This sunny spring day clearly hinted that it was time to leave the house and enjoy the fresh air. Passers-by, encountering a young man with a pleasant appearance on their way, involuntarily responded to his smile. He was heading to one of the city’s clubs. Ahead, the sign of “Neon,” glowing with lilac and blue lights, was already visible. This evening, there were two student parties for senior courses taking place there.
The young man was about to open the door to the establishment when he heard his name called from behind: – Kostya, hello! Turning around, he saw two of his fellow students hurrying towards him. After greetings, Ruslan, a blond with light strands in his hair, addressed the group: – Well, guys, ready to have some fun? – Always happy to! – Kostya replied. Inside, the venue was divided into zones with comfortable tables. The hall was bustling with life: young people scurried between the dance floor and resting spots. Some were chatting, while others moved to the rhythmic music.
“It seems that besides our group, someone else is celebrating tonight… And there are ours,” noted Alexey, Kostya’s second friend.
Kostya was distracted by greetings from classmates and unexpectedly bumped into a girl. She was rummaging through her clutch, hanging on her shoulder, and did not notice the approaching young man.
“Excuse me, please,” she muttered shyly, but hesitated when she met eyes with the young man.
“Of course, I forgive you,” he smiled. “I’m a bit detached today myself.”
The girl nodded and, still embarrassed, headed to the restroom. Kostya watched her until she disappeared behind the door. His heart felt warm as if a little kitten had settled there. His friends brought him back to reality:
“Kostyan, where did you go?” “What?” “It’s like a crow took you!”
The young man shook himself off and joined his friends. However, after an hour, he noticed the same girl again. She was sitting at a table three away from them, talking and laughing with her friends. Then he decided to take a step that turned his whole life around.
After another joke from her friend, the girl heard a male voice nearby: “Good evening, beautiful lady. May I invite you to dance?”
She turned around, and her heart too filled with warmth.
“Why not? By the way, what’s your name?” she asked with a smile.
“My name is Konstantin,” he introduced himself. “And I’m Vitalina, just Lina is fine,” she replied after a pause.
“What a beautiful and unusual name,” Kostya remarked, offering her his hand.
As if specifically for them, the DJ put on a slow tune – perfect for dancing and conversation. They talked about the student party and their studies.
“How do you like the evening so far?” Kostya started.
“Not bad, quite fun and cozy,” Lina replied.
“I agree,” he smiled.
“May I ask what you are studying?”
“It’s no secret: final year of law school, and soon I’ll be a certified lawyer,” she replied. “And you?”
“I’m also not keeping secrets: internship and then working as an economist. I’ve already found a firm for the internship – medium-sized but very successful. Just what I needed.”
“Great!” Lina sincerely admired.
They preferred to keep the magic of the dance wordless. Time passed, the evening came to an end, and guests began to disperse. At the exit, Kostya lingered a bit to touch Vitalina’s hand and said:
“Lina, I’m not saying goodbye, but ‘until we meet again’. Just in case.” Kostya placed a small piece of paper with his phone number into her palm. Charmed by his charm, the girl took a lip pencil from her purse and, smiling, wrote her number on the back of his hand. After that, the young people returned to their respective companies.
It wasn’t a week before fate brought them together again. This time Kostya invited Vitalina on a real date. He felt she was the special person who could change his life. She, too, enjoyed spending time with this guy, although she was eager to learn more about him.
However, Kostya was not in a hurry to talk about his past. During one of their walks, Vitalina decided to try to uncover his story: “Kostya, tell me a bit about your childhood. Why do you always avoid the topic? Why do you ask everyone to consider you an orphan?”
Kostya sighed and sat down on a bench they came across. Seating Lina on his lap, he began his story: “My father… I never knew him. And my mother… She was dependent on alcohol. Those bottles were everywhere, and it was the hardest time of my life.”
“How hard it must be for a child,” Vitalina said sympathetically, hugging him even tighter. “But I hope your mom managed to overcome that problem?”
“Yes, she beat her demons. It was not easy, but she did it for me. And yet, memories of those years still weigh on my soul,” he confessed with a slight sadness in his voice.
“I understand it hurts to talk about it. I won’t ask any more questions. Come over for tea tomorrow,” Lina gently changed the subject, tenderly stroking his hair.
Kostya smiled and gently kissed her. From then on, he often visited Lina’s home. They had a wonderful time together, although relations with the girl’s mother were complicated. The woman allowed herself no rudeness, but her displeasure with her daughter’s choice was noticeable. Often, after Kostya left, she would say: “He has nothing to his name. His mother was an alcoholic, and his father is a complete mystery. What kind of future can you two have? Don’t repeat his family’s mistakes.”
“I’m sure he can achieve a lot on his own. After all, children do not always turn out like their parents,” Lina would respond, defending her beloved.
Seeing the seriousness of their relationship and the depth of their feelings, Lina’s mother eventually stopped objecting to their romantic connection. Friends and acquaintances, noticing their love, predicted an imminent wedding. And they were right.
After the honeymoon, the newlyweds began a new stage in their life. Kostya successfully graduated from university and got a job as an economist in a thriving trading company. Vitalina also brilliantly defended her thesis and found a place in a renowned law firm. Initially, they focused on creating financial stability and did not plan on having children.
Years went by, and the couple achieved significant career success, securing a solid position for themselves. One morning, while they were drinking coffee during the weekend, Kostya noticed his wife’s thoughtful look. He asked caringly:
“What are you thinking about, Vita?” Lina liked it when her husband called her name like that – it sounded especially soft and attractive in his mouth.
She took his hand in hers, looking him in the eyes: “Kostya, I really like our life right now. We have everything: a house in a great area, a stable financial situation, a car…
“And even a personal driver for our car,” Kostya added with a smile.
“Exactly. And ever since we got married, we’ve been striving to ensure our material well-being. And I think we’ve achieved that goal. Now we can think about the next one.”
She continued holding his hand, knowing he would understand her without words.
“Dear, our home is filled with coziness, harmony, and peace thanks to you. You’re right, and I fully support the idea of having a baby – not just one!” he exclaimed enthusiastically.
“Then let’s visit the medical center in a few days,” Lina suggested joyfully, hugging her husband tighter.
A few days later, they were sitting in one of the best clinics recommended by a close friend of Vitalina’s. The administrator handed them the necessary forms to fill out, after which the couple began undergoing examinations. When the day of their next visit came, the spouses patiently waited their turn. Finally, they were invited into the office, and Lina, barely containing her excitement, asked: “Doctor, what are the results?”
The doctor paused her response, looking carefully first at Kostya, then at Lina. “Your husband’s health is fine, but with your body… I’m afraid there will be serious difficulties.”
Vitalina’s breath caught for a moment, her heart seemed to stop. However, she quickly composed herself and asked the logical question: “What can we do? We really want children and are ready to provide them with the best.”
“Do not despair. Perhaps alternative options for solving this situation will suit you,” the doctor suggested.
The spouses were determined not to give up. They tried different methods, but each time they encountered new failures. Eventually, they made a joint decision to turn to an orphanage. Lina took this matter upon herself. She visited several institutions before finding the one that touched her heart.
Returning home, she hurried to share the joy with her husband: “Kostya, I found her! Our future daughter. It’s definitely fate.”
“Tell me more,” Kostya asked interestedly.
“I knew right away that she was the one. The girl is silent, but doctors say her muteness is related to trauma – she survived a car accident and lost her mother. All attempts to get her to talk have been unsuccessful so far,” Lina explained, looking straight into her husband’s eyes.
The next day they went to the orphanage. In the interview room, they awaited the meeting with the child.
“You said the girl doesn’t talk. What else is known about the cause of her condition?” Kostya asked.
“Yes, we were told that it’s a consequence of shock. The car accident was a real trauma for her,” Lina replied.
Five minutes later, the door opened, and a little girl of about six or seven years old appeared. Her name was Marina.
As soon as Kostya met the child’s gaze, he felt a strange sensation. Then his attention was drawn to a decoration on the girl’s neck.
“This… where did she get that pendant?” Kostya muttered, frozen in place. “What’s wrong, dear? What happened?” his wife asked in surprise. “That pendant… I recognize it. It belonged to my sister Alyona,” he said quietly, looking at the decoration.
Kostya immediately decided to find out the name of the girl’s mother from her accompanying person. She confirmed: “Yes, Marina’s mother was named Alyona.”
“It just can’t be a coincidence! I’m going to see my mother today. And we’ll definitely come back for Marina,” Kostya firmly declared.
The spouses spent some more time at the orphanage. They talked about themselves and tried to engage the girl in conversation, but she remained silent, only occasionally glancing at them and clutching a soft toy in her hands. On the way home, they discussed everything that had happened.
“Why have you never told me about your sister?” Lina asked, looking attentively at her husband.
Kostya tensed slightly, gripping the steering wheel tighter: “Because I lost her in childhood. She just disappeared. Alyona was only two years older than me. I missed her terribly, but my mother seemed to forget she ever existed. And the pendant… it was a special gift – my mother melted down her earrings to make it for my sister. Gifts were a real rarity in our family.”
Arriving home, the young man tenderly kissed his wife as she got out of the car, then gave the driver his mother’s address. About ten minutes later, he was standing in front of the apartment door. Taking a deep breath, Kostya pressed the doorbell.
An elderly woman opened the door without questions and waved her hand, inviting her son in. Kostya followed his mother into the living room.
“Mom, tell the truth about my sister, no tricks,” he said sternly, pulling up a photo of the pendant on his phone. “And let’s avoid distractions, like before.”
The woman gasped, clutching the hem of her dress in her hands, and finally spoke: “Yes, there were two of you: you and Alyona. But because of my problems, I decided to give one of you to an orphanage. I chose her. It seemed to me that she was more independent. I was afraid I couldn’t support both of you due to financial difficulties.”
Kostya turned pale and sat down on a chair next to his mother: “Why didn’t you take her back later? You could have tried!”
“I tried many times, but each time I was refused. The reason cited was my dependency and behavior. I truly grieved over my decision,” she replied, bowing her head.
“You know what I can’t understand the most? That you kept all this a secret for so many years,” he said quietly.
She remained silent, unable to find the words. Kostya did not stay at his mother’s longer than necessary. Returning home, he told Vitalina about the conversation. Their desire to adopt Marina only strengthened.
The next morning, they went to the orphanage for the girl. Marina was already waiting for them, holding a soft toy cat and a small backpack with her belongings. After signing all the necessary documents, the director of the orphanage sat next to her and, gently taking her hand, said: “Now you have a mom and dad again. I’m sure you’ll be warm and cozy with Vitalina and Kostya.”
Saying goodbye to Marina, the director hugged her and escorted the newly formed family to the main entrance of the orphanage. Getting into the car, Kostya instructed the driver to head to the clinic where they could undergo a DNA test.
“I want to finally confirm that Marina is my sister’s daughter,” he explained to Lina’s unspoken question.
Ten days later, an email with the test results arrived. Entering the nursery where Lina was playing with the girl, Kostya announced with shining eyes: “My suspicions were confirmed!”
He crouched before Marina, carefully took her little hands in his, and began to speak: “I want to tell you something very important for all of us. Especially for you and me. You see, I’m your uncle – the brother of your mom, Alyona. We are blood relatives.”
The girl looked at him silently for a few seconds, then suddenly hugged Kostya as tightly as she could for her age.
Lina and Kostya were amazed when they heard Marina’s tender voice: “So, now I really have a real family? And I’ll never be alone again?”
Unable to utter a word, Lina quietly sobbed and smiled through tears of happiness. Kostya, looking at his wife, fatherly embraced both of his most precious women – his beloved wife and the niece he had suddenly found. At that moment, their family truly became complete.