I don't know how long we were standing there. Maybe a few minutes, or maybe even an hour. But time eased Irina's emotions, and at some point, she stopped crying. She still didn't let go of me, though. Her hands, although without any strength in them, remained around me.
Another moment has passed and Vitalij appeared in the open door. He slowly walked his way from somewhere in the house. He was also wearing black clothes. He looked at us without a word, and I looked at him.
Irina finally got herself together, and with the last gasp, she gently pushed herself off me. I let her go, and she quickly noticed the boy.
- Come here sweety - she said to him, and he slowly walked towards her.
She then picked him up in her arms.
- I have the body - I informed them.
She nodded.
- Come inside - she said, and she entered the house.
We passed through the short corridor, and then through the kitchen to the leaving room. Every window was shut close or covered so there was quite dark inside. Then she placed Vitalij on the ground, and whispered to his ear:
- Go to your room sweety.
The boy nodded and left us.
- Here, on the couch - he said, pointing behind the table.
I took the bout out of my vault and using 'Telekinesis' slowly made him drift through the air, and land softly on the piece of furniture.
I looked at her, and even in the dim light, I could see her tears pouring from her eyes.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt- If you need help with anything... - I started.
- C-can y-you call Ilja here? - she asked with a trembling voice.
- Yes - I nodded.
Then I turned around to leave, but I stopped.
- Can you tell me where is Tihana?
- S-school.
I nodded again and left. I quickly found Ilja in the gym and told him everything. He gathered a few other guys and they all went to Boris's house. I promised to join them soon, as they were going to bury him, but first I wanted to see Tihana.
With a much lighter and quicker step, because the weight on my shoulders was gone, I headed towards the research facility. When I reached the building I noticed that she was already out, clearly heading towards the city center. She was wearing an oversized hoodie, a short skirt, and knee-high socks, white. She had a backpack and was carrying Tam in her hands. Sudarshana was there too, clearly looking after my fake daughter. She had a long dress in the color of the sea on, and her long wavy hairs were moving, pushed by the light wind.
There were a few more people also leaving the facility. Among them were several xuzards.
My appearance surprised them, and Tihana rushed towards me.
- You are back!
- Bawk!
- Yes. I popped in for a moment. There are still things going on out there...
- Is Boris really... - she started, but couldn't finish, as tears poured down her cheeks.
- Yes. I'm sorry...
She just nodded.
- They are preparing to bury him. We should be there.
She wiped her face with the sleeve of her oversized hoodie, then nodded again.
I peaked at Sudarshana, who was still standing there, looking at us. I felt like I also should talk with her.
- Can you give me a moment? I need to talk with...
- Sure - she ended my sentence short.
With a few steps I reached her, hugging her own torso like it was cold outside, but it wasn't.
- Hi - she started.
- Hi - I repeated.
- It's good to see you back - she said, and tried to smile, but she couldn't.
- You too.
I wasn't sure how well she knew Boris, but I doubted it was to the point of grief after him, which suggested there was a different reason for her sadness.
- I heard what you said... I know this might not be the right timing, but I think we should talk. At least I should...
- I'm listening.
She took a deep breath, clearly showing that this whole thing was very hard for her.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm- I want you to know that since you've been away I was constantly worried about you, and thinking. I couldn't sleep properly that's how anxious I was, and I came to the conclusion that we can't be together if it's going to look like this. I will just die of worry, and I know you can't just stop being who you are, so I think we should end our relationship here...
I was speechless. I needed time to process her words, but my brain just wasn't working, so I just nodded.
She touched my shoulder and smiled with sadness painted all over her face.
- I'm sorry Peter, but thinking that you are constantly in danger and might not come back is just too much for me. My hands were trembling, I couldn't focus, I couldn't eat... I really can't live like that.
I nodded again.
- You don't need to explain yourself - I said and gently grabbed her hand.
There was a moment when the two of us just looked one another in the eyes, and the whole world didn't matter at all. I felt like in this brief second we returned to the past when we were still together and happy.
- Dad?! - asked Tihana. - Shouldn't we go?!
I peaked at her.
- Yes - I replied, and then took a look at Sudarshana again, and just left without a word.
I felt pain in my chest like somebody was squeezing hard my heart.
- Are you ok? - asked Tihana as I got closer.
- Yeah. I'm fine.
- I overheard that...
- Let's not talk about this right now, ok? Let's just go to the funeral and pay our respects to one of the greatest men this city has ever seen.
- Bawk! - Tam firmly agreed.
Tihana just nodded and hugging the chicken tightly went alongside me heading towards Boris's house.. We didn't talk at all during the way, and soon we reached the place.