З життя
«Боже, який сором!» — Вибір був безжальним: вийти заміж за нелюбого чи стати посміховиськом.
«Боже, який сором!» — Віра стояла, ніби світ розвалився під її ногами. Вибір був жорстокий: вийти заміж за нелюбого або стати посміховиськом для всього села. Сльози котилися по її щоках, а голос дрижав від відчаю:
— Що ж тепер буде, мамо? Всі будуть перешіптуватися за спиною, що наречений кинув мене прямо перед весіллям…
Краще б земля розступилася і поглинула її, ніж дивитися в очі сусідам. Мати гладила дочку по голові, шепочучи: «Не плач, Віро, щось придумаємо». Але в голові Надії Федорівни вже дозрівав план — зухвалий, безумний, такий, від якого захоплювало дух.
А що, коли знайти нового нареченого просто зараз? Вона різко піднялася, крикнувши сусідові:
— Петро, заводь машину! Їдемо на вокзал до ранкового потяга!
Петро, посміхнувшись, тільки знизав плечима:
— Для тебе, Надіє Федорівно, хоч зірку з неба. Але ти серйозно? Нареченого шукати?
— Серйозніше нікуди, — відрізала вона, грюкнувши дверима автомобіля. — Гроші люблять всі, знайдемо добровольця.
На пероні вона підійшла до двох симпатичних хлопців, перекинулася парою слів, і вже веде їх до машини. Петро витріщив очі:
— Це що, наречений і свідок?
— Так, Петре, — гордо промовила Надія. — Євген і Назар. Їдемо в магазин за костюмами, а потім — на весілля!
Гості вже гомоніли: «Наречений приїхав! Ура!» Віра вибігла назустріч, але застигла, ніби громом вражена. З машини вийшли двоє незнайомців. Мати відвела її вбік і шепнула:
— Це Євген. Або виходиш за нього заміж, а потім тихо розлучитеся, або живи з соромом. Вирішуй.
Віра кивнула, не в силі мовити ні слова. А через хвилину на її заплаканому обличчі вже сяяла усмішка.
Весілля гучало до ранку. Євген грав роль чоловіка так, ніби до цього все життя готувався. Віра навіть розгубилася: «Звідки така ніжність?» Коли гості розійшлись, вона простягнула йому руку:
— Дякую, ти мене врятував. Не хвилюйся, скоро розлучимося.
І тут стався поворот. Євген подивився їй прямо в очі і твердо сказав:
— А я не хочу розлучатися. Ти мені сподобалася з першого погляду.
Віра остовпіла.
— Ти жартуєш? Один клявся в любові й утік, а чужа людина раптом хоче залишитися назавжди?
— Чужій? — з легкою образою відказав Євген. — Моя мама все життя боялася, що я не одружуся. А я говорив: «Моя доля сама мене знайде». І ось ти переді мною. Думай, Віро, але я просто так не відступлю.
Що було далі? Віра думала. Думала так довго, що минуло 25 років. Виростили з Євгеном трьох дітей, живуть душа в душу. А Надія Федорівна досі дивується: як сором на все село обернувся щастям на все життя? Може, перечитати цю історію ще разок — раптом там заховано секрет, як доля сама стукає в двері?
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I Will Always Be With You, Mum: A Heartfelt Story You Can Believe Grandma Valerie couldn’t wait for evening to come. Her neighbour Natalie, a single woman approaching fifty, had just confided something so astonishing that Valerie’s head was spinning. To prove her point, Natalie had even invited her round later to show her something remarkable. The story began quite simply. That morning, Natalie had dropped by as she was on her way to the shop: “Is there anything you need, Valerie? I’m popping to the corner shop to pick up bits for a pie and a few other things.” Valerie smiled. “You’ve always been so good and caring, Natalie. I remember you as a little girl. It’s a shame things haven’t worked out for you—but you never seem sad or complain, not like some.” Natalie laughed. “What’s there to complain about? I do have a man I love, it’s just we can’t be together for now. Would you like to hear the reason? I’ve never told anyone else, but I want to tell you. Well, partly because you probably wouldn’t be believed if you repeated it!” She grinned. “Just let me know if you need anything from the shop. I’ll pop in on my way back, and over a cup of tea, I’ll tell you all about my life. Maybe then you’ll be happy for me and stop worrying.” Valerie didn’t really need anything, but asked Natalie to fetch a loaf of bread and some sweets for tea, her curiosity well and truly piqued. Later, as they sat together over tea and cake, Natalie began: “Valerie, you remember that thing that happened to me twenty years ago? I was nearly thirty. Met a bloke—nice enough, so I thought I’d marry him even if I didn’t love him. At least I’d have a family. He moved in and I got pregnant. When the baby came, a little girl, she lived just two days and passed away. I thought I’d go mad with grief. My husband and I split up soon after. A couple of months later, once I’d stopped crying, something happened. It’s hard to explain, Valerie. I’d got everything ready for my daughter—the cot, bedding, toys, the lot. They say it’s bad luck to buy these things early, but I didn’t believe that. Then one night I was woken by the sound of a baby crying. I thought I was imagining it, but the crying came again. I went to the cot—and there she was. My little girl. I picked her up, my heart nearly bursting with happiness. She looked up at me and then drifted peacefully to sleep. And from then on, almost every night, she would come to me. I even bought formula and a bottle, but she hardly ever fed—just smiled, closed her eyes and slept in my arms. Is that even possible?” Valerie leaned forward, utterly enthralled. “I know it sounds mad, but it’s true,” Natalie insisted. “It just went on—we got used to those nightly visits. I knew my little girl was living in another world, with her own mum and dad, but she never forgot me. She would visit, and one night she said to me: ‘I will always be with you, Mum. We are bound by an invisible thread, and nothing can ever break it.’ Sometimes I wonder if it’s a dream, but she even brings me gifts from her world. They don’t last long here though—they fade away like snow in spring.” That evening, Valerie finally visited Natalie’s flat. No one else was home—just the two of them. Suddenly, a gentle light shimmered in the air and a sweet young woman appeared: “Hello, Mummy! I’ve had such a good day, I want to share it with you. And here’s a present for you.” She placed a small bouquet on the table. Turning to see Valerie, she smiled again. “Oh, hello! Mum said you wanted to meet me. I’m Marianne.” After chatting a while, Marianne faded away like morning mist. Valerie sat silent, absolutely stunned. “Well, I never… that really happens!” she whispered. “Your daughter’s a beauty, Natalie, just like you. I’m so happy for you. You really are a lucky woman—maybe luckier than anyone I know. I would never have believed it if I hadn’t seen it myself. Thank you for opening my eyes. The world is so much bigger than I thought; life goes on everywhere. I’m not afraid anymore.” The flowers on the table became paler and then vanished altogether. But Natalie smiled, full of hope. Tomorrow would be a wonderful new day. She was going to meet Arkady, the man she loved and who loved her back—she just knew it. And someday soon, she’d introduce him to the two people she loved most in the world: Marianne and Arkady.
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