In the kitchen of a typical city apartment, a table was set. Everything as it should be: Olivier salad, duck with apples, a meat platter, and cake. Sitting at her usual place at the center of the table was a melancholic birthday girl, Valentina Petrovna Koneva. Today she was celebrating a milestone—seventy years. Despite her advanced age, she looked quite well: neatly styled hair, a slender figure, and she took good care of herself. After all, she had been working as a pediatrician for over forty years, a profession that demanded she maintain a decent appearance. Across from her, in a wheelchair, sat her husband, Semyon Arkadievich. However, there were no guests to be seen. An oppressive silence filled the apartment, only broken by the chime of an antique cuckoo clock every hour. Valentina Petrovna felt no festive spirit, hoping at least her old friend would come to congratulate her, but she too was bedridden with a flare-up of arthritis.
Valentina Petrovna opened a bottle of wine, poured a little for herself and her husband, and said:
«Well, Semyon, shall we have a small toast? At our age, birthdays are a somber affair, another year older. It’s hard to look in the mirror without tears, just wrinkles. No cream seems to work. After Ilyusha’s death, we’re needless to anyone, hardly anyone to properly congratulate us. It’s just the two of us left. Old age is a nasty business, isn’t it, my dear? Nothing brings joy anymore, just a race to fend off ailments and live out our days. Eat, my dear, let me help you. Why else would I have stood by the stove?»
The woman began to feed her husband, who had not fully recovered from a stroke and still struggled significantly with speech and eating. He looked at her gratefully and squeezed her hand. Later, Valentina Petrovna assisted her husband with his evening routines and put him to bed, then she sat down and picked up a photo album.
There was their wedding. Oh Lord, how many years ago was that. How young and happy they were! And here she was with Irochka, her best friend, still children then, with their whole youth and a long difficult life ahead of them. But they were laughing, joyful, and unaware of what was to come. She sighed, wiped away a tear, turned the page, and began to examine each photograph for the thousandth time, recalling the life episodes connected with them.
Valentina had worked her entire life as a pediatrician, while her husband had been the head of the history department at the university. They met as students, brought together at a birthday celebration in their youthful days. Back then, they celebrated simply and joyously in a communal kitchen at the dormitory. Simple dishes like sausage and fish cut up on newspaper, fried potatoes with onions in a skillet, port wine, and exquisite Soviet lemonade in the glasses—such things couldn’t be bought for any money nowadays. Semyon was the life of the party, singing songs with his guitar and telling funny stories. Valentina, a shy and quiet soul, immediately caught his eye, reminiscent of the famous French actress, Mireille Mathieu. He spent the evening by her side, courting her gallantly and even walked her home. Gradually, they started dating, and soon they married modestly, living together through thick and thin. Both thrived in their careers, each passionately dedicated to their work. Eventually, the couple managed to secure their own apartment and even managed vacations by the sea. The only shadow over their happiness was their inability to conceive a child. They sought medical advice, knowing many in the hospital from Valentina’s connections, and even in desperation, consulted fortune tellers, but to no avail. As the years flew by, they were already in their forties and had almost given up hope of a miracle. They considered adopting a child. Valentina poured her unspent maternal love into caring for other people’s children. Her clinic always had a queue; many knew, respected, and loved her. She had a special way with children, chatting them up so engagingly that they hardly noticed the examination was over. Of course, she always suffered internally from not being able to bear Semyon a child, feeling a sense of inadequacy, although, to be fair, her husband never once reproached her. He had his own philosophy of life: why lament what we cannot change? When Valentina’s menstrual cycle completely stopped, she assumed early menopause had begun and was utterly calm about it. Only when the baby inside her started moving did she realize that, against all odds, a miracle had happened!
Their happiness knew no bounds, Semyon treated his wife like she was made of crystal, and strictly forbade her from doing any housework, just in case. Besides, her age was far from ideal for pregnancy. Valya suffered from severe morning sickness, swelling, and a host of other complications. Fortunately, everything turned out well, and although the baby was born slightly prematurely, he was a healthy little boy. They named their son Ilya. The couple was overjoyed with their beloved son, buying him only the best and most expensive things. They doted on him constantly, and if he so much as whimpered, they would rush to comfort him. Ilya had everything: all kinds of toys, fashionable imported clothes, a phone, a player, and he had a computer much earlier than his peers.
When the boy was young, he was a wonderful, sweet, and obedient child. He obeyed his parents in everything and loved them dearly. Together with his father, he enthusiastically built ships and airplanes, learned wood burning and soldering, and fixed bicycles in the garage. The boy respected his parents, never talked back, never defied them, and tried not to upset them. But when that terrible adolescent period hit, it was as if he was possessed! He became prickly, impossible to approach. He started talking back and being rude, and most importantly, he began engaging in reckless and absolutely unpredictable behavior!
His parents were at their wits’ end, trying to influence their son with both carrot and stick, but to no avail!
Valentina, sensing something was wrong, often lamented:
«Semyon, we can’t go on like this. We need to do something! I don’t recognize our son anymore. Maybe we should persuade him to see a psychologist. We have one at the hospital. They say it helps many. I can’t get through to him, Ilya simply doesn’t want to listen to us! He started fighting with boys, left class without permission, where does this fit in? And yesterday, I smelled cigarettes on him!»
But her husband believed that his wife was overreacting and always tried to calm her:
«Don’t wind yourself up so much. He’s just going through a tough period. You’re a medic, you understand. This nightmare will soon end, you’ll see. Ilya will grow up, settle down, everything will work out. All parents go through this.»
It took a lot of effort for Semyon Arkadievich to secure a budget spot for his son at a prestigious university in the capital, even in the economics department. It seemed simple, just study and be happy. But to his parents’ horror, the son was not thrilled with such prospects. He told them he wanted to be a traveler or a long-haul truck driver, not an economist. Ilya barely managed to scrape through three years of university, with constant debts and backlogs, and then he was finally expelled for systematic truancy.
Semyon Arkadievich personally went to the dean’s office, trying to sort things out. But they told him that they had seen his son at lectures only a couple of times the entire semester. The reason was banal, the boy had fallen head over heels in love with a frivolous girl of loose behavior, and completely abandoned his studies.
A terrible scandal erupted at home. His father yelled, unable to restrain himself any longer:
«Ilya, what are you doing? Why are you ruining your life? You’re disgracing your mother and me! Who have you gotten involved with? I found out, your Alena has no marks of decency! Come to your senses. Pull your grades up and reapply next year, for God’s sake! If you don’t like it, transfer to another department, after all! Why would you drop out? How will you find a decent profession without an education?»
The son retorted:
«I never wanted to study there, just so you know. It’s terribly boring to listen to all these economic trends. Cracking mathematics. Not everyone needs to be intellectuals like you. Besides, Alena says that a real man should know how to make money, not fuss with numbers!»
Valentina was outraged:
«Again with Alena! She’s a street orphan, from nowhere, and has been chasing men since she was fifteen. Why are you so hung up on her? You’re a smart guy, but now you’re thinking like a fool! You’re unwittingly throwing your life away!»
Scandals became a regular occurrence in their family, and eventually, Ilya left home. He rented a dilapidated apartment on the outskirts and started living there with that very Alena, defiantly and in spite of everything. Ilya was very explosive, a maximalist, he wanted to prove to the whole world, especially to his parents, how wrong they were about him and his fiancée! He was madly in love with the girl; it was like an obsession, a sickness. It goes without saying, the girl was stunningly beautiful, legs for days, which she skillfully used to her advantage. For her, he was willing to do literally anything! Alena manipulated him as she pleased, and he was well aware of it, the boy was far from stupid. But all it took was a tender kiss from her, a hug, and he was already not his own. The guy started working odd jobs, but how much do they pay students? And the fiancée demanded entertainment and expensive outfits. Having grown up in poverty, she wanted to flaunt her new status. The girl kept egging Ilya on:
«Don’t be like an old grandpa. We only live once. Let’s go out and have fun today? Youth is only once. Otherwise, we’ll end up living like your parents, always saving for something, and you can die of boredom from it. So keep your nose to the wind and your tail as a pistol, find a decent job, for us. You love me, right? Prove it!»
Then Ilya left to work in the extreme north on a rotational basis. He wanted to earn money for his beloved, because no matter how much he gave her, it was never enough. The girl immediately spent it all on restaurants and fashionable clothes.
Their son never returned from his earnings. He died, falling from a height. On the day his parents learned this terrible news, Valentina turned completely gray and literally blackened from indescribable grief. After all, her son was the meaning of her life, and she loved him very much, despite all his antics and sometimes unbearable behavior. Semyon Arkadievich fought a long lawsuit with the company, found out that safety protocols were completely ignored, and even received a small compensation. But what was the use, their son could not be brought back! When that unbearable girl had the audacity to show up at Ilya’s funeral, drunk and in a provocatively short dress, Semyon went berserk and attacked her with his fists. He screamed at her:
«Get out of here, viper! You led Ilya astray, drove him to those damn earnings, ruined his life! I can’t stand the sight of you! Where did you come from to torment him?»
The girl quickly retreated, keeping away from sin, and right there in the cemetery, her husband fell ill. They called an ambulance and took him to intensive care. He suffered a stroke, from which he never fully recovered. Valentina Petrovna herself didn’t understand how she managed to survive it all: her son’s death, her husband’s illness all came crashing down at once. She was literally torn between work and caring for her husband, it seemed like some curse hung over their family and the misfortunes would never end. Her friend, Irina, supported her greatly during those hard times. She was always there, helping financially and morally, and gradually Valentina managed to pull herself together. Sometimes Irina would just come over, bring a bottle of homemade wine, they would drink in silence, and then Irina would say, «Now cry! Yes, scream, howl, you’re at your limit, I see it!» And Valya cried, sobbed like a beluga on her faithful friend’s shoulder, and it did lighten her heart a bit. Now she devoted all her time to work, continuing to work even after retirement. Her little patients, so helpless, gave her inner strength; she literally revived, and was very happy when she could help a child overcome an illness and become healthy again. The woman managed to save up enough money to buy her husband a maneuverable modern wheelchair, and installed a ramp in their building at her own expense. Walks were the only diversion and slight variety in her disabled husband’s life. Semyon was most happy when Valya took him to the park, to a small pond on weekends. He could watch the white swans and gray ducks swim for hours, and for a while, it distracted him from his heavy thoughts.
The woman loved her husband very deeply, so despite his illness, she often repeated to herself, «Thank you for being alive!» They were so soulfully connected that she simply could not imagine life without Semyon!
Meanwhile, having turned the last page of the family album, the old woman closed it with a heavy sigh. The clock struck ten times, but she didn’t feel like sleeping at all. So, she decided to check the answering machine on the phone and delete any unnecessary messages, since she never seemed to get around to it.
She habitually erased one message after another: «Hello, we’re not home, please leave a message after the tone,» followed either by silence or messages from post office employees, social services, or concerned mothers asking for a doctor’s consultation. Then suddenly, a thin child’s voice came through:
«..Hello? Grandma… It’s me… your granddaughter… Olya Polozova. Mom left me your phone number… She died… And I’m in the orphanage on Leninskaya… It’s near the city library… It’s very bad here… They’re hurting me… Grandma, dear, please take me away from here soon…»
The woman was stunned and listened to the message at least five times before it dawned on her that this was no joke, but a message addressed to her! What devilry? How could they have a granddaughter if their son died ten years ago? And he had no wife or children! Yet, the child’s voice was very troubled and sad, it certainly didn’t sound like a child was saying this just for fun!
Valentina was alarmed, listened to the message again more attentively, and started pacing the room back and forth. Her husband was asleep and she did not want to wake him. Unable to bear it, she called her friend. She needed to consult with someone.
The woman anxiously asked:
«Irina, good evening. Darling, are you still awake? Sorry for bothering you so late, but there’s something…»
And Valentina began to tell, haltingly, about what she had heard on the answering machine. Her friend was, to put it mildly, shocked:
«Well, I don’t know, Valyusha. It doesn’t seem like a silly joke, and who would need to joke like that? Though, maybe the child dialed the wrong number, and the message isn’t for you after all. You should still go to that orphanage and at least find out if there’s a girl there with that name and surname. If there is, try to talk to her. If not, just erase the message and forget about it. I’ve known you for many years, you won’t rest until you find out what’s what…»
In the morning, Valentina played the recording for Semyon, who thought deeply about it. He started calculating and estimating in his mind. Then he asked:
«How old is the child, do we know?»
Valya shrugged:
«Who knows, she didn’t say. Why do you ask?»
The man excitedly replied:
«What if she really is our granddaughter. Well, Ilya lived with that Alena, right? Anything’s possible…»
Valentina dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand, annoyed:
«Oh, come on! That girl slept around so much. This child, even if they exist, could belong to anyone, not just Ilya. But you know, I will go today and find out for myself. And the girl’s voice sounded so scared and agitated. I’ll ask our neighbor, Zina, to look after you. Is that okay?»
Semyon nodded in agreement, and Valentina Petrovna started getting ready for the trip. She easily found the orphanage. The gray, dreary, uncomfortable building by its very appearance evoked sadness and anxiety. Valentina was outraged as she passed a gloomy, dirty brown playground that had long needed renovation. She thought to herself, «Children here already have a hard life, so why is it so difficult to at least brighten their existence and tidy up the area? It’s like in a hospital. If a child sees bright, colorful pictures with animals around, can touch toys, it’s not so scary for them, and they calm down and stop being afraid.» Valentina had been arguing heatedly with the headmistress, an unpleasant woman, trying to persuade her to allow her to see Olya. Initially, the woman was adamant:
«I assure you, Olya Polozova has no connection to you. Her mother died, her stepfather was a drunk who abused the child, so she was taken to the orphanage. What she told you is nothing but a child’s fantasy. So there’s no need to disturb her unnecessarily. Why give the child false hope? Especially since you’re not officially her relative.»
Valentina insisted:
«What does it cost you? I’ll just talk a little with the girl and leave right away. Please, I beg you.»
Eventually, the pensioner couldn’t stand it any longer and slipped some money from her wallet to the headmistress, leaving just enough for her trip home. The woman immediately changed her tone and softened. She ordered someone to bring Olya to the playroom. When Valentina saw the girl, she gasped! Everything became clear. The child was the spitting image of her deceased son! The same hooked nose and eyes that looked up from under the eyebrows, even the hair was the same, blond and slightly curly, just like Ilya’s. And her figure was the same, tall and lanky.
Valentina Petrovna started the conversation:
«Hello, Olya. My name is Valentina Petrovna. I listened to your message on the answering machine and decided to come to you. Tell me everything, who are your parents, and why did you decide that I am your grandmother? How old are you? My son died many years ago. Who gave you my phone number?»
The girl sighed maturely and began to explain:
«Hello, Valentina Petrovna! I’m so glad you came. We used to live with my mom, just the two of us. Those were good times. Although she sometimes left at night, she still loved me and didn’t hurt me. My mom’s name was Alena. She worked as a janitor. And when I started school, Anatoly started living with us. He hated me from the start. He drank heavily, then began fighting with everyone. Sometimes mom drank with her husband too, but only a little. That nasty Tolya often kicked us out of the house; we would sleep at the station, waiting for him to sober up and calm down. Everyone around thought my mom was bad, but I know for sure she loved me. She called me ‘Little Bead,’ and told me such interesting stories at night, all made up by her. Half a year ago, mom died. She caught a severe cold and got sick, and there was nothing for treatment. I miss her so much. When she was very sick and couldn’t get out of bed, she gave me a piece of paper with a phone number and whispered, ‘Daughter, if things get really tough, call this number. It’s your real grandmother. She will help.’ After mom’s death, I stayed with my stepfather. He’s mean, bad, he beat me often and kicked me out of the house. So I started begging; I needed to eat. I asked for alms near the metro. Neighbors saw me and called child protective services. That’s how I ended up here, in the orphanage. But it’s so awful here! The caretakers are mean, and the girls make me serve them, they hurt me. That’s why I decided, it couldn’t get any worse, I chose a moment when the headmistress’s office was empty and dialed your number. Will you help me? Mom couldn’t have lied to me, right?»
And Olya looked directly into Valentina’s eyes, causing everything inside her to turn upside down! In an emotional moment, she hugged the poor girl:
«I’ll try, Olyechka. No, that’s not right, I will do everything in my power and take you away from here to live with us, your grandparents. But the headmistress told me that they are about to adopt you, is that true?»
The girl grimaced unhappily:
«Yes, those people came, but I didn’t like them. The woman’s eyes are cold and empty, like the Snow Queen from the fairy tale. I don’t want to live with them. But you, grandma, have kind, warm eyes. I will wait for you. You will come to see me again, won’t you?»
Valentina promised the girl that she would come, of course, and went home. All the way, she shook as if with a fever, something unimaginable stirring in her soul! At home, she emotionally told everything to Semyon. She added at the end:
«Semyon, I’m sure Olyechka is our granddaughter. Everything matches up, I counted. And her mom is Alena, and the birthdate matches, and she even looks exactly like our Ilya. We need to gather the documents and go file for adoption. We must get ahead of the adoptive family that already wants to take Olya. The girl says she doesn’t want to live with them. But who asks for the opinion of an orphan?»
The man just shook his head:
«Poor child. I can imagine what she had to endure with such a mother and stepfather! I remember that unbearable, promiscuous Alena, what kind of a mother she was. And now she’s also being bullied in the orphanage. What a childhood for the girl, you wouldn’t wish it on your worst enemy!»
The woman decided to consult with her friend, Irina, on what to do. Two heads are better than one!
Irina listened carefully and responded:
«Let’s do this. I’ll go with you, it’s more reassuring together, and we’ll take a recorder. We’ll turn it on just in case before the conversation!»
Valentina was surprised:
«First of all, since when do we have a recorder at home? And secondly, why all this? I just don’t get it?»
Her friend even got angry:
«Think about it, if that Maya Sergeyevna shook you down for money just so you could see Olya, it means everything there is long since bought and sold, and they won’t just hand Olya over to you. Mark my words. You don’t watch TV at all, do you? People like Olya are how unscrupulous profiteers make a fortune, it’s a whole business industry. I have a recorder, you know my son is a journalist. We have plenty of that stuff at home. I’ll ask him how to use it. Because we’re at that age when we’re completely out of touch with modern technology.»
That settled it. Early in the morning, Valentina Petrovna gathered all the necessary documents and set off with Ira to the orphanage.
As soon as the pensioner expressed her desire to take guardianship of Olya, the headmistress laughed in her face. She venomously said:
«Are you kidding? Have you looked at your passport lately? Who would allow someone of your age to take guardianship, especially with a disabled husband at hand? Especially since a family is about to adopt Olya. Everything is already decided. The guardianship procedure has been initiated. So sorry, I can’t help you.»
The pensioner didn’t give up:
«And what if I prove that I am Olya’s biological grandmother? What then? Especially since I’m sure of it. Moreover, Olya doesn’t want to live in that other family; doesn’t the child’s opinion count at all? Wouldn’t she be worse off with her own relatives than with complete strangers? Don’t you feel sorry for the girl at all? She’s already been through so much! Her mother’s death, abuse from her stepfather.»
Maya Sergeyevna continued to mock, reveling in her power:
«Dearie, even though you’re of a respectable age, you’re like a child, God bless you. That other family gave me so much money for the girl, I’ll definitely decide in their favor. And the opinion of Olya herself, her kinship, who needs all that? She’ll get used to living there eventually, where will she go? And if you want to fight for your granddaughter, prepare the money too. Did I make myself clear? Do you understand?»
Valentina Petrovna hissed through her teeth:
«More than clear. Be aware, I won’t give up and won’t leave my granddaughter in trouble, I will fight for her to the end! All the best! I’m not saying goodbye. How can you be like this? Practically trading children? It’s simply sacrilegious!»
The headmistress smirked:
«And what am I supposed to live on? My children need to be fed and clothed too! Some moralist you are. Who cares about these miserable orphans? Nobody cares about them at all. They should be happy that I manage to find them a place at all. I won’t keep you any longer. I have a lot of work to do.»
The women quickly left the orphanage, Valentina trembling with indignation:
«Look at how shameless she is. She isn’t afraid to openly admit that she takes money, even extorting it from people. Does she think she’s above the law?»
Irina patted her pocket:
«We’ve got it all recorded. And you asked why we needed a recorder? Now her words are evidence, not just empty sounds.»
Suddenly, Valentina remembered:
«Listen, I have a good acquaintance, I’ve been observing and treating her son since he was a child, practically cured him of asthma. Now, they say, he’s a successful lawyer. Andrey Agafonov. I’ll try to ask them for help. Let them help us do everything correctly, advise where to go and what to do.»
Irina pondered:
«So, those are probably paid services, right? And they cost a lot these days. If needed, I’ll help. I feel very sorry for the girl. You’re not a stranger to me. Know this.»
So they did, and Andrey agreed to meet with the pediatrician, remembering the wonderful woman who had helped him overcome his illness and many complexes. Together, they expertly prepared a petition to suspend the guardianship and establish kinship between the girl and the grandmother. They filed the lawsuit in court.
At the end, the lawyer added:
«Valentina Petrovna, I’ve done what I could. But you must understand, this process isn’t quick, it could take a month or two. Until the court appoints a genetic test, collects the materials, and compares the samples. All this time, the girl will remain in the orphanage, nothing can be done about it. But that other family won’t be able to adopt her either. I’ll try to ensure that you’re allowed to see Olya freely. If you want.»
The woman was moved to tears and reached for her wallet:
«Andryushenka, thank you so much. I couldn’t have managed without you. Olya is my granddaughter, I feel it. She even looks exactly like my deceased son. How much do I owe you for everything? Here, take this, it’s all that my friend and I have collected.»
The man frowned and waved his hands:
«What are you doing, Valentina Petrovna, stop that or I’ll be offended! I won’t take any money from you. You took care of me, treated me, and didn’t charge a penny! My mother told me! I remember! There are few specialists as competent as you in our city. So, this is my thanks for your work. Good luck. If there are more problems, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’ll definitely help.»
While the proceedings were ongoing, Valentina, with a heavy heart, was allowed to see Olya, and now the happy woman visited her every weekend. She brought her granddaughter fruits and sweets, and they talked a lot. Olya was overjoyed at her beloved grandma’s visits and literally shone, chattering non-stop. Now life in that dreadful orphanage didn’t seem so gray and hopeless; she lived from weekend to weekend, counting the minutes until their meetings.
Valentina Petrovna was amazed. Olya had grown up in such difficult circumstances, in a dysfunctional family, clearly neglected. Yet, the girl was very smart and bright, and loved reading. The pediatrician had a good home library, many children’s books that Ilya had read, and she regularly brought them to her granddaughter. They were so good together, kindred spirits drawn to each other.
Valentina eagerly awaited the results of the genetic testing, knowing that everything would be resolved then, and they would finally be able to take Olya home. She had no doubts about their kinship; she felt it in every cell of her body. Thus, undergoing the testing was merely a formality.
When our heroine was called to the guardianship board, she flew there, already dreaming of bringing Olya home, introducing her to Semyon, and starting their life together as a family.
But when they showed her the test results, and she read them, the woman was simply shocked, and tears involuntarily flowed from her eyes! It stated in black and white that they were not related, zero percent!
The headmistress smirked venomously, not hiding her joy:
«What have you been troubling us all this time for, darling? Are you satisfied now? Achieved justice? But I warned you that this is exactly how it would turn out, didn’t I? You didn’t want to do it the easy way? Blame yourself now. Goodbye.»
Valentina Petrovna called Irina and broke down crying:
«Ira, I’m going to die right now! The test showed that Olya isn’t related to me. But I can’t believe it! I feel it’s not true. It’s all over now. They’ll never give me the girl now. And I’ve grown so attached to her. My heart is tied to hers. What am I supposed to do? Watch as the child is given to strangers? She’ll suffer! Olya hopes she won’t have to endure much longer and that we’ll soon live together. Does this mean I deceived her? Betrayed her? Why is everything so unfair?»
Her friend came over right away to console her:
«There, sweetheart, don’t sour. We’ve found ways out of worse dead ends. Pull yourself together, take some valocordin, and fight! Call Andrey right away. Maybe he can advise something good! I also have a gut feeling that something’s not clean here.»
In the lawyer’s office, Valentina couldn’t hold back and burst into bitter tears. Then she handed him a photo of her deceased son Ilya and a photo of Olya, which they had recently taken together for memory.
She lamented:
«Just look, Andryusha, how alike they are! You don’t need any tests to see it. I feel that Olya is my own, you understand? The dates match up. Her mother is the same woman Ilya lived with before he died. I don’t understand how the results could be negative? What should I do? Give up and watch my granddaughter be taken by strangers. And she’ll suffer again without affection and love? Why does this poor child deserve this? And also, I forgot to give you the recording from the recorder last time. Here, listen. This is what the headmistress told me during our first meeting. And now she joyfully added that since I didn’t meet her conditions, I wouldn’t see the girl anymore!»
The lawyer listened to the recording attentively and jumped up from his chair:
«Valentina Petrovna! Why didn’t you show this to me earlier? This changes everything fundamentally! Now it’s all clear. Here’s what we’ll do. We’ll file for a retesting in an independent laboratory, we have the right. We need to get the press involved, and ideally television, online resources. Then this whole corrupt gang won’t be able to wriggle out of it. Hang in there, they’ll still give you a run for your nerves, but there are good chances of coming out on top, I tell you as a lawyer.»
Irina supported Andrey:
«Exactly, my son is a journalist at the local newspaper. I’ll ask him to help. We need to start somewhere. How did I not think of this before? Well, Andryusha, what a brain!»
Valentina wiped her tears and smiled:
«Guys, darlings, thank you for everything, I would never have thought of such a thing myself. Maybe we really can bring the headmistress to light. Indeed, I can also submit material with Olya to any other laboratory. How could I have blindly believed them and lost heart?»
The repeated genetic testing, conducted in an independent laboratory, showed a completely different result—kinship was proven to ninety-nine and nine-tenths percent, as it could not be otherwise. Matvey, Irina’s son, arranged with the local television, and Valentina Petrovna, along with Olya, the orphanage headmistress Maya Sergeyevna, and the lawyer Andrey, were invited to participate in the program «Law and Order.» The case was paid, so the greedy woman easily agreed, thinking she held all the cards. She wanted to become famous and earn some money. She didn’t even suspect the existence of another test and the real, truthful result. She wanted to spin it so that a half-crazed old woman had harassed good people for so long and wanted to take away a girl who was completely unrelated to her. Maya Sergeyevna even prepared a fiery speech about how she loved the poor orphans and placed them in good families.
«Action—camera rolling! The broadcast has begun. Initially, the host narrated the poignant backstory of Valentina Petrovna’s life and Olya’s difficult fate, then moved on to the crux of the matter. The floor was given to the lawyer Andrey.
The skilled lawyer eloquently and legally articulated everything, presented all the evidence, and completely dismantled the opponents. The result of the repeated independent genetic test read live on air had the impact of an exploding bomb! All of Maya Sergeyevna’s arrogance and haughtiness evaporated instantly; her words became jumbled, she blinked frequently, blushed, and tried weakly to justify herself, claiming it was merely a misunderstanding. The host ended the program on an optimistic note, wishing Valentina Petrovna a swift reunion with her biological granddaughter.
The channel’s ratings soared. The public was outraged and indignant, questioning how such arbitrariness could occur in the workplace! How could someone so blatantly abuse their power and extort money from a respected doctor, intentionally separating a natural grandmother from her orphaned granddaughter? No matter how the headmistress tried to wriggle out of it and pretend it was a regrettable misunderstanding, it was too late. The wheels of public anger were in motion. Audits and inspections were conducted at the orphanage and the laboratory. A long-running scheme to deceive ordinary people was exposed. Maya Sergeyevna, in collusion with the laboratory head, had repeatedly engaged in such scams, and when someone was cornered by such a deliberately false test result, they agreed to pay any amount to get their due. The profits from child trafficking were split between the cunning women. Now they faced severe punishment for their serious crimes, and there was no way out.
Now, Valentina Petrovna calmly submitted all the necessary documents for adopting Olya, and a month later, without any stress or delays, she was finally given her biological granddaughter.
The grandmother led her own flesh and blood by the hand, carrying her tattered bag with her belongings, forever taking the child away from that dreadful place.
For Olya, it was the happiest day of her life. She smiled, basked in the sunlight, and was just happy that she would not spend another day in the orphanage.
When they entered the apartment, an excited Semyon Arkadyevich was already there to greet them. For such an occasion, he had dressed in his best suit and shirt, ready to meet his biological granddaughter!
The girl boldly approached the man and extended her little warm hand:
«Hello, Grandpa. I’m Olya, your granddaughter. Grandma has told me a lot about you. Do you really have a real coin collection? Will you show me? Are there very old ones?»
The old man’s eyes teared up; he looked at Olya, and it seemed to him that little Ilya was in front of him, such was the resemblance. He winked at her and cheerfully said:
«Well then, granddaughter, let’s go to my study! I have a lot of interesting things there. There’s even a ship’s wheel and a captain’s cap.»
Valentina Petrovna had already set the table and went to call the family members to lunch. She quietly peeked into her husband’s study. The scene was heartwarming. Olya sat on her grandpa’s lap, and they were learning a counting rhyme together, both laughing and squealing. She hadn’t seen her husband this happy in a long time, probably not since the day Ilya died.
At the dinner table, the girl hungrily devoured the soup and pies, praising her grandmother’s culinary masterpieces, then volunteered to help clear and wash the dishes. The woman was touched, as it had been a long time since anyone had cared for her.
The granddaughter turned the elderly couple’s life upside down in the best sense of the word, especially affecting Semyon Arkadyevich. As they now spent all their time drawing, writing, talking with the granddaughter, his movements, motor skills, memory, and reaction speed noticeably improved, and a thirst for life returned to his eyes. How could it not? He needed to live, to raise his granddaughter! And soon, their harmonious family grew by one more member.
One evening, Valentina Petrovna came home from a consultation. The apartment was unusually and stressfully quiet. Olya was concentrating on her homework, Semyon pretended to be engrossed in a TV show. In the bathroom, newly imported schoolgirl tights hung on the radiator, poorly mended by an obviously childish hand.
The grandmother asked sternly:
«So, my dears, what happened? Olya, I just bought you those tights the day before yesterday. Where did you manage to tear them? Did you fall or something? Come on, don’t hide it, tell me everything in order.»
The girl looked at the woman fearfully and babbled:
«Grandma, something happened. Please don’t be mad, okay? I was walking home from school when I saw those nasty neighborhood boys, Sasha and Serezha, tormenting a little kitten. They tied a tin can to its tail and were laughing at it. The poor thing was crying because it was in pain! I couldn’t stand it and rescued the kitten from them. It climbed a tree out of fright, and I followed it up. I barely managed to reach it. That’s how I tore my tights. I snagged them on a branch and scraped my leg a bit.»
Valentina was shocked:
«How did you rescue it? You fought with the boys? You climbed a tree? You could have fallen and broken something! Olya! But you’re a girl, after all!»
The granddaughter looked down:
«Well, I couldn’t just leave the helpless animal in distress. They would have tortured it to death! And I didn’t really hit them, just swung my schoolbag a couple of times to scare them off, that’s all. So, I named the kitten Snowflake. He’s so cute and playful, you’ll definitely like him! Grandpa was worried you might get mad because you don’t really like animals in the apartment…»
The pensioner asked anxiously:
«My dear girl, are you saying that the animal is already in our home?»
But before the child could respond, a snow-white kitten tumbled out of her room. It looked around, saw Valentina, affectionately rubbed its ear against her leg, and then, with a running start, jumped into Semyon’s arms. He smiled warmly, stroked its fur and pink belly, smiling as Snowflake purred and closed its eyes in pleasure. The contented girl brought out a string with a candy wrapper tied to it and triumphantly announced:
Ready—action! The broadcast started. Initially, the host briefly introduced Valentina Petrovna’s life story and Olya’s difficult journey, then moved on to the main discussion. The lawyer, Andrey, was given the floor.
The proficient lawyer eloquently and legally presented all evidence, effectively discrediting the opposition. The result of the repeated independent genetic test, read live on air, exploded like a bomb! Maya Sergeyevna’s arrogance and haughtiness evaporated instantly; her words became jumbled, she blinked frequently, blushed, and attempted weak justifications, pleading a mere misunderstanding. The host concluded the program on an optimistic note, wishing Valentina Petrovna a swift reunion with her biological granddaughter.
The broadcast ratings skyrocketed. The public was outraged and indignant, questioning how such arbitrariness could occur in the workplace! How could someone blatantly abuse their power and extort money from a respected doctor, and intentionally separate a natural grandmother from her orphaned granddaughter? Despite the headmistress’s attempts to squirm and pretend it was a regrettable misunderstanding, it was too late. The wheels of public anger were set in motion. Audits and inspections were conducted at the orphanage and laboratory. A long-standing scheme to deceive ordinary people was exposed. Maya Sergeyevna, in collusion with the laboratory director, had engaged in similar scams repeatedly, and when someone was backed into a corner by such a deliberately false test result, they agreed to any sum to secure their rights. The profits from trafficking children were split between the cunning women. Now they faced severe punishment for their serious crimes, and there was no way out.
Valentina Petrovna calmly submitted all necessary documents for adopting Olya, and a month later, without any stress or delay, she was finally given her biological granddaughter.
Grandmother led her own flesh and blood by the hand, carrying her battered bag with belongings, forever taking the child away from that dreadful place.
For Olya, it was the happiest day of her life. She smiled, basked in the sunlight, and was just happy that she would not spend another day in the orphanage.
When they entered the apartment, an excited Semyon Arkadyevich was already there to greet them. For such an occasion, he had dressed in his best suit and shirt, ready to meet his biological granddaughter!
The girl boldly approached the man and extended her little warm hand:
«Hello, Grandpa. I’m Olya, your granddaughter. Grandma has told me a lot about you. Do you really have a real coin collection? Will you show me? Are there very old ones?»
The old man’s eyes teared up; he looked at Olya, and it seemed to him that little Ilya was in front of him, such was the resemblance. He winked at her and cheerfully said:
«Well then, granddaughter, let’s go to my study! I have a lot of interesting things there. There’s even a ship’s wheel and a captain’s cap.»
Valentina Petrovna had already set the table and went to call the family members to lunch. She quietly peeked into her husband’s study. The scene was heartwarming. Olya sat on her grandpa’s lap, and they were learning a counting rhyme together, both laughing and squealing. She hadn’t seen her husband this happy in a long time, probably not since the day Ilya died.
At the dinner table, the girl hungrily devoured the soup and pies, praising her grandmother’s culinary masterpieces, then volunteered to help clear and wash the dishes. The woman was touched, as it had been a long time since anyone had cared for her.
The granddaughter turned the elderly couple’s life upside down in the best sense of the word, especially affecting Semyon Arkadyevich. As they now spent all their time drawing, writing, talking with the granddaughter, his movements, motor skills, memory, and reaction speed noticeably improved, and a thirst for life returned to his eyes. How could it not? He needed to live, to raise his granddaughter! And soon, their harmonious family grew by one more member.
When they arrived at the specified address, they were surprised. The old crooked little house looked uninhabited and abandoned, even the windows were boarded up crosswise. And from the rusted lock, it was evident that no one had lived there for a long time. Ira decided to ask the neighbors what was going on.
An elderly woman their age came out onto the porch and introduced herself:
«Hello, my name is Yevdokiya. Are you here to see me? Do we know each other? I don’t seem to remember.»
Valentina began to explain hesitantly:
«Good afternoon. We are here for a specific reason. Where is your neighbor, Anatoliy? Does he not live here anymore? I’m raising a girl, Olya, she’s my granddaughter, she used to live here with her mother Alena. So, we decided to install a tombstone for her mother, but we can’t find any photographs anywhere. I thought perhaps Anatoliy could give us a photo? He must have some at home.»
Yevdokiya just waved her hand dismissively:
«He’s no longer alive, you’re too late. That damned devil died three months ago. Fell asleep drunk and didn’t open the flue in his stove. That’s how he died. We even had to pay for his funeral ourselves, the whole street chipped in a little, he had no relatives, and his drunkard friends vanished in no time. Our troubles ended with his death, because we were tired of calling the police or the local officer here. Oh, he was a terrible man. Although it’s not customary to speak ill of the dead, there’s nothing good to say about him. If you want, go inside, have a look, you might find some photographs. After the funeral, my husband and I locked the house ourselves to keep looters out and boarded up the windows. I’ll get you the key now. Just a warning, it’s a mess in there, Tolik never cleaned up, just drank and brought friends over.»
The neighbor gave Valentina the key, and she entered Olya’s stepfather’s house with her friend. They turned on the light and gasped! They had never seen such a pigsty. Everything was topsy-turvy, the bedding was dirty and crumpled, and there were empty bottles and dried-up food remnants everywhere.
Valentina was horrified:
«My God! Poor Olya! To think of the terrible conditions she had to live in. It’s simply unimaginable. She even asked to retrieve her backpack with a bunny on it, but where could it be found here? In this chaos! And the album was supposedly in the closet, on the top shelf. That’s what my granddaughter told me. But that was a long time ago. Alena has been gone for so long. Maybe this Herod threw everything out, it would be just like him!»
Ira felt uncomfortable being there and nudged her friend:
«Valya, pull yourself together. Let’s look for the photo and get out of here. Otherwise, you might catch something! I’m starting to itch just from the nerves!»
The pensioner opened the closet, rummaged on the top shelf, and indeed found an album. There was no time to look through it, so she decided to take the entire album home. Also, at the very bottom, lay Olya’s crumpled backpack, the one with the bunny she had talked about. The woman grabbed it too. With that, they left, giving the key back to the neighbor.
At home, her granddaughter and Semen greeted her anxiously. The girl rushed to her neck:
«Phew, Grandma! I was very worried. You were gone for so long. And I know that stepfather, he’s capable of anything when drunk. So, did he give you the photograph?»
The woman smiled and didn’t mention his death, just replied:
«Here, he gave an entire album, and your backpack with the bunny, as you asked.»
The girl was so delighted she jumped:
«Thank you! My mom bought it for me when I was still going to kindergarten. I never parted with it. And when I was taken to the orphanage, I left it behind, forgot it, and it stayed at my stepfather’s home. It’s a memory of my mom, let it stay in my room, okay?»
Valentina nodded and replied:
«I don’t mind. But can I wash it first? It’s dusty and dirty.»
The girl nodded in agreement. Before washing, Valentina decided to check all the small pockets, as there were quite a few, to not damage the machine. Suddenly, in the very farthest inner pocket, she felt something heavy. She barely managed to reach in, and pulled out a bundle. She began to unroll it and gasped! Inside was a gold chain with a pendant inscribed, «I love you more than life! Your Ilyusha,» and a rolled-up wad of cash. The woman also noticed a note folded many times. In a beautiful handwriting, it read: «My darling! This pendant was a birthday gift from your father. He had it made to order for me. I’m dying, it’s no longer of use to me, and I want it to end up in your hands, not the stepfather’s. The money is also for you. No matter how I got it, don’t ask, just know, I really loved your father, as it turns out. I understood too late. Forgive your wayward mom, kitten, and know, you are my joy, my sunshine, and the dearest person to me! Goodbye! I hope you, as before, will not part with your favorite backpack and will eventually find this!»
Tears streamed down Valentina’s cheeks, she was sobbing deeply. It turns out, Alena wasn’t such a hardened shrew after all! She truly loved Ilyusha and Olya. She just got lost, initially went down the wrong path, and couldn’t stop. The woman sighed, washed up, and calmly called Olya.
She gave her the pendant, all the money, and the note. It was the honest thing to do, and she said:
«I found this in a pocket of your backpack. Read it yourself. It was written by your mom. She wants you to wear the pendant to remember her and your dad. The money is also yours. Decide yourself where to spend it. It’s a substantial amount.»
The girl read the note, and tears rolled down her cheeks like beads. She read it over and over, especially the phrase, «I love you, my sunshine!» Olya seemed to be communicating with her birth mother, as this was her farewell letter. She looked at the pendant for a long time, then asked Valentina:
«Grandma, please put it on and fasten it for me. Now dad and mom will be right here, near my heart, right? Let’s use the money mom left to order her a tombstone? It’s important to me. And let’s all choose the best photo from the album together!»
Semen, Valentina, and Olya sat at the table and looked through the photos. They had no idea there were so many pictures of Ilyusha! In every photo, he was next to Alena, and his face was so happy! The girl was amazed:
«When they arrived at the address, they were surprised. The old, crooked little house looked uninhabited and abandoned, even the windows were boarded up crosswise. The rusty lock showed that no one had lived there for a long time. Ira decided to ask the neighbors for information.
An elderly woman of their age came out onto the porch and introduced herself:
«Hello, my name is Evdokia. Are you here to see me? Do we know each other? I don’t seem to recall?»
Valentina started to explain hesitantly:
«Good afternoon. We’re here on a matter. Where is your neighbor, Anatoliy? Does he not live here? I’m raising a girl, Olya, my granddaughter, who used to live here with her mother Alena. So, we decided to put a monument on her mother’s grave, but we can’t find any photographs anywhere. I thought maybe Anatoliy could give us one? Surely he must have some at home.»
Evdokia just waved her hand dismissively:
«He’s no longer alive, you’re too late. That wretched man died in his sleep three months ago. Drunk as usual, he didn’t open the damper in the stove. He died of carbon monoxide poisoning. We had to bury him ourselves, the whole street pitched in a few pennies each because he had no relatives, and his drinking buddies disappeared in an instant. Our troubles with him are finally over, after all the times we had to call the police or the local patrol here. What a terrible person he was. Though it’s not customary to speak ill of the dead, there’s nothing good to say about him. If you want, go in, take a look, you might find some photographs. My husband and I locked the house after the funeral to keep looters out and boarded up the windows. I’ll bring you the key now. But I warn you, it’s a mess inside, Anatoliy never cleaned up, just drank and had friends over.»
The neighbor gave Valentina the key, and she entered the stepfather’s house with her friend. They turned on the light and gasped! The women had never seen such a pigsty before. Everything was topsy-turvy, the bedding was dirty and crumpled, empty bottles and dried food remains were everywhere.
Valentina was horrified:
«Lord! Poor Olyushka! What terrible conditions she had to live in. It’s unimaginable. She even asked me to retrieve her backpack with the bunny, but where could it be in this chaos! And the album was supposed to be in the cupboard, on the top shelf. That’s what my granddaughter told me. But that was a long time ago. Alena has been gone for so long. Maybe this monster threw everything out, it wouldn’t be beneath him!»
Irina was uncomfortable staying there and nudged her friend:
«Valya, pull yourself together. Let’s look for the photo and get out of here. If we’re not careful, we might catch some disease! I’m already itching all over just from the nerves!»
