The conductor seated the pregnant woman without a ticket next to the strange old man in the compartment. At night, the carriage was awakened by screams.
Natalya slammed the door loudly.
From early in the morning, she had a premonition that this day would not go smoothly. Luce, her 19-year-old daughter, had recently brought home a kitten named Muska, which had already managed to make a mess right on the bathroom mat. Natalya found it hard to scold her daughter for this, as Luce was trying to be caring and was doing everything right.
Muska usually behaved well, and her litter box was always timely washed and set out to dry. However, today’s incident angered Natalya.
Her daughter was studying Chinese in her room. At her mother’s call, Luce peeked out from behind the door, taking off her headphones:
«Mom, please clean it up!» she whined. «You know it makes me sick. Please, just this last time!»
«I don’t have time, I’m late for work!» Natalya replied.
«Mom, you know I don’t have time either, exams are coming up!» Luce exclaimed, widening her eyes.
Natalya sighed, and her daughter, hugging her, added:
«Mommy, you’re the most beautiful and beloved! Please, just this last time.»
Natalya smiled with difficulty:
«You’re such a flatterer, Luce. Alright, but this is the last time.»
«And mom, you know what…» the daughter hesitated. «Tomorrow Igor wanted…»
«Again Igor?» Natalya snapped. «Stop getting engaged, finish your studies properly! Get a job, stand on your own two feet. I don’t want to hear about Igor again!»
«But mom, he wanted tomorrow…»
«Enough, shush!»
Luce rolled her eyes and sulkily pouted. Putting her headphones back on, she demonstratively flicked her tail and disappeared into her room.
Natalya rushed out of the house and hurried to the bus stop. If she missed the shuttle bus, she would have to endure scolding from the train foreman again. Nikolai was a decent man, but he always found time to reprimand Natalya. Colleagues often joked that he was in love with her. To which she invariably responded:
«You’re making it up! He can’t stand me, and it’s obvious.»
Natalya couldn’t understand why Nikolai judged her so harshly and tried to avoid him whenever possible. She made it to the shuttle bus on time and even managed to get a window seat. But when she got off, she tripped on the curb and fell, so it went dark before her eyes. Approaching the carriage, she limped, hoping no one would notice her. Her tights were torn in several places, her skirt was stained, and one shirt sleeve was torn.
Then a familiar voice rang out:
«Hello, Natalya. What’s wrong with you?…….Continued in the first comment below.»
