– She took him away,” Wanda wailed down the street.
Curious neighbors surrounded the poor woman and started asking questions.
– Who? What?
And all she cried out:
– She stole him away, left me alone in my old age!
The neighbor to the right shouted:
– Speak clearly. You’re sitting here, shedding tears. How do we know what happened?
Wanda wiped her nose with the sleeve of a dirty blouse and said more calmly:
– Nick, that teacher of mine, Emma’s ex stole. She asked him to fix the fence, and he has not been home for twenty-four hours. Took him away,” she bellowed again.
Neighbors looked at each other and laughed. Nick’s groom was like a pedigree dog.
Skinny, beard in shreds on his always unwashed face. And Emma, though a pensioner, was a stately woman. And her hair and makeup is a little and a drop of perfume is a must. Would she steal Nick away? It can’t be.
So they laughed a little, and went their separate ways. And Wanda stayed on the porch and wept.
Her neighbor came home, and the story wouldn’t leave her alone. She decided to go and take a peek at what was going on. Pretending to be just passing by, she saw Nick and crouched down. He was mending the fence, shaven, wearing a clean T-shirt and tights. And Emma was sitting next to him on the bench, reading to him in a clear voice a pamphlet about the dangers of binge drinking.
The neighbor backed away, she wasn’t expecting that.
– Yes, indeed, Emma had stolen Nick. She’s really got him under her thumb. Poor Wanda, what a man was in the house, – she thought with regret.
Though, from her point of view, it was her own fault. She was dressed in the wrong way, either in a dress or in a robe. She wore a kerchief or cap on her head. Everyone was dirty and filthy. Before she and Nick started living together, she had never been out and looked decent.
Nick himself came to the village from some unknown place. He said that some time ago he had relatives living here, but he could not give any names.
So he stuck with Wanda. And they began a merry life. The yard was gradually falling into disrepair, and the house could not do with at least a facelift. They wandered around the village and earned odd odd jobs. No one paid them in money for a long time, more in food.
The next day the whole village saw Wanda. In her best dress, however old-fashioned, with sandals on white socks. She put her hair up and pulled on a panama she’d taken from who knows where.
She walked purposefully, toward Emma’s house. She opened the gate and went in. Nick and Emma were drinking tea.
– Hello, Wanda, come in for tea,” Emma said.
– I did not come here for tea, I came for my husband,” said Wanda quietly.
Emma said smugly:
– And where is your husband? Show me the marriage certificate. He’s not here? So it turns out that you have no husband. That’s how it is, my dear,” and she took a sip from her mug of fragrant tea.
Wanda couldn’t take it anymore.
– Oh, you’re such a sissy. She’s going to tell me who Nick was to me. Yes, we’re not married, but we lived side by side for five years. Why aren’t you saying anything? Sitting here, pretending to be a nightstand, – she shouted at Nick, – Tell me, who am I to you? Your wife or not?
Nick looked up at her with guilty eyes.
– I’m sorry, Wanda, I used you. Emma has been my wife for years. I cheated her once. She left here and told me not to look for her and that she would never forgive me.
I walked around, lived as I wanted. And when I looked back, I realized the best thing in my life was Emma. Barely found her through people I knew where she lived and came here. But she wouldn’t let me in the door. Pretended I was a stranger to her.
Only once we met and had a serious talk. And she forgave me, thank God. And you forgive me, too. I got you into this trouble because of my misfortune. You, Wanda, give it up, it won’t do any good.
And Emma went over to Wanda and sat her down at the table.
– We got married when we were eighteen. I was waiting for Nick from the army. He came and started working, so that I could graduate from the institute. He was caring and everything was fine with us. Until our neighbor Jessica moved in with us. So this nice Jessica started calling my Nick over often. To assemble the furniture. Or move the refrigerator, or hang a chandelier.
And I was young, naive. I’d never met a woman like that. And I trusted Nick like I trusted myself.
That day in class I didn’t feel well and went to the doctor. And they told me: “Congratulations, you’re about to become a mommy.
I was glad, we have long wanted children, rushed home at a gallop. To please Nick. I came, he was gone. Well, I thought he was at work late. But time goes by, and he’s still not here. I decided to call him at the front desk, but Jessica only had the phone. I went over there and knocked, but the door was open. So I go in, and I yell, “Jessica, I’ll call you. Where are you?
And I went into the room. And there’s a picture. My Nick and this woman. I started screaming. Nick jumped up and saw me. He pushed Jessica away and came toward me.
And I ran out of the apartment, but not home, but down the stairs. So I woke up at the doctor’s, and Nick was there. And the news is the baby’s gone and never will be again.
That’s what I couldn’t forgive him. And when he showed up five years ago, I wouldn’t even listen to him. I said, you’re nothing and nobody to me. Nick’s right, we talked. We’re old now, our resentments have faded, but our love remains. Understand us, Wanda, and forgive us, for God’s sake.
Wanda walked home and cried. She remembered her life and her first love. He had used her, Bob, Bobby and gone. And she lived her whole life with an unloving husband, Michael, who loved to go out and get laid. And who was gone by accident… Something happened at work.
So she was left alone for years, until Nick moved in. Both were shaken by fate, with hopeless old age ahead of them. So they got together. Thought they’d be together for the rest of their lives, but that’s how it turned out. Well, God be their judge…
The next day, the news that Nick and Emma had actually been married for a long time went around the village. Everyone felt sorry for Wanda.
But she pretended nothing had happened. She gave up the party and was going to her third cousin’s house. She’s alone, too, and they’ll have more fun together.
