7
Thus the little boy had been born and raised with his mother’s maiden name. This was an intriguing matter and demanded explanation. Nonetheless, as Nikolai Shilin came of age, he did not ask his mother about it. Nowadays, children seldom bear their mother’s maiden name; it is something encountered only once in a while. However, after the war, one constantly came across children with such names. The “Father” field on forms was usually just struck out with a dash, and this said it all: their father was nowhere around.
I must admit, as a doctor I was burning with curiosity. I had always remembered my patients well and worried about them, for I was the one on whom their well-being depended. Moreover, I tried to shield them from any attacks, pain, mistakes, or adversity. Even years later th
