Svetlana felt like the happiest woman in the world. In just one year, her life had changed beyond recognition. A year ago, she lived with her aunt, who turned her into a slave. The aunt did nothing around the house or garden, only to come in from the street and flop onto the couch.
Sveta dreamed of finishing her studies, finding a job, and escaping this life. Her aunt often reproached her for a piece of bread, even though she received some benefits for Sveta and made good money selling the harvest from the garden. Then a real miracle happened.
She met Alexey. A handsome, confident, and smart man. Alexey worked as a manager and had his own apartment. He was determined and never put off decisions. Eventually, he told her:
«I can’t do this anymore. Your aunt doesn’t let you live properly, and that’s not enough for me. I want you to always be near. Move in with me.»
Svetlana didn’t hesitate for a second. Of course, he didn’t propose marriage, just suggested she move in with him, but she didn’t mind. It seemed trivial compared to the fact that they could now be together. Her aunt screamed after her that she was no longer a relative and that Sveta should never appear on her doorstep again, but Sveta didn’t even look back.
They were so happy together! Sveta created a cozy home in their apartment, rushed home from work, knowing it would always be like this. Today she was returning from the clinic, elated with joy. Just yesterday, she had suspicions, and today she decided to take the day off to confirm them. Now she was rushing home with wonderful news: a new life was beginning inside her, and not just one—she was expecting twins. This feeling overwhelmed her with happiness, and she was confident that they had a bright future ahead.
When Sveta opened the apartment door, she smelled a strange scent. It was familiar, yet odd at that moment. Perfume. Yes, it was her perfume, the ones Alexey had given her. She didn’t particularly like them and hadn’t used them for several months.
She walked into the room and stopped. Strange sounds were coming from the bedroom. Could it be a thief? After all, Alexey was supposed to return from work only in half an hour. Taking a mop for protection, Sveta headed to the bedroom. She opened the door and froze. It wasn’t a thief in the bedroom. It was Alexey. But he was not alone. With him was a young, striking girl, nothing like Svetlana. They didn’t even notice her presence right away.
When Lesha finally saw her, the girl screamed and threw a sheet over herself. Alexey stood up and, as if nothing happened, calmly said:
«What are you looking at like that? You’re not a child, you should understand that these things happen. There was love, but it’s gone. Although, honestly, it was just infatuation, nothing more.»
Alexey’s words echoed in Svetlana’s ears. She wanted to say something, to prove that he was wrong, that their love was real, but she couldn’t. Silently, she turned around and ran out of the apartment. Already on the stairs, she heard Alexey yell after her:
«I’ll pack your things, you can come and get them!»
What things? Why did she need things if her world had just collapsed, leaving only emptiness around her, pressing in from all sides? Svetlana woke up late at night. She looked around and saw an unfamiliar, old courtyard with crumbling two-story houses that seemed long abandoned. After some thought, she decided to go to her aunt’s. Surely, she wouldn’t throw her out on the street at such a time?
She stood for a long time outside her aunt’s house, looking at the dark windows, remembering how her aunt used to tell her that Svetlana would surely get involved with bad company, that she was «no good.» Those words her aunt yelled when Svetlana left, threatening her with a fist and ordering her not to show up on her doorstep again.
The sky was beginning to lighten. Svetlana sighed, turned around, and walked away from the house. Half an hour later, she was on the riverbank, looking at the calm water, tears streaming down her cheeks.
«Forgive me… I just can’t… I can’t handle it,» she whispered, bidding farewell mentally to the two lives that had just begun to form inside her.
Overcoming her tears, she stood up from the grass and looked at her watch. It was about half past six in the morning. She decided that if all went well, everything would be finished by the end of the day. Svetlana wiped away her tears, looked into a small mirror, adjusted her hair, and headed to the bus stop. A long journey awaited her: first the bus, then the train.
When she entered the train car, it was almost empty—just a few passengers and an elderly woman. Almost immediately, a conductor appeared, and Svetlana noticed how the grandmother hesitated, looking around fearfully. She realized: she didn’t have a ticket.
«Grandmother, do you not have a ticket?» Svetlana quietly asked.
«Yes, dear. I forgot my wallet at home again, I’ve become so absent-minded. But it’s so important for me to get to my grandson, I’ve baked him some pies,» the old woman replied embarrassedly.
Svetlana involuntarily smiled and, without hesitation, approached the conductor to pay for both their fares. The female conductor, understanding the situation, accepted the money, and Svetlana returned to the grandmother. She smiled at her gratefully.
«Thank you, dear. I don’t know what I would have done if they had dropped me off in the middle of the road.»
«Well, you could have called your grandson to come pick you up.»
«Oh, what are you saying,» the grandmother fluttered her hands frightenedly. «He always scolds me for traveling across the city to him. He says I need to rest, to walk, not to drag myself around the city. Seryozha is good to me, has a tough job, little time, but tries to come, though rarely.»
From the grandmother emanated such warmth and care that Svetlana felt something she hadn’t experienced in a long time—a sense of home comfort, which she never knew. Her parents had died when she was very little, and the aunt who took her in never showed her an ounce of kindness.
«And where are you headed, dear? Something happened? Your eyes are all tearful.»
Svetlana wanted to deny it, but suddenly couldn’t hold back and burst into tears.
«I thought everything was fine, that I would be happy… but he… he betrayed me. I don’t want to get rid of them, they are so tiny, but they are mine. But I can’t doom them to such a life. I can’t…»
Everything was confused in her head, but Svetlana understood each of her words, and the grandmother silently stroked her head, trying to calm her.
«It’s hard for you now,» the old woman quietly said, «but I see you have a kind soul. You will regret it if you do this now.»
«Maybe,» Svetlana quietly replied, «but I have nowhere to live, let alone to take care of them.»
They got off together at the next station. Svetlana quickly said goodbye and went her way, while the grandmother stood for a long time, watching her leave. While Svetlana was giving blood samples and signing papers, more than an hour passed. She ran to the hospital, where they told her that if she made it by 10 AM, they might take her in today. If not—she would have to wait until tomorrow.
Svetlana stopped at the entrance to the hospital, her heart painfully clenched, but she gathered her strength and pushed the door open. Upon entering, she immediately noticed the grandmother—the very one who had traveled with her on the train that morning. The old woman seemed to be waiting for her and immediately approached:
«I was so hoping you’d change your mind!»
«Grandmother, please, don’t torment me, I came to get it done while I haven’t changed my mind,» Svetlana replied, struggling to hide her agitation.
«Dear, wait, let’s go with me first, I want to introduce you to my grandson.»
«But I don’t have time!» Svetlana objected.
«You’ll make it, don’t worry,» the old woman confidently said, firmly taking Svetlana by the hand and insistently leading her somewhere.
Nurses passing by watched them with a smile, and Svetlana realized that the grandmother was clearly «one of their own.» They walked down a long corridor, and the grandmother confidently reached for the door handle labeled «Chief Physician.»
«Wait…» Svetlana managed to say before the door opened, and a man appeared on the threshold, not as old as she had expected.
Usually, it seems that bosses, especially in a hospital, are almost of retirement age. But this one was younger than Svetlana had assumed.
«I was waiting for you. Grandmother already told me everything about you,» he said with a light smile. «Come in, grandmother, take a seat for now.»
«Alright, Seryozh, I’ll sit down, my legs are tired,» the old woman replied, slyly smiling.
They entered the office. Svetlana felt out of place, as if she were guilty of something.
«Take a seat,» the man offered, pointing to a chair.
Svetlana shook her head slightly:
«Dissuading me is useless, I’ve already decided.»
«Allow me to disagree,» he gently countered. «If you had really firmly decided, you wouldn’t be in this office. You knew that grandmother was trying to dissuade you, but still, you let her bring you here.»
Svetlana suddenly looked up, realizing he was right.
«Really… Grandmother is a complete stranger to me, but somehow I listened to her,» she said, puzzled.
«You see,» said Sergey Anatolyevich, the chief physician, pushing a glass of water towards her, «not everything is lost yet. You have five minutes, don’t rush. Sit down.»
Svetlana sat down again, tears welling up in her eyes.
«There, and you say you’ve already decided,» he said with a light smile, sitting next to her. «Svetlana, be honest, did you decide to get rid of the child just because your fiancé betrayed you? Sorry for being blunt, but grandmother told me everything.»
«Not just because of that… I have nowhere to live now, I can’t return to my aunt,» Svetlana said, sobbing. Sergey Anatolyevich handed her a glass of water again.
«What if I offer you a way out? You see, I treasure my grandmother very much, she’s the only one I have. But she’s so restless—every time she rushes across the city to me, I worry about her. Stopping her is impossible. The whole hospital lives on her pies, but she needs someone to care for, someone to be near. Today, when grandmother told me about you, I thought: maybe God sent you to me?
He paused briefly, then continued:
«Agree to become her companion. Not for free, of course. You will live with her, take care of her, give birth to your babies… and continue to live together. Grandmother worked all her life as a pediatrician—she can help you with the children, and you will be near her. Well, Svetlana, agree. Save your babies, and I—my nerves.»
Svetlana forgot about her tears, looking attentively at Sergey Anatolyevich, not knowing what to say.
«I… I’m just not sure…» she muttered.
Two hours later, they were already on their way to Sergey’s grandmother. Her name was Evdokiya Semyonovna, and she was so happy she couldn’t calm down.
«Seryozhenka will now come to us, and we’ll bake pies for his visit. We’ll set up a room for you and the babies. Don’t worry, Svetochka, everything will be wonderful, you’ll see.»
Svetlana felt like she had stepped into some absurd play, but resisting the elderly woman proved useless, and she herself was tired of struggling with circumstances. Sergey indeed visited them often, and although Svetlana was initially embarrassed by his presence, over time she got used to it.
Together, they went to Alexey’s for her things. When he opened the door, he simply froze in confusion, seeing Svetlana with a noticeably pregnant belly and a serious young man beside her, who looked at him in a way that boded no good. Svetlana quickly gathered her things, and Sergey, taking the bags, nudged her towards the exit.
«Let’s go,» he said briefly.
Alexey suddenly darted towards Svetlana, pointing at her belly:
«This… this is mine!»
Svetlana felt Sergey’s hand on her shoulder, and she immediately felt at ease.
«No, Lesha, this is mine, and it no longer concerns you,» she firmly replied.
Sergey looked at Alexey in such a way that he immediately backed off, saying no more.
In due time, Svetlana gave birth to two charming girls—tiny and so sweet. The first to visit her after the birth was Sergey. His eyes were glowing with joy:
«I saw them! They are simply amazing, strong and healthy!»
Svetlana smiled weakly:
«Thank you, Sergey Anatolyevich… If not for you and Evdokiya Semyonovna…»
Sergey grinned:
«Speaking of Evdokiya Semyonovna… She’s a wise woman, but she recently told me something: apparently, we should get married.» Sergey blushed slightly. «And I tell her: ‘Svetlana is twelve years younger than me, why would she want someone like me?’ But grandmother insists that it’s my duty. What can I say…»
Svetlana took his hand:
«Wait, Sergey, are you proposing to me?»
Sergey, growing even more embarrassed, looked at her:
«I… I don’t know how to do it properly. You don’t have to agree. I’ve wanted to say this for a long time but was always afraid. Today I just decided to take a risk… I understand everything: the age difference, and surely you love someone else…»
He talked and talked, as if it helped him cope with his nervousness, and Svetlana had to wait for a chance to interject:
«I agree,» she quietly said, catching a pause.
Sergey froze and looked at her in surprise:
«Why?»
Svetlana smiled:
«Because you’re the best. I realized that from the moment I first entered your office.»
