Ramil

One year after the declaration of war in Ukraine in 2022, plans were made for some soldiers to return to their homeland, Russia. Mina was eagerly awaiting her husband Alexei’s return to their home so they could continue raising their three-year-old son, Artem, together. She was so anxious to see her husband again after a year! She loved him very much; she was still deeply in love with him, just as she had been in the early days of their relationship . The night before his scheduled return, Mina went to her parents’ house to have dinner with them. 

She didn’t visit her parents’ home often, as there was tension between her and her mother. Mina accused her mother of a lack of affection and unjustified criticism. However, she never stopped loving her and subconsciously sought her approval, as the psychologist she was seeing had told her. She had a very good relationship with her father from a young age. His name was Pyotr, and he had always been tender and protective toward his daughter.

So that evening, as they were eating at the table, Anya, Mina’s mother, wasted no time in setting her daughter off.

“Did you tell Alexei that it’s important to always wear a condom when raping Ukrainian women?”

Mina looked at her in surprise, as if she never expected to hear such a crude remark from her mother. “Alexei isn’t that kind of person,” she replied. “He went there to support our country, not to meet women. He has a woman!”

“Darling, he’s a man. Don’t take it personally—that’s just how men are. That’s the kind of thing they do,” Anya said calmly. “This is war; they need some fun under these harsh and demanding conditions!”

“Not all men are the same. You’re judging them in a very malicious way. My husband isn’t like that.”

“Have you forgotten what happened to your uncle? How he abandoned the church and got mixed up with the pagans, all for the sake of a woman?” said Anya. “When they see a woman’s body on offer, morality goes out the window.”

“Stop blaming your brother for that,” said her husband, Pyotr. “That’s a different situation. Your brother didn’t hurt anyone.”

“He hurt his relationship with God,” Anya said reproachfully and set down her fork.

“Could you please not say things like that in front of the child again?” Mina said to her mother. She was very angry, and it was evident from her gaze, which she no longer even directed at Anya.

“It would be a good idea, though, to make him get checked for any illnesses first, before you do anything else with him…,” Anya added in the tone of a benevolent advisor.

“You’ve managed to kill my appetite… Well done,” Mina muttered.

“But how can you say things like that to a wife about her husband?” Pyotr said to his wife.

“What do you want? For me to act all romantic, like you?” Anya said sharply, almost shouting. “I want to protect her! She hasn’t even begun to understand how the world works yet!”

“Thanks for the lecture, but it’s time for us to go,” Mina said indignantly, completely thrown off balance emotionally.

“But wait, finish your meal,” said Pyotr. “The child hasn’t even had a chance to eat yet.”

“We’ve had enough of her!” said Mina, snatching little Artem from the table so they could leave.

“Wait, I’ll drive you home,” Pyotr said to his daughter. “Don’t drive when you’re so worked up.” At that moment, Anya gave him a very fierce look, without saying a word. It was as if she were criticizing his kind attitude toward their daughter. Mina finally left on her own with her son.

The next day, Alexei returned home, and Mina was overjoyed to see him again. Not a single other man had even crossed her mind in the year since her husband had been at war. Alexei brought back various spoils from Ukraine; some were of great value, and others were simply weird, such as a clay doll intended for his son. This doll was about the same height as little Artem and was shaped like a boy. But it wasn’t pretty, like the usual store-bought dolls. It had a sly, almost cunning face. “I found it in a bombed-out antique shop back in Ukraine,” said Alexei. “I figured Artem would be about the same height as the doll by now, so I took it to keep me company.”

Artem was overjoyed as soon as he saw the doll. He hugged it tightly and imagined it was a “long-lost brother” that his dad had brought back for him. He wasted no time taking the doll to his room and dressing it. The doll had many joints, even in its fingers. After the little boy dressed it in his best clothes, he also gave it a name.

Mina, after enjoying her husband’s company and having her fill of his embrace and caresses, asked him discreetly if he had engaged in any sexual acts with another woman while he was away on the front lines. “There were many temptations,” Alexei replied, “and many men gave in. But I always kept you in my thoughts, and that was enough to keep me away from other women,” he said reassuringly. As soon as Mina heard those words, she was overjoyed and began preparing a sumptuous dinner for her family.

“Did you make food for my brother, too?” said Artem, who appeared in the kitchen holding his new doll in his arms.

“But why did you put your nice clothes on it?” Mina asked, annoyed. “We save those for the holidays, and they shouldn’t get dirty!”

“He picked them out…” the little boy told his mom.

“All right then, since he’s dressed so nicely, let him sit down and eat with us,” said Alexei, pulling out a chair at the table so they could set the doll down on it. “But something’s missing from his outfit,” he added, touching his chin. “Oh, right! Hey, Artem, you forgot to put a tie on him! Come on, let’s pick one out of your closet.”

“Yes!” the little boy shouted and ran excitedly after his dad.

When they returned, Mina had already set the table for dinner. “So you ended up putting a bow tie on him instead of a tie?” she said. “I just hope he doesn’t get his clothes dirty while we’re eating, or I’ll punish him,” Mina said with a smile, wanting to get the message across to her son that he should be careful.

“Ramil is a good kid. He’s very careful. Don’t worry, Mom,” said Artem.

Mina’s face suddenly froze. She looked at her son in puzzlement. “Where did you come up with that name?”

“He told me. That’s his name,” Artem replied.

Mina stood there bewildered, her gaze shifting between her son and his doll. It seemed as if that name had reminded her of something unpleasant.

“What an imagination our son has!” said Alexei with a smile. “Childlike carefreeness. How I’ve missed his childlike carefreeness…”

***

When Mina was eleven years old, she came home one day full of joy. She had gotten an A on her math test and couldn’t wait to tell her parents. Her father was in the garden, pulling weeds from among the flowers. When he heard his daughter’s news, he hugged her tightly and kissed her with pride.

“I was the only one in my class who got an A!” Mina said, emphasizing her excellence.

“See what hard work and consistency can do? You’re a brilliant girl, Mina; you’ll go very far,” said Pyotr.

“Thank you, Dad. I love you so much for helping me with my homework and making me a better student!” said Mina, wrapping her arms around her dad’s neck and hugging him. She loosened her grip almost immediately when she realized her mother was watching them expressionlessly from behind a window curtain.

“I’m going to show Mom the test, too,” said Mina.

Anya glanced briefly at the test paper and, after congratulating her daughter, took her tenderly by the hand and led her to her bedroom. Mina was puzzled that her mom had taken her aside and hoped she wouldn’t scold her for some mischief she’d done without remembering it.

“You’re a big girl now, Mina, and the time has come for you to learn some things about our family. Your father and I kept them a secret,” said Anya, “but it’s not right for there to be secrets within a family... ” Mina began to look at her with curiosity and concern. Whenever her mom took on that expression, something bad always ended up happening to her. “When I found out I was pregnant and that I was going to bring you into the world, I felt immense joy. It was as if my life’s purpose was being fulfilled. Children are a great blessing for a woman—you should know that. When I went to the doctor and he gave me an ultrasound, we found out I was expecting twins. My joy doubled. I’d had a dream that I’d have a son and a daughter. I had so many dreams about the two children I’d bring into the world. Your father and I made plans together. He, too, was thrilled that our home would be filled with the voices and laughter of two little, adorable children. But the happiness didn’t last long. When I went back for another checkup, the doctor told me something terrible… There was only one baby left in my belly. One fetus had absorbed the other! It had vanished! I couldn’t believe my ears. The doctor explained that this can only happen in very rare cases. I looked at the ultrasound screen, and as soon as I saw just one baby, I burst into tears. “It was you, Mina… It was you who ate your brother and were left all alone inside my belly!” said Anya, distraught, as if she were reliving that terrible moment.