Lisa was so often in the hospital that her husband lost count. Of course, he visited her, bringing all sorts of tasty treats and the necessary medications. His mother did not like her sick daughter-in-law.
“She’s given birth to all these children and now she’s bedridden. You should have used your head first, then have children!” she would say to her son. “And you chose quite the wife.”
“Mom, go away and stop nagging,” Vova replied. “All you do is grumble for nothing. Could she have anticipated getting sick? Weren’t you ever young yourself? You must have thought youth was endless and that you’d never get sick.” “I relied on myself,” snorted Zinaida Petrovna. “So I never had time to be sick.” “Do you really think Lisa is pretending?” the husband was getting angry. “She gave birth to three children. She comes from a poor family.”
“She probably never saw proper nutrition in her childhood, and it’s reflected in her health now.” “Only such wives come from poor families!” Zinaida Petrovna continued to fume. “Tsk! I don’t want to talk to you anymore. Look who you’re defending.”
“How tired I am of you! Did I get married to listen to this from you, Mom?” Vladimir’s outrage knew no bounds.
Grabbing his jacket, he ran out of the house. He didn’t bother to start the car. Feeling a few bills in his pocket, he walked to the store. There, he picked up a couple of apples, an orange, bananas. He wrapped it all in a bag and went on his way.
At the hospital, they were preparing for the night. “Sir, who are you visiting?” a young nurse stopped him. “I’m here for Liza Pakhomova,” he told her. “I’ll check,” replied the nurse and went to the fourth ward. Soon, she came out. “Your wife is asleep. She shouldn’t be disturbed. Anything to pass on?” “Yes. These fruits, please,” handing over the bag, said Vova. “Alright. I’ll put the bag away and give it to her in the morning,” heard the man and dashed outside. Shivering from the cold, he turned back. How he did not want to go home now. His mother unfairly blamed Liza for her illnesses. The young woman had no bad habits… Disease doesn’t care whether you are young or old. It comes for everyone.
“You’re late. The kids are already asleep,” his mother said quietly. The woman seemed very calm. “Where were you? The car is in the garage, and you’re not here.” “At the hospital.” “What’s with Liza?” “She’s asleep too…” “And you should go to bed. It’s late after all. You have to get up early for work tomorrow; take the kids to kindergarten, school,” the woman said. “Yes, right now,” Vova agreed, taking off his jacket.
The next morning, the man dropped off the kids at their institutions and decided to swing by the hospital for a minute. As soon as he stepped into the hospital, a doctor approached him with the words:
“Your wife has fallen into a coma. I hope it’s temporary.” “What?!” Vladimir gaped at the doctor in shock. “You see, the disease is serious. We don’t know how the body will react to it. The weaker the immune system, the more treacherous the disease behaves. Sorry, I need to go to other patients.”
Vladimir stood petrified. He had so hoped to see Liza now and talk to her. Assure her that she would definitely get better, and they would go on a vacation to the south this year…
That evening, he received terrible news: his dear wife had passed away.
After the mourning period, Vladimir grieved for Liza for a long time. He often came to her grave and brought fresh flowers.
“Forgive me, my dear Liza,” he said, tears streaming as he looked at the monument.
Zinaida Petrovna helped her son with the children for a while, then announced that she was going to work. “I’ve dreamed all my life of getting a job there! Finally, I can work where I like,” she told her son at dinner. “Who will help me with the children, Mom?” Vova was puzzled. “They’ll manage on their own. They’re not little anymore!” the woman snorted.
The son frowned. How unlucky he was with his mother! Why was she so… heartless… How many times had she brought Liza to tears and then blamed her for being upset. Perhaps his wife wouldn’t have left life so early if she hadn’t been treated that way… Now Vova himself had to take care of little Sonya, Vika, and Nikitka.
Over time, Zinaida Petrovna moved out, leaving her son and grandchildren on their own.
“Life goes on. Why should I suffer alone? My Vasyenka and I make a great pair!” she told her son as she left the house with large suitcases. “And you’ll find yourself a wife. Just look for a healthier one, not like your sick Liza.”
Vladimir didn’t respond. He just shook his head after her. To somehow manage to look after the children, the man placed an ad. Sometimes he worked on weekends, so it would be dangerous to leave his daughters and son alone.
That evening, he was at home when someone quietly knocked on the door. “Who is it?” Vova was startled, seeing an unfamiliar grandmother on the threshold. “I’m Anastasia Fedotovna. And what’s your name?” the elderly woman murmured quietly. “Vladimir. Granny, what did you want?” “Oh, I’m hungry!” she wailed. “Haven’t eaten anything for two days.” “Right now,” the man replied and brought out a couple of sandwiches.
She grabbed them greedily and quickly ate them. “Granny, don’t you have anywhere to go?” Vova asked. “Nowhere, my dear!” the old woman wailed. “They drove me out of my home with a wicked broom.” “Granny, don’t stand there. It’s cold. Come in,” the homeowner invited her in. The woman entered and cried even harder. “They beat me, beat me! I barely escaped from them with my legs,” the granny continued.
Vladimir pondered. “My dear, may I stay here for the night?” she asked. “I only have the living room to offer you. I don’t have a separate bedroom,” the man informed her. “I’m so tired… Thank you, kind person!” the old woman thanked him and walked over to the unfolded sofa.
She stretched out on it, and Vladimir couldn’t stop wondering to himself: why had he let this poor street wanderer into his house? It was clear: she was a natural street vagrant… what if she robbed him?
The next morning, everyone woke up to a delicious aroma coming from the kitchen. Vova jumped out of bed. It reminded him so much of Liza’s presence in the house! She also used to cook while everyone was still asleep…
Vladimir went to the kitchen and froze. Anastasia Fedotovna was baking pancakes; the kettle was warming on the stove; the dishes were washed and put away in the cupboard.
“Good morning to a good person!” the granny greeted him. “Good morning,” he nodded in surprise. “Come to the table, master, while everything’s still warm. Call the kids. Have some breakfast,” she offered. But the kids had already come in and stared with surprised eyes at the unfamiliar guest bustling in the kitchen.
She said it so homely, warming Vladimir’s heart. It had been a long time since his mother had treated him to delicious pancakes in the morning. Soon, the whole family was devouring the grandmother’s baked goods, dipping them in honey and jam.
It was a day off for both Volya and the children. After breakfast, Anastasia Fedotovna herself cleared the table and washed the dishes. “I feel like you’re from a fairy tale,” Vladimir told her after the meal. “It’s been a long time since we had such a delicious breakfast. Thank you. “Why are your pants torn? Quickly bring a needle and thread, they need to be darned,” the old woman squinted and told him in response.
Ten minutes later, Volya put on trousers that no longer had a big hole. “Now I can go to the store,” he announced. “I’ll be back soon. Can you sit with the kids?” “Why wouldn’t I? Of course, I’ll sit!” the woman agreed.
When Vladimir returned home half an hour later, he was amazed: the kids were listening intently, surrounding the old woman as she told them some fairy tale. “Wonders!” Vladimir exclaimed to himself.
Thus, Anastasia stayed with them. One day, the granny found some crumpled paper in her pocket and threw it in the trash. One of the daughters noticed and reached into the bin for the crumpled sheet.
“It’s a phone number!” Vika babbled, running to her father. “Let me take a look,” taking the paper from his daughter’s hand, said Volya. “Indeed it is.”
He took his mobile and dialed the numbers. “Hello!” he greeted. A woman answered him. “We found this number with our elderly guest. She came to us recently,” Vladimir informed her. “Is our granny with you?” he heard a joyful exclamation on the phone. “May I come over?” asked the stranger.
She arrived within an hour. “May I come in?” she asked when Volya opened the door. “Of course,” he said. “I’m actually with my son. Grisha, wait for me. I’ll talk to grandma,” said a young woman named Dasha, taking off her shoes at the threshold. “Grandma, what are you doing here?” she gasped, seeing her relative rummaging through someone else’s children’s wardrobe. The old woman recoiled in surprise. “Dasha, how did you find me?” the old woman gaped. “Oh, I forgot… oh, senile dementia…”
It turned out that Anastasia Fedotovna indeed forgot everything about herself and got lost. “Thank you, Vladimir!” Darya thanked the man with a smile as she led the granny to the door. “Maybe we could have some tea?” the homeowner suggested. “Well, we wouldn’t refuse,” agreed the woman.
At the table, she explained that she was divorced and raising a child alone. Grandma Nastya sometimes forgets everything and runs away from home. They have to look for her.
“Let’s be friends!” Vladimir winked at her. “As you can see, I’m also raising children on my own. You wouldn’t mind, charming Dashenka?”
The young woman blushed at first, then said: “Then may I invite you all to the water park today?”
The kids jumped with joy, and Volya replied that he was all for it…