September Twenty-Ninth: Irina Derevko
She's sitting on the edge of the bed in a hotel room in Bremen when she transmits the Morse Code. She imagines Sydney holding the earrings in the palm of her hand, and she wonders if Vaughn is holding her, if he's there to anchor Sydney in her confusion as the message plays out.
Jack used to hold her, as they watched movies curled under a quilt on the couch. He'd stroke her hair and she'd rest her head against his shoulder and her mind would go quiet as he moved his hands over her as though smoothing away creases in a shirt. When Jack removed the tracking device before her meeting with Sloane, she was surprised to find that Jack touched her in exactly the same way.
Irina tells Sydney that truth takes time, but she's not sure that Sydney knows yet what truth is. It isn't black and white, as the English idiom goes. It is what it is, and she can't decide if she's pleased or worried that her daughter remains so idealistic in the face of everything she's seen. But if it means that Sydney can continue to trust her despite all the signs that point to the contrary, then Irina is thankful.
There were times when she would forget to respond to the name Laura. Only momentarily, and she would pretend that she hadn't heard or was distracted. But she has never once failed to respond to "Mom."