Antonina cleaned the yards in her neighborhood. The pay wasn’t much, but it was something. She and her 30-year-old son had to cram into a small apartment. His wife had kicked him out, saying she was still young and didn’t want to tie herself down by living with a disabled person.
Antonina dreamed of moving to the countryside, where she could improve her son Valera’s health. One morning, while sweeping the courtyard, she spotted a piece of furniture. The furniture didn’t look worn enough to be thrown away. Looking around and seeing no one, she opened the wardrobe and almost fell over. Someone had left bundles of money inside! Now Antonina could definitely buy a summer house, as she had found the means. But no. The thought that someone might have forgotten their money and could be distressed about it kept her restless. Antonina couldn’t just take what wasn’t hers. Suddenly, Vasya, the perpetually dirty alcoholic from her building, came out. Seeing the janitor, he stepped back. He didn’t want to cross paths with her after the last time she had chased him and his friends away with a broom.
«Vasya, come here!» she called out to him. «What do you want?» Vasya grumbled. «Do you know who threw out this furniture?» the janitor asked.
The man looked closely.
«Of course, I know,» he replied. «It was taken from the apartment of a lady on the third floor. She’s doing some renovations while her daughter is in the hospital, her child is sick.»
«So, do I get a reward for this information, Ivanovna?» «I’ll give you a reward right now!» Antonina swung at Vasya, threateningly, and he bolted from the yard.
Five minutes later, the woman was at the door of the owner of the discarded wardrobe. «Good morning! I am Antonina Ivanovna,» she said as the woman appeared at the door. «Hello, I know you. You’re our janitor,» greeted Katya. «Come in, we were just about to have tea with Varya.» «I feel a bit awkward; I don’t look very presentable,» hesitated Antonina. «Don’t worry, we’re neighbors,» laughed Katya.
Antonina followed the lady into the kitchen. At the table, she asked: «Did you throw anything out recently?» «We did. An old wardrobe we didn’t need.» «Was there anything in the wardrobe?» «No…» «What about this?» extending a bag, asked the janitor. «Where did you get that?» Katya exclaimed, taking the item. «It was in your wardrobe,» Antonina explained.
The young woman called out to her daughter in alarm: «Varya, did you put my packet in the wardrobe?» «Mom, you were hiding it everywhere, so I decided to put it far away,» stammered the five-year-old girl, glancing at…
Katya gazed at her with her blue eyes. «Are you mad, mommy?»
«No, Varenka, of course not. Go play for now, I’ll talk with your aunt.»
«Okay, mommy,» the little girl chirped. «I need to feed my doll Dasha too!»
From Katya, Antonina learned that her daughter didn’t have long left. The doctors had given a grim diagnosis, and the young woman fought valiantly for little Varya’s life. Antonina didn’t tell her son about what happened.
Half a year passed. On her day off, Antonina was busy making pancakes in the kitchen, while her son watched TV. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.
«Mom, are you expecting anyone?» the young man called out to Antonina. «No, but it might be Lyubka with some news,» she replied, hurrying to open the door.
On the doorstep stood Katya with her daughter. «Can we join you for some tea?» the young woman asked cheerfully, twirling a cake in her hands. «Of course, come in,» Antonina invited them.
From the next room, Valera rolled in on his wheelchair. Katya didn’t pay any mind to his condition. She greeted him like any other person, which greatly surprised him. «Uncle, will you give me a ride?» Varya asked him. «Sure, hop on,» Valera said, lifting the girl onto his lap.
The women went to the kitchen. «How is she?» Antonina asked as the young mother unwrapped the cake. «All good. We had the surgery,» Katya replied. «But we have one problem. The doctors recommended we go to the countryside to recover. We have a big country house, but we’re afraid to stay there alone. We’d like to find some companions.»
«How about my mom and me?» Valery winked at the girl. «You know, we would be delighted!» exclaimed Katya. «That would be fun!» agreed Varya, then laughed. «Uncle Valera and I almost crashed into the TV, mom!»
In the countryside, everything was different. Fresh air, a nearby lake where Valera loved to fish in the mornings, and a forest grove with strawberry patches. Katya’s neighbors helped with the garden.
«If you ever run out of water, you can use our well,» said Grandma Nyura. All summer long, Antonina helped her son with his exercises. Varya did not stay aside either, reminding Uncle Valera about his daily exercises. One day, the young man felt some pain in his legs.
«Mom, I think something cracked!» he exclaimed during one of their exercise sessions.
Varya was thrilled: «Uncle Valera, you’ll start walking soon, and my mom will marry you!»
From her room, Katya appeared and solemnly announced: «We won’t wait for Valera to stand up. We’re getting married in two weeks!»
At the end of August, the young couple had a modest wedding, inviting only friends and close acquaintances. Antonina was overjoyed. She was so glad she hadn’t kept the money bag for herself. Now she had both a country house and the best daughter-in-law in the world.
