When Vladimir learned that he was about to become the father of twins, a strange feeling of disorientation overwhelmed him. Before Svetlana’s pregnancy, he had truly dreamed of having children; together they made plans for the future and prepared for a new phase of life.
But as soon as his wife went to the maternity hospital—granting him an unexpected freedom—Vladimir suddenly realized: perhaps this was a mistake.
He spent the first day of solitude in gloomy idleness, but the next day he decided to visit his favorite café—he simply could not stand cooking himself. There, amid the aromas of fresh baked goods and coffee, a fateful meeting occurred.
He saw HER—Marina, the woman of his dreams. This realization came suddenly, as soon as she stepped over the threshold of the establishment. She scanned the room, smiled radiantly, and gracefully sat at an empty table.
Vladimir’s heart began to race. They started talking, and by the evening Marina found herself in his home. And by morning, Vladimir began to wonder: was his feeling for Svetlana genuine? Was it right to become a parent?
A phone call disrupted their tranquil morning. Marina frowned in annoyance:
— Who’s calling so early? I haven’t slept at all…
Vladimir looked at the screen—it was a call from the maternity hospital. Reluctantly, he answered:
— I’m listening. Yes, I’m a father now. Two sons.
— Ugh, diapers, sleepless nights, no personal life! Why did you need this? — Marina snorted.
Vladimir shrugged:
— Honestly, I’m not even sure myself.
That evening, Svetlana called. Vladimir tried hard to sound joyful, but apparently not convincingly enough.
— My dear, is something wrong? You don’t seem happy…
— Of course I’m happy! It’s just that I’ve been offered an important position, and the kids… I’m afraid they’ll get in the way of my career. But don’t worry, I’ll figure something out! — he lied.
— Figure something out? What do you mean? — Svetlana asked anxiously.
Vladimir hurriedly said goodbye, realizing he had let something slip. Time was pressing—his wife and the children were to return home in a week. A plan was needed.
— Listen, I have my ancestral house back in the village! — the idea struck him. — It’s quite decent, though far from the city. I’ll take Svetlana and the kids there, say they need fresh air while I have to work. I’ll promise to visit. Will that work?
— Of course! — Marina perked up. — Your gullible wife will believe anything! And we’ll be able to be together without extra hassle?
— Well, maybe not completely together, but at least we won’t have to hide! — he assured her.
Vladimir prepared an impassioned speech. Svetlana, of course, was upset:
— Darling, I feel like you’re hiding something… How am I supposed to manage alone in the middle of nowhere with two kids?
— You’ll manage! I’ll visit often. You wouldn’t want me to have problems at my new job, would you?
Svetlana didn’t understand her husband, but she didn’t dare argue. She was afraid he would get upset—and then what would she do? Straight from the maternity hospital, they were heading into the unknown. The young mother quietly wept, suspecting that the matter wasn’t about his career but another woman. But how could she bring that up?
The car stopped in front of a semi-ruined house, almost hidden by wild vegetation. Svetlana gasped:
— Vladimir, you’re not going to leave us here, are you?!
— Leave? — he replied coldly. — Don’t be dramatic. Be thankful the house is spacious—there’s plenty of room. Don’t worry, I’ll leave you some money, and later we’ll arrange for benefits.
— So… you’re leaving us? — she asked in a trembling voice.
— Svetlana, understand, we acted hastily. With the kids…
Vladimir hurriedly carried his belongings into the house, deliberately avoiding looking his wife in the eyes, got into the car, and drove off without even saying goodbye. And Svetlana was left alone with her sorrow and two helpless babies. What now?
Meanwhile, Vladimir was tormented by pangs of conscience. After all, many men behave like this! He hadn’t kicked his family out onto the street; he had provided them with a house. His own, by the way! Svetlana would manage somehow.
Gently laying the crying infants on an old sofa, the young mother burst into tears. They would perish here without help! Wouldn’t her husband come to his senses? Wasn’t this some cruel joke? Perhaps he had just gotten angry? The little ones wailed, demanding attention, and Svetlana seemed frozen with the overwhelming misfortune.
— What are you all sitting around for? — a gruff male voice suddenly said from behind her. — It’s hot, and your kids need to be wrapped up!
Svetlana jumped, turning around. In the room, as if out of nowhere, an elderly man had appeared. He frowned, inspecting the babies.
— Who are you? — she asked in fright.
— I’m your neighbor. I heard your conversation with your husband. I decided to check on you…
— How dare you?! — she protested, but stopped under the stern gaze of the stranger.
— All right, you’re awake now. Feed the kids, get them in order. They can’t be left like this, — he said gravely. — And I’ll help a bit. We’re only here for a short time. Vladimir will be back soon…
— Aha, I’ve known men like Vladimir, — the neighbor smirked. — You take care of the kids, and not him.
Svetlana was about to retort, but then she noticed the chaos surrounding her. Frantically, she began to pick up things one after another, but quickly she sagged:
— Oh my God, how are we ever going to live like this?
The neighbor smiled reassuringly:
— Ah, there’s no time for despair! Let’s feed the little ones, take them outside for some fresh air, and quickly tidy up. You’ll see, life can still go on.
Before she knew it, Svetlana began to follow the instructions of the new acquaintance, who introduced himself as Mikhail. It turned out that he had been living in the village for two years already.
— And if you don’t mind me asking, why did you move here? — she inquired curiously, handling a rag.
Mikhail laughed:
— In short— I became disillusioned with society. The details, maybe another time. By the way, I used to work as a pediatrician.
— I see! — she said, genuinely surprised. — Now it makes sense why you handle my little ones so skillfully. I still have so much to learn.
By evening, the neglected house transformed, gleaming with cleanliness. Svetlana was pleasantly surprised, though very tired. Of course, Mikhail had done most of the work, but at that moment it seemed unimportant. The main thing was that she was no longer alone.
— Well then, now you can actually live here, — the neighbor said with satisfaction. — I’ll go home and bring something to snack on. Then we’ll decide what to do next.
Svetlana nodded gratefully, marveling at the turns of fate. It was incredible that a barely acquainted man had done for her in one day more than her own husband had during the entire pregnancy! And it seemed he wasn’t planning to stop there.
Twenty minutes later, Mikhail returned with a large bag of groceries. In the meantime, Svetlana had managed to feed and change the babies, laying them on a neatly spread sofa.
— Excellent! Now we’ll set the table, have some tea to celebrate the new home, — Mikhail cheerfully announced as he unpacked the packages. — Tomorrow I’ll arrange with Mrs. Petrovna; she has a little goat—there’ll be milk for you. I’ll also take a look in the attic: I believe there’s an old crib or cradle there. Hey, why the long faces? There’s no such thing as a hopeless situation!
He looked at Svetlana intently:
— By the way, what do you do for a living?
— I’m an elementary school teacher.
— Perfect! Work is already half the battle!
Before she knew it, Svetlana had settled into a routine. She understood that it was all thanks to Mikhail, and that realization warmed her heart.
A couple of days later, he drove her and the kids to the district center, introducing her as a distant relative who had come to help the children’s health. He helped her arrange all the paperwork, register the children, and obtain benefits—who would have thought such things were even possible in a village!
Six months passed by in the blink of an eye. The twins grew stronger, and Svetlana had become accustomed to her new life. One day, Mikhail came in, sat on a chair, and looked at her mysteriously.
— Svetochka, have you ever considered doing some tutoring on the side?
She laughed:
— What are you talking about! Tutoring in the middle of nowhere?
— Nonsense! — the neighbor said, raising a finger in admonition. — A village these days is no worse than a city. It’s just that the kids are busy with everything except studying. I know a few families who would gladly hire you for their unruly ones.
Svetlana agreed. The boys grew up peacefully, and Mikhail often walked with them when his tutoring sessions with her began. He even managed to get a double stroller—from Mrs. Petrovna, who had become like a second mother to Svetlana.
She knew full well that she had long been looking at Mikhail not just as a neighbor or a friend, but as a man. Yet she was very afraid that he might notice. After all, who would want a young woman with two children?
On her birthday, Mikhail and Mrs. Petrovna dropped by Svetlana’s place. They sat down for a heartfelt chat. Suddenly, the elderly woman squinted mischievously:
— I just can’t understand you two. You look at each other with love, sighing secretly. Maybe it’s time you got married?
— No! — Svetlana and Mikhail exclaimed in unison, blushing.
Mrs. Petrovna gave a knowing snort:
— Well, well, I’m off. Thanks for the hospitality. You two sort it out yourselves—love is a young thing.
Barely after she closed the door, a tense silence fell. Finally, Mikhail cleared his throat:
— Svet, don’t think about that… I really like you. But I don’t want to disappoint you. My ex-wife always said I was a loser who’d never accomplish anything in life. It seems she was right—otherwise, I wouldn’t be living here. And you deserve a real, reliable man…
— What nonsense! — Svetlana retorted indignantly. — Your wife is simply an idiot! You’ve done more for me than anyone ever has. You solve any problem with ease, you care, you help. Never call yourself a loser!
She fell silent in embarrassment, then quietly added, looking at the table:
— And please, Misha, I could never let myself be a burden to you…
— A burden? What do you mean? — Mikhail asked, surprised.
— How can it be? I have two children!
Mikhail sprang up and began pacing nervously around the room. Then he stopped in front of Svetlana and spoke passionately:
— What are you talking about?! What burden? Your boys are closer to me than my own! I only imagined for a moment that you’d leave—and I got scared. I’ll miss you and them equally!
Listening to his heartfelt words, Svetlana realized: there were no more obstacles to their happiness. So why did they still hesitate?
Meanwhile, Marina had arrived in the village. Vladimir had explained in detail how to find the house but had been too afraid to go himself—afraid of facing the abandoned family.
To be honest, Marina even liked that she went alone. After all, she would put Svetlana in her place! Let her be kicked out of their home, and then they’d sell the rundown shack and renovate a city apartment.
Money was always in short supply in the family, even though Vladimir earned quite well. They often quarreled because, in his opinion, Marina spent too much on herself. And when he claimed that Svetlana managed finances much better, Marina nearly strangled him.
So, if they managed to sell the house for a higher price, all their problems would be solved. But first, they needed to evict Vladimir’s ex-wife.
Finding the right house turned out to be easy. However, what they saw shocked Marina: a tilted, decrepit building overgrown with weeds, nothing like the sturdy dwelling Vladimir had described. Who in their right mind would buy that wreck?! You’d barely scrape together a few pennies, if you managed to sell it at all!
Marina grabbed her phone:
— Hello, Vovka, why were you messing with my head? Everything here is overrun with weeds, the roof is about to collapse! Who needs such a shack?
— What do you mean? — Vladimir was taken aback. — Svetlana loves order. I thought she’d long since set everything up there…
— There’s no one there! — Marina shrieked. — The house is standing empty!
— Empty? Where are Svetlana and the boys?
— How should I know where your Svetlana is?! — Marina screeched, stamping her foot. — Why did I even come here… Wait, look, there she is—just as you mentioned! With the boys, you rascal. And some man with them. A new husband, apparently. Your dear wife isn’t lonely, then!
Svetlana, along with Mikhail and the children, passed by a stunned Marina and disappeared into a nearby well-maintained house.
— Hey, are you sure that’s the right address? They went into a different house, not that one, — Marina said dryly into the phone.
Vladimir gritted his teeth. Even Marina could hear that grinding sound.
— Exactly. Go home.
— What else! Was it a mistake for me to come to this backwater? I’ll go check, maybe I was wrong…
— Marina, — Vladimir sighed wearily. — Let’s go home.
And then he disconnected. It turned out that Svetlana was alive and well, the boys were growing up, and they had their own life. And he, on the other hand, was doomed to deal with Marina for the rest of his days. After all, she wouldn’t let go—unlike naive Svetlana. There was no way to escape. He had stirred the mess himself, now he had to clean it up.
Vladimir sighed and lit a cigarette, staring blankly out the window. And so ends the story. Although, no—not a story at all—for someone, a happy life was just beginning.
Vladimir gave a bitter smile and flicked the cigarette butt into the ashtray. Well, it was time to come back down to earth.
