“Girls… open up,” I said and froze in anticipation.
The lock clicked on the back and the door opened. What was behind it looked very sad. Nelya and Katya were sitting by the sink, and there was a bottle of motherwort next to them, Nelya was holding a glass of water in her hands. Katerina lowered her face down and covered it with her hands, while her body shook with sobs. Katya had a calm character, so it became clear that something very serious had happened in her life.
– Please calm down, let’s talk,” I said in a calm voice, stroking Katya’s back with my hand.
I took a towel and gave it to Katya to wipe her face. Putting her arm around her shoulders, she gently sat her down at a small table for the staff.
“Good, you’re my good,” I whispered in the hope that Katya would want to talk to me. Indeed, my words soon had an effect on her. She took a deep breath, as if she hadn’t breathed at all until that moment, and on exhaling loudly said:
– He’s gone!
– Who left? I asked, not understanding what he was talking about.
– Sasha, my husband. Yesterday he didn’t come to spend the night, took his things and documents, and today he called and said that I wouldn’t wait for him home, and didn’t explain anything else to me,” and tears shone in her eyes again.
– Katyusha, don’t worry so much, you’ve always been strong. After all, the most important thing in life is children and relatives, and he, you’ll see, will definitely regret everything later.
“I think it’s not that simple,” she said thoughtfully.
But her face had already stopped being so gloomy, she became calmer, and we went to our workplaces.
It was a wonderful warm evening, I was walking slowly along the sidewalk home. Cars were rushing towards them along the roadway. The phone rang, it was Katya.
– Vlada, I’m hugging my daughter now and I understand that in the whole world I can’t find a closer and kinder person than my blood, my daughter.
– Katyusha, everything will be fine with you, you’ll see.
I put my phone back away. Suddenly the noise of the engines died down, and all the sounds of the street disappeared, a gentle melody sounded that was coming from inside me, there was a cello, and a violin sang thinly, it was the music of happiness. After all, how good it is when good comes from you, and you extend a helping hand to someone who needs it.
– Heh-khe, girl, give the homeless for food, – suddenly a man’s hoarse voice rang out from behind me. I turned back and saw the stooped figure of a man. He was dressed in old, worn clothes, patches were visible in places, they were darned with threads of different colors.
– Just a second,” I said, and began to turn my pockets inside out, but there were only small bread crumbs and a handful of caramels in them. I didn’t find any change in my bag either, and some large bills were peeking out of my wallet. Now there is silence and expectation in the air.
I took out a five thousand dollar bill and handed it to the man.
– Thank you,” he said, and at that moment the man’s eyes sparkled, and tears rolled down his cheek, “and this is for you,” and he modestly held out several willow twigs, which he had been holding in his hand all the time.
– God bless you, – the man said goodbye.
This touching scene remained in my memory for a long time, and for many years I remembered the willow given to the homeless, it even became some kind of good sign in my life. After all, there was another story with her participation, but I’ll tell you about it a little later.
It rained all night, drumming on the glass first with a small fraction, then with increasing force it hit with large drops and became quieter again. In the morning, when the sunlight began to penetrate into my room, only wet patterns on the glass remained in memory of the rain. Such rainy weather has not been for a long time, and therefore I was happy to look out the window at the sun’s glare, which was reflected in puddles.
The phone rang, and a man’s voice wished me good morning. But I didn’t immediately understand who was talking to me.
– Vlada, it’s the priest who’s bothering you again.
– Come on, Father, what kind of concern can there be, I’m glad you called.
– Then I will call you every day. Our weather is so sunny, and the birds are singing in my soul. How are you?
“We didn’t get to talk to you last time,” I said.
– It’s God’s will for everything. And let’s talk right now.
“I want to talk about faith, hope and love,” I said.
– Probably, it will be about your friends? – the priest said with a touch of irony.
– About self – belief, hope for a better future and about love, which I have been waiting for for a long time, – I did not lose my head, I replied.
– Intricate, as I see it, you are a young lady, but it even pleases me. You can talk to me on absolutely any and different topics. Even the innermost secrets can be trusted with a priest. And with your permission, I want to switch to you.
– Okay, let’s break my rules,” I replied.
– And what, are there any other rules? – he was surprised.
– My personal rules of communication.
– Vladochka, do not attach much importance to this, breaking the rules, I will not cross the boundaries of our friendship. Better tell me about yourself.
– Peter, you have me very much in your favor, and I want to share a lot.
– Well, here you are again, Vlada, we have now switched to you, – his voice became quieter and more affectionate with me.
– In my life there was no communication with a priest at all, and therefore I want to tell one story.
– Of course, tell me what’s bothering you,” the priest said gently.
– When I was ten years old, my parents died in a car accident. Aunt Nina, my mother’s sister, took me to live with her. But while I was living with her, she was constantly drinking and driving gentlemen. Therefore, at the age of seventeen, after school, I left home for a completely different city and began to live independently. And she went on drinking.
– How old are you? Peter asked.
– Thirty – five,” I said.
– My girl, you are still so young, you still have a lot ahead of you. The main thing in life is not to lose yourself and love God. If you want, I will always support you.
– Yes, I want it, I really want it, – I answered and pressed the phone to my chest…
– I will always be there, – said Peter and hung up.
The next day, a burgundy Volvo drove up to my entrance, without turning on the headlights, the driver got out of the car. He lit a cigarette and blew out a smoke ring. I walked up to the car, greeted the taxi driver and said:
– On Kamenskaya, forty-three.
Sitting comfortably in the seat, I closed my eyes and began to think about him. Maybe it’s bad to think about a married man, especially a priest, but it began to seem to me that I was falling in love with his voice, his manner of communication,