Until death do us part

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

No, no, do not think that I am writing about myself! God has mercy, and my beloved is next to me, lives and lives, sometimes grumbles, sometimes argues, but sincerely loves me. And I bathe in this love, accustomed to the fact that it exists, that my man takes care of me …

I came to a new team, consisting mainly of women, and, as usual, questions began: are they married, have children, etc. Turning to the smiling girl, I also asked:"

- He is not here. I am a widow, - came the answer. - Widowed at twenty-three.

I started to apologize.

Well, you fool, why did you ask?

Olga tried to dispel my embarrassment: "Nothing, I can talk about it quite normally. I can already …"

Not at the same time, of course, but Olga told me her story. Alexey was her first, still childish love. Five years is a big difference in adolescence: she is a thirteen-year-old girl with pigtails, and he - he is already an "adult", an adult. Probably, he did not even know about its existence. He was also her first man. Met by chance at a party - the matured 18-year-old Olga and Lyoshka, who looked at her in a new way. We met so as not to part.

A magnificent wedding, the beginning of a life together. Olga laughs, remembering how, after seeing her husband to work, she tried to cook sauce according to a recipe from a magazine, but nothing happened - she only translated the products, and she ran to her mother, where they made a wonderful dinner with everyone's efforts. How then she hurried home with these dishes to set the table - to meet her beloved. Didn't want him to doubt her culinary talents! Yes, he had no doubts, he knew that his Olyushka was the best.

And the child was delighted. Everyone said it was early, they didn't have time to live for themselves, and they decided - since, despite the precautions, they got pregnant (and they were going to wait - Olga entered the institute), then it must be so. As if something really hurried them, forced them to live faster, more intensely the time they had for their family.

Little Lyuba was born on their wedding anniversary! Day to day! Therefore, Alexei decided to call her Love - though not a fashionable name nowadays, but a very symbolic date of birth. He did not leave his daughter, did not sleep at night, ran to her at the first cry. Lost five kilograms in her first four months! To all Olga's persuasions not to pamper the baby, Lyoshka objected: "I don't want to miss anything in her life! Look, she is happy with me!"

Friends considered him crazy, and their wives, secretly jealous, said that with such a husband you can have at least a dozen children. "Of course, there will be ten! - Alexei exclaimed. - Life is long, we are young, we are happy …".

The happiness lasted for four more years. Four moments, four eternities. Olga's mother fell seriously ill and had to constantly visit her. Olya was getting ready for another such "watch" when the doorbell rang. Alyoshka stood on the doorstep, holding his mother in his arms: "It's calmer for me when all my girls are under one roof! Mom, you’re hard with us! Well, we ran to look for a convenient place!" So there were four of them. They went out little by little, but left to live with them. Although she kept trying to leave so as not to interfere with the young, Alexei every time convinced her that she was not a burden, but “Mom, you’re my secret agent! You should look after the little ones when I’m not!”.

They had a tradition that Olga (and then Lyuba) always met Alyosha from work, standing at the window. He, seeing them, began to send air kisses and grimace, surprising passers-by.

And that day he was not. Instead, his friend appeared and said that Lyosha was taken to the hospital - an industrial accident, he broke his leg. In the hospital, where Olya immediately went, Lyoshka joked and amused the whole ward, demanded to let him go home and not make people laugh - what a wonder - he broke his leg! - Well now give disability. Olya calmed down a bit, talked to the doctors and was about to leave when Alexei started asking her to take him home quite seriously: “I don’t want to spend the night here. Olenka, let's come back tomorrow, and I'll spend the night at home."

But the doctors did not allow it - the fracture was serious.

She kissed him and left, promising to come early in the morning.

Now he cannot forgive himself for this.

At night she woke up and could not sleep for a long time. I thought about my husband, that their plans might be untimely - to have another child. After all, this year to defend a diploma, then I was going to graduate school. But I really want to give Lyosha a son who is similar to him, just as cheerful and kind! We'll cope with our studies somehow… we will cope with all the difficulties….

… At that moment Alyosha was dying … The doctor on duty did not wait for the morning and decided to "collect" Lyoshka's leg late in the evening - so as not to waste time. Alexei died from a simple anesthetic injection, from a medicine to which he was allergic. They did not try to do it - they just introduced it. The condition worsened instantly. The young anesthesiologist did not immediately determine what had happened, they lost precious minutes, and Alexei died on the way to intensive care.

And then a call rang in their apartment - a woman's voice asked who was on the phone and said that Efimov's condition had worsened and was now regarded as extremely serious. How?! Why?! What's happened?! Disheveled, in a coat, worn over a nightgown, still hoping that this was a mistake, that this was another Yefimov, that someone had confused something, Olga flew to the hospital.

… Friends and relatives who had arrived were crying, a young anesthesiologist was sobbing, an old nurse was baptized. And Olya could not believe it - no, this simply could not happen! No no no no no! Not with him! Just a few hours ago he laughed and joked, kissed her: "See you tomorrow, baby! Hello to Lyubanka and mom!" …

Funeral, condolences. People are people. Someone hugs her, someone shakes hands, says something. She looked through them and nodded her head rhythmically in gratitude.

… Olga was left a widow with a small child, a disabled mother, incomplete higher education, no work experience and no money (not long before that they exchanged an apartment for a large one - they had not even given out debts yet). She had absolutely no one to rely on, she could not afford to relax - now everything needs to be decided by herself. But there was no strength.

I wanted to hide in a corner, cry, feel sorry for myself. But her mother and daughter looked at her trustingly, equally helpless, equally loving - her family. It seemed that there was no getting out of this sea of misfortunes and problems. And then another "surprise": having buried her husband, Olga did not pay attention to herself, her health. Well, there is no appetite - especially in the morning, well, it’s bad for her, the delay - but how can she not, when such a nervous breakdown! Mom was the first to say this thought aloud: "Olenka, maybe you are pregnant?"

So Olya's new life began. Even before the birth of the baby, she knew - this is a boy, this is little Alyoshka. And let the neighbors shudder superstitiously when they see a pregnant widow, let them say that you cannot go to the cemetery during demolitions. They can do anything now! They are alive, they will be happy for the sake of Lyosha, for the sake of this little lump inside her, which conquered sorrow and gave hope! They sold my mother's apartment to pay off the debts, Olga, in her fifth month of pregnancy, defended her diploma. Have you tried getting a job while pregnant? And don't try - it's almost unrealistic. And Olya was able - by persuading the director of the enterprise, agreeing to the minimum wage. In addition, I took on any work - typing texts on a computer, doing tests to negligent students, instead of walking on weekends, delivering ads.

Olga says that the baby helped her, as if he felt how hard and difficult it is for her now.

She went to give birth straight from work - the aunts from the accounting department "built" the director and sent Olya to the maternity hospital in his official car, and the whole team, spitting on the preparation of the report, followed. Alexey Alekseevich was born healthy and strong - a real hero. Soon he will be seven years old, he will go to school, and Lyubasha is already eleven.

I look at Olga - an attractive thirty-year-old woman, a head of the financial department, confident in herself. Maybe - is still ahead? As if reading my thoughts, Olga replied: "No, I can't get married again. I have a friend - I'm still a woman. But I can't live with anyone after Alexei, he was special, mine! And I have a rich "dowry": a mother, two children. Who will accept and love us all together? Nobody - only Lyoshka could. I was insanely happy with him, he is like the sun, no one can outshine. Even if I live with someone else Alyosha will always be there. Which man can put up with this?"

I returned home impressed by this conversation. “Hello,” my husband kissed me on the cheek.

Want! I want to have dinner with you, fall asleep and wake up with you, I want to share my joys and sorrows with you! Wow, my miracle! How happy I am that I have you!