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Mama was a liar.
She wasn’t a liar like Papa. Or like Unkie Yuri.
Mama was a bad liar.
When Papa got that letter in the mail, Mama assured Anya that Anya wouldn’t need to worry, but at the same time, Anya could see the way Mama was fighting to hold back tears. Not to mention the way her mind had been racing almost at the speed Papa’s thoughts did.
Anya knew better. That was the letter that took Papa away from them. It was that letter that meant that Anya and Mama had to leave their home.
Mama didn’t like it. She didn’t like being separated from Papa, because that meant that she couldn’t keep him safe. It meant that she wouldn’t be there to remind Papa to take care of himself. It meant that if anything went wrong, it would only be Anya and Mama and Bond.
But she didn’t tell Anya any of that.
Anya knew anyway.
“Anya, Sweetheart, would you come here for a moment?” Mama called from the front of their rented apartment.
Anya abandoned the multiplication worksheet she’d been working on without hesitation and ran to her mother’s side. Mama was sitting at their small kitchen table staring down at a few letters that were laying out on the table. It was the expression Anya was familiar with; it was how Mama always looked like when she was thinking about Papa.
But when Anya tried to listen to her mother’s thoughts as she walked into the kitchen, the only thing Anya was able to get was the sound of static. Like when Anya left the television on when the broadcast turned off for the night. Anya didn’t like it when the static took over her mama’s mind.
Mama smiled when Anya stepped through the door with a squeak of the floorboards.
“There you are,” Mama said. She sounded tired. “How’s the multiplication coming?”
Anya made a face and stared down at her feet. She knew it was important to Mama and Papa that she continue her education, but Anya couldn’t help but feel it was somewhat pointless. Learning how to multiply fractions wasn’t going to bring her Papa home to them any sooner.
Mama let out a little laugh and gestured for Anya to come to her. Anya ran to her mother’s arms and wrapped her arms around her mother’s waist as far as she could. Mama held her securely for a moment before she leaned away from Anya.
“I was wondering if you would be willing to do me a favor, Sweetheart? And maybe take a little bit of a break from your hard work?”
Anya looked into her mother’s face. There were dark shadows around Mama’s eyes that hadn’t been there before they moved out of the city, and she was thinner as well. But her eyes still sparkled with a hint of mischief, like they had when she was going to suggest that they bend Papa’s rules.
Anya nodded. Her grip loosened from around her mother’s waist, and she shuffled back a little.
“What favor?” Anya asked.
Mama didn’t let out a physical breath, but Anya could still hear the relief within her Mama’s mind.
“I have a few letters that need to be delivered to the Post Office. Would you be willing to take Bond with you and drop them off for me?”
Anya eyed the letters that were resting on the table. They had a mailbox. The mailman came by almost every day to pick up the letters that they sent to Papa, and to deliver his in their place.
But Mama wanted Anya to go to the Post Office and to take Bond with her.
Mama’s smile was still on her face, but Anya could see the way her mother struggled to keep the expression on her face.
Mama needed to cry. And she needed to cry alone.
Anya understood. “Okay, Mama. I’ll take Bond and we’ll bring home some flowers from the pasture too.”
Mama almost let go of the firm control she had over her expression. She didn’t think anything, but Anya knew anyway. She reached out and ran her hand through Anya’s hair.
“That would be lovely, Sweetheart.”
Anya pulled away from Mama and gathered the letters in her hands. She looked up at Mama and gave her a big smile, hopefully reassuring her mama. The smile Mama gave back to her was a genuine one.
“C’mon Bond. We got an outing, you and me,” Anya called to the family dog.
Bond rose from his nap with a large stretch.
Mama thought about the times where Anya had mispronounced ‘outing’ before, and how she was growing up so fast. About how she wished that Papa was there to see.
Anya frowned at her mother. Mama took in her daughter’s frown and gave a sheepish smile in return. A small blush highlighted her cheeks.
“I know. I know,” Mama said. “Don’t worry about me. Go on. Remember to be back before dinner.”
Bond trotted over and nudged Anya’s shoulder. Anya lifted her hand and stroked the big dog’s head. She nodded.
The walk to the Post Office was neither a short nor a long one. And once Anya was inside the building, it didn’t take long to drop the letters off in the drop box. Anya lingered a little while however when the Postmaster caught sight of her and asked questions regarding how her mama was doing.
His head was filled with sympathetic thoughts that Anya didn’t understand.
Anya answered his verbal questions as best she could.
“Me and Bond were going to head to the pasture now,” she said once she’d finished answering him. “Mama needs some flowers.”
The Postmaster smiled. “I’m sure she does.”
It must be hard, waiting for news of your husband.
Anya offered a quick farewell and retreated from the Post Office with Bond falling into step beside her. Anya tried to keep her steps even, but by the time she had reached the path that would lead her to the pasture, she was running. Bond trotted just behind her, keeping pace easily.
By the time she made it to the pasture and to the top of the small hill that overlooked everything, tears were running down her face.
It wasn’t fair.
It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair.
Anya was a good girl. She did what she was asked and did her very best to stay out of trouble. She’d helped Mama and Papa when they needed it. She’d even saved world peace a time or two.
But it wasn’t enough.
Because war came anyway. And it took her father away. It forced Mama and Bond and Anya to leave their home to live in a tiny town away from where the bombs were falling. Away from her friends. Away from everything she had known.
And Anya was tired. She was so tired, and her head hurt all the time. Even though people didn’t talk much out loud anymore, their minds were always busy. Always worrying about something. Even in the small town she and Mama settled in, it was almost too much.
Anya flopped down in the grass and rolled over to face the sky. Sometimes she would be able to see the planes as they flew overhead, but not today. It was cloudy.
Bond sat near her head and watched the area around her. He was a good boy and knew what she needed. Anya wasn’t sure if he knew because he’d seen the future or if he knew just because he was a good dog.
It didn’t really matter to Anya.
Just like her mama, she needed time to just cry.
When her tears finally stopped falling, Anya pushed herself to sit up. She reached out with a hand and started to stroke the back of Bond’s head.
There weren’t many flowers left in the pasture. It was getting far too late in the season for blooms, and the few kids in the village, including Anya, had picked most of the rest of them.
The wind picked up and rippled through the long grasses.
“Do you think we’ll get word about Papa soon?” Anya asked Bond.
Bond nuzzled the side of Anya’s face. But no vision came.
Anya wasn’t sure why she asked. Bond couldn’t control when he received his visions, just like Anya couldn’t control when and what she heard in other people’s minds.
Anya sat a while on the top of the hill, overlooking the rest of the village and beyond. She saw local people going about their business in their fields and in town. She watched as the train came from around the bend and pulled into the depot. It was the five-thirty train. Anya would need to start heading home soon.
“I s’pose we should be headed home soon.”
Bond gave a borf.
Anya patted his head again and walked away in search of at least a single flower to give Mama. She found a few by the time she returned to Bond’s side.
“They’re not the prettiest, but Mama will like them—”
Anya froze abruptly. Her eyes widened as she stared at Bond with his ears lifted high. The flowers she had picked slipped through her fingers and fell to the ground.
Mama was standing in the garden. One of her hands hung limply down, the garden tool she’d been holding having fallen to the earth below. The other was clamped over her mouth. Mama hadn’t even bothered to take off her dirty glove.
Tears were streaming down her face.
“No.”
A dark vehicle with a familiar symbol painted on the side pulled up in front of their house. Mama stared at the vehicle with wide eyes when the front passenger door opened.
Someone stepped out, and Mama collapsed in the garden.
Anya couldn’t help but stagger when the vision finally ended. Her heart hammered in her chest and she felt like throwing up. She wanted to curl into a heap. She wanted to scream. She wanted to run to her mama’s side. She clutched the hem of her worn dress and stared at Bond. He blinked back.
“We have to go. Mama… Mama…”
Bond borfed again and started down the hill toward their house. Anya followed, only after reaching down and gathering her dropped flowers. If what Anya feared was about to happen, she would need them.
Then she ran. She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her.
She fell down once, scrapping her knees and getting dirt and grass stains all over her dress, but picked herself back up and continued running. She ignored the concerned calls as she ran through the streets of the village.
She needed to get home to Mama. Mama needed her, even if she didn’t know it yet.
“Mama!” Anya cried as she pushed open the gate to their small garden.
Mama lifted her head and brushed her sweaty bangs away from her forehead with the back of her wrist. Slowly she started to get up when she saw the state Anya was in.
“Anya!? What’s wrong? What happened to you?”
Anya didn’t answer her mother before flinging herself to wrap her arms around her mother’s legs. Mama took the time to remove the gloves she wore before petting her daughter’s head.
Gently, Mama slid her fingers under Anya’s chin and guided Anya to look up at her. Anya tried to keep a straight face like Mama and Papa, but she could feel the tears already beginning to fall into her hair as she looked up into her mother’s face.
“What’s wrong, Sweetheart? Are you hurt? Do I need to do anything?”
Do anything. It was their code if Mama needed to do anything that required her assassin skills.
Anya shook her head and tightened her grip around her mama’s legs.
There was a pause before Mama spoke again. When she did speak, her voice wavered a little.
“Did Bond show you something?”
Anya nodded and buried her face into her mother’s skirt.
Gently, Mama pulled Anya’s grip away from around her legs and slowly sank down to be at eye level with her daughter. She wiped away the tear tracks from Anya’s face and did her best to silence the worried thoughts that were beginning to run through her head.
Mama failed.
What did she see? Please don’t let it be something with him. She shouldn’t be the first to know. I’m his wife. Her Mama. I should be first to know anything. If he’s gone—
“Mama!” Anya cried.
Mama blinked and shook her head. She wrapped her arms around Anya and rested her cheek against Anya’s hair.
“I’m sorry, Sweetheart. I’m sorry. Tell me, what did Bond show you?” Mama rubbed Anya’s back in circle.
Anya sniffled and took a deep breath. Then another one, because when she opened her mouth only a gasp escaped. Mama hugged Anya tighter.
“A car,” Anya hiccuped. “There was a car, and you were crying, and you were alone, and I couldn’t leave you alone.”
Mama made soothing sounds as she stoked Anya’s hair. Keeping Anya firmly in her arms, Mama stood and turned toward the house. Anya wrapped her arms around her mama’s neck.
“Thank you for coming to me,” Mama began. “Everything will be alright now. I’ve got you. Now, how about we go inside, and get you cleaned up some. Hm?”
Anya let out another little hiccup and nodded. Mama smiled and poked her nose gently before walking toward the house.
They were almost to the back door when she heard it. At first it was the sound of tires rolling along the gravel that lined the road. But then she heard her name. And her mama’s name.
Anya spun in her mama’s arms, staring wide-eyed at the road.
“What is it, Anya? Did you hear something?”
Anya’s brows furrowed. If she was right, then it was—
The car she’d heard made the last turn around the corner onto their street and pulled up in front of their house. Mama saw the car, with the same markings as the car in Bond’s vision, and froze in place. It was too dark to see what, or who, was inside the vehicle, especially when it came to stop in front of their house.
The sun had decided to peek out from behind the clouds and was reflecting perfectly from the windows of the car to prevent seeing who was inside.
For a moment, no one moved. Not Anya, or Bond, or Mama. Whoever was in the car didn’t move either.
I’m home.
Anya lunged out of her mama’s arms and stumbled over her own two feet as she raced toward the garden gate. Vaguely she heard her mama reprimanding her for not being careful, but it was drowned out by the overwhelming sounds of her papa’s thoughts.
By the time Anya reached the gate, Papa was out of the car and through the gate. He dropped his coat to the dirt and fell to his knees as he held his arms open for Anya. Any barreled into his chest and wrapped both her arms and legs around him. His arms folded around her as he pressed small kisses to the top of her head.
Anya couldn’t describe what she was feeling. She was whole and warm and safe and happy and crying and and and and—
Mama cried out Papa’s name and suddenly she was there. Her arms were wrapped around Anya and Papa, and she was crushing Anya, and trying to kiss Papa over Anya’s head, and she was crying and laughing.
Papa wanted to wrap his arms around Mama too but couldn’t free his arms to do so. Nor did he want to let go of Anya. But he was laughing and there were tears falling from his eyes, but he wasn’t crying.
Finally, Mama loosened her grip enough to allow Papa to free one arm. With it he immediately reached up to brush the hair away from Mama’s face. Mama leaned into his touch until his palm was resting on her cheek.
“You’re home,” Mama said through her tears.
Papa smiled wider than Anya had ever seen her papa smile. With teeth and everything.
“I’m home. I had a promise to keep, didn’t I?”
Mama smiled at Papa and pulled him and Anya closer into her embrace. Anya wiggled in her parents’ embrace until she was able to throw an arm around each of their shoulders. All three of their heads came together in the middle, bumping into each other. Anya couldn’t help but let out the laugh building under the tears.
There were questions running through Mama’s mind, but Mama said nothing out loud. Whenever they came up, Mama pushed the question aside for later. She didn’t need to have all the answers immediately. She could get them after Papa got settled in. After Anya went to bed. Just. Later.
Everything is going to be alright now.
And Anya believed Mama.
How could she not? Papa was home, and she had Mama’s arms around her. Bond was somewhere, stirring up the dirt with his tail.
Everything was as it should be.