Chapter 15
Sienna
“Come back soon, Mommy,” Andrei’s voice pleaded from the other end of the call the next morning, as Selina nodded at her son during the video call on Nikolai’s phone. She was about to be taken to the operating room, everything was ready and she had wanted to speak to the children first. “As soon as I can, my angel. We’ll be home with your sister,” she smiled, as Rafael’s and Alexei’s excited faces appeared on the screen. “Yes! Our sister!” they laughed, and I smiled with them.
“Are you okay, Mom?” Mikhail suddenly asked, appearing behind his younger brothers, worry etched on his face. He was the oldest, he understood that something wasn’t right. “Of course I’m okay, my son,” she replied, her hand tightening around her husband’s. “But I want you to promise me something, boys” I frowned slightly as I watched her. “Until I… come back home, I want you to behave,” she continued, taking a breath. “And I want you to always listen to Aunt Sienna as if it were me, all right?” My gaze met Nikolai’s, his eyes were as desperate as mine. “Promise!” they answered in unison and she let out a trembling sigh. “I love you, my sons, with all my heart,” she said, smiling, a smile both radiant and painfully fragile. Ten minutes later, we were all standing in front of the operating room. Roman gently pulled away from my sister, who lay on the gurney and rubbed his arm. “Come back quickly,” he sniffed. “As quickly as I can,” she replied before opening her arms to me. I stepped into them instantly, just like when we were children. Like when I fell off my bike and ran into her arms. Like the day our parents died and, just like today, in a hospital corridor, we clung to each other. Like the day she found me beside Emilio’sbody in that hotel room. A sob escaped me despite myself as her arms tightened around me. “It’s going to be okay, Sienna. I’m not afraid. Everything will be fine,” she murmured against my ear, I nodded, unable to stop crying. “Take care of her,” she said suddenly over my shoulder, “I promise,” Sasha’s voice answered as I closed my eyes. My sister had to live. She had to.
An hour later, seated between Sasha and Kenji, I accepted the glass of water Tarik handed me, thanking him. He had arrived very early that morning, completely shaken. The reunion with his father had been deeply emotional, the way they had held each other had moved me. They all shared such powerful bonds. I was happy for them. “Nikolai. Spinning like a fuckingBeybladeisn’t going to help anyone. Sit down, for God’s sake,” Sasha muttered before groaning when my elbow jabbed his side. “I heard that fathers can sometimes feel phantom pains during childbirth, maybe that’s what he has,” Kenji replied, flicking his lighter. It slipped from his fingers when I smacked his arm.Honestly, two idiots. One worse than the other. “Everything will be fine. We just need to wait calmly,” I said, shooting them a glare, “Selina will come out with my niece, Elif will wake up, and we’ll go home.”
I made it sound simple, even though I knew it was anything but. Elif’s cardiac arrest the day before had further weakened her body; her brain, deprived of oxygen, had sunk into a deeper coma. But her vitals were stable, and I had no doubt they would improve.
Suddenly, the operating room doors burst open and two nurses rushed out. One disappeared down the corridor while the other approached us, lips pressed tight. “What’s happening? How are they? My wife? My daughter?” Nikolai asked as we surrounded her. “The baby is fine. She’s healthy, but…” “Selina?” I whispered, my throat tightening. “There’s a hemorrhage,” shefinally said. My legs trembled, the air left my lungs as my head spun.No.
“We contacted the blood bank before the operation, but we still haven’t received the units. We need a donor,” she explained as my mind raced. “Me! We’re both A-negative, I’ll donate!” I cried, my hand pressed to my chest, to my racing heart. The nurse nodded, but an iron grip wrapped around my arm, “no! She’s diabetic and insulin-dependent, she can’t donate,” Sasha cut in, as Kenji nodded in agreement and my anger exploded. “Are you kidding me?!” I shouted, pulling free. “She won’t be at risk with my blood!” I protested. He grabbed my shoulders, even angrier than I was. Iit’s dangerous for you!” he yelled, shaking me as tears welled. I shook my head, “I won’t let her die, she’s my sister!” I sobbed. He tightened his lips, pain blazing in his eyes. “And I won’t let you die from severe hypoglycemia,” he replied more softly.
“No one is going to die,” Nikolai’s voice suddenly cut in as he pulled out his phone and raised it to his ear. “Nina,” he said, running a hand over his face, “you’re a universal donor, right? O-negative?”
Hope warmed my chest, “Selina needs… thank you. Someone is coming to get you,” he said before hanging up. “She agreed to donate,” he exhaled as I covered my face, releasing a sob of relief as Sasha pulled me into his arms. “I’ll go get her,” Sasha said against my trembling body. “No…stay with her. I’ll go,” Kenji’s voice cut in, his footsteps hurried away as the arms around me tightened.
—
My lips trembled as a nurse pushed the bassinet into the room my sister had occupied before the operation. The tiny being inside gurgled, flailing her minuscule arms, and I gasped, my hands pressed against my stomach. This wasn’t normal. Thiswasn’t how it was supposed to happen. It should have been my sister and Nikolai here. It should have been them holding their daughter for the first time, not me and Sasha. I glanced at him and he was staring at our niece, jaw clenched. “Hold out your arms,” the nurse said as she lifted the baby from the bassinet and it took me a second to understand that she was talking to me.
Hesitantly, I extended my arms. She adjusted them before laying my niece against my chest, light as a feather. She was dressed in a powder-pink cotton onesie Selina had chosen months ago, a simple white bonnet, and tiny lace-trimmed booties. With trembling fingers, I lifted her bonnet as she fluttered her eyelids and my world stopped. I met her gaze. She was beautiful.
Her eyes, for now a pale gray, already hinted at colors beneath, green, blue, even a touch of brown. Her tiny lips were slightly parted, the tip of her tongue occasionally peeking out. I leaned down slowly, brushing my nose against her neck, inhaling that unmistakable newborn scent. Her fingers wrapped around my pinky finger as she gurgled again.
“Hello,” I whispered, wiping a tear with my shoulder, “I’m Auntie Sienna, and this is Uncle Sasha.” Sasha stepped closer, brushing her tiny legs, “hello,Lastochka moya,” he murmured, leaning in to kiss the top of her head over the bonnet.
He straightened, and our eyes met. The same thought crossed both our minds, we would protect this little being with everything we had.
“Do you know if the parents chose a name?” the nurse asked, taking the clipboard attached to the bassinet and I nodded, “yes. Amaliya. Amaliya Ivanov.” My gaze dropped back to my niece, now asleep, her little fingers still curled around mine. The nurse leaned in to place a small label on the bracelet around her wrist:
Name: Amaliya Ivanov
Mother: Selina Ivanov
Selina and Nikolai had chosen that name to honor our mother, Amelia. It meant the one who
perseveres, who fights.
I exhaled slowly, praying my sister would wake soon, after the doctors had managed to stop the hemorrhage, Selina hadn’t regained consciousness. She’d lost too much blood, and the anesthesia had been too heavy for her weakened body. They had decided to induce a coma until
the next day to allow her to recover at least a little. Nikolai was making sure Selina was stable
and had asked us to watch over Amaliya until he returned. “All right, it’s time to feed her,” the nurse said, putting the clipboard away, “how?” I asked tightening my hold on the tiny body. I didn’t want to let her go. I wanted to keep her safe. “We expressed the mother’s milk, we’ll give it to her in a bottle,” she explained gently, reaching out for my niece but I stepped back, lips pressed tight. “I… could I feed her myself?” I asked. I didn’t want anyone but family to feed her for the first time. “Or her uncle?” I added, doubting my ability but Sasha looked at me with a faint smile. “You’ll do just fine,” he said, his hand resting against my back and I nodded. “I’ll bring the bottle. Get settled,” the nurse said, pointing to the armchair before leaving the room. I moved toward it, walking slowly, and sat down carefully. Sasha slipped one cushion behind my back, another under my arm holding our niece. Then he pulled a chair close and sat beside us. “She’s beautiful,” I whispered, lifting my gaze to him and froze when I saw his blue eyes were already fixed on me. “She got that from her mother and her aunt,” he replied, his hand brushing my cheek and I closed my eyes, leaning into the warmth of his palm. I was happy to share this moment with him.
“It suits you,” he said suddenly as I opened my eyes, giving him a questioning look, a faint smile on my lips. “Holding a baby. Maternal instinct,” he smiled, his eyes shining as mine
faltered, dropping back to Amaliya. Maternal instinct… Was I even still capable of that? “Sasha…, I need to tell you something,” I began, straightening but a knock interrupted me as Roman slipped quietly into the room. He rubbed his hands over his thighs, his gaze immediately drawn to his niece. “I… I wanted to see how she was,” he said, stepping closer. I smiled, ignoring Sasha’s insistent look, “come closer,” I encouraged Roman, angling the baby so he could see her face, “look, Amaliya, this is Uncle Roman, the funniest of them all.”
He knelt in front of me, studying his niece, “she’s… tiny. Even smaller than Dimitri was when he was born,” he murmured, brushing her cheek with his knuckles.“Yes, boys tend to be born a bit bigger,” I smiled as he nodded, fascinated, “do you want to hold her?” I asked, rising slowly with Sasha’s help and the terrified look Roman shot me made me laugh.
“Me?” he asked and I nodded, motioning for him to hold out his arms. He did so hesitantly and I gently placed Amaliya in his arms while Sasha hovered close, hands ready. We looked like three idiots, but it worked. “Support her neck,” Sasha growled, and Roman complied instantly, “it feels like I’m holding nothing… it’s weird,” he breathed, eyes never leaving the baby. “Well, two kilos four isn’t exactly heavy,” I commented, adjusting the little bonnet slipping down her forehead, Roman began rocking her gently, talking to her, giving her ridiculous nicknames even though she slept. My heart filled with joy knowing she would be loved and protected, no matter what happened. She would never know the loneliness I’d been trapped in for so many years. She would never have to imagine the suffering a woman could endure thanks to her father, her uncles, her brothers, and of course her mother and her aunts.
Sasha’s warm fingers intertwined with mine and I looked up at him. “You wanted to tell me something?” he asked, curiosity lighting his eyes and I swallowed, “Sienna…” “I’m back. I’ll showyou how to do,” the nurse said, entering with a small bottle and I nodded, retaking my seat in the armchair under Sasha’s watchful gaze.
The next day, Nikolai entered the observation room with his daughter in his arms to introduce
