З життя
Після 15 років шлюбу дружина зізналася, що дитина не від мене. Але реакція сина зворушила мене до сліз…
Колись давно, у мене трапилася історія, що змінила все.
Мене звуть Тарас, мені 48. Все життя я вважав себе щасливим. Поруч була дружина, з якою ми прожили майже п’ятнадцять років у шлюбі. Пройшли через усе — і побутові труднощі, й хвороби, й роки, коли гроші ледве вистачало. Але ніщо не здавалося непереборним, бо поряд була вона — моя кохана Оксана. І наш син — Данилко. Для мене він був сенсом життя. Я виховував його з перших днів, носив на руках, коли він хворів, вчив їздити на велосипеді, провожав у дитячий садок, потім у школу. Це був мій хлопчик, моя кров і душа.
Але одного дня сталося те, що перевернуло світ догори дриґом.
Ми з Оксаною серйозно посварилися. Привід був дріб’язковий — якесь непорозуміння, зайве слово, втома, що накопичилася. Сварка розгорілася несподівано жорстоко. Я щось різко відповів, і Оксана, не втримавшись, випалила:
— Та ти йому взагалі не батько! Він не твій син! Ніколи ним і не був!
Я завмер. Ці слова ніби розкололи мені груди. Спершу я навіть не зрозумів. У вухах задзвеніло, ніби всередині стало порожньо. Я дивився на неї й не вірив. У голові гуло одне: «Невже?..»
Оксана зрозуміла, що зайвого сказала, але було вже пізно. Вона відвернулася, сховавши обличчя в долонях. А коли я підвів очі, побачив, що в дверях стоїть Данилко. Він повернувся зі школи раніше звичайного. І, на лихо, увійшов саме тоді, коли з уст його матері вирвалося страшне.
Він усе чув.
Повисла важка тиша. Ніхто не рухався. Повітря в хаті згусло, ніби перед бурею. І раптом у цій мовчанці заговорив мій син. Його голос був тихим, але твердим:
— Тату, навіть якщо ти мені не рідний, ти все одно — мій тато. І я тебе люблю.
Я ніби прокинувся від жахіття. Подивився на нього — такого малого, беззахисного, і водночас такого сильного в своїй дитячій щирості. Очі самі наповнилися слізьми, але я не боровся з ними. Підійшов, обійняв Данилка, притиснув до себе, і він так само міцно обійняв мене у відповідь.
Не пам’ятаю, скільки ми так стояли. Знав лише одне — втрачати цього хлопця я не хочу і не можу. Неважливо, чи він мій за кров’ю. Я його виростив. Я вчив його життю. Я вів його за руку у цей світ. Він — мій син. І крапка.
Пізніше ми з Оксаною поговорили. Вона зізналася, що Данилко з’явився в її житті за кілька місяців до нашої зустрічі. Боялася сказати мені правду. Боялася, що я піду. Але, побачиАле тепер, коли все вийшло на поверхню, ми зрозуміли, що родина — це не кров, а любов, яку ми виплекали разом.
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