Bratva Mother

Seattle Stop *edited

When Raygean stumbled through the diner door.



Raygean and Carol hugged for a few minutes before they pulled apart and sat down. Raygean ordered a cup of tea and they caught up on the recent things going on in each of their lives. Carol told Ray about the Robingtons' dislike of her and their actions since she left New York a week ago. She is hopeful that it will be signed before the week is up and she can fly home.

Ray then told Carol about Mikhail visiting her. It seems James called in favors to look for her. All this didn’t bother Carol in the slightest. It was bound to happen that her relationship with Ray would come out. She forgot to wipe the phone she left behind, so looking up call logs and names weren’t hard to do. No Carol wasn’t worried in the least about how or why Mikhail visited her dear friend.

Until Ray said “ He told me to tell you ‘They are fools who can't see anything but themselves.’ What does that mean sweetie?”

Carol thought about the message and all their conversations. Then replied “I don’t think he likes how my in-laws treated me. Especially my soon to be ex husband. Within hours of meeting me he knew where I lived and broke in. He knew I was filing for divorce, but kept my secret. I’m guessing within hours of my ex finding out about the divorce he called Mr. Sokolov up and asked for a favor. He learned about you and I am guessing my brother Travis because I called him up after the divorce lawyer. He learned all this within days of meeting me which my ex didn’t bother doing for 3 years. It wasn’t until the will reading we found out his grandma knew my paternal grandma. That is the thing I want to talk to you about, by the way. Anyway, he is intrigued by me. James was the same in the beginning. I do not need another high profile man to be intrigued with me. I wan’t what every other woman out there wants. I want a man to love me, to worship the ground I walk on. To enjoy my company just as much as I enjoy his. I doubt I will see him again, Precious. Put him out of your mind and be at ease.”

Ray was a little concerned for her friend. It isn’t every day a man like Mikhail shows interest in a woman. However, if anyone can ignore the bratva family and get away with it, it would be Carol. She ignored her intuition about the dynamic between her best friend and Mr. Sokolov then brought the topic to Carol’s grandma. Which interested her the more Carol talked.

Carol is right, the three women would have taken the world by storm if they met up back in the day. The letters between Jennifer and Rosalie were insightful and how Carol talked about Sesi, they would have been renowned figures in medicine. Even more so than her own family.

Ray gave her opinions about natural medicine farms and how they might go about it. If they went through with it, they would have to get started soon though. Carol thought about it and agreed. A building and farm land would have to be purchased. Some of the plants wouldn’t be usable for a couple years, while others could be taken care of and done annually. Carol then asked Ray another question. Should she have two locations? Ray looked confused so Carol explained.

That some plants cannot grow down here in the lower 48 and some plants cannot grow up in Alaska either. Then there are the plants that could be kept in greenhouses and cultivated from other places. Each ecosystem has a powerful natural plant that could be used for wounds, illnesses and such things. Ray was excited for this new idea and was grateful not only for her friend but the women in her life who gave her such ideas as medical plants and farming them.

They discussed their plans and how they would go about it together. Carol explained she wanted to get the opinion and thoughts from her elders back home, but Ray can look into land and buildings. They also discussed Carol's travels back to the village her maternal grandma lived and died in. Sesi died in the village after fighting her doctors and dying in peace in her home. She wouldn’t die in a hospital in a city away from her family and nature.

Sesi had many children but only trusted her only daughter with her lands. Her other children inherited other things. They weren’t much, but worth everything to her children who got it. Carol doesn’t remember everything, she was around 10 when her grandma died. She does have her grandma’s favorite wool? cotton? blanket.

Anyway, Carol wont spend much time in the village, no she will go further up the river to have her little retreat. Ray contacted people out there to get the small piece of land ready for Carol and all she will need for the months she plans to be out there. Solar panels and a small generator, some kind of cb radio; Carol’s brother Frank Jr, finished one cabin on property to be a shower/sauna for her to bathe in. A team of dogs to help with travels, Carol doesn’t want to use machines on her maternal grandma’s land too much.

Says it is sacred and deserves respect. Supplies to do some trapping and Junior said he built a basement type thing under the cabin to help store food and things needing to stay cool. Carol was right, Ray did send a few things out there for Carol to use. But it is portable machines and tools to keep track of her pregnancy and make sure both herself and baby are safe and healthy.

Carol knows she will be back in civilized areas before her baby is born so isn’t too concerned. However, if her ancestors can have babies out in the middle of nowhere so could she. Carol muses she remembers her grandma telling her a story about how her own grandma was born on a dog sled trail (Carol's great-great grandma). It will be a little scary but doable. Maybe she should visit a doctor in Anchorage before heading out to the village. Get enough vitamins and advice before she retreats from people.

After an hour of talking and planning they paid their bill and left together. Carol felt…. Off? Aware? Different? She couldn’t describe it, it's as if her body knows something she doesn’t. She shrugged it off and climbed into the SUV Ray travels in. They went to the McKenna home instead of the office. It has been a long time since she saw her friend's family, which reminded her. “Precious, how is the family these days?”

That got Ray’s attention, she sighed but replied. “Tense, dad isn’t happy that I came out as bi last year. Was even more upset when I brought my girlfriend home. My brother beat cancer, thanks to our family company and our mother’s medicine. He is recovering the best he can. He is afraid to die without a family of his own. So he is going out there looking for miss perfect and going back to school. He wants to help mom with research on medicine. Then there is my girl. She and I talked about marriage and kids.”

Ray looked at Carol and had a haunted look in her eye. “I can’t have kids, my body just won't carry to term. Because of my condition she is terrified of birth. I don’t know what to do.” Carol watched a tear slide down her best friend's face.

“The way I see it, your dad can get on the support train or lose you. He came close to losing your brother permanently, I don't think he wants to lose you to bad blood or anything else. I am happy you have your girl with you to lean on. She sounds wonderful from our past conversations and now. The news of your brother is great and knowing it was your mom who saved him is awesome. She is probably stuck in her lab looking for the elements that saved your brother. No offense girly. Now about babies. I see two options. You could adopt and none of you have to worry about pregnancies or you could hire a surrogate. Hear me out before you say no. Take your girls eggs and your brothers' swimmers and put them in a surrogate. You said he wants to further the family name, you and your girl are talking about a long term relationship. What will be stopping you from hiring a woman to carry your baby?”

Now Ray was stunned but thoughtful. That isn’t something they thought about, sure adoption, but surrogacy? Carol isn’t wrong, none of them will have to carry the baby but they will have a baby with their blood. Ray looked at Carol with hope. “Sweetie, you just learned of all our issues and have an answer to all of it. You aren’t wrong about mom, she is locked in her lab trying to find the isolated things that cured my brother. There is another patient who agreed to take the same medicine as him to see if it’ll work. If it does and mom gets more volunteers, she might have cured cancer. You are brilliant, or we are just predictable.”

Which made both girls laugh. While they were giggling they pulled up to the house. Ray’s guard opened her door while Carol got out herself. She looked up to the house and waited for Ray to join her.

The McKenna family home isn’t small but neither is it big. One thing to note, it does have a good size greenhouse attached. The women walked up the stairs to the front door as it opened. Ray’s dad, Robert, is still fit as the day he signed up for boot camp. He may not be in the army anymore, but he keeps up with the workouts and training from his military days. He regarded both women and then addressed Carol. “What brings you to Seattle, Tori*?”

*Tori means ‘bird’ in Japanese.

Carol smiled and hugged Robert. “I am going home to my roots. Your daughter is helping me get there without my ex knowing about it. If it is okay with you, I will be occupying your guest room for a few days while I wait for my divorce to finalize and get the stuff your daughter prepared for me.”

She let go and looked at his face. He looked from Carol to his daughter Raygean. “Did you talk to your mother about your friend being here? I am sure she will try to pry information out of little Tori here.”

Ray smiled tightly to her father and shook her head while replying “No dad, mom is stuck in her lab doing research. You know how she gets once in the lab. There is no pulling her away until she wants out.”

Robert looked beyond his daughter deep in thought then nodded. He turned from the door and started walking toward the greenhouse. He said “You are right, but I know how to get her out without being grumpy. Go relax and I will get her. Lunch will be in an hour, do not be late.”

Carol enjoyed her time with the McKenna clan. Aina did pry her for her knowledge about different plants and what they would be used for. Ray talked to both her parents about boundaries and respecting not only herself but her partner, Jane. She also brought up the idea Carol presented about surrogacy and using Isamu’s simmers and Jane’s eggs. That gave both women hope about a baby of their own. They couldn’t believe they didn’t think of it. Ray’s parents were a little embarrassed that they were putting a lot on their kids to be ‘normal’ when they themselves defied their parents to be together.