Maxim suddenly sat up on the bed—this horrifying dream had tormented him for an entire decade, and each time he woke up drenched in cold sweat. The voices from his night visions continued to echo in his ears:
— You only evoke hatred in me! I curse the moment of our meeting! Stay away from me!
Over time, his feelings for Valentina remained unchanged. Those harsh words became the final note in their communication, after which he never saw her again.
Initially, he had hoped that sensible Valya would come to her senses and allow him the chance to offer some explanation or defense. But at that time, he couldn’t explain anything properly since his memories had seemingly evaporated. He had no idea how he got home, why Valya’s friend was there, or, for that matter, how he and Rita ended up under the same blanket.
Their first encounter occurred in a park area when Rita and Valentina were trying to set off in a boat, but unsuccessfully. They laughed merrily, constantly scooping water over the side. Passing by, Maxim watched the scene for a while with a smile, and then he inquired:
— Ladies, do you need some help?
Rita, the more outgoing of the two friends, immediately took notice of the attractive young man. She laughed and replied:
— With a companion like you, I’d go to the ends of the earth!
Valya, however, lowered her eyes shyly.
Maxim became intrigued by the modest Valya and began actively courting her. At first, Rita displayed signs of jealousy, and the friends were on the brink of conflict, but later Rita remarked: — You can’t force someone to be affectionate…
Their relationship blossomed beautifully. Maxim always treated Rita kindly, ensuring there was no discomfort during their dates with Valya. He was convinced of the uniqueness of his feelings for Valya. They even felt destined for each other—so much so that they had already chosen names for their future children: Maria for a daughter and Victor for a son.
Valya possessed the rare gift of a seamstress. Her exclusive outfits drew admiration from everyone around. Just fourteen days before their planned wedding, she had single-handedly sewn herself a magnificent wedding dress.
After that, a phone call rang through from Rita requesting assistance. She insisted on a face-to-face meeting, claiming the matter was too intimate for a phone conversation. Maxim agreed to meet at a little-frequented restaurant…
Coming to his senses, he realized the magnitude of the tragedy. Valya’s neighbor informed him that she had hastily left town, taking only the most necessary belongings. The sewing machine and most of the toiletries were left behind in the rented apartment.
Rita categorically denied any involvement in what had happened, claiming that it was Maxim who had taken the initiative. However, a week later she admitted that she had slipped some kind of sleeping pill into his coffee, intending to ruin their relationship.
Even after ten years, Maxim still couldn’t come to terms with the loss of his beloved. One day, returning from a business trip, he noticed a girl on the roadside selling clothes. Among the many garments, his gaze was caught by a familiar coat—one of the pieces that Valya had once crafted.
He had no right to be mistaken, and the chance that it was merely a similar item of clothing was virtually zero. Max felt his limbs betray him with trembling. He was lost in guesses about what to do next, unable to decide how to act correctly so as not to miss the opportunity to learn something about Valentina. His certainty that these items belonged to her was unshakable.
Maxim slowly approached the girl. When she turned around, her eyes reminded him of Valya’s—as if a sharp object had pierced his heart. Swallowing the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat, he said:
— Greetings. Are you selling clothes?
— Yes, these items are of high quality, — the young interlocutor replied. — They were made by my mother; they’re practically new.
— I’ll buy everything in one go.
The girl eyed his luxurious car with suspicion.
— Do you really need these items?
— Without a doubt, they are very… special.
The girl smiled—a smile all too familiar. This was Valya’s daughter, Maxim realized; it couldn’t be otherwise! — And where is your mother, exactly?
The girl squinted her eyes.
— If I tell you, will you still buy them?
Maxim shook his head dismissively and immediately extended some banknotes, pulling all the cash from his wallet.
— My goodness, that’s far too much! — the girl exclaimed, tucking the money into her pocket and handing back the change.
Maxim felt as if through these garments he was touching Valya herself…
— My mother died a year ago after a long illness, — the girl said. — My dad tried to help her, but medicine proved powerless.
Maxim stared at the girl in shock.
— No, no, that simply can’t be. Valya couldn’t have left this world, — he whispered. — This is definitely not Valya.
Cold sweat streamed down his back.
— Please, what is your mother’s name? — Maxim asked, already foreseeing the answer.
For a moment, he closed his eyes tightly.
— No, — his subconscious cried out. — Just no. For ten long years, he had cherished the hope of finding her, of meeting, of seeing her…
— Her name was Valya. My stepfather is Volodya, — the girl continued. — He’s a wonderful man who worked hard to save my mom, and he ended up with back problems. Now he has difficulty moving; he isn’t able to work. He needs treatment, but there isn’t any money. Grandma Anya advised selling my mom’s things. I feel terrible about it, but I understand the necessity of raising funds for medication.
— And who is your biological father? — Maxim asked hoarsely.
It was hard to believe that over the decade, Valya had managed to marry twice. The girl shrugged.
— I don’t know; my mom never mentioned him.
Maxim realized he couldn’t just walk away from this girl. How could he leave when Valya was no more? She had spent her final days here, with this girl and some man.
— I’d like to have a word with your stepfather.
The girl looked frightened:
— Will you scold him for me for selling? He never forced me to do it; on the contrary, he strongly opposed it. After all, they belonged to mom…
— No, — Maxim interrupted her. — I’m not here to cause trouble; I just want to talk about your mom.
The girl looked at him strangely.
— You knew my mom?
Maxim sighed deeply.
— I’m not sure, but most likely, yes.
She pondered for a moment longer, then nodded.
— I think you’re not lying. South Street, our house is number three.
— Perhaps you’d come with me?
The girl hesitated, and Maxim hurriedly added:
— No, I’m not insisting. I understand the safety rules: one shouldn’t get into a car with strangers.
— Alright, I’ll go. My name is Masha, — the girl said.
Maxim held his breath: he and Valya had once dreamed that if a daughter were born, she would be named Masha.
At home, they were greeted by a man leaning on a crutch. He looked at Maxim warily.
— Sweetheart, how could you get into a stranger’s car?
— You are Volodya? — Maxim said quietly.
The man turned to him, studying his face for a long moment, then added in a low voice:
— So, you’re Maxim? How did you find us here?
Maxim was taken aback.
— You know me? — he asked.
— Valya spoke of you.
— She disappeared without even giving me a chance to explain, — Maxim lamented. — And now, it seems, it’s too late. At least you could listen to me, my friend?
— Alright, come in.
After Maxim finished his story, Volodya shook his head.
— I suppose something like this only happens in the movies. You know, Valya and I got married just three years ago. She was already ill and deeply feared that Masha would be left alone. Masha knows little, and that’s for the best. I held out hope for Valya’s recovery until the very end. And now… I have almost lost all hope for my own recovery. I understand that nothing will change; I am no longer employed. Fortunately, you’ve arrived. You’ll take care of Masha, won’t you?
Maxim looked at Volodya and Masha in astonishment.
— Of course, I can help. It won’t be a problem.
— You do realize that Masha is your daughter? You even bear a resemblance.
— What? — the girl gasped.
Maxim sat in silence for a long while, tears slowly streaming down his cheeks. Volodya did not interrupt him. Finally, Maxim managed to compose himself.
— Could you show me where Valya is laid to rest?
The man nodded.
— Daddy? But why is my other daddy talking to a photo of mom?
Masha watched Maxim, who was now on his knees before the grave. He needed to ask for forgiveness—he had hurt Valya; he hadn’t meant to, but it happened.
— Volodya, what is keeping you here? — he finally asked.
— Nothing much. I was fired because I couldn’t cope anymore… At present, there’s no work.
— I want to take both of you with me, if you don’t mind. To my city. I’ll help you with treatment, with finding work, with housing. I have my own company, and there’ll be a job for you. It’s the least I can do to show my gratitude. And I want Masha to live like a queen.
Volodya thought it over and nodded.
— You’re right. Masha is a wonderful girl; she deserves far more than I can offer her. And if you help me, I will be immensely grateful. You know, I always suspected that something was amiss in this story. Valya couldn’t have loved a man with a bad reputation.
They shook hands, and then the sound of children’s laughter rang out between them.
— Wow! Now I have two daddies! — Masha exclaimed, and they joyfully embraced.
