Svetlana sat on a bench by the exit of the maternity hospital. Her heart was heavy with the realization of the mistake she had made. Perhaps she should have left the baby here so that the state would take care of the child. But there was no choice—Svetlana simply had no other options. As soon as her partner learned about the pregnancy, he vanished without a trace. Later it turned out that he was a married man, looking only for extramarital fun.
She couldn’t abandon her child. Now, because of her indecision, the little one risked being left without warmth and food. Through tears, Svetlana gazed at the tiny nose peeking out from the blanket.
Svetlana had lost her parents at a young age. Their home burned down six months after their death; the firefighters claimed that an old wiring was to blame. The only option was to go to her paternal aunt. However, the aunt greeted her coldly—she already had three children of her own.
Svetlana found a job and hoped for better things. Then she met Savely, an attractive young man with an expensive car. When her aunt found out about the romance, she demanded that Svetlana leave her house. Savely helped her find a room in a dormitory, but now even that roof over her head was lost.
Svetlana wiped away her tears, trying to collect her thoughts. What was she to do next?
There was a rustle behind the bushes—two nurses stepped out to smoke.
“Gal, did you see how Tamara Ivanovna’s husband took her today?” one asked.
“Of course. It’s a pity for her, such a good doctor. But no one is immune to that. She lost a child and will never be able to have any more, yet she takes part in births every day.”
“I don’t know how I would cope. But she’s an excellent doctor and a wonderful person.”
“Yes, they had been waiting for this pregnancy for so long. They’re already over forty. And what a house they built…”
Svetlana looked at her son and whispered, “Forgive me. I hope everything will turn out as I intended.”
She headed to the church to ponder her decision. Inside, she wept silently for almost an hour and only left when her child began to fuss. Finding a secluded spot, she decided to take a short walk.
In the park, she watched the ducks, but she couldn’t stay there for long. There were too many families with children around. She realized that she couldn’t take her son for walks or teach him to play ball. Her life seemed to be coming to an end, yet her heart and soul remained with her child.
It was already getting dark. Svetlana stood in front of a new house with a green roof. The windows were lit, but there was no one visible inside. She tenderly kissed the baby on his nose and walked to the house, gasping from sobs and pain.
On the spacious porch, she carefully placed a box that she had found at a dump. Inside, she placed the infant, who immediately began to cry. Svetlana shut her eyes tightly, and his cry echoed in her heart.
She pressed the doorbell and held her finger down for a long time, then ran away swiftly. Hiding behind a tree, she listened to the baby’s crying. A loud male voice echoed from the house:
“Tamara, come here, quickly!”
Svetlana gritted her teeth on the sleeve of her jacket, restraining the urge to shout and rush towards the child.
A woman appeared at the door, gently lifting the baby into her arms.
“Tolya, get inside the house quickly. Hurry in!”
The door closed, and the baby’s cry dissolved into silence.
Exhausted, Svetlana sank onto the cold ground by the tree trunk. She didn’t know how much time had passed before she regained consciousness. Upon opening her eyes, she saw that it had already grown dark. Svetlana headed toward the outskirts of the city—there was nothing left for her here. She kept her documents in her pocket, though they now seemed useless.
After an hour, she reached the highway, and another half hour later, a truck picked her up. The driver, an elderly man, was heading north, and she said she needed to go there as well.
“Matvey, how happy I am to see you!” exclaimed a woman as her son got out of the truck and warmly embraced her.
“Mom, stop sitting in the heat. You know about your blood pressure,” Matvey said.
“Oh, drop these foolish notions! Where is my sunshine?”
A young woman stepped out of the truck, holding the baby in her arms. The boy was about two years old; his eyes were still sleepy, but as soon as he saw his grandmother, he immediately brightened up:
“Grandma!”
“Come to me, my joy!” Tamara Ivanovna spread her arms wide.
The daughter-in-law handed her the grandson and playfully remarked, “You’re staying with him for two days, and Matvey and I can get some rest.”
Tamara Ivanovna laughed, “Rest as much as you like! You get the weekend off, and I get the chance to see my grandson once a month.”
Matvey winked, “Mom, we’ll definitely rest. I brought fishing rods, and I plan to teach Vera how to fish. How’s our river? Has it dried up?”
“Fishing?” Vera snorted. “There haven’t been any fish there for ages. And you, instead of spending time with mom, plan to just hang by the water! You’d better help with the supplies. I remember how your mother and I used to make compotes and jams…”
Matvey theatrically sighed, “Ah, you caught me! Fine, I’ll take care of fixing the fence. It’s about time we did that. By the way, yesterday Pashka called, asking how things were here.”
The day flew by unnoticed, and Matvey smiled slyly, never revealing the main point: they had come not just for the weekend, but for a three‐week vacation. After his father’s death, his mother had changed dramatically, even though she tried to hide her feelings. Matvey had long since settled in another city, continuing his mother’s work and becoming a renowned doctor. Under his leadership, the most complex surgeries and deliveries took place. He had started his career right here, and later received an offer to work at a new perinatal center.
Vera, the accountant of that center, became his life partner. Although they wanted to visit their relatives often, Matvey’s busy schedule made it difficult. But now they had decided to take a vacation to help his mother and take care of household matters.
The following evening, the family decided to have a barbecue. Andryusha, their son, was happily playing in the sandbox with toy cars. Matvey and his childhood friend Pashka were making plans to repair the roof, and then discussing work on Pavel’s house. The latter joked that a good plan was already half the success and a reason for a toast. Tamara Ivanovna, busy in the kitchen, pretended to be angry with the men, but her face radiated happiness. Getting the whole family together was a rarity.
“Mom, we have some news for you,” Matvey broke the silence.
“What news, dear?” she asked with curiosity.
“Wait, first I have to check your reaction,” he grinned, gently tapping her with a towel. “We’re staying with you for three weeks!”
Tamara Ivanovna sank onto the bench, stunned by the news: “Why didn’t you say so earlier? That’s wonderful!”
She wiped away tears of joy. Matvey asked worriedly, “Mom, why are you crying?”
“These are tears of happiness, dear,” she replied, smiling warmly.
The family talked for a long time, discussing various topics, and did not notice how an unfamiliar woman appeared at the gate. Matvey got up and approached her:
“Hello! Are you with us? Please, come in—mom is home.”
The woman entered the yard and approached the table hesitantly, “I’m sorry if I’ve intruded.”
Vera looked carefully at the guest, then shifted her gaze to Tamara Ivanovna, and noticed how she suddenly paled and clutched her heart.
“Tamara Ivanovna, what’s wrong with you?” Vera exclaimed in alarm, rushing to her.
Matvey and Pashka quickly sat her inside the house, measured her blood pressure, and gave her something to calm her down.
When Tamara Ivanovna recovered a bit, Matvey went back out into the yard, “And where is that woman?” he asked, looking around.
Vera looked at her husband, “She disappeared as soon as Tamara Ivanovna felt better. I don’t understand who she could have been. Maybe an acquaintance of your mom?”
“Perhaps one of our distant relatives,” Matvey suggested.
Pavel and Vera exchanged surprised glances.
“How can you be so sure that she is a relative?” asked Vera. “Although… her features do seem familiar. Look in the mirror! If I didn’t know your history, I’d think you were mother and son,” she said thoughtfully.
Matvey turned to Pasha, puzzled, “Yes, they are strikingly similar. I swear,” he added.
Matvey sank onto a bench, lost in thought, “What could all this mean? Maybe she is connected to my biological parents? But why have I never seen her before?”
At that moment, Tamara Ivanovna’s voice rang out, “No, Matvey, she is not our relative… for us and your father. But for you… Yes, she is your real mother.”
Matvey paled, and Vera squeezed his hand tightly, “Who?” she whispered.
Tamara Ivanovna took a deep breath, “I hid this from you for a long time. All these years I hoped that she would never appear again… I didn’t understand why she did it. But I never found the strength to start this conversation.”
She began her story—how she and her husband had dreamed of having a child, but fate had been cruel to them. Losing their own baby had been a real tragedy for her. But one day, their life changed dramatically—the evening doorbell rang, and a note was delivered: “Please give him what I cannot. Give him happiness.”
“At that time, when we had the means and the reputation in the city, we took it as a sign from above. We had to change our workplace and travel to another district to avoid unwanted questions. Over time, everything was forgotten, and everyone considered you our own son. I love you with all my heart; you have always been the dearest person to me. But Svetlana… she did not leave you lightly. It wasn’t her choice, believe me.”
“Mom, do you want me to meet her?” Matvey asked after a long pause.
Vera placed her hand on her husband’s shoulder, “I think it’s necessary. Otherwise, this mystery will continue to haunt you.”
“But where do I look for her?” Matvey wondered.
Pasha, approaching the gate, noted, “She’s over there, standing by a tree and crying.”
Matvey stood up, not knowing what to say to the woman who had once abandoned him. His thoughts were jumbled: he had grown up with a beloved mother and father, although now the father was deceased. These images seemed solid, but now everything was crumbling. Nevertheless, his feet carried him towards her on their own.
“Hello. We need to talk,” he said hesitantly.
The woman looked up in fear, then timidly touched his shoulder, “I want nothing from you, Matvey. Just listen to me…”
Three years passed. Matvey was once again in the yard, where he spent every free moment surrounded by family.
“Mom! Where is everyone? Gather the grandchildren!” he shouted joyfully.
Andrey ran out of the car, followed by Vera carrying a little daughter in her arms. Svetlana and Tamara Ivanovna ran out to meet them.
“Oh my God! We were keeping watch by the window all day, and yet we were still late!” Tamara Ivanovna laughed.
Svetlana had bought a house nearby, and their relationship grew warmer. The initial caution gave way to genuine friendship. Now they rejoiced in their grandchildren together and discussed family matters. In the evenings, both women shared stories: Tamara recounted memories of Matvey’s childhood, while Svetlana shared her own trials.
Now they had formed a unique, yet strong family. Matvey often joked, “Who would have thought—I, a doctor who helps women become mothers, ended up with two mothers myself, and my children have three grandmothers! Life is full of surprises.”