<div style="text-align: justify;">When Vitali said it would be best to leave right away, Mariya nodded immediately in agreement. It wasn’t like she had anything else to do. She had come back to the country solely because of Vitali, after all. In more ways than one, if she were to be honest to herself. <br/><br/>When he asked about her wristwatch, Mariya seemed a little surprised. She really didn’t think much about it back when she was in England. It wasn’t an expensive or extravagant piece. Had it been, she wouldn’t be able to afford it. But of course, something that was completely normal and expected in England could be pretty strange back in the Soviet Union. “Oh, this. Yes. It was a gift from my father. It is really old, but I like it”.<br/><br/>Mariya sighed softly after a moment. She really missed the freedom she enjoyed back in London. But there was nothing she could do about it right now. Her only choice was to do what she had been sent there to do and then make up her mind on what to do next. <span style="font-style: italic">One thing at a time</span>, she reminded herself. Rushing things would be a disaster. For now, she just wanted to get to know this place and rekindle the bond they had once shared.<br/><br/>Relaxing a little of a tension she didn’t even know she had about her, Mariya decided to make the best out of this day. She hesitated just a little, and then held on to Vitali’s hand. “I feel like I have changed, now that I’m here. It’s… I don’t know, it’s really different. But I’ll get used to life here, as long as you’re around to keep me company. Those years away from you were really long ones”, she stated, sincerely. “I almost wish you could see London. It’s so different from all we see here. It’s like another world”.</div>