Elena Sergeyevna carefully folded the documents and headed for the reception area.
«Vera, I’m leaving. If anything urgent comes up, call,» she said.
Vera got up from her chair. «Elena Sergeyevna, are you going back there again?»
«Yes,» Elena replied shortly.
Vera sighed heavily. «Give my regards to Svetlana.»
Elena smiled sadly. «Certainly, dear Vera. Thank you.» She paused for a moment. «Will I return today? It’s hard to say. If nothing emergency happens, then most likely not.»
«And what could happen? Everything is functioning perfectly. In the worst case, there’s Stepan Andreevich.»
Elena smiled warmly. Stepan Andreevich had indeed always been by her side—any time of day or night, ready to help under any circumstances. He had once appeared out of nowhere—to help sort out old matters and launch the enterprise. And he stayed. He had been a friend of her husband. Her husband had been gone for five years, but a friend never disappears.
It was Friday. Every Friday, Elena invariably went to the cemetery where, five years ago, she had buried her husband and daughter. Svetlana had been an amazing child. Of course, every mother considers her own child special, but Elena knew how to be objective. Sveta excelled at everything. At school—she was first, at competitions—first, in sports and clubs—she was always a leader. How did she manage it? Even Elena herself did not understand. Her husband used to come home early from work, so he took care of their daughter.
Meanwhile, Elena immersed herself in entrepreneurship. She hesitated for a long time until Maxim said, «Len, stop tormenting yourself. I’m sure you’ll manage. You have a bright mind.»
And then she decided. No more doubts. If her husband believed in her, why shouldn’t she believe in herself? Maxim supported her, urging her to focus on the firm. When things got better, everything would fall into place. And so Elena worked. Sometimes she couldn’t properly talk to her daughter for weeks. When she came home, Svetlana was asleep—she would kiss her and collapse from exhaustion. When she left, her daughter was still sleeping.
Finally, the firm began to work as it should. Business was booming. Elena exhaled and, for the first time in several months, decided to take a day off. She arrived home, went to bed after kissing her husband and daughter, and in the morning she woke up—no one was there.
«Max, where are you? Today is Saturday,» she asked on the phone.
«We’re at the country house, decided to get some fresh air. Wait, are you home?» he said, surprised.
Elena laughed. «At last I have a day off, and I wanted to spend it with my family. But the family has run away from me.»
Through the phone came her daughter’s cheerful voice: «Mom, we didn’t even get the bags out of the trunk! We’re turning around now, coming to you. Let’s go to a cafe and take a walk in the park!»
«Alright. I’ll be waiting.»
Elena hummed as she got ready for the meeting. She had an hour to tidy herself up. She felt that the day would be special. She had a cup of coffee, went out onto the balcony, and closed her eyes in pleasure—it felt so good. She checked the time. An hour and a half had passed. It was about time for them to arrive. Elena waited a bit longer but decided not to call. Firstly, so as not to distract her husband while driving, and secondly, in case they had stopped for flowers or something similar.
Another 40 minutes passed. Elena picked up the phone. She dialed Maxim once. Twice. The phone was off. Strange. Both at the country house and on the way there, the connection had been excellent. She called Svetlana. The answering machine announced that the subscriber’s phone…
Elena jumped up. Her cup, with a ringing sound, fell and shattered. She stared at the shards for a minute. Then she rushed to get dressed. Perhaps they had forgotten their phones at the country house? But how, both at once? Or did the car break down? Or did the phones run out of battery?
She sped out of the yard, breaking the rules. Ten minutes later she was already on the country road. Ahead, there was a traffic jam. Cars were slowly maneuvering around something. Of course, an accident. Elena slipped between vehicles. She flashed her hazard lights in apology and accelerated. Suddenly, she braked hard. Cars behind and in front honked. She looked at the mess of several cars. One of them was her husband’s car.
Elena seemed not to hear the shouts of drivers who ran up to her. She slowly opened the door and didn’t even close it. She headed toward the smoking wreckage of the cars. «My daughter, Maxim…» she whispered.
She quickened her pace. People in work overalls glanced back and looked at her with sympathy. A man in uniform tried to intercept her, but she pushed him away and ran. She screamed. She screamed like a mother who has lost her child.
They caught her near the cars. They dragged and held her. And she understood nothing. She screamed and dashed toward where, in the charred car, Svetlana’s little backpack could be seen.
She awoke in the hospital. She remembered what had happened. She wanted to get up, to run, but she was restrained. A shot, and then darkness. Then there were further attempts. But each time Elena woke up, she comprehended everything and screamed. She would leap up. Then one day she woke up and didn’t move. She simply lay there, staring at one point.
When Stepan Andreevich came to her, all she asked was, «Were the funerals held?»
«Yes, a week ago. I’m sorry, but waiting any longer was not an option. It’s terrible. I won’t try to find comforting words, but you must get up.»
She turned to him, «Why? Leave me alone. I just want to be with them.»
For three months, the doctors did not leave her side. She tried to help herself depart, to reach Svetlana and her husband, but she was not allowed to do so. Three months later, she got up from the bed, approached the mirror. Staring back was an old woman with grey hair.
Elena ran her fingers through her hair. Completely white. They had once been black. Her husband had always joked that there must be some gypsies in her family. Her phone lay on the bedside table. Charged. She was afraid to pick it up. Afraid to see her husband’s and daughter’s numbers in the recent calls. But someone had cleared the call history.
Elena dialed Stepan. «Hello?» His voice was so surprised that Elena almost wanted to hang up, but she gathered all her strength. «How are things with us?»
He was at her place within half an hour. With papers, with reports. Elena went through the documents. «You did well. You managed better than I did.» Stepan Andreevich looked at her intently: «Len, come back. Without you everything loses meaning. It hurts you, but the past cannot be changed. Do you understand?»
And she burst into tears. For the first time since the day she had seen her husband’s car.
Five years passed. Every Friday, on that very day when Maxim and Svetlana used to come to her, Elena went to the cemetery. She told them everything that had happened during the week. She pulled out the weeds. It didn’t matter whether it was summer or winter. Today she was slowly making her way to the exit.
Today she had sat for a long time by the graves of her loved ones. Several times she stood up to leave, but then sat down again. As if something was holding her back. As if they wanted to say something. She left only when the sun began to dip toward the sunset.
«Ma’am, wait!» someone called out.
Elena Sergeyevna startled and turned around. Before her stood a girl of about nine years old, skinny, dressed in old, tattered clothes.
«Ma’am, I know you come to your daughter, who is no more. Maybe you need another daughter? She’s very little, she’s barely fed, and she’s crying. If you don’t take her, she will die.»
Only then did Elena notice the bundle in the girl’s arms. «W-who… Oh my, where are the little one’s parents?» They don’t care. They never even wanted her to be born, just like me. And as for Ksyusha, her mother even gave birth at home; hardly anyone knows about her. Mom and dad are drunk every day, and I have nothing to feed her.
Elena listened to this desperate monologue, goosebumps running down her spine. The girl was not indifferent—she was full of despair. She clearly did not believe that anyone would help.
«Quick, into the car. When was the last time you fed her?» — In the morning, with water and something sweet.
Elena almost fell. «And when did you last eat yourself?»
The girl shrugged. Cautiously, she peered into the car’s cabin, inspecting the white leather seats. «I’ll get them dirty…» — «Get in.»
Elena stopped at the nearest pharmacy. The child in the backseat softly squeaked. «Hold on, little one, just a little longer.»
Within two minutes, Elena had gathered a full basket of formula, bottles, supplements, and everything needed. Fifteen minutes later, they were home. «We need to thin the formula a bit so that her hungry little stomach won’t cramp.»
The child eagerly grabbed the nipple, took a few gulps, and fell asleep. Elena smiled. «No, that won’t do. Give her a bit more, and then you’ll sleep.»
When the little one fell asleep, Elena turned to the older girl. «So, shall we introduce ourselves? My name is Elena Sergeyevna.»
«And I’m Alisa.»
Elena’s heart skipped a beat. The girl looked at her in fear. «I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…»
«It’s alright. Come on, I’ll feed you, and you can tell me everything.»
The girl’s story made Elena ponder. Why are children given to such people, while good ones are taken away?
«Alis, I don’t yet know what to do with you. Are you sure your parents won’t be looking for you?»
The girl smiled sadly. «Look for us? They’d be delighted.»
«Go to the bathroom; I’ll find you some clothes.»
Five years ago, Elena had carefully packed all of Svetlana’s things into suitcases. Her daughter had been bigger than this Alisa, but not as much as Elena herself. Perhaps there were still items that Svetlana had long outgrown.
«May I call you Alya? I can’t call you Alisa.»
«Of course. I like Alya.»
«And are we spending the night at your place today?»
«Yes, here—I’ve made up a bed for you. You can turn on the TV, watch cartoons, while I bathe and feed Ksyusha. So you won’t be bored.»
The girl fiddled with the remote in her hands and helplessly looked at Elena. Elena calmly explained what needed to be done. When they returned from the bath with Ksyusha, Alya was crying.
«Sweetheart, what happened?»
«I’ve never felt this good before. Everything is clean, there’s food, a TV…»
Elena put the children to bed. She left the door to the room ajar, so she could hear if Ksyusha cried, and called Stepan Andreevich.
«Can’t sleep?»
«No, Lena, did something happen?»
«Yes.»
«Stepan, you’re a lawyer, aren’t you?»
«Yes. What’s the matter?»
«I really need your help. Please come.»
Stepan was at her place within half an hour. He examined Elena from head to toe. «What happened? Why do you need a lawyer at night?»
Elena pressed a finger to her lips and motioned for him to follow. When Stepan saw the sleeping children, he just froze. In the kitchen he asked, «Whose are these?» Elena shrugged. «And where did you find them?» «At the cemetery.»
Stepan coughed, then sat down and said, «Tell me everything.»
After listening to Elena, he said, «Those scoundrels. But what do you want from me?»
She looked up at him. «Stepan, I want to adopt them.»
«Adopt them?»
«Yes. I understand all the risks, but I’ve decided. My… my loved ones suggested it to me. I can’t explain.»
While Stepan was busy with documents, the police, and custody matters, Elena blossomed. Ksyusha began to gain weight and turned out to be a charming little girl with a tuft of white hair. Alya seemed to thaw. She wouldn’t leave Elena’s side, learning to live a different life.
One evening, while Elena was feeding Ksyusha, Alya sat next to her. Then she pressed herself close. «You’re so wonderful, and I never knew aunts could be like this.»
Elena hugged Alya with her free hand. «That’s because you are so honest and caring.»
Alya wiped her eyes. «But it won’t always be like this. You’ll send us to an orphanage.»
Elena smiled. «Only if you want that.»
«But you took Ksyusha. Why would you need two?»
Elena was taken aback. «I hadn’t even thought of separating you. Alya, what’s wrong with you?»
And then the girl burst into tears. She buried her face in Elena’s shoulder and cried. «If you leave me, I’ll be the very best daughter! I’ll study well, clean, do the dishes, sit with Ksyusha, walk the dog!»
Elena laughed. «Alya, but we don’t have a dog!»
Alya wrinkled her nose. «Well, just in case. What if there is one?»
Two months later, Elena, Alya, Stepan, and little Ksyusha stood at the cemetery. Alya was looking through photographs. «You know, I think Svetlana and I look alike.»
Elena noticed that too. And, to be honest, she was struck.
Stepan coughed. «Len! I thought long and hard about whether this was right, but I decided to do it here, with Maxim. I know he supports me now. Marry me. I will be a good husband and father.»
Elena looked at her husband’s photo in fear, but it seemed to her that his eyes had softened. He seemed to smile at her, blessing her.
