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Margarita had long sensed that this day would come, but when it did, she was still taken aback. She stood there, not knowing what to do next. Roman, her husband, just shrugged:<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re not fifteen to be asking such questions. It\u2019s time for you to figure things out on your own.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I have to move out?\u201d she asked quietly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got it right,\u201d he responded dryly. \u201cBut don\u2019t worry, I bought you half of a house. It\u2019s cheap, but it\u2019s yours.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rita smirked:<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy only half? Couldn\u2019t afford the whole house?\u201d<\/p>\n
Roman flushed with irritation:<\/p>\n
\u201cEnough, Rita, don\u2019t start. We haven\u2019t been husband and wife for a long time. I\u2019m tired of all this!\u201d<\/p>\n
She turned silently and left the room. Of course, he was tired. While Roman managed their finances and made all decisions in the house, he lived comfortably: money for entertainment, gatherings with friends in the sauna, and possibly someone else. But as soon as Rita stopped giving him her salary, he flared up:<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you think your pennies make any difference in this house?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRoman, I\u2019ve been wearing the same boots for four years,\u201d she replied calmly. \u201cAnd you\u2019ve updated your entire wardrobe in that time. Is that fair? And why \u2018pennies\u2019? With my side jobs, I earn no less than you.\u201d<\/p>\n
The conversation then hit a dead end. Rita knew Roman had a mistress on whom he was spending their money. But when his financial situation worsened, and apparently, there were problems with the mistress, arguments became more frequent at home.<\/p>\n
Rita had long thought about divorce, but only one thing stopped her \u2013 she had nowhere to go. After the last argument, when Roman came home and found no dinner, he made a scene. Rita calmly explained that she had dinner at a cafe since he hadn\u2019t given her any money for three months. This infuriated him. He yelled that she was worthless, that she couldn\u2019t even have children, and that he was only living with her out of pity.<\/p>\n
Then, Rita barely held back her tears but realized their relationship had come to an end. She began preparing for the inevitable. Today\u2019s question about what she should do, she asked more out of habit. She wasn\u2019t going to fight for half of a one-room apartment. But Roman, apparently, was afraid of just that. He smirked:<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re so smart and proper. Why don\u2019t you buy the other half of the house if you want it?\u201d<\/p>\n
He knew it was impossible. Half of the house had been sold to him for pennies because no one would buy the other half. And soon Rita understood why.<\/p>\n
The house\u2019s story was simple. Previously, a married couple lived there, but the husband was in an accident and became disabled. Unable to cope with such a life, the wife filed for divorce and sold her half of the house. The other half remained with her ex-husband, who was now bedridden. The house was not divided into two, and the sale was only about square meters.<\/p>\n
Rita packed her things, called a taxi, and decided to head to her new residence immediately. Why rent an apartment if she couldn\u2019t afford it anyway? Judging by the year it was built, the house seemed sturdy and well-maintained. When she arrived, she was surprised: \u201cCould Roman really have splurged? At least to try to buy the second half\u2026 To live alone in such a house, to drink tea under the acacia\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
She opened the door. The lock worked smoothly, without a squeak, as if it were often used. The house looked well-kept, but something about it was odd. Why was there only one door? Rita entered. The air smelled of medicine. She looked around: a large room, a combined kitchen and dining area, another room with an open door. Rita peeked inside: a spacious, bright room, almost empty. Two more doors led from this room. One was open \u2013 probably the former bedroom. The other \u2013 closed.<\/p>\n
Rita decisively pushed the door and nearly lost her senses from surprise. In the room, she was met by the gaze of a man who, apparently, lived there. A television quietly operated on the wall, and a small table with a bottle of water and medicine stood next to the bed.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello,\u201d she said awkwardly.<\/p>\n
The man smiled:<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, hello. Did they sell you half of my house?\u201d<\/p>\n
Rita nodded, looking around in confusion:<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t understand\u2026 Half a house \u2013 is this all of it? No partitions, no separate entrance?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d he calmly replied. \u201cThe house was never divided. So now you own half of the house together with me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rita sighed:<\/p>\n
\u201cNow everything\u2019s clear. And here I thought my husband suddenly became generous. Turns out, he just stayed true to himself. Sorry, I\u2019ll temporarily occupy another room until I find housing.\u201d<\/p>\n
The man shrugged:<\/p>\n
\u201cLive, use the whole house. I don\u2019t mind \u2013 I never leave this room. No need to even go to the clinic \u2013 they come to me. By the way, my name is Oleg.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rita was about to close the door but paused:<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you\u2026 do you cook, manage the household?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, of course not,\u201d he replied. \u201cA caregiver comes every two days.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rita closed the door and went for her belongings. \u201cSomething\u2019s wrong. A caregiver every two days\u2026 And the rest of the time? He\u2019s quite young, probably almost my age.\u201d<\/p>\n
After moving her belongings, she decided to have a snack. She took out a bag of groceries and looked around. \u201cThe owner probably wouldn\u2019t mind if I took a shelf in the fridge,\u201d she thought.<\/p>\n
However, the refrigerator was not just empty \u2013 it was unplugged. Rita opened the drawers: some grains, salt, but no sugar found. \u201cI wonder what they feed him?\u201d she was surprised.<\/p>\n
The woman rolled up her sleeves and started cooking. After a while, she caught herself humming a tune. She smiled: \u201cJust got divorced, nowhere to live, everything\u2019s unclear, yet here I am, singing. And oddly, I\u2019m in a good mood.\u201d<\/p>\n
An hour later, she knocked on the door and entered:<\/p>\n
\u201cOleg, I\u2019ve made dinner. Shall we dine together?\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked at her gloomily:<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s make one thing clear: I don\u2019t need your pity. I\u2019m not starving, so\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Rita firmly placed the tray on the table:<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s agree differently. I\u2019m not going to pity you. I just ended up in a strange place, abandoned by my husband, and I\u2019m lonely. I just wanted to have dinner with someone. With a living person.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oleg was embarrassed:<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry, I\u2019m used to everyone acting that way. Everyone around just gives advice, pretending to understand.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rita sat down on the chair:<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand you. How many people around you think they know how to live your life better than you do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oleg, bringing a spoon to his mouth, rolled his eyes:<\/p>\n
\u201cRita, I can\u2019t forgive you. After such a dinner, I definitely can\u2019t eat what the caregiver cooks.\u201d<\/p>\n
They drank tea for a long time, and Rita surreptitiously surveyed the room. \u201cStrange, the wheelchair stands, but he doesn\u2019t use it,\u201d she thought.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou understand that sooner or later, I\u2019ll ask what happened. If you don\u2019t want to tell, just say so, and I\u2019ll leave you alone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, sooner or later you\u2019ll find out anyway. Better I tell you. Two years ago, I was in an accident. Seemed like nothing serious, but something went wrong during a spine surgery. They barely saved me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt first, they said everything would be okay. Then they held consultations, examined me, but I felt my legs weren\u2019t responding. They discharged me, saying it would all recover over time. But, as you can see, nothing changed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA year ago, some professor came. My wife, still my wife then, had made an appointment for me. He said the surgery went well, but the timing was lost. I should have started rehabilitation right after the accident. But they didn\u2019t do that then.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Elena heard that verdict, she packed her things and left. Later I found out she had divided everything we had. Though she herself contributed nothing. Took the car, not even thinking about it being after the accident. Divided the house. And, as I learned today, quickly sold her half to someone as unprincipled as herself. That\u2019s the whole story.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rita raised her eyebrows in surprise:<\/p>\n
\u201cDidn\u2019t understand. So, you\u2019re just going to lie there and wait for the end?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd what do you suggest?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do I suggest? Fight! Well, do something, live, after all!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow, excuse me, live? Do you think you\u2019re the only one like this in the world? No, not one, and not two, and not three. Thousands like you, and none of them ruin themselves. Well, it\u2019s your business, of course, but I probably won\u2019t understand that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rita got up, began to gather the dishes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll settle in that room then.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oleg nodded:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole house is at your disposal. I only need to be in this room. Thanks for the dinner, by the way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rita closed the door behind her, paused for a moment, wanted to ask if he needed anything, but then decided that Oleg might be offended. \u201cSomehow he lived before me.\u201d<\/p>\n
She fell asleep instantly, and in the morning she was awakened by an irritated voice:<\/p>\n
\u201cGod, when will they gather you disabled people and take you to an island so you can crawl after each other! I can\u2019t take it anymore!\u201d<\/p>\n
Rita sprung up like a spring. She saw Oleg\u2019s whitened cheeks \u2013 it was clear how tightly he was clenching his teeth to not respond. In the kitchen, some woman was busily packing Rita\u2019s groceries into a bag.<\/p>\n
\u201cGod help you,\u201d Rita grated.<\/p>\n
The woman flinched and dropped the sausage, which just wouldn\u2019t fit into the already overflowing bag.<\/p>\n
\u201cAren\u2019t you afraid of straining yourself?\u201d \u2013 Rita\u2019s voice was gentle, but her eyes\u2026 \u2013 \u201cLet me help you carry that to the door.\u201d<\/p>\n
The woman backed away, but Rita grabbed the bag and hit the thieving caregiver with it so hard that she turned and fled to the door. But Rita wasn\u2019t giving up.<\/p>\n
To the gate\u2026 The young woman managed to \u201cpin\u201d the caregiver a few more times. At the last moment, a package of eggs fell from the bag and smeared over the runaway\u2019s coat.<\/p>\n
Rita returned home, regretfully looked at what was left in the bag, and threw it out along with the contents. She turned around \u2013 and her eyes involuntarily widened: Oleg was laughing!<\/p>\n
\u201cRita, you really give it your all! You should have seen yourself, terror of the seas. I was even scared you\u2019d hit her with a loaf of bread.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rita laughed too, then said:<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s have some coffee now, and then I\u2019ll go to the store. Otherwise, we\u2019ll starve to death here while I\u2019m at work for four days.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t had coffee in a long time\u2026 Rita, come here, please. There, in the leg of the table, there\u2019s also money. Your groceries suffered because of me. Don\u2019t look at me like that. It\u2019s impossible to find a caregiver for someone like me now. And if you leave the money just like that, it\u2019ll be gone right away. Take it, buy something on my behalf. But what am I going to do now without a caregiver?\u201d<\/p>\n
Rita smiled:<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry, we\u2019ll figure something out. By the way, I\u2019m a nurse. Almost a doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlmost? Ah, with three courses of medical school. Then you got married, and that ended your career.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rita and Oleg lived, existed, neighbored for almost half a year. She went to work, cooked, helped Oleg, even though he resisted. Sometimes in the evenings, they talked for a long time. It was Rita who found out that he could and should sit, and she made him move around the house in a wheelchair at least. Then she herself made a ramp from the porch.<\/p>\n
Two years passed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, my good sir, to be honest, you\u2019ve really surprised me. Somehow you managed. Your muscles were practically empty, all withered, and now \u2013 it\u2019s a pleasure to look at. There must be love involved.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oleg shyly looked at Rita and nodded:<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, can\u2019t do without it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you say, doctor?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat can I say\u2026 I see no contraindications to start standing up. Your legs will hold you, it won\u2019t get worse, but be ready: you\u2019ll have to learn to walk again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know, doctor, I\u2019m ready. I can do it!\u201d<\/p>\n
Oleg was sure he could. Even if he couldn\u2019t, he still could. There was no other way out for him. Yesterday, Rita told him that she was pregnant. He was ready to stand up right then, but she wouldn\u2019t let him, said he first needed to consult.<\/p>\n
He knew Rita was watching him, worried more than he was himself. It was not just scary, it was very scary and very painful.<\/p>\n
A few more centimeters. Oleg let go of the wheelchair and looked at it:<\/p>\n
\u201cI can do it. For you, I can.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Margarita had long sensed that this day would come, but when it did, she was still taken aback. She stood there, not knowing what to do next…. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21234,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n