З життя
Я став батьком, не знаючи, хто мати моєї дитини
Ось як це могло б звучати:
Ти знаєш, я став батьком, навіть не розуміючи, хто мати моєї дитини.
Мені тридцять, і до певного моменту я жив звичайним життям холостяка: свобода, ніяких зобов’язань, вечори з друзями, корчма по п’ятницях, випадкові знайомства… Я навіть казав собі: «Ще хоч десять років поживу для себе!» Думав, що в мене море часу, щоб колись стати чоловіком і татом. Але, як виявилося, доля мала на цей рахунок зовсім інші плани.
Того ранку нічого не передвіщало дива. Я, як завжди, вийшов з дому о пів на дев’яту і прямував до машини. І раптом помітив дивну картину — біля під’їзду стояла дитяча коляска. Спочатку подумав, що хтось із сусідів залишив її на хвилину. Але, підійшовши ближче, аж похолов — у колясці спав справжній немовля. Поряд була записочка жіночим почерком: «Сашко, це твоя донька. Її звати Соломія. Будь ласка, подбай про неї».
У мене підкосились ноги. Навколо ніби зупинився час. Хто ця жінка? Коли це сталося? Це жарт? Я на автоматі взяв дівчинку на руки й поніс додому. Подзвонив мамі — єдиній людині, якій міг розповісти. За годину вона вже була в мене — з пелюшками, сосками, дитячим кремом і неймовірним спокоєм. Моя мама — справжня чарівниця. За кілька хвилин крикливий крихітка на її руках мирно сопів. А я сидів на кухні й дивився в ніку.
Пізніше, коли трохи прийшов до тями, зробив тест ДНК — мусив точно знати. І ось через кілька днів результат: я справжній батько. Серце стиснулося. Десь там, серед миттєвих романів, трапився цей «випадок», і тепер у мене є донька.
Перший час був пеклом. Соломія плакала вночі, я не висипався, вчився міняти підгузки, варити каші, підігрівати молоко до потрібної температури. Довелося найняти няню, а ще — викликати додому дитячого лікаря. Так у нашому житті з’явилася Олеся. Тиха, турботлива, добра. Вона не тільки лікувала мою дитину, але й мене. У якийсь момент я зрозумів, що чекаю на її візити з нетерпінням. Потім була перша кава разом. А потім — її рука в моїй, коли я вперше пішов до ЗАГСу.
Зараз нашій Соломії вже два роки. Ми з Олесею живемо разом, ростимо нашу малу й не уявляємо життя один без одного. Я став батьком. Я став чоловіком. Я вже не той безтурботний хлопець, що жив одним днем. Я вдячний тій незнайомій жінці, яка залишила Соломію біля мого дому. Можливо, колись я навіть скажу їй дякую — за те, що вона змінила моє життя й наповнила його смислом.
Тепер кожного ранку я прокидаюся не від будильника, а від теплих рученят, які гладять мене по щоках. І чую: «Тату, вставай!» І серце наповнюється чимось таким, чого я раніше не знав. Ось воно — справжнє щастя.
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