station soda seems simple enough to manage.

I get myself a lemonade and water it down since it's very very sweet. I pay with the cash I have leftover from my room. Nikolai follows close behind and also gets something I walk out the store with him following me. We get back to his grandfathers shop and my grandma is there waiting with more then a hint of anger in her face.