Nastya went to the Cemetery every day she looked at the fresh grave where her husband and little daughter were buried and could not believe it. The girl could hardly bring herself to leave the graveyard, and only at night. When the guard hinted that she should not disturb, the decision ceased. But she always came back the next day. And what was she supposed to do alone in an empty rented flat where everything reminded her of them?
Nastasia grew up in an orphanage. When the time was right, she went to University. She always dreamed of becoming a teacher and of having her own big family. In her mind, she married the man she loved and had three children with him. She wanted to have children’s laughter in her home also.
She and Andre had been dating for a few months. After six months, the young man proposed to her and they got married. Soon after she got her diploma. Nastia did not manage to get a job at school as she wanted.
She became pregnant immediately after the wedding. A sweet daughter was born and her name was Feta. Andre rented a flat outside the city for them. He said that fresh air would be good for his wife and daughter. It was quite modest.
One room. The toilet was outside and the water had to be heated on the cooker. But there was no city smog and the Nightingale was often heard. The neighbor, Granny Galia, always had fun company for Nasia and Svetta. Andre tried to visit them more often from the city where he worked.
One day he invited his wife to swim in the river. The water was still cold, but she agreed. She swam for a while, but in the evening she had a fever and started coughing. Granny Galia, who came to see her, was horrified. Her skin was burning.
Her neighbor brought the traditional remedies that she had always treated herself, while Audrey called a doctor to avoid driving his sick wife to the city. While Nastia was sick, he took care of the baby himself. The doctor listened to the lungs and said everything was fine. He prescribed medication and left. Andrew asked Granny Galia to take care of his wife while he and Svena went to the city to get the pills.
They were never seen again. Nastia was later told that the car went off the road, crashed into a pole, and went up in flames. No one could be identified. The coffins at the funeral were closed. The girl could hardly remember what happened next.
The illness soon passed, but the heartache stayed with her forever. Once again, on her way back from the Cemetery, Nastia heard noises in her flat. At first she was frightened, but then she saw the landlady they were renting from. She asked who was going to pay now. Andre said he had paid a year’s rent in advance, but the woman said the rent was due to expire in a couple of days.
Either she had to pay or move out. The girl could not prove that her husband had paid the rent. She had almost no money herself. All she had was spent on the funeral. She hadn’t found a job yet either.
She decided she was going to pack her stuff and leave. She decided to ask Granny Galia to stay at her country house. She was surprised at her decision but said it was time to stop thinking about the dead. It was impossible to bring them back, and she had to learn to move on with her life. Nasia said that she was going to get a job at school.
Her neighbor advised her to move to the city. It would have been difficult to live on a teacher’s salary, but in the metropolis, rich people often look for nannies for their children. Their salaries were much higher. She thanked her and thought it was a good idea. The next morning, instead of going to the Cemetery for the first time, she went to the employment agency.
She spent the day going to various interviews and filling in forms. In the evening, she visited Granny Galia to tell her everything. The woman listened to her, fed her, and put her to bed. That night, for the first time, Nastia did not have any terrible dreams. In the morning, her neighbor started a different conversation with her.
During breakfast, she advised Nastia to remove the morning to tidy up and at the same time to give to the thrift shop the belongings of her husband and daughter. She said it was bad luck to keep them in the house, especially since the money she could get would be very helpful right now. Nastya understood that Granny Galia wished her well, but she could not imagine leaving her family belongings behind. Even at the Cemetery, she could never fully comprehend that her loved ones were really gone. In her heart, it seemed as if they were still alive.
The next morning, the girl received a phone call with a job offer. A young couple from the city was looking for a nanny for a newborn baby girl. Nastia put on a classic dress, did a light make up, and went to the given address. The family home was located outside the city in an upscale village. The security guard at the entrance was warned and let her in.
In the courtyard, the girl saw a man leaning over the standing cradle to pick up the baby. The scene made her feel a twinge in her chest. When the owner turned to her, Nasia fainted. Andre lifted suede into his arms, and now he didn’t know what to do. The guard was already running up to the house, calling an ambulance.
The plan that Andre had invented with his real wife, Marina instantly failed. For months he had just pretended to be a loving husband so that he could then take the baby away Astia would bury them and soon forget starting a new life. But now it was all in vain. Marina came out of the house and the girl was being put on a Gurney at the same time being taken to the hospital. She looked at Andre and asked how Nastia had managed to find them.
He did not even know what to say. When the car drove away, Marina asked if they would now go to jail. Her husband understood that this would be the case if they did nothing. The woman suggested resolving the issue through her acquaintances. She knew the head of the local police well, but Andre said that it wasn’t necessary to return Nassia’s daughter to her, especially.
Marina had never approached her or looked after the girl. She made excuses and said she tried her best, but as soon as she imagined Andre touching Svetlana’s mother, she could not bring herself to even approach her. At the hospital, Andre paid someone to hold the girl longer and no one was allowed to see her. When she regained consciousness, she saw the nurse and immediately remembered everything. She understood what had happened, but she was immediately sedated and fell back into unconscious sleep.
This lasted for several days. Finally, Nastya began to regain consciousness and saw Andre. He sat down next to her bed and began to talk. He told her how he met Marina, how they got married. For seven years they tried to have a baby but nothing worked.
His wife did not want to do artificial insemination and came up with her own plan. A stranger would give birth and they would then take the baby for themselves. Nastia listened and said nothing. She understood why they did it out of pain and the realization that there was nothing they could do. But what did she have to do with it?
Was she guilty of anything for so long? She had mourned her dead husband and daughter visited the Cemetery and they had been alive the whole time. Why was she in so much pain? Andre understood how she felt. He said that Nastia could take her daughter back whenever she wanted.
They would buy her a flat and provide her with everything she needed. The girl was immediately checked out of hospital. Andre brought the child to her and took her to Granny Galia’s house. Lastly, he told her not to hold a grudge against Marina because she just wanted to be a mother. But did Nastia herself want something different?
Together with Zehra, the girl went into the house. Rani Gala at first thought she was crazy and stole someone else’s child, but Nastya told her to make some tea to tell her story. Of course, the neighbor was surprised. The whole thing sounded too much like some kind of soap opera. She asked what the girl was going to do now?
Nastia said that tomorrow she would file a complaint to the police. After all, a crime had been committed. Her child had been kidnapped. But the neighbor was wise and could look ahead. She advised her not to rush.
After all, even a complaint did not guarantee that Andre and Marina would be punished. Most likely they would pay them off. The neighbor said that God had already punished them. They could not have children even though they wanted them so much. And Nastya needs to think about the future better let her accept Andre’s offer and take the financial help her daughter needs to be put on her feet.
The girl tried to argue that this was unfair. Granny Galia replied that there is no justice in this world anymore. Those who have money have more rights. Nasty thought about it all night long and she realized that her neighbor was right. She had no job, no place to live.
And her daughter needed a lot. She took her phone and called Andrea’s number. He answered quickly. His voice was tired. Marina had cried all night saying she did not want to go to prison.
Nasia said she was accepting his offer for Sweta’s sake. After the conversation, Andre began to calm his wife out. Marina realized that the police would not come for them. And with tears of relief, she offered her husband to adopt a child from the orphanage. Sometimes people are willing to do anything to get what they want, but sooner or later they have to pay for it.
What do you think about this story? Feel free to share your opinion and your personal experience in the comments.
