Mom, I need to have a man-to-man talk with you,» Alyoshka announced seriously, fixing his bright blue, sky-colored eyes on her.
Well, good morning to you too. Natalia placed a plate of scrambled eggs and a cup of cocoa in front of her son and sat down next to him.
«I’m listening carefully, Alexey.»
Her son picked up his fork, began poking at the yolk busily, and sniffled.
«Mom, why aren’t you getting married?» he suddenly blurted out.
Well, now that was definitely a «man’s» question — not one you could answer on the spot.
«Listen, son. I can’t answer you so quickly. And anyway, you need to get ready for school. I’ll try to explain tonight, okay?»
She ruffled his blond hair lightly and headed to the bathroom. «Not why, but why would I,» she mentally corrected him.
And really — why?
Natalia had never been married and hadn’t particularly strived for it. That’s just how things worked out. She had started living independently early and liked it that way. She excelled at university, then landed an interesting job, and had an outrageously successful career. By the age of thirty, she’d done it all — bought her own apartment, traveled the world, and basically lived for herself. Oh, there had been romances — of varying degrees of excitement and seriousness.
She got pregnant by accident — foolishly — maybe forgetting to take a pill, maybe her cycle was off, but it happened.
The man was embarrassed by the sudden news and started mumbling something about «not being ready» and «plans» that didn’t include «this.»
Natalia, however, realized — right then and there — that now was exactly the right time to have a child. She made the decision calmly, dismissed the «not ready for this» father without drama, and went on maternity leave.
Her son was born unusually sunny — with blue eyes even brighter than the sky, and little plump wrists and ankles. Energetic and joyful, he filled her life completely — so completely that there was simply no room for anyone else.
And so began the usual life of a young mother: sleepless nights, childhood illnesses, the first tooth, first step, first word, ringing laughter, and later — the endless «whys.»
And now, at six years old, he asked this strange new «why.»
Why? Why…
Natalia protected her world — her home, her orderly, comfortable, clean little routine.
Sure, before Alyoshka came along, there had been men — guests who visited — but after a few hours, she would start to feel burdened by them. It bothered her that she couldn’t just do what she wanted — like go to bed whenever she pleased, without having to explain herself. Or watch whatever random TV show she felt like. And anyway…
He’d be leaving socks everywhere. She allowed Alyoshka to scatter his socks — sure, she got mad and scolded him, but not seriously, almost playfully.
Natalia had been bracing herself for another kind of question: «Where’s my dad?»
Now that would be hard to answer.
«I dated a man, got pregnant, he got scared and left, and we stayed behind?» That would make his father sound like a complete jerk. But it wasn’t like that. They had both been adults, neither was planning anything serious, neither was rushing into marriage. He was a free man with his own plans. She wasn’t some naive high school girl caught off guard before graduation.
It wasn’t that simple.
But that question never came.
Instead, he asked about marriage.
What was marriage, really?
They were happy together — just the two of them — and nobody else was really needed. Why change that?
That evening, Natalia explained it simply.
«I just don’t want to get married. I’m happy living the way we are now.»
«If I want halvah, I eat halvah, if I want gingerbread, I eat gingerbread,» — just like Tosya from the movie «Girls.»
«But tell me,» she asked, «why is this bothering you? Why do you want me to get married?»
«Well, Mom,» Alyoshka said, «we don’t have a dad. But that’s okay. Lots of my friends don’t either, and no one complains. But all their moms want to get married, and they keep marrying whoever.»
«Aha. And where did you hear this?»
«They told me,» Alyoshka said evasively.
«And what do you mean, ‘whoever’?»
«Well, bad guys. Like mean ones. Or drunkards. Or ones who don’t know how to work.»
«And why would I need a husband like that?»
«You wouldn’t. You need a good one. You’re pretty, kind, smart, and always fun. Not like Aunt Tanya,» he added, wrinkling his nose at the memory of some Aunt Tanya — maybe a friend’s mother who «married just anyone.»
«You need a good husband, Mom. Because one day, I’ll grow up and move far, far away. And you’ll be all alone when you’re old.»
«Are you planning to abandon me?»
«No, of course not. It’s just… Aunt Tanya always says that to Igor when she gets married again.»
Aha — so there was an Igor. That explained the turmoil in Alyoshka’s mind.
«I don’t know, Mom. I just think a good husband wouldn’t hurt.»
That conversation stuck in Natalia’s mind.
Sure — he was just a kid, and kids have all sorts of ideas. But Natalia had once decided that whatever was on her child’s mind was serious and deserved attention.
Maybe for her — the absence of a husband was no big deal. But for a boy?
Boys needed male role models — mentors, companions, examples.
What did boys even need? She didn’t know — she wasn’t a boy.
And getting married just to provide a child with a father — that was ridiculous.
Still, against her will, she began mentally measuring up the men she knew — mostly colleagues — for the role.
No one fit, of course.
Some were wimps. Some were schemers. Some had beer guts. Some wore wrinkled shirts.
They couldn’t even meet a deadline properly, let alone be fathers.
Three months passed.
One day, Natalia went to pick up her son from swimming practice — Alyoshka was learning to swim. He gleefully flopped into the backseat and announced:
«I found him!»
«Found who?» Natalia asked, amused. She was in a good mood — her team had just won another important tender, and she was anticipating congratulations, bonuses, and other rewards in the coming days. Of course, there would be jealousy and gossip from colleagues — but she was used to that.
«I found you a husband!»
Alyoshka’s face was radiant, like he had just won his own personal tender.
«Huh. And who is this lucky man?»
«Our coach!» he declared triumphantly.
Oh, no. Just what she needed.
In his imagination, Alyoshka had already married Natalia off to the young, overly handsome coach — and it was going to be very hard to disappoint him.
«Mom, you don’t understand. He’s great. He doesn’t drink — he’s an athlete. He doesn’t have a wife — I checked. He makes good money — you said yourself swimming costs a fortune. Plus,» he paused dramatically, «he’s got three kids’ groups, four youth groups, and three adult groups! He’s a master of sports! Strong, kind — and he has a huge car, not like yours…»
Natalia burst out laughing. It really was funny.
«The car is a strong argument,» she said with fake seriousness. «I’ll think about it!»
And laughed again.
«Mom, come on. He likes you. He’s always asking about you.»
«Like what?»
«Like, where’s my dad, and whether you’re married. I told him — no dad, no husband, and Mom is just fine with me. Anyway, you’re going on a date. I set it up.»
«Son,» Natalia said, suddenly serious, «thank you for wanting me to be happy. But some things can’t be planned. They just happen — or they don’t.»
«That’s what I’m afraid of,» Alyoshka said gravely. «Some… mistake happening instead.»
Natalia pulled up to their building, and they headed upstairs.
He was clearly upset.
Suddenly, Alyoshka’s phone rang.
«Yes, Oleg Yuryevich,» he answered — deepening his voice importantly.
What?! Oleg Yuryevich?
The coach?!
«Yes, Oleg Yuryevich, she’s taken off her boots and can talk to you now,» he said, handing the phone confidently to his mother.
«Hello?»
Natalia was caught off guard — but had no choice but to respond.
«Good evening, Natalia Vladimirovna,» said a deep, reassuring voice. «This may sound strange, but I’d like to invite you and Alyoshka to the movies this weekend — if you’re not busy.»
«I’m sorry… This is just very unexpected.»
«Don’t worry. We’ll just go to the movies. I promise I won’t cause you any trouble. And if anything happens, Alyoshka said he’ll protect you.»
«Really? How’s that?»
«We had a man-to-man talk. He warned me — if I start drinking, or try to take your money, or hurt you in any way, he’ll drown me. In the pool.»
«Hm. That changes things. If it’s just a movie…»
Honestly, Natalia hadn’t been anywhere fun with Alyoshka in forever… and the coach didn’t seem too strange.
«You have an amazing, special son,» he added. «I’d love to get to know his mom better. How about Saturday at five? A new Marvel movie just came out.»
«Alright, I suppose. Alyoshka loves those.»
«It’s a date, then.»
Natalia hung up and playfully tapped Alyoshka on his blond head with the phone.
His eyes were shining.
«You’re…»
«What?»
Special. Amazing.
But she didn’t say it aloud.
No need to — he already knew.
