Waking up, Natasha realized she couldn’t see anything at all. A white haze covered everything in front of her eyes. She could hear commotion around her. Doctors and nurses were bustling back and forth along the corridor. Remembering the last moment before the crash, Natasha shuddered. It seemed the accident had taken her sight. Ever since childhood, she had thought the most essential thing for a person was their eyes because life without them was unimaginable. Now, Natasha trembled all over, faced with the loss of her most precious gift—her vision.
Not long before, she had said goodbye to her husband Ivan and left for her night shift. She and her husband had a wonderful relationship, though God had not blessed them with children. Natasha had met Ivan in the most unusual way. He often sat by the entrance to her apartment building. One might have thought he was homeless, but Ivan had his reasons for being without a home…
«Are you hungry?» came a question. Ivan looked up and saw a woman in front of him. Natasha pulled a few rolls from her bag and handed them to the homeless man. He silently took them and devoured them hungrily. The stranger truly felt sorry for him and decided to bring him food from home every day. “I never finish my lunch anyway; at least the poor guy can enjoy it,” Natasha thought as she continued to feed the man.
One day, returning from the store, she saw a teenager next to him.
«Can you replace the processor?» the boy was asking, holding out a gadget to Ivan. «I’ll pay; my parents gave me money.»
Ivan nodded, examining the tablet in his hands. Watching this scene, Natasha realized her acquaintance had decent skills in repairing gadgets. She remembered she had a broken tablet lying around at home and soon brought it to show Ivan. The man inspected the device and said:
«It needs a part. I can write down the address where to buy it.»
«Yes, yes, of course.»
By evening, Natasha’s tablet was working like new. “This homeless guy is definitely not ordinary,” thought the young woman, wondering how else she could help him.
The nights were starting to get much colder. “He’ll freeze. Such a good person, and he’ll end up dying like a bum from the dump,” Natalia worried as she hurried to her building. Seeing Ivan, she offered:
«I understand my offer might sound absurd, but the street is no place for you,» Natasha said as she approached the homeless man. «I think my spare room would suit you. It doesn’t have much—just a folding bed—but at least it’s warm.»
«You’re inviting me to your home?» Ivan asked, surprised. «What did I do to deserve such an honor?»
«It’s just… you’re a good person, and good people shouldn’t freeze in the cold,» Natasha replied, flustered, barely understanding her own words.
Ivan gladly accepted, though he felt uneasy about his appearance. The first thing Natasha did was lead him to the bathroom, where he spent two hours relishing the sensation of warm water. While he cleaned up, Natasha prepared her signature dish—delicious solyanka soup.
Over dinner, Ivan shared how he ended up on the streets. Once, he and a friend ran a small business repairing phones and tablets. However, his friend betrayed him, taking over the business and leaving Ivan homeless.
«What a sad story,» Natasha said, astonished by her guest’s tale. «You really can’t trust anyone these days…»
«Thank you, the soup is delicious,» Ivan praised her.
Natasha suddenly found herself admiring him. Sitting before her was no longer the scruffy, bearded man she’d known but a decent-looking young man. «He’s actually quite handsome,» she thought, stealing admiring glances at him.
Natasha herself didn’t consider her appearance remarkable. She often felt that her fullness and prominent nose held her back in life. Comparing herself to her friends often left her disheartened. The only thing that consoled her was her hope for the future. «Maybe I’ll get lucky and have a happy family,» she often thought.
Now, she felt certain life was offering her a chance she couldn’t let slip.
«Would you like some more soup?» she offered Ivan.
«Thank you,» he replied softly. «You’re a true friend—something rare these days. Most people just walked past me without a second glance, but you… you showed compassion.»
And so, Ivan stayed with the kind-hearted woman. Over time, he reopened his business, repairing gadgets. His skill attracted new clients, and the couple soon had a decent income. They could afford vacations by the sea, new furniture, and quality clothes. Natasha thanked the heavens for sending her such a husband, and Ivan often expressed his gratitude to God for giving him such a wonderful partner.
None of the neighbors knew about Ivan’s past. If anyone had discovered that Natasha had taken in a homeless man, she would have been the subject of ridicule. But Natasha kept quiet about how Ivan had become her husband.
Everything seemed perfect—until tragedy struck.
One evening, Natasha kissed her husband goodbye after preparing dinner and got ready for work. It was her turn for a night shift. For some reason, the streetlights hadn’t turned on that evening, and she didn’t notice the car speeding toward her. In a split second, she felt nothing. She didn’t see the people rushing to help her, the ambulance, or the police arriving on the scene.
Natasha regained consciousness in the hospital. Realizing she couldn’t see anything, she burst into bitter tears. She and Ivan had only just begun building their lives together, dreaming of having a child—and now this…
She was moved to a room and given a sedative.
«Your vision loss may only be temporary,» the doctor said, trying to comfort her.
As soon as Ivan learned what had happened, he rushed to the hospital. Holding Natasha’s hand, he said, «We’ll get through this together. I’m always here for you.»
Ivan visited her twice a day, bringing fresh meals he had prepared himself and feeding Natasha with a spoon. Slowly, she began to recover. She no longer looked like a despairing patient but felt healthier every day.
«Love can work miracles!» Natasha’s doctor exclaimed joyfully. «I believe your best days are still ahead.»
After Natasha was discharged, Ivan never left her side, helping her adjust to her new life. During this time, Natasha’s deepest wish was to regain her former self. Ivan assured her that she would one day see the world with her own eyes again, inspiring her to believe in herself.
«…Vanya, what’s the weather like outside today?» Natasha asked as they spent the evening together.
«The sun is shining, but it’s not as warm as it was in September,» he replied.
«Shall we go for a walk?» she suggested. «The park must be covered in leaves by now. It would be nice to hear them rustle underfoot and maybe dream about something.»
«Great idea!» Vanya agreed, draping a cloak over his wife’s shoulders.
They strolled peacefully along the park’s alleyways when Natasha stumbled over something small. Kneeling down, she felt the object and gasped:
«Vanya, it’s a kitten! What color is it?»
«Black,» he smiled.
«A black cat for good luck,» Natasha laughed.
Deciding to take the kitten home, they discussed it, and Vanya ran to the store to get some food. Natasha was in high spirits, which was evident. Over time, she learned to take care of herself and the kitten, whom she named «Baby.»
One day, while Vanya was at work, Natasha heard a crashing sound in the kitchen and was frightened. She called out for Baby, but the kitten didn’t respond. Panicking, Natasha touched everything in the kitchen until, to her astonishment, she began to see the outlines of objects! Soon, she had the kitten in her arms. She realized that Baby had fallen off the table along with a small shelf and would have remained trapped beneath it had she not arrived in time.
A week later, Natasha’s vision was fully restored. The couple celebrated their happiness with a small party. Vanya bought champagne and a cake, while Natasha roasted a turkey in the oven.
«There’s nothing more precious than seeing you, my love!» Natasha exclaimed joyfully. Her eyes sparkled with happiness and delight.
Her husband hadn’t seen her this radiant in a long time. Then Natasha spoke mysteriously:
«I have something else for you!»
«Like what?» Vanya asked, surprised.
«Starting today, I can’t drink champagne,» she continued.
«Did the doctor forbid you from drinking alcohol?»
«Doctors usually advise against it for women who are soon to become mommies,» Natasha finally blurted out, watching her husband’s reaction.
His expression transformed, his face lit up with the kindest, most genuine smile, and his arms instinctively reached to hug her.
«I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long!» Vanya exclaimed, tucking one champagne glass into the cupboard. «It doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or a girl, as long as everyone in our family is healthy!»
«That’s true, my love,» Natasha agreed. «Health is happiness…»
