You sat by the phone, waiting for the phone call that your father had promised.

You waited patiently. Seconds turned to minutes, minutes turned to hours.

Nikolai came home to find you staring at the phone with the look that he had seen every single time before. The way you'd get your hopes up for a call from your father, only for him to not show.

Nothing's new.

Nikolai sighed and sat next to you, pulling you into his lap.

"I'm sorry, Рыбка." He murmured into your hair and closed his eyes.