«Stasik, I understand it’s not the right time, but I’m pregnant.»
«Nika, that can’t be. I took the pills from my mother. Maybe it’s a hormonal imbalance?»
«I thought so at first. I’ve had delays before, but not with nausea. I was at the clinic. It’s already three and a half months.»
«This is somehow untimely, we won’t even be able to get married. I’m taking the evening train to Moscow. I’ll be studying there.»
«You’re stubborn, Stas, to decide to go that far. And what’s wrong with studying in Novosibirsk? You could come home on weekends.»
«But there’s a huge competition there. If I were a medalist—it would be another matter. Sorry I didn’t confess earlier, I wanted to boast as if I’d get in on my own. My uncle in Moscow is the dean of the faculty. Everything’s arranged with him. I might not make it through the competition in Novosibirsk, and then they’d draft me into the army.»
«Are you going to live in a dormitory?»
«Nika, with my uncle, of course. When I stayed with them over the holidays, he even bought a second bed and put it in his son Rodik’s room. So I’ll be living there for all five years.»
«You’ve decided everything for yourself, Stasik. What about me now? After my mother died, my father repeatedly warned me not to bring shame on him.»
«I still have time, so let’s go to your father’s workplace, and I’ll try to convince him that we’ll definitely get married. After the birth, my parents will take you in. My grandmother is retired and will help you with everything.»
Clever and diplomatic Stanislav managed to convince Veronika’s father, who could only throw up his hands in resignation.
Stanislav got into the institute, informed Veronika, and added:
«Sorry, but I won’t come for the winter holidays. My uncle got me a job at a friend’s clinic as an orderly. I was even glad about it. I won’t have to completely rely on him.»
Veronika ended up in the maternity ward after her labor pains, unmarried. But that didn’t upset her. In the ward was a girl, Katya, a year younger than her, who behaved as if it was all as it should be. There was also Alina Yuryevna, but she was over forty. They spoke little, as they had other things to worry about. Katya was taken to the delivery room first, followed by the older woman.
Veronika gave birth to a girl, and in the ward, her father visited her. He had barely started to speak when the midwife came in and announced:
«Your girl, Veronika, was born weak and lived no more than an hour. Everything is documented in the report.»
Her father grabbed her hands and pressed them to himself. It seemed to him that he could take some of the pain away. Veronika sat up, and he embraced her. The midwife also tried to comfort the new mother:
«You’ll have other children. Come to terms with it, girl. Your daughter wasn’t meant to live. We couldn’t even save her.»
«Dad, I’ve already told Stasik that I gave birth to a daughter. He was so happy. What now?» Veronika asked through tears.
«I’ll call him myself and explain everything. And I’ll bury our granddaughter next to your mother. We’ll visit her. Stas will come in the summer, and you’ll get married. You need a child to whom you can give all your maternal love, my daughter.»
Veronika remained depressed for a long time. Her father tried to comfort her as best he could. Stanislav called her every evening, also trying to soothe her.
In the summer, Stanislav and Veronika got married. He suggested she move in with his parents, but she promised to do so only if she could have another child, although she was very afraid that she might lose another. However, during a subsequent medical examination at the clinic, she was reassured that she had carried her first child successfully according to medical tests and indications, and they hoped there would be no problems with the second.
Before Stanislav left, Veronika asked him a favor…
«Stasik, I have this strange feeling inside. Let’s go to the clinic together.»
«Did you check with a test?»
«I don’t trust them. Let the doctor take a look and do some tests.»
The doctor told Veronika that it looked like pregnancy, very early stages, but a test would confirm and the result would be sent to her phone.
Stasik, leaving, already knew that Veronika was pregnant and noticed that she seemed happier.
«Sorry I won’t come during the winter. I need to work. I can’t promise, but I’ll try to fly back for the birth. God willing, this time we’ll be lucky.»
This time Stasik managed to arrive home on time and even was present during the birth. Veronika gave birth to a strong boy, as the midwife announced, but not the one who had attended her first delivery.
Stasik and Veronika missed each other, but he definitely needed a degree to later support the family. The prospect of being a hospital doctor wasn’t very lucrative in terms of salary, but Stas had dreamed of becoming a surgeon since he was young.
The day came, and Stasik returned home with his diploma. The family reunited, and Veronika was already living at his parents’ house. They had known each other since the day Stasik and Veronichka’s parents brought them to school. Now, married, Stasik and Veronika took their son Romochka to the same school for his first year.
After finishing college, Veronika worked as a nurse in the same hospital as her husband, the surgeon.
That day, someone called her at the hospital. It was an unknown number, she hesitated, then answered, but heard this:
«Your daughter is in an orphanage,» an unknown voice hit her like a hammer.
«Who are you?» Veronika thought it was a cruel joke. Her daughter had died after birth. Nicky’s father had buried her in a grave next to Veronika’s mother, and then they placed a small monument together.
«I’ll send you the address on your phone, and if you want to know the truth, come.»
With this, Veronika approached her husband.
«Stasik, I don’t even know whether to believe it or not.»
«Either way, we need to check this information, and we’ll go there together tonight.»
An old lady opened the door for the couple.
«Olga has been waiting for you, I’ll take you to her room.»
Veronika barely recognized the midwife who had handled her first delivery. She looked very ill. And her confession was not pleasant.
Those two, whom Veronika met in the ward, were sent by the head of the only maternity hospital in their small town from Novosibirsk by a former classmate. Young Katya got pregnant by a random man. There were troubles at home, and her mother kicked her out to get rid of the problem, then to take her back. Alina Yurievna was visiting a friend’s house and saw the crying girl as she was descending the stairs. She wanted to help, and they started talking. At that moment, this lonely lady devised a plan. Katya was taken in by her and after consulting with someone, she was recommended a gynecologist at the clinic.
Thus, Katya and Alina Yurievna were registered for pregnancy, only the older woman had to wear a fake belly. Just before the delivery, they both came to the town where Veronika lived with documents, rented an apartment, and met with the head of the maternity hospital.
Everything went smoothly, except the careless and frivolous Katya gave birth to a stillborn child, although his heartbeat had been heard before.
The four women involved in the conspiracy didn’t want to lose the remaining fee for this service, having received only an advance from Alina Yurievna, who desperately wanted to pass off the newborn as her own and thus free Katya to return home.
The midwife Olga Konstantinovna and the nurse who attended Katya’s and Niki’s deliveries swapped the infants’ tags. As a result, Veronika ended up with the dead girl, and Alina Yurievna took home the one born to Veronika.
Veronika’s father believed the documents and buried the granddaughter.
Several years later, Olga Konstantinovna learned from the head that Alina Yurievna had lost her job, and the daughter had become a burden. She put her in an orphanage and gave the address of that place.
The midwife shared this with the nurse. They felt sorry for Veronika’s girl. They were only afraid to admit this.
Olga Konstantinovna fell ill. When it became unbearable, she went to the hospital. She was diagnosed with a severe condition and thought God was punishing her. She decided to correct the mistake by returning the girl to her biological parents.
EPILOGUE
The daughter of Veronika and Stasik lives in the family. She very much resembles her father.
Olga Konstantinovna died.
The gynecologist, the head of the maternity hospital, Alina Yurievna, Katya, and the nurse were all convicted under various articles. They cursed Olga Konstantinovna in their hearts, even though the deceased woman couldn’t care less.
