The kitchen in one of the country mansions was in full swing. Lyuba baked a tall beautiful honey cake with sour cream, decorated it with chocolate and raspberries, baked meat and cheese in the oven, cut delicious hearty salads. Everything in the house was also sparkling clean, the woman was anxiously awaiting her husband’s arrival from work. After all, today was a special day, her beloved Sasha’s birthday. She thought she would surprise him, she prepared a gift, bought a beautiful shirt and tie. She wanted to sit with her husband sincerely, like a family! She even invited her mother-in-law to visit, although she did not like her. By the evening, Lyuba realized that she was very tired, because she was pregnant, not a small period, six months. Her legs were swollen, she felt sick, and the woman lay down for a minute to rest, and she herself did not notice how she dozed off. She woke up when Sasha entered the house, and with him his mother. Galina Ivanovna was dressed to the nines as always, her makeup impeccable! She greeted her daughter-in-law dryly and glanced at the laid table, grimacing with disgust:
-What the hell is this? A village treat? Ugh, what a nightmare. All greasy and unhealthy! Lyuba, I don’t get it, what is all this for? Who would eat this, tell me?
The woman felt very upset, because she had tried so hard, Lyuba ignored her mother-in-law’s attack and rushed to congratulate her husband:
– Sashenka, my love! Happy birthday! I want you to know and always remember how much I love you! We will soon have a baby, and our strong family will become bigger. Oh, I almost forgot! Here is my gift! Do you like it? Shirt and tie, I chose them myself!
Lyuba clung to her husband, he hugged her, what else could she do? The wife began to fuss:
-Why are you standing there? Everything is getting cold! Wash your hands and come to the table!
The mother-in-law raised an eyebrow and remarked ironically:
-Are you serious? I won’t even think about it! Sasha, get ready quickly, we’re late for the restaurant, the guests are already waiting.
The husband looked away guiltily, he really felt awkward, the situation was absurd. Lyuba was completely taken aback:
-Are we going to a restaurant to celebrate? That’s news. Darling, give me some time to get ready. Why didn’t you warn me earlier, why did I cook here!
The mother-in-law pursed her lips, and Sasha began to dodge:
-Lyuba, your mom and I will go together. WE thought, you are pregnant, you will get tired of loud music, why do you need all this? Stay at home, get some sleep, rest. Especially since my work partners will be there, boring and uninteresting people. And tomorrow we will definitely celebrate together at home. I promise, I will eat everything you cooked!
Lyuba shook her head and began looking for a decent dress in the closet. She was offended to the point of tears. She angrily scolded her husband:
– No way! I’ll go with you! We’re a family, why are you leaving me home alone? It’s okay, I’ll endure it, and if it gets really unbearable, I’ll call a taxi and come home early.
Sasha didn’t know how to get out of it, but his mother-in-law interrupted his daughter-in-law’s monologue and said sharply in a commanding tone:
-You were told to stay at home! Look at yourself! Before going out in public, you should at least go to a salon, get yourself in order. No makeup, no hair, no need to embarrass us, and show off your belly there. That’s it, we have to go! Sasha, come on, why are you still messing around? And don’t be offended, but it will be better for everyone this way.
The husband and mother-in-law left, leaving behind a trail of expensive perfume, and Lyuba fell on the sofa and burst into tears! She wanted a holiday so much, to be with Sasha, but everything turned out as usual. Lately, their family life was not going well at all, Sasha was always late at work, saying that a new idea was bothering him. But it was Lyuba herself who gave him her inheritance, a solid but abandoned restaurant building. Her uncle had recently died. They did not get along very well, they rarely communicated, but apparently the old man decided that his niece had nothing of her own to her name anyway and left her such a gift after his death. The woman, of course, was very surprised, went to see it, told her husband everything. And Sasha clung with a death grip to the idea of restoring the building, renovating it and opening his own business. By hook or by crook, he persuaded Lyuba to transfer the restaurant to him. And the naive and uninformed wife agreed. But since then Sasha has changed a lot. Lyuba expected that her husband would be grateful to her for such a noble deed, and then she decided that a man would be better off with such an inheritance. And anyway, they were a family, so what difference did it make what was registered to whom. It was just a simple formality. But she hardly saw Sasha now, he kept complaining that there was a lot of work, that he needed to make a plan and estimate for the renovation, and work twice as hard to save up for it. But Lyuba was perplexed, why did her husband start carrying his phone with him everywhere? And he was always texting someone. The woman, of course, tried not to think about the bad, because she was pregnant, and Sasha couldn’t do that to her? Cheating when she was in such a condition!
But today’s incident simply finished the woman off. Her mother-in-law openly humiliated her, mocked her, made it clear that Lyuba was not worthy of high society! And Sasha didn’t even stand up for her, now he’s walking around, having fun, and doesn’t care about his wife! What a family holiday it was!
And Lyuba got so angry, she suddenly jumped up, got dressed quickly, and ordered a taxi. And to spite everyone, she went to that very restaurant to see how her husband was having fun without her! It was simply unbearable to be at home. Lyuba was surprised, the restaurant was not booked at all, and there was no loud music. She went inside, the waiter obligingly offered her a free table and brought a menu. Lyuba pretended to read, but she looked around at the crowd. And suddenly she saw Sasha, he was sitting at a table with a beautiful young girl, they were drinking wine and sweetly cooing about something. Alexander, not embarrassed by anyone, kissed the lady’s hands and looked at her with such lust! The blood rushed to Lyuba’s head, she realized that her husband simply talked his mother into helping him leave home! And he himself decided to celebrate his birthday with his mistress! It was so disgusting, so vile, that Lyuba could no longer control herself. She jumped up to the sweet couple and screamed:
– Happy birthday, my love! And where are the guests, Mom? So it’s boring for you to celebrate at home with your wife, but with your mistress it’s just right? I see you have a complete idyll here! Lady, are you even aware that Alexander is married and we’ll soon have a baby?
The girl laughed in her face:
– Sasha, is this your wife? A very sweet young lady, that’s exactly how I imagined her for some reason. Darling, why is she here? We’re supposed to be having a romantic dinner! I’ll go powder my nose for now, and you solve this problem somehow. You know, I don’t like scandals, it’s so ugly…
The impudent woman stood up and walked away, swaying her curvy hips, and Sasha began to try to explain something:
-Lyuba! Why did you come? I told you to stay home! You see, Larisa and I love each other. Well, that’s how it happened. That’s life. You’re a good woman, kind, but too simple, without any frills! It’s boring, uninteresting with you, there’s nothing to talk about. You have no zest, no sparkle. Well, we’re different, you see. Let’s part peacefully, without any arguments. You go home for now. And slowly start looking for a place to live. You understand, you can’t stay in my house.
Lyuba gasped and grabbed her stomach, screaming:
– What are you saying, do you want to say that we are getting a divorce? And that you will throw me out of the house like a little dog? And what about our child? You don’t need that either? And what about the fact that I transferred my restaurant to you? I thought it would be our family business! And what about you with me? No, Gusev, I will not leave it like this, I am also registered in your house, and our child has the right to a part of it. And you will still have to pay me alimony! And I will not go anywhere! And I will not give you a divorce voluntarily, and according to the court you cannot divorce your pregnant wife!
While Alexander was blinking and thinking about what to answer, his lover appeared from behind him and clapped her hands:
– Bravo! And your chicken is not so stupid, she knows something, look how she started talking! Look, Sashenka, choose… But if after the divorce you end up penniless as a falcon, then there is no point in running to me! I have a ton of admirers! Such an evening wasted, it’s a shame. And to you, young lady, I’ll give you some advice, don’t humiliate yourself. And don’t torture yourself and Sasha. Let him go. Okay, don’t be bored here! I have to go, the taxi is waiting! Darling, eat, the shashlik is still warm!
It was worse than a slap, Lyuba almost choked from humiliation, slapped her husband, and they began to argue so loudly that they were both asked to go outside for some fresh air. The woman felt ill outside, and the frightened Alexander called an ambulance. Lyuba was taken to the department, she was at risk of a breakdown and nervous exhaustion. In general, the doctor scared her that she could lose the baby and they began to intensively treat her. At first, they even forbade her to get up. Bed rest. Sasha did bring her everything she needed, but he did not come anymore. And he did not answer calls. Lyuba tried not to cry, she was categorically forbidden to be nervous, but it was hard for her to hold back. Tears choked her. Involuntarily, her neighbors in the ward drew her into conversation, they themselves shared family stories in the evenings, not everyone, as usual, had everything smoothly. Well, Lyuba also shared her grief, and burst into tears again:
– So what should I do now? Like a fool, I trusted him, and he leaves me pregnant! And even if I resist and don’t move out of Sasha’s house, my mother-in-law will torment me so much that I’ll have to leave! Of course, I can drag out the divorce, the law is on my side. But on the other hand, how can I live with a cheater? If he decided to spend his birthday not with me, but with his mistress, then it’s clear who is more important to him. Even if I hang myself, I’ll end up in trouble wherever I go! And the worst thing is that I still love him, and I can’t do anything about it. I have no relatives left, my mother died early, and my eldest sister, Sveta, raised me. She helped me learn to be a pastry chef, looked after me, in general, she almost replaced my mother. And then she got married, gave birth to a niece Sonya, and then a nephew Anton. My sister didn’t kick me out, but I understood that I was in their way. I decided to move to another city and got a job at a bakery. I rented a room. We not only baked, but also delivered orders to homes. Sometimes, if the courier was very busy, we helped him. So one day I was asked to deliver an order to a private house, it was on my way anyway. As you may have guessed, it was the house of my future husband, Sasha. He opened the door for me and laughed, I still remember his first words:
-Good afternoon, dear Little Red Riding Hood! You look just like from a fairy tale, and you have a basket of pies?!
And she answered him, also jokingly:
-And you are the Gray Wolf then? I hope you won’t eat me for dinner? Will you make do with pies? I advise you to try the cherry ones, I baked them myself! If you like them, come visit us again, we’ll be glad!
So we had a nice chat and went our separate ways, and a couple of days later Sasha sent a bouquet and a note to our bakery: “For the most charming little red riding hood! The cherry pies are amazing! I’ll be expecting you at seven today! I promise I won’t eat you!”
You see, girls, no one has ever given me such bouquets. And no one has ever called me that. And I fell in love, right away, on our first date! And how could I not? Songs were dedicated to me, a girl from the provinces, we went to art galleries, Sasha took me for rides on his sports motorcycle, we danced wildly at the city festival! I was simply happy, right up until he introduced me to his mommy. I just glanced at her narrow, pursed lips and angry, squinting eyes and immediately understood that we would not get along. And so it happened. Galina Ivanovna did everything to make Sasha and I break up. She whispered to him that I was an orphan without a dowry, an ordinary cook! At first, I went out of my way to please her. No matter what I cook, she turns up her nose, it’s so offensive. Whatever I wear, he criticizes me, saying that I have no taste, no sophistication. Sasha used to protect me, he didn’t let anyone hurt me, we had such a beautiful wedding, to the envy of everyone. I felt with every cell of my body that he loved me. But exactly a year later, the beautiful fairy tale ended, my husband became increasingly cold towards me, he didn’t praise me for the hearty and delicious dinners. I really regret that I quit my favorite job – my husband insisted. Like, why do we need your pennies? I earn enough. When I finally got pregnant, I was so happy, I thought that now we would become closer again, dearer, especially since we would have a son. But everything turned out differently. No, Sasha is not a tyrant, he did not offend me, it was just that a wall of alienation grew between us, we lived parallel lives, not intersecting at all. And a week ago I caught him with his mistress, he did not deny it. He just said that we are different people and decided to erase me from his life. And I am in a panic, how to live on?
The wardmates clicked their tongues and condemned the scoundrel, saying:
– Well, the situation is not to be envied… you’ve got a scoundrel of a husband.
One of the women, more experienced and older, began to teach Lyuba:
– Don’t hang your head, my dear, I’ve been through two divorces myself, I have experience. I’ll tell you this, if things have gone that far, don’t try to forgive the traitor, you’ll suffer later. Everyone says that a child needs a father, and many women endure years of humiliation and betrayal, fearing condemnation. But this is wrong. A child who grows up in an atmosphere of hatred will also be unhappy. But you need to decide about housing, the law is on your side, so demand living space during the divorce. And don’t get on your nerves, what’s the point. Think about your son, he is now the meaning of your life. Better eat an apple, a home-grown one, from your own garden!
Lyuba replied:
-Thank you, girls, I’ve spoken out and that’s easier. Oh, I don’t think I’ll get a place to live from my mother-in-law and husband. My heart is so heavy, I’ll try to get some sleep. The morning is wiser than the evening.
But the next day a real miracle happened. Galina Ivanovna entered the ward. Lyuba instinctively tensed up inside like a spring, thinking that she would make a scene. But, to her surprise, everything turned out completely differently. The woman laid out fruits and homemade salads on the nightstand and said:
– Good morning, Lyubochka. Here, I came to visit you. I even made your favorite “Olivier”. Although it is not healthy, but a little is ok. My son told me that you are getting divorced. To be honest, I am in shock, I never thought that your family would fall apart. I still can’t get over this news. And you, poor thing, I see you are in the hospital, also probably from nerves. Forgive me, darling, that everything turned out this way… I am very sorry…
Lyuba even opened her mouth in surprise, she never thought that her husband’s mother would feel sorry for her and apologize. Realizing that the woman was on her side, Lyuba immediately began to speak incoherently:
– I cried my eyes out, I don’t understand how Sasha could do this? Especially when I’m in such a situation. Galina Ivanovna, I’m scared. What should I do? Maybe you can talk to him and he’ll come to his senses? You’ll soon have a grandson, and Sasha has a son! Is he really ready to trade his family for this painted hag? I truly love your son, and I can’t do anything about it.
Lyuba couldn’t stand it and started crying, shaking her thin shoulders. Tears were streaming down her face. The mother-in-law started groaning, took a lacy handkerchief smelling of expensive perfume out of her purse and handed it to her daughter-in-law. She poured orange juice into a glass and handed it to Lyuba:
-Now, now, that’s enough. Drink some juice, dry your tears. You can’t be nervous at all right now. I’m not a monster, and that’s why I came to you. I want to help. I talked to Sasha, tried to get through to him. He feels sorry for you too, he feels guilty, but you see, Lyubochka, you can’t command your heart! He’s in love with his new flame like a boy, insists on a divorce, and I can’t do anything about it.
Lyuba screamed in agony:
-We can’t get a divorce while I’m pregnant, and then until the child grows up! So, just know that your son won’t get a divorce!
Galina Ivanovna took another breath and continued:
– Don’t get excited, don’t shout, Lyuba. Cool down. I have an interesting proposal for you. Look here. What a wonderful little house with a balcony and a plot of land, and it’s not far from the city, only forty kilometers. Two rooms, a cozy kitchen, maybe without European-quality repairs, but everything is so well-kept, cute. I’ll buy it for you and my grandson, we’ll formalize the deal officially. And in exchange, you’ll waive your claims in court and alimony. Why these ugly scenes and swearing? What will you achieve with this? Well, Sasha will stay with you according to the court, but this is all a lie. You can’t force someone to be nice. You’ll start swearing even more, and how will the child feel listening to all this? Is this life, tell me? Well, it’s Sasha’s house, and you know that, sooner or later you’ll have to move out anyway. And so you will give birth peacefully and live with the baby in your own house, there is such nature, birds are singing, the air is fresh, not like here, only pollution, there is a pond. You see, in time you will arrange your life, you will meet your person. Think about it, Lyuba, don’t refuse right away. And I will come to you tomorrow. What should I bring you, my darling? Maybe I should buy some pickles? Will you?
Lyuba nodded and added:
-And please bring me my warm robe, the heating has already been turned off, it’s cold in the ward.
The mother-in-law left, loudly clicking her heels on the parquet floor, Lyuba said in bewilderment:
-What was that? It’s like my mother-in-law has been replaced! She used to call me an uncouth country bumpkin, an unintelligent provincial, and now honey is pouring out of my lips!
Elena, that same experienced neighbor, immediately noticed:
– As for me personally, everything is clear! Your mother-in-law got scared that you would lay claim to part of the house, and to alimony! So she decided to pay off right away! And you, don’t be a fool, don’t agree! Your husband will pay alimony until he comes of age, but now you’ll be left penniless!
But another woman also shared her bitter experience:
– That’s not a fact! My ex just took a part-time job with a meager salary, and what do I get from those pennies? You can’t even buy bread with it! You know how many cunning schemes there are to avoid paying alimony. Men these days are so brazen and shameless, you can’t count on their decency! It’s your business, of course, Lyuba, and it’s up to you to decide, but I’d rather buy a house. While I still have the opportunity. After all, it’s your own corner, it’s for life. Do you know how bad it is to wander around other people’s corners? Now Volodya and I are renting everything, constantly moving, and soon we’ll have a second child too! So we live one day at a time, with the thought that tomorrow they might come and say, you need to move out.
Lyuba thought about it and agreed. She decided that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. The mother-in-law came again, was glad that Lyuba did not mind, arranged a viewing of the house right in the ward via the phone, all the women came running to look. The house really was wonderful, drowned in greenery and flowers, everything was so clean, cozy, it was obvious that thrifty and hardworking people lived here. The realtor sang like a nightingale:
-An elderly grandmother lived here, she wasn’t going to sell anything, but recently she got very sick, and her daughter is taking her abroad, that’s why the sale is so urgent and inexpensive. I’m telling you as a professional, it’s a great option.
Lyuba was a little taken aback:
-Why such a rush? Once they discharge me, we’ll go and see everything ourselves. And then…
But Galina Ivanovna pressed:
– Well, you heard it yourself, the sale is urgent, I already arranged through connections to hold this house for you! There are already many interested parties there. Where else would such an option come up and when would it turn up? This is just rare luck and all the amenities are there, there will be a place to bathe the baby, no need to carry water and light the stove. But if you are against it, I can cancel everything. In general, do whatever you want and get out of this yourself.
Lyuba even got scared and waved her hands:
– No, no, everything is fine. It’s just that everything was so unexpected, thank you, Galina Ivanovna, that at least you care about me. Since Sasha doesn’t care about me anymore.
The woman sighed:
– Of course, how could it be otherwise? This child is not a stranger to me, he is a grandson after all. And I know that there is no one else who can help you. Your sister has many children herself, she lives in poverty. And you have no one else. Don’t think about it, I only want the best for you. Well, then I’ll invite a notary and a realtor to Wednesday, and we’ll formalize everything?
The deal was successful, and now Lyuba had the documents for the house in the village of Zybino in her hands. She breathed a sigh of relief, well, now at least she wouldn’t be living on the street. The whole time she was in the hospital, her mother-in-law took such warm care of her, and took her home in her car after she was discharged. Sasha no longer lived at home, and this also made Lyuba happy, it would have been unbearable for her to see him now, her health was already shaky.
Soon the divorce and trial took place, Lyubov, as agreed, agreed to all the conditions. She looked at Alexander, and tears welled up in her eyes, she wanted to scream: “What are you doing? You are mine! Only mine! We love each other!” BUT the man himself was very nervous, the judge, although he divorced them, looked at the man with obvious condemnation. As the last scoundrel who decided to exchange his wife for a mistress. Already on the threshold of the court building, Sasha began to hesitate and approached Lyuba, without raising his eyes, began to say:
-Lyubasha, forgive me! I’ve fallen out of love with you. Well, that happens. You’re kind, good, and you’ll definitely meet someone too. You, Lyuban, shouldn’t you move out quickly? My fiancée and I are planning to live there, and it’s not very comfortable in a rented apartment. And now you have a home.
Lyuba, swallowing her tears but trying to save face, answered quietly:
-Okay, Sasha, I’ll move today. Be happy if you can…
And so the young family fell apart. Galina Ivanovna helped Lyuba pack her things, consoled her, put food and sandwiches in her bag, and even paid for the taxi. She hugged her warmly as she said goodbye:
-Well, goodbye, Lyubochka! Happiness to you and your baby. Don’t think ill of me!
The daughter-in-law also thanked:
-Thank you too, I shouldn’t have been upset with you before, in a difficult moment only you helped me. Goodbye.
At first, Lyuba didn’t even pay attention to the road, tears clouded her eyes, her soul felt so bad, so sick, she replayed her whole life in her head, those moments when she and Sasha were so happy and she couldn’t understand. Where did she go wrong? What did she do wrong? Why did he stop loving her?
I came to my senses when the driver said in a muffled voice:
-Here we are, miss. Let’s get out. What a wilderness, I almost lost my wheels. I sympathize, how can you even live here, there’s a swamp right under your nose!
Lyuba left the salon and was speechless… At the very edge of the forest, near the swamp, there was an old abandoned house. More like Baba Yaga’s hut from fairy tales! And the location was also appropriate. The thicket was impassable, somewhere some animal was howling terrifyingly, it was gloomy, and the wind was creepy. The woman walked around the house in horror, and kept muttering: “No, it can’t be! I didn’t buy a house like this at all! They showed me a cozy and well-kept one with a balcony, amenities. And not far from the city. With a garden and vegetable garden. And what kind of hut on chicken legs is this!
The frightened girl turned to the equally stunned taxi driver:
– Listen, you must have got the address wrong! Let me get the documents for the house, I have them with me. Look, Zybino village, Proletarskaya street, house number eight. The realtor told me it was a half-hour drive from the city, but we spent two and a half hours wandering around on potholes! Look at the photo on the phone! This is where I should live!
The taxi driver sighed heavily and scratched his beard, he felt unbearably sorry for this young pregnant woman, he quietly said:
– So you were deceived, young lady! There are several Zybinos in our region, only the districts are different. I brought you here, right, the address is right, but there was never such a street in that prestigious settlement for the rich near the city you are talking about. There is just one thing I don’t understand, why didn’t you go to the viewing in person?
Lyuba cried:
— I didn’t go, I was in hospital on bed rest, and the examination was done online! It turns out that my mother-in-law and her ex-husband sent me to live in the swamps on purpose? And I’m such a fool that I refused to claim his house and alimony in court! Oh, my God. What will happen now? How can I even live here alone…
The taxi driver hesitated and replied:
– Yeah, what rotten people they are, nothing is sacred. Well, don’t despair, hire a lawyer, maybe you’ll be able to prove that you were deceived, although the chances are slim, of course, you signed everything yourself, voluntarily. Excuse me, I have to go. Goodbye…
The taxi driver drove away, raising clouds of dust behind him, and Lyuba dragged her suitcase inside. Everything was no better there than outside. An old, Soviet-era iron bed, a dried-out wardrobe, a rickety, awkward table, that was all the furniture. The stove was also cracked, and the roof was probably leaking. Lyuba sat on the suitcase and burst into tears, it seemed to her that this was it, this was the end! She would die here in this swamp…
The woman rushed to call her sister, but there was no connection, where would there be a tower in such a place. And besides, how could Sveta help her? She had a husband and three children, the youngest is not even a year old, and they were barely huddled together. And such anger came over her, Lyuba clenched her fists! She wiped away the flowing tears with her sleeve and said to herself: “Stop crying! It’s your own fault! It’s okay, look, our grandmother also lived in the wilderness after the war, and even gave birth to our mother there! And I won’t be lost! I’ll survive to spite Sasha! I’ll make it through for my son. He’s not to blame for anything, we’ll manage without that bastard of a father! Come on, get up, roll up your sleeves! We need to find a well, bring some water, and wash everything here! My mother-in-law will get her comeuppance for my tears!”
Lyuba found a couple of dusty buckets in the entryway and went to look for at least some living people. She had to walk for a long time. The house was very remote, she barely made out an old man in the distance, and said hello:
– Good day to you, Grandpa. My name is Lyuba. I bought a house in your village, near the swamp. Can you tell me where to get some water? I need something to drink and to clean up…
The old man was so sincerely happy, he bustled about and led the guest into the house, where a plump elderly woman was in charge of the kitchen, deftly pulling steaming pies out of the oven with a fork. The smell was so wonderful, Lyuba’s stomach immediately cramped with hunger, and it began to rumble treacherously loudly.
The old man shouted:
– Avdotya! We have guests. Look who you brought. It’s Lyuba. She bought Zakharych’s hut. She’ll be living there now. We need to take her to the well.
The elderly woman turned around, saw Lyuba’s protruding belly and threw up her hands:
– Wait a minute with your water, you old coot! Sit down, girl. We’ll have some tea. And get acquainted properly. I’m Avdotya, and this is Prokhor, my husband, damn him. I’ve been so sick of him for fifty years, he’s already in my liver. We’ve lived here all our lives, every dog knows us. Our place is almost abandoned, only old people here and there remain. I wonder, why would you, young and pregnant, need to go to such a remote place? As if you decided to hide from people? Well, I don’t believe that you decided to move here from the city of your own free will! Something is fishy here…
Lyuba didn’t lie, and why would she? She told her whole bitter fate as if it were true, and then asked with apprehension in a trembling voice:
-Tell me? There’s something howling in the forest, it’s so scary. Are those wolves? I’ll definitely die here, or the animals will tear me apart…
The hostess laughed and reassured Lyuba:
– Ugh, you silly girl, what have you imagined! It’s probably that damned dog Sharik running around the forest, scaring people! Of course, there are animals, but they won’t go near people, don’t be afraid. Don’t hang your head, you won’t disappear. And what about us? You’ll settle in little by little, what else can you do. You’ll register with the district hospital. Little by little, you’ll tidy up the house. Now Prokhor will harness our mare, I’ll get you some household utensils from the attic. A few dishes, bed linen. Everything will be useful at first. The well is very far from your house, if you don’t walk there, your feet will hurt. Prokhor will show you how to get to the forest spring along the path. The water there is clean, spring water, drink it boldly. I’ll wrap up some pies to take with you, give you some vegetables. Don’t be sad, think about your son. Everything will work out. If God gave a child, He will give for a child! You know, such is your destiny, to go through such a test. If you need anything, always come. And Prokhor will visit you. Don’t go to the swamp alone, you’ll get stuck! Well, that’s it, girl, go!
Lyuba thanked the kind people with all her heart. Prokhor helped her bring water, then screwed in the light bulbs and after a long time fiddling with the wiring, the light appeared. By evening Lyuba could not feel her arms or legs, but now at least she could spend the night. The woman had a snack and fell asleep without dreams, she was so exhausted and tired. Then the same everyday life dragged on. It turned out that in the village there was absolutely no time to be bored. The woman spun around like a squirrel in a wheel all day long and still did not have time for anything, the house was so abandoned. And sometimes her stomach ached, she tried to rest, she was afraid for the baby. But still, she was overcome by sad thoughts …
One evening, Lyuba was sitting by the open window, admiring the sunset and the slender birches. There was a pre-evening silence all around, and only the croaking of frogs could be heard from afar. She was in a depressed mood, something disturbing was bothering her soul. And then this croaking of frogs sounded like a warning. Lyuba listened to the evening sounds and did not notice how it gradually began to get dark and the rising stars began to be reflected in the swamp.
She would have sat there for a while, but the itchy mosquitoes started to bother her. The woman wanted to close the window and at that moment she heard a sound, like a puppy whining…
“But where could a puppy come from here?” the owner thought. At first she was a little scared. But then she pulled herself together and decided to go out and see who was whining so pitifully.
The moon rose in the sky, and everything around was illuminated by its light. Lyuba saw a puppy who was floundering in the swamp mud, unable to get out of it, whining pitifully. He saw a woman and was very happy, this was audible by his joyful whining.
The puppy was still very small, clumsy, looked miserable, was all wet and shivering from the cold. Lyuba started shouting at him: “Baby, don’t be afraid! I won’t abandon you! How did you manage to get in there? Don’t cry, I’ll think of something right now!” And the puppy, as if hearing Lyuba, started whining even louder.
The girl took a stick lying nearby and slowly began to move the puppy towards herself, as he was quite far from the edge of the swamp. The baby seemed to understand this and began to paddle with his paws. Finally, he got very close to Lyuba, and she was able to pick him up.
The woman brought him into the house, wrapped him in a blanket like a child, and he was still shaking, either from the cold or from fear. Lyuba decided to wash him from the mud and swamp dirt, heated up some water and bathed him. The woman poured some warm milk into a bowl, which Avdotya now regularly supplied her with, and the puppy, for whom she immediately came up with the nickname Naid Yona , began to drink eagerly and emptied it in an instant. He went limp, stopped shaking, as if he realized that he had fallen into good hands. The puppy looked trustingly and devotedly into Lyuba’s eyes, so that her heart ached. Warmed on her lap, his whole body pressed against the woman, he fell asleep, and Lyuba sat for a long time and looked at Naidyonysh. Now she had pleasant concerns…
A month passed. Even though Sasha had brought his mistress Larisa home, he still often wondered how his Lyuba was living there, in the wilderness of the swamp. There was still something human left in him, he felt like a scoundrel, he tried to push his conscience into the farthest corner, but nothing worked. Larisa insisted that her husband quickly restore the restaurant, and the man had to go there. After all, before that he hadn’t lifted a finger there, he only lied to his wife that he was doing vigorous work, and then ran off to Larisa.
Alexander came to the building, looked at it, it was solid and good looking, the design could just be updated a bit. But that’s a small investment. He went inside, started shining a flashlight and looking for a switch, because the windows were boarded up, you couldn’t see anything. And suddenly someone coughed and started moving in the corner! Sasha jumped up, started shining a flashlight there and yelling:
– Hey! Who’s there? You little thief! Come here! What, are you trying to steal something? I’m the owner of this place, I’ll call the police now and you’ll be in trouble!
Alexander dragged the tramp out into the street by force. He was a young guy, he was trying to explain everything in fear:
-Please, don’t shout, no need for the police. I’m not a thief, and not a drug addict, I’m just left homeless. It so happened that my room burned down, and my documents too. I’m already restoring them, I work part-time at the market, and I only sleep here. Please, let me go! I didn’t take anything from here, you can check it yourself.
And then an idea came to Sasha’s mind, he said sternly:
– You say you didn’t take it? So be it, maybe I won’t turn you in to the cops, but on one condition. Do one job for me. What’s your name? Wanderer?
The tramp was so happy, the last thing he needed was problems with the police, he said:
– Grisha, I’m Okunev. I agree, only if it’s not a crime. I don’t sign up for that.
The man smiled:
– Don’t be afraid, there’s no crime. Go to a village, I’ll give you the address, a pregnant woman lives there, my wife, you need to follow her. But don’t make contact, you’ll scare her with your appearance. Just watch how she lives, what she does. And next Monday I’ll wait for you here. Tell me everything. That’s all the work. Can you handle it? And watch out, if you lie, I’ll pull your legs out! I’ll get them from under the ground!
Grisha nodded his head and promised:
– It’s easy as pie, I can handle it. I won’t let you down. So, should I go right now? I just need a little money, for the road and generally for food…
Sasha reluctantly took out several small bills:
-Here, take this, I won’t give you any more, you’ll manage! If I don’t see you on Monday, you’ll only have yourself to blame!
Grisha was there by evening, found the right address and gasped, of course he was homeless himself now, but to live in such a dilapidated house, and in a swamp, in the wilderness, was real heroism. He chose an observation post for himself, settled in a spreading tree, from where the yard was clearly visible, and began to wait. Soon a young pregnant woman came out onto the porch, she was carrying soup in a bowl and calling her dog. He immediately jumped up joyfully, and she said to him:
– I’m hungry, my Naydena! Eat, my dear, I crumbled some bread into the soup, it’s still warm. And tomorrow you’ll have a mountain of a feast. Avdotya will butcher the goose, she promised to give me the giblets. How good it is that I have you now. Otherwise, I’ll probably start howling from loneliness soon…
The puppy ate his fill, began to thank his owner, to cuddle, she scratched him behind the ear, stroked him and talked to him for so long, as if he were a person.
-Oh, Naydena, how are we going to live on? It’s getting harder and harder for me to lift heavy buckets of water, I wanted to chop some wood, I almost chopped off my finger. Okay, it’s warm now, summer, but what next? I’ve never heated a stove in my life! And it’s all cracked, Prokhor said it needs to be rebuilt. And he’s old too, he says he can’t handle it. Well, my dear, shall we go to bed? I made you a bed in the entryway. The morning is wiser than the evening, as Avdotya says…
Grisha held his breath and couldn’t help but admire the woman. Her thick hair was casually gathered in a ponytail, her perky curls adorned her sweet face, and her sad blue eyes completely captivated him. The tramp thought: “What a pompous, fat cat he is, how could he send such a beauty to the swamps? She’s also pregnant. Why is she suffering here so much? Couldn’t the rich man provide his wife with normal housing, surely he’s not in poverty? I would never let such a woman go, I’d take care of her…”. And Grisha decided, like a kind ghost, to help Lyuba little by little. The next day he found strawberries in the forest, picked a cap full of them, took the trouble to quietly put them on the window, and also brought two buckets of water. He sat down at his observation post again.
The woman saw the berries and gasped:
– Found! Look, strawberries! Oh, how delicious! And someone brought water! What a relief. It must have been Prokhor who tried, there was no one else, I must remember to thank the old man tomorrow…
Grisha did this for several days in a row, and was so happy that Lyuba liked it, after all, it was vitamins. But that night it started pouring rain. The man was soaked to the skin, and it was dangerous to sit in a tree during a thunderstorm. The tramp went down and decided to sneak into the barn, to wait out the bad weather. But, as luck would have it, the dog smelled him, began to growl, bark menacingly, bare its teeth, scratched the door, sensing a stranger.
The mistress was very scared, grabbed the fork and went into the entryway, her heart pounding. A found dog wouldn’t bark for no reason! That meant there was a stranger in the yard! What if he was a thief? Or some escaped convict? Avdotya said that there had been an incident here about ten years ago. The woman opened the door and asked menacingly:
-Who are you and what do you need here?
Grisha, frightened, raised his hands up and said:
– It’s me, Grisha, don’t be afraid. I’m not a thief. Just a regular tramp. Your husband Alexander made me follow you. I have to report to him later how you live here in the wilderness!
Lyuba got mad:
-Oh, really? Well then, get lost right now and tell him that I’m not dead yet! That’s probably what he would have wanted? For me not to be on earth at all!
The stranger stamped his feet and did not leave:
– Don’t drive me away, please. I was the one who brought you strawberries and water. Don’t think anything bad, I’ll help you, I won’t lay a finger on you. I just want to be near you, that’s all. I can’t help myself. It’s as if you’ve bewitched me with your blue eyes. And I think I’ve fallen in love…
Lyuba looked at the tramp with distrust and nodded towards the barn:
– Oh, what, fallen in love. I know you! One of them already loved me, and so much so that he kicked me out and deceived me! You’re all the same… I won’t let you into the house, don’t even think about it! You can wait out the bad weather in the barn. And we’ll see in the morning. Found. Guard the barn!
Lyuba didn’t sleep all night, tossing and turning and thinking: “Well, I never! He was secretly picking berries for her, carrying water. So he doesn’t have any ill will in his soul. Or maybe he should really just let her live? It will be easier. And it won’t be so scary… And Sasha! The last coward! He decided to find out how she suffers? Lord, how wrong I was about him once! Who did I live with…”
So Grisha ended up at Lyuba’s house. The next day, closer to midday, the hostess invited the guest to the table. She tried to cook something tasty for the table, Lyuba knew how to do that, but she had enough money for good products, where could she get it! But, as they say, necessity is the mother of invention, so the hostess managed to make a tasty roast from potatoes, onions, and a small piece of chicken.
– Wow, – the man said, swallowing his saliva, as a wonderful aroma of food floated from the saucepan through the small, nondescript kitchen. – You, Lyubochka, are simply talented! Come on, I’ll help you set the table…
– Just sit there, what, can’t I do it myself?! If you really want to help, then look, there’s an empty bucket, bring it, if it’s not too much trouble, some water. I go to the spring, but it’s almost dry. The well is a bit far away, higher up, closer to the planting. And to be honest, it’s already a bit hard for me to carry a full bucket, and I still have to lift it up with a rope!
– Lyubochka, right now, everything will happen now! – and, grabbing the bucket, Grigory rushed to the door.
– Wait, hurry up, what are you going to use to pull out the bucket? There’s a coil of rope hanging on a nail, take it, just tie it tightly to the handle, otherwise you’ll drop it down below, and that’s it, we’ll be without water and a bucket…
-Okay, this time I’ll tie it with a knot, and tomorrow I’ll make a tricky hook out of wire to quickly attach the bow. Do you have any tools in the shed?
– Yes, some iron pieces were lying around, maybe there is something useful there, do I understand this? Take a look tomorrow, maybe it will come in handy.
Grisha brought water, they had lunch, then he offered to wash the dishes.
– Oh, – Lyuba was sad, – the stove has cooled down, how can I heat water now? What a fool, I was stingy with the firewood, I don’t have much, and it smokes so much, and I didn’t put the water on while I was cooking.
“Why is there so little firewood?” Grisha didn’t understand. “There’s a lot of dead wood lying around the house, there’s a lot of it lying around in the forest!”
– There’s a lot of this stuff, but who’s going to saw it, drag it to the house and chop it up? You see, I’m not fit for this job, I’m actually not good at heating the stove with different branches, I can still collect them. Well, and the branches, well, they puffed up and burned, you can’t get much heat from them…
Grisha remained silent, but still, as best he could, he washed the dishes with cold water, went to sleep in the barn, where the old owner had left some hay, and spent the night there.
Lyuba, having tossed and turned on the bed, finally, without noticing it, fell fast asleep.
And when she woke up, she didn’t even understand in her sleep what had woken her up… some dull thuds in the yard, a knock, as if pieces of wood were flying…
Looking out the door, I understood everything: Grisha, it turns out, got up early, found a saw and an axe in the barn, managed to go to the forest and drag a decent log, which he had already sawed into logs. And now, with passion, he was deftly splitting them into pieces with an axe, and that’s how the noise became clear!
Lyuba was simply admiring this picture. And at the same time, she felt somehow sad. Here, she thought, is a complete stranger to me, but he tries to help me with everything, he sincerely tries, it’s noticeable, not for show… Not to mention her ex-husband, he was clearly incapable of such “feats”…
And so they began to live. One day, Lyuba had a severe toothache, she suffered so much that she did not sleep for two days. Avdotya complained that she had to go to the regional center to see a doctor.
Suddenly an old woman came into the house, a local resident who was famous in the area for treating people with herbs, spells, and delivering women in labor. She was a short, smiling, pleasant-looking grandmother. Turning to Lyuba, she said kindly: “I heard from a neighbor that your tooth is bothering you, dear daughter. So I came to help you. If you want, sit down, I will try to charm it with a prayer.”
Lyuba sat down obediently, her tooth had really been hurting for two days already. The girl rinsed it with a decoction of chamomile and sage, but nothing helped.
The old woman began to mumble some prayer and move her hand above her head. This is how Lyuba’s own grandmother treated her for fright and the evil eye as a child, and gave her charmed water to drink. And Lyuba, strangely enough, stopped stuttering then. And now the grandmother gave the woman a decoction of some herb to drink. And a miracle happened: after half an hour the toothache began to subside. The grandmother sat for a while longer, looked around and, seeing Grisha, squinted, looking at him intently and, as if remembering something, asked:
– Darling, who are you? Your face seems familiar to me, and that mole on your cheek.
-My name is Grigory, I help Lyuba with the housework.
-And where are you from?
-I’m from an orphanage.
– Do you at least know your father and mother?
-I’ve never seen him, I don’t know his parents.
-Yes, I sympathize with you.
After a pause, she added:
-You know what I’ll tell you: this birthmark of yours reminded me of an incident that happened in our village.
And the old woman told him that twenty-five years ago, a beautiful young girl, characteristically with exactly the same birthmark on her cheek, had met a city guy and had become pregnant by him.
– I also delivered her baby. A boy was born with a birthmark on his cheek, just like his mother’s. I remember her first and last name. Romantsova Svetlana . But soon after the birth, she left the village with the child. We don’t know where. So, it seems to me that it was your mother.
Grisha listened with bated breath, from that moment he set himself the goal of finding his mother! He wanted so much to know why she had abandoned him, he felt lonely and abandoned in the orphanage. Other children had mothers visiting them, at least sometimes, but not him. Grisha grew up as an emotionally closed child, and even now he lacked parental love and affection. The thought of finding his mother did not give him peace, and one fine day he went to the city with the goal of finding out something about his mother. Fortunately, now he knew her last name and first name. The village police officer helped, he found out through his channels at the passport office that there were three Svetlanas living in the city, who had the maiden name Romants Ova and were the right age. And he found out their addresses. Grigory immediately set off.
Arriving in the city, Grisha stood at the station at a loss, not knowing where to go. He went intuitively, without thinking, to the second address. He wandered unnoticed into the private sector. He walked down one street, asked people – they don’t know this and no one knows anything. He sat down tired on a bench. And then an old woman passed by and asked: “What’s wrong with you, boy?”
“I’m looking for my mother,” Grisha answered. “Her name is Svetlana Romantsova.”
— The one whose husband is richer?
-I don’t know exactly, maybe.
“So this is their house, on the other side of the street,” she said, pointing to a three-story mansion with columns.
Grisha thanked the old woman and headed towards the house. But it was impossible to enter the beautiful gate. An alabai was walking around in the yard, and when it saw the guy, it barked in a bass voice. Grisha stopped in bewilderment: “How can I get through to the house?” But then a man came out of the guest house inside the yard. As it turned out later, it was the gardener. He asked Grisha what he needed. The guy answered: “Does Romantsova Svetlana live here ? “
The gardener said that Svetlana lives here, but not Romantsova, but Borzova.
Grisha was taken aback at first, but then he realized that his mother could have changed her last name when she got married:
-I would like to see her.
-And who are you?
-I may be her son…
The gardener’s eyes widened and he was taken aback, but he said that he would report it to the owners right away.
After a while, a well-groomed, stately woman came down from the porch and headed towards the gate. And when she came very close, Grisha saw a mole on her cheek. “Oh, God, is it really her?!” – flashed through his mind, and his heart began to beat wildly in his chest.
“What do you want, young man?” the woman asked.
“Mom, I’m your son,” Grisha barely answered in a voice hoarse from excitement.
The woman froze, as if rooted to the spot, stared at the guy, and her eyes filled with tears. She saw the birthmark and burst into tears, hugged the guy.. Invited him into the house, fed him, gave him tea and told him a sad story that happened to her in her youth.
– That’s how it was, son. I grew up in Zybino, a city boy started courting me, and as usual, I got pregnant. There was a terrible scandal, the groom disappeared without a trace, a midwife secretly delivered my baby. And then my parents kicked me out, and I went to the city with you. I couldn’t stand the gossip. I barely found a job, I couldn’t rent a corner for a long time, but I lost my nerve, couldn’t feed you, and abandoned you in an orphanage. At first, I thought I’d get back on my feet and take you. And then I met Yasha. He was the owner of the stalls where I sold goods. Anyway, Yasha took me in, fell in love, married me. And I still couldn’t tell him about you. I was very afraid that he wouldn’t understand, would judge and abandon me. My husband always wanted a baby, but fate itself apparently punished me, I never got pregnant again! I feel very guilty before you. I understand that you hate me now.
Grisha cried and said quietly:
– What are you saying, Mom! I dreamed of finding you all my childhood. And I am very happy that I finally did it. Fate itself threw me to distant Zybino. Even if we say goodbye now and never see each other again, I still want to tell you that I love you…
Sveta’s husband, having learned about everything, scolded his wife for keeping silent for so many years. The man had been on his feet for a long time and firmly, he owned boutiques at the market. But the years take their toll, and all the man dreamed of was to pass on his business to someone. Therefore, he happily accepted his stepson. And then Grisha moved Lyuba to the mansion to his mother. She was also accepted as a family member. The couple signed the marriage certificate and began to wait for a grandson! There was also a place for Naydena, Lyuba did not abandon her faithful friend, she took him with her. The woman was infinitely grateful to Grisha that he was not afraid, he married her, knowing that she was carrying someone else’s child under her heart. Lyuba did not immediately fall in love with Grigory, but gradually his care, his sincere love melted her heart, displacing all memories of Sasha. And when Vanechka was born, their family became truly happy.
Sasha’s affairs were getting worse. His relationship with Larisa was not going well at all, she seemed to be obsessed with money, and demanded more and more. She nagged him day and night, reproached him for not making progress with the restaurant, for not being able to take her to foreign resorts! And she did not accept Galina Ivanovna at all, did not let her in. She did not mince words:
-You are nobody to me, got it? We’ll sort this out without you and don’t bother with your stupid advice. I’m not a fool, Lyubasha, and I’ll put your son in his place in a jiffy!
Alexander thought more and more often about his wife, and kept thinking, why did he do such a nasty thing? After all, she always tried so hard to please him, she loved him so sincerely. He would be living peacefully now, raising his son. And what was he missing? The tramp never showed up, and generally disappeared without a trace. And then Sasha made up his mind and went to the village of Zybino, he wanted to repent, ask for forgiveness. For some reason, he was firmly convinced that Lyuba still loved him, was suffering there, in the wilderness, and would definitely forgive him…
But what was his surprise when he saw that the house was boarded up. And there was no trace of Lyuba! He rushed to the neighbors, and they told him:
– Have you come to your senses, shameless man? But it’s too late! Lyubochka left for the city forever. She married the adopted son of a businessman, lives and enjoys herself! That’s it! And you deserve it, you shouldn’t have humiliated a woman like that! A smart man can’t handle someone else’s child, but a fool can’t handle his own. So get lost, you’ve lost such a woman!
Sasha was furious, he was choked with jealousy, he didn’t expect this from himself! What kind of adopted son of a businessman? Where did Lyuba even manage to find him in this wilderness? So that’s how it was? She quickly found a replacement for him, and she swore her love, begged him not to leave her!
The mistress got tired of waiting for Alexander to get really rich and found a replacement for him. She silently packed her things and fluttered away in search of new happiness, taking a considerable sum from home. Sasha decided to sell this damned unfinished restaurant to somehow stay afloat. It was immediately bought by some Grigory Borzov. Sasha was taken aback at the deal, it was the same tramp, he would never have recognized him if it weren’t for a noticeable birthmark! Grisha came with his stepfather, an influential businessman in the city. They signed everything, and Sasha kept asking:
-So you found Lyuba then? How is she? Where did she disappear to? I’m looking for her! I want to make peace! They say she got married. And you? How did you even manage to get up so quickly? I can’t imagine! Miracles, and nothing more!
Gregory laughed loudly:
– I found and fell in love with Lyuba, now she is my wife! We are very happy, and my son is growing up wonderful, my pride! And you are a complete idiot, you did not appreciate and betrayed such a wonderful woman. So don’t look for her, you are no one to her anymore. And don’t you dare interfere in our lives, otherwise my stepfather will give you such trouble, you will not know what’s coming! Oh, and one more thing. Here, I’m returning the favor, buy yourself something!
And Grisha threw him those same small bills that Sasha had recently thrown in his face! He turned around and left.
And Alexander stood there, as if spat upon, and tears welled up in his eyes. Only now did he understand that all the bridges were burned, and there was no way back! He really had abandoned his son, and now he was a stranger to both him and Lyuba! Black envy and anger filled him to the brim, he broke down and started drinking. This was retribution for everything he had done.
Grisha enthusiastically took up the matter. He managed to renovate and open that very restaurant, and Lyuba became the chef there. Now both were engaged in the family business. Lyuba’s dream finally came true, she returned her uncle’s inheritance…
