З життя
Кредитка порожня, в холодильнику вітер гуляє
На картці майже не залишилось грошей, навіть з кредитних коштів залишилася одна гривня, в холодильнику порожньо… А з трави на тебе дивляться дві прекрасні, але дуже голодні очі. Що б зробила звичайна людина в такій ситуації? Хто його знає! Іра ніколи не вважала себе звичайною, тому перед нею не постало питання вибору. Яка різниця, як голодувати — разом чи окремо. Вдвох навіть якось веселіше, вдвох — завжди цікавіше.
Та кошеня дивилося то дивилося, але в руки ніяк не давалося. Увесь його вигляд говорив чітко і ясно:
– Так, жінко… Руки геть від мене! А то знаю я вас — затрогаєте мене всю, а погодувати не дасте. Сюди клади їжу, сюди! Тут зручне місце, скільки вже можна біля нього крутитися?
Довелося Ірині за кошеням побігати. Обидві запихалися… Маленька киця стомилася і все ж здалася.
– Гаразд, бери мене, я втомилася.
Кошеня на руках було майже невагоме. Воно нічого не важило — ніби всередині яскравої, пухнастої шубки нічого не було. І на чому тільки котяча душа трималася? Виключно на силі кошачого духу і бажання жити — тому що вже два дні кошеняті взагалі нічого не перепадало. Та й до цього воно теж не сказати, щоб особливо бенкетувало. Засохлий краєчок піци, половина котлети, та паличку з залишками морозива облизав. Ось і все, що знайшло за кілька днів, залишившись без мами, маленьке, голодне кошеня.
Ірина несла кицю і роздумувала. Голод, звісно, іноді добре, їй би це для фігури не завадило. Але дитину ж треба годувати! І вона вирішила відкинути свою гордість. Ця гордість дуже заважала їй жити. Виключно з гордості вона не стала ділити з чоловіком спільно набутий будинок. А все ж це він всі два роки шлюбу їй зраджував! Через цю гордість не прийняла допомогу матері та батька. І ця гордість погнала її в зовсім чуже місто. У місто, у якому вона опинилися зовсім одна — без рідних, без друзів і без грошей.
Але заради кошеняти Іра забула про свою гордість. Зайшла до магазину, невеличкого, біля дому. Там товпилися люди: підвипивший чоловік, молода сімейна пара та літня жінка.
– Доброго дня. – Звернулася Іра до продавчині. – Ви мене знаєте, я живу в третьому під’їзді. Не дайте мені в борг пару пакетиків вологого корму? Я віддам через кілька днів, зараз у мене немає ні копійки. А з зарплати відразу ж принесу… Ось, підібрала кошеня, а нагодувати його зовсім нічим.
Підвипивший чоловік глянув на Ірину важким, дуже невдоволеним поглядом.
– Пару пакетиків? Не вигадуй! Хіба цим кошеня прогодуєш? Яловичину брати треба! Ось той шматок для мене зважте. І тріску ще, два хвости. Скільки з мене? — Розплатився і простягнув пакет Ірі. — На, годуй свою пухнасту мордочку. А то — два пакетики, два пакетики. Ех, жінки-жінки… — пробурмотав і пішов.
– Доню, візьми молочка. — До Ірини підійшла літня жінка і простягнула літрову упаковку. — Кошеня маленьке, вони це люблять. Бери-бери, для малого не шкода. — Зітхнула співчутливо і також пішла. Молода пара переглянулася, вони зрозуміли один одного без слів. Дівчина підійшла до прилавка:
– Дайте нам корм для кошенят 10 пакетиків, хліб, рис і кефір.
Як ви розумієте, це також дісталося Ірині. Як же їй було незручно перед людьми, але всі вони давали їй продукти самі, від чистого серця. Іра несла кошеня і продукти додому. Кошеня пищало і намагалося прорватися до пакету. Аромат свіжого м’яса зводив малечу з розуму. А Ірина ніяк не могла зрозуміти… Як це так? Окремо їм двом було погано і безпросвітно. Іра тільки-но змогла влаштуватися на роботу і перша зарплата буде лише в кінці цього тижня. Кошеня теж — кілька днів бігало голодним. Але сьогодні, коли вона його забрала, зворушило відразу кілька, таких різних людей.
Вдома, після вечері, дві дівчини (велика і маленька) грали, а вночі кошеня вдячно муркотіло біля плеча.
– Ти думаєш, це я тебе нагодувала? — Погладжуючи маленьку лапку, запитала у кошеняти Ірина. — Помиляєшся. Це ти нагодував мене!
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You Don’t Deserve It — “After my divorce, I thought I’d never trust anyone again,” Andrew admitted, fidgeting with his empty espresso cup. His voice cracked and wavered so convincingly that Kate found herself leaning closer. “You know, when someone betrays you, you lose a part of yourself. She left me with wounds I thought would never heal… I honestly didn’t think I’d survive.” Andrew’s stories poured out for a long time: about his wife who never appreciated him, the pain that wouldn’t let go, the fear of starting over. Each word settled in Kate’s heart like a warm little stone. She imagined herself as the woman who could restore his faith in love—how they’d heal his scars together, how he’d realize true happiness was possible with her by his side. He first mentioned Max on their second date, casually dropped in between dessert and coffee… — “I have a son, by the way. He’s seven. Lives with his mum, but stays with me every weekend. The court said so.” — “That’s wonderful!” Kate beamed. “Children are a blessing.” She started daydreaming: Saturday morning breakfasts for three, trips to the park, TV evenings together. The boy needed a woman’s care, a mother’s warmth. She could become a second mum—not a replacement, but someone close, someone family… — “Are you sure you don’t mind?” Andrew watched her with a crooked smile she mistook for wariness at the time. “A lot of women run when they hear about a kid.” — “I’m not most women,” she said proudly. Her first weekend with Max was a celebration. Kate made blueberry pancakes—his absolute favourite, as Andrew had tipped her off. Patiently, she helped him through his maths homework. She washed his dinosaur T-shirt, pressed his school uniform, made sure he was in bed by nine sharp. — “You should have a rest,” she told Andrew after he’d sprawled out on the sofa with the remote. “I’ve got this covered.” Andrew nodded—or so it seemed then, gratefully. But now she realized it was the nod of a man taking his due. Time marched on. Kate worked as a logistics manager, out by eight, home after seven. Decent salary by London standards—enough for two. But there were three. — “Hold-up on site again,” Andrew would say as if announcing a hurricane, “Client’s pulled out. But there’s a big contract coming, I promise.” The “big contract” hovered on the horizon for a year and a half, sometimes getting closer, mostly never arriving. But the bills always came—rent, utilities, internet, groceries, child support for Marina, new trainers for Max, school contributions. Kate paid all of them, quietly. She skimped on lunches, brought in tupperware pasta, walked home in the rain to save on cabs. She hadn’t had a manicure in a year—did her own nails and tried not to remember the luxury of professional treatments. Three years, and Andrew had given her flowers exactly three times. Kate remembered each bouquet—cheap roses from the convenience kiosk near their tube stop, droopy and with snapped-off thorns. Probably on special offer… The first was an apology after Andrew called her hysterical in front of Max. The second came after an argument about a friend who visited unannounced. The third, when he missed her birthday because he lingered with mates—simply forgot. — “Andrew, I don’t want expensive gifts,” she tried to keep her voice gentle. “Just… sometimes I’d like to know you’re thinking of me. Even a card…” His face contorted instantly. — “So it’s all about money for you, is it? Presents? Don’t you care about love? Or what I’ve been through?” — “That’s not what—” — “You don’t deserve it.” Andrew spat the words at her like dirt. “After all I do for you, you still complain.” She fell silent. She always did—it made things easier. Easier to live, to breathe, to pretend everything was fine. Yet, for mates’ nights, Andrew always found cash. Pubs, football at the local, café Thursdays. He’d come home tipsy, reeking of sweat and cigarettes, flop onto the bed without noticing Kate was still awake. She convinced herself this was how love worked. Love meant sacrifice. Love meant patience. He would change, surely. She just had to be even more attentive, love even harder—after all, look at what he’d suffered… Talk of marriage became a minefield. — “We’re happy as we are, why do we need a piece of paper?” Andrew waved the question away like a pesky fly. “After what happened with Marina, I need time.” — “It’s been three years, Andrew. That’s a long time.” — “Now you’re pressuring me—always pressuring!” He stormed off, ending the conversation. Kate longed for children of her own. She was twenty-eight, the ticking biological clock growing louder each month. But Andrew wasn’t interested in a second round of fatherhood—he had a son, and that was enough for him. Then came that Saturday—she asked for just one day. One day. — “The girls are inviting me over. We haven’t seen each other in ages. I’ll be back by evening.” Andrew looked at her as though she’d announced she was emigrating. — “And Max?” — “He’s your son, Andrew. Spend the day with him.” — “So you’re abandoning us? On a Saturday? When I’m expecting to relax?” She blinked. In three years she’d never left them alone. Never asked for a day to herself. She cooked, cleaned, tutored homework, washed, ironed—while holding a full-time job. — “I just want to see my friends. It’s only a few hours… And he’s your son. Can’t you spend a day with him on your own?” — “You’re supposed to love my child as much as me!” Andrew suddenly roared. “You live in my flat, eat my food, and now you’ve got the nerve to make demands?!” His flat. His food. Kate paid the rent. Kate bought the food. Three years supporting a man who yelled at her for wanting to spend a day with her friends. She looked at Andrew—twisted face, throbbing temples, fists clenched—and saw him for the first time. Not as a wounded soul, not a helpless victim in need of rescue, but an adult who had learned to expertly exploit kindness. Kate, to him, was not a beloved partner, not a future wife. She was a walking wallet and a live-in maid. That was all. When Andrew left to drop Max back to Marina, Kate took out her suitcase. Her hands moved calmly, no shakes, no doubts. Passport. Mobile. Charger. A couple of shirts and jeans. The rest could be bought later. The rest didn’t matter. She left no note. What could she explain to a man who never valued her? The door closed behind her quietly, no fuss, no drama. The calls started within an hour—one, then another, then a barrage—a shrill, endless trill that made her phone quiver. — “Kate, where are you?! What’s going on?! You’ve gone, there’s no dinner! Am I supposed to go hungry now? What the hell?!” She listened—his voice angry, demanding, full of righteous indignation—and marvelled. Even now, as she’d left, Andrew thought only of himself. How inconvenient this was. Who would make his tea? No “sorry”. No “what happened”. Just “how dare you”. Kate blocked his number. Blocked him on Messenger. On every social platform—brick by brick, she built herself a wall. Three years. Three years with someone who never loved her. Who used her empathy as a disposable resource. Who convinced her that self-sacrifice was love. But that’s not love. Love doesn’t humiliate. Love doesn’t reduce someone to a servant. Kate walked through the twilight streets of London and for the first time in ages, she could breathe. She vowed she’d never again confuse love with self-neglect. Never again give herself away to those who prey on pity. And always, always choose herself. Just herself.
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