Katya was a strange girl. Not that she was completely abnormal, but there was definitely something strange about her. Katya loved walks through the cemetery; at night she did not sleep, but opened the window and looked out there for a very long time; during the day she did not play with the girls from the yard, but with her favorite toy - a small “Brat” doll. She was 14. I forgot to say - Katya was an adopted child. The adoptive parents were not evil, but on the contrary, they loved Katya, but among them she felt lonely. She didn’t know her mother at all, and her stepmother said that when she and her stepfather were walking through the cemetery, near one of the graves they found a newborn child with a “Brat” doll.
The doll itself was very strange. I don't think you've ever seen it in stores. She was twice the size of a simple doll; the only clothing she had was a white dress with long wide sleeves, without a collar; it itself was long and spacious. The hair was light golden long and loose. The lips are almost white, the eyes are green. Katya looked very much like a doll, only her lips were pink. Parents took Katya to psychologists, but everyone said that the girl was absolutely normal.
Katya didn’t play in the yard not only because of her “oddities.” The children thought that she was a witch or a living dead and were afraid of her, and if there were brave souls, they drove Katya away. One day strange things began to happen. One boy in the yard saw Katya sitting on a bench and playing with a doll. He decided that she was calling on some spirit to destroy the city and began throwing stones at her. As a result, he hit the girl in the temple and blood began to flow from there, and the boy ran up to Katya and began hitting her in the stomach with a huge stone. Katya would have died if her mother had not looked out the window to call her daughter to dinner.
- He beat Katya! How dare he?! - the ghost hovered back and forth in the cemetery, - How dare he touch her?! But he will pay! - the ghost stopped abruptly and his eyes lit up, - He will pay! – it was night over the cemetery and the ghost flew out of there and flew through the night streets.
This is his house. She flew into the window. There he is, lying on the bed. A thought crossed her mind. Then she flew out into the yard and picked up stones. Back in his apartment. It won't be good if he screams. She tore a piece from her long dress and tied the boy's mouth. The ghostly girl (or a little older) flew several meters away and threw the first stone. She hit him in the stomach - he woke up. She smiled and continued throwing stones at him. He writhed and moaned. What a pleasure! Finally, his entire body was covered in bruises and bruises. Finally she threw a large stone at his head. He punched through it. He didn't move anymore. She smiled and floated back to the cemetery. “He won’t touch Katenka again,” she thought, sitting down on her grave.
Katya woke up. Last night she stared out the window much longer than usual. The body ached, and the head was simply bursting with pain. She left the room, took a doll out of the small bed and went to the kitchen.
Then she heard the voices of her parents. Then she pressed herself against the wall and overheard the conversation:
– Remember that crappy boy?
- The one who offended Katya? May the devil take him!
- But he took it.
-What are you talking about, dear?
“Today he was found dead in bed.”
- Really?
- Yes. They threw stones at him. No evidence. Only one.
- Which one?
“His mouth was tied with a piece of white cloth. The Katya doll has the same dress. Well, this happened, you have no idea!
- And what happened?
“That fabric was unusual.” Light, viscous, almost transparent. When the policeman took this fabric, it turned into smoke!
- Wow!
- Yes I know.
Then Katya entered the kitchen, and her parents fell silent at once. Katya had breakfast and went out into the yard. All the children shied away from her. The fact is that they thought that it was Katya who killed that boy. And there was one girl in that company - Dasha. She was very close friends with that boy and, according to rumors, was even in love with him. And she gathered 2-3 girls around her and together they decided to take revenge on Katya.
In the evening, the stepmother asked Katya to take out the trash. Katya took the bag and went to the trash heap. And between the garbage dump and the house where Katya lived there was another small abandoned shed. Katya walked past him, threw out the trash and came back home. Meanwhile, at the barn...
Dasha and her friends decided that it would be better to attack Katya at night. They met near the shed and hid behind it. The company took with them matches, rope, needles and tape. They decided to drag Katya inside and mock her there. Here she is. Katya threw out the trash and was just passing by the shed. They were about to attack her, but then a ghost blocked their way!..
She sat on the grave and remembered how she dealt with that boy. Then she felt something! Fear! “Katya” - this name exploded in the ghost’s head. Then she flew out of the cemetery like a bullet! She didn't know what was leading her, but she knew it was the right path. Yes, she was right. There's a group of some girls over there. And the objects in their hands do not promise anything good for Katya. And here comes Katya! She's almost reached the shed! The ghost rushed down. They won't dare do this! She had almost descended to the ground and blocked the girls’ path. Everyone fainted. Then she dragged them into the basement. She looked outside for a moment. Katya went into the house. That's good. Then she dove back. First, she tied up the captives, then covered their mouths with tape. Then she started sticking needles into them. They woke up and tried to scream, but to no avail. They were in pain, they were moaning. Then the ghost lit matches and threw them at the girls. They burned so beautifully! Just beautiful. Finally they died. They will know! She leaked through the wall of the barn and flew back to the cemetery.
Nobody offended Katya. Everyone was afraid. But everything was fine for Katya. She understood that someone was protecting her, someone close to her, and her heart felt lighter. And she noticed something else. It seemed to her that her doll began to come to life! Often, even when Katya had cold hands, the doll was warm, sometimes the doll slightly shook or shook its head, and its eyes were alive. One day something happened.
– I miss Katya so much. - the ghost said to himself. - I feel so lonely without her. She's alive and I'm dead. But she will be with me! – the idea seeped into the ghost’s head. - She will die. Fast and painless. She won't even notice how she dies. And she will be with me. – the ghost flew out of the cemetery.
Here is the window into Katya's room. And the doll sleeps in the crib. A smile slid across the transparent face. “She still keeps my gift,” she thought and smiled again. She flew through the window and went to the doll's crib. She leaned over and whispered something to the doll. She nodded barely noticeably. The ghost flew back.
Katya had a dream, as if she woke up. Everything in the room is as usual, but her favorite doll is not in the crib. Katya looked around the room. And she saw that her doll was sitting on the table. Then her mouth opened and she said:
- Your mother will pick you up soon. You want to see your real mother, right?
- Certainly! I want it so much! – Katya exclaimed.
- Your mother will come and pick you up soon. You know how she'll do it, right?
- Yes.
-Aren't you afraid of death?
- No.
“Then wait...” after that Katya woke up.
Grebneva began to worry about her adopted daughter. She became somewhat pale and taciturn and smiled strangely all the time. She began to carry that strange doll with her more often than usual.
The next day things got worse. Now Katya not only carried this “strange doll” everywhere, but also whispered to her! Her parents took her to a psychiatrist, but this did not yield results.
Katya went to bed. The doll quietly whispered to her: “Tonight.” Katya was looking forward to this night with impatience and fear. But finally night came. At 03.03 the wind blew through the open window. Cool and mysterious. And with it, what is transparent and light! Katya took a closer look and realized that it was a ghostly girl of about 20 years old.
She smiled and said:
- Hello, Katenka.
- Mother?
- Yes it's me. I miss you so much! - the ghost flew closer,
- I missed you too, mom!
“Today you will become just like me.” – a knife flashed in the ghost’s hand.
- Fine. – Katya took the knife and stuck it in her chest.
Grebneva heard some conversation from Katya’s room. “Who can Katya talk to?” – Grebneva thought and went to her adopted daughter’s room. Oh God! Katya was lying on the bed, and there was a knife in her chest! “Mom” fainted.
The next day Katya was buried with a blissful smile on her face. No one understood this smile, except perhaps the ghosts of Katya and her mother, who stood nearby and rejoiced that they were finally together.
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Miliza
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Miliza - story - Mother and daughter
With a heavy feeling of bitterness and devastation, Inessa Yanovna slowly climbed the stairs.
She didn't want to go home. I didn’t want to see an uncleaned room, unwashed dishes and feel the cold and alienation that had long been in the air, in my soul and thoughts. She opened the door, mechanically took off her boots, put on her worn-out slippers, and went to the kitchen. Of course, everything is the same...
- Damn brat! - she said angrily and caught herself thinking that she said it out loud.
When will this end?! This wild feud with my daughter, lasting about a year. Intellectually, she understood that she, too, was to blame for these unkind relationships, but she did not want to admit only her own guilt, and therefore she involuntarily sought an excuse for herself, blaming only her daughter for all sins. When did this disagreement begin, this misunderstanding of each other? When did mistrust, and sometimes anger, creep into this house?
Inessa Yanovna opened the refrigerator. As always, empty! I wonder what she would do without me, what she would eat?.. Quickly taking kefir, eggs, butter out of her bag, she put everything in the refrigerator and, without closing the door, sat down on a chair. No, this can't go on any longer! This is not life, but some kind of torture! We need to exchange money! But it’s easy to say!.. A one-room apartment, without renovation for a long time... And how easy is it for her to find herself again in a communal apartment, where she has already lived for a quarter of a century...
Oh, Lord, I didn’t close the refrigerator. I became completely distracted! So I made mistakes at work.
It’s good that her boss, Stepan Yegorovich, a wonderful old man, tactfully reprimands her.
She feels that something is wrong with her, and does not pester her with questions. Inessa Yanovna poured iced tea, cut off a roll and sat down on a chair. My hands were shaking from nervous tension. She looked at her fingers. If only they don’t let you down, otherwise goodbye work. Now there are cuts everywhere. Is it easy to get a new job... There are young typists out there without work, and yet she is far from retirement. The only thing that helps so far is that she really was a first-class secretary and, in addition to typing, knew shorthand and a little English. And when it was necessary to translate a small article, she did it easily and quickly. Inessa Yanovna worked in a small patent office at the Mechanical Engineering Institute, where there was not much work, as well as department employees. She remembered how she first came to work at this bureau as a funny girl, after graduating from college, which she graduated with honors...
Inessa Yanovna mechanically nibbled off the bread, sipping cold tea in small sips.
The flooding memories of past years pushed aside the pain and melancholy of the present. God, how quickly time flew by. It’s been twenty-five years since she’s been working in the same place! She ran a hand through her hair, involuntarily glancing at herself in the mirror hanging over the table. A red-haired woman with delicate features of faded beauty looked at her from the mirror. Blue eyes looked sad and touchy. The ends of the lips, once passionate and full, but now faded and dry, were sadly lowered, and it seemed that the smile had left them forever. What remained of her former beauty were white, strong teeth and beautiful red hair, which still retained its thickness and color, and only here and there silver threads showed through, not aging her at all. Nina Grigorievna, her colleague, just today complimented her:
- Oh, dear Inessa, what a beauty you are! The hair alone is worth it. And the teeth! Come on, my precious, smile. Don't be sad, my dear! You'll see, everything will be fine! And your Innochka will soon become wiser and mature. Is it worth it to kill ourselves like this because of our children? I know what I'm saying! How old is your Inna? - Only eighteen, like my grandson. And he’ll be rude to the grandmother, sometimes, and sometimes he’ll be nice to her. Do you think it’s easy for me at my age to be with him? His parents work in India, and I have to deal with him at the age of sixty. But it's okay, I'm not complaining. It’s a pity that Igor will soon be drafted into the army, otherwise I would definitely marry him to your Inna. I'm kidding, I'm kidding!
But I’ll just tell you, Inessa, you’re wasting yourself in vain. Your Ivan Dmitrievich will come and be upset that his wife has become ugly. Well, that’s it, keep quiet, don’t cry...
- Oh, Inka, Inka, what are you doing to me? What are you doing to yourself? Where are you going?
And again the recently hurled evil words of her angry daughter sounded in her mind. But it seemed that that evening did not foretell a quarrel. That day she came home early from work, quickly purchasing everything she needed for dinner on the way. The spring sun gently warmed, and my soul felt calm...
But as she climbed the stairs, she realized that there would be no peace. Loud music came from the apartment, screams, noise and the smell of tobacco smoke acridly streamed from the doors. Quickly opening the door without undressing, she quickly burst into the room. This is true! There are bottles on the table and a saucer full of cigarette butts. A painted Inka was sitting on the windowsill, and a tall guy sat at her feet and, without taking out his cigarette, muttered through his teeth:
- Innusya, little kitty, don’t be stubborn. Well, let's dig one more time...
“Leave me alone, God,” Inka replied sluggishly. And on the sofa there was some
a disheveled girl next to a guy in an unbuttoned shirt and a tie that has slipped to one side. Not paying attention to the woman who came in, he ran his huge palm over the girl’s chest and gulped greedily with pleasure.
“When will this den end?” Inessa Yanovna shouted and forcefully pulled the tape recorder cord out of the socket.
Inka looked at her mother with a clouded gaze:
- Why are you so upset? Everything is fine, mom. We passed the session. Let's celebrate. Well, why are you so upset? Join us...
Choking with indignation, Inessa Yanovna demanded that the whole company, along with her daughter, get out! She still wanted to say a lot, but her daughter did not let her finish. Reluctantly rising from the windowsill, with a distorted drunken face, Inka slowly approached her mother and said angrily:
- You ruined my evening, and that’s why I’ll stay here! You can get out of here and not disturb us!
- What do you say?! Do you even understand how you are talking to me?! You...
- I'm tired of it! You've had your time, now it's my turn! It's too late to learn. I do not like,
sit in the kitchen, or leave completely! There was a godmother calling. Go to her. Give me a break from you! I'm tired of it!
And Inka turned on the tape recorder, making the sound even louder. Inessa Yanovna rushed into the kitchen and sank into a chair in exhaustion... And this is her Innochka?! What happened to her good daughter? And is it good?
Of course, Innochka was not a gift even in childhood. But in everything, as the mother thought, others were to blame, who overly admired her daughter’s beauty, her development and the charm of playful spontaneity.
- Oh, what chubby cheeks! And what eyes! Straight cherries! And the smile is just sunshine! And the legs are so slender. She definitely needs to be taught to dance! Oh, he draws well and sings? Yes, you can immediately see a capable and developed child!
These were very pleasant words for Inessa Yanovna, caressing her maternal heart. And involuntarily, she turned a blind eye to the negative character traits that were becoming more and more established as her beautiful daughter grew up. Her mother spoiled her, indulged her whims and quirks, just so that she would not feel longing for her father, who died early from a sudden heart attack. And Inessa Yanovna, confused and killed by grief, remained a young widow with a four-year-old daughter. But trouble doesn’t come alone! And before the tears had dried, my mother died during a diabetic crisis. Inessa Yanovna became petrified from the troubles that had befallen her, the smile faded on her beautiful face, and she had difficulty coping with the everyday and moral difficulties that had piled up. She was torn between work, kindergarten, shopping and parenting. And she had less and less time to communicate with Innochka, to listen to her doll, play with her and caress her with warm words. And the daughter, accustomed before these sad events to her serene childhood, when there was universal care and deification by her father,
mother and grandmother, could not come to terms with the fact that they began to pay less and less affection and attention to her. She was capricious, throwing toys around, screaming and stamping her feet. And one day Inessa Yanovna could not stand it and spanked her. It was so unexpected and unusual for Innochka that at first she cried bitterly, then suddenly somehow became quiet and sat down on the floor. The mother, upset by her lack of restraint, tried to soften her daughter’s eyes, but she narrowed her eyes, pulled away and somehow in an adult way, as if she were not five, but ten years old, said through her tears:
- You are bad! Daddy wouldn't let me spank my ass, and grandma Katya wouldn't either.
allowed! I do not love you anymore!
And the little daughter looked coldly at her mother and turned away. All night Innochka sobbed in her sleep, and Inessa Yanovna could not sleep, listening to the sighs of her tear-stained daughter. And she swore to herself that she would never allow her daughter to feel orphaned and destitute. She will replace her father and grandmother. And the days flew by, full of anxiety, worries and labor. Inessa Yanovna took work home, and her typewriter was knocking in the kitchen until late. But every Sunday she went with her daughter either to the cinema, or to the zoo, or somewhere out of town.
It seemed that life was getting better. My daughter grew up, moved to the sixth grade, studied easily, had many friends and grew up calm and cheerful... And it seemed that an established life together would continue to flow along a well-trodden track...
But, apparently, life cannot be calculated, and unexpected adjustments always occur in it.
At work she was offered a trip to a rest home for two weeks. At first she began to refuse, saying, what about her daughter, there is no one to leave her with, because in the pioneer camp the ticket is only available from the second shift... But Yegor Stepanovich quickly somehow arranged everything: he got her daughter a ticket to the first shift.
Walking my daughter to the station, giving her a bag of cupcakes and oranges, kissing her dear
brown eyes and waving at her through the window of the carriage, Inessa Yanovna, having arrived home, began
packing my suitcase to leave in the morning for a holiday home on the Karelian Isthmus. For some reason she was worried before leaving and her cheeks were burning. Without admitting it to herself, for some reason she was nervous, as if expecting something unexpected and inexplicable.
The drive was not far, about two hours. When she got off the platform and looked around, she immediately liked the place. Forest, clean air, a glistening bay nearby. Having found the main building and given the direction, Inessa Yanovna headed to house No. 7, which stood at the very end of the territory. The rest house was old, built by the military department, and therefore, in addition to one main nine-story building, it retained strong two-story wooden buildings, similar to small dachas, somewhat reminiscent of Chekhov's times. They had some kind of coziness and antique charm, although there was a lack of “plumbing charms”. Her room number 4 was on the second floor, and she had to go down the creaky stairs, which clearly irritated some of the inhabitants of this building. But Inessa Yanovna found this an advantage, because on the second floor there were only three rooms, and no one was shuffling overhead, and besides, the view from above was wonderful. The entire bay is in full view, a starry sky with a full moon illuminating the treetops and reflecting a yellow path on the calm water. The foliage rustled faintly... And peace,
and grace settled in the soul and thoughts for a while. The neighbor, a young girl, was always disappearing either at dances or on walks, with the same restless and cheerful people. And so Inessa Yanovna was often alone, enjoying peace, idleness and carefreeness. In fact, for the first time in the last eight years, she was vacationing alone, away from her daughter. All the years before, she even spent her holidays next to Innochka in the pioneer camp, leading a soft toy group. And here I am alone, without my daughter, without worries and worries. Three days passed like this. At lunch, Galina Pavlovna, her neighbor at the table, a plump, small woman, cheerful and open, invited her to go dancing in the evening.
- Inessa Yanovna, why aren’t you seen at the club? Why did you come here? Rest, right? So take everything from life! You are young and beautiful! It’s not a sin for you to flirt, and it’s good for you to dance. Or is your husband jealous? Well, since you are lonely, then you hold the cards. This is some kind of holiday home, you know? War Department! So, for the military! Well, of course, married people don’t really come here, but single and divorced people often don’t miss the opportunity to come here and fluff their peacock tails. Am I right when I say it, girls? - Galina Pavlovna turned for support to two young girls sitting next to her at the table. They nodded affirmatively.
- I, Inessa Yanovna, have been coming here for four years now and, you know, I’m ten years younger. Don't look at the ring. My Nikolai Ivanovich is aware. As soon as I get a little wild, he immediately gives me a ticket: - Here, Galina, go, unwind, - Well, he’s doing the right thing! I don’t want to change the food, but change the atmosphere, see new faces, shake myself up, and let my husband get bored, otherwise you can get bored without separation if you’re together all the time. The children have grown up, they have their own lives, but I don’t want to grow old. And God himself commanded you to do so. We'll match you with some captain, or a retired colonel, widowed. Don’t blush like that, but rather start to make yourself beautiful, put yourself in order, and dress more smartly... Then you will see what a commotion will arise among the vacationing peasants!..
Confused by this conversation, Inessa Yanovna went up to her room and, while her neighbor was not there, began to sort through her sparse wardrobe. She put on a thin light green velor dress, a gift from her late husband, Czech beads made of small, dark green and golden beads, a belt to match the dress, and high-heeled sandals. She put on light makeup, a little gloss on her lips, greenish shadows on her eyelids, painted on the corners of her eyes a little and, fluffing up her beautiful red hair, wrapped in a thin hoop, looked at herself in the mirror: “Well, Inessa, you’re nothing yet!”
In the eight years that had passed since her husband's death, for the first time she attracted attention and
for the first time I realized that the years that had passed by had never belonged to her! And maybe this moment, given to her by fate, is a reward for many years of loneliness. And maybe she buried herself early, and it’s worth living for herself at least a little, at least one evening... And then, let it be, what will be! And she, rejoicing at something inexplicable, slowly and proudly began to descend the stairs.
As soon as she entered the club room, Galina Pavlovna immediately noticed her and, quickly looking at her with an appraising glance, said approvingly:
- Well, beauty, you can’t say anything! No, Inessa Yanovna, whatever you want, but you won’t leave today without your groom!
Inessa Yanovna became embarrassed, blushed, and this made her look even prettier.
- That's it, that's it, I won't embarrass you anymore. Come on, let’s sit on that bench over there, and I’ll introduce you to who’s who, and you can choose according to your taste.
Without allowing her to come to her senses, Galina Pavlovna dragged her across the entire hall, greeting someone as she walked, exchanging words and clearly proud that she was next to such a beautiful young friend.
She was not at all embarrassed by her obesity and noisy voice, knowing that they treated her
friendly and welcoming. Inessa Yanovna felt curious glances at her and therefore tried to quickly walk to the bench and recover a little from such close attention.
- Ugh, it's a little hot! - said Galina Pavlovna. - Well, do you feel interested in yourself? That's it! And indeed, there is no one to compare you with! These old grymzas come here every season. Everyone is already fed up with their faces. And here you are, fresh, new, mysterious. Notice, diagonally over there, in a T-shirt, tanned Ivan Dmitrievich, a doctor from the Military Medical Academy. By the way, divorced. The son is an adult. But his wife, a bitch, left him, got involved in her old age with a visiting surgeon from Riga and drove off to the seaside with him. But they lived twenty-four years! And what, the fool, was she missing? But, by the way, who will sort us women out? True, he is reserved and doesn’t really like women, but it seems to me that you will touch his heart.
- Galina Pavlovna, what are you saying? I don’t even think about this! Yes and honestly
I must admit, I’m unaccustomed to male attention. I wish I could raise my daughter! I gave up on myself a long time ago.
- Well, it’s you, my dear, in vain! If you are not at your age to love, then it will be too late. And the fact that he is older is good. You will feel more caring.
- Well, Galina Pavlovna, have you already told him about me, and he’s just waiting for a signal to
attack?
- No, calm down. He, poor thing, sits and does not suspect that he is waiting to meet you. I’m just sure that he will definitely notice you... Ivan Dmitrievich! - Galina Pavlovna cooed lingeringly, - Come here, please! Sit down with us for a minute, I want to ask you...
Ivan Dmitrievich stood up and slowly walked towards them. Inessa Yanovna involuntarily fell in love with his tightly tailored, fit figure.
- I’m listening to you, Galina Pavlovna.
- Tell me, my dear, you won’t be able to receive my Nikolai Ivanovich upon arrival? Please look at him, because lately he has been complaining of pain in his right side. But you know, you can’t drag him to the doctors with a lasso. And he favors you and will allow you to look at him. Agreed? That’s good, and as a reward I’ll treat you to this jam, you’ll lick your fingers. Here comes the music! Why don’t you, Ivan Dmitrievich, dance with my friend, otherwise she’s quieted down in the new environment.
It’s only been three days, I’m not used to it yet. And you, after all, are an old-timer, you’ve been resting here for the tenth day, but only all alone. It’s not good to fight off the team. Well, okay, I’m joking, but you’re too unsmiling today, so I’m trying to cheer you up.
Ivan Dmitrievich, realizing that there was only one way to get rid of Galina Pavlovna, to go dancing, stood up decisively and said dryly, turning to Inessa Yanovna:
- Please be kind. However, I haven’t danced for a long time, I’m afraid that I’m not a good dancer.
“I haven’t danced for a long time either,” she said embarrassedly.
And because she said this quietly, blushing and lowering her eyes, and because next to him she seemed fragile and somehow unprotected... He saw her with his heart rather than with his eyes.
And leading her, light and obedient in the dance, he felt in himself a long-forgotten and deeply hidden tender and grateful feeling. He himself did not expect that his ossified heart would tremble and the icy shell would melt, revealing a hot soul yearning for a woman’s affection. And he felt with his skin that she, too, was lonely, not spent in feelings, waiting for male support, care and attention.
They danced all evening, hardly spoke, only some remarks, insignificant phrases, meaningless words... But in the hall the women, who had seen many precocious couples here for one day, realized that this was a special case. That the meeting of these two is not accidental, it is blessed by God. That you can’t interfere with them, and it’s a sin to make jokes or laugh. And the couples dancing close to each other freed up space nearby, trying not to interfere with them feeling like they were the only ones in the hall. But Ivan Dmitrievich and Inessa Yanovna really didn’t notice anyone, no people, no conversations, no
time, nor your age. They both felt good for the first time in many years.
When the evening ended, Ivan Dmitrievich accompanied Inessa Yanovna to her house, silently kissed her hand and quickly went to the main building. He didn't say anything to her, but she realized that tomorrow they would meet again. She didn’t sleep all night, and vague thoughts didn’t let her sleep... Well, what is she happy about, what does she hope for, because he didn’t tell her anything, but her heart told her that from that day her life would change. From that evening they were always seen together. And no one condemned them, there was no gossip, gossip, or envy. Those around them somehow took kindly to their unexpected romance and wished them mutual consent and continued meetings in the city. Everyone understood
that this is not an affair, that this is serious and long-term. Inessa Yanovna has become even more beautiful,
blossomed from the attention and courtship of Ivan Dmitrievich and felt confidence and joy in life.
The travel time had ended, and she was supposed to leave tomorrow. She felt sad and terrified
thoughts that the vacation was over, her dreams were left behind, and everything that happened to her in the last days was just a wonderful dream. Moreover, nothing happened: no hot kisses, no vows of love, no bed... But long walks along the bay, silent handshakes and heartbeats on the same note remained in my memory. There was harmony, tenderness and short-lived peace from the bitter years of loneliness and tomorrow's troubles... Well, thank fate for that too!
In the morning she handed over the books to the library and, saying goodbye to Galina Pavlovna, hurried to catch the bus to the station. She did not want to see Ivan Dmitrievich before leaving, fearing to destroy the fragile feeling with an awkward separation or disappointment. Sitting on the bus, she took one last look at the bay, the main building and the pine alley, along which, just yesterday, they had walked, holding hands like children... And suddenly she caught herself thinking that in recent days she had never I didn’t remember about my Innochka. No, of course, she was worried about her, but somehow in a different way, not like before, when any separation was a disaster. For the first time, she thought not only about her, but also about herself, about her fate, about her future life. She suddenly clearly understood that now she would not be able to live as before, detached and forgetting about herself: only Innochka, her interests, only concern for her. The bus stopped at the station, and Inessa Yanovna and other passengers went to the ticket office to buy a ticket to Leningrad. And suddenly, out of her peripheral vision, she saw him! Ivan
Dmitrievich was clearly nervous and kept looking out for someone... But then his gaze snatched her thin figure from the crowd, their eyes met and lit up with joy and tenderness for each other.
He rushed to her:
- My dear! How afraid I was that you would leave without me! Why didn’t you warn me that you were leaving! It’s good that Galina Pavlovna met me and informed me about your departure. No, no, don't argue, I won't let you go now. We'll go together.
“But I need to go to the camp to see my daughter,” she timidly objected.
- We will go with you together! Calm down, my dear! Everything will be fine!
And, not embarrassed by strangers, he hugged her tightly to him. Upon arrival in the city, he took her home in a taxi, kissed her tenderly and made her promise that she would call him at work tomorrow and they would meet when it was convenient for her.
The apartment was dusty and uncomfortable. Inessa Yanovna began to restore cleanliness and order, and in the evening, tired from cleaning and emotional experiences of the last days, she sat down in a chair with her feet up, thinking about her daughter’s reaction to her acquaintance with Ivan Dmitrievich. The next day she called him, saying that she was going to the camp to visit her daughter and prepare her for a meeting with him.
- Okay, I'll wait for you both.
Inessa Yanovna did not come to the camp on Parents' Day, and therefore her daughter did not meet her.
She found the head of the camp, a stern woman with thin pursed lips, in the pioneer room. She did not like unscheduled visits from her parents and was clearly unhappy. But Inessa Yanovna meekly said that she had just arrived from a business trip, and asked, as an exception, to allow her to see her daughter during quiet time.
“Okay,” the boss said sternly. - But only as an exception. Call Inna Vesser from the third detachment,” she sternly addressed the pioneer on duty. - So that your daughter will be in the squad for dinner.
Fifteen minutes later her daughter was hanging on her neck.
- Oh, great! How did you escape, mommy? What did you bring me? Oh, how delicious! No, it's just great that you came! I miss you so much!
Innochka chirped, chewing and laughing, telling childish news. And Inessa Yanovna looked at her tanned and, as it seemed to her, grown-up daughter and admired her graceful movements and joyfully chirping voice.
Only now she realized how much she missed her dear one! She didn't know how to
how to approach an important conversation and how to tell your daughter that a third person may enter their lives together. After all, the daughter did not remember her father well, and it was difficult to explain that an unfamiliar man could appear in their house. But the daughter suddenly felt some kind of change in her mother and immediately fell silent.
- Mom, let's sit on the tree stump. Something happened?
- No, daughter, everything is fine.
- No, mommy, you’re not the same as before.
The daughter looked carefully at her mother and realized that she had changed. Something new and tender appeared in the whole appearance of the mother.
- Mom, you are very beautiful today!
- Really, Innochka? - She asked, blushing.
- Yeah, you seem to be all glowing!
- Daughter, let's talk.
The daughter became quiet. And Inessa Yanovna, in a hurry, afraid that her daughter would interrupt her, began to tell her about the meeting with Ivan Dmitrievich, about what a wonderful person he was, that he would love her and that she, Innochka, would definitely like him...
- Well, mommy, have you fallen in love? - Inna asked in surprise and somehow in an adult way. And from this direct question Inessa Yanovna became embarrassed and did not know what to answer. - Well, mother, you give it!
- Innochka, the way you talk to me... It’s rude!
- Come on, I'm already an adult. In six months it will be thirteen! Don't hesitate! When I get back from camp, we'll sort it out! I ran, otherwise Lyudmila would swear and send me out to peel potatoes in the morning, and I hate that!
Inna kissed her mother on the cheek and ran, jumping like a long-legged goat. There was a week left before my daughter's arrival. Inessa Yanovna met with Ivan Dmitrievich every day and every time she thought it was a dream. And he fell more and more in love and was fascinated by her, often asking himself the question - why did she fall in love with him, divorced, middle-aged, thirteen years older than her.
She agreed that if Ivan Dmitrievich finds a common language with Innochka, he will move to live with them, and later they will exchange her one-room and his nine-meter room, which he got after his divorce from his wife, for a two-room...
Innochka arrived tanned and cheerful. In the evening, Ivan Dmitrievich came to visit them.
Both felt awkward because she had not seen men in their house and had no experience
communication. He was also confused, because he was used to communicating with his son, now an adult, and did not know how to talk to a teenage girl, about what and in what tone. And he decided:
- Well, let's get acquainted, Inna. My name is Ivan Dmitrievich. You, I hope, are a smart and understanding girl, so I will be frank and direct with you. I saw your mother, fell in love and want to marry her... As you can see, my intentions are the most serious... I ask for your mother's hand in marriage! You agree?
Inessa Yanovna listened to their frank conversation with a beating heart and tensely waited for her daughter to answer him. Innochka rose to the occasion:
- Why, little one, don’t I understand? Since you have love, here is my answer... I agree! -
Innochka said solemnly. - Will you teach me how to fish?
This was said so unexpectedly that everyone laughed in unison. The wedding was modest
with close friends, and just as quietly and calmly their lives flowed, the three of them, only furniture
rearranged, separating a corner for Innochka with a closet and a sideboard. Inessa Yanovna blossomed, went to work with a smile, was busy in the kitchen, and it seemed that life was getting better...
But one day Ivan Dmitrievich asked her and Innochka to sit next to him for a serious
conversation:
- My dear, lovely women, I am being sent on a long business trip. And How
I'm not sorry, I have to leave you...
He spoke pompously, hiding the pain of imminent separation behind the bravado of words. But they realized what kind of trip he had ahead of him, because he was a military surgeon, and his destination was Afghanistan. But they respected him and understood his duty and feelings without words. Their farewell was painful and sad.
- Inna, you’re almost an adult, you’re finishing eighth grade. I really hope for you. Take care of your mother. I love her so much. I can't imagine life without her. And I also loved you, Innochka, like a daughter. Wait for me, I will definitely come back!
Innochka was pleased to know that he trusted her to take care of his mother, because he felt that she was stronger and somehow more mature than her mother. Then Ivan Dmitrievich turned to Inessa Yanovna, silently hugged her and quickly left the room so that the women dear to him would not see his manly tears and feel his momentary weakness. He left, and it was as if the sun had set in their house.
Mother and daughter tried not to talk about him, because it was too painful to think about how
It's scary, dangerous, and anything can happen. The letters were rare, short, but cheerful: “My favorites! We are fine! Lots of greenery, fruits and sun. It's OK! Ordinary operations. Work is just like home, so don't worry. I miss you, I love you - your Ivan Dmitrievich.”
But other news reached them - terrible, sometimes unimaginable, alarming and
unpredictable... But mother and daughter really hoped and believed that the terrible news would bypass their home. One day, when Innochka was preparing for exams and sat up reading books until one in the morning, and her mother fell asleep in her chair... the doorbell rang!
- What's happened? - Inessa Yanovna perked up anxiously and suddenly, turning pale, exclaimed: “It’s Vanechka!” Innochka, open up, my legs are shaking!
Yes, it was him, Ivan Dmitrievich! Tanned, tired, with gray hair. He hugged them tightly.
Then Innochka went to bed, and Inessa Yanovna and Ivan Dmitrievich sat all night in the kitchen, huddled closely together, and could not talk enough.
- Well, dear, everything is fine! I'm home. I was given leave for two weeks. And these will be our days, you see, my dear. If only you knew what you mean to me! Yes, I’m not hiding it, it’s difficult there, but don’t ask me anything else, we agreed, dear...
Two weeks flew by so quickly that they seemed like one day. Inessa Yanovna took these days off and spent all this time near her beloved Ivan Dmitrievich, trying to feed him tastier. She baked, made different salads... And all the time she talked, talked, talked...
- Vanechka, don’t pay attention, it’s nerves!
- Yes, yes, honey, I understand! Calm down, you'll see, everything will be fine!..
But he felt that she was on the verge of a breakdown. But what could he do?! He could only
to be indignant to himself and curse that peaceful life is not everywhere, and that he is obliged strictly
obey the order and be back in the heat, saving, patching up and “picking up the bones” of our dear sons, who, because of the vile decision of someone indifferent and cold, mutilated their lives, died in agony, disappeared without a trace, became morally corrupt, becoming mentally crippled, who only know how to kill. These boys have forgotten how to rejoice and love in a foreign, distant country, far from their loved ones, who are grieving and crying.
And again there was goodbye. And again Ivan Dmitrievich hugged his dear ones, and again swallowed tears invisible to them. His heart stopped from pain and new separation. Who knows what awaits him ahead?.. Doctors also died. And then what will happen to them? No, it's better not to think. We must really believe that there will be a happy meeting again and he will return to them again! And he left...
Six months have passed. Inna entered the printing college. Inessa Yanovna went to work and did household chores, but life seemed to have stopped for her. She only came to life when she received rare mail. But the letters came less and less often... And gradually she was overcome by indifference to everything, and she stopped paying attention to both herself and her daughter. Oh, how she will regret it later!
But for my daughter, life flowed in a different direction. Because of her emotional experiences, Inessa Yanovna did not notice how her daughter grew up, turning into a beautiful, long-legged, long-necked miracle, causing the admiring glances of men, the envy of classmates and the secret desires of young men. All her life Inessa Yanovna protected her, controlled her, worried about her, and then suddenly Innochka felt that she had become free from guardianship, that her mother had no time for her and that she could take advantage of this. She’s already an adult, and she needs to taste life - we’re a new generation, why do we need morality, ethics, self-examination! Once we get married, then we’ll become nuns! And away we go - parties, drinking, smoking, missing lectures... And one day the question arose about Inna’s expulsion from the technical school. One day a telephone call woke up a woman who had dozed off.
chair Inessa Yanovna:
- I would like to talk with Inna Vesser’s mother.
- I'm listening to you. Who am I talking to?
- Sorry, but people from the technical school are bothering you. Could you come by on Monday at ten o'clock in the morning?
- Okay, I'll definitely come.
Inessa Yanovna sank into a chair in exhaustion... Lord, what else has her daughter done?!
She noticed that not everything was all right with Innochka, that she began to smoke, sometimes she smelled of alcohol... But her daughter found an answer to everything:
- Don’t worry about me, mommy! Well, it was a birthday, well, we celebrated... But the cigarettes weren’t mine, Svetka left them. Yes, I passed the test! Why are you worried? It’s a shame that I was almost an excellent student at school! Yes, I’ll study a little and catch up right away! Don't worry, mommy! Stay calm!
Inka kissed her mother and ran away again. And the mother understood that her daughter was an adult, it was now difficult and not easy to influence her, and maybe everything would work out. Yes, to be honest, Inessa Yanovna didn’t even have the strength: all her thoughts were about him, dear Ivan Dmitrievich. How is he doing? Is he alive? Why have there been no letters for so long? She went to the Medical Academy, but there they told her that there was no reason to worry, it was just too far away and the mail was late:
- Don't worry, Comrade Vesser. If anything happens, we will definitely let you know.
On Monday, with a heavy feeling, she went into the office of the director of the technical school.
“Yuri Alekseevich Voronov is the director,” he introduced himself. Please, sit down, because our conversation will be difficult.
And here Inessa Yanovna’s eyes opened. While she lived with her experiences, her daughter left her, living her incomprehensible life, without thinking about the sad consequences.
“Inna neglected classes,” the director continued, “she didn’t pass the test, she behaves defiantly,
communicates with suspicious guys. One of our former students, who was expelled for poor academic performance and bad behavior, was found to be in possession of drugs. A certain Victor, nicknamed “Bozhok”. Have you by any chance heard about him from your daughter? I asked you about him because your daughter was seen in his company. I have to warn you, keep an eye on her. This could end badly for her. Don't be offended, but this is in her and your interests...
After this conversation, Inessa Yanovna walked broken and devastated. How could she overlook her daughter?! How could she forget about her! In recent months, she lived in a kind of stupor, and she had no time for her daughter. Busy with her thoughts, she did not notice that her daughter was moving away from her, that the former closeness that had always been between them was no longer there. What to do?! How to tear your daughter away from this company? How can I prevent her from dating this “God”? Lord, save and help!
- Dear Ivan Dmitrievich, if you were nearby, you would know what to do, how to save Innochka!
Inessa Yanovna walked down the street and thought about how to start a conversation with her daughter, what words
to reach her cold heart... But the conversation did not take place, since Inna arrived late, and it was useless to start clarification at one in the morning. But still she could not resist and said in passing:
- Maybe you won’t spend the night here at all and stay at the “God”?
- When I want, then I’ll stay! I won't ask you! This is not an apartment, but green melancholy, and you always have a sour face! - my daughter retorted.
Inessa Yanovna regretted that she couldn’t resist, she only became more upset, but at least Inka...
I wasn’t even surprised how my mother found out about that guy.
- Well, it’s okay, tomorrow I’ll talk to her sober, and then she’ll tell all her antics! - she thought, calming herself, but having little faith in her determination.
Inessa Yanovna could not fall asleep for a long time and kept replaying her daughter’s evil words...
...And here you go, let’s talk! Not only is her daughter not in college, but she also brought this guy. Inessa Yanovna quickly stood up:
- No, no matter what it costs me, I will kick this company out!
She decisively entered the room:
- Well, that’s it, my dears, either you leave on good terms, or I’m calling the police right now!
- Listen, Inka, why is your mother strumming! You quiet it down, otherwise you know, I don’t like noise,” God said lazily, narrowing his eyes angrily and menacingly clenching his fists.
For a moment, Inessa Yanovna caught her daughter’s gaze, haunted and confused. And the pain for her daughter made her forget about fear, there was only one thing in her brain: “Calm down, don’t scare him with threats.” Gathering all her strength, she said slowly, slightly aspiratedly:
- I ask you, young people, leave the apartment. I think the police are not needed here.
I'm just waiting for my colleagues, and I would like to have time to clean up before they arrive. Will you help me, Innochka?
And, apparently, something brightened in her daughter’s brain, and she supported her mother:
- Yes, honestly, Bozhok, I completely forgot, my mother told me this morning that today is the anniversary of their department and that the guests will come at five in the evening... We’ll meet tomorrow, okay?
The guy didn’t quite believe her, but decided not to get involved.
“Her mother won’t go anywhere, and I’ll press Inka’s nose,” God thought to himself and, spitting on the floor, said, twisting his mouth: “Okay, mom, shut up.” Now let's leave. Hey, Shnyr, get off the girl! Take Lyuska, since you like her. And you, lip-slapper, don’t forget the bottle. Let's get out.
When Inessa Yanovna closed the door behind them, she sank weakly onto a chair and lost herself in
deep faint. The tension from everything he saw and heard was too great!
She woke up because salty drops were falling on her face from her daughter’s face, bent over her, wet with tears.
Probably, if her mother had started screaming at her after this terrible company left,
calling her names, appealing to her conscience, the effect could be the opposite. But the mother’s fainting played the role of a bomb exploding in her daughter’s heart and soul. Only now Inna realized on the edge of what an abyss she stood! And if the mother had not arrived on time, it is not yet known how this party would have ended... How the God would have pawed and impudently over her, scratching her with his large, iron cross, which he never parted with, which is why he received such a nickname. And, looking at her exhausted mother, at her dear face, Inka, who had already completely sobered up, clung to her and humbly fell silent, mentally vowing to herself to break out of this vicious circle, into which, out of frivolity and stupidity, she had been drawn in in recent months.
For a long time, without turning on the light, mother and daughter sat hugging.
And they cried for a long time, clearing themselves of the lies and mistrust that had arisen between them recently, until they fell asleep in exhaustion, without undressing. Inka was the first to wake up from a ray of sunshine and, looking at her mother, could not hold back the tears that came to her throat, from which Inessa Yanovna woke up.
- What is it, Innochka?
- Mommy, forgive me, forgive me!
- Well, dear, it’s all over, calm down. Don't be afraid of anything anymore!
But the daughter continued to cry more and more bitterly. Inessa Yanovna did not understand anything and only ran her hand through her hair in confusion.
“Mommy,” Inna called, like her mother in childhood, “look what I’ve done!”
The daughter handed the mirror to her mother, and, looking into it, Inessa Yanovna understood her daughter’s cry... Looking out of the mirror was an elderly woman with eyes swollen from tears and a large gray strand that was brightly white in her red hair! It seemed as if my mother had aged several years overnight!
She smiled faintly and said comfortingly to her daughter:
- Don't cry, Innushka! It's even beautiful and fashionable! It's not a problem! The main thing is that we love each other again, right, baby?
The mother gently hugged her sobbing daughter. And they sat for a long time, affectionately clinging to each other. And the mother stroked her until her daughter fell into a relieved sleep...
- Oh, my lost sun! Everything will be fine with you and me now! All will be...
But apparently fate wanted to pamper and pamper them that day so that they would remember it for a long time.
So that these, bitter before, and then wonderful moments will never be erased from their memory.
“Everything will be fine,” the mother cooed tenderly. Then she put a pillow under her daughter’s head and covered her with a blanket.
And at that moment Inessa Yanovna’s heart began to beat strongly, and not yet hearing, she rather
she felt the one who she needed most now approaching the door! And as if to confirm her lucky guess, she heard the long-awaited doorbell and a painfully familiar voice: “Darling, open up, it’s me!”
She rushed headlong to the door, getting confused in turning the key, because her hands were shaking with excitement. And he stood outside the door and reassured her: - Don’t worry, my love...
And when the door opened, she, not allowing him to enter, threw herself on his neck! Saying something incoherently, she was afraid to tear herself away from him, not believing her eyes... And, touching his cheek with her lips wet from tears, she slowly realized that this was not a dream, that in front of her was really her Ivan Dmitrievich! And his eyes, which had seen so much pain, blood, death, looked all over her at once, her painfully expensive, tired face... And immediately widened at the sight of her bright, gray strands on her fiery hair! He understood with all his heart how timely he returned! He hugged Inessa Yanovna tightly and carefully led her into the room. The darkness is over
Then her mother threatened her that now she would come home and do her homework, and not go to rest after school. She won’t eat or play, but will “fly from corner to corner.” At the same time, she never suggested that the child go to the doctor and get examined. It didn't even occur to her.
In general, we drove for about 10 minutes. And during these long minutes, my own mother poured so much dirt on her daughter, accused her of all crimes, and promised a bunch of punishments.
She ended her tirade with the words: “You’ll regret it, sir.” ka, what was born!”
My God! This is your child, who was once born, smiled at you for the first time, said the first word (and that word was MOTHER), took the first step!
I invite my readers to attend a webinar by child and family psychologist Ekaterina Kes On the same wavelength as the child .
At the webinar you:
- Learn to establish contact with your baby;
- Learn to listen and hear him;
- Find out what mistakes parents make every day when communicating with their children;
- Learn to answer questions in such a way that children want to tell you even more.
What should I have done? Should I go up to my aunt and say what I think about this? I wanted to, yes. But then I thought that since she is not shy about anyone, including her daughter, what can she tell me? Whatever! Swear at you, curse at you, something else...
And will my child see and hear all this??? This can result in psychological trauma. And I abandoned my intention. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't argue.
In this whole story, the child suffers. What is it like to hear such words from your closest and dearest person? And if a mother does not hesitate to humiliate her daughter in front of everyone, then what does she allow herself to do alone with her? How to stop this?
How to protect children from domestic violence? Perhaps she also beats the girl. What will happen next when she grows up? Is this “mother” now sure that her adult daughter will not send her through the forest in the same way? Are you sure that you won’t throw her old one out into the street? You will say yes, that’s what will happen.
But the child is suffering now and now continues to LOVE his unlucky mother. Yes, the most interesting thing is that no matter what the mother is, the child loves her. Loves and hopes for a reciprocal feeling!
Watch the video of the Indigo Pop Vocal School - song "MOM":
Don't hurt your children. Love them! Don't betray your child's love! After all, there is nothing more faithful in the world than the smile of your child. And childhood grievances received in childhood can carry over into the child’s adult life.
And finally, look Ural Dumplings Show “Angles”:
I couldn’t find anything similar on the Internet, so I had to invent it myself. Read the original below. Please DO NOT kick too hard!
The 15-year-old daughter was not at home. Mom entered the room and saw the letter.
“Dear mom! I went to live with my boyfriend. He is gorgeous with his tattoos and piercings. But that’s not the main thing - the fact is that I’m pregnant. Ahmed said that we will be very happy in his trailer. The trailer is in the forest. Ahmed wants to have many children, this is my dream too. I learned a lot from Ahmed. By the way, marijuana is a completely harmless weed. We will grow it in the yard for us and our friends, and they will treat us with cocaine and ecstasy. In the meantime, pray, so that a cure for AIDS can be found quickly so that Ahmed can feel better. He deserves it. Mommy! Don't worry! I'm already 15 years old and I can take care of myself.
Someday I will come to you so that you can see your grandchildren. Your loving daughter.
P.S. Mom! In fact, I'm with the neighbors. I just want to tell you that there are much more unpleasant things that can happen in life than my report card, which lies in the top drawer of my desk."
The daughter returns home and sees that her mother is not there, her report card and the following note are on the table.
“Dear daughter, I didn’t want to tell you all this, but I read your note and I see that you are already quite an adult, and therefore you will not be shocked by the upcoming changes.
I myself am attracted to tattoos, so your father and I decided to get a joint one, on the body and face, so to speak, he has roses, and I have thorns! I think this would look especially good at your graduation this year. I understand that at your privileged school, friends and teachers will look at this askance, but the main thing is that you don’t have problems with it!
Your optimism about the trailer makes me even more happy because just the other day I was talking with your aunt and we agreed that her daughters would stay with us. They will share your room and there will be, I think, even more space than in a trailer. Thank you for letting me know how much you know how and love to share your living space with your loved ones. I couldn't do that!
But I completely agree with you that children are cool! Your dad and I were just talking the other day, deciding to have 2-3 more. I think this will be simply an invaluable experience for you, especially because neither I nor dad have much time to babysit them and never will. And given your report card, you can safely put off going to college.
There will be obvious problems with cocaine and ecstasy. And not at all because they can be imprisoned for up to 20 years, but simply because our family genetics suggest a quick overdose. That is why my grandmother and I tried not to let you in on all the details of your grandfather’s death. But now you're an adult and can handle the truth!
Overall, I am happy and proud that I have such a smart, intelligent daughter who can take care of herself. In the top drawer of your desk you will find the Michigan Criminal Code. Please pay special attention to the chapters on the personal responsibility of teenagers before the law and that parents have every legal right to do with them whatever they see fit until the age of 19.5. So you and I still have 4.5 happy years ahead! Well, or until you improve your grades and go to college!
In the meantime, this terrible time for me has NOT come, please, clean up the house while dad and I have dinner at the restaurant.
Kisses, my love!
Your mother"
