— “Olga, has your son gotten married? I saw him with a woman and a little boy. Did he take one ‘with baggage’ or what?” a neighbor asked Olga.
— “He hasn’t gotten married yet, but I’d be only too glad,” Olga replied in surprise.
It was unexpected news for her. Her son Andrei lived with her and had no plans to get married yet.
— “Son, I was told someone saw you with a woman who has a child. Are you seeing someone?” Olga asked when she got home.
— “Oh, those aunties, they have to know everything and run to report it right away. I didn’t want to tell you. She has a child, so nothing serious will come of it. Lena is a widow; her husband died two years ago, and she’s raising her son.”
“We met through work, and one thing led to another. Don’t worry, I definitely won’t bring her home.”
— “Well, I was already happy for a moment there. And the fact that she has a child—there’s nothing terrible about that.”
— “No, I’m not going to raise someone else’s kid. I want my own.”
— “She’ll give you one of your own. You’re 34 already—how long are you going to stay a bachelor?”
— “I’m still young! What, do you wish me ill, Mom?”
— “How is starting a family wishing you ill? That’s happiness, son.”
Andrei had his own apartment, but he preferred living with his mother, and rented that apartment out, saving up for a new car.
Mom cooked and did the laundry—very convenient. And the women he dated, once they found out he lived with his mother, weren’t eager to marry him—just as he wanted. They had their fun and then parted ways.
He never told anyone about his own apartment. He would meet women at their place or rent a room in a hotel. That lifestyle suited him.
One day Olga was walking home from work and saw her son with that woman. They were strolling unhurriedly along the sidewalk. She was short, with long light-brown hair, pretty. Who could she be? If only she could meet her…
And such a chance presented itself. Olga ran into her by accident as she was leaving a store.
— “Excuse me, are you Elena? I once saw you with my son Andrei. My name is Olga…”
— “Hello. Yes, I’m Elena, and I know Andrei well… Nice to meet you, Olga Ivanovna. Andrei said he lives with you.”
— “Shall we sit in a café and talk?” Olga suggested.
— “All right, let’s go—there’s a good place nearby, they have tasty coffee.”
Olga could see Lena was embarrassed, and she herself felt a bit uncomfortable too. It was as if she were imposing…
They settled at a table and placed an order.
— “Andrei said you have a son. How old is he, and what’s his name?”
— “He’s five; his name is Vladik. My husband died in an accident two years ago. I live in a one-room apartment with my son. After my husband’s death, his parents sold the apartment we lived in and threw us out on the street. The apartment was in my mother-in-law’s name. Ex-mother-in-law.”
“I have no parents; I’m an orphan. My grandmother raised me, but unfortunately she passed away. I inherited her old little house in a settlement. I sold it and took out a mortgage on an apartment in the city—the proceeds were just enough for the down payment.”
“I work as a sales manager in a shop. Well, that’s my brief biography.”
Olga listened attentively to Lena and realized she liked her. Green eyes framed by lush lashes, a small neat nose. A very pleasant woman. And she spoke calmly, evenly.
— “Andrei never told me anything about you, sadly. I would have been glad to meet you.”
— “He probably was afraid to say I have a child—many people look down on a woman ‘with baggage.’ Or maybe he just isn’t ready for family life. I’m not insisting. We’re good together, and that’s what matters…”
— “Lena, why don’t you come over with Andrei and Vladik? I’d be very happy!”
— “If Andrei agrees, then gladly! Nice to meet you!”
That evening Olga told her son:
— “Andrei, I’m expecting you with Lena and Vlad as guests on Saturday. No refusals. Lena agreed. We met by chance on the street. I once saw her with you and I spoke up first.”
— “Mom, why are you meddling in my life? And inviting her over on top of it… I don’t even know what to say. I’m not sure I want to marry her—everything suits me fine as it is.”
— “Don’t be angry, son. I’m not forcing you to marry, but I’ll be glad to spend time with Lena. I really liked her—she’s a dear.”
Andrei muttered something unintelligible and went to his room. A carbon copy of his father… The same explosive temper.
Her husband had left Olga three years earlier. He’d had an affair with a colleague. Olga let him go calmly—there’s no forcing love. And their relationship hadn’t been the best for a long time.
Evgeny liked to drink, often went on business trips, and at some point Olga realized they were strangers to each other.
Andrei kept in touch with his father and sometimes told Olga bits about his life. She wasn’t particularly interested.
Lena came over with her son and Andrei. Vladik looked very much like his mother—the same hair and eye color. A quiet, calm boy.
Olga tried her best to please Lena and Vlad, offering various dishes and baked goods she had bought at the store. The visit went in a sweet, friendly atmosphere. Even Andrei didn’t behave as usual. He joked and looked happy.
Watching them, Olga thought, “If only they’d get married and give me a granddaughter—I’d be so happy…”
From that day on, Lena and Vladik often visited Olga. She might come even when Andrei wasn’t home. Olga persistently invited them over.
She loved talking with Lena about different things; sometimes they’d have a glass of wine, go shopping together. Olga very much hoped her son would propose—she couldn’t imagine a better wife.
Then, for several days, Lena didn’t answer Olga’s phone calls.
— “Andrei, what’s going on with Lena’s phone? I can’t get through. Do you know anything?”
— “We broke up. Don’t ask anything…”
— “Broke up? Why? Everything was fine!” Olga was upset.
— “That’s how it is. I don’t need problems…”
— “Just say what happened.”
— “They found some illness in Vlad, and he suddenly got much worse. He urgently needs medication, expensive. Lena’s in a panic, doesn’t know what to do. She probably expects me to help. And how can I help?! It’s easier for me to dump her!”
Olga stared at her son in amazement. What was he saying?
— “You dumped the woman you love at a hard moment?! So you wouldn’t have to help her son? You’re a scoundrel…”
— “Why am I a scoundrel? Why should I give money to someone else’s child? I feel sorry for him, of course, but there’s nothing I can do to help. Lena is strong; she’ll manage.”
— “You have that money saved for the car! You can drive the old one a while longer, but you’d be saving a child’s life. Did that not occur to you? Is a hunk of metal dearer than a life?”
— “Oh, Mom, don’t start lecturing me…”
Andrei left. Olga sank onto a chair and grabbed her head. How could they have raised such a callous, unfeeling person…
She had some small savings. She’d been putting money aside from her salary; there was a bit left from her husband. She had opened a bank deposit and reinvested the interest. She kept it for a rainy day—and it had arrived.
Olga had grown to love Elena and her son and sincerely wanted to help.
At last Lena called back.
— “I’m sorry, Olga Ivanovna, I couldn’t call earlier—there was no time…”
— “Lenochka, I know everything… I really want to help Vladik. Tomorrow I’ll withdraw the money and give it to you for your son’s treatment.”
— “Oh no, you mustn’t… We’re strangers to you. I’ll come up with something, I promise.”
— “You’re no longer strangers. Please accept my help… And Andrei is a scoundrel. Forgive me for such a son…”
Elena said nothing to that. The next day Olga withdrew the money and brought it to Lena. She was very grateful and promised to pay it back over time.
— “Andrei, pack your stuff and move into your own apartment—the tenants have just moved out, it’s empty. I don’t want to live under the same roof with you!”
— “Wow, that’s a twist… Because of Lenka, is it? You’re something else, Mom… You worry about a stranger’s son and don’t give a damn about your own?”
— “I’m ashamed of you. I’m afraid to think what awaits me in old age…”
Andrei left, slamming the door loudly on purpose. Olga felt heavy at heart. Her only son—and like this… What could she do now…
A charity stepped in and helped buy the medicine, and Vlad began to recover. All that time Olga kept in touch, visited them, and brought treats.
She still spoke to Andrei, but coldly. Lena tried not to talk about him at all and never asked anything.
At some point Olga noticed Lena had started wearing loose dresses; her waist was thickening.
— “Lena, forgive the question… Are you by any chance pregnant?”
— “You figured it out… Yes, five months already. I hid it from Andrei—I was afraid he’d accuse me of trying to trap him into marriage because of a pregnancy. I just couldn’t go through with an abortion. I was going to, but at the last moment I changed my mind.”
“I’m going to have a daughter. It’s okay—I’ll manage.”
— “My God, Lenochka, I’m so happy! It’s my dream to have a granddaughter! I’ll help you, I promise! Thank you for such a gift, daughter!”
Olga hugged Lena joyfully. Now they would become even closer, despite the fact that Andrei knew nothing.
The pregnancy went smoothly, and a healthy baby girl was born on time. They didn’t tell Andrei.
Olga often went to see Lena, helped with her granddaughter, bought gifts for the children and groceries. The girl was named Alina. She looked very much like Andrei—dark-haired with a little pointed nose.
“Ah, son, such happiness is passing you by… You could be living and rejoicing…”
One day Andrei saw his mother with a stroller near her building. Lena had gone to the hospital and had asked Olga to watch the baby, bringing her daughter over.
— “Hi, Mom! What, are you babysitting for pay now? Short on money? You could’ve told me—I’d help…”
— “I don’t need anything from you, Andryusha… I can manage myself.”
Andrei peered into the stroller and froze for a moment. Did he sense his own blood? But no, he said nothing.
At that moment a taxi pulled into the yard and Lena got out.
— “Hello, Andrei. Well, how’s everything, Olga Ivanovna? Was Alina fussy?”
— “No, Lenochka, all’s well! She ate, slept, and now we’re out for a walk…”
Andrei looked at them, completely at a loss.
— “Is this your child? Did you get married? But the girl is so little… Who’s the father?”
— “The girl has a mother—and that’s enough!”
— “And a grandmother, I’d like to point out… Andrei, she’s your daughter. If that even interests you to know…”
— “Mine?! And you hid it all this time? You two are something, women…”
Andrei glanced into the stroller again, confused, and left without a word.
— “Well, now he knows…”
A few days later Andrei came to Lena’s home. He offered money, but she refused. The hurt was too deep.
Five years passed.
Olga had a stroke. Lena moved in with the children to Olga’s apartment to help, since it was hard for Olga to walk.
Alina and Vlad helped too. They brought Grandma food; Vlad read books to her. They loved Grandma Olya very much and felt sorry for her.
Andrei continued to live as a bachelor in his own apartment, occasionally visiting his mother. He saw Lena and the children and spoke with them. Alina knew he was her father, but she was a little afraid of him.
Olga signed the apartment over to Lena as a deed of gift, so that later she could pass it on to Alina.
— “Well, Lenochka, wasn’t it lucky I met you—now I have two beloved ‘attachments,’ Vlad and Alina. I’m happy you’re in my life, thank you for everything…”
Olga could never have imagined that this fragile woman would become like a daughter to her, and her own son would turn from family into a stranger…
That’s the kind of surprise life sometimes brings…