“Nina, what’s the reason for all this?”
Nina Grigorievna settled beside her husband, exhaling deeply.
“Kolya, to be honest, I’m not sure myself. Everything seems fine, but I just can’t trust him, I doubt his sincerity. Clearly, Katya is smitten and blind to any faults.”
“I get it. I have reservations too. Guess it’s just us not ready to let our Katya go to just anyone.”
Nina shook her head determinedly.
“Kolya, if all is well, let’s pretend we were merely jesting. We’ll figure something out.”
“Should we leave, Nina?”
“Yes, let’s. I’m uneasy in this shabby dress. Heaven forbid someone recognizes me.”
“Don’t worry, no one will. And they won’t be paying attention to you. Our kind rarely notices those beneath them.”
Nikolay sighed; his wife had spent years aiding those ‘beneath’, helping them recover lost documents, securing them jobs. Some reverted to old ways, while others thrived. But this wasn’t always her life.
There was a time, long ago, when a childless Nina had lost hope and spiraled out. Their marriage teetered on the brink. Ignoring Nikolay, she returned home increasingly late, her company growing more dubious by the night.
Then she decided enough was enough. She vowed, if she survived unscathed, to never touch alcohol again.
Among those she met were individuals to whom life’s troubles were trivial, indifferent to alcohol, having long been ensnared by harder substances.
And then there was a pregnant woman. Clutching Nina’s hand desperately, she pleaded:
“Save me! Save me and my baby!”
Her labor started on the street. While awaiting an ambulance, the woman revealed she was an orphan who had fallen for a man who turned out to be a mistake. She lacked the courage to leave after selling her home.
She didn’t survive childbirth.
That’s how Katya came into their lives. They moved away, and nobody suspected Katya wasn’t their biological child.
From then on, Nina couldn’t ignore the troubles of others. Nikolay let go of the past; they started anew. He cherished Katya and Nina, striving for their happiness. Now, their daughter, 24, was about to marry a stranger.
They always knew about her relationships, her friends. Nina called her daughter multiple times a day; the father always fretted. But now, everything was secretive. Likely, this Nikita had convinced her, hence the secrecy, as they were always informed about her relationships.
At first glance, Nikita seemed fine, treated Katya well, always smiling. But they sensed there was more to it. If Katya hid him, it suggested a deeper issue…
Nina never imagined this from her daughter, as they had previously exposed unsuitable suitors early on.
Nikita’s parents resided in the suburbs, prompting Nina and Nikolay to take the train as if penniless. They believed once Nikita’s family learned of their lack of wealth, their true colors would show, and Katya would see the reality.
Everything would then become clear; they would rescue their daughter from a rash decision. Katya would return to spending her evenings at home, and life would resume its pleasant, familiar course.
On the train, Nikolay couldn’t help but smile:
“I’d almost forgotten how exhilarating all this feels. Like a ‘survive the adventure’ game.”
Nina returned the smile:
“Indeed, it’s refreshing to mingle among the crowd occasionally, away from the office and its endless paperwork.”
Nikolay’s expression turned somber.
“Actually, I’ve been pondering whether we should’ve embarked on this at all. Katya’s grown now; she might take offense.”
“How is she grown? In my eyes, she’ll always be my little girl.”
“I know, but we need to let her make her own choices.”
Nina faced her husband:
“What do you mean? We always want what’s best for her; this isn’t just a whim.”
She turned away to gaze out the window, clearly upset. Nikolay also looked out, contemplating. There was still half an hour left—enough time to devise a plan for speaking with the young man’s parents.
Moments later, Nikolay blinked awake, realizing he’d dozed off. Next to Nina stood a young girl, watching her intently, unnoticed by Nina, who was lost in thought.
He nudged Nina gently with his elbow. Startled, she finally noticed the girl. The child seemed to have come from the streets, or from a home scarcely better than the streets. Her hair was light, her eyes a striking blue, her clothes dirty and oversized, adorned with a brightly colored scarf tied in a bohemian style. Nina smiled warily.
“Hello, who might you be?”
“Hi,” the girl replied brightly, “I’m Sara. I can tell your fortune.”
“Tell fortunes?”
Nina glanced at Nikolay, taken aback, but he just shrugged, clueless about such things.
“Sure, go ahead. But may I try to guess your fortune first?”
The girl seemed puzzled.
“Do you know how?”
“Absolutely, do you doubt it?” Nina replied confidently.
Sara looked around nervously and then nodded:
“Okay, but make it quick, before they see me.”
Nina energetically began:
“You’ve been wishing for a large doll with blue eyes just like yours.”
The girl burst into tears:
“How did you know?”
Nina offered her a chocolate bar:
“Want this? It’s all I have. Come, sit and eat.”
She scooted over, making space for Sara between herself and Nikolay, who observed the interaction with interest. Sara confessed she lived with a group of gypsies who often mistreated her, dubbing her a stray. She wasn’t taught much beyond how to charm people into giving money, which she had to hand over entirely. Failing to do so meant severe punishment.
“Do you actually want to stay with them?” Nina asked gently.
“I don’t know, it’s all I’ve known,” Sara replied, recounting how a woman named Rosa had scared her with threats of worse abuse in an orphanage.
“That’s utter nonsense! In an orphanage, it’s clean, and there are lots of other kids to play and learn with. Don’t believe Rosa’s lies,” Nina consoled her.
Nina exchanged a meaningful look with her husband. Nikolay knew that look well—it often preceded Nina’s boldest, most heartfelt ideas.
“Kolya, we’re getting off at the next station. Call your driver.”
“But we’re nearly there!”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Nina, Vasily is in the city. It’ll take him over an hour.”
“So what?” Nina replied firmly.
Kolya sighed, resigned:
“Okay, maybe I should call Katya instead.”
Nina shot him a sharp look:
“Handle it, Kolya.”
Twenty minutes later, an old but spirited sedan pulled up. Nikita hopped out.
“Nina Grigorievna, Nikolay Nikolaevich, is everything okay?”
They had almost forgotten their disguise as vagabonds.
“Nikita, we’ll explain later. Quick, into the car with you, Sara.”
The girl whispered anxiously:
“Oh no, that’s Rosa. She’ll kill me!”
Nina followed Sara’s gaze to see a woman accompanied by two menacing men approaching swiftly. Nikita didn’t hesitate:
“Get in, quick!”
As they sped away, Nikita asked once they were safe:
“Did we just kidnap a child?”
Nina and Kolya exchanged glances, Nina responded:
“I didn’t consider how it might appear. Wait, if you were concerned, why help us?”
“Nikita helped because he trusts us,” Kolya interjected.
Nikita nodded, and the couple sighed in relief.
“Let’s head to our house,” Nina decided.
Sara dozed off on Nina’s shoulder as she looked at the girl tenderly, troubled by her harsh reality but resolved to change it. Nina glanced at her husband, who was quietly discussing with Nikita. What a dependable man he was, always there when needed!
“Nikita, stop here.”
He braked, surprised, before their house:
“You live here?”
“Yes, didn’t you know?”
“No, Katya never let me walk her home.”
After a moment’s pause, Nikita looked at Sara:
“And her?”
“She’ll stay with us tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll call child services. We need to help her. She doesn’t belong with those gypsies, perhaps she was even stolen once.”
As they stepped out of the car, Nina suddenly paused and turned back toward Nikita:
“Nikita, we owe you an apology.”
He looked puzzled:
“An apology to me?”
“Yes. We wrongly suspected that you were with Katya just for her money. We dressed up ridiculously, planning to test you at your family’s home. I’m really embarrassed about it now.”
Nikita gave a reassuring smile:
“I’m not upset. Actually, I was against keeping our relationship hidden from you, but Katya was worried you’d find faults with me and persuade her to end things.”
Nina awkwardly admitted:
“We love our daughter dearly, and letting her go isn’t easy.”
Three months later… “Mom, I’m so happy!”
Nina brushed away her tears.
“The most important thing is your happiness, my dear.”
Katya embraced her tightly:
“Mom, why the tears? Don’t you approve of Nikita?”
“I like him very much!”
“Then why the tears?”
“They’re tears of joy! Honestly, forgive me for being overprotective. We parents always think we know best.”
Katya laughed:
“Without your careful oversight, I could have ended up with someone terrible like Denis, remember? He’s in jail now… But thanks to you, I met Nikita.”
Before Nina could respond, the door swung open and in burst Liza, her skirts swirling around her. Liza, once known as Sara, had a difficult past that Nina had helped transform. After discovering that Liza was orphaned in an accident that claimed her parents, Nina became determined not to let her go back to a life of exploitation.
As Nina grew to understand Liza’s story more, the bond deepened, but she was unsure of the next steps. Her husband Kolya, ever the pillar of support, suggested:
“Nina, it’s clear you’re tormented over this. Liza’s voice has become part of our home. Maybe we should…”
Overcome, Nina hugged him tightly, tears streaming down her face.
Just then, Liza ran in, waving a handmade card:
“Mom, Katya, look what I made all by myself!”
She handed over the card, which clumsily wished the newlyweds well. Katya hugged her:
“Liz, you’re amazing! To think you’ve learned to read and write so quickly. I’m so proud of you, sis!”
Liza beamed with pride.
“Sister…”
Nina took a deep breath. She and Kolya had decided to tell Katya the full truth about her origins on her wedding day. Today was that day.
“Katya, we need to have a serious talk. I’m not sure how you’ll react, but it’s time you knew everything. Just remember, we love you more than life itself.”
Katya responded solemnly:
“That means a lot. Mom, I love you too. And just so you know, I’m aware that I’m adopted.”
Stunned, Nina sank into a chair:
“How long have you known?”
“A few years,” Katya shrugged, “but I want us to remain as we are.”
They embraced for a long time in silence until Liza interrupted:
“Mom, I met a boy at tutoring! He can draw crocodiles.”
Nina perked up:
“Liza, sit down. Tell me everything about him. I need to know it all!”
From behind, Katya chuckled softly then whispered to Liza:
“See, I’m with Nikita now, and you’re the big sister…”