A girl returns to Birmingham.

Caterina
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Rina awoke to the feeling of small hands and feet climbing across her legs from above the covers. A reluctant groan escaped her lips as she shifted onto her back, knowing all too well who's extremities those belonged too.

"Dimitri, darling, why are you waking up mama?" She mumbled, throwing her arm over her face.

They had only just arrived to London yesterday, but the exhaustion from traveling so far hit Rina like a train. It was moments like these Rina wished she had told the nanny to arrive today rather than tomorrow. She could have really used the entire morning to sleep, but alas, motherhood waited for no one.

With a leap, Dimitri landed beside Rina's pillow and erupted into a fit of giggles. Reluctantly, Rina lifted her arm to see her son staring back at her with a grin stretching from ear to ear. She could somehow spot on his cheek where the drool had already crusted from last night.

Rina sighed.

"Oh come here, you." She said, enveloping her son in her arms.

He squirmed against her for a bit and then raised his head far enough to plant a wet kiss onto Rina's cheek. She smiled and returned the gesture, attacking Dimitri with kisses after kisses. He squealed in delight.

Rina released her hold on him and Dimitri sprang out of bed and onto the wooden floor, landing on his hands and feet like a toad. Rina gave him a look.

"Darling! Be careful now. If you want to see your father go on and I'll meet you downstairs, yeah?" She suggested.

Dimitri nodded jubilantly, sending an array of dark blond curls over his eyes. Rina's instincts urged her to push them back, but he had already made a dash for the door.

Once his chubby little legs disappeared from view, Rina collapsed onto the bed and groaned.

Today was going to be a long, long day.

⚜️

Rina's grip on her son's hand tightened as they wandered deeper and deeper into Alfie's bakery, with Ollie close by their side.

Big brutes of men ogled the pair as they passed, but Rina ignored them. Rather she kept her chin level with the floor and entered Alfie's office without bothering to knock.

Dimitri's face lit up at the sight of his father at his desk, rummaging through a stack of papers. Rina released her grip on the boy and allowed him to run into his father's arms.

"Papa!" Dimitri squealed.

Rina watched Alfie drop whatever documents he held in his hands and step around his desk to lift his boy into strong arms. He grinned.

"Good, lad. You're getting heavy, now ain't ya? Eating all that American food, you are." Alfie teased, running his fingers through Dimitri's messy curls.

The boy buried his face into his father's neck, embarrassed. Alfie then looked over to Rina, who still stood by the door.

"You're awfully quiet, love." He gathered, looking at her over his glasses.

Rina blushed scarlet.

"Forgive me, Alfred. We only just arrived yesterday and you know how tired I get from sailing." She explained, crossing the floor to him.

Alfie grunted in response.

"Right. You wouldn't have that problem if you just stayed here." He shrugged, "Just a thought."

"Alfred." Rina warned, approaching her boys. "You know why I can't stay."

Her voice lowered as she ran a hand over Alfie's cheek, noticing how much further the rash spread along his hairline. Alfie leaned into her touch, his eyes soft on hers.

"It's getting worse, isn't it?" She murmured.

His full lips quirked up into a grin. "Don't tell me you're getting sentimental because my time is running out, are you."

Rina rolled her eyes, slapping his arm.

"I'm serious, Alfred!" She groaned.

"As am I."

Dimitri wearily lifted his head high enough to peak at his parents bickering beside him. Rina lowered her voice an octave.

"I thought you were seeking treatment." She whispered.

Alfie made a face.

"Seeking and receiving are two very different things, sweetheart." He said.

Rina shook her head, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. Alfie was the father of her only child, how could she possibly cope with losing him to fucking cancer?

She wrapped her arm behind and over his shoulder, leaning on the tip of her toes to plant a light kiss against his mouth. Rina pressed her forehead to his.

"Dimitri needs his father, Alfred. He is already so much like you. I need you." She hushed, her voice wavering. "I swear he chases the birds with a rock every morning, that devil."

Alfie's lips curled up into a small grin, revealing his crooked bottom teeth. He snaked his free hand around Rina's middle and pulled her into him, holding her tightly. He planted a kiss against her scalp.

"I know love, I know." He sighed.

For a long while Alfie stood with both his loves in his arms, longing for forever. He never wanted to let go.

If only he had more time. Maybe then, he could've been the husband and father Rina needed, maybe then.

But he'd be damned not to try.

⚜️

Alfie had offered to take them both to the park after he finished up at the bakery, but Rina had already made plans for the evening. Rina bit back her tears whenever she kissed her little boy goodbye, warning him to be good, and left him with his father.

The London smog had long settled by the time Rina stepped out onto the streets. Her curious, liquid brown eyes scanned the industrial city as she walked within the traffic of people going about their day. It reminded her of Chicago, but somehow colder.

It didn't take long for Rina to reach her destination, climbing up the grey steps towards the inside where rows upon rows of books bid her welcome.

The library was surprisingly warm as she wandered around for a bit before finding the information desk. A young red-headed woman smiled warmly at her.

"Hello, there. May I help you with something?" She asked.

Rina offered a smile. "Yes, actually. I was wondering if you could kindly point me in the direction of Ada Thorne, please? I know she volunteers here in the late mornings."

"Ah. Ada you say?" The woman confirmed. "She'll be on the third floor."

"Thank you very much." Rina nodded.

With the newly gathered intel, Rina climbed up a spiraling staircase to the indicated floor and began popping her head into each and every isle until a familiar silhouette of a woman came into view.

"Excuse me, miss, do you know where I can find anything by Virginia Woolf?" Rina asked, using her best english accent.

Ada didn't turn around at first, but when she did her eyes grew as big as saucers.

"Rina!" She exclaimed, running towards her.

There was a loud Sh!, and Ada lowered her voice sheepishly.

"That was very good, my friend." She grinned, "Had me thinking you were English."

Rina grinned and held onto her friends soft ivory hands.

"Well, I spent so much time here that I had no other choice but to pick it up." She shrugged, "How are things? I see you volunteer now, how charitable."

Ada shook her head and sighed.

"Things are as I said so in the letter I sent you last week. Nothing's changed, really."

"Ah, I see." Rina said, "So you're bored, is that it?"

"You and Tommy both." Ada groaned, "He stopped by earlier and said the same thing. Wanted to rip a page out of a bloody book like it was nothing, can you believe it?"

Rina gritted her teeth, yes she could.

"And the baby?" Ada asked, looking around.

"He's with his father for the day. Thought I'd let them have some time alone to bond."

There was then an amused expression evident on Ada's face. Rina cocked her head and raised a brow at her.

"Time to bond, right. Sounds more like you needed some time away from the little rascal, eh?" She laughed, "I know that feeling, trust me. There is no shame in admitting it."

Rina covered her mouth as she felt a laugh escape her lips and shake her shoulders. It seemed to her that all mothers went through the same thing, regardless of where they're from.

"I did need some peace and quiet, yeah." She said, fanning her face.

Ada squeezed her friend's hands.

"And Thomas?" She asked carefully, "Have you gone to see him yet?"

There was a sudden shift in the air followed by a brief pause. Rina shook her head.

"In all honesty Ada, I'm stalling." Rina admitted with a frown, "I've planned on driving down to Birmingham soon to get there before nightfall."

"And you know where it is? The new house I mean." Ada asked.

"Yeah. I sent a letter there last week. It should've arrived by now."

Ada nodded. She knew Rina better than anyone, and Ada could tell she was nervous. After all, loving a man like Thomas doesn't just give, it takes and it takes.

"Well, you better get going then if you want to make it before dark. It was nice of you to stop by. You should come by the house soon for tea with your boy, I'm sure Karl will love that." Ada said.

Rina nodded and embraced her friend one last time.

"I will. Thank you."

The two women soon after parted ways. Rina pulled her coat tighter around herself when she stepped out from the warm confines of the library, and called for a cab. 

Rina barked out the address she was staying at for the moment and paid the driver generously whenever he dropped her off. He bid her many thanks and sped off down the narrow road.

Without going inside, Rina pulled her keys out of her coat pocket and slid into the rental car parked in front of the house. With trembling hands Rina jammed the keys into the ignition and turned them to awaken the engine. It roared to life.

She ran her hands over the steering wheel for a bit, flexing them inside the black leather gloves she wore. Her eyes darted between the mirrors before she willed the car onto the street and began the long drive towards Birmingham.

⚜️

"I'll let him know you're here." Said the maid.

Rina nodded timidly under the older woman's hard gaze and wandered deeper into the grand house after she had gone.

Her eyes scanned the walls and the tapestry, wondering if Grace had chosen the decoration before she passed. Rina trailed a hand over a wooden table along the foyer where a picture of what she assumed was Charles sat. She picked it up with care.

The boy had big blue eyes like his father, and Rina couldn't help but grin. He was beautiful. All children were, she supposed.

She set it back into place and noticed an open door just beyond the front entrance. Despite herself, Rina turned into the unlocked room to find a massive dinning hall fit for a king. But that wasn't all that surprised her.

There, on display, sat the enormous painting she had gifted Thomas with before she had left back to America. Words failed her as she went to it, as if in a trance. It beckoned her closer.

Rina slowly removed her coat and gloves and threw them onto a chair as she passed and stood before it, gazing up at those unforgettable eyes. Had it always been this big and gloomy?, she thought.

Timid fingers followed where the paintbrush had been, her mind taking her back to those sleepless nights where she would paint and paint and paint. At times Rina had thrown her brush across the room whenever she grew frustrated with capturing that very expression Thomas wore day and night. She wasn't sure if she loved it or hated it.

"I see you've made yourself quite at home." Said a voice from behind. She knew that voice in an instant.

Rina's head whirled back to see him standing there, casual. She swallowed thickly.

"I see you found a place for it after all." She said, referring to the painting.

Thomas nodded and pushed off the doorframe. He crossed the room to her.

"I did, yeah." He said.

"Did you like it?" Rina whispered.

He was standing beside her now, so close she could smell him. That unmistakable, masculine scent.

"I loved it."

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