— Arthur, I’m pregnant!” — she almost knocked her husband over, throwing herself around his neck. She was so eager to share the joyful news as soon as possible.
He caught her but immediately pushed her away. It was then she noticed that strange look flicker in his eyes.
— “Are you sure?” — he asked dryly.
— “Yes, I was at the doctor today. Imagine, we’re going to be parents soon!”
She expected excitement, congratulations, maybe even tears of joy. But definitely not what Arthur did.
— “Alisa, this is really bad timing,” — he said tiredly and went into the bathroom.
Hormones overwhelmed her, and she cried like a child. Quiet sobs came over her; her arms and legs felt strangely heavy. She barely made it to a chair to sit down. Suddenly, she felt so hurt and bitter that she wanted to climb the walls from sorrow.
— “Alisa, what’s wrong?” — Arthur was immediately there. He hugged her and held her tighter, but she cried even harder.
— “My God, just have this baby! I didn’t mean anything by what I said,” — he snapped and pushed his wife away.
Things got worse. Arthur didn’t even mention the baby anymore, simply ignoring his wife’s pregnancy. And she barely noticed, surrendering to the wonderful feeling that a new life was growing inside her.
Arthur’s mother dryly congratulated her, so Alisa couldn’t even share her joy with her. That woman inspired an inexplicable fear in her.
But Matvey…
— “Can I feel?” — Arthur’s friend asked when she told him how the pregnancy was progressing.
Alisa nodded and froze, embarrassed by the stranger’s hand on her still barely visible belly.
— “It’s really kicking!” — Matvey exclaimed in surprise.
Alisa laughed. She felt glad that at least someone cared. Matvey began buying her all sorts of treats, brought baby clothes and toys, and eagerly discussed baby names with her. Alisa accepted his care, probably because her husband didn’t care about her.
That fateful day
The autumn wind played with yellow leaves as Alisa went to pick out a baby blanket for discharge from the hospital. She was already told it would be a girl. She wanted to buy something very cute, pink, with lots of lush lace.
Why did she go there? Why didn’t she turn another way? Who knows. But Alisa ended up at an expensive boutique. Nearby was a great coffee shop where she wanted to have a snack.
Arthur came out first. At first, she didn’t think anything bad, even took a step toward him. Then she froze. He turned around, and she saw on his face a smile he hadn’t shared with her in a long time.
And behind him, a beautiful brunette was walking — tall, slender, elegantly dressed. Alisa, mesmerized, watched them and nearly screamed when her husband’s hand rested on that woman’s waist and his lips pressed against hers.
She stepped back and hid behind a large flowerpot, standing there praying only that he wouldn’t notice her. They passed so close she caught the scent of their perfume.
Then her vision darkened. It seemed she fell at someone’s feet. There was a commotion, someone called an ambulance, and all she could do was call Matvey and say she felt bad.
The baby was gone that same day.
The time after
The doctors said it was a pathology, that there was nothing terrible about it, reassured her that she would have more children. Arthur came, pretended to care and worry, not even guessing that her detached look was only directed at him.
She returned home silent, a completely different person. In her head, a plan had already formed on how to leave him, but first, she decided to recover.
The extra weight wouldn’t go away. Arthur grew increasingly irritated and made remarks to her. One fine day, he announced:
— “We have a banquet coming up for the company merger. Matvey has finally matured.”
— “Good news,” — Alisa replied.
— “Excellent. Everyone will be in pairs.”
— “Then I need to buy a new dress.”
He turned and gave his wife a contemptuous look:
— “What dress, Alisa? Have you looked at yourself? Do you think I said that so you’d come with me? Get real. I’m not going to embarrass myself. I’ll go with a friend and say you’re still feeling unwell.”
She was silent, and that seemed to anger her husband even more.
— “You do realize I’m right? Mom said it well — you’re a useless woman, Alisa. You always were, and now you’ve completely sunk. Lost the baby — so what, now you’re going to get fat like a cow?”
— “Is that your mother’s idea?” — Alisa asked, as if in a trance.
— “Yes, I think it’s a great idea. At least no one will laugh at me, and I’ll get a break from your sour face.”
Arthur grabbed his jacket and stormed out of the house. The strange thing was, she felt nothing.
But Matvey, it seems, had a sense about her mood. As soon as the door closed behind Arthur, the phone rang.
— “I’m nearby. Are you home?”
— “Yes, at home. Come if you want. Arthur just left.”
He brought flowers — always did. But today, for some reason, Alisa felt embarrassed.
— “You know?” — she asked at the door.
Without waiting for his confused response, she burst into tears on her friend’s shoulder and told him everything. He was silent for a long time, pressing his lips together, then decisively stood up.
— “I’m sorry you had to go through all that. Really. I don’t approve of that. And honestly — your Arthur is an idiot.”
The banquet evening
The next day he came for her himself. First took her to a store to buy a dress and shoes, then to a salon where they turned her into a doll. Her ample figure didn’t spoil the look at all, and even Alisa noticed that.
Arthur felt like the king of the ball. People smiled at him, congratulated him, complimented him. Everyone’s eyes were on his companion.
Matvey was late, and Arthur began to get nervous. His gaze wandered around the banquet hall searching for his partner. When he found her, he couldn’t believe his eyes.
Next to his business partner stood his wife. But this woman was nothing like the “useless woman” he had left at home. People crowded around her, she talked animatedly with everyone, gracefully holding a glass of champagne. Her hand rested on Matvey’s bent elbow.
— “Matvey, why am I not informed that you and my wife planned to attend tonight together?” — Arthur asked his friend mockingly as he approached them.
He expected Alisa to start stammering excuses. Instead, she proudly lifted her chin:
— “Dear, I was just about to formally tell you that I’m leaving you.”
He didn’t get to answer because Matvey immediately spoke:
— “And yes, sorry friend, but you know how I feel about adultery. I weighed everything and decided I don’t want the merger.”
Even Alisa was surprised, but quickly recovered and wiped the surprise off her face.
Matvey clinked glasses with the failed partner, turned around, and led her toward the exit.
— “Now let’s leave in style,” — he whispered in her ear and quietly laughed.
Afterward
Already in the car, she asked:
— “Why did you do that?”
— “It was fair. And honestly, this partnership wasn’t very beneficial to me. Arthur was the one winning, not me. So I lose nothing.”
— “And anyway, you announced your leaving. Have you decided where you’ll go?”
Alisa shook her head:
— “No, not decided. Probably to my parents.”
— “Could be. You’ll live in my apartment for now. I’m there very rarely. Let’s go pick up your things.”
Alisa blushed:
— “Matvey, if you think that…”
— “I don’t think anything, and I don’t expect anything from you. I just want to help.”
— “Okay, I won’t refuse.”
They moved her things quickly, but the divorce took time. Matvey helped here too — he hired a very good lawyer who fairly divided the jointly acquired property.
And then… then he was simply there. And Alisa lived, recovered, and thought about what to do next.
But who knows, maybe time will pass, and she will thaw enough to see what she doesn’t notice yet but has long felt with her heart. Perhaps something more than just friendship has begun between them. Maybe a feeling already lives in her heart that she is afraid to name. Maybe this is the beginning of true love — the kind that doesn’t come immediately but stays forever.