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Two giggling little bodies jumped on the bed, making their mother laugh, her book landing on the floor at the crash.
“What do my munchkins want, huh?”
“Story! Story!”
“Yeah, Story Mommy!”
She smiled, sitting up.
“Okay, Okay. Come on.”
The two children snuggled into their mother excited.
“What story do you want hear?”
“Tell us about Daddy!”
“Yeah! Yeah! The Great Wolf!”
Amanda smiled sadly. She missed him.
“Okay...let's see.”
“Tell us about the time he saved the world!”
Anastasiya rolled her eyes.
“My Daddy always saves the world.”
“Hey! He's my Daddy too! ‘Sides I'm named after him,” Vitya said proudly.
Anastasiya did not appreciate that fact.
“Well I'm named after Auntie so...there!”
Vitya scoffed. “Whatever Ana. Mama the story of the Wolf!”
“Okay. Um!”
“In Russian Mama it doesn't sound the same.”
Amanda learned Russian while she was pregnant, and taught her children to speak it.
She also introduced them to their other side of the family; Vitya's parents Sisters.
“Once there was a great Wolf and though he led his pack well, he mostly stayed alone. He was Noble, he kept with peace with the other animals, and he protected those who asked for it.”
“What happened Mama?"
“Well, one day, a Bear came into his territory. This bear was fearsome, and always looking for war. He had been at peace with the Noble Wolf but he decided he wanted more."
“So he went, and tried to get to the wolf pups, who were helpless."
“The Noble Wolf couldn't stand for that, so he hid all the cubs in a secret place. But the Bear was cunning. He pawed at the ground until he found the cave, and he snatched one of the cubs and ran away.”
Anastasia gasped. “How could he?”
“He had no honor. But the Noble Wolf was far more cunning, and he was honorable. The only problem was, the Bear too had gathered animals, of all types to fight against him.”
“What happened?”
“Well, because the Noble Wolf didn't want to send members of his pack to a losing fight, he told them to watch the pups. Then, he alone set out to visit the Bear's hideout.”
“By hisself?”
“All alone. But because he was the most cunning creature, he disquised himself as a very old wild dog, making himself look weak and harmless.”
Anastasiya humphed triumphantly.
“Then what Mommy?”
“Then he hobbled into the hideout, pretending to be lost and sick."
“‘Exuse me,’” He said in a feeble voice, “But I come from a Faraway land, and I am tired. I lost my way. May you help me?’”
“Knowing that the bear had no honor, he was not surprised when the best laughed boisterously.”
“‘Old dog,’” The bear laughed, “You have made a fatal error coming here for help.’”
“Then he ordered that the old dog be thrown in a cell. Vitya was dragged off to the dungeon, cast out like trash.”
Little Vitya started bouncing on his seat. “And who was there? Who? Who?!”
“The stolen pup. Vitya had found the stolen pup. So, tucking him in his chest. He waited until the animals were asleep, and snuck out of the dungeon. He took the pup home amd—”
“They lived happily ever after,” The twins chimes happily. Both of the children yawned, smiling contently.
“Mommy, I love Daddy. He's the bestest Daddy ever.”
Anastasiya nodded in agreement “Where Daddy today, Mommy?”
Kissing their foreheads, Amanda sighed. “Tonight? Tonight, Daddy's in Paris. He's fighting against the evil Russians—”
Anastasiya rolled her eyes.
“Mama, everyone knows Daddy hates Italian's not Russians. He is Russian.”
“Yeah,” Amanda repeatednsotptm “Everyone knows."
With that, Amanda said her good nights, and got up to leave the room.
She kissed their heads once more. “Mommy and Daddy love you.”
“We love you too, Mama.”
Amanda left the room, her heart heavy. “Oh, my love. I miss you so much.”
- Writer
