Cornelia

 

It was a really tiring day. I returned home after eight hours of school. I still had swimming pool to go to.

"No," I protested loudly, "I'm not going."

I lay down on my bed and tried to read. It was no use. I couldn't concentrate. Yesterday I had a fight with my boyfriend. As usual, it was about Iska. She was supposed to be just his friend. I can already see his friend! I couldn't stay home. I went out into the street. I didn't know what to do with myself. I wanted to go to the park, but my legs took me in the other direction. To the Children's Home. On the way, I entered a toy store. I bought a small, brown teddy bear.

As soon as I entered the building, I heard Kornelia's voice. Every time I came to the Children's Home, Kornelia was the first one I saw. The first time I came here, she ran up and asked, "

Do you have a punch for me?"

I said no, and she burst into tears. I picked her up and hugged her. From then on, I always comforted her, and she reciprocated. Her presence always brought me back to my senses. Four-year-old Kornelia had curly blonde hair and blue eyes. She was a sweet child. You couldn't tell she'd had a difficult childhood. Her parents died in an accident when she was ten months old. Fate had dealt her a hard time, but she was able to find joy in even the smallest things. In the sun shining, in the goodness of dinner. She had a smile on her face almost constantly. That smile was contagious.

When I gave her a teddy bear, she screamed with joy and threw her arms around me. I thought she was going to strangle me. I grabbed her hand and went to ask Mrs. Aga if I could take Kornelia for a walk. She let me. She always let me. She knew that nothing would happen to Kornelia. I dressed the little girl and we went out. Kornelia wanted to go to the park to "feed the pigeons." We bought bread and went to the park. About this one. We sat down on a bench and started feeding the little pigeons.

Suddenly, I noticed someone sitting next to me. It was Młody. My boyfriend.

"Sorry," he said.

I turned around.

"Oh, sorry," he repeated.

"Who's that?" Cornelia asked. "He's a nice guy ."

"I'm Młody. And you?" Młody asked.

"Kornelia. What are you doing here? "

"I came to see your friend."

"So why are you sitting like that?" she asked.

"Because we had a fight," I snapped.

"Then make up," she said, giving us a look that was impossible to refuse.

"Wild?" he asked.

"Yes, I'll make up with you," I replied, "but I'm mainly doing it for Kornelia."

"Okay," the little girl said, clapping her hands. "Now let's go get ice cream."

"Isn't it too cold?" I asked.

"No, it's for... shaved chocolate," she said, grabbing our hands.

"Okay, let's go," said the Young One.

In the evening, we walked Cornelia home.

"Come back tomorrow," she said.

"Okay," I replied, kissing her cheek. And together with the Young One, we went out into the street. The Young One grabbed my hand and we walked toward my house.

"She's cool, that little one," he said after a moment.

"She's fantastic," I said, "and what's special about her is that she lives in a slightly different world."

"What?" he asked. "

Is there time for joy in this world? There is, but people are busy, unhappy. And Cornelia knows how to be happy. She finds joy in everything. Even though she lives in an orphanage and her parents are dead. She doesn't deserve such a fate.

" "That's true," said the Young One.

I didn't even notice we were already standing in front of my house. I hurriedly said goodbye to the Young One and went home. A plan began to form in my head. Cornelia really is extraordinary and shouldn't suffer like this. She should have a normal home. I love her.

II

"Seven o'clock, dear, you have to get up for school," Mom said, grabbing my bare foot peeking out from under the covers .

"I'm getting up," I said, yawning, and then added, "Mom, wouldn't you like to have a little daughter?"

"No."

"Are you sure? " "

I think so.

" "But we could adopt a child?" I asked . "And who do you

mean?" Mom asked me back

, "Kornelia."

"Oh, the one from the orphanage. I already know what you're getting at.

" "Yes...

" "Well, I don't know. I'll talk to Dad.

It's a flop. If Mom says she'll talk to Dad, it doesn't bode well. Dad definitely won't agree. Oh well. Oops... How late! I have to get up because Kiddo will be here soon." I got dressed. At a quarter to eight, Kiddo arrived. I went downstairs. When Kiddo wanted to go to school on the right, I grabbed his arm and steered him left.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm going to play hooky at Kornelia's.

" "If so, then okay .

" It was clear he liked her too. When we entered the orphanage, Kornelia was the first to run.

"Cieść," she said . "Hi,

" we replied .

Suddenly, Mrs. Aga came around the corner.

"Can we take Kornelia?" I asked.

"Yes. But wait, shouldn't you be at school now?"

"We should, but somehow it worked out," Młody replied

. "Okay. But Kornelia has to be back at four.

" "Fine."

We went out into the street. First, we went to McDonald's. From Kornelia's behavior, it was clear she hadn't been to McDonald's yet. Młody and I ordered food, and the little one went to play in the play area.

Once Kornelia had eaten enough hamburgers and fries, we went outside. It started to rain. I decided to go to my house. My parents had long since left for work, so there was nothing to be afraid of. For Kornelia, who was here for the first time, everything was interesting, captivating, and unusual. She approached everything, took it in her hands, and examined it carefully for a long time. It wasn't my first time here, and the little one already felt at home.

He sat on the couch and looked at the little one very carefully. He, too, probably considered her the eighth wonder of the world.

After Kornelia had examined everything in my room, she sat on my lap and pressed a storybook into his hand. The little one was reluctant to read, but over time, he enjoyed it more and more. I left the room to make something to eat. I didn't want to disturb them.

After a while, I returned to my room. Kornelia was asleep on my bed, and the little one was playing with a tennis ball.

"Would you like something to eat?" I asked in a whisper

. "Yes," he replied.

"Then come to the kitchen."

We sat down at the table. The young man began to devour bread with jam and gingerbread. It was clear he was truly hungry.

"Leave something for Cornelia," I said. "She'll be hungry too if she gets up." "

Okay," he muttered and continued eating.

"Would you like something to drink?" I asked after a moment

. "I'd love to," he replied. "Do you have juice?"

"I do."

I poured him almost the entire glass. He drank it in one gulp. The young man surprised me more and more. I thought I wouldn't be able to "inhale" so much food and drink.

I'd known the young man for almost a year, but I kept discovering new things about him that surprised and delighted me more and more. The young man is extraordinary. He has blond hair. He's a little taller than me. He's sweet, kind, and caring. I feel safe with him. I love being with him, and I care about him deeply. I don't like arguing with him, because although we always make up, he can be a real pain during an argument. I can't stay angry with him, even if he does something nasty to me. I only stay angry with him for a day, and then it's over. Maybe I love him... I pondered for a moment. I was interrupted by the clatter of Cornelia's feet and her shrill voice:

"Food! I want food!"

"Okay, you're getting food," I said, pushing the plate of food toward her.

"Delicious food," said Cornelia. "And you're not eating?

" "No," I replied.

"That's not allowed," she said seriously, and handed me a slice of bread, giving me a look that made it impossible to refuse. I ate it.

"That's better," the little girl said. "Has the little one eaten yet?

" "Yes," he replied.

"That's good. If it weren't for me, you'd all starve yourselves, and who would come to see me then?"

"Where does this child get these ideas?" I wondered. He must really like us if he cares so much about us. I glanced at my watch. "It's three-thirty. We have to take Cornelia home," I thought, and then said aloud, "Well, dears, we have to get going. Cornelia must be home any minute."

We got dressed and went out. It was almost dark outside. Winter, after all. A bit strange, but winter. Christmas is in three weeks.

After we took Cornelia home, we decided to go for a walk with the Young One. We went to the park. But after a while, we felt cold.

"Let's go home," the Young One said.

"To my house or yours?" I asked. "

To mine. Your parents are here, and mine are away."

I agreed. I really enjoyed going to the Young One's. There was such a "different" atmosphere in his house. Maybe it was because it was always in disarray. In the Young One's house, nothing had its proper place. Things changed places as often as they were used.

We entered the apartment. The first thing I noticed was the order. Everything was beautifully cleaned. The floors gleamed. The Kid explained that Mom had tidied up before she left and hadn't had time to make a mess yet because she wasn't there. Only the Kid's room was a mess, as usual. I sat on the Kid's bed, and he in the armchair. Finally, we had peace. No one was home. All his sisters had left with the Kid's parents. And the Kid was left alone in the house.

After a while, I asked,

"What do you think? Isn't Cornelia too smart for her age?"

"She's wonderful. When I was telling her a story and you were in the kitchen, she said I didn't read well. I asked her why, and she said Dzika read to her, role-playing. You heard her.

ROLE-PLAYING! And that's what a four-year-old said.

"For a child from an orphanage, she knows a lot. How does she know all this?" I asked this question, more to myself, but the Kid immediately answered.

"I think it's from you.

" "What?"

"From you. You talk to her, play with her. She learns many things from you."

Shock again. He's extraordinary. I looked into his eyes and smiled. He smiled back. Suddenly, I realized I loved him madly.

III

I woke up at seven in the morning. I had nine lessons and a play ahead of me. There's no way I'll make it to Cornelia's. I won't ask the Kid to go to her. He's having a hard day too. Cornelia will have to do without us. I'll make it up to her over the Christmas break. I wonder how the children from the orphanage celebrate

Christmas. They probably miss their parents terribly. The Kid and I have parents, so we don't know what it's like.

During the break, I met the Kid. He was standing by the window with his friends.

I gently tugged him by the arm and we started talking. He said his parents wouldn't be back until after Christmas. I was happy. I was glad I wouldn't see his sisters until after Christmas. Not because I didn't like them. Quite the opposite. I liked them a lot, but they annoyed me a little. When I was at the Young One's, they kept coming into his room. They were very tiring. I was happy because I'd finally have some peace when I went to the Young One's before Christmas. On the other hand, I missed them. Despite everything, they were fun. They were great fun to be with. They were a bit crazy. I was never bored around them. They were the opposite of Cornelia. Cornelia was cheerful, but calm, composed, and serious. And the Young One's sisters were crazy.

They couldn't sit still.

The second news the Young One gave me was that he was going to Cornelia's today. This news also made me happy. She wouldn't be alone today. The Young One said he'd take care of her. Tomorrow, Kornelia will probably tell me everything.

And that was the end of our conversation. After that, I didn't see the Young One again for the rest of the day. That evening, I returned home terribly tired. I immediately went to bed and fell asleep.

I dreamed I was with Kornelia and the Young One in the park. We were walking along the paths. Suddenly, a black hole appeared in front of us, "swallowing" everything in its path.

At one point, I noticed the hole sucking Cornelia in. I couldn't hold her. It sucked her in. I looked back. The Young One was gone. He'd gone. He'd left only his footprints in the sand.

I knew he wouldn't come back. I started crying. I'd lost two people I loved.

Suddenly, I woke up. It was three in the morning. I couldn't sleep until morning. I thought about what the dream meant. I don't believe in dreams, but this one was different. Something told me to believe in the dream. I was terrified. What if I really lost Cornelia and the Kid? That would be terrible.

As soon as I got up, I looked out the window. SNOW! Real, cold snow was falling from the sky. I dressed quickly and went out into the snowy street. The snow was ankle-deep. I rang the intercom for the Kid, and together we went to get Cornelia.

We spent the whole day playing in the snow. The Kid devoted more time to Cornelia than to me, and I think I was a little jealous. I argued with him. He called me all sorts of names. I won't repeat those words here. I cried. I'll never forgive him. I'll never speak to him again.

That evening, I talked to my mother about Cornelia. She said she still needed to talk to Dad. I went to bed.

In the morning, I woke up with a strange feeling. I had a feeling something bad was going to happen today. I was right. After breakfast, I went to visit Cornelia. But all I heard from Mrs. Aga were these words:

"Kornelia is sick." He has a fever of 39 degrees.

"Oh my God, it's my fault," I said, and started crying.

"No, it's not because of you," Mrs. Aga comforted me. "Last night, while walking with the group, Tomek threw a lot of snow down her neck. Don't cry, it's not because of you. "

I calmed down a bit.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked.

"I don't know. But the doctor says she's in serious condition."

I burst into tears again. I was devastated. I'd love to go to the Young One right now. He would comfort me, but I don't talk to him. A bad dream was coming true. I'd lost the Young One, and now I was about to lose Cornelia. I mumbled goodbye and ran outside. It was dark and freezing. Everyone around me

was rushing somewhere. They didn't even realize that a little creature was dying inside.

I ran into the house, locked myself in my room, and cried. I probably cried for two hours. I fell asleep, very unhappy and angry at the world.

When I woke up, it was eight o'clock. I went to take a shower. Passing by the kitchen, I heard a conversation. When I looked in, I saw the Young One. At that moment, he looked towards the door.

"Oh, you're already up! The Kid has been waiting here for you for two hours. I'll leave you alone," Mom said, and left the kitchen.

I didn't approach the Kid, I didn't take a single step. I stood there in the doorway, staring straight ahead. I drifted off. I thought of Cornelia, and tears began to flow freely down my cheeks. Suddenly, I felt someone grab my shoulders.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. That's just how I am. Don't cry because of me. And don't worry about Cornelia, it'll be alright." I heard the Kid's words and hugged him. And he kissed me. I felt happy and believed that everything would be alright.

IV.

Cornelia was slowly recovering. When she felt worse, the Kid was there for me. He kept my spirits up. He was there for me. When I needed him, I could count on him; he was my support. He was not only my boyfriend, but above all, my best friend.

Two days until Christmas. Cornelia had completely recovered. She just couldn't go outside. I'd already bought presents for my parents, the Young One, and Cornelia. I myself wanted a bicycle and a computer for Christmas.

This morning at breakfast, my parents told me I'd get one of the presents this afternoon. My parents left for work, and I was home alone. I couldn't wait. I wondered what it could be, but even if I'd been a brainiac, I wouldn't have thought of it. I decided to make dinner. But since I had two left hands when cooking, the hard-boiled eggs were so hard you

 couldn't even crack them with a hammer. (I tried.) And the potatoes were sweet.

When my parents finally came home, I couldn't sit still with excitement.

"So," Dad began, "

maybe I should say," Mom interjected, "the point is that you'll have a sister, Cornelia."

"Yuuuhu!" I shouted so loudly I thought the neighbors would be arriving.

I quickly dressed and ran to the orphanage. On the way, I met the young man and,

 explaining what was going on, I pulled him along.

"Shit. What happened?" Cornelia asked as we entered the building.

"Kornelia, you'll be my little sister. From now on, we'll be together forever.

" "Really?!!" she asked.

I said yes, and she threw her arms around my neck in joy and looked into my eyes. I'll

 never forget those blue eyes.