It started snowing heavily… With concern, the visitors of the restaurant glanced at the raging storm outside and decided not to linger—meteorologists had predicted a massive snowfall. The parking lot quickly emptied, and the last guests left by taxi. The establishment closed earlier than usual, which couldn’t help but please Natasha. Finally, there was a chance to get home before midnight, as usual. At home, her dog Musya, a small dog of unknown breed, was waiting for her.
Last year, the girl picked her up right off the street. Coming out of the grocery store, she felt sorry for the stray and fed it. The little, ugly, hairy monster gratefully licked her hand and followed her home, not falling behind by a step. Reaching the entrance of her building, Natasha realized that the dog had chosen its owner. There was no collar, and the lucky stray found itself a home. Bathing, combing, and a small haircut transformed it into a very cute creature, its happy bead-like eyes adoringly gazing at its rescuer and catching her every movement.
Natasha finally finished washing the last batch of dishes, but Eduard, the restaurant administrator, made her wash the utensils again, allegedly finding traces of streaks. Of course, there was no need for it, the direct boss simply disliked the girl from the very start.
Eduard was a tall, red-haired young man about thirty-five years old. He was both king and god here. The nominal owner owned several other restaurants in the city, and this one, the least profitable, was entirely under the management of the ambitious administrator, who rarely appeared at the venue. The staff was almost entirely female, and Eduard enjoyed feeling like the alpha male, courting his pride. He often gathered them in the kitchen, told risqué jokes. Everyone laughed loudly, maintaining subordination. He loved inviting everyone to his office in turn and conducting what he called individual training. Among themselves, the employees whispered that it all boiled down to lewd topics. No one managed to leave without coming into contact with the boss’s sticky hands. Everyone endured, with no one to complain to.
Eduard took a liking to Natasha at first sight. His greasy eyes immediately appreciated her statuesque figure, which could not be hidden by modest clothing. A small, yet tall chest hid behind a spacious sweater, and a below-the-knee skirt only emphasized the perfect proportions of her slender body and the length of her legs. Her straight dark-brown hair, of medium length, cascaded like a shiny waterfall onto her graceful shoulders. Chiseled features, lively gray almond-shaped eyes, skin like porcelain—this was exactly the type of face that absolutely did not need makeup. The girl just needed to wash her face in the morning, brush her hair, and there would be no shortage of male attention all day long.
«A pedigree doll,» thought the administrator lustfully, but aloud he asked:
— And why exactly a dishwasher? With such looks, you should be in the spotlight, do you want to be a waitress?
— No, thank you, — the girl replied with a velvety voice, — I am satisfied with the evening work schedule.
— Well, there are no unsolvable problems, — the man purred with a squint.
But the new dishwasher did not react to him, neither then nor later. She didn’t laugh along with everyone at the jokes, paid no attention to the greasy jokes, avoided him, and skillfully dodged the omnipresent hands of the administrator. The girl’s unapproachability only spurred the boss on, and he called her to his office.
Natasha had already heard from her colleagues about his dirty advances and was ready to fight back.
Eduard sat her on a chair and started walking around in circles, at first loudly discussing the prospects of the restaurant, the importance of team cohesion, and the individual contribution of each worker to the common cause. Meanwhile, he, as if accidentally, tried to touch her, put his hands on her shoulders, and slightly touch her hair. But when he switched to a whisper and tried to embrace her, the girl sharply stood up:
— Eduard Arkadievich! I came here to work, nothing else interests me. Please make sure this doesn’t happen again.
The administrator could not endure such a categorical refusal.
«Fine, you’ll have your little job! Some princess has found herself here!» he thought.
From then on, the constant nitpicking began. She had to repeatedly wash perfectly clean dishes, again and again polish the floors and tiles. Eduard often threw extra work her way at the very end of the shift. The girl endured, they paid relatively well, but she started thinking about changing jobs.
And finally, everything was sorted and laid out in its place, and the kitchen shone with pristine cleanliness. Eduard Arkadievich left with a new waitress, and all the workers sighed with relief.
—Run home, Natalia! — Jeanne, the hefty sous-chef, finally let the dishwasher go.
Quickly dressed and having said goodbye, she ran out onto the street. The icy wind maliciously threw a whole flurry of biting snowflakes at her, which danced on her face, trying to bite her forehead and cheeks. The dense frosty air penetrated deeper and deeper into her chest with each breath.
Natasha pulled her plain coat’s hood deeper and tried to protect her face with a mitten.
Deciding to cut the path short, she ran straight through the park. Although it was a bit scary, it was late, but in ten minutes she would already be able to cuddle Musya. The usual road would take almost half an hour, if she didn’t have to wait long for the bus, and the cost of travel was significant.
Decided, the girl quickly headed towards the park alley lit by lamps. After a few meters, she had to slow down because of the gusts of wind and ice knocking her off her feet.
The park was predictably empty. The trees, bushes, and benches along the path were dusted. In the light of the lamps, a silvery snow swarm scurried. The cold pierced to the bone, but the girl was used to it. The harsh weather brought back heavy memories…
Natasha’s childhood is recalled like some black-and-white movie. Her parents were simple workers—her father worked as a locksmith at a factory, and her mother was a cook there. They weren’t particularly intelligent, and they liked to drink, and such a life suited them. Their daughter, on the other hand, discovered a passion for science and art from an early age. The little girl disappeared into libraries from the third grade, as there were no books at home at all. She read voraciously, everything indiscriminately. But her favorite activity was drawing. When she took a pencil and a clean sheet of paper, time and space around her ceased to exist.
In school, the girl did well and stayed away from hyperactive classmates. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to befriend them, she just had other interests. Some peers considered such behavior a sign of arrogance and began to bully her. Natasha was hurt, but she held her ground and didn’t respond to the bullies, only withdrawing more into herself. All these troubles unexpectedly ended in the sixth grade when the class’s main bully, Seryozha Frolov, suddenly sat down next to her and loudly declared for all to hear:
—Whoever messes with Natasha will have to deal with me.
The classmates quieted down, and he remained sitting with the girl.
The boy liked the beautiful and mysterious Natasha. Secretly, he admired her shiny hair, braided into thick long braids, and her face with a perfect profile, bent over another mysterious drawing in her notebook. Alone, Seryozha called her a princess and carried her briefcase all the way home. He imagined himself as a knight in shining armor, protecting the lady of his heart from all sorts of dragons and other filth.
Natasha was grateful to Sergey. He turned out to be smart and reliable. Even when they ran out of common topics, he simply walked beside her, not disturbing the course of her creative thoughts, silently adoring his ideal. By the senior years, those around them no longer doubted that they would always be together.
Unexpectedly, before the start of the final exams, a tragedy occurred in Natasha’s family—in her absence, her parents died of gas poisoning in their own apartment. The poor girl remembered how she opened the door and the sharp smell of gas nearly knocked her off her feet. She immediately ran to open all the windows wide, but it was already too late.
The investigation showed that the parents had drunk and fallen asleep, forgetting about the stove. Natasha had distanced herself from her parents lately, they too were not too interested in her, accustomed to her independence and constant busyness. But she loved them and knew that they were very proud of their daughter. Grief weighed heavily on the girl, not giving her a chance to realize and accept what had happened. Everything was happening as if in a fog.
Only her grandmother from her father’s side came to the funeral; she mourned at the grave and hurried back, where another family and a large farm were waiting for her. At parting, she invited her granddaughter to come live with her. But the girl refused. She was already eighteen, and exams were upon her. So they parted.
Returning to the deserted dilapidated Khrushchevka, Natasha sat down in the kitchen. Her mind was in complete chaos, her hands dropped, and she had no strength for anything. She couldn’t even cry. And then guilt washed over her for being a negligent daughter—not appreciating her parents during their lives.
An unexpected doorbell interrupted her self-torture. On the doorstep stood an unusually serious Seryozha. Without a word, he pulled her to him and gently pressed her with both hands. Suddenly it became warm and calm, something inside loosened and finally released the accumulated streams of tears. So they stood in the hallway, embracing. The boy patiently waited, and Natasha cried and cried.
Then he led her to the bathroom, washed her like a little one from the tap, sat her down in the kitchen, and brewed strong tea. All the negative emotions evaporated at once. Now in the world, there was only a hot cup of sweet tea and Seryozha’s kind familiar look. He stayed with Natasha…
Life went on, and it was time to decide on a direction. The girl dreamed of pursuing creativity and making it her profession. But practical Sergey, sorting through her drawings, which he didn’t understand, chastised his wife:
—Artist or designer? Is that even a profession? Just some kind of frivolity… And the training is too expensive.
Natasha sighed and guiltily looked down—indeed, the education would cost a pretty penny.
—Instead, go apply for a budget spot at the medical school. In a few years, you’ll have a good, in-demand profession.
That settled it. The dream remained just a dream…
Natasha easily enrolled in the medical college in the paramedic department and passionately immersed herself in the intricacies of medicine.
Sergey was drafted into the army, and he left to serve. A month later, his wife informed him that she was expecting a child.
Yeah… It’s not exactly a good time,» the man said thoughtfully into the phone, having heard the unexpected news. «Well, alright… we’ll think of something… Everything will be fine!»
But there was nothing to be figured out—the pregnancy ended soon after.
«Don’t cry, Natashka! We will have more children!» he consoled his wife over the phone.
After returning from the army, Sergey became a chauffeur. Dismissing his wife’s suggestion to continue his education, he waved it off:
«You go study! I might, perhaps, later.»
Sergey got a well-paid job driving a businessman in an expensive foreign car. Later on, it turned out that the new boss was just a spoiled rich kid. After another car accident and revoked driving license, the rich daddy hired a driver for him, apparently, it was cheaper and safer. The driver’s name was Ilya, and he was only a couple of years older than Sergey. They quickly established a trusting relationship.
Ilya was a handsome man—a tall brunette with a trendy hairstyle, piercing brown eyes, and a constant smile on his face. Girls were crazy about his looks, manners, and thick wallet. The playboy enjoyed these advantages. He was a regular at clubs and parties, and Sergey, due to his job duties, often had to drive him until morning.
Natasha felt that such a job would not lead to anything good, but her husband wouldn’t even listen—after all, it paid well. Tasting the rich life, Sergey changed. He barely communicated with his wife, collapsing on the sofa and turning on the TV when he came home. His shirts distinctly smelled of women’s perfume, but a sense of dignity prevented the young woman from making a scandal to sort things out.
Her premonitions were confirmed—Natasha was in her third year of study when tragedy struck again. Sergey died. It happened at dawn; the driver picked up Ilya from a club, and on their way, they stopped at a gas station. The drunk businessman smoked right in the car and flicked his cigarette butt, which flew towards the open fuel tank. The gasoline fumes instantly ignited, and the fire spread to the fueling car. Sergey, without thinking twice, rushed to pull out the barely conscious boss, grabbed him under the arms, and tried to drag him away from the blazing inferno, but he was too late. A wall of flame hit him directly in the back and threw him several meters away. He died on the spot from extensive burns, while Ilya was taken to the hospital by an ambulance.
Her familiar world shattered in an instant, and sharp shards pierced directly into the girl’s heart.
Sergey was buried in a closed casket, and Natasha suffered even more because of it. She so wanted to see her beloved husband one last time, so much she hadn’t managed to tell him while he was alive, so much she berated herself for the dry «Goodbye» said on the eve of his death…
After the funeral, the girl spent several days just lying in bed, not wanting to see or hear anyone. Then, as if emerging from oblivion, she unexpectedly wanted to visit the place where the accident occurred.
The gas station was empty at the time. A round-faced cashier with a bored expression was rearranging goods on a small display.
«Hello! A car exploded here a few days ago.»
«Yes, that happened. It was sheer hell! One died, another was taken to the hospital. I was on shift at the time,» the woman came to life and put aside her work in the hope of a little gossip.
«I am the widow of the deceased,» Natasha said quietly.
«Oh, poor thing!» the woman shook her head sympathetically. «He was such a good guy, always bought cigarettes from me.»
Natasha wiped away a tear that had welled up and asked:
«Please, tell me how it happened!»
«I’ve already told the police so many times!» She paused for a moment, recalling the details, «Well, the car pulled up… the driver, your husband, inserted the nozzle, came to me, paid, joked about something, it seems. And the other, the second one, didn’t leave the car. Then smoke billowed out and the fire blazed up. Your husband ran to pull out the passenger, and I called the fire department and ran for the fire extinguisher. Our fire suppression system activated, but too late. Then, the explosion. I called an ambulance, and everything turned into chaos…»
The cashier looked at the sad widow with pity and revealed something that was troubling her.
«The ambulance didn’t even try to save your husband. They were fussing over that drunk passenger. I told them to save the driver. But they said, ‘Don’t interfere, he can’t be helped anymore… But he was still breathing…»
Natasha turned pale as death. These words struck her right in the heart. The unfortunate woman turned around and walked home on unsteady legs.
The next day, gathering her thoughts, she went to her classes. The first lecture scheduled was on providing first aid in extreme situations. Through the fog, Natasha tried to understand the lecturer’s words, but suddenly his words sharply cut through her ear:
«The first thing to do is to sort the victims by the severity of their injuries and based on this, establish the order of aid,» proclaimed the respectable lecturer.
She imagined her burnt Sergey lying and moaning while the ambulance crew, ignoring him, helped his rich boss. This image was so vivid that Natasha involuntarily screamed:
«Nonsense! There’s no such thing in reality!»
The entire auditorium stared at her, and the lecturer stopped, staring in surprise at the distraught student.
Without saying a word, the girl ran out the door and fled as far as her eyes could see, away from there. Leaving the building, she didn’t look back once. Natasha knew for sure that she would never return there…
Two weeks later, Ilya came to her house. The young widow didn’t really want to talk to him, but he, without asking permission, went straight to the kitchen.
«Will you serve tea, hostess?» he sat down at the table and curiously looked around. «Well, you live quite modestly, of course…»
The guest’s audacity shocked the girl, and she didn’t know what to say.
«Natasha! I came to thank you for my husband, he saved my life after all,» and he pulled a thick envelope from his pocket.
The young woman instantly snapped out of her stupor:
«I don’t need your money.»
«Please take it. Otherwise, I feel awkward.»
«I don’t need it, money won’t bring my husband back.»
«You’re still too young, you have your whole life ahead of you,» he began and leaning toward her, suddenly whispered, «With your looks, you could make a good life for yourself and leave this place.»
He dramatically gestured around the small kitchen.
«I can help you…» he had the look of a cat that had cornered a mouse.
Natasha had long caught his ambiguous glances at her, and in that moment, a clear realization dawned on her. She suddenly felt nauseous. She stood up abruptly, placed the envelope with the money in his hands, and with a stony face pointed to the door.
«Get out of here!»
He stood for another second, then shrugged his shoulders and walked to the exit:
«As you wish…»
Natasha snapped out of her memories, her entire previous life flashed before her eyes in just a few minutes. And here she was again, a widow for over a year at her very young age, making her way through the blizzard, heading home where only her little dog awaited her. On the whole wide world, there remained only one creature that loved her. Sergey’s death had knocked Natasha out of the life track, and since then she had lived in some sort of daze. All day she drew and drew, all her emotions laid out on paper with pencil strokes forming whimsical and incredible images. And in the evenings, she mechanically washed, rinsed, wiped. She couldn’t explain to herself how she had agreed to such work. Probably because it allowed her to forget and think about nothing…
Suddenly, Natasha noticed that she was not alone. Almost at the end of the alley, a dark silhouette was visible on a bench.
Strange, who walks in such nasty weather?
She approached closer—the person, leaning back on the bench, sat motionless.
«Lord, is he dead?»
She stopped and approached closer. It was a man. His blue-purple face was swollen, and it was impossible to determine his age, he could be anywhere between twenty and forty years old. The stranger was alive, only breathing heavily and intermittently.
«What’s wrong with you? Are you ill?»
The man did not respond, just stared at one point.
Natasha removed her mitten and touched the stranger’s forehead with her hand. He had a severe fever. Feeling the touch, he finally came to his senses and with difficulty shifted his cloudy gaze to the girl. Immediately, he was violently shaken by a fever. Attempts to establish contact yielded no result.
What to do? If left here, he would surely freeze to death.
After a moment’s hesitation, she made a decision. She bent down and wrapped his arm around her neck, barely managing to lift him with effort. Passersby were annoyingly absent, and no help could be expected. Home was already in sight, perhaps Musya was watching her from the window and barking joyfully. There was just a little left to go. The man tried to cooperate, moving his legs with difficulty, but it was of little help.
With great difficulty, she brought him to the entrance, but how to drag him to the second floor? Unexpectedly, help arrived in the form of a neighbor from the stairwell. There was no need for long explanations, and the neighbor was not one of the curious. Probably, he decided that the widow had finally got herself a man, albeit an unprepossessing one.
Musya’s barking rang in her ears. It seemed she would never stop.
«Well, Musenka, please stop! Be hospitable!» Natasha tried to calm her down, laying the man on the bed. He did not resemble a completely down-and-out bum. His light, off-season jacket and jeans were dirty, but they lacked the specific smell of a body unwashed for years. No documents were found.
«Alright, we’ll figure it out later,» she thought and ran to the pharmacy.
Three courses at the medical college were not in vain. By the next morning, the unknown man had come to himself. He opened his eyes with difficulty but still couldn’t speak. After lunch, his temperature began to rise, and he was shaken again. The girl could not leave a sick person in such a condition.
She called the restaurant, and annoyingly, the vindictive administrator picked up the phone.
«Eduard Arkadyevich! Could someone replace me today, I really can’t come to work?» For the first time, a plea was heard in the voice of the impregnable dishwasher.
«No!» the haughty voice answered sharply.
«Please! I’ve never asked for a day off or taken one,» she still tried to persuade her arrogant boss.
«Today is your shift and you must be at work. For skipping work—dismissal!» it sounded officially emphatic over the phone.
Natasha looked back at her charge—he was already delirious.
«Then fire me!» and she resolutely hung up the phone.
Two days later, the crisis passed. The man’s color returned, and he could already speak. He looked around the unfamiliar room and the attractive caregiver in surprise.
Natasha was cheerful, her heart was joyful from the saved human life.
«Good morning!» she smiled warmly.
«Good morning!» his voice was weak and hoarse. «Who are you? How did I end up here?»
«I’m Natasha! I found you in the park with pneumonia. But now everything will be alright. And what’s your name?»
The stranger was silent for a long time, as if trying to remember something.
«I’m sorry, I have no strength left,» and he closed his eyes.
Natasha was surprised by such behavior, but after all, he was too weak and it was unknown what had happened to him.
«Let him sleep then,» she thought and left, grabbing the curious Musya, who was trying to get acquainted with the new tenant.
By lunchtime, the hostess had cooked a light chicken soup for her patient. He ate with pleasure, but when Natasha asked again for his name, he pushed the plate away and sighed:
«Sorry, you probably won’t believe it, but I don’t remember anything.»
«Nothing at all?» the girl was surprised.
«I remember lying in some unfamiliar place, then I got up and walked for a long time, and then I sat down on a bench.»
The expression of utter bewilderment on his face confirmed the truthfulness of his story. Now, when he had freshened up a bit, despite the stubble, it became clear that he was about thirty.
Natasha pondered. In college, they talked about such cases when people lose their memory after trauma, usually temporarily. It was necessary to find out if anyone had been missing recently.
At the police station, she was quickly dismissed:
«No missing person report has been filed with such features,» the young duty officer summarized briefly.
«What should I do? The man doesn’t remember anything.»
«Girl, see a doctor. We can’t take care of all the homeless in the city.»
Natasha remembered her friend from the medical college, volunteer Marina. She was one of the enthusiasts, ready to walk through the cold wet forest day and night looking for people or kittens.
The friend immediately picked up the phone, listened attentively to her former classmate, and promised to help.
A couple of days later, the stranger could already walk, but due to weakness and dizziness, the caregiver had to support him. Natasha was pleased with the slow but steady recovery of her ward, and he was grateful that he was no longer harassed with questions. Comfortable relations were established between them.
The girl was cooking lunch in the kitchen when suddenly the watchful Musya barked, and at the same moment, the doorbell rang. Natasha opened the door. Before her stood an elderly couple. A dark-haired stern woman in a sable coat and a balding gray-haired man in a stylish imported sheepskin coat.
The woman looked down at the apartment’s owner with a haughty gaze and introduced herself:
«Good morning, I am Margarita Pavlovna! And this is my husband—Mikhail Stepanovich. We were informed that possibly our son is with you.»
«Hello! Yes… of course… please come in, I’m Natasha!» the girl was delighted and hospitably flung open the door, «please, that room over there!»
Trembling seized her at the thought that the unfortunate patient might finally regain his memory.
It was evident that the lady was not accustomed to being in ordinary Khrushchyovka apartments. She disdainfully picked up the hem of her luxurious coat higher and walked inside. Her silent partner followed her.
Entering the bedroom, the woman screamed and rushed to the lying man:
«Andryusha! Andryushenka, thank God! We’ve been looking for you for a week!»
The young man looked attentively at the lady, and suddenly a smile lit up his face.
«Mama?!» he opened his arms. «Papa! I remember!»
The emotional reunion made a lasting impression on Natasha. What luck that she had walked through the park that day! What happiness that everything ended well!
The family matriarch regained her composure and began to bustle about busily.
«Alright, I’m calling an ambulance from a private clinic.»
«Mama! I’m already moving around without anyone’s help,» the newly found Andrey tried to calm her.
The energetic matriarch did not let up:
«Misha, call the driver, let him come up and help. We are leaving here urgently…»
While her husband obediently followed her instructions, Margarita Pavlovna approached the smiling hostess:
«What did you say your name was?»
«Natasha!» she introduced herself again.
«Ah, yes! Natasha… How did my son end up with you?»
«I picked him up sick from a park bench,» she answered calmly, looking her in the eye.
The woman skeptically rephrased:
«That is, you let a sick stranger into your house? Why?»
Natasha was surprised by such a question; to her, such an act seemed natural.
«He could have died…» she simply answered.
Margarita Pavlovna looked suspicious for a while. Then she resolutely pulled out her wallet and took out several large bills:
«Will this be enough?»
Natasha recoiled.
«What are you doing?! I didn’t do it for this…»
The distrustful guest added just as much:
«Take it! This is a reward! For your troubles…»
Natasha merely shook her head:
Thank you, I don’t need it…» she crossed her arms over her chest and stood by the wall, watching the fuss and preparations to move the patient.
As a farewell, Andrey’s mother gave the proud young woman a skeptical look and led her entire party away.
Four days later, Andrey arrived. There was no trace left of the shabby, dying bum he once resembled. Standing before the girl was a handsome young man, neatly trimmed and cleanly shaven, dressed in a branded bright puffer jacket, smiling broadly. In his hands, he held a huge bouquet of white roses with a creamy tint at the edge of the petals.
«Hello, Natasha! Welcome your former patient!»
The girl was happy to see him so radiant and refreshed. Over a cup of tea, they finally got to know each other properly.
Andrey was involved in a family business, managed by his stern mother. It was a fairly large chain of construction stores. It turned out that on the day the kind-hearted Natasha found him, he had been attacked in a parking lot near his office, hit from behind on the head, and robbed—his document bag, wallet with his phone, and expensive watch were stolen.
Andrey curiously observed his selfless rescuer. Now that the fog in his head, caused by his severe illness, had cleared, he could appreciate the beauty of the modest dwelling’s hostess. A beautiful figure, large radiant eyes on a delicate face. Natasha had long been accustomed to male attention, but the young man’s gaze somehow embarrassed and mesmerized her.
An awkward pause arose. Both looked away, embarrassed. The silence was broken by Andrey:
«Natasha! I don’t know how to thank you for your kindness…» he hesitated slightly and timidly continued, «There’s a premiere of a great movie at the cinema today. I’ve already got the tickets…»
For some reason, the girl didn’t want to refuse him. During his illness, he had become somewhat dear to her.
«I haven’t been to the movies in years,» she smiled.
«Decided!» the young man rejoiced, «I’ll pick you up at six.»
Natasha enjoyed the film, a light romantic comedy that created a special mood. Neither of them wanted to part, and Andrey suggested having dinner in a small cozy restaurant nearby. The candlelights flickering above the tables reflected in the tall glasses and sparkled in the wine. Dim lights and quiet, pleasant music completed the magical atmosphere of the evening.
Andrey was proud of his beautiful companion, even in a modest, simple dress and practically no makeup, she was the center of attention.
Natasha hadn’t felt so good and at ease for a long time. The surrounding atmosphere and the man sitting opposite seemed special. Her head was pleasantly spinning… Or perhaps it was just a glass of wine…
The gallant cavalier walked the girl to her apartment door and kissed her hand on parting. It was like an electric shock from her palm straight to her heart.
«Thank you for the evening,» she whispered softly, opened the door, and stepped into the hallway. Then she looked back at Andrey standing behind her. Their eyes met, recognizing each other’s desires. The man stepped toward the girl, enveloped her in passionate arms, and gently kissed her lips. Natasha’s head spun, a languorous pleasure spread throughout her body. It seemed all her cells merged into one sensual flow. Somewhere in her mind, a tiny cell suddenly protested:
«You don’t even know him, what are you doing?»
But it was immediately swept up by the rest and twirled in a waltz.
«Why not?» she surrendered to the general desire before getting lost in the sweet dance of love…
Andrey disappeared for five agonizing days. The wait seemed unbearable, and Natasha, overcoming her innate pride, called him herself. The call was immediately dropped. Hurt burned her soul. She tried to convince herself that their closeness meant nothing, as neither had promised anything to the other. A bit calmed, she started to plan her future. The events of recent days had pulled the young widow out of her long hibernation and prompted her to dare to make the most incredible changes in her life. A distant dream suddenly became quite real and achievable. Everything naturally fell into place. Natasha decided to enroll in the Academy of Design. There were no budget places, but there was a correspondence department. All that remained was to find a job and save up for the first year’s tuition…
Suddenly, Andrey called. He was waiting for her at the coffee shop next door. Natasha sat at the table opposite him. This meeting was drastically different from the last—guilty wandering eyes, hands nervously crumpling a napkin, a faltering voice…
«Natasha, are you very mad at me?»
«I’m not mad at you at all.»
«Sorry! I didn’t call or come by, I needed to think…»
Natasha listened silently, anticipating further development of the conversation.
«Understand,» the young man still hesitantly fumbled, avoiding eye contact, «I told my mother about you, and she was categorically against our relationship. She somehow got it into her head that you were involved in that robbery… In short, my mother drove me crazy these days…»
Natasha remembered Margarita Pavlovna and thought:
«Yes, that person can do it, nothing surprising…»
Awaiting any reaction from the girl, Andrey finally blurted out:
«I’m sorry… We can no longer see each other…»
They just stared at their cold coffee for a while, each into their own cup. The silence was broken by Andrey:
«Natasha! Despite everything, you will always remain a dear person to me. Can I do anything for you?»
After a bit of thought, the girl voiced an unexpected request:
«Help me find a job!»
«What are you talking about?» the man fussed. «I can quite afford to support you financially.»
«Thank you!» Natasha smiled. «I’m not used to that… I just need a job.»
The unsuccessful fiancé suddenly remembered:
«Our friends, a wonderful intelligent family, are currently looking for a maid, but only with accommodation…»
Natasha pondered and decided that such an option would be ideal—she could rent out her apartment and realize her dream even earlier.
«That suits me!» she was enthusiastic.
Hoping to somehow help, Andrey immediately dialed a number and arranged an interview for Natasha.
There was no time to dwell on what had happened. Excited by the impending changes, the girl had to decide what to do with Musya. It was unclear how the potential owners would react to a little, annoying bell on four legs.
She had to turn to the ever-reliable Marina again. She gladly agreed to take the little dog in temporarily.
«It’s just for a few days, if it doesn’t work out, I’ll think of something else,» Natasha promised as she handed the lively Musya to her friend…
A small cottage town in the nearest suburb amazed with the variety of architectural forms and styles, as well as the imagination of its local, far from poor, inhabitants. There were stone castles, fancy palaces, and even two-story log cabins.
The Orlov family’s home stood out from its fancy neighbors with the strictness and conciseness of its lines combined with incredible lightness and airiness. Andrey warned that the owners owned their own architectural design bureau.
A dark-haired woman in her fifties, a trim figure and pleasant facial features indicating she had been exceptionally beautiful in her youth, came out to meet Natasha. She smiled warmly and invited her inside.
Inside, the cottage looked even more presentable than from the outside. Every corner, every detail of the interior was thought out not only with taste but with love. In the center of the spacious living room with a five-meter panoramic window, an extraordinary, glass-enclosed fireplace caught the eye. It was the heart of the family nest, where fire beat, drawing everyone to its warmth.
In an armchair by the fireplace sat a solid man with gray at his temples. Seeing the guest, he stood up to meet her.
«Good evening! You are Natalya!» he smiled broadly. «I am Alexey Petrovich, and this is my wife, Vera Vasilievna.»
«Very nice to meet you!» the flustered girl responded. She was impressed by their manner of communication. She liked everything here.
The new maid also appealed to the hosts. They offered her to talk about herself over a cup of tea, and Natasha briefly but honestly recounted her sad story.
Vera Vasilievna leisurely showed the entire house and explained what she expected from the new maid. Everything was not as scary and was quite clear. In the backyard, there was a guest house, small but very cozy. They offered her to move in there. Compared to her city standard box, the new dwelling seemed like paradise to the girl.
«Vera Vasilievna, I have a big favor to ask,» Natasha finally decided to voice a topic troubling her, «I have a small dog, she’s completely harmless… May she live with me?»
The hostess smiled benevolently:
«Let’s try, I’m not against it, my husband loves animals anyway.»
The new maid breathed a sigh of relief and gratefully looked into the kind eyes of the woman.
«What a wonderful family, I’m so lucky!»
Everything was going perfectly. She quickly rented out her apartment to a neighbor, who had long been interested in this matter, wanting to settle her newlywed son and daughter-in-law separately. She quickly packed her modest belongings and went to pick up Musya. Her mood was buoyant; finally, her life had moved from a dead point, and only good things awaited her ahead.
«Oh, I was just going to call you,» Marina exclaimed from the doorway with a troubled look, «Musya is missing, we were walking this morning, she broke free and ran after some cat,» she guiltily looked at the upset friend, adding, «After lunch, my boyfriend will come, I promise, we’ll find her!»
The unexpected news upset Natasha. What to do? Stay and search? Return home and wait?
Seeing her indecision, Marina solemnly assured her:
«Go to work, don’t even think about it! We will definitely find her, if not here, then near your house. Don’t worry, everything will be alright! We’ve returned so many lost ones before!»
After a bit of hesitation, Natasha still went to the countryside and late in the evening was already unpacking in her new refuge.
At six in the morning, the phone rang, but Natasha wasn’t asleep. She had spent the whole night suffering from insomnia due to worries about her new job and the lost Musya.
In the rather spacious kitchen, a woman in her forties was already bustling about.
«Are you Natasha? I am Lena, the cook,» she smiled warmly.
It seemed that everyone in this house was incredibly welcoming.
By eight, the spouses came downstairs. They were in a good mood. Natasha was a bit nervous setting the breakfast table, but the approving smiles of the hosts dispelled her insecurity.
At the end of breakfast, the maid inquired if their daughter would be joining them for breakfast. Vera Vasilievna immediately turned somber and sighed heavily:
«Oh, I don’t know! She seems to have come back from the club again at dawn.»
The parents were saddened by their child’s dissolute life. They, former ordinary engineers who started their business from scratch and knew the value of every penny, could not understand such a purposeless idle existence.
Sometime around eleven, the hosts’ daughter, Victoria, finally appeared in the kitchen.
A petite, attractive young woman of Natasha’s age. Chestnut slightly curly hair framed her round face, highlighting her brown eyes. Sweet, but not a beauty.
«Lena, what’s for breakfast?» she asked instead of greeting, stopping short when she saw Natasha.
«Hello!» said Natasha.
«Ahh, you’re the new girl…» she familiarly sized up the maid from head to toe and snorted.
Natasha didn’t know what such a strange reaction from the girl meant.
During breakfast, Vika watched her every move and suddenly discontentedly declared:
«You’re doing everything wrong!»
«I haven’t worked in such a position before, Victoria, but I learn quickly. If you don’t mind, please guide me,» Natasha addressed her friendly, trying to establish relations.
«My name is Victoria Alekseevna!» she declared loudly, «and I shouldn’t have to guide you… You should be trained… Where do they train you?»
«Vika!» her mother exclaimed reproachfully, entering the dining room, «how can you say that?»
The daughter grimaced and left for the living room. The hostess followed her and quietly spoke to the unrestrained girl for some time. Half an hour later, Vera Vasilievna returned to give additional instructions to her employees.
«Tomorrow evening we need to set the table for four, we have a guest—Victoria’s young man. Lena, let’s go discuss the menu.»
Two days passed quickly amid cares and chores. It was only sad that Musya had not yet been found.
«Natasha! We’ll find her!» Marina cheerfully assured over the phone.
The next evening the long-awaited visitor arrived. The new maid opened the door and was stunned. Standing on the doorstep was Ilya, the same former boss of her deceased husband. He was as surprised as the girl. For a few seconds, they silently stared at each other until Vika burst from behind Natasha and hung on the young man’s neck, joyfully purring.
«Can’t you even usher guests into the house?» she hissed at the negligent maid, and loudly said to Ilya, «Dear, it’s so hard to find decent help these days!»
All evening, Ilya covertly watched Natasha. The form-fitting dark-colored uniform dress suited her very well.
«She’s a beauty, a cut above this Vika,» he thought secretly.
Seizing a convenient moment, he approached from behind and whispered in her ear:
«You’ve become even more beautiful, Natashka!» and lightly touched his lips to her hair.
Natasha shivered; she barely restrained herself from slapping him.
«How so? Courting Vika, but making advances to me? What a scoundrel!»
She even felt nauseous from the disgusting guest… In the morning, she was again nauseous and dizzy. The last thing she needed was to get sick.
At noon, the entire family and the staff were gathered in the living room by the head of the family. He paced nervously from side to side, then stopped and spoke, scanning all present with a stern look:
«I am very displeased to report this, but a large sum of money has disappeared from the office.»
Everyone began to look at each other in surprise.
Only Vika hissed venomously and pointed a finger at the culprit:
«What’s there to think about? This never happened before she showed up.»
The unfortunate maid shrank, her head spinning again.
«If anyone has something to say, it’s better to do it now,» continued Alexey Petrovich.
Everyone maintained a grave silence.
«Then let’s all watch the video camera recording together,» the master decisively announced and leaned over the laptop, everyone curiously gathered behind him, attentively watching the monitor.
The screen clearly showed the office door opening, and standing on the threshold was… Ilya. Looking around furtively, he approached the casually thrown open safe and took out a thick stack of money. Making sure the corridor was empty, he quickly exited.
«Oh God!» exclaimed the shocked Vera Vasilievna.
No one could utter a word.
Vika also remained silent, only biting her lip hard.
The next morning, Lena whispered to Natasha the latest news. Alexey Petrovich had called Ilya and promised not to contact the police in exchange for the immediate return of the money.
«You are no longer welcome in this house, Ilya!» he added.
The cook shook her head and whispered:
«And Vika just sat in her room all evening, didn’t go anywhere… What a lousy fiancé he turned out to be!»
Natasha listened half-heartedly; she was not feeling very well again. The master acted nobly, although it was unknown whether Ilya would appreciate it. Anyway, it was a great fortune that the young man’s inclinations were revealed before they could. It was unlikely that the two-faced thief would remain in this honorable family. Apparently, the young man’s father was tired of his son’s antics and let him float freely through life. That’s when he decided to latch onto the Orlovs.
Surprisingly, the master’s daughter began to hate the maid even more, as if she was to blame that the fiancé turned out to be a thief. Probably, she just needed someone to vent her anger and despair. The nitpicking became more sophisticated and hurtful. Vika tried to find fault with every little thing. Natasha was holding on with all her might.
That morning, Natasha overslept; she jumped up, surprised at the time. They hadn’t even tried to wake her. Her head spun sharply again and a wave of nausea drove her to the bathroom. Catching her breath, the girl suddenly realized that this condition had been going on for about three weeks, simply pushed to the back burner by the cares; her morning malaise had taken a backseat. Looking at her feminine calendar, Natasha was stunned—her suspicion was confirmed; she was pregnant. A carousel of thoughts started dancing in her head: What now? Tell the hosts and give up on her dream? Inform Andrey?
Fear and confusion gave way to quiet joy. The feeling that a little life was now living inside her and her fate depended on her gave her determination. She needed to go and confess right away… By the way, why hadn’t they caught on yet?
In the living room, the detached hostess sat with a phone in her hands. Next to her stood Vika with anxiety on her face. Lena was bustling around with a glass of water and sedative drops.
«What happened?»
Vera Vasilievna only now noticed her, she slowly turned around and with unsteady lips softly said:
«There’s been an accident with Alexey… He was in a serious crash… Now in intensive care.»
Seeing everyone’s general confusion and turmoil, Natasha approached the hostess and took her by the shoulder:
«Which hospital? We need to go!»
The woman finally snapped out of it, grateful she looked at the maid and stood up:
«Yes, of course, let’s go quickly.!»
Vera Vasilievna took a seat in the front, near the driver, the others squeezed into the back.
Vika, despite the hostility, sat next to Natasha in the back seat. She adored her father. In light of recent events, quarreling seemed pointless…
At the hospital, a tired doctor came out to them.
«His condition is critical, a blood transfusion is necessary. We can’t find a match, rare phenotype and blood group,» he said, «we need to organize individual matching at the Blood Service Center. Good that you’re all here, it increases the chances.»
Without explaining anything, they just found out the Center’s address and, without delay, rushed there.
Everyone donated blood, even the driver and Lena, who was deathly afraid of needles.
About half an hour later, the transfusion doctor, a short gray-haired woman, came out to those waiting:
«Frolova Natalya, come for the blood draw!»
Vika jumped up and loudly stated:
«Woman, you’ve got it all mixed up! MY blood should match!»
The doctor calmly looked from under her glasses at the paper in her hand and then at the rude girl.
«I haven’t mixed up anything. According to the results, you and the recipient are not even relatives. He has the third blood group, his wife the first, and you have the second.»
With these words, she took Natasha with her, leaving the others to digest the unexpected information. Vika was still protesting:
«No! They mixed something up there!»
The shocked Vera Vasilievna sat in deep contemplation. How could this be? After all, throughout their long and happy married life, they had never been unfaithful to each other. She knew for sure that the daughter was from him…
They rode back in silence…
The next day, no one in the house mentioned yesterday’s incident, only the hostess warily glanced at Natasha. By evening, it was known that after the blood transfusion, Alexey Petrovich’s condition had improved. He was confidently recovering. This delighted the inhabitants of the house, and life gradually returned to its usual course…
A little over a week passed, the master was still in the hospital, but was preparing to be discharged any day. Natasha was waiting for this moment to confess about the pregnancy. Unexpectedly, the hostess asked the maid to come to her in the living room.
Vera Vasilievna looked excited and disheveled, which was previously uncharacteristic of her.
«Natashenka,» her voice broke, «I hired a private detective and ordered an investigation. Here, I’ve just received the report.»
The girl looked puzzled, not understanding anything, while the woman, overwhelmed by emotion, couldn’t say another word and simply silently handed her a folder with documents.
Natasha glanced over the paper in confusion. Her maiden name flickered, and the girl delved into studying the report.
It stated that almost twenty-four years ago, her mother and the hostess gave birth on the same day in the same maternity ward. The detective had to put in considerable effort to recreate the real events of those days—somewhere the archive was interrupted, somewhere he had to bribe someone. It turned out that on the night Natasha was born, an orderly was on duty, who had recently lost her own child. Apparently, the grief affected the woman’s mental health, and she switched Natasha and Vika.
A month later, she was caught doing the same thing and was fired without raising a fuss. They also didn’t try to find out how many times she had done this, as it threatened the management with big troubles.
That’s how this many-year-old secret was accidentally revealed.
Pale Natasha still sat, trying to grasp the information. Everything now fell into place—the lack of resemblance to her deceased parents and the unexpectedly easy spiritual closeness with the hosts of the house.
Vera Vasilievna approached and said in a trembling voice:
«Natasha, I am your mother…»
The girl still couldn’t utter a word, the excitement had sealed her lips, and her head was all mixed up.
God, did she really regain a family?
Vera Vasilievna couldn’t bear it any longer and embraced her newfound daughter in loving arms. They sat for a long time, hugging and sobbing from the bottom of their hearts, like women do.
Surprisingly, Victoria quickly came to terms with the unexpected news. Unable to find the right words, she approached Natasha and took her hand, her eyes expressing sincere remorse.
«Forgive me, I was a fool…» she managed to say, those words costing her a lot.
«Well, what are you, my dear, I’ve always wanted to have a sister!» Natasha smiled and scooped her up in an embrace.
The girls hugged and laughed through tears:
«It’s like an Indian movie!»
The father of the family was stunned, but undoubtedly glad to find his kin. To the general joy was added the news of Natasha’s pregnancy.
The mother joked tearfully:
«Lord, there are more of us Orlovs now!»
The news quickly spread among friends and acquaintances.
Andrey came accompanied by Margarita Pavlovna. Left alone with Natasha, he simply knelt before her and pressed her hand to his lips:
«Natasha, I haven’t been able to forget you… I want to be with you and our child. How can I beg your forgiveness?»
The girl was laconic:
«I hold no grudge… But I can’t forgive you either…»
Andrey listened silently and bowed his head:
«Forgive me, my love, for my past weakness. I will wait and hope…»
Margarita Pavlovna was uncharacteristically silent all evening and looked guilty. Before leaving, she approached the newly minted Orlova:
«Natasha! Don’t be mad at Andrey! It’s my fault! I just couldn’t believe that there are still selfless, decent people in the world…»
Happy Natasha lay in bed, admiring the golden leaves against the tender blue October sky through the window. Yesterday was the main event of her life—she became a mother. The last few months of her life were amazing, the only thing she regretted was Musya—the irretrievably lost faithful friend.
Vera Vasilievna burst into the room. The euphoria of the new grandmother was evident. She gently pinched little Maximka and smiled broadly.
«Oh!» she suddenly remembered, «they’re waiting for us downstairs—they asked to show them Maximka.»
«Of course!» the young mother agreed joyfully.
She was proud of her little one and wanted to tell the whole world about him—a new little person was born, and she was part of it.
Vera Vasilievna suddenly said seriously in a low voice:
«Natasha! Andrey also came…» she paused, watching her daughter’s reaction, «would you forgive him? He didn’t leave during your pregnancy… And if you knew what he did for you!»
Natasha raised her eyebrows in surprise, and the mother continued:
«People aren’t perfect, Natashenka! Everyone is prone to making mistakes… What matters is the conclusions they draw from them…»
Natasha walked to the window and looked down. There they were, waving at her happily—dad and Vika… And next to them stood Andrey, shyly smiling and holding the struggling Musya…
