Anya categorically did not understand why this man was in their house. She always wanted her mother to get married and be happy, but not with him. The girl sat on the sofa, pretending to read a book, while keeping an eye on Arthur. He had just woken up and was now moving around the house unhurriedly and without paying any attention to Anya. Arthur was constantly on the phone. And, as she understood, definitely not with a man. Apparently, he thought she was very young, because he didn’t restrain himself. “Honey, what are you talking about? I’m getting married in two weeks, and you want to seduce a nearly married man?” He listened to the responses, then laughed, and spoke again. Anya was disgusted. Disgusted by hearing all this and disgusted that this man, whom her mother loved so much, was deceiving her.
Anya abruptly put down the book. Arthur turned around, looked at her intently, and went into the bedroom, closing the door firmly behind him. Anya decided to seek advice from her best friend. She quickly slipped outside and ran down the road to the barracks, not too far away but hidden from view by tall planted thuja trees that seemed to separate the elite settlement from the ordinary city slums.
If Alla Olegovna had known her daughter went there, she probably would have had a heart attack. Anya looked around; no one was nearby. She put two fingers in her mouth and whistled piercingly. Immediately, a shaggy boy’s head appeared from the window of the barrack:
“Anya, come in, the folks have gone to grandma’s.”
She climbed over the windowsill—doors are for wimps—and asked:
“And you didn’t go?”
Petka, Anya’s friend, scratched the back of his head:
“I got a D in English, so I’m cramming, or else dad promised to give me a whipping.”
Anya smiled. Petka’s dad was big, bearded, and terribly kind. All the kids in the courtyard loved him, but he did threaten to whip Petka occasionally, though he never actually did it.
“Anya, what’s up? We were only supposed to meet tomorrow evening.”
“Petka, I came to talk.”
Petka was a whole two years older than her. Anya had just turned twelve, and Petka was already fourteen, so he was a real authority for her. They had been friends for a long time, ever since Petka helped her get home when she fell off her bike at the age of eight.
“Yeah?” Petka closed his textbook. He knew that changes were coming soon in Anya’s family, and he immediately understood that his friend had come to him with this issue. Anya told him about Arthur’s behavior, saying that her mother didn’t notice anything at all. “Petka, I don’t understand how to tell her so she’ll believe me?”
“I don’t understand what you’re afraid of, you have a good relationship with your mom, just sit down and tell her everything, she’ll definitely listen to you, or at least take heed.”
Anya pondered. That was true. She and her mother had always been close, although now they no longer watched movies or discussed things while hugging. Now her mother hugged Arthur and discussed everything with him.
“Alright, I’ll do just that. Thanks, Pet.”
The boy blushed:
“No, for what?”
“Well, for being there.”
In the evening, Arthur started to get ready to go out. Alla, who had just come from work, looked at him in surprise.
“And where are you going?” He kissed her and replied.
“Ah, just going to sit at the bar with a friend for a bit. I’m getting married soon, won’t really have the chance later, and it’s been a long time since we last met. Don’t worry, I won’t be long.”
Alla smiled:
“Go ahead, of course. I’m always at work with people, and you’re always home alone. And don’t rush, relax, sit with your friend.”
“Thanks, darling, you’re the best.”
Only Arthur hesitated, and Alla slapped her forehead:
“Oh, I didn’t even think of that. Here, take this.” She quickly handed him some money. Arthur kissed her again and left the house.
Alla watched him leave for some time, then turned to Anya as if remembering her existence:
“Well then, shall we have a girls’ night in?”
“Let’s do it, mom.” They prepared dinner together. Anya had already forgotten when they last did this. They had dinner, laughed, and after the dishes were done, Anya sat down in front of her mother:
“I want to talk to you.” Alla sighed:
“Anya, I know you don’t like Arthur. I know, or rather, I remember, he’s younger than me, but don’t you want your mom to be happy?”
“He can’t make you happy. While you’re at work, he talks to other women, and now I’m sure he’s using your money to take someone else to the bar, not just a friend.”
Alla slapped the table with her palm: “Enough, that’s it. It hurts me a lot to realize that I raised such a selfish girl. I don’t want to hear anything. And you’re too young to discuss such things. Go to your room.”
Anya huffed offensively and left immediately. Useless. Mom just doesn’t hear her. It seems Anya will have to accept that Arthur is just using her mom and her money. At night, she woke up to loud voices, looked at the clock—half-past three. Arthur had just returned, and not in very good condition. Mom was scolding him, and then he yelled: “Listen, Alla, why are you behaving like a grandmother with a grandson? Stop nagging me.”
The bedroom door slammed. Then again, and Anya heard her mom’s apologizing voice. It was so disgusting that the girl pulled a pillow over her ear.
The next day, Anya and Petya sat on a wasteland:
“Yeah, we need to do something.”
Anya sighed:
“Petya, what can you do? You understand, mom only hears him, she notices nothing at all.”
“When’s the wedding?”
“Petya, the tenth.”
Petya smiled:
“Listen, I have a plan. I don’t know if you’ll like it or not, but it seems there’s no other way for mom to hear you and understand something.”
Anya’s eyes lit up:
“Tell me, Petya!”
As Petya finished, Anya skeptically shook her head:
“Petya, but how can we do this? You understand, we’re in school, but this needs…”
“Wait, I’ve thought of everything…”
The tenth was approaching. Arthur even stopped arguing with mom. Yes, he practically went out every evening, but Alla kept silent. She probably remembered that scandal when Arthur compared her to a grandmother. Anya knew that Arthur was ten years younger than her mom. She didn’t see anything wrong with that if it weren’t for one “but”. She was sure. Arthur didn’t love her mom, and the latest investigations by her and Petya only confirmed this.
Anya was in her room when she heard Arthur’s conversation on the phone:
“Sweetie, I’ve arranged with Kolka, you’ll come as his girlfriend. Don’t be scared, no one knows you, of course. Just look at what awaits us now, what life. Oh, come on, don’t complain, I’ll only be kissing her because I need to. And you, look, don’t get drunk, I know you.”
Anya clenched her fists. “What a scumbag, he’s totally shameless.”
In the evening at the table, Arthur casually said:
“Alla, I remembered my friend, I’d like him and his girlfriend to be at the wedding, you’ll call the restaurant, won’t you?”
“Of course, what friend?”
“You haven’t met him yet, Kolka, we were friends in childhood, then he moved away, and now he’s back and called.”
“Well, that’s great, so many of your friends at the wedding, it’ll be fun.”
Anya got up and silently left. She just couldn’t listen to all this, couldn’t watch how foolish her mom looked. Of course, she thought Arthur loved her, but Anya knew, he never loved her. And Arthur understood everything, only mom remained completely oblivious.
So much money was spent on the wedding that it probably would have lasted an ordinary person a lifetime. But Alla spared nothing for her beloved. And overall, she thought it was great, to have such a celebration when a real family is formed, when there’s such love.
Only her daughter didn’t make her happy. Every time Alla promised herself that she would talk to Anyechka, that she would give her more attention, which Arthur had taken away, but just a bit later, after the wedding. Alla remembered their evenings together and thought that they definitely needed to bring them back. Just now they would watch a movie not just the two of them, but three of them.
The celebration took place in a magnificent restaurant. Anya couldn’t concentrate enough to greet everyone and respond to greetings. She hadn’t even noticed how beautiful the hall was. Terribly nervous. She didn’t know what would happen after her congratulations. What if their plan didn’t work? What if mom got mad at her and everything? Anya didn’t want to hurt her mom, but… The girl tried to talk to her again, but her mother sharply dismissed her:
“Anya, stop it, okay? You’re not a child to behave like this. In the end, it’s low. Don’t spoil my mood before the most important day of my life.”
Anya stepped back. She couldn’t even say that before, the most important day was her birthday.
“And now, congratulations from Anna, the bride’s daughter. Anyechka, please,” the announcer’s voice made her shudder.
In preparing the congratulations, all the boys from Petya’s courtyard participated. Anya straightened up and walked onto the stage:
“Mommy, before you see what I want to show you, I want you to know, I love you very much. And more than anything, I want you to be happy.”
Then the announcer turned on the video recording that Anya had handed him before the wedding. On the screen, Arthur passionately kissed a girl who was now sitting not far from him. Then Arthur in the bar and again with this girl, who was in her underwear. No one was looking at the screen anymore, everyone was looking at the newlyweds. The girl immediately disappeared, and Arthur quietly slid under the table.
Anya saw her mom’s eyes.
“Mommy, forgive me, but you didn’t want to listen to me, and he, he just doesn’t love you.”
Alla said nothing. Anya thought at that moment her mom hated her. The girl threw the microphone into the announcer’s hands and ran out of the restaurant. Outside, Petya was waiting for her. Well, Anya said nothing, just ran past. Petya caught her near the river:
“Hey, stop, you crazy!”
Anya turned to him, buried her face in his chest, and cried:
“Petya, what have I done?”
“Nothing, all correct. Well, of course, it wasn’t very nice, but you were protecting your mom.”
They sat by the river and threw stones into the water. Both were silent. Finally, Petya asked:
“Are we going to sit here till morning?”
Anya shrugged:
“I don’t know. I don’t know what’s at home and how to go home.”
They were silent again. Petya said:
“So let’s go to my place. You know my mom, she’ll feed you, put you to bed.”
“I can’t. Mom will be worried.” Anya’s words sounded uncertain. “No, mom, of course, will be worried, but probably not as much as before.”
“Anya!” The girl jumped. They stood up. Next to them was Alla:
“Hello, Petya. May I sit with you? I’m tired from looking for you.”
Petya grumbled:
“Of course. Here, sit on the jacket.” He spread his jacket, and Alla smiled:
“Thank you.” She sat down and carefully hugged Anya, “Forgive me, daughter!”
“No, mom, forgive me. It shouldn’t have been like that. I didn’t think not only you but all the guests would see it.”
Alla smiled:
“To hell with it. Understand, Anyuta, it’s like handcuffs were removed from me. I invented happiness for myself and ran around with it, like a fool.”
“Mom, you’re not a fool, you’re smart, beautiful, the best.”
Petya sat down next to them. Alla hugged him with the other arm:
“So you are the legendary Petyr I’ve heard so much about but never saw. And why have you never come to visit us?”
Petya chuckled shyly:
“Well, probably because I don’t live in your settlement.”
Alla looked at him worriedly:
“Where? Somewhere far?”
“No, not very, in the barracks. But don’t think, I don’t teach Anya anything bad.”
“I’m not thinking that.”
“Wait, so you decided I was someone who would look at you differently because you’re not…”
Petya nodded shyly.
“Well, you give. Anya, you know me, how could you think? You know what, let’s have a celebration tomorrow, call Petyr’s parents, your friends, I’ll invite someone from mine and let’s have what do you call it? A ‘bash.'”
“We have a whole restaurant of food and a paid announcer.”
Anya laughed:
“Mom, what will we call the celebration?”
Alla thought for a moment, then pulled out her phone:
“So, what do we have tomorrow? Here, found it! Tomorrow is cat day. Anya, do you have anything against cats?”
Anya shook her head no and hugged her mom:
“I’m so glad you’re back. A good man, we’ll definitely meet him, you’ll see!”
Alla kissed her daughter on the top of her head:
“Alright, everyone go home. I expect everyone at the celebration tomorrow.—Petya, be there with your parents!”