Chapter 6 : Maple leaf
628 Words
DASHA'S POV
Men were something incomprehensible and unknown to my son.
The reason for this was that the entire staff of the small orphanage consisted only of women, with the exception of a retired security guard, whom the children rarely saw. And here—a bunch of men. And Bulatov especially shocked and even slightly scared my son.
I gave the contract and left the office immediately, even though everyone knew me there—knowing that it was only through me that they could get to the boss—and now I felt sticky and dirty from the curious glances of strangers.
"Did you adopt him after all?" a girl from the advertising department managed to ask.
I didn't even remember her name, and the fact that she knew such intimate details of my personal life annoyed me.
"Yes," I replied briefly.
"Well, it's better this way than being alone," she said with a hint of pity. "And then a glass of water in old age and all that..." She looked at me with disgust.
Anger woke up in me again. What right did she have to judge? How was she any better than me?
Was it because her skirt barely covered her a*s, and her lips were brightly painted?
How was my Senya any worse than other children?
I understood that I was about to explode; I was still boiling after being in Bulatov's office. But... they just wouldn't understand me. I was nobody here.
They could ask me to bring chocolates to appease the boss for another project and then just forget about my existence. It's funny, but on the last Women's Day, they simply forgot about me.
I didn't even get the idiotic tulips that were given out in the office.
I lowered my gaze. Senya was standing next to me, holding my hand, and looking at me the way only he could—into my eyes, and it seemed, into the very essence of my being. And I found the strength to just smile at that girl.
I wouldn't make a scene and scare my son. Let them choke on their tulips.
"These stupid people don't know how to love," I said to Senya when we were already on the street.
We were walking through the park, and the bright yellow birch leaves rustled sadly under our feet. "Don't be offended by them, okay?"
Senya was silent. I was getting used to his silence. We walked, and it was so cozy together. And you don't have to think about anything. You don't have to measure yourself by someone else's standards. That I'm thirty, I don't have a husband, I'm infertile, I'm just an old, useless virgin.
No, I'm stronger than that. I have myself. And I have Senya.
The janitors were raking the leaves into large piles and then taking them away in black bags. Senya watched their work for a long time, thoughtfully. Then he approached one of the piles, examined it carefully, and chose a leaf for himself.
Bright red, with small brown spots that spoke of its impending withering. But for now, the leaf was beautiful and almost perfect.
Senya held it up and looked at the sun through it. Red flames fell on the child's face, and Senya... he suddenly smiled!
I froze, struck by the beauty and grandeur of this moment, and even stopped breathing.
I had never seen his smile before, so pure and sincere. I was so afraid to scare it away with an awkward movement!
Senya lowered the leaf and examined it from both sides. Satisfied with his inspection, he tried to put the leaf in his pocket. That's when I intervened.
"Do you like the leaf? It's maple. Let's not put it in your pocket.
- Writer
