You see, I can take you on, but only on a probationary period. Even for a position that’s, let’s say, not the most prestigious,” the elderly doctor said, looking at Marina with a tired but attentive gaze.
“Of course, I understand everything. Thank you very much. Elsewhere, they even refused me on probation.”
He thoughtfully tapped his fingers on the table.
“May I ask, why did you end up behind bars?”
Marina smiled slightly, but a shadow of sadness passed through her eyes:
“For financial fraud. Although, to be honest, I wasn’t even aware of the dealings. After my mother’s death, my stepfather handled everything, but it was all registered in my name. I never even considered that it could happen. I lived as I was used to, making plans for the future… and in the end, everything turned against me.”
“So, you had money. And now?”
“Now I have nothing. I don’t even know where my stepfather is. I can’t imagine how he managed to sell everything off. I don’t want to deal with people from my past life because everyone is sure that I’m the one to blame. Even my fiancé.”
“I see. And the daughter for whom you’re looking for a job – is she also from that past life?”
“You could say that. But no one knew about her. We were allowed to see each other sometimes, and she’s waiting for the day I can take her away.”
“And where do you plan to live with her?”
“Some woman, with whom I served my sentence, became close to me. She reminded me of my mother in some way. She was dying, and it was very hard for her. She had no one left, just like me. She bequeathed her apartment to me and left me a little money. I’ve already submitted the documents for her reburial, and later I’ll erect a monument.”
“Well, do your best. If I see that you’re a worthy person, that you’re really working and not just passing time, I’ll try to help.”
Marina stood up and smiled:
“Thank you very much. Since I haven’t taken Sonia yet, I can work almost without any days off. I just need a little time to get some sleep.”
“Alright, I understand. If nothing happens in a couple of weeks and everything stays calm, we’ll return to the discussion about the certificate.”
“Thank you again.”
Marina left the hospital and smiled. Now she was going to the orphanage to tell her daughter everything. Even though Sonia was little – only five years old with a little ponytail – she understood everything. She eagerly awaited her mom and behaved well so that no one would complain about her.
At the orphanage, everyone knew Marina. No one interfered with their meetings; they even gave hints about what needed to be done to take the child faster. Although, the guardians looked upon her with suspicion. There was one woman there who, it seemed, couldn’t stand Marina. Why – Marina still didn’t understand.
The work turned out not to be as scary and hard as she had imagined. Of course, if she had landed this position in her former life, she probably wouldn’t have lasted. But after prison, all of that seemed trivial. She mopped the floors more often than required, changed the bed linens, took care of bedridden patients – and all of this with a smile, with kind words.
Within a week, the patients began to smile at her, and the nurses were glad when Marina was scheduled on their shift. That meant they wouldn’t have to do extra work – Marina did everything herself.
Marina even formed a friendly relationship with one of the nurses. The young woman came from a troubled family. She tried hard, worked diligently, but was treated with prejudice. Perhaps it was because she dressed differently than the others, or because she took on any extra jobs to earn more. At home, her mother was bedridden after a stroke.
“Marin, the chief physician asked you to come in,” the nurse said.
Marina immediately headed to the office.
“Marina, I have some unpleasant news for you,” the chief physician announced.
Her heart sank.
“What happened? Are you firing me?”
“No, of course not, don’t even think that. Everyone praises you; I have no complaints. It’s about the certificate. It can only be issued after three months. Or with a personal recommendation, maybe a couple of weeks earlier. I tried, but the law is the law.”
Marina couldn’t hold back her tears.
“Oh, come on. It’s just a little longer; endure it. Isn’t there anyone among your relatives who could temporarily take the girl into custody?”
“No, I don’t want to ask them.”
“Marina, I understand you’re upset, but in the meantime, I’ll help you with the kindergarten. Don’t worry, everything will work out. Oh, if only there were someone who could vouch for you…”
Marina continued to work, not stopping for a minute. She had already bought a crib for Sonia, a desk, and was slowly gathering clothes. Her daughter was going to look respectable. No one would even guess that her mother had served time, and that the little one grew up in an orphanage.
Marina dreamed of Sonia coming home from school with straight A’s, of teachers praising her, and of her own pride in her daughter.
“Marina! Marina!” Natasha rushed towards her.
She had just finished her shift and was apparently on her way home when something stopped her.
“What’s happened?”
“They urgently need you in the emergency room.”
Marina dropped everything and ran there. Usually, another orderly was on duty there, but apparently additional help was required.
Even before opening the door, Marina heard loud voices. Today on shift was Semyonovna, a woman who had worked here for a long time. She didn’t like taking on extra work and wasn’t averse to causing a scandal.
“I’m telling you, I’m not going to undress and wash him!” she shouted.
A young doctor, also raising her voice, retorted:
“And who do you think should do it? Me?”
“I don’t care. If you want – do it yourself. If you want – call Marina-the-dummy.”
“Anna Semyonovna, you are obliged to help get the patient cleaned up!”
“That’s not going to happen. I don’t need to deal with hobos too!”
Marina looked at the patient. He was nothing short of a mass of dirt and blood.
“What happened to him?” she asked.
The doctor turned around:
“Marina, how good that you’re here. He’s been brought in. Either after a fight or something else. Will you help?”
“Of course.”
Marina took hold of the patient. Semyonovna immediately vanished and never appeared again.
When Marina removed the man’s clothes, she froze. The doctor stared at her intently.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“This… this is not a hobo. He can’t be a hobo,” Marina said, looking at the phoenix tattoo that encircled his arm and ran down his forearm. It was the same as her Kirill’s, her fiancé, Sonia’s father. But what had happened? Kirill came from a well-to-do family, and seeing him in such a condition was unfathomable to Marina.
The doctor began to question her. Marina told her everything she knew. The man’s face was beaten beyond recognition.
“Strange. Thank you, Marina, for your help. I’ll figure everything out and contact his relatives. Tell me, how do you know him so well?”
Marina sighed:
“In a past life, we were very close. May I leave now? My shift is over.”
“Yes, of course.”
Marina quickly left and ran to change. What was happening? What had happened to Kirill? Until he regains consciousness and is treated, nothing is clear. But what did it matter to her? Kirill, like everyone else, had betrayed her.
Six years ago, she had believed that her fiancé would save her, rescue her, because he was her Kirill. He couldn’t believe in her innocence. But the days passed, and there was no word from Kirill.
At the trial, her stepfather had told her, “As you see, there isn’t a single person from your fiancé’s family, and not the fiancé himself either. Forget who you are and what you are. Don’t even think about moving, I’ll find you everywhere.”
Only six months later, in the colony, Marina had gathered the courage to write Kirill a long letter. It was never returned, and no response came. So he must have read it and didn’t want to reply. Or maybe he simply threw it away.
The next day, Marina began her duty. Sonia knew that for the next three days her mom would be working and couldn’t come. She was used to it. She was smart and patient.
The hospital was in chaos. Everyone was rushing about, and the chief physician passed by without even noticing her. Marina thought that perhaps some catastrophe had occurred. Then she remembered Kirill and dismissed the thought.
She had become too relaxed. Kirill couldn’t be a hobo. Perhaps it was just a coincidence – two identical tattoos. Kirill had always been robust, while this man was thin and emaciated.
Natalya came by:
“Oh, Marin, you’re already here?”
“As you can see. What’s all this commotion?”
“Marinka, things are really happening here! Yesterday they brought in a hobo, and it turned out he wasn’t a hobo at all.”
Marina felt her legs give way.
“Then who was he?”
“Some very rich man. Apparently, he had been missing for a long time, and they even thought he was dead. By the way, why did I run over? The chief physician has been looking for you all morning.”
“Chief physician? He just walked by and said nothing.”
“That can’t be. Everyone has orders: as soon as you appear, go straight to him.”
“Alright, I’m coming.”
“Don’t walk – run. He’s completely on edge.”
Marina left her little room and, barely on her feet, headed to the chief physician’s office. Along the way, several people told her that she was urgently needed.
She knocked and entered.
“Marina, finally!” Viktor Sergeyevich got up and walked toward her. “Let me introduce you, this is Marina. She is the one who reported that this man, who was taken for a homeless person, is in fact your son.”
Marina slowly turned in the direction Viktor Sergeyevich indicated and already guessed whom she would see. Inside her, everything screamed: “Run!”
Her fiancé’s mother and father stared at her in astonishment.
“Marina? It can’t be! You left abroad. What are you doing here? And… working as an orderly?”
Viktor Sergeyevich slightly pushed Marina aside and looked sternly at the couple:
“Wait, wait. If I understand correctly, you already know each other?”
“Yes, Marina met your son, and then suddenly left abroad,” replied Kirill’s mother.
Marina’s mouth fell open in surprise:
“Did your son tell you that?”
“No, we were informed by her stepfather. Kirill couldn’t believe that she simply vanished and decided to find her. That very evening, he went missing.”
“I see,” the chief physician glanced at the pale Marina. “Marina, it turns out your fiancé didn’t betray you?”
Kirill’s mother said, confused:
“I don’t understand what you mean. My son suffered because of her; he was obsessed with finding her.”
“Wait, please, sit down. You need to discuss everything.”
Marina remained silent. Then Viktor Sergeyevich spoke. He truly felt sorry for the orderly, who turned out to be a kind and compassionate woman.
“How? But why didn’t we know anything? Kirill…” Kirill’s father snorted. “Knowing my son, I’m sure he knew, but he didn’t want to upset us. He wanted to figure it all out on his own.”
“Marina, when he set out to look for you, he was apparently badly beaten. So badly that he lost his memory. There’s no other explanation. They performed an emergency operation on him yesterday. You saw his condition for yourself. Kirill has already come to himself, but he doesn’t recognize any of us. Perhaps his memory won’t return. You… You shouldn’t hold a grudge against him. And against us too. Thank you for identifying him yesterday.”
They were about to leave, but the chief physician looked at Marina:
“You won’t tell them?”
The parents stopped and looked at the orderly questioningly. She sighed:
“You have a granddaughter. Kirill has a daughter.”
Kirill’s mother staggered. The father barely managed to support her.
That day, Marina didn’t have to work. The grandparents wanted to immediately take the little girl. Marina objected that it was illegal.
“They won’t give her to me.”
“Oh, come on, Marina, you know me,” declared Kirill’s father.
A grand scandal erupted. The police arrived, then the police chief, then the deputy mayor, and a friend of Kirill’s father.
By the evening, they left the orphanage with Sonya. The little girl clung tightly to her mom and curiously examined her grandparents.
“Can we stop by Kirill’s place? I want to show him Sonya,” Marina requested.
The chief physician watched them with a smile. “Well, maybe someone in this life will finally experience a bit of happiness,” he thought.
Kirill was asleep. They quietly gathered around his bed. Sonya came closer.
“Mom, is that my dad?” she whispered.
“Yes, sweetheart.”
They spoke in hushed tones, but Kirill still stirred.
“Mommy, will he get better?”
“Of course, darling.”
“That’s good. The people knew I had a mom. And now, when they find out I have a dad, my grandparents…”
Kirill opened his eyes and looked at the little girl in surprise.
“Who are you?”
She smiled:
“I’m Sonya.”
He involuntarily smiled back. Then he looked up and saw Marina. For a long, long moment, he stared at her, then hesitantly said:
“Marina?”
She rushed to him, embraced him, and burst into tears. Then the parents approached.
“Why is everyone crying? Marina, have you been released? Is everything alright? Has your stepfather been arrested?”
Marina and the parents exchanged glances.
“Kirill, when did you leave home?” asked the father.
“The day before yesterday.”
“I see. Kirill, it’s been almost six years.”
He slumped weakly onto his pillow.
“Now, tell me. Tell me everything, I don’t understand a thing.”
Everyone sat down again around the bed. Only Sonya settled beside her father. He gently stroked her hand and looked at Marina questioningly. She smiled:
“Meet your daughter.”
And a year later, the happy Marina and Kirill escorted their first-grader to her first day of school.
