Svetlana Sergievskaya causes lyrical chess wars (thegirlisme) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2015-07-22 23:14:00 |
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Despite her calm exterior, Svetlana was a wave of emotions, crashing and repeating. Even though she never spoke to her parents about the work she did, they had ended up arrested because of the law in Russia about foreign NGOs and the crackdown on them because they were ‘suspicious.’ There was no reason for it, they hadn’t done anything that would make them appear to be enemies of the state, and yet….
Why Svetlana was at Anatoly’s office, she honestly didn’t know. The appointment should have been cancelled as the girl it was for was sick and unable to go. Yet here Svetlana was, waiting to talk to Anatoly. Perhaps it was just desperation because she didn’t know whom else to go to. Anatoly was the one who best understood the political atmosphere regardless of how long he had been in America, not to mention he had a better grasp of Stahma’s personality than anyone else she might ask. Not to mention anyone else she might speak had their own issues to deal with.
Or perhaps it was that part of her, the part from the Dreams, that still reached out to Anatoly despite everything that had happened in them. Despite her desire to keep those concrete walls up around her heart. She was tired of dealing alone and since she and Mikhail were on ‘shifts’ so to speak in regards to helping Dmitri, this really was her only time to speak to Anatoly.
When the allotted time came, the blonde woman moved to the door and knocked before entering.
Sometimes Anatoly wished he’d never started dreaming of his other self, other life, whatever it meant. He had a distaste for politics in this life, so it was more than aggravating to him to watch the dreams and see his dream self get wound up in politics. Of course, when the KGB came knocking, one didn’t exactly have choices in the matter. But he’d long stopped trying to think of that.
His dream self was an asshole, and that was all there was to it. Anatoly was trying his best to not turn into his dream self. Which, well, he was no where near being in danger of doing so. Except for the fact he was being a workaholic more often than not of late. He’d been giving Svetlana space given she had a lot to deal with in trying to help Dmitri. Right now, there was nothing he could do to help other than to not stress her out anymore.
So when the appointment Svetlana would’ve come along for had been cancelled, Anatoly had simply decided to remain in his office and do some work. He had some plans of action he needed to draw up for a couple of his patients as well as do some review of medications and so forth. So when he heard a knock, he expected it was either one of the other doctors in the practice or the receptionist with some question or other.
“Come in,” he said, not moving or even looking up from his desk as he made a couple notes in a patient’s file.
Once she was inside of the office, Svetlana really didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t used to just seeking someone out to talk to them. It usually just came up. Especially in such a setting. It was not lost on Svetlana that she was in a therapist office. But that didn’t really matter, it wasn’t like this was a session. She was fairly certain that would be some sort of ethics violation. Just because they weren’t married here didn’t mean that the whole treating a spouse issue wouldn’t technically be at play.
Really, what were these dreams?
Standing awkwardly for a moment as it seemed Anatoly hadn’t realised she was there, Svetlana took a breath before speaking up.
“I hope this isn’t an intrusion.”
A brow was quirked, but to be fair, she was in his office, so she couldn’t exactly comment on his workaholic tendencies. Nor was she any better. She was either at some function, accompanying someone to appointments and court dates, being an ear, or taking care of Dmitri. There really was no time to think about herself. And now with the news her parents were in jail? She had just needed to talk to someone and apparently this was what she thought was the best plan. Though actually seeing Anatoly and not just the top of his head? Suddenly Svetlana wasn’t so sure. Maybe she shouldn’t have come after all.
“This was a mistake. I’m sorry, I’ll go.”
And she turned to leave. Because really. What had she been thinking?
The workaholic tendencies were nothing new to Anatoly. It was more or less the norm for him. Especially given he was the awkward type in regards to people, he tended to keep to himself a lot of the time. He was a private person and an intense introvert until people actually got to know him. Which, well, there weren’t many people that could claim to actually know him well.
Hearing Svetlana’s voice was a surprise. He looked up at her, genuinely surprised by her coming there despite the appointment having been cancelled.
“No, it’s not an intrusion at all,” he responded. Though of course he had to wonder why she was here. He doubted it was for a session, she wouldn’t come to him for that because of the whole ethics thing. But clearly she’d wanted to talk. Or simply be in friendly company for a bit. Or, well, he hoped she’d wanted friendly company. He really wasn’t fully certain how she viewed him after the dreams. Was she here to denounce him? To tell him she was afraid he’d turn into his dream self and cut ties now before he could do any damage to her? He didn’t know, but he certainly wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t want anything to do with him based on the dreams.
So when she turned to leave, he stood up and closed the file.
“No, please, you are welcome to stay,” he said. He didn’t chase after her. No that probably wouldn’t have gone over well, but he was more than willing to set aside work to talk with her. After all, his work was more of the busy-work type anyway. He’d have plenty of time to do it later.
If Svetlana were honest with herself, she didn’t know how she viewed Anatoly following the dreams either. She wanted to believe that they had their own say in their choices here, that the dreams were just one particular outcome. But when someone was so used to guarding their heart and emotions, letting go of a possible outcome wasn’t exactly easy. But she also knew that she couldn’t exactly hold Anatoly responsible either. It was just… complicated. But no, no denouncing would be happening.
As Anatoly said she was welcome to stay, Svetlana’s hand had been on the door knob and she stared at it for a moment before letting her hand fall back to her side. Perhaps the pull towards the therapist would always exist, regardless of what had happened in the dreams and how much she wanted to protect herself. Back still turned to him, she shook her head at herself before finally going to take a seat on one of the chairs he had in his office, hands on her lap as she fidgeted with the fabric of her skirt.
“It seems she’s started her games again. This time my parents are the ones who suffer.”
There was no need to ask who she was. Anatoly had learned that when he’d shown up unannounced. She had already spoken with Vital Voices to get in touch with someone who might be able to help. But even if her parents were released, Svetlana knew that they would cut her off entirely as it was her fault they were there in the first place.
The blonde woman sighed as she looked to the side at the window.
“I never told you her father’s name, did I?” It was a name both of them would know, far too well. And perhaps in some way it explained his fixation on her family. Explained why Svetlana got chills thinking about him. That part made sense now at any rate.
Before Svetlana turned around, Anatoly wasn’t sure what she was going to do. Though if one had made him guess, he probably would’ve leaned towards her leaving. After all, the dreams didn’t exactly portray him as being a good man. Yes Anatoly was not the man he dreamt of, but it frightened him that there was possibility he could if his life played out in the correct way. But as it stood, Anatoly was in no current danger of falling into that right now. There was no Molokov here, no one to pull his strings so to speak. All Anatoly had here was a desire to help people, help his sister if he could, help Svetlana if she’d let him. Here he had his dreams and his ambitions, but the ambitions were not to such an extreme that they overpowered or smothered his dreams.
Unlike his dream self, he was not wrapped up in pride. Anatoly could see he had pride, had the potential for it to grow and take over if he wasn’t careful, but he also wasn’t feeding his pride here. If anything, he was happy to simply remain the invisible guy in the background.
When Svetlana came and sat down, Anatoly also moved to a chair. Better for conversation that way if he wasn’t sitting behind his desk. And no, he didn’t need clarification on who Svetlana meant, he already knew who she meant. He frowned at the fact her parents were now suffering.
“No, you didn’t,” he responded, not expecting that he’d know who the man was. He already knew the man was former KGB, which was bad enough in and of itself. But for whatever this man’s name was? He was expecting to hear the name of a famous politician in Russia, not a name that was far more closely associated to him and Svetlana.
The dreams really did not paint him in a good light. Even now, she didn’t know if he would have taken a different course of action had he known about the threat on her life, the one put plainly. She’d never gotten a chance to say it outloud as he had just gone right over her to say he had decided to win. Perhaps she would never know. Perhaps it would come up. Svetlana had no idea.
Being invisible was something she preferred. She was uncomfortable in front of people, even when she had to speak at functions and then mingle. It was never something she enjoyed, but she still did it because it was necessary. So she could understand that at least.
The fact that he chose a chair to sit in was proof that this wasn’t a session. No, it was a conversation. Because honestly, she just needed someone who understood. Needed to get a moment to catch her breath and not shoulder everything on her own for once. Who knew how well that would go, or how long it would last?
“Alexander Molokov….” She hadn’t put it together when she had first asked Anatoly about the man. Not really anyway. She had thought perhaps her unease came from that connection, now though? It was hard to say.
By all rights, Anatoly still expected Svetlana to shank him for the dreams. It was pretty much the least his dream self deserved. He wasn’t expecting anything either. Despite the fact he liked Svetlana as more than a friend, he wasn’t going to push anything on that front. Not now. It definitely wasn’t the time. They certainly needed to talk first about everything in the dreams. But he also wasn’t going to push or rush that given Svetlana was trying to help Dmitri currently. It would come when it came and that was that.
Though it definitely wasn’t lost on Anatoly that Svetlana was opening up about this and talking about it. Even without the dreams, he well knew Svetlana tended to keep things to herself and bear it all herself. So the fact that she trusted him enough to be here and talking to him? Well, that had to be a good sign, right? If she didn’t trust him, she wouldn’t be here now. She wouldn’t be telling him the name of Stahma’s father.
Which made his eyes widen. That had been unexpected. Extremely unexpected.
“Molokov?” It was rhetorical, of course. He well knew what Molokov was capable of in the dreams. “I imagine he differs very little from the one in our dreams?”
The timing really was off. When they had met in the dreams, they didn’t have everything against them. Not to this extent. Just Erik and then Katya, which of course proved their own problems, or Anatoly’s parents and the fact they were Orthodox and she was Jewish and all of that had to be kept hidden because Soviet Union was atheist. But between the fact they needed to deal with the fallout from the dreams and the fact Svetlana’s attention was severely distracted because of Dmitri…..
It was a sign though that she was here. Because really, if she had decided to shut Anatoly out, if she decided he wasn’t worth the pain, she would just deal with the news of her parents on her own. She hadn’t even told Mikhail or Dmitri yet. Dmitri wasn’t in a place to deal with it, and Svetlana wasn’t sure how Mikhail would even react.
But Anatoly knew what the name meant. He knew who Molokov was, how he operated in the dreams.
“You would be correct.” Because really. She had already given him a slight understanding of Stahma based on Katya. Combine Katya and Molokov? “I suppose it makes sense, in some twisted way. The seeming obsession…”
Because seriously. There had been something off about Molokov in the dreams as well when it came to Svetlana. The fact that the man seemed fixated on her family, and her after Erik had died yet hadn’t made a move? Some things didn’t seem to change.
It figured how timing seemed to be off for them. Sometimes Anatoly really wished he knew the source that gave them the dreams so he could give it a piece of his mind. Seriously, he finally takes an interest in someone and then the wrench of these dreams came along and changed it all. But all he really could do was to just continue living his life and take his dreams as a warning, an example of what not to do. Because he didn’t want to be like his dream self. So even if Svetlana ultimately didn’t want anything to do with him, it wouldn’t be because he was turning into his dream self.
Still, he most certainly took his victories where he could. Such as how Svetlana was here now. What it would mean down the line, he didn’t know. But for now, she was still trusting him enough to come talk when she needed to. And he wasn’t taking that for granted.
“It would explain a lot.” Even without knowing Stahma aside from the Katya comparison, Anatoly knew enough about her and knew Molokov well enough to have an idea what a daughter of his could be. Whatever compassion Anatoly may ordinarily feel for someone growing up with such a horrible father was erased by knowing what the woman had done to Svetlana and her family.
“Obsession?” Anatoly asked, mostly for clarification regarding this life. As an observer to the dreams, he’d gotten a bad feeling about Molokov’s motives regarding Svetlana. And considering he didn’t know the entire story as far as this life was concerned, he felt it best to ask as opposed to assume.
Timing was like that. It wasn’t like Svetlana was even really aware of her own feelings. They tended to sneak up on her before she even realised it. She was so involved with her work and while she may have friends and trust them in her own way, it was never a conscious decision. It just happened. Just like it just happened that she decided that, despite the dreams, she would end up talking to Anatoly about all of this.
“It would.” Honestly, Svetlana would never understand how people could do the things they did, the cruelty. Despite her work and seeing it first hand all the time, she could never understand it. So why Stahma had no problem playing a long game on Dmitri just to manipulate Erik, why she had even bothered with him to begin with… it didn’t make sense. Only that there was a family reason, the past.
“Why focus on our family so much. The Doctor’s Plot was in 1948.” Sighing, Svetlana just rubbed her neck absently from the stress and exhaustion. “Between Erik and Dmitri, what was the point? Under guise of the FSB, he seemed to show up at events I would be at, yet…”
There was something else. She couldn’t put it into words, but if there was one thing Svetlana was good at, it was reading people. So the fact that it seemed off even when she tried to ignore it? She wasn’t so sure anymore. Especially given in the dreams Molokov had kept a video of her and her daughters for two years, even before Anatoly had defected.
“Didn’t you wonder how Trumper got the video?” And finally she looked back to Anatoly. “How could he have gotten ahold of a two year old video if not Molokov?”
There really were multiple reasons why Anatoly hadn’t said anything about his feelings to Svetlana. Not least of which were the dreams themselves. So he’d simply keep those silent for now and just wait to see what happened. For now, he had more pressing things to worry about and focus on.
Now that Svetlana pointed things out, and now knowing it was Molokov, things certainly made sense, at least for Molokov’s behavior. He obviously had a fixation, and it more than unsettled Anatoly. Molokov was a creep on his best days in the dreams, and he had a feeling that held true for the one here. And he didn’t like the fact that Molokov’s presence could be felt even when the man was thousands of miles away.
“He certainly seems to have a fixation.” He knew better than to say at least Molokov wasn’t physically here. Molokov’s reach was long and he didn’t need to physically be here to cause trouble and unrest. He didn’t even really need Stahma there to accomplish that.
“I had a feeling that was Molokov’s doing. Trumper could not have gotten the video on his own. Molokov was the only one who could have done it.” Even his dream self, in all his assholery, knew it had been Molokov’s doing. His dream self had spent too many years around that oaf of a man to even think otherwise.
Physically here didn’t matter. Stahma was. And even so, Svetlana’s parents were now in jail because of her. The reasoning being weak at best didn’t matter. They were still in jail because of ‘suspicion’ that they promoted the work of a foreign based NGO that focused on human rights, human trafficking. Ever since that law had gone into effect Svetlana had been worried. Now those worries were realised.
“Precisely.” Now wasn’t the time to question why Anatoly hadn’t even bothered to keep it as it had been a video the girls and her had made for his birthday. This wasn’t supposed to turn into a complete rehashing of the dreams. Even so, Svetlana leaned her head back and stared at the ceiling of the office, “The fact that these personality traits seem consistent despite him not being here… which is it? If these are indeed alternate lives, where do the similarities end? Is it because of him here, or there, that these things happen?”
Yes, it was rhetorical. No one had any real answers about the dreams. The fact that people seemed to be more affected by the dreams, receiving items from them, physical traits… perhaps that was the more ‘real’ life than here. And if that were the case, at some point, there was a chance her life could be physically threatened. It was always a risk, Svetlana made enemies with her work, but this was personal. Even in the dreams it had been despite the guise of political movements. Because he couldn’t read or control her.
“Based on observations, it would seem the parallels are from the dreams to here…” Which technically didn’t bode well for Anatoly. Though he had come back to Russia and they’d been mending things there. But there had to be a sensation of free will. “Which means I guess I shouldn’t be so shocked when these things happen. They’ve been happening since I was a child. Now it just may be my turn.”
She’d been six when Stahma had set her sights on Erik. Seventeen when he died and she had no more use of Dmitri. In a way, it was all she had known. Sad, really.
Ever since he’d started dreaming and had taken on some patients who also dreamed, Anatoly had been pondering the same question Svetlana had rhetorically spoken of. He’d come at it from various angles, different ways of asking the same question. Anatoly couldn’t deny the similarities, not just from the dreams he and Svetlana had, but also of the ones Peeta and Annie had. Physical similarities as well. Which, obviously, didn’t bode well for Anatoly himself. But he certainly believed that there was some amount of choice in this matter.
Of course, people like Damon who physically transformed into something like a vampire didn’t seem to have a choice in whether they turned into their dream selves in that way. But in all other aspects, Anatoly believed they had a choice. That perhaps the lives they dreamed of were simple warnings of what they could be. Or even some sort of past life experience.
Anatoly also believed that this life was a chance to right the wrongs of the lives they dreamed about. Of course, some wrongs couldn’t be righted no matter what, but he also knew it was worse to not try.
“Indeed it does seem that these dreams, these other lives, are either some sort of previous life coming back to us or some warning. Though one could debate the intricacies and what they actually are for years and potentially never come to a solid answer.” Considering the dreams were different for everyone, Anatoly was thinking the dreams might represent something different for everyone.
“I don’t think there’s such a thing as someone’s ‘turn’ when it comes to cruelty like that. But Molokov or not, there is always a way to combat such people. Similarities from the dreams or not, nothing is set in stone as to what would or could happen here in this life.” Because really, Svetlana was smart and there was a way to fight Molokov. It was simply trying to find the way in which to do it. Perhaps their dreams could provide some sort of answer to that.
“It probably would take years, and I agree, I doubt a solid answer would occur….” There did seem to be some consensus amongst people that it was some sort of warning, that free will still existed. At least with those she discussed the dreams with in terms of the emotional and mental aspects. Not so much the physical. Then of course there was Helena, which was something else Svetlana worried about. Not that she knew much of what she could do for the other woman beyond being a moral compass at the moment. She’d already recommended Anatoly to the woman for therapy, so for now it was observing.
The comment on there not being any sort of ‘turn’ when it came to suffering through cruelty caused Svetlana to stop her contemplating of the roof to look at Anatoly and quirk a brow. In theory, she understood where he was coming. Most of the conversation at the moment was more philosophy and musing and less personal. This, though? Especially with the bleed over and parallels?
“Perhaps on a grand scheme. But in the form of one person who has a singular focus, it does still stand to reason that it could happen. Even if there is no organised taking of turns for who suffers.”
Because this wasn’t just idle cruelty. It was focused. Erik. Dmitri. Now her parents because of their ties to her. The fact that Molokov did show up randomly when she’d still been in Moscow. And it wasn’t that she didn’t think she couldn’t outwit the man. She had in the dreams, she had survived an entire night in Bangkok to evade him and return to Moscow. That didn’t change the fact she was used to being some how in the family’s sight. First through the periphery, now it was becoming more personal.
“I have evaded him before, that is not the problem. It is simply acknowledging that there may be a very real chance that it will happen here as well.”
And that was probably the first actual referencing to her own experiences from the dreams.
It was a slightly complicated situation, discussing this. Complicated because of the dreams, and Svetlana’s ties to Molokov in this life as well. And the emotions tied into the experiences both in the dreams and in this life. So really he didn’t quite need to know the Molokov in this life to know what he was capable of doing.
“True, it does,” he agreed, relenting to take the more specific viewpoint on Molokov as opposed to a more general, philosophical statement. Besides, it was more than easy to see it was a focused effort on Molokov’s part in going after Svetlana’s family. It was obviously personal and it worried Anatoly. Stahma being physically here in Orange County was bad enough. But the fact that Molokov was putting pressure on Svetlana in other ways? It was worrying and Anatoly seriously wanted to hope the man would never actually come to Orange County. That would no doubt not go over well at all.
“Which is even more of a possibility given Stahma’s presence.” And who knew what she would do. “Do you think he would actually leave Russia to come here himself?” Somehow he doubted Molokov would want to come to Orange County permanently just because his power base was more in Russia than it was here. Visits were probably more likely, especially with his daughter being here, provided Stahma actually stayed for a long period of time.
At least Anatoly had let go of the philosophical aspect. It was fine for when it was time for that sort of conversation, and while the conversation had indeed started off as such… Well no, it started with her mentioning her parents and then delved into philosophical on the nature of people and the dreams…. regardless, it seemed the time for the philosophical musings of the two had come to an end.
“It’s been a concern, her arrival I mean.” And not just because of the effect it had on Dmitri. That had just been the tipping point. No. Svetlana was already on edge with the older woman here. The fact that her reach already went to Russia because of her father? It was just all the more reason for her to worry.
“As for if he would come here himself? I don’t know…” It was something she worried about. Especially given the fact he did feature in their dreams and the fact that he was a real person. A strange way for it all to tie together, but he existed in both worlds. Which meant that the likelihood of him showing up did increase in its own way. “I suppose it would depend on the FSB or family matters….”
She hoped not, though. She couldn’t see a reason he’d need to come to Orange County for an extended period of time at any rate.
It wasn’t surprising that Stahma being here was a concern. It only brought everything back to the forefront for Svetlana and her family. And it served to worry Anatoly because he wasn’t certain about what Stahma would do. He had an idea of what the woman was capable of, but that didn’t mean he could predict what she would do. Svetlana would have a better idea of that than he did.
“Most likely. One would think he’s busy enough with the FSB that short of an emergency or some other important need for him to come here, he may not.” Not that Anatoly kept tabs on what all the FSB even did, but he was certain Molokov was kept busy enough there that he didn’t exactly have much chance to come here unless Stahma needed him to or something of the sort. Was that wishful thinking? Maybe, maybe not. It stood to reason the man could show up here, but he was also a busy enough man with the FSB he may not have much opportunity to come here.
“Is there any way to help your parents from here?” Svetlana would have a better idea of that than he did. If she’d allow it, he would most certainly do what he could to help get her parents out of prison.
“Hopefully.”
It was the one thing that Svetlana held onto. That there was little chance Molokov would actually show up in Orange County. That didn’t mean he didn’t have people here of course. No. There was always the chance that he had more people with Stahma. But at least it wasn’t him. Because while he might not have power here, he still had the ability to make her life hell if he so desired. And as her parents were now in jail, she didn’t know exactly who had decided to focus on her. Stahma, or Molokov once he learned she was there. The fact that this happened after Stahma knew she and Dmitri were in the area? It was hard to tell.
And then the question on if there was anything that they could do from here and Svetlana just sighed, shaking her head.
“Not really. I’ve already been in touch with some human rights NGOs to see, but with the way things are in Russia in regards to foreign based NGOs which basically are all the human rights ones, I don’t know how much good that will do.” Running her fingers through her hair, Svetlana shrugged, “If there isn’t anything planted, there’s a chance once the investigation is finished, they will be released. Though even suspicion of working or supporting foreign based NGOs alone is enough to be fined or arrested.”
From the way Molokov operated in the dreams, Anatoly was willing to bet the man had more people here in Orange County than just Stahma. If for no other reason than to protect Stahma. And now probably because Svetlana and Dmitri were here. Molokov was a man who didn’t let things go in the dreams, so he doubted the man let things go here. Which meant there would probably be more things to come from him and Stahma in the future.
“I wish there was more that could be done to help them.” If he could, Anatoly would do something to help see to their release. But Russia was Russia. They had their laws, and some recent moves the government had made almost gave off the feeling that they wanted to make a return to the Soviet Union state of things. Which clearly didn’t bode well for anyone.
“Even if it does not do much good, at least you have tried something.” And obviously it was good that Svetlana herself wasn’t in Russia currently. And, well, he certainly hoped it would stay that way because that would be her playing right into Molokov’s hands. Though Anatoly knew Svetlana wouldn’t actually do that unless there was absolutely no other option.
Or he hoped that, anyway.
“As do I.” Which was an obvious statement, but true all the same. She well knew how focused Molokov could be. How set on his ideas and holding onto things. Stahma’s presence meant that he would have his own presence, even while remaining in Russia. It was the way the man worked. But she also wasn’t going to let it keep her from living her own life. She was concerned, yes. Waiting and paranoid, now more so than before. But that didn’t mean she was going to just… hide in her apartment.
Given Svetlana had only recently moved to America, she was far more familiar with the moves that seemed to signal a return to the Soviet Union, or at least the attempt to. The dreams just added to that understanding and ability to see it. What it meant, she really couldn’t say. Just that it was bad.
“Mm.” She supposed it was a good thing that she had done something, had even tried. But it didn’t feel like it was enough. Of course there was nothing she could have done to prevent it. She already made sure not to discuss her work with her parents even before the change in law because she knew how things had been. But in the end, even that hadn’t mattered.
Noting the time, Svetlana sighed and stood up.
“I should be going though.” Her lunch break had been moved to this time once the appointment should have been cancelled. “Thank you. For listening, I mean.”
Well, it was something. With that, she turned and left the office.
Anatoly didn’t think Svetlana would hide away in her apartment for any length of time. No, she wasn’t quite the type to hide, even when someone like Molokov or Stahma was around. Avoid them, yes. Hide? No. Svetlana wasn’t a coward, but she also knew when to pick her battles as well as avoid confrontations when she wanted. Svetlana was good at such things, it was obviously why she’d always been able to outwit Molokov in the dreams.
Anatoly stood when Svetlana did, giving her a little nod.
“You’re welcome,” he said. “Any time you need to talk, I am here.” Given the fact Svetlana had come here, Anatoly felt safe in extending that much. While it may be obvious already, it didn’t exactly hurt to put it in plain words when Svetlana was dealing with helping her brother, and now with her parents having been arrested. It was a stressful situation, and letting her know she had an outlet when she wanted one was important. He wouldn’t tread into her personal space, so to speak, like he had when he’d just shown up on her doorstep. But he put the offer out and would let her come to him.
Unless it was plainly obvious to him she needed help and wasn’t asking for it, then he may step in. But until then, it was giving Svetlana her space and letting her decide when, where and how to open up.