After wrapping the dough in a clear bag, neighbor Maria Petrovna stood up from the table:
«Thank you again, Nastya, otherwise I never have time to make the yeast dough,» she thanked the hostess and headed towards the hallway.
«And thank you for not forgetting and for stopping by. The dough turned out exceptionally well this time. It literally squeaked as I rolled it out for the pies. Listen, why don’t you stay, we’ll have some tea and chat?»
«No, I better go, or grandpa will grumble. You have others to treat with your pies anyway. You said yourself that your daughter and granddaughter are coming.»
«What’s the big deal? I don’t think you’re any trouble for my guests.»
«Don’t try to convince me, I’d rather take a bit of this dough for a pie, treat my own grandpa.»
Smiling contentedly, the neighbor walked out the door and went up a floor. Together with Anastasia Matveyevna, they were, you could say, the long-time residents of this house. Probably no one else is left who remembers how the house was settled back in Soviet times.
Adjusting her apron, the old lady returned to the kitchen and started on the pies. Under her hands, they came out fluffy and filled generously. Anastasia Matveyevna spared no ingredients, knowing how much her daughter Natalya and granddaughter Anyuta loved her treats. Lost in thought, she almost missed the moment to flip the pies to the other side.
Just then, the doorbell rang. Lowering the flame, Anastasia Matveyevna walked to the hallway and opened the door.
«Grandma, my dear grandma, how I’ve missed you,» Anyuta’s face beamed like the spring sun.
«Oh, my granddaughter, I’m so glad to see you. But you were here just a week ago, did you really miss me that much?»
«Of course, grandma, let me give you a kiss,» kissing her grandmother on the cheek, Anyuta sniffed deeply. «Oh, it smells so delicious, the wonderful aroma of pies.»
«Go wash your hands in the bathroom, I’ve made your favorite cabbage pies,» Anastasia Matveyevna said with unmistakable pleasure.
Returning to the kitchen, she took a flat plate from the wall cabinet and placed three ready pies on it. The granddaughter turned off the tap, hung the towel back up, and approached the table:
«Grandma, are you feeding that homeless guy Andrei again? You treat him like family. Maybe he could work a little?»
«It’s no loss to me, and you won’t go hungry either. And really, what kind of talk is this?»
«Grandma, what’s with you, why is he so dear to you?» the granddaughter continued, looking at her questioningly.
Sitting down by the window, Anastasia Matveyevna put a plate of pies on the windowsill. In that same second, her eyes filled with bitter tears. Mentally traveling to the past, she remembered her childhood.
It was the most wonderful summer of her life: she had moved up to the eighth grade and together with her parents moved into this apartment. What can you say, a well-appointed apartment, especially in the city center, was simply a fairy tale, especially compared to the barracks they had lived in before. That tiny room with a toilet in the yard and a kitchen shared by ten families would forever remain in her memory. The endless queues at the stove were inconvenient, but interestingly, no one ever argued or locked their room doors, always helping each other and often sharing their last. In Soviet times, many were given apartments. And, rightfully, this period can be boldly called a golden era.
After settling into her new place, Nastya prepared for the start of the school year. That autumn, Andrey returned from the army, and that day remained etched in her memory for a long time. As she descended the stairs one morning, Nastya almost bumped into a tall, handsome, and impressive young man. He was in military uniform and smiled broadly:
«Wow, I didn’t think we had such beauties living in our building,» he said playfully, winking at her. «And what’s the name of this lovely stranger?»
«Nastya,» the girl replied, slightly embarrassed.
«I’ll call you Staska. You’re very beautiful!»
At that moment, Nastya felt her face begin to burn. No one had ever paid her such compliments before, and to prevent Andrey from noticing, she hurriedly descended the stairs. She fell in love with him at first sight, but of course, she dared not tell him openly. After all, he was an adult, and she was just a teenager.
Andrey was friendly toward Nastya, treating her like a little sister. He always smiled and playfully tugged at her braid, which made Nastya blush, and a warm wave washed over her inside. Each night, she sighed, thinking of him. She imagined Andrey inviting her to dance, swaying to the magical voice of Vertinsky. Then they would walk under the starry sky, and then… she was too shy even to think about what might happen next, and with that thought, she fell asleep. But these were just dreams, childish dreams, not to be taken seriously.
Who was she to him? Just a neighbor, a young schoolgirl. But one day, when emotions overwhelmed her and she could no longer keep them inside, Nastya decided to have an honest conversation. «I’ll invite him to dance, and then…» She didn’t know what would happen next, but she fervently hoped that Andrey liked her and was just too shy to say so. She chose a moment when Andrey was returning from the store:
«Hello, Andrey, I need to tell you something important,» her nervousness was obvious, but Nastya did her best to keep composed.
In response, Andrey picked her up in his arms and joyfully said:
«Not now, Staska, not now. I’m getting married, do you hear? She said yes, and it’s such happiness. I expect you at the wedding, will you come on Saturday?»
Silently, Nastya nodded and walked away. Inside, everything turned upside down, as if the sun had suddenly dimmed. Were all her thoughts about him in vain? She couldn’t find an answer to this question. That day, her world collapsed, and while she should have been happy for Andrey, who was about to start his own family, Nastya was sad and cried a lot.
Years passed, Andrey managed as best he could, raising two sons who were as handsome as their father. It seemed that he was doing well, and family life only brought him satisfaction. As for Nastya, she too got married for love, to a kind, reliable, and calm man. She lived soul to soul with him, as if behind a stone wall.
But soon everything changed drastically: the tumultuous nineties arrived. It was a time of trials and deprivations. People did everything they could just to make ends meet. This did not spare Anastasia; like her beloved husband, she found herself jobless. It’s hard to imagine what they went through, but those times were indeed very tough.
With difficulty, Nastya’s husband found a job as a loader, and she got a small side job. It wasn’t just finding a job, but getting a place where they actually paid something. The garden also helped tremendously. If not for their dacha, they would have really struggled, but as it was, they lived very modestly, yet the land fed them, and they did not starve.
During that period, Andrey was particularly fortunate: he set up several points for selling videotapes and made a decent profit. Soon, Andrey bought a car and an apartment in a prestigious area, his business took off, and money from sales flowed like a river.
One day, walking home from her side job, Nastya accidentally bumped into Andrey. Seeing her eyes wet with tears, he extended his arms and, taking her by the shoulders, looked into her eyes:
«Hello, Stas, what happened to you? You look completely pale.» Andrey was determined to find out what had happened to his beautiful and cheerful neighbor.
In response, Nastya cried even harder:
«My daughter is very sick, and we don’t even have enough money for treatment. I work several days a week, and it’s hardly what you’d call earning. My husband’s situation isn’t any better: he earns pennies, and that’s how we scrape by. I don’t know what to do; I’m at my wits’ end. Until now, my parents’ pension helped us, but they’re both gone; I just buried them.»
«What are you talking about, Stas?» Andrey shook his head, «Why didn’t you come to me right away? We’re friends, we should help each other!»
Andrey pulled a thick wad of cash from his jacket pocket and handed it to her.
Nastya was a bit stunned:
«Andrey, but…»
«Don’t say anything,» interrupted her neighbor, «just take it, and I’ll bring more tomorrow. And take down this phone number. Tell them it’s about a job from Andrey Selantyev. A friend of mine is actually looking for an accountant, and you have the education, and the salary is good, so that solves your problem. We’ll find something for your husband too; he doesn’t need to be running around all day carrying bags. He’s smart and educated.»
Andrey was in a hurry, and Nastya, looking at the bundle of money, anxiously said:
«Andrey, this is a lot, a whole fortune… We can’t pay you back…»
Turning around, the man waved his hand and said as he walked away:
«It’s alright, I’m giving the money not to you but to your child. And you don’t need to give me anything back because happiness is in the people around you, not in money.»
They parted, and the money Andrey gave her helped a lot; soon, her daughter began to recover. Meanwhile, time relentlessly counted the days and months. It seemed that this period, when the country was plunged into uncertainty, would last forever. But a new era dawned, what some called the millennium.
People were filled with hope for a brighter future. Anastasia also lived with such thoughts, believing that life would change for the better. As for Andrey, his business collapsed, and he lost nearly everything. His apartment, house, and car went to debts. Andrey’s wife didn’t wait for him to fix the situation. She took their sons and left his life forever. Nastya insisted that Andrey move in with them. He resisted for a long time but agreed, as he had no other choice, not even able to afford renting a place.
A few days passed, and Andrey decided to leave, thanking them for their hospitality:
«You know, guys, I’ll head North to get my life together. They say the pay is good there. I can’t live off your kindness forever. I need to earn for new housing. Maybe I’ll even meet a good woman, get married, and have children. Thank you, my dears!»
«Andrey, stay… You’re not bothering us at all,» Anastasia’s husband tried to stop him.
«Don’t try to persuade me! It’s not manly to live off kind people. Well, goodbye, and once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you’ve done for me.»
«Andrey, remember, you can always count on us. Remember that and have a safe journey…» Nastya said sadly at the end.
It felt like an eternity had passed since that day. Anastasia’s daughter got married and a year later gave her a beautiful granddaughter. Additionally, her husband, whom she loved and adored, passed away. Thus, Anastasia Matveyevna was left alone in her apartment, the same one where she spent her entire childhood.
One day, stepping outside, she noticed a stooped old man… He sat alone on a bench, staring at the ground. There was something familiar about him, but she couldn’t quite place it. The old man was heavily overgrown, wearing an old, crusty jacket that was clearly too big and long unwashed. His trousers were worn, and his shoes had holes in the toes. It was not hard to guess that the old man was homeless and spent a lot of time on the street looking for food.
Anastasia Matveyevna wanted to pass by, but the homeless man called out to her:
«Stas, is that you?»
«Andrey??? It can’t be…» the old woman exclaimed excitedly.
«Yes, Stas, it’s me, Andrey, in the flesh. Here, I’ve returned home, to my native land…»
«My God, how did this happen? Come to my place right away, I’ll feed you, and you can take a shower, get yourself cleaned up.»
In response, the homeless man shook his head:
«No, Stas, don’t bother… my place is here,» he pointed to the basement, «I don’t deserve more. And life has beaten me down so much, I’m not long for this world. I feel I’ll die soon, so I decided to rest in my homeland.»
Smiling, Andrey revealed his toothless mouth. Clutching her heart, Anastasia Matveyevna sobbed again:
«Andrey, come on, I have a spare room. You can stay there, get back on your feet, and it won’t be boring for me either. Get up, let’s go, I won’t abandon you and I’ll definitely show you to a doctor.»
«Thank you, Stas, for your kindness, but no,» Andrey abruptly cut her off and added: «I’ve turned into an alcoholic, there’s no going back to a better world for me. I’ll end my days in this basement. I’m fine there…»
Mentally returning to the present, Anastasia Matveyevna wiped her tears and looked at her granddaughter, who sat at the table watching her intently. Taking a plate of pies, she left the apartment and descended into the basement. Andrey’s voice was heard…
«Stas, is that you?»
«Yes, Andryusha, who else but me. Here, I brought some pies, help yourself.»
«Mmm, it smells delicious,» Andrey said. «You know, Stas, I liked you, such a funny, spirited girl, always with disheveled hair. With a backpack over your shoulders and a Komsomol badge on your apron.»
«I was in love with you,» Anastasia Matveyevna replied, blushing slightly, «Even though I knew it was an unattainable dream, I still couldn’t help myself.»
«I suspected, but it seemed to me then that it was just a teenage infatuation, a folly, nothing more. I didn’t think it was serious from your side. You were so young then…»
«And yet, every night I spent with tears in my pillow. I always tried to bump into you more often, to appear in front of you, to be closer and somehow show my affection. But you didn’t notice me…»
«I believe you, Stas, I really do,» Andrey replied sadly.
«I loved you for a very long time. And how I hated your wife… But that’s in the past…»
A week later, Andrey died; his heart gave out early in the morning when Anastasia Matveyevna, as usual, was bringing him a plate of food. He passed away as quietly as he had lived out the remainder of his days in that dark basement. No persuasion then had helped convince Andrey to live in normal conditions.
It seemed as though he blamed himself for his mistakes and believed it was a punishment for his past. But now, no one would know; any secrets, if there were any, went with him. He was a good person, and that’s how he would remain in Anastasia Matveyevna’s memory.
She also took care of all the funeral arrangements. She took her granddaughter, Anyuta, to the funeral. Anyuta was surprised, but did not argue and went with her grandmother to the cemetery. At the grave, Anastasia Matveyevna could not hold back and cried loudly. Her granddaughter Anyuta, standing nearby, asked in surprise:
«Grandma, why are you crying? He was just a homeless man!»
To which she sadly replied:
«He was a person, a real person with a capital ‘P’. And I am grateful to him for what he did for me. Once, he saved your mother; she was very sick, and if it weren’t for his help, you wouldn’t be here today.»
Anyuta gasped:
«So, I owe this man my life, but I never even got the chance to thank him for it…»
Returning from the cemetery, Anastasia Matveyevna sat by the window for a long time, thinking that life turned out the way it did. The woman lowered her head to her hands and wept bitterly.
