Sergey always stood out from his peers, and his father often pondered this. Pavel Ivanovich not only loved his son—he felt a deep sense of pride for him. Whenever his wife Natasha was around, he would frequently ask her:
«Why do we have such an unusual son? There has never been anyone like him in our family. Where did he come from?»
Natasha would just smile in response:
«Pasha, stop it! Why do you always call Sergey strange? He’s a perfectly normal modern boy: he’s into sports and interested in various things. He just prefers poetry and drawing over cars and toy guns. Does everyone have to be the same?»
Pavel Ivanovich sighed heavily:
«I hoped that as he grew older, he would become more ‘typical’ and leave these unusual hobbies behind.»
Natasha, smiling, replied:
«Pash, not everyone understands that times are changing. But the essence remains the same. Nowadays, everyone chooses their own path. And Sergey—he’s just special.»
Pavel Ivanovich avoided discussing family matters outside the home. He tried to hide his worries from Natasha so she wouldn’t be anxious. She only knew that he worked with cars and owned a dealership that sold both new and used cars. That was all she knew. For Pavel, it was important that his family lacked nothing.
When Sergey turned 15, during his birthday celebration, Natasha felt unwell. The birthday boy noticed it first. Approaching his mother, he asked worriedly:
«Mom, why are you so pale? Are you feeling ill?»
«No, no, just a bit tired,» she answered.
«Mom, why all this noise? Let’s just sit together, have some cake, and that’s it,» Sergey suggested.
«Sergey, you’ve always been against big parties, but 15 is an important milestone. Plus, you have so many friends! Everything is fine, go celebrate.»
Sergey went to join the guests, but before he did, he turned to his father:
«Dad, please keep an eye on Mom. She’s pale, and there’s sweat on her forehead. She says she’s fine, but… I’m not sure.»
Pavel Ivanovich looked at his son in surprise:
«What do you mean?»
«Just watch over her, okay?»
Pavel glanced at his wife and realized his son was right. He decided to send her to rest, explaining that they would manage on their own.
Sergey was not only scared because his mother looked unwell, but also because it was entirely unlike her to agree to rest.
Later, when the guests had left, Natasha’s condition worsened. Pavel called an ambulance. The doctors diagnosed her with a serious illness that progressed rapidly. Within three months, the disease had completely drained her. For Sergey, this was a real shock. He watched as his father, always strong and confident, became weak and lost.
One evening, noticing that his father was drinking alone in his study, Sergey decided to talk to him:
«Dad, it’s hard, I know.»
Pavel smirked, pointing at his glass:
«You mean this? Yes, it helps me forget, at least for a little while.»
Sergey took a deep breath:
«Then pour me one too.»
Pavel was outraged:
«Are you out of your mind?!»
«What should I do, Dad? You’ve found a way to comfort yourself, and I… don’t even have anyone to talk to.»
Pavel looked thoughtfully at his glass, then poured its contents into a potted plant. Sergey froze, then said:
«Mom would definitely kill you for that.»
Unable to hold back, he cried. His father approached and hugged him:
«Cry if you want. Sometimes it helps.»
From then on, their bond became even stronger. They became like two halves of one heart.
After finishing school, Sergey entered the Faculty of Philology, continuing to study at an art school. Although he had already graduated, he still took private lessons. Sometimes Pavel Ivanovich grumbled:
«Why don’t you choose something more ‘serious’? After all, self-esteem comes with the money you earn yourself. Why do you need these books and pictures?»
Sergey, without taking his eyes off the painting he had been passionately working on for a month, finally said:
«Why does a person need so much money?»
Pavel Ivanovich was slightly taken aback but quickly found an answer:
«With money, you can buy everything your heart desires.»
«Really? Absolutely everything?» asked the son, raising an eyebrow.
This question made the father think.
«Well… perhaps except for health… I see where you’re going. Yes, there are things that money can’t buy, but everything else is quite accessible.»
Sergey looked at his father calmly and confidently:
«Dad, if the most important things in life can’t be bought, is it worth suffering for everything else?»
Pavel Ivanovich abruptly stood up and started pacing the room nervously.
«Where do you get such thoughts? You’re just used to living without extra worries, thanks to my money!»
«Dad, what if we had none of this, but Mom was still here, wouldn’t we be just as happy?» Sergey continued softly.
A pause stretched for several seconds, after which Pavel admitted:
«Probably, yes… But that’s a different story.»
«No, Dad, you’re wrong,» the son objected.
«How can I not be?! Imagine if I die and leave you not a penny. What then? How will you survive?»
Sergey smiled:
«Dad, you’re speaking too soon! But seriously, I’ll find a job that allows me to combine earning with what I love. I’ll just continue living my life.»
An invisible chasm seemed to stretch between them, but Sergey honestly expressed his opinion, knowing his father wouldn’t be offended.
«So, you wouldn’t be upset if I left you no inheritance?» Pavel asked.
The son paused for a moment:
«No. It’s your decision, and you’ll choose those who, in your opinion, truly deserve it. You know, Dad, when I was little, I had a dream. I always imagined us living in some cozy village, away from your partners, endless negotiations, and all this business routine. Just us—all together—you, Mom, and me. Just a family. Without the extra noise.»
Pavel Ivanovich stared intently at his son’s face.
«You’re strange, Sergey. It seems like nothing really bothers you.»
«Why not, Dad? I’m very interested in many things. I like to paint, to create something eternal that will always be nearby. Look, for example, at this,» said Sergey, turning the painting toward his father.
The canvas depicted Natasha. Pavel froze, his chin quivering, tears streaming down his cheeks.
«See, Dad? We can see Mom every day and remember her alive. It doesn’t matter that she’s no longer with us. She will always be part of our life.»
«Maybe you’re right… But admit it, living without material worries is also nice,» Pavel said, wiping his eyes.
Sergey smiled:
«Of course, Dad. Who would argue with that?»
A year had passed since that conversation. Pavel Ivanovich’s business began to decline rapidly, and the situation became increasingly dangerous. He became more nervous, feeling an oppressive pressure.
«Pavel Ivanovich, are you going home today?» Regina’s voice rang out as she peered through the door.
«What? Oh yes… I’m busy now, but I’ll leave soon. You can go,» he replied distractedly.
Regina had been working with him for five years, and their relationship had long surpassed professional boundaries. Pavel fully understood that she was ready to accept his proposal, he just needed to make the move. However, he now felt an internal discomfort about the situation.
Instead of leaving, Regina decisively entered and sat opposite him.
«Pash, tell me honestly, what’s happening?»
Pavel tried to smile, though he felt increasingly tense inside.
«Nothing special, Regin. Just someone more significant decided I’m too much of an interference…»
She continued to look at him intently, demanding a fuller explanation.
«Pash…» she began, but he interrupted her.
«I want you to leave temporarily. There’s an envelope with a bonus and a voucher in the safe. It’s just in case something happens.»
Regina slightly tilted her head, surprised by his words, and was silent for a while. Then she nodded:
«Alright, Pash. When should I leave?»
«Actually, you should have left yesterday. But I managed to buy you a ticket for tomorrow’s plane.»
She stood up and headed for the exit.
«Understood, Pash. We’ll definitely talk once everything is over.»
Quietly closing the door behind her, Regina disappeared.
Sergey waited all night for his father, but he did not return. Lately, this had become the norm: Pavel was constantly tense and hardly ever appeared at home. Sergey guessed that his father had major problems, but there never seemed to be a right moment to talk. In the morning, he noticed a pistol at his father’s place, which spoke volumes—the situation was far more serious than he could imagine.
When the clock struck two in the morning and his father still hadn’t appeared, Sergey decided to distract himself by turning on the television. But his attention was immediately drawn to the news on the screen.
«A well-known businessman died as a result of his car exploding,» the announcer reported.
Sergey staggered and collapsed to the floor. The car on the screen was his father’s. His heart constricted with pain. The next day began with endless calls to hospitals, but suddenly the front door burst open. One of his father’s partners stood on the threshold.
«What’s happening? I can’t understand… He was always so strong, and now… Dad never told me anything.»
«He was under a lot of pressure, Sergey. A lot,» the partner said.
«That means he felt something but kept silent,» Sergey whispered.
Regina, standing nearby, could no longer hold back her tears. Only then did Sergey realize: her grief was equal to his own.
—
After the funeral, it turned out that Pavel had sold the company three days before his death. No one had even suspected. The father’s deputy, an old family friend, was shocked by this decision and repeatedly asked Sergey where the money had gone. But the son was completely helpless:
«I don’t know what happened to the company. I always stayed away from my father’s affairs. Why should I know the answers now?»
A month later, it became known that Pavel had sold all his possessions. The family friend came to his house again, cautiously hinting at a possible young mistress. Sergey just shook his head—although he guessed why Regina had been so bitterly crying.
At the reading of the will, this same friend was present, watching Sergey closely. When the notary announced that the only inheritance was an old house in a remote place, a place the son had not known about, the friend swore so loudly that the echo filled the room and he left. Sergey sighed heavily but felt a strange relief inside: life in the countryside seemed perfectly acceptable to him.
—
The new owners of the city house turned out to be kind people. They did not rush to evict Sergey and even allowed him to take everything necessary. They had not shown themselves at all until the will was read.
The next day, Sergey took a train. Anxiety mixed with a sense of liberation, as if he had finally found his path. When he reached his destination, dusk had already fallen. Setting down his suitcase, he decided to leave the rest of his belongings in a storage locker, checking the address and photograph of the house.
The house was exactly what he was looking for. However, climbing over the fence, he noticed a luxury car in the yard. Such a vehicle clearly did not belong to the locals. Whose could it be? Approaching closer, he saw a light in the window and peered inside. The world around him spun, and Sergey lost consciousness.
He awoke from a sharp jolt. Opening his eyes, he met the gaze of a man. Sergey wanted to sink back into oblivion, but the man spoke with a voice that could not be mistaken for a stranger’s—it was his father’s voice:
«Don’t be afraid, everything is alright, it’s really me,» said the man.
«You… You can’t be my father! I buried you with my own hands!»
«Are you sure it was really me?»
«What?! How can that be? You simply can’t be alive!»
«Listen, stop repeating the same thing! Explain, why are you so sure it’s impossible?»
«Alright… If you really are my father, what did mom call you when she was angry?»
«Carlson! Now do you believe?»
«Dad… Is it really you?»
Sergey cried, but he felt no shame. They sat in the yard, drank tea, and his father began his story:
«When the situation became extremely dangerous, I decided not to wait until they eliminated me. I sold everything, transferred the money to another name, and disappeared from the radars.»
«What if the truth had come out?»
«Who would look for me here, in such a backwater? After our conversation, it became clear that this house was the perfect place for a new life. Here I can engage in farming, start all over. No one will find us.»
Sergey smiled through tears.
«Everything I dreamed of… Just missing Mom. By the way… Did something happen with Regina? What’s she got to do with this?»
At that moment, a pale Regina appeared at the gate.
«Sorry… I came for Sergey. I was afraid he’d be doing badly here. I wanted to offer him to stay at my apartment. There’s enough room, and here… Sorry, I won’t intrude.»
She turned to leave.
Sergey looked at his father:
«What are you, frozen? She’s about to leave!»
Pavel Ivanovich blinked in confusion:
«But… she’s…»
«Dad, if you want her to stay, act! Opportunities like this don’t come every day.»
Regina was already approaching the gates when she heard footsteps behind her. Turning around, she met Sergey’s gaze, who nodded to her, confirming that everything was alright.
The man quickly stood up and ran after Regina. Sergey, who by then had started dozing off after the long conversation, was awakened by his father’s voice:
«Sergey!»
Opening his eyes, he saw Regina, standing next to his father; her face expressed a mix of anger and annoyance.
«You were right! We decided to get married,» Pavel announced with a broad smile.
«Not ‘we,’ you decided that alone!» Regina snorted, crossing her arms.
«Well, okay, me. But you agreed!» Pavel tried to maintain his composure.
«Of course, I agreed! How can one argue with your stubbornness?» she replied, but her voice carried warm undertones, revealing her true feelings.
