Ivan Viktorovich shouted in complete bewilderment:
— How can it be — she can’t be found anywhere?! Did she just disappear?
The bewildered nanny tried to justify herself:
— I really can’t imagine how this happened. I was only distracted for a moment… And then this dog, people started to scatter. I turned around to see Polechka, to pick her up, but she was nowhere to be found.
Ivan shuddered as he dialed the phone:
— This is Dyachenko. My daughter just disappeared in the park, literally ten minutes ago.
He quickly rose from his place and briefly lingered near the frightened nanny:
— If even a hair falls from Polina’s head, I’ll shove your phone where it belongs!
The nanny turned pale and thought: “How did he know about the phone?” Of course, she got a bit carried away with social media, but only for about ten minutes, no more.
The owner had already noticed her doing this before, but she tried never to take out her phone in his presence. And now such a disaster had happened…
She had been working in this family for only three months and all this time felt how hard it was to take care of a child. Only her salary kept her there.
Ivan Viktorovich and his security rushed to the park, which was a ten-minute walk away. By this time, two police cars were already approaching the park. Only now did the nanny begin to realize the seriousness of what had happened.
She was pale, and the more she thought about what could have happened to the five-year-old girl, the scarier it became. Ivan’s booming voice even scared away a flock of birds. He shouted:
— Come here!
Olga hesitantly approached, twisting a cord around her finger and afraid to look up.
— Tell me how it all happened.
Like a frightened rabbit, Olga began to quietly explain:
— We were here, I was sitting on the bench, and Polina was always in my sight, feeding the pigeons. Suddenly there was a noise: stray dogs attacked and started fighting with a big dog that a man was walking. There was a commotion, people tried to separate them. I wanted to pick up Polya so she wouldn’t be scared, I looked around and she was gone.
Olga, scared and bewildered, looked around, while Ivan Viktorovich barely restrained himself from unleashing his anger on her.
“How did I even hire her?” — he pondered.
Then a boy about eight or nine years old, looking like a typical street urchin, approached them. Olga looked at him anxiously, and he said:
— She was on the phone. The girl was playing by herself. I saw it, I was playing nearby. And as soon as all this commotion started, Polina went to where the dogs were, and this lady noticed it only later, — the boy said and sniffled. — Some guy stopped next to Polina, and they were talking. Your girl liked the dogs, so she went to them. Then they started barking, and then all this happened…
— Now she’s nowhere to be found… — Olga uttered, blinking in confusion.
She felt as though she had sunk into the ground, realizing that now she couldn’t avoid trouble.
— It’s all lies, all lies! That’s not how it happened! — Olga tried to justify herself, but Ivan Viktorovich, without turning around, barked:
— Be quiet!
He turned his attention to the boy:
— What happened next?
— The girl got very scared, the dogs were very close… she started crying, I calmed her down, — the boy explained.
— Where is she now? — Ivan asked, anxiously looking into the boy’s eyes.
— There, — the boy pointed, — she fell asleep under the tree. She cried and cried, and then she fell asleep. I covered her, and then you came.
Ivan Viktorovich, along with his security and the police, hurried to follow the boy and found Polya, sweetly sleeping on a cardboard box.
— Polechka! My baby! — Ivan tenderly lifted her into his arms.
The girl opened her eyes, flinched in fright, but then broke into a smile.
— Daddy, there were such huge dogs here, and Grishka protected me!
— My sunshine, I was so worried about you, — Ivan soothed her.
Polya was still looking for someone and asked:
— Where’s Grishka?
Ivan quickly looked at the security guards, but they just shrugged. The boy had disappeared as if swallowed by the earth, even though he had just been standing nearby.
Ivan just sighed deeply, thinking about the need for more attentive and responsible staff.
Holding his daughter in his arms, he headed home, stopping near Olga, who was still standing, fiddling with a cord on her clothes.
— You’re very lucky. You have ten minutes to pack your things and leave my house. I hope I never see you again. I will pass all the information about you to the agency where you work, — he said, and his look was resolute, arguing was pointless.
Olga wanted to object about unpaid salary, but realizing the futility of her protest, shuffled to the house for her belongings.
Having arrived home, Polya finally burst into tears. The consequences of the stress endured showed: she kept asking:
— Daddy, why did Grishka leave?
— Was he that good?
— When that mean dog barked at me, Grishka stood between us. He even barked back at her and loudly yelled, pushing me under the tree. I was so scared I couldn’t walk, just cried. Then he gave me a doll, and I fell asleep, — Polya shared her experiences.
— Polushka, I promise you, I’ll find him, I give you my word, — Ivan said firmly, looking at his daughter.
She pulled a doll out from under her blouse:
— Dad, look after her while I sleep, okay? I just need to rest a bit, and then I’ll play with her myself.
Ivan looked at his daughter and realized that her condition was a result of what she had experienced. Touching her forehead, he saw that her temperature was normal. He thought about whether he should call a doctor. Leaving this thought for later, he carefully covered the little girl with a blanket and suddenly noticed the doll she had handed him. Looking at it, he felt his blood drain from his face.
Masha had always been exceptionally unusual. She often dwelled in her dreams and fantasies. Everyone around called her a bit strange. However, Ivan saw a special sincerity and kindness in Masha that attracted him. Honestly, he hadn’t really cared much about such qualities then, but something about this girl was mesmerizing. He decided that she had to be a part of his life, even without the commitment of marriage.
Ivan beautifully courted Masha, and he could afford it. He had a lot of free time and no money problems, as his father still ran the family toy factory.
When Masha first invited him over, Ivan was amazed. It turned out that she was involved in making toys. This was an amazing coincidence. Masha’s relatives, even her great-grandmother, sewed dolls that only wealthy people could afford. Masha’s talent for drawing was also impressive.
With a smile, the girl laid a huge vintage album in front of him. She brewed coffee, and they spent the entire night studying drawings and notes with dimensions.
— Masha, you have no idea how valuable this album is. It’s a genuine author’s legacy. These dolls will be hugely popular, — Ivan jumped up.
Hundreds of ideas came to his mind, and he forgot about the original purpose of his visit. Masha watched his reaction with a smile, and he, being far away in his thoughts, spoke:
— Masha, I need to go. Don’t be upset, I need to think everything over, — he said.
She barely kissed him, bringing him back to reality for a moment, but then gently pushed him towards the exit:
— First thoughts are the most honest.
He didn’t see her for several months until he drafted a business plan, until his father listened to him and smiled approvingly:
— Son, this could really be a worthwhile idea.
They walked around the city, and Ivan enthusiastically shared with Masha plans not only for making retro-style toys but also for restoring vintage specimens.
— Masha, I can’t express how grateful I am for this find!
Several hours of love that followed were something special for Ivan. In the morning, when he was about to leave, Masha handed him the very album:
— Grandma would be happy to know that her work is again bringing joy and success.
— I can’t take it. It’s your memory! — he was surprised.
— I want her dolls to continue living.
Time flew by, and busyness consumed him so much that he no longer had time or energy for Masha, and then the first presentation passed, where he met Ira — the future mother of Polya.
Three months later, Masha unexpectedly came to his office. She looked exhausted and pale, and Ivan was deep in wedding preparations and had almost forgotten about her.
— Masha, how nice to see you! — he exclaimed.
Ivan quickly approached the cabinet where the first doll made at his factory was stored. He took the toy in his hands and said:
— Masha, this doll should be yours.
Masha accepted the doll and looked at Ivan as if she was about to say something. But then the phone rang. It was Ira.
— Yes, dear, — he answered.
While he was talking, Masha quietly left. Ivan first thought to catch up with her, but changed his mind, deciding it was inappropriate.
Unfortunately, Ira died during childbirth. The doctor explained that if she had lived a more measured and calm life, everything could have been different. But it turned out as it did. Ivan adored his little Polina.
And now in his hands was that first doll from his factory. Who this boy Grisha was, and how he ended up with this doll, Vanya didn’t know, but he understood that he had to find him.
He wandered around the park, hoping to find the boy, but he didn’t show up. Suddenly Ivan saw a group of homeless people and headed towards them.
— Hello, do you know a boy named Grisha? How can I find him? — asked Ivan.
The homeless people looked at him attentively. Ivan realized that they were expecting something from him, and he handed out a few banknotes. The elder, apparently respected among his peers, asked:
— Why do you need him? The boy is good, did something happen?
— No, — replied Vanya. — I want to thank him. He saved my daughter.
After consulting among themselves, the elder said:
— Go to the end of the street, then you’ll enter a private sector. Go straight until you hit a house. Knock louder, there’s always a drunk old woman there, Grisha is with her.
Ivan approached the old, mud-covered house, not believing that Masha could have lived there.
— Why are you here? — he heard a familiar voice.
— Hello, Grisha. I’m here to find out if you need anything, and also to ask about this doll, — said Vanya.
Grisha came out from behind the fence and sat down on a bench. Nearby, a car with two security guards who always accompanied Ivan was parked.
— The doll? It’s not really mine. It’s my mom’s. She never parted with it.
— What’s your mom’s name? — asked Ivan.
— Maria. She’s sick, can’t walk, and grandma drinks and beats her, — explained Grisha. — Do you know my mom?
— Yes, it seems. I gave her this doll, — Ivan admitted.
Grisha shook his head, disagreeing:
— Can’t be. Mom said that my father gave her the doll, but he’s long gone.
Ivan felt his hands start to tremble as soon as he realized how tangled everything was.
— Grisha, where is mom now? Can I talk to her?
— She’s in the house, I’m telling you — she can’t walk. Grandma is angry today and won’t let anyone in, — the boy warned.
Ivan decisively stood up and signaled the security guards. The car moved closer, and the guards quickly got out of the vehicle. Grisha, as if spellbound, kept his eyes on the adults. He pointed the way, and they entered the house, where they were immediately hit by the smell of neglect, alcohol, and fried onions.
— Who are you? — a woman with signs of alcoholism on her face, noticeably tipsy, addressed them. People of the same social level sat at the table.
— Where’s Maria?
— What do you want from my niece? Who are you to come in without knocking and still asking questions?
Grisha gestured for Vanya to go to the door, and he went through. The guard held the woman back so she wouldn’t interfere.
On the grimy bed lay Masha — or rather, a woman almost unrecognizably worn and emaciated, but still Masha. She slowly turned her head, looked into Vanya’s eyes, and after a moment, smiled. — You’re here… I knew you would come, — she whispered.
The doctor examined her and just shook his head:
— To let herself go like this with a simple fracture… Unbelievable. We’ll treat it. It will have to be broken to be fixed. It won’t be quick or cheap, but it’s still fixable.
Grisha quietly sobbed:
— What will I do? Grandma won’t let me go without mom.
— Now you’ll live with us — with me and Polya, — Ivan replied.
The boy looked at him hopefully:
— Does that mean you’re my real father?
Vanya sighed heavily:
— Honestly, I’m not sure. But something tells me that’s the case. Mom will definitely get better and be with us, — he said, encouragingly patting the boy on the head.
— That would be nice…
— Well, let’s go, your sister is waiting.
Grisha beamed a wide smile:
— We’re kind of already acquainted!