З життя
Він вигнав нас на вулицю, але доля дала мені новий шанс
Він вигнав нас із дітьми на вулицю — але доля подарувала мені нове життя
“Проміняв дружину з дітьми на коханку і тепер хочеш, щоб ми залишились на вулиці?” — ці слова Віри продовжували звучати в голові Андрія, коли він згадував її історію. Того вечора на вечірці він ледве дихав у натовпі і вийшов на студений повітря. Біля ресторану до нього підбіг замурзаний хлопчик у старому одязі. Друг Андрія махнув рукою — “геть звідси, жебрак!” — але Андрій раптом зупинився. Щось у цьому хлопцеві, у його великих очах, змусило його серце стиснутися.
— Їж, Марко, я ще куплю, що треба, — сказав Андрій, саджаючи хлопчика до столу в ресторані. Той з’їв половину і попросив залишок забрати. — Що у вас трапилось? — тихо запитав він, дивлячись на худенькі руки, що тремтіли від холоду. — Мені дев’ять, у мене мама й сестричка Лісавета. Вона хвора, мама витрачає всі гроші на ліки, на їжу майже не лишається, — відповів Марко, дивлячись у підлогу. Андрій підвівся: — Йдемо, я віддячу за щирість.
Дорога до старого гуртожитку вела через район, про який у місті говорили пошепки зі страхом. Двері відчинила виснажена, але вродлива жінка. — Він щось накоїв? Вибачте… — почала вона, але Андрій перебив: — Ні, я тут, щоб допомогти. Віра провела його в тісну кімнату. На ліжку лежала маленька дівчинка, кашляла і просила води. Їй було не більше чотирьох. Андрій сів, слухаючи, як життя розчавило цю жінку, і відчув, як у грудях зростає гнів.
— Ми з чоловіком зі школи були разом, — розповіла Віра, стримуючи сльози. — Народився Марко, він сказав: “Не вчись, я забезпечу”. Я слухала, ростила дітей, а потім з’явилась інша. Він вигнав нас із дому, кричав: “Забирайтеся!” Я благала — заради дітей подумай, але марно. Стала двірником, дали цю кімнату. Грошей вистачало на їжу, а коли Лісавета захворіла, все пішло на ліки. Марко почав просити в людей. — Вона подивилася на продукти, що приніс Андрій: — Я все поверну до копійки! — Не треба, — відкинув він.
Наступного дня Андрій повернувся з лікарем. Лісавету вилікували. Він приходив знову і знову, приносив гостинці, грався з дітьми. А згодом зрозумів: закохався. Але правда відкрилася пізніше. Одного вечора Віра зізналася: — Знаєш, Андрію, той чоловік, що нас вигнав… Він працює з тобою. Це твій конкурент, Сергій. — Андрій завмер. Сергій? Той самий, що хвалився новою машиною і молодою супутницею на тій же вечірці?
Щось всередині перевернулося. Андрій, успішний і шанований, боявся Сергія в бізнесі, а той викинув свою сім’ю на вулицю. Але замість гніву прийшла ясність. Він подивився на Віру, на Марка й Лісавету, і зробив вибір. Пропозицію. Вона сказала “так” зі сльозами щастя. Тепер вони разом — справжня родина. Діти кличуть його татом, а він їх любить, як рідних.
Тепер вони мешкають у просторому домі, де сміх Лісавети і жарти Марка гріють вечори. Андрій більше не той хлопець з вечірок — він чоловік і батько. А Сергій? Залишився зі своєю машиною і порожнім життям. Доля зіграла свою гру: один вигнав, інший підняв. І коли Віра обіймає Андрія, вона шепоче: “Дякую, що знайшов нас”. Чи був це випадок? Чи всесвіт знав, що робить? Прочитай ще раз — і скажи сам.
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