Oksana was born quite in a large village on the bank of a beautiful river. Right behind the village were huge fields, and on the outskirts of the gray rows were old, but still strong farms and a newly built large collective farm barn.
It was the barn that the village couples chose for themselves for romantic meetings, or rather a picturesque clearing behind the barn. As a rule, local boys and girls in the evening first went to a dance or a movie in a friendly crowd, and after it got dark and when the movie was over, the young people broke into couples and went to the barn.
The barn clearing was large with a lot of stumps, bushes and fallen trees. Therefore, there were enough hiding places for all couples. In the dark, laughter and whispering could be heard every now and then, or even someone was singing beautiful songs. They started singing along from all sides. In general, evenings on the barn meadow were the main entertainment of the village youth.
Oksana lived in an ordinary rural family in which there were five other children besides her. The family’s everyday life was the same as that of all the neighbors, the older children watched the younger ones, and the parents worked. Who is in the field, who is on the farm. The girl herself was a little different from her village friends. She felt that she was much smarter and more beautiful than these kluches. Oksana was sure that she would be lucky in this life, she deserved more. The thing is that the girl adored romantic melodramas, foreign TV series about a luxurious beautiful life. She was completely captured by all these elegant, fatal beauties and stunning rich gentlemen made her heart beat more often. The girl dreamed all night long how one day one such rich handsome man would meet her by chance and lose his head from love. How he would take her to a huge mansion and they would travel on his white yacht or just sit by the fireplace drinking wine, which the devoted servants respectfully fall.
In everyday life, Oksana graduated from a village school and immediately went to work on a farm as a milkmaid. Like most women in this village, the girl did not have the ability to study. She was brilliant in her mind. Therefore, she did not want to study further, but she had to live on something. I had to buy food and clothes on my own, and my parents had five more children around their necks.
Reality contrasted sharply with dreams. Early in the morning Oksana ran to the farm, where she fed and milked cows knee-deep in mud. From the bottom of her heart, the girl hated her job, her home and her family, and her village. She felt trapped in a dungeon where there is no light, no beauty and from where there is no way out.
Like her friends, Oksana went to the club in the evenings, but she had never reached the barn clearing yet. She didn’t like any guy. All the guys seemed dirty and stupid, no mystery and romance. And what kind of riddles and poems in the moonlight can you demand from a guy who has been plowing on a tractor all day. Her friends openly laughed at her.
– Chet no one comes with you, neither the count, nor some seedy baron. You are an Oksana of girls and you will stay until old age, and as the prince will come, you will not fit your age.
But Oksana only proudly raised her head and did not answer anything. Far too much for them to understand the lofty dreams of the village. Whatever you say, God did not offend the girl with her appearance. A tall, statuesque brunette with a thick braid to the waist and burning almost black eyes. She somewhat resembled a Cossack from the old TV series about the Don Cossacks and the guys suffered a lot for her, but without meeting a response, they quickly switched their attention to other girls. Not such unapproachable prideful women. Parents have long given up on their daughter, they despaired of ever marrying her off and waiting for grandchildren.
But one day a miracle happened. A new agronomist came to the village from the city. The chairman of the village Council personally brought him to the farm to meet everyone. As soon as Oksana looked at the young man, she immediately realized that a holiday had come on the street.
The new agronomist, beautifully dressed in a nice suit and tie, was embarrassed, like a child talking to milkmaids.
– Hello, dear women. My name is Yuri Mikhailovich. I am very glad to meet you.
The women vied with each other to banter without malice.
– You don’t know yet, but you’ve already respected me.
– Women are so young, who will be lucky.
– You look Mikhalych, don’t get your suit dirty in the manure, my dear…
The chairman shushed the dispersed women:
– Well, hush! Get excited! You’ll scare the agronomist so much, he’ll run away after all.
– Yes, I will not run away Pavel Semyonovich, – Yuri, who had managed to recover, smiled. – Let them joke, the work will be more fun.
All this time Oksana stood a little to the side without taking her eyes off the agronomist. My heart was pounding in my temples. It seemed to her that this was her dream, she just needed to catch her by the tail and the girl stepped forward.
– When will your family arrive, wife, kids?
Ooo, – the milkmaids admired, and Oksana doesn’t waste any time.
Yuri was confused, but answered:
– I’m not married.
He looked closely at Oksana, and suddenly thought that he had never met such a beautiful girl. That’s really boring for him in this unfamiliar village will not be.
Very soon the villagers began to gossip with might and main.
– You look Oksana, she still frowned at the agronomist, waited for the prince. Lucky girl.
And really Yuri began to take care of her, and Oksana was crazy about happiness and pride. The fairy tale was turning into reality. Now she spent her evenings in the barn glade, but to the envy of her friends with a young educated agronomist.
A couple of months later, after long dates, Yuri proposed to his beloved and Oksana agreed. The wedding was played loudly and cheerfully, celebrated as it should be for three days, and as a gift to the young, the chairman of the Village Council Pavel Semenovich allocated a large house, explaining at the same time to fellow villagers:
– Young, promising personnel should be lured from the city to the countryside, agriculture should be developed. Well done Oksana! We now have our own agronomist and now he’s not going anywhere.
The newlyweds moved to a new house and Oksana left the farm. Now she plunged into family life, arranged the house and did the housework. A year later, the young couple had their first child. Yuri was over the moon with happiness. Oksana became even prettier and couldn’t get enough of her family. A year later, the second child was born and the young mother devoted all her time to her children and her husband. So for 7 years, five children appeared in the family.
Oksana began to feel that she was turning into an incubator. Less and less time was left for herself and less and less she looked in the mirror. Not to mention going out to have fun somewhere. Yuri stayed late at work, came tired and rested his soul playing with the children. Oksana looked at all this and realized with horror that this is not what she dreamed of. She gradually turns into a village baba klusha, like her friends. And what difference does it make that their husbands are tractor drivers and her husband is an agronomist? Except that he gets more, and so he did not differ in anything from the men. Abandoned suits and ties. Do you see if it is inconvenient and not practical for him in the field in such clothes. I did not buy a beautiful car, but a simple SUV that I could drive around the potholes and fields for work. And all she does is wipe the snot off the children endlessly, cook, feed and clean. And this whirlwind will never end. What about the white yacht? What about quiet evenings by the fireplace?
With each passing day, a quiet hatred for her own family grew and strengthened in the young woman, for her once beloved husband, who gradually turned into a village peasant, for the obsessive love of children, who ran after her mother in a crowd and did not leave her for a minute, and finally for this very pasty life from which there was no way out.
But the long-awaited explosion still happened. It happened when a team of builders from the city came to their village. Pavel Semyonovich finally decided to repair the old farm and hired workers. During the day, the covenanters worked on the farm, but in the evening both the club and the barn glade thundered with cheerful songs and stories of young city guys. The girls on the shore snatched up builders for themselves and retired to secluded places.
Among the guys, the brigadier of the broken merry fellow, handsome, oblique fathom in the shoulders, Anton, stood out especially. All the girls and even women simply melted from his compliments and jokes.
One day Oksana went to the grocery store and met Anton.
– Oh, what a steal! The young man drawled in surprise. – Why haven’t I seen you before? Such a treasure in such a remote place.
Oksana blushed and the fog seemed to clear in her head. That’s where the real life is next to such a handsome man.
“I wasn’t hiding,” she smiled seductively. – I just have a family, children. There is no time for anything…
– But how can you hide such beauty in baby diapers and among dirty dishes?
Oksana talked incessantly all the way to the store and back. It was as if she was pouring out all the accumulated bitterness from an unsuccessful life. Anton nodded understandingly and agreed. He immediately realized how easy the prey would be, and he liked the woman very much. He was not averse to having a non-binding affair with this, as he realized, a love-starved woman. He liked such adventures and excited his blood.
Soon Oksana completely lost her head. She started running away from home to meet her new lover and she didn’t care that everyone around her could see everything perfectly, that her husband had understood everything for a long time and was silent and sullen, and that the children, the eldest of whom was only ten years old, were left all alone during her absences. Most importantly, she was happy…
Well, the builders’ work came to an end and the guys began to get ready for the road home to the city. The last evening Oksana was going crazy with a premonition of imminent trouble.
– Antosha, my love, how will I be without you?! – she was crying all over. I’m going to kill myself. I won’t survive…
– Well, calm down Oksana. Everything will get better. We can continue to meet in the city, you will come to me for the weekend.
– And then go back to your unloved husband and bored children?! No, I don’t want to, take me with you! I agree to the end of the world, if only you were there!
The conversation ended with nothing.
The next day the brigade left. Oksana turned black with grief. She stopped taking care of herself, of the children. I didn’t eat anything. She plunged into her experiences so much that her husband could not stand it. Despite everything, Yuri still loved his wife:
– Well, what are you suffering and torturing us, go already.
Without even being surprised by her husband’s words, Oksana started up and the truth is that she disappears when you can go after your beloved. She quickly packed her things, changed her clothes and rushed out of the house without saying a word. Yuri and the children stood silently on the porch looking after Oksana’s retreating.
– Mom!!! Suddenly the youngest of the children screamed shrilly.
Oksana involuntarily looked around.
“When will you be back?”
– Never, I’ve had enough! Live as you want,” and without paying any attention to anything, the woman hurried to the bus stop.
All evening Yuri patiently comforted the crying children, and a few days later the poor father tried to explain to the children that their mother did not stop loving them, she just got sick and went to be treated. Only the younger ones believed him because of their age, and the oldest girl, Lucy, stroked her dad on the head and said in an adult way:
– Don’t worry about it, Dad, work. I’m already big, I can handle myself at home and I’ll look after the little ones. They will help me and showed my fist to the crying brothers, who instantly stopped crying and nodded together.
And so it went. Lucy came home from school, took care of the house and brothers, and during the day a neighbor, Baba Nyura, the mother of a village teacher, sat with those who had not yet studied. Teacher Tatiana Grigoryevna herself often ran in and helped, then cook lunch, then with lessons, then with shopping…
It’s been two years since my mother left the family. Little by little, both the children and Yuri Mikhailovich came to their senses and began to forget this woman. Only the younger ones sometimes asked:
– When will Mom be cured?
Tatiana Grigorievna began to stay with the children for a long time. The childless woman herself became deeply attached to the neighborhood kids. Together with Yuri Mikhailovich, they fed and put the children to bed, and then drank tea in the kitchen. They were talking loudly, they were interested together. They understood each other perfectly.
The man began to smile and joke again, and the children were happy for their father and secretly dreamed that Dad and Aunt Tanya would get married and even amicably, but not skillfully, childishly pushed them to each other.
So the day came when in the evening Yuri simply proposed to Tatiana:
– Stay with us…
And the woman happily agreed. Yuri divorced his wife through the court and married Tatiana. At the same time, he deprived his ex-wife of parental rights, and Tanya adopted everyone and a calm, measured family life flowed. A real family in which everyone loves each other.
Several years have passed. Lucy and all the brothers, except the youngest, have already started their own families. Someone moved to the city, someone stayed in the village next to his father and mother. This has long been called Tatiana Grigorievna by children. And today the whole family gathered together, celebrating big events. The youngest brother got married. Tables were set right in the courtyard, music was playing loudly, toasts were made to the health of the young.
Suddenly, Lucy noticed a lonely figure standing behind the fence. The girl immediately recognized Oksana and, trying not to attract attention to herself, headed towards her.
“Hello Oksana,” she said softly to her mother. – What are you doing here?
Very old, very thin and sloppily dressed Oksana ingratiatingly and smiled:
– Hello, Lyusenka. Hello daughter, you recognized me. I’m so glad.
– Why did you come to our house? There’s no place for you here, we have a full family. We love our mom.
– Don’t do that, Lyusenka. I am guilty before you, I understand… But God has already punished me, believe me…
– I’m not interested. Please don’t spoil the holiday for us,” Lucy abruptly turned around and went to the guests.
Oksana stood for a while with longing watching the holiday on which she had no place, then turned around and quietly wandered towards the bus stop.
– Oksana! – suddenly she was shouted from behind.
Turning around, she saw Yuri Mikhailovich.
– Yura, – Oksana sat down on a bench and wept bitterly. – I’m sorry, Yura.
– I have forgiven you for a long time, Oksana. I just want to know why you came here?
The former spouses talked for a long time sitting on a bench, and then Oksana left.
The day after the wedding, the father gathered the children for a family council.
– Children, please listen to me in silence until the end. Yesterday I spoke with your mother Oksana. She told me her whole life. As expected, nothing good happened in her life, as a dragonfly flew through its fate without achieving anything. She was married several times, but each time she was abandoned. She did not give birth to any more children, she remained completely alone. He lives in a small apartment and receives a small disability pension. But I’m telling you all this without embellishment, everything is as it really is. Ask why? Yes, because now she needs help, she has been diagnosed with cancer, an operation is required, but she does not have money for the operation and there is no one to wait for help from. I’ve said everything, now don’t say anything, just make sense and think. Listen to your heart. Oksana has a significant advantage over all of you, she gave you life.
The children sat at the table quiet, thoughtful. Only Lucy couldn’t stand it:
“All she did was give us life. You did the rest, and we don’t owe her anything.
But no one supported my sister and did not answer anything…
When a young woman and four young men entered the ward of the oncology clinic where Oksana was lying, the doctor was just conducting a routine examination.
– Who are you young people? The doctor asked sternly.
Oksana pleadingly asked:
– Efim Sergeyevich, my dear, allow me. These are my children…
The doctor shrugged his shoulders and warned on the way out:
– Only for a short time, the patient is very weak.
It was really painful to look at Oksana, skin and bones. Pale with a painful blush and burning eyes.
– Dear, you have come, – the woman began to cry. – I’m sorry. At least you, but I will never forgive myself.
Lucy sat down next to the bed and said softly:
– Don’t, Mom, it’s bad for you to worry. We have forgiven you.
The recently married younger brother also sat down next to his mother:
– Mom, don’t worry. Everything will be fine. We have paid for your surgery and rehabilitation, you will definitely recover.
“It doesn’t matter,” the woman smiled through her tears. – The main thing is that you have forgiven me, now it’s not scary to die…
Oksana had the operation successfully, there were no complications. She has undergone all courses of chemotherapy and full rehabilitation. The woman’s life was out of danger. She endured all this steadfastly and calmly, because her children and her pride were nearby. Despite her betrayal, the children grew up generous and kind. She didn’t deserve them, but their forgiveness came at a heavy price.
Well, it’s all my fault. At the time when she dreamed of a yacht and a beautiful life, the real beauty passed by, the beauty of the soul of her husband and children passed by, as did life.
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