"Everything that happened, Boris, over the next few moments of that morning I've lost memory of. The constable rushed forward to assist the woman into one of the chairs along the wall. She was inconsolable. I dreaded that she would have to look at what lay under the sheet. The orderly brought her a cup of water and after taking a few sips, it seemed to calm her. She said that her name was Katiya Strelnikov and that her husband had been missing that morning when she awoke. She thought that he may have been in the garden or went for a short walk but as more time went by she became more concerned. Her elderly neighbor, a lady, had seen her distress. They spoke briefly over the fence. At that moment a police car had pulled into the drive. The officer got out of the car and walked towards them, a sober look on his face. She knew then something terrible had happened. He told her that there had been an accident and that he would drive her to the hospital. That's how she came to be in that same awful room with me. After a while she had composed herself. The Constable asked her if she felt strong enough to help him. He asked if she could only look at the hand of the man who lay before us. He said the man wore a wedding ring and would she be able to identify it. She nodded...yes. With his hand upon her shoulder he pulled the sheet back a bit to expose my brother's hand. He wore a very distinctive ring. I was later told it was a rustic Celtic style ring of gold and silver. When Katiya saw it her head dropped, her eyes closed, tears ran down her cheeks. "Yes" she whispered, "that is Ivan". The Constable dropped the sheet and expressed how sorry he was. He gently told her that they would be writing up a report and that he would visit her tomorrow to ask a few questions. She silently nodded in agreement. He said "I trust that your brother in-law can see you safely home". She lifted her head and our eyes met. I saw that she was confused. I stepped forward and said "Katiya, I am Dimitri. I am Ivan's brother." "Oh Dimitri" she said softly. She looked at me with such sorrow in her eyes. I was cut through. It was as though I were Peter who had denied the Christ three times. In that moment I became so ashamed of what I had done. The realization of just how callous myself, my mother, my father, all of us, had been all these year towards Ivan. I wanted the earth to split open and swallow me. Here this beautiful woman before me, and how do we first meet? Was it at their joyous wedding with song and laughter, or at our father's table enjoying a fine meal and warm thoughts? No...We first meet in a hospital morgue next to the bloody, lacerated corpse of my brother. It was though, Boris, that I had an awakening. From that day forward, I would see things differently. "

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

.......to be continued.