Iris woke up with a strange feeling. It was only five in the morning. The March dawn is flashing outside the window. Her twin daughters are sleeping soundly and peacefully.
This is their last year before adulthood. This year Iris and James will send them to first grade for the first time.
How anxiously they prepared them for the graduation in kindergarten. How they chose the best dresses and shoes. How much love, attention and care was invested in two beautiful daughters.
James groaned in his sleep.
-“Sleep my dear, sleep,” she said, quietly covering him with a blanket.
He turned away, awakened by Iris’s care for him, a grown man. Thoughts crawled into his head…
James was suddenly afraid that the decision to go to another woman would overcome the desire to stay in the family. But a son should be born there soon… His son…
If only he knew that in six months his whole life would change dramatically.
-It’s time, I’ve made a decision, I’m leaving, I’m sorry if you can, – his voice sounded both sad and anxious.
He turned to Iris, his wife, the one who had been with him for nine years. He understood that it would be hard for her, but only morally. After all, he leaves her an apartment, a car, a dacha.
He will continue to help the girls. He just wants a son. His future wife was told at the ultrasound that it would be a boy…
-Maybe you shouldn’t James, we have a family, girls, – she looked without any hope at the already packed suitcase and her husband who was hurriedly dressing.
-Tell my daughters that I went on a business trip, I hope you will not interfere with our meetings in the future, – he jumped out into the street with a quick step, almost running. James got into a taxi and did not even look back.
Iris stood by the window for a long time, looking into the distance, as if hoping… Hoping that the taxi would return, James would come out with a bouquet of roses and go up to the apartment. And he will say such dear words:
-My dear girls, I’m home.
No, she will not come and will not say anything. Yes, she will not give him a son. She is not as slim and attractive as when they met. But she still loves him more than life.
What a beautiful spring it was the year they met.
After the last call Iris was returning home. A downpour forced her to run to a nearby cafe.
-“Girl, what shall we order?” asked the waiter who came up to her.
-Я? Nothing, I’ll just wait out the rain, – she looked at him hoping that she would not be asked to leave the cafe.
-“We are not a porch, we are an institution, I will ask you to leave,” and he pointed to the door.
Iris stood up and walked to the door, she did not want to walk in the rain in her beautiful holiday dress. She had already opened the door of the cafe, when she felt that someone’s strong hand closed the door.
-Don’t let such a beautiful girl get wet in the rain. Come, let’s drink hot coffee, – he passed by the waiter without even looking in his direction.
-“Thank you, but I have no money, can I go home,” she really just wanted to wait out this rain.
-Today I treat you, and tomorrow you will meet me and also treat me with a cup of coffee, agree? – he asked looking into her blue eyes.
They left the cafe together. There was a taxi in the parking lot, with a green light.
-You guys! Can I give you a lift?” the driver asked.
-Come on buddy, we’ll walk, – he didn’t want to get into his expensive jeep that was standing right there in the parking lot, so as not to embarrass Iris
James wanted to go with this girl, in a wet dress, even to the end of the world.
And here again that cafe where he just drinks his favorite coffee.
And Teresa is waiting, she should be here any minute. She does not allow him to meet her from the antenatal clinic, she says it is a bad omen.
-Hi, darling, I’m here! – bright as a butterfly, Teresa sat down opposite him.
-How is our baby? Is everything okay, what does the doctor say?” he bombarded her with questions, and he realized that he had asked the same thing to Iris…
He hadn’t called the girls in a week.
-I wonder how they are doing without me? And what Iris is telling them.
-James! I’m Teresa, what does Iris have to do with it?” she touched his arm gently with her hands.
-“I’m sorry, I was thinking about the girls, we agreed that this is mine, dear… I ordered you your favorite cakes,” he was ready to fulfill any desire of Teresa, because soon she would give birth to his son.
Five months later, James suspected something was wrong, he saw how Iris’ pregnancy was going. He noticed no changes in behavior, no roundness of the belly, he did not notice in his beloved.
– Vivian, I would like to ask you for one favor, – James was not comfortable to address his assistant at work, and even more so to his friend Iris.
-I’m listening to you James! – Vivian looked at her boss hoping for the right decision on his part.
After all, at their wedding she was a witness and a friend of Iris. It was Iris who asked her husband to take her to his company, knowing that she would never let her down. And now Vivian seemed to be waiting for something important from her boss.
-Vivian, I would like you to find out in the antenatal clinic, all about my Teresa, I trust you, – he put an envelope on her desk.
And everything turned out to be banally simple. For the money that Teresa had left from her first husband, she decided to play a play with pregnancy. She was not expecting a child. Teresa just wanted to take James away from the family.
Six months later, James stood outside the windows of her and Iris’ apartment, his head down in shame.
-“Mom, dad is back from a business trip!” the girls shouted in one voice, looking out the window.
They ran to him on the first snow. Together they entered the apartment, he looked into the sad eyes of his wife and realized that he could lose her forever
-Come in, I’ll treat you to a cup of hot coffee, – said Iris and James silently went into his so dear home…
