Bratva Mother

Native Name*edited

“Baby girl, I love you, but if you can't say right now why you're talking vaguely, then I am going to do the same and explain everything when we talk again. Right now just do this.” Carol took a deep breath and agreed, then they too said goodbye.

Once all her important calls were done and out of the way, she set about a resignation letter. By the time she finished it all, it was time to go home. She walked out of the office and made her way to the awaiting car that was to take her to her penthouse.

Carol was tired. Who knew doing all this work was tiring while pregnant? She made it upstairs and, to her surprise, James was in her living room. She looked at him and put her stuff down. Then he said,”Is there a reason you are here and not at your own residence?” He turned from the windows and stared at her. He had no emotion on his face.

“Do I need a reason to see my wife?” He parroted.

“James, it was a long day. All I want to do is eat a quick meal and take a bath.” She sighed and sat on the couch.

He continued to stare, then pulled a piece of paper from his inner pocket. He put it on the coffee table and sat in the armchair adjoining the couch. She picked up the paper and looked at it. “So you are coming to talk me out of leaving, huh?”

He frowned at her. He was hoping to make her nervous. “Is there a reason you want to resign? Do you have another company you want to work for?”

She laughed, shook her head and said “James, I resigned because I don’t want to work importing and exporting anymore. Grandma Jenn pushed me to get a nursing degree, and I’m good at it. I want to explore this.” Careful Carol, you were told to keep quiet about the divorce until the papers are drawn up.

He looked at her long and hard. He knew his grandma pushed for the degree and knew they spent a lot of time together before Grandma passed. She only passed a week ago. “Do you want to go back for the funeral? I will grant the resignation effective immediately.”

“I would like to attend the funeral, but I will stay on until the last day. I have a few things I need to tie up before I leave. Don’t want to leave the new secretary with half finished files and projects to compile.” She easily replied.

He narrowed his eyes for a second. Like he was looking for a lie in what she said. But after thinking about it, there were a few things that she needed to take care of before she left. So he nodded. “The funeral is this Sunday on the estate.”

She nodded. “Will we travel together or separately?”

“Together, we don’t need the family gossiping.” He then got up, grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. Ever since that accidental night, he has made sure to stay sober, the driver knew where he was being dropped off, or he left before having fun.

Carol was glad he left. She got out some leftover food she made yesterday, heated it up. Once she was done eating, she headed for a relaxing night in her tub. There wasn’t much in this penthouse. She lived here for two years, but has little in personal items in the place. She knew it wasn't going to last, so she didn’t bring many personal things with her. Her husband has bought her plenty over the years. But it's all things she isn’t comfortable in or isn’t her style. The jewelry besides her wedding/engagement rings are in a safe in the office down the hall from her bedroom. All she has is a few photos of her family and her degrees hung up on the wall.

She went to her tub and got ready to relax before doing her nightly routine. While the tub was filling, her phone rang. She looked at the name on display, ‘Precious’. So she answered, “Hello Precious, how are you?”

Ray smiled and replied, “I am OK beautiful, I was just calling you back about our last discussion.”

Carol rubbed her temples and groaned. “Ray, I’m sorry I completely forgot to call you back after everything. What about the conversation you need more about?”

Ray giggled, “I know honey, I’m not mad. You said papers and motherland. What should the papers say?”

Carol thought about it and said, “no one knows the name my great aunt gave me as a child. She said it fit well. So how about that name?” Carol told Ray about that little story. They had a good laugh.

Flashback

Carol was 10 or so when her school was doing a native segment about language and art. She was learning some basic words in her native tongue when she missed pronounced a word. She was coloring in a picture and wasn’t fully paying attention to the word or its pronunciation. She kept coloring and said “Misery”, which made her auntie scold her. Kept saying she should know better and that showing disrespect was not how she was raised. Auntie didn’t know that Carol’s mother didn’t teach her the language or traditions. Not until the next day and auntie apologized for going off on her. Auntie explained that she went to mom’s work and told the story about that particular class. Then Jessica (Carol’s mother) explained that Carol didn’t know the traditions or language.

Jessica explained that she was a military wife and traveled everywhere with her husband. It wasn’t until he retired and they moved back home that Carol or any of her brothers were exposed to their native traditions. Which made Auntie upset that the four kids didn’t know their traditions or way of life, but she was also heartbroken that she just went off on Carol like the way she did. She understands Jessica, the rest of the world usually isn’t kind to new things and how other people live. If Jessica taught her kids their roots, the kids were the ones who were punished. Jessica was trying to protect her kids. Jessica found a rare soul in her husband, Frank.

Frank came from a long line of military families in Georgia. Which ment white people. Most of the time, they weren’t nice to the native population or the other ethnicities America had. But Frank wasn’t like the general population and judged based off of a person’s values and how that person treated the world.

So Auntie said, “You have earned your name. This is special. People go a long time before they are given their native name. But you have earned this. Your native name is now Miss Káltsa. Which means Miss Fox. You are graceful, mysterious and cunning. Use it well child.”

End Flashback

Ray thought about it and said, “It could be a first or last name, so it's one, what about the other?”

Again Carol thought about it and said,” My maternal grandma has an unusual name that will fit. That will be first and the other one last.”

Ray grinned and asked, “So what is going on?”

Carol sighed, turned the water off and sat at the rim of the tub. And explained it all. How Grandma Jenn is gone, that she was the only reason nothing bad happened to her. Yes, her husband is into importing and exporting, but he also does business with the Mafia. Now that she wasn’t there and her marriage was a contract basis only. That he married her to shut his parents up and had no real desire for a wife. They lived separately for a reason and more. Carol told her dear friend it all.

Once the story was out, Carol felt lighter and more eager to go home. She didn’t think her husband would contest the divorce and, since she is leaving with only what she had earned and nothing more, he wouldn’t want to drag it out.

Raygean then asked another good question, “Where will you live once you go home?”

Again Carol thought about it. Then said, “Is there any way for you to contact the boys and get grandma’s camp ready for me?”

Ray was startled and exclaimed “Darling, you can’t be out there without someone with you!”

This just showed how much these two women talked about. There were no secrets between them. Ray knew about maternal grandma not having much, just a few properties and her family. She chopped wood, gardened and a few things to trade with river travelers. She got groceries and a few other odds and ends while they got supplies to get them back down river. She sold any fur items she made for cash. But she died when Carol was little. It was why Carol’s family moved back there, to help grandma out in her old age. But Sesi* was a stubborn mule who did everything by herself. She compromised about getting water and wood for her cabin in the village. But the camp was further up river, almost a full day’s boat ride out in the middle of nowhere.

*Sesi means snow in one of the Alaskan languages.

“Look Precious, I know you worry and just want to look out for me. But if my doctor here says I am healthy. I will spend time getting back to my roots before coming back to civilization to do what I have to do. If my ancestors could live without the comforts of technology, so can I. Besides, this is why I want the camp ready. They will know what to do and what I want.” Carol was getting a small headache now. She knows Ray is just looking out for her and the safety of her baby. But she needs to be alone after so long away. While she is out there she can think of things to do to make a living and raise her child.

“Precious, it won't be forever. I just need time to myself after all this time pretending and basically living a lie. Once I have a clear head and a plan, I will get a hold of you and run my ideas by you.”

Which made Ray feel better. “So this camp idea isn’t long term and you ending up a hermit?” She tried joking. Which helped ease the beginning of tension between them. They said their goodbyes and hung up.

Carol got into her bath and thought about her future. She would have to think of something. But protecting her child and getting out of this family was first. She eventually got out and did her nightly routine and went to bed.