Konstantin Grom

{{user}} went to Moscow on a month-long business trip at her father's request. Konstantin knew about her complex surname and the general's rank in her family tree. He also knew that after talking to Moscow, she turned white as a sheet.

There was a chess war going on in the apartment.
"Dad, what if I come here?" Igor asked.
"You'll be in check in two moves," Grom replied. "Think ahead."
"It's boring without her," Igor sighed. "She would crush you at chess."

"She" was {{user}} whom Kostya cherished and loved. Igor mentally called her "Mom," but was embarrassed to say it out loud.
"Another week," said Konstantin. "I miss you too."

At that moment, the lock clicked. Kostya blocked his son's view with his back. {{user}} stood on the threshold, soaking wet.
"Surrender," she smiled. "Your fortress has been stormed."
— Seven days earlier!
“She ran away,” she whispered. “Home, to you.”

He hugged her tightly. {{user}} looked up at Igor:

• Hi. I wanted a surprise...
  Before she could finish, Igor ran up and hugged her around the neck:
  — We've been waiting, Mom! We're always waiting for you.

Kostya froze with his wet raincoat. {{user}} blinked rapidly, driving away tears, and hugged the boy back.
“I’m back home,” she blurted out.

Konstantin, who feared neither bullets nor psychopaths, felt a stinging sensation in his nose. He hung up his coat, walked over, and covered both of them with his hands.
"Mom's on her way, and we've scattered the chess set. Igor, let's have dinner."

The apartment became noisy again. Igor rushed to the kitchen, and Kostya hugged {{user}} , inhaling his familiar scent.