14-18

14

I wonder how long our divorce will last? Paulina thought with tears in her eyes. I finally have to force Stiven to sign the divorce papers, but how? These games of his will drive me crazy; any more and he'll end up in a mental hospital. Wallowing in self-pity, her exhausted wife tried to organize her raging thoughts. Until suddenly Stiven entered. Hearing his voice, Paula slowly began to return to reality. Her husband informed his wife that Teresa and a few other friends would be coming for dinner. He also told her not to worry, because the formal dinner was ready and her new dress would arrive soon. Suddenly, the regrets vanished, and Paulina remembered that it was her birthday. Stiven always remembered dates; it was one of his only responsibilities to his wife. The thought that Teresa would be coming and that her husband had gone to the trouble of inviting her made her jump for joy.

After several successful toasts, dinner was served. A variety of appetizers were brought to the table. Paulina, in her new dress, danced the first dance with Stiven and retired with a sense of duty accomplished. After a while, Teresa joined her, and her friends finally had a chance to talk freely. Teresa recounted her almost comical adventures with a man she'd recently met, who for a long time couldn't understand that he wasn't her type. She talked about how sweet and funny her little daughter was, and she sympathized with her friend's falling apart. When they ran out of topics, Paula, beaming from a bit of alcohol

, mentioned Leon. Her friend suddenly became sad, and pain was evident in her eyes. It turned out that the father of her child was also named Leon. Although the story of her adventures with him sounded very funny, Teresa briefly retreated into the past. She had met Leon at a charity event when she was 25. He was very kind, generous, and handsome. He impressed her, and the sumptuous breakfast and dinner did the trick. They both knew they would never see each other again. Teresa, consumed by her professional life, decided to remain silent when she discovered she was pregnant. She didn't know Leon very well. Their affair lasted only a month. But the little creature, with her arrival, also changed her mother's views. Observing Anita, her daughter, Teresa understood that the child had a right to know who her father was. Leon's reaction was quite aggressive, but he acted appropriately. He had long loved another woman, but the feeling of being a father haunted him. He couldn't sleep, eat, and for the first time in his life, he didn't know what to do. The problem was solved when Leo saw Anita. That's when he realized he would do everything to make her life more colorful. His daughter lacked nothing, but walks with her father, his love, were irreplaceable. He saw her rarely, but from the age of two, every meeting with her father was an unforgettable experience for the little one. He took her three times a year wherever she liked, spending hours at the playground watching and playing with her.

Teresa lived in another city with her parents, whose old-fashioned views made it impossible to bear the shame of their daughter. Therefore, Paulina, absorbed in her own affairs, didn't know what was really happening to her friend, who strictly forbade her from asking questions about the child's father.

Listening to the story until the end, Paula already knew that Anitka's father was the same Leon she had met at the café. After a moment, she was overcome by a terrible feeling of guilt for flirting with Kuc; after all, he could have been Teresa's husband. But Paulina couldn't sink into senseless self-blame. Teresa explained that she had never loved Kuc. She had once succumbed to Leo's charms because she hadn't seen the man of her life in a long time. Since her university days, she had been in love with Eryk and had been waiting patiently for his return.

In the morning, the news recently received from Teresa had become a daily occurrence. The friends and Stiven ate breakfast together, chatting about everything and nothing. A warm, family atmosphere now reigned in the Mayer home. Paulina began to notice the positive qualities of her husband, who, tired of the antics of his changing lovers, was now courting his own wife. He loved her, and Teresa's arrival brought back memories. Stiven recalled how sweet their time together was, how resourceful Eryk was in his pursuit of Teresa, and many other amusing stories from his college days.

Influenced by these memories, Teresa decided to call Eryk. After a moment, with tears in her eyes and thanks to heaven, she informed the others that Eryk Gut had landed and would be here soon. Excited, she couldn't believe her own words.

Eryk, a missionary doctor, had spent five years in Africa. He had always dreamed of being where help was needed, but this time he decided to help his beloved Teresa. A year had passed since he last called from Africa, promising to return soon, so the news that he was so close unsettled poor Teresa.

After a grueling, long flight, Gut was feeling tired. He arrived straight from the airport at the Mayers'. He didn't want Teresa to pick him up, trying to avoid the emotional impact of the airport. After entering and loudly greeting everyone, he only had enough energy to unpack. When Teresa entered the room, his beloved was already asleep. For the evening, Mayer and I had planned dinner at a good restaurant to reminisce about old times and celebrate his return.

The

impressive yacht moored at the Yacht Club's quay meant that the extended three-day cruise had come to an end. Tina, excited by the successful trip, was saying goodbye to her newfound friends. Leon, not wanting to lose sight of his beloved, promised his uncle he would call back, while avoiding a longer conversation. Karina, on the other hand, to stop thinking, busied herself with packing her things into the car.

An hour later, Tina and the two not-quite-reconciled lovers were sitting on the terrace of the summer house. Tamara was still gone.

Karina, lost in her thoughts, decided to take a walk. She walked slowly along the beach, enjoying the beautiful sight of the restless waves, which, angrily, tried to reach her and take her with them to where they merged with the clouds. She needed to unwind. Her mind was swarming with constant thoughts of Kuc's child. She couldn't forgive herself the weakness that gripped her poor heart every time she saw Leon. Fortunately, the warm breeze and the soothing sound of the waves, soothing her, lulled her to sleep, giving her a break from her constant thoughts.

When she returned, she was already relaxed and rested. A smile played across her lips. She noticed Kuc was talking to someone on the phone. So she joined Tina, who was bustling around the kitchen, trying to prepare something to eat. Cooking together brought the girls much joy. They fooled around, reminiscing about various funny stories from years past. A healthy dose of humor almost completely cured Leon's beloved of depression. While eating, even he was infected with good cheer. He was pleased with this turn of events and did everything he could to keep a smile on Karina's sweet face. Her smiling expression acted like a balm for the tired Kuc.

That evening, Karina decided to put an end to the topic that was troubling her once and for all. Unsure how to begin, she invited her beloved for a walk. Busy with his story, Kuc didn't even notice that something was wrong. When he finally finished, Karina looked straight into his tired blue eyes and calmly told her everything she knew about the baby. Leon was confused and stood stunned for a moment. When he finally regained his ability to speak, he told the whole story from the beginning. His honesty paid off. Karina didn't make any accusations, but the fact that she had learned about it this way made it impossible to forgive.

The next day, at Tina's request, Tamara arrived. The girls explained what they had been up to in her absence, thanked her for her hospitality, and Leon promised to bring the cousins ​​home safe and sound. An hour later, they set off for home.

Shila

and Sara were already waiting for their daughters with dinner, eager to eat together and find out how their vacation had gone.

The girls were overjoyed to see their mothers again. The fact that a celebratory dinner was waiting for them cheered them up even more. When the fathers joined in, the discussion about the trip intensified. The family atmosphere brought everyone closer together, and the dinner lasted three hours. The parents, unable to hear the spicy details of the trip, made no edifying remarks. They loved their daughters and were very worried about them. That's why the sisters always chose their words carefully when telling them something, without lying.

Evening was approaching; it was finally time to unpack. Tina had arranged to meet her cousin at 8:00 PM, as they had planned to meet Tom and Kuc at a restaurant. She went with her parents to her own house.

After unpacking and completing a few other necessary tasks, the cousins ​​were getting ready to leave. Dinner had been ordered at the Sanset Restaurant. Tom had picked Tina up early, eager to see his beloved. When they arrived, Leon and Karina were already waiting.

The traditionally set table, favorite drinks, wine, and sensible music that even matched the meals restored Karina's former sense of calm. She sat relaxed and calm, barely speaking. She only smiled and nodded in response. Tina told her beloved how much she missed him and what amazing things had happened while relaxing on the yacht. Leon occasionally interjected a joke and, somewhat tired, savored his favorite Irish whiskey.

Meanwhile, the Mayers and their friends arrived at the restaurant. Dazzling ladies, accompanied by distinguished gentlemen, took their seats at the table. Waiters bustled around the new arrivals, and dinner was already on the table. After eating and a few toasts, the excitement surrounding Eric's arrival had subsided somewhat. Things had become more relaxed. The men began chatting about topics of little interest to the ladies. So the ladies decided to go powder their noses and chat with the same enthusiasm they had in their school days. Teresa, excitedly telling her friend about Eryk, couldn't see anything around her. Paulina, however, noticed someone she knew sitting at a table by the window. Worried, she tried to get a closer look on the way back, but couldn't see anything. It can't be him, she thought, and, somewhat calmer, she gave in to the mood.

The cheerful atmosphere in the restaurant was felt by all the guests. The dance floor was getting increasingly crowded. Even Karina didn't need much persuading to dance. At the end of the song, an amused Leon spotted Paulina. When the opportunity arose, he escorted his partner away and discreetly asked the elegant lady to speak. As soon as Paula spotted Kuc, an unimaginable force of emotion rushed to her head. Unable to utter a word, she nodded helplessly, pretending to understand what he was saying.

17

"Oh, I don't want to go to college," Tina lamented as she left the house

. "The holidays have passed so quickly.

" "Yes, it's true," Karina said, but her mind was preoccupied with other matters. "Okay, let's go now, I'll be late for work."

A moment later, Tina was already at school, and Karina was entering the office building's garage. Without waiting for the elevator, she took the stairs to the sixth floor. Walking down the corridor, she turned over the still-troubling topic of Leon. When she entered the room, she made coffee from the vending machine and turned on the computer

. "Why does this always happen to me, what did I do to deserve this?" she thought.

"Karina, dear, it's so good that you're here," the boss suddenly said, entering the room.

Surprised, Karina didn't know what had happened or what to say, so, trying to collect herself, she stood up and offered her hand in greeting.

"I hope your vacation was a success. It's hard for us here without you," the boss continued without waiting for a reply. "Your deputy missed his deadlines, so we have to make up for it somehow. But that's later. For now, tell me how your vacation was? Were you at the seaside?

" "Yes, thank you, boss. Maybe another time, you yourself say we have a lot of work, right?" Karina said, regaining her voice and pulling a thick binder from the closet.

"Okay, honey, as usual, you're right, let's get to work," he replied, handing her a folder marked "Important."

Current work matters acted like a balm for Karina's tired soul. She slowly returned to her usual routine, devoting herself entirely to something she hadn't been so enthusiastic about before. Suddenly, a thousand ideas were brewing in her head. She worked like crazy. After a week of hard work, she had settled all the client matters, smoothed out her relationship with her partners, and launched a new project. For a month, she barely left the office, only coming home to wash and sleep. She was so busy all this time that she almost forgot what was troubling her. She switched to the positive thinking mode she'd once read so much about in various books and magazines.

"I've just finished one chapter of my life," Karina thought to herself as she typed away on the keyboard. "Now I'm starting a new life. A chapter where there's no room for Leon and the rest of the sins of this world. I'm beautiful, smart, and charming... Time to make the most of this damn life..." Karina told herself until she heard a firm male voice

. "You're on vacation until Monday," her boss said, entering the room.

"Does that mean I'm fired?" Karina asked in surprise.

"Don't joke around, you just work too hard." I need you, but don't exaggerate.

- Today is only Tuesday and I still have a few unfinished business - the worried girl tried to wriggle out of her leave.

- Without further ado, this is an official order - said the boss and left the room.

Still disoriented, Karina walked down the hallway, wondering what people usually did at 2 p.m. on a Tuesday. It was a wonderful, sunny day, so she decided to take a walk. Passing passersby, she couldn't imagine what she'd be doing when she got home. Along the way, she stopped at a few shops. In the last one, she spotted a beautiful teddy bear in the window, reminding her of one from her childhood. Unable to resist the sentimental feeling, she decided to buy it. The teddy bear turned out to be larger than she expected. Walking with the large teddy bear, she involuntarily attracted the attention of passersby. One elderly woman, captivated by the teddy bear, stopped Karina and asked how old her daughter was, suggesting that Karina had a child. According to the old woman, such a teddy bear was perfect for a girl's birthday, as such a large gift wasn't something you buy every day. To her surprise, Karina didn't deny it, engaging in a pointless conversation with the elderly woman. After ten minutes of admiring the teddy bear, the woman moved on, and Karina began to wonder what it would be like to be a mother. With thoughts of her nonexistent daughter still on her mind, she arrived home.

"You're welcome, my dear. Why so early?" her mother asked in greeting.

"I'm on vacation," Karina replied, and went to her room.

"Would you like something to eat? I just made dinner," her mother continued without leaving the kitchen

. "Yes, I'll be down in a moment," Karina shouted, and busied herself unpacking the teddy

bear. After a pleasant chat with her mother over dinner, Karina realized that it was natural for a girl her age to think about a child, and that she would leave that problem for later, as there were more important things to do at the moment. She needed to organize her life according to some nonexistent plan. She wanted to finally free herself from the past and start thinking positively about the present, especially now, with so many days off. So she decided not to laze around at home, but to organize something that would be enjoyable and useful. First, she decided to create a plan, according to which she would strive to achieve her goal step by step and understand what she truly needed.

The priority, and therefore the first step in her plan, was a new apartment with new rules and a new life. This meant the beginning of change. Second on the list were several new career-related ideas. Third, she mentioned her social life, which meant reconnecting with all the neglected friends from years past and making interesting new acquaintances. Fourth, she discussed starting a family. This concluded her long-term plan and decided to update it as needed.

Because it's important to strike while the iron is hot, Karina immediately tackled the first step, as it required a lot of time and dedication on her part. Financially, she couldn't afford to buy an apartment right away, so she decided to rent. After several hours of browsing through classifieds, she found a few interesting options. She called and arranged meetings. The first one was scheduled for tomorrow, so for now, she thought, she could focus on something more enjoyable, and called Tina. After a short conversation, the cousins ​​arranged to meet at the nearby café "Na koruna."

"Nice to see you at last," Tina said, greeting her cousin

. "Hi, Tinula, I'm happy too," Karina replied. "What would you like?" I'd be happy.

"What's the occasion?" Tina asked, not hiding her delight. "Promotion at work?" I wouldn't be surprised, since lately nothing but work has interested you.

"Unfortunately not, it's to celebrate the beginning of a new life," Karina replied, trying not to smile and adopting a formal tone befitting a formal occasion.

"In that case, we're drinking champagne," Tina said, leaving the details for later.

Once the champagne was finished, it was time to discuss the details

. "Now tell me what or who made me see you in such a great mood," Tina said, turning to her cousin. "If it's someone, I'll buy them a gift for performing such a miracle.

" "Yes...? Then I'm waiting for a gift, because I decided to change my life," Karina replied. "I decided to rent an apartment.

" "Apartment? Karina, why? Did your aunt agree?" Tina asked, stunned with surprise.

"Well, if you reacted like that, what will your mom say?

" "She doesn't know anything yet?"

"No, and for now, I won't tell her anything until I find something interesting and close to work." I can't live with my parents forever," Karina continued. "If I'm going to change anything, I have to start with the apartment. I'm getting on in years. I feel trapped with my parents. I have to start living my own life, not what my parents have accustomed me to.

" "I understand perfectly well. You simply surprised me with such a change. I see you've really decided to change your life," Tina replied and ordered something to eat. She was tormented by the thought of whether Leon knew about Karina's plan, whether I was seeing her? But since the topic of Leon had long been sealed as taboo, she didn't ask unnecessary questions.

After exhausting all current topics, the girls decided to move to a more interesting place, namely, a swim in the newly built pool

18

.

This was her third conversation with Kuc. Paulina couldn't understand what he expected from her. The fact that he had a child with Teresa no longer surprised anyone. But Leon demanded answers to something Paula had no idea about. He was certain she already knew everything; he refused to believe their meeting was a mere coincidence. He was angry with himself and couldn't accept the fact that such an unfortunate encounter had ruined his chance to be with the person he loved.

"You're asking for the third time, and for the third time I'm telling you, I didn't tell her anything about our date, and I have no idea how Karina found out about it," Paulina repeated, embittered, trying to free herself from Leon's persistent pursuit, who, in his own way, was tracking her down wherever she might accidentally appear on her way out of the house

. "Okay," Leon suddenly gave up on further questions and simply said, "You could have become the beautiful butterfly I saw you in the beginning, but you'll remain a dirty moth to me, clouding my soul, giving me no chance of salvation." Goodbye." With these words, Leon left, never again visiting Paulina or calling her.

As time passed, when his emotions subsided, the embittered Leon finally realized where he had gone wrong. But he had no chance of saving his relationship with Karina. He never returned to the restaurant where he had last seen her, fearing the unpleasant memories.

That was where the final scene of their romance unfolded. Teresa introduced Leon to Eryk as the father of her daughter. She explained that she had no grudge against him and that he was a great father. She told Leon that she loved Eryk and wanted him to know how things really were. From there, things took their course. Eryk suggested they get together to ease the tension. Once everyone got to know each other, the atmosphere became unbearable for Leon. He was confused that two women he had once flirted with were now sitting next to the person he loved. Karina, tipsy and amused, initially saw nothing wrong with it; she even thought she was needlessly angry with Leon. Nobody was perfect, after all. But unfortunately for her love, she heard something she should never have heard. As she ran for the exit, Leon's voice, exaggeratedly terrified by the whole situation, kept buzzing in her head, begging Paulina not to mention their meeting. After that, she never spoke to Leon again, despite his daily efforts and pleas for a chance to explain.