Boris visited his mother once a year, for her birthday. He lived several thousand miles away from her and could only come rarely. He never brought his wife, Lilia, because his mother did not get along with her—especially after Lilia claimed that Boris was sterile. His mother refused to believe it and blamed Lilia for their lack of children.
After seven years of marriage, they had still not succeeded in having a child. During a medical exam, it turned out that Boris was incapable of having children. Both were devastated, but they decided that such a destiny meant they had to live without children.
A Familiar Face
Upon arriving at his mother’s, Boris immediately went to the store to do some shopping. Near the counter stood a boy of about six years old with dirty hands, counting coins in his palm. Dressed neglectedly in dirty shorts and a tank top, the boy made Boris’s heart ache.
He reminded Boris of his own face as a child: the same light, curly lock of hair and the same blue eyes.
«Little one, how much are you short? Come, I’ll give it to you,» Boris said. «I’m short 45 rubles; I wanted to buy an ice cream,» the boy replied. «What is your name, my boy?» «Sashenka.» «Here, Sashenka, take 50 rubles. Buy your ice cream and head home quickly; your mother must surely be looking for you.» «I don’t have a mother; she died recently. I never had a father either. My mama said he was a good man, but that he died before I was born. I stayed with my grandmother, and she… she drinks.»
Boris gave the money to the boy who, full of joy, bought his ice cream and ran off.
Shadows of the Past
After finishing his shopping, Boris returned home, thinking about Sashenka and what the future held for him. When he reached his mother’s house, he decided to ask her about the little boy.
«Mom, do you happen to know a boy named Sasha, about six years old? I met him at the store; he didn’t have enough money for ice cream. He was all dirty and neglected. What happened to his mother?»
«Oh, Boris, I know Sashenka well. His life is miserable. Do you remember his mother, Svetka, your old classmate? She started drinking in her youth, which isn’t surprising since her parents were alcoholics all their lives. When Svetka got pregnant, no one really knew who the father was. She wouldn’t even tell her mother. Ah, how she loved Sashenka! She stopped drinking and started working to provide for them. Sashenka was always neat and well-dressed. But Svetka was killed in a workplace accident, and her mother sank into despair, turning to alcohol. The boy is about to be sent to a foster home so that he can at least be cared for. I truly pity him; he reminds me of my own childhood.»
The Revelation
Boris remembered Svetka well. She had been his first love in high school. After graduation, their paths diverged—Svetka married, divorced, and stayed with her parents.
The last time Boris had seen Svetka was seven years ago, during a visit to his mother. That was when he had started dating Lilia. By chance, he met Svetka in the street; they went for coffee and talked about their lives. The next morning, he woke up at Svetka’s house.
Boris vaguely remembered that evening. They had been drinking in a café and talking for a long time. He told her he was seeing someone else, and she confessed she would never meet anyone like him, regretting that things hadn’t worked out between them.
A revelation hit Boris. Sashenka is six years old, and he had met Svetka seven years ago—the timing matched, and the boy could be his son. But Boris remembered the doctor’s words: he was sterile.
The Search for Truth
All day, Boris couldn’t stop thinking about it. Sashenka bore an uncanny resemblance to his own childhood self, and the ages aligned… what if the doctor had been wrong? He decided to verify this with a DNA test. To do so, he needed a sample, like Sashenka’s hair.
After buying sweets and fruit, Boris went to Svetlana’s house. The door was opened by her mother, who was drunk. She didn’t recognize Boris at first.
«Hello, Maria Yegorovna. I’m Boris Pozdnyakov, your daughter’s old classmate. I came to check on Svetka; I heard she has a son?» «Boris, look at you! You’ve grown. Come in. My Svetka is dead—a workplace accident. She left me Sashenka, but I can’t take care of him alone. I’ve been drinking since then, you know… and Sashenka, I don’t care, he’s growing like a weed. The social services are coming to check; they want to send him to a home, and I won’t stop them.»
Just then, Sashenka walked into the room. «Oh, Uncle, is it you? Did you come for the money? I already spent it, sorry…» «No, Sashenka, I helped you from the bottom of my heart. Come, let’s go for a walk. I’ll buy you some treats and get your hair cut.»
The Test
Sashenka was thrilled. The grandmother left them to it. Boris bought him nice clothes, a soccer ball, and a bag of sweets. The boy, who had never seen so many chocolates, was overjoyed. Boris felt his heart tighten with compassion. He took him to the barber and, discreetly, collected a small lock of Sashenka’s hair.
After parting ways with the boy, Boris promised to see him again soon. He took the hair for a DNA test, desperately wanting to believe Sashenka was his son.
A week later, Boris returned to pick up the results. With trembling hands, he opened the envelope…
