З життя
Непривабливий
«Некрасивий»
— Оленко, не можна! — Голос матері різко зупинив рух дівчинки, її маленька рука завмерла в повітрі. — Не чіпай його, відійди! Подивись, який він некрасивий!
Рудий кіт, якого щойно гладила Оленка, ображено глянув на жінку, зітхнув і відійшов вбік. Він часто чув ці слова. Занадто часто.
Кіт дійсно виглядав так, що люди вважали за краще не помічати його: худий, з виступаючими ребрами, обмороженими вушками й великими, широко поставленими очима, повними смутку.
На лавці неподалік сидів Микола. Почув голос жінки. Оглянувся. Знайшов поглядом кота і… неначе побачив себе з боку.
Некрасивий.
Слово, яке переслідувало його все життя. Сьогодні він знову почув його — але вже про себе.
— Миколо, він добрий, розумний, але… ну ви тільки уявіть, які у нього будуть діти!
Дівчата сміялися. Серед них була Марина. Микола завмер. Її голос проник у саму душу.
Він не любив дивитися в дзеркало.
Що там можна було побачити? Відстовбурчені вуха? Веснянки, хаотично розкидані по всьому обличчю? Очі, зменшені лінзами окулярів з сильною діоптрією?
Ні, він точно не був тим, кого називають гарним.
Але зараз йому було образливо не за себе. А за кота.
«Я хоча б знаю, що у мене є майбутнє. Хай не таке, як хотілося б. А у тебе? У тебе немає нічого…»
Він спустив ноги з лавки, і кіт насторожився, готовий до втечі. Але замість грубого окрику почув:
— Ну що, друже? Один сидиш? Давай разом мерзнути.
Кіт завмер. Людський голос, звернений до нього… доброзичливо?
Таке бувало рідко. Занадто рідко.
Але Микола простягнув руку, і кіт не відступив.
— Ми з тобою схожі, знаєш? Тебе не гладять, мене не запрошують у компанії. Але… знаєш, що найстрашніше? Що, здається, самотність триватиме все життя.
Кіт дивився йому в очі. І раптом тихенько, невпевнено нявкнув:
— Але ж ти покликав мене…
Поворот, який змінив усе
— Ти, напевно, голодний?
Голодний. Завжди.
— Зачекай мене тут. Я зараз дістану щось.
— Ні! — Кіт рушив уперед. — Я піду з тобою!
Вони дійшли до магазину разом. Микола зник у дверях, а кіт залишився зовні, чекаючи.
Коли він вийшов, ніхто не проганяв кота. Навпаки, він уперше в житті їв з кимось, не боячись, що його відштовхнуть або кинуть у нього камінь.
Випадкова трапеза зламала стіну недовіри.
— Ну що, смачно?
Кіт замуркотів. Микола відчув, як усередині раптом стає тепліше.
Він простягнув руку і обережно погладив його. Кіт не здригнувся. Не відштовхнувся. Навпаки, притулився спиною до нього, ніби все життя чекав цієї миті.
— Знаєш, мені здається, ти зовсім не потворний, — усміхнувся Микола.
Кіт подивився на нього.
— А ти — не такий, як вони кажуть.
І тоді почувся голос…
— Дурник ти, Миколо.
Він здригнувся. Впізнав голос.
Обернувся.
Марина.
Стояла позаду, тримаючи в руці яскраву парасольку. Нахилила її, прикриваючи від дощу Миколу й кота.
— Не треба, Марино, — він похитав головою. — Я чув, як ти сміялася разом з ними.
Дівчина похитала головою.
— Ти не чув, що сказала я.
— Ну так, мабуть, щось на кшталт «який він смішний»…
— Ні, — її голос був дивно спокійний. — Я сказала, що хотіла б мати купу дітей. І щоб їхнім татом був ти.
Микола завмер.
— Мінімум троє, — продовжила Марина. — Двох хлопчиків і дівчинку.
Кіт висунув голову з-під куртки.
— І кота! — нявкнув він.
Марина розсміялася.
— Обов’язково кота.
Щастя – це коли тебе люблять, навіть якщо ти «некрасивий»
— Лізь під куртку, дощ починається.
Кіт юркнув у тепло.
Микола подивився на нього, потім на Марину.
А тоді раптом зрозумів, що його душа… гріється.
А ти впевнений, що бачиш людей такими, якими вони є? Чи… якими тобі кажуть, що вони повинні бути?
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