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Pavel had probably flipped through the family photo album for the hundredth time. In one picture, he was captured with his classmates at a picnic; in another, he was holding a diploma with a wide, beaming smile; and in the next shot, Ira stands next to him, who, a few pages later, becomes his wife.The young surgeon stared for a long time into the face of his late wife, then quietly said:<\/p>\n
\u2013 It all started so beautifully\u2026 We dreamed of a little house outside the city, surrounded by forest and a river. And now? We were granted only four years of happiness.<\/p>\n
Pavel didn\u2019t like discussing this with colleagues, especially not with Boris, who had been in love with Ira since the first year at medical college.<\/p>\n
\u2013 It\u2019s all your fault! \u2013 Boris snapped at him with reproach. \u2013 Why did you let her take the wheel? You knew she had just gotten her license; what experience did she have? No wonder she couldn\u2019t handle the turn.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Do you think I killed Ira? Or that I got that daredevil drunk, who then drove into oncoming traffic? Don\u2019t lay all the blame on me. Every day, I see her face before me. A year has passed, yet it feels like it was just yesterday, \u2013 Pavel retorted.<\/p>\n
Boris frowned in discontent but chose not to continue the conversation. Deep down, he didn\u2019t truly hold Pavel responsible. Still, from time to time he would tease him, making Pavel the scapegoat. Although, in truth, it was unnecessary: not a day went by without Pavel reproaching himself for what had happened.<\/p>\n
In the end, tired of living with his memories, the young surgeon decided to completely break with the past.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst, I need to get rid of her things. What\u2019s the point of keeping them? I certainly won\u2019t use them. But they might be useful to someone in need,\u201d Pavel thought as he looked around.<\/p>\n
At that hour, there were few passers-by on the street, but not far away a group of homeless people had gathered by a dumpster. Pavel approached one of them and said:\u2013 Hey, what\u2019s your name? Come here, please. I have a proposition for you.<\/p>\n
The homeless man looked cautiously at the bag in Pavel\u2019s hands, then asked:<\/p>\n
\u2013 What\u2019s the deal? Nothing illegal? I don\u2019t get involved with criminal stuff. There was a time when someone asked me to ruin a competitor\u2019s car with a marker, and then the guys nearly killed me.<\/p>\n
\u2013 No, it\u2019s just belongings, clothes. I don\u2019t feel like throwing them away when they might be needed by someone, \u2013 explained Pavel.<\/p>\n
The homeless man\u2019s eyes lit up with greedy interest:<\/p>\n
\u2013 What kind of things? I see you have my size. I could really use clothes like that, especially shoes. You know, you\u2019ve got to feed your feet.<\/p>\n
Pavel smiled awkwardly and hurried to clear up the misunderstanding:<\/p>\n
\u2013 No, these are women\u2019s clothes, my late wife\u2019s. She died a year ago. I thought maybe someone might need her things.<\/p>\n
The homeless man waved his hand dismissively, but still took the bag:<\/p>\n
\u2013 It\u2019ll find its use. I\u2019m sure I\u2019ll figure out a place for it. Thanks, kind man. Though I wouldn\u2019t mind a pair of shoes \u2013 would you mind checking your closet?<\/p>\n
\u2013 Alright, if I find something, I\u2019ll definitely bring it over, \u2013 Pavel replied and headed home.<\/p>\n
Today promised to be a busy day. The head of the surgical department was celebrating his anniversary, and he had invited everyone to a restaurant at four o\u2019clock.<\/p>\n
\u2013 I accept no objections. Today, everyone who can hold a shot glass, whether a drinker or a teetotaler, must be here, \u2013 announced Arkady Sergeyevich shortly before the end of the shift.<\/p>\n
Pavel had no desire to attend the event, but he knew that refusing the head would only hurt himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t sulk, Pashka. Remember, Arkady can help your career. He\u2019s well-connected with the right people,\u201d Boris whispered before leaving.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I know\u2026 But what kind of career is it when my soul is empty,\u201d Pavel replied. Despite his doubts, he still went to the restaurant.<\/p>\n
For Arkady Sergeyevich\u2019s anniversary celebration, a banquet hall had been rented, where, to the sounds of live music, waiters in elegant suits hurried about.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWhat would you like? Cognac, wine, or maybe some champagne?\u201d one of them asked Pavel with genuine interest.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, thank you. I\u2019ll take a look around first,\u201d Pavel replied as he entered the hall and took a free table.<\/p>\n
He tried to keep away from Boris\u2019s company, who was chattering non-stop. After a few obligatory toasts, the guests grew lively and, warmed by alcohol, demanded music. Arkady Sergeyevich signaled to someone behind a screen. Soon, a young woman in a fashionable coral dress appeared on stage. Taking the microphone, she began to sing a melancholic song that made many of the guests\u2019 hearts contract.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, how soulful! Listen, she sings like a nightingale, and her voice is pure honey,\u201d the celebrant exclaimed in admiration.<\/p>\n
Even though the celebration was in full swing, Arkady Sergeyevich had already managed to down a good amount of cognac, and Boris, who was also well-drunk, was nearly asleep at the table. At that moment, Pavel\u2019s gaze shifted to the stage and froze.<\/p>\n
\u2013 No, this can\u2019t be! Who is that \u2013 my Ira?<\/p>\n
The surgeon couldn\u2019t believe his eyes. The woman on stage was dressed in the very dress of his late wife, the one he had given away to the homeless that morning. Moreover, she strikingly resembled Ira.<\/p>\n
\u201cLord, let her be my Ira,\u201d Pavel prayed silently.<\/p>\n
Of course, he knew it was impossible \u2013 he had seen his beloved in the coffin with his own eyes. But his weary heart craved a miracle. The resemblance was so strong that Pavel found it hard to breathe.<\/p>\n
But before he could approach closer, the woman swayed, clutched her head, and collapsed onto her side.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Doctor, someone get a doctor! She\u2019s not well! \u2013 someone among the musicians cried out.<\/p>\n
Being the closest, Pavel was the first to rush over.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Where does it hurt? Don\u2019t worry, I\u2019m a doctor. I\u2019m a surgeon, but I can help, \u2013 he addressed her.<\/p>\n
The woman opened her eyes and whispered softly:<\/p>\n
\u2013 It\u2019s okay, just a faint. This happens to me sometimes.<\/p>\n
Only then did Pavel notice her unnaturally pale face, which might indicate some ailment. The differences between her and Ira were evident, but from a distance, she looked almost exactly like his wife. The dress, which had mysteriously ended up on the singer, played a key role in this astonishing illusion.<\/p>\n
\u2013 How are you? Can you walk? Maybe I should call you a taxi? \u2013 Pavel asked, helping her to her feet. Still puzzled by the fainting, he assumed it was due to pre-performance nerves.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Yes, I\u2019m fine, I\u2019ll manage. But I need to leave, or else the administrator won\u2019t pay me for my work, \u2013 she replied quietly.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Now isn\u2019t the time to worry about money, but your health and recovery, \u2013 Pavel remarked calmly.<\/p>\n
At that moment, the administrator approached them:<\/p>\n
\u2013 Why are you speaking to her like that? Her nerves seem to have given out?<\/p>\n
\u2013 And who\u2019s to stop me? \u2013 Pavel shot back.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Do you even know who Nadyezhda is? She\u2019s a homeless woman; she used to sing for peanuts in street corners. I noticed her, tidied her up a bit, and started booking her for performances. Her voice is magnificent, that can\u2019t be taken away, \u2013 the administrator praised, clearly justifying his behavior.<\/p>\n
Nadyezhda looked at Pavel in fear and lowered her eyes. It seemed the administrator was telling the truth; Pavel realized it from her silent reaction.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Enough, that\u2019s it. We don\u2019t need the money. We\u2019re leaving. With that attitude, you\u2019d be better off singing yourself! \u2013 Pavel said decisively, taking Nadyezhda by the hand and leading her to the exit.<\/p>\n
Their departure provoked outraged shouts from the celebrant, who didn\u2019t like that the guests were leaving early.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Go! But remember: if you come back, the fee for the performance will be cut in half, \u2013 the administrator rudely called after them.<\/p>\n
In truth, the administrator hadn\u2019t suffered any losses today, but had even saved money on that \u201cfoolish\u201d Nadya. The guests were already quite drunk, and live music could easily be replaced by recordings.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Where should I take you, Nadyezhda? Which neighborhood do you live in? I don\u2019t have a car, but we can call a taxi. Let\u2019s step outside, \u2013 Pavel suggested.<\/p>\n
Nadya timidly looked up at him:<\/p>\n
\u2013 I have nowhere to go. I live in a shack, thanks to my late husband. And I also have a five-year-old son. Since birth, his right hand has been weak, his fingers almost fused together, he can\u2019t fully open them. I\u2019ve been saving up for his surgery. I used to work as a nurse.<\/p>\n
Pavel perked up and, without noticing, switched to using \u201cyou\u201d informally:<\/p>\n
\u2013 You were a nurse? And you must have gotten caught up in some unpleasant situation? Maybe something with medications or something else? Don\u2019t think I\u2019m judging \u2013 these things happen in life.<\/p>\n
Nadyezhda\u2019s face flushed with embarrassment:<\/p>\n
\u2013 What kind of shenanigans? No, my personal items disappeared \u2013 phone, wallet, money\u2026 And they all pinned it on me. The head of the department had long been angry with me. I had to leave in a scandal. But before that, I took the newborn boy. His mother abandoned him when she saw his hand. She was in shock; it was an impulsive act, not out of malice. And so I became a single mother.<\/p>\n
Nadyezhda\u2019s revelation deeply moved Pavel.<\/p>\n
\u2013 But couldn\u2019t you have tried to get a job elsewhere? Perhaps at a dental clinic or in an ambulance service. Good nurses are always in short supply. And the work at that restaurant is nothing but problems, \u2013 Pavel inquired.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Of course, I could have. But the head of the department essentially gave me the boot. You know what that means? Now, no one will hire me in my specialty. And once, I even accidentally burned down a house while drunk. I was left alone with Kirusha in my arms. I found a place myself \u2013 an abandoned house I fixed up. Homeless people help me out; I\u2019m like a street doctor to them. This morning, a whole bag of women\u2019s clothes was brought in, very nice, almost new, \u2013 Nadyezhda explained.<\/p>\n
When Nadya mentioned the clothes, Pavel remembered everything. Now he understood why he had mistaken her for his late wife. The culprit was that very coral dress.<\/p>\n
\u2013 You know, you look so much like my late wife \u2013 from ten meters away, you were like a replica, \u2013 confessed Pavel. \u2013 She was a beauty too.<\/p>\n
Nadya blushed, though her eyes showed that the compliment pleased her.<\/p>\n
Instead of calling a taxi, Pavel offered Nadya a bite to eat:<\/p>\n
\u2013 There\u2019s a decent snack bar just around the corner. At this rate, you\u2019ll faint from hunger again. If you want, we can bring Kiril too. They have great pastries and ice cream there.<\/p>\n
Pavel\u2019s proposal brought genuine joy to Nadya. Her son, Kirusha, had never been to a caf\u00e9 before, and he only ate ice cream on big celebrations.<\/p>\n
\u2013 That\u2019s great. Let\u2019s go get your son, then, \u2013 said Pavel.<\/p>\n
Before long, the three of them were sitting together in a cozy caf\u00e9. About three years ago, Pavel had saved the owner of the establishment after a bout of peritonitis, and the owner now felt it was his duty to treat the doctor for free, although Pavel didn\u2019t mind paying. Noticing that Kirusha was eating with his left hand, Pavel frowned. The boy\u2019s right hand was twisted, and he couldn\u2019t use it fully.<\/p>\n
\u2013 I\u2019ll find out what can be done. If nothing works, we\u2019ll try to manage on our own, \u2013 Pavel remarked, catching the concern in Nadya\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n
\u2013 It would be wonderful if my hand could be fixed. Otherwise, they tease me at kindergarten, calling me \u201cIron Man,\u201d \u2013 Kirusha said.<\/p>\n
\u2013 We\u2019ll fix it, commander, \u2013 replied Pavel, glancing at his watch. \u2013 It\u2019s too late to wander the city now. How about coming to my place?<\/p>\n
\u2013 I don\u2019t mind, \u2013 Nadya agreed.<\/p>\n
Pavel\u2019s home immediately impressed the guests. It was spacious and cozy. The only thing that immediately caught Nadya\u2019s eye was the lack of feminine touches and cozy details. Approaching one of the walls, she noticed a photograph in a black frame.<\/p>\n
\u2013 This is my wife. She died in an accident a year ago. We were married for only four years, \u2013 Pavel explained.<\/p>\n
Nadya\u2019s eyes suddenly filled with tears.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Are you feeling unwell again? \u2013 the host asked with concern, adding with a note of regret: \u2013 I\u2019m such a fool, I should have called a taxi right away instead of walking.<\/p>\n
Nadya couldn\u2019t take her eyes off the photograph:<\/p>\n
\u2013 That\u2019s his biological mother\u2026 Kirusha\u2019s\u2026<\/p>\n
\u2013 Who? Ira? Why didn\u2019t she tell me about the child? Although, at that time, we weren\u2019t even acquainted. Did she really leave her son in the maternity ward? \u2013 Pavel was utterly confused.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Don\u2019t forget, she was in deep depression. Her fianc\u00e9 left her, and then there was the child with a birth defect\u2026 Anyone would lose their nerves, \u2013 Nadya answered, a little calming him down.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, Kirusha couldn\u2019t hear their conversation, as he was engrossed in exploring the neighboring room in search of toys. Pavel was in a daze for a long time, and he and Nadya sat in the kitchen late into the night, discussing what had happened. Together, they concluded that Ira hadn\u2019t acted out of malice, but because of her emotional turmoil. Moreover, life had already punished her for that deed.<\/p>\n
Although Kirusha wasn\u2019t Pavel\u2019s biological son, the boy\u2019s fate had become truly important to him.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Don\u2019t worry, you can stay with me as long as you need. And if you decide to stay forever, I\u2019d be delighted. Kirusha needs a father figure, \u2013 Pavel offered.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Thank you, \u2013 Nadya replied quietly.<\/p>\n
Six months passed, and Pavel\u2019s home turned into a lively little haven filled with guests waiting for Kirusha\u2019s return from the hospital. He underwent corrective surgery on his right hand. While the boy was receiving treatment, Pavel and Nadya prepared a surprise for him \u2013 they renovated his room, making it the latest in design trends.<\/p>\n
But the main surprise was that they decided to formalize their relationship. By a happy coincidence, the registration day fell on the day Kirusha was discharged from the hospital.<\/p>\n
Upon leaving the clinic, Kirusha was greeted by an atmosphere of joy and celebration. When it was time to congratulate his parents, he smiled and asked:<\/p>\n
\u2013 A little brother or sister, or better yet, both at once!<\/p>\n
Now, Kirusha\u2019s right hand was no different from his left, and he could applaud his parents as much as he liked.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pavel had probably flipped through the family photo album for the hundredth time. In one picture, he was captured with his classmates at a picnic; in another,… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":24000,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23999","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n