З життя
«Я пам’ятаю!»
«Я не забула!»
– Бабусю, уявляєш, ми сьогодні на озері знайшли золоте кільце! У піску! Тато випадково руку сунув у пісок, а там кільце!
– Та невже?!
– Так, бабусю, не віриш?!
– Звісно, вірю, люба.
– І тато його одразу мамі подарував! Там навіть бірка була!
– Бірка?!
– Так! Тато пояснив, що, найімовірніше, кільце якось із ювелірного магазину випадково закотилося в пісок.
– У пісок?!
– Так, бабусю!!! Ну, так він нам і мамі пояснив. Що це не з потопельника чи не вкрадене кільце!
– Ну, якщо тато так сказав…
– Так, бабусю! І сказав, що там таких кілець дуже багато! Ми з Лесиком ще тиждень цілими днями цей дурний пісок риємо! Нам хоча б одне маленьке кільце знайти.
– У Лесика пройшов кашель?
– Звісно, пройшов. Коли йому кашляти?! Тут знаєш, скільки справ?! Як у Бімки справи?
– Нормально. Що ви там їсте?
– Бабусю, не переводь тему. Покажи його!
Бабуся повернула камеру телефону на собаку. Бім лежав поруч і уважно слухав діалог.
– От. Привітайся, Біме.
– Бабусю, а чому він такий сумний?!
– Нормальний він, люба.
– Ні! Я ж знаю, який він нормальний! Біму!!! Що це там тобі?!
Біму здалося, що він почув знайомий і рідний голос. Він вильнув хвостом.
– Гаразд, люба, мені пора на дачу збиратися. Ви ще довго там?
– Мама хоче ще на два тижні залишитися.
– На два тижні?! – бабуся подивилася на Біма.
– Ну так. Нам тут добре! От би ще кільце знайти… Біму, хочеш кільце на нашийник?!
– Па-па, люба.
***
– Мам, привіт! Ліза сказала, щось термінове?
– Так. Коли ви прилітаєте?
– Не знаю. Тут дуже добре. Може, ще пару тижнів. А що?!
– Нічого! Бім не їсть зовсім!
– Як не їсть?!
– А от так не їсть. Як ви поїхали, тільки спить і у вікно дивиться, а при найменшому шурхоті в під’їзді біжить до дверей і гавкає.
– Ви йому точно той корм даєте?!
– Ні, блін, сирою картоплею годуємо! Звісно, кормом!
– Блін.
– От тобі й блін. Він схуд, знаєш, як?!
– Ну-ка, покажи?!
Бабуся показала сплячого Біма.
– От. Шкіра й кістки.
– Може, його до ветеринара?!
– До якого ветеринара?! Ти нормальний?! Він за вами сумує?! Вас уже місяць немає! Ви його так надовго ніколи не залишали!
– Мам, давай так. Я запишу вас до ветеринара. Відведи його, будь ласка.
– Ну, добре.
***
– Мама, привіт! Ну як сходили?
– Ох… Привіт. Сходили. Він ветеринара вкусив, коли той хотів його зважити. Я його утримати не змогла. Намордник довелося надягнути, щоб узд зробити.
– Блін.
– От тобі й блін. Забився в кут і гарчить. Звідки сили взялися – незрозуміло.
– Ну, а лікар що сказав?
– Каже, кров треба здати. Зовні все нормально. Скоріш за все, стрес у нього.
– Чому?
– Чому?! Ти ще питаєш???
– Мамо, не кричи! Ми теж на нервах.
– Ой, робіть, що хочете…
***
– Мамо, привіт. Чому так пізно?
– Мені здається, він ледь дихає.
– Як?! У нас літак зранку. Мамо, заспокойся. Не плач.
– Він кілька днів не їсть. Раніше хоч трішки…
Хтось із дітей ззаду спитав:
– Бабусю, а чому ти плачеш?
– Любий, Біму погано.
– Тато казав… Ну ми ж завтра прилітаємо!
– Боюся, що можна…
Несподівано на камері телефону бабусі з’явилося обличчя дівчинки.
– Ні!!! Бабусю, піднеси екран телефону до нього і ввімкни гучний зв’язок!
– Любий, він…
– Піднеси!!!!
Вона піднесла телефон до сплячого собаки.
– Бім, ти мене чуєш?! Ми завтра приїдемо! Я знаю, що ти на нас образився. Ти думаєш, що ми тебе забули! Бім, слухай мене!
Собака підвелася. Вона уважно слухала.
– Я теж ображаюся, але потім забуваю. Ну, а який сенс?! Все життя прожити сумною та ображеною?
Зрозумій, Бім, ти – Зайцев! А Зайцеви, коли складно й страшно, не падають духом. Бім Зайцев, ти думаєш, я не забула, як ти тоді на ротвейлера дурного кинувся, коли він на мене напав?
Ти його вдвічі менший був, але захистив мене! Дісталося тобі тоді. І ти думаєш після цього, я тебе забула?!
Собака слабо вильнула хвостом.
– Бім Зайцев, я прошу тебе піти на кухню і з’їсти ці коричневі шматочки! Марш на кухню!
Собака повільно пішла на кухню і почала їсти корм зі своєї миски.
***
Коли вранці вони прилетіли, Бім пробачив їх. Але не відразу. Хвилин через п’ять. Спочатку відвернувся, пішов у свій куток, а потім кинувся всіх облизувати. Брудні ж. З дороги.
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