The Russian Roulette [The Mafia Chronicles #2]

Chapter VII

Time is complicated. They say things heal, grow, and change with time. You cannot run after or hold it, no matter how hard you try because it's simply out of your hands. Time has that effect on us and for an invisible entity, it controls much of our being. You can't help whether certain things happen to you by the hands of time or not, but you can either dwell on them or move the fuck on.

Sophie chose to move the fuck on.

That's why when Alexi offered to tour the west wing with her for the morning, she agreed. Offering in the first place was proof Alexi was moving on. He wanted to make their relationship to work as much as she did- or that's what she wanted to believe. With a man like Alexi, who is reserved by nature, feelings are hard to decipher.

"I spend a lot of time here when I don't have work." Alexi explained as they entered their personal gym. Imagine being rich enough to have two gyms in your house, Sophie thought.

"I can tell." Sophie let out a snicker as she eyes him from head to toe. Her husband turned towards her with a raised brow. "I'm kidding! Don't be so sombre." She jumped on a treadmill and started pressing random buttons till one of them started moving the belt.

"I'm not sombre, I just don't like to shit sparkles and rainbows." Alexi walked over to his wife and turned off the treadmill. "You're wearing socks. I don't think that's safe." His hands wrapped around her waist, lifting her off the treadmill.

"You don't have to shit glitter to not be a walking personification of melancholy." Stumbling a little as she got of the treadmill, Sophie used Alexi for support. Her hands clutched his broad shoulders tightly, making him grunt. "How strong are you, woman?" Sophie let go of his shoulders, quickly apologizing.

"Oh, I'm sorry- I didn't mean to." She searched his eyes for any sign of anger, but she found none. She confused herself. Why did I think I would see any at this moment, when he wasn't angry after I did far worse before? Maybe it was because this time, her guard was off, or maybe because she started to care a bit...

"It's fine, I was 'kidding'. I'm trying to not be a walking storm cloud." A smile spread across her face when she realised, he was putting effort to communicate with her. It was the little things that she cherished. She learned to not take anything for granted.

When Sophie was fifteen, Katya grew sick. Igor and his daughter juggled their school, work, household chores, cooking, and all sort of things that were normally done by Katya. They were so used to leaving everything to her, not because they were ignorant, but because they didn't understand how much she actually did.

For a week, Igor and Sophie burned multiple dishes, stained white clothes with a red sock while doing laundry, and bought all the wrong groceries. Despite Katya being a stay-at-home mom by choice, she did far more than anyone would expect her to. She provided emotional support to her family, helped her daughter in school, took care of doctors' appointments, and so much more for her family because of how much she cared.

That care caused her sickness. She grew too tired to even move, and soon becoming ill. Once she recovered, Sophie cried in joy and Igor kneeled at his wife's feet. Not because they were glad someone can take those burdens off their shoulders, but because they realised how precious Katya was to them- how vital she was to their lives.

The love, care, and sacrifices she made for their sake were endless. So, for the longest time, before Sophie married Alexi, Katya was able to return to the job she left to raise young Sophie while her husband and daughter shared her burdens. Her daughter respected all the mothers in the world even more and realised that it's the little things they do that truly matter.