З життя
Торговець фруктами відкрив коробку, і звідти визирнули величезні перелякані очі.
Продавець фруктів відкрив коробку. Звідти визирнула мордочка. Величезні злякані очі, здавалося, той і гляди згорнуться двома великими сльозинками.
— Не їсть нічого, мабуть, від кішки відняли та викинули. А шерсть у неї злиплася, бо жила у ящику з-під слив.
Покупчиня, нічого не кажучи, пішла. Чоловік із сумом похитав головою: «Навіть у жінок не залишилося співчуття». Але через якийсь час вона повернулася.
«Не виходить у мене з голови ваш кошеня», — сказала вона і простягла тканину:
— Загорніть «товар».
— Візьмете? — зрадів чоловік. Дбайливо загорнув кошеня і, як дитину, подав жінці.
— Це по-людськи, по-людськи. Віддасться вам, — повторював він.
Жінка поблажливо усміхнулася:
— Теж мені благодійницю знайшов. Ще не знаю, як чоловік подивиться на цей «подарунок». А то разом на вулиці опинимось.
І як у воду дивилась. Не до двору прийшлося кошеня. Хоч і вимите, охайне, нагодоване, та все ж дивилася на нього жалюгідно, непривабливо.
— Що це за чужинець? — бридливо відштовхнув чоловік кошеня, коли воно спробувало злізти йому на ногу. Підозріле подряпування кігтиків відволікло подружжя від серіалу. Під загрозою були нові, дорогі шпалери.
— Тебе що, миші дістали? Навіщо він нам у однокімнатній квартирі? — докоряв господар дружині.
Взявши кошеня за шкірку, чоловік здивовано-бридливо дивився на безпомічно повішене в його руках створіння:
— Щоб завтра його тут не було.
Валентина й сама вже не тішилась своєю знахідкою. Але знизу дивилися на неї очі-сльози, маленькі лапки благально м’яли її ногу, і таке дзвінке муркотіння видавало худеньке тіло, що потекла в її серце тепла струмка жалю. Нахилилася, погладила.
Відроджене ласкою кошеня злізло на руки, уткнуло носик у теплу долоню хазяйки. «Немає милості не зробившому милість», — згадала слова матері Валентина і, оправдавши ними свій учинок, заспокоїлася.
Задзвонив телефон:
— Бабуся, приходь до нас на чай!
Валентина тихенько, не відволікаючи чоловіка від серіалу, вийшла за двері.
Син жив недалеко, через дорогу. Катруся вже стояла біля свого дому і радісно махала рукою. Раптом велика чорна машина з’їхала на узбіччя. Дитяче тіло підкинуло вгору. Валентина оніміла. Не могла ні крикнути, ні зрушити з місця.
Одні очі, як у сповільненій зйомці, вбирали кожен кадр: якась жінка підняла дівчинку. Маленькі ручки судомно обхопили її шию. Жива! Чоловік насилу вийшов з машини. П’яний. Йому назустріч біг син. У формі. Тремтячими руками він намагався витягнути з кобури зброю і раптом спіткнувся об крик:
— Ні!!!
Мати стояла через дорогу, але йому здавалося, що вона відштовхує його різко витягнутими вперед руками.
Підбігли люди, стали у нього на шляху, вивели п’яного водія. Валентина не відчувала ніг. Але вона йшла… чи її несли? До Катрусі! Лікар вже оглядав, ощупував кожну кісточку:
— Все нормально. Переломів немає. Сильних ушкоджень теж.
— Але чому вона мовчить?! — невістку трусило великою дрожжю.
— Злякалася. Потрібно відволікти, — сказав лікар.
— Зараз, я зараз.
Валентина кинулася додому. Забігла, схопила кошеня, на льоту розповідаючи чоловікові про те, що сталося. Встигла. «Швидка» не поїхала. В очах дитини плавав страх. Обережно розжала її руки, вклала кошеня. Катруся перевела погляд. Пальчики зашевелилися, погладили м’яку шерсть. У відповідь пролунав лагідний «Мур-мур-мур». «Муруся», — тихо вимовила дівчинка. Лікар полегшено зітхнув. Валентина дала волю сльозам — тепер можна.
Катя не випускала кішечку з рук. Ніч вони провели в лікарні. Вранці їх відпустили додому з висновком: «Дівчинка просто народилася в сорочці».
«Милість зробленому милість», — прошепотіла Валентина.
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