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The Gift

Stephanie's Storyline, Chapter 5.5

copyright comidacomida 2018

Without bothering to provide any elaboration or explanation, the moment I set the phone down I turned and gave Medved an enormous hug. He was ready for it.

He held me close, giving me the kind of comforting, warm hug I desperately needed at that moment. I had tickets for the next day and I'd be going home. I'd spoken with my Dad and my Mom and it had gone well. I had four Spirits-- four friends who were willing to help me figure out the things I needed to figure out and find the closure that would hopefully quiet all of the thoughts in my head about my brother and the mystery surrounding his passing.

As the embrace came to an end he slowly loosened his hold on me. I looked up at him and he looked down at me with a bitter-sweet smile. I just couldn't stand that look without responding. Putting my hands on either side of his muzzle, I rose up and kissed him. "I DO love you, my Bear."

Medved didn't pull away from it, but he also didn't escalate things either, which I really appreciated. He kept his response simple. "And I you, my Lapushka."

The Bear's paws remained on my hips, his ears and eyes focused solely on me as his tongue emerged to lick across where my lips had pressed to his. Eventually his eyes fell to the ground and his ears lowered. "I am ashamed that I will not be there for you on the way to the train station."

I let my hands fall from his cheeks until they came to a rest in the crook of either of his arms. "It's alright, Medved... I know you don't ride in cars."

Before he felt the need to defend himself I disengaged and went to where the carved bear sat on a shelf near my bed. I brought it back over and held it up. His smile returned. "Ah... you will bring it with, yes? Good... then I shall never be far and the moment you arrive at the station I shall be there to greet you."

I set the wooden statuette on my nightstand and turned back to give my Guardian another hug, and some truth. "I'm not sure I could do this without you."

Although he returned the hug he let out a wordless sound of disagreement. "You do not give yourself enough credit, Lapushka."

I felt my cheeks redden at his praise, even if I didn't agree. "Well, at any case I'm glad I don't have to do it without you."

When he let me go again he took a seat at my desk and rested his paw on the manuscript there. "I will continue reading your story while you get ready for bed, Dushennka. We can talk more if you wish afterwards."

Making my way to the bathroom, I lingered in the doorway, looked back at the Bear who was already wearing his spectacles, the stack of papers in his paw as he diligently flipped through to find where he'd left off. Medved had said before that he compared me to the princess in my story and the four spirits as knights who felt deeply for me. In many ways he was right but, at the same time, I knew that real life was never as easy as a composed plot of a novel.

As I finally turned back toward the bathroom to begin my nightly routine, I did admit that he was right in one way: my story was going to have a happy ending, and I was committed to make sure that, whatever happened back in Eastern Oregon, the five of us would be able to conclude this chapter together. I considered all of the possible outcomes of returning back home and starting an investigation where I didn't even know where to begin. My mind was still running a mile a minute by the time I'd brushed my teeth and changed into my nightgown and, still preoccupied with those thoughts, I stepped back into my room.

Medved looked up from the manuscript in his paws. He made a simple observation. "You look troubled, Lapushka."

I was honest. "We'll be going back home tomorrow but I still don't know where we're going to start with looking into everything."

He set the papers aside and held out a paw to me. "At the beginning?"

It could have been taken as a witty comeback but his expression showed concern and open consideration. I moved readily to place my hand in his palm and he stood up, his other paw extending so he could run his claws through my hair. There was something comforting in the gesture and I rested my head against his sternum. Letting out a breath, I elaborated on my concern. "I'm not sure where that is, Medved... I mean... everything seems so cut and dry, but there's so much complexity to it all..."

Remaining in place, the Bear slowly rotated until I was between him and the bed; only then did he release me. His meaning was clear: I needed my sleep. Regardless, I remained standing and waited for him to comment. When he did, it was a very important fact which hadn't even registered. "I would suggest starting with the conflicting stories you have received, Stefanika."

I pulled the blankets back and sat down on the mattress. Medved stepped forward and took hold of the sheets while I slid into bed and he brought them back up, tucking me in. It reminded me of the way my grandparents used to do when I visited them. Only once I was in place and he seemed satisfied with my compliance did I ask "What conflicting stories?"

The Bear sat back down on the chair by my desk. "When your parents were called by the police they told them that they took possession of-- of Billy on the 18th."

His pause at figuring out how to say that Billy's body was delivered to the Sherriff's office didn't go unnoticed and I appreciated his tact, but it took me a minute to realize what he was trying to say. "He died on the 18th..."

Medved nodded. "Da... and both the Raven and Jackal said that he was taken away from the river by the authorities."

He had a good point, and I sat up in bed. "Does it take that long for the coroner to... do whatever he has to do?"

The Bear shrugged. "I do not know, Lapushka... but I do believe that may be the beginning you were seeking."

Medved was right, of course. With at least some direction to take the next day I was finally able to lay down with the intent to sleep. I glanced toward my Guardian, who was still watching me. Before I could say anything, Medved stood and went to the doorway and reached up; the light in the room turned off and I was left looking at the shadowy shape with gleaming golden eyes gazing at me.

When I was younger I was afraid of the dark and, while I suppose it would be safe to assume that seeing glowing eyes should be frightening, I didn't feel afraid. he was Medved; he was my Bear; he was my Guardian. His thickly accented voice rumbled proudly. "I am here for you, Dushennka."

He returned to his place at my desk and took a seat; I could have sworn I heard the sound of the wooden chair creak as he sat down, which I realized immediately thereafter was impossible because he was a Spirit, but it still made me feel that much more comfortable having him around. After that I finally let sleep overtake me... only to find out that I couldn't actually fall asleep.

I tossed and turned for what felt like an hour before I let out a sigh and rolled back over, opening my eyes to look at Medved. He spoke before I could. "You cannot sleep?"

Although it was a strange request considering the circumstances and what we'd been through during the day, I really needed something to help me find a degree of equilibrium. Sitting up, I held my hands out. "Can you lay here... with me?"

Medved was by my side in an instant, kneeling down at the side of the bed so that our eyes were on equal height, and he smiled. "You used to ask your dzyedooshka to stay with you after you had a nightmare."

His statement made me laugh... just a little. "He was always so good at helping me get back to sleep... there's something about--"

The words faltered in my mouth as Medved stepped through the bed and rose up into a laying position behind me. One of his thick, furred arms wrapped around my abdomen as the other slid beneath my pillow, raising my head until I was in his grasp. I let out a deep breath, closing my eyes again as I imagined what it was like when I was younger, laying in my grandfather's arms as he sung me to sleep.

Medved's deep, gravley voice was surprisingly melodic as he sang. "Neistovyy malen'kiy medved' shel po lesu. On sobrial sosnovyye shishki i pel pesni. Sosnovyy konus upal pryamo na yego lob. Malen'kiy medved' rasserdilsya i topnul nogoy."

It was a silly little song, one I'd never heard translated out of its native Russian, but I enjoyed hearing it, and it brought back all of the warm, comforting memories I really needed at that moment. When I finally drifted off to sleep I felt warm all over and, most importantly, inside, Medved's loving whisper following me. "Ya tebya tak lyublyu, Lapushka."