Summary:

Suddenly, there’s the sensation of a hand in his and Ilya smiles, turning to see his mother, Irina. She’s just as beautiful as he remembers. “Hi, mom.” A sad smile crosses Irina’s face in return - a smile Ilya was all too familiar with as a child. It’s the smile she used when she was trying to cover her pain. Ilya is confused - he thought his mother might be happy to see him, the way he is happy to see her. “What’s wrong?” Irina shakes her head a little, staying silent. “Tell me, please,” Ilya says, a little desperate. “You need to go home, Ilyushka.” His mother shakes her head again, squeezing his hand. “This is not your home.”