CHAPTER 2

We met Igor when Anya was three years old. I remember that I pierced the wheel from the bicycle, and he helped. Well, it started: correspondence, calls, general walks. At that time, I thought about relationships last and I perceived Igor only as a good friend. This went on for six months, and then I gave up. Or just tired of being alone. Don't know...

It is good and calm with him, and they have excellent relations with Nyutka. Of course, she does not consider him to be her father, she is waiting for everything dear, but as a good friend, it’s quite. So why now, when everything was so wonderful with us, is he standing on the other?

—Dasha? What are you doing here?

-And you?

My eyes darted between the brunette's young face, in which a victorious grin sparkles and Igor's frightened look. Hesitating, he puts the bag of puffed rice cakes back on the shelf, whispers something to his chicken, and walks up to me.

“I will explain everything to you now.

— What will you explain to me? I chuckle, continuing to hypnotize him with my gaze. From the trouble of what is happening under the ribs, it hurts, but not enough to start to be heartbroken and make a triumphant scandal. And does it make sense when everything is so clear?

- Me and Ksyusha... You understand...

“No, Igor, I don’t understand,” I interrupt him and step aside, letting a woman with a cart pass. - No matter how you try to whitewash yourself now, citing a million reasons to justify yourself, alas, I can’t call you a weak-minded rag. Therefore, at least now have the courage to admit betrayal, without any evasions and tell it like it is.

“Let’s at least not here. He looks at me with a pleading look, in which, unfortunately, I do not see anything that could resemble repentance. Here, rather, the effect of surprise worked, but we really need to talk, and the center of the store is not the best place for this.

— I've been waiting for you outside for 10 minutes, no more. If you don't, you won't get another chance. - I pronounce it in a steely tone, and turning around, on stiff legs I go straight to the exit, forgetting about the lonely basket standing on the floor. Igor does not make you wait long and leaves in about five minutes, thank God without company.

Releasing a cloud of frosty steam, I hide my palms in my jacket pockets.

“Dash, please forgive me.

“I don’t need your false words,” I cut off hard and focus my gaze on the red Toyota standing next to me. This makes it easier to remain steadfast and keep emotions under control. “Just tell it like it is.

“Well,” he sighs, rustling the bag in his hands. -.. I met Ksyusha not so long ago ... Do you remember, I told you that interns were admitted to us?

“Uh-huh,” I nod.

“So, Ksyusha is one of them. I didn't plan. I'm not like that, you know.

A mocking grin escapes me. He didn't plan. What a joy!

- You don't believe me, do you? - Sighs - It's true. I feel very good with you, and with Anya too. Just the last couple of months, somehow everything is not so with us. Pretty cool, right?

Pursing my lips angrily, I swallow a lump of resentment, but I continue to be silent, allowing Igor to speak out properly. As it turns out, we see the same situation in different ways. On the contrary, all this time I thought that we only got better. Look, they even started living together. Calmly, well, in a family way, just like I dreamed of, after many years of loneliness, but you see, he is bored. But even if so, is this a reason to change?

I won't go into details of how it all happened.

—Yes, please. I snort, rolling my eyes.

“But I can only say that I wanted to break all ties with Ksyusha. Really wanted.

-Are you kidding me? - I shout, looking at Igor, and several curious onlookers immediately turn around at us. “Who in the ass wanted to break ties?! Are you going to get fucked on the side for your own pleasure, and then, as if nothing had happened, continue to live with us? - He is silent, but I can’t be stopped, which is already shaking. The mechanism of the humiliated woman is running and ready to explode.

Are you a moron, Zyuzin? Tell me what's going on in your head? Our relationship is 1.5 years old. We just started living together for two months, and you already ran to the side. Since you feel so bad with us, you should have left immediately, but did not lead to betrayal.

How could I leave when you are alone with the child! - Igor answers me in tone, and my eyes widened to the size of Saturn from his words.

"Are you saying you were with me out of pity?"

-No. Damn, Dash, I blurted out something wrong, sorry.

“Yes, you know where to go with your apologies, I don’t even want to continue this idiocy!” From now on, do what you want and live with whom you want and how you want, but without Anyuta and me.

“Dash, stop it—” He makes an attempt to get closer, but I stop him with a palm outstretched in front of me.

"Don't come near, Zyuzin, you disgust me!"

“Dash, don’t shoot like that from the shoulder. There will be no more Ksyushas. I promise you.

- Yes, you went! - I spit out evil, and throwing a lightning bolt to the doors of the store, where this Ksyusha is trampling around, blowing acrid smoke, I turn around 360 and go towards the stop. That's it, enough of my performance for the joy of passers-by. Let it go to hell!

He felt sorry for us, the same for me, a benefactor was found!

Tears burn her cheeks, and her heart beats desperately in her chest. It hurts and hurts me, because I could not even imagine that Igor was capable of something like that. When I was a child, the ba told me the truth: “Whoever you expect the least trick from, he strikes harder.” Rubbing my wet cheeks with my palm, I take out my phone from my pocket and click on the last call. I just need to switch, at least for a while.

“Well, finally,” Inga grumbles, “I already hesitated to wait for you. Why did you turn off so abruptly, what happened?

-Yeah, Brazilian TV series.

“Didn’t you share a piece of sausage with some otter?” - the friend chuckles, not even suspecting how on the right track she is. Well, I'm talking about the otter, of course, if anyone does not understand. There is no need to share anyone. I don’t need such a copy, stuffed on all sides with falsehood!

“Something like that—I can’t help but chuckle back.” How hard it is to live in different cities and not be able to see each other often. Previously, we used to gather almost every evening, but now, it turns out that I will be left alone with my problem and will drink wine that is not so tasty (which I have yet to buy) with sugary chocolate from five. If it were not for this damn distance, we would have discussed all the men, calling them goats, we would have roared to the songs of Allegrova, and perhaps we would have done something, as we did in our youth. Oh, how I miss this... Although...

Or maybe just take it and leave? For a week or two. A change of scenery is always positive emotions, and Nyutka will not hurt to unwind.

“Listen, Ing, is your offer to visit still valid?”

“Of course, dear. Come any day. Even tomorrow, even in a month.

- Well, great, smiling broadly approaching the stop, which seems to be half the city settled down. - Then wait for us in the coming days. The Chernov family wants change!