The hospital environment was weighing heavily on Emily. From behind the wall came the cries of newborns, and the young woman irritably pressed her palms to her ears. But it did not help. The piercing infant wails gave Emily a splitting headache. Right now, she longed for only one thing—to get out of the maternity ward as soon as possible and pretend that none of it had ever happened. But the elderly midwife, Aunt Valerie, returned and began persuading her once again: – Emily, dear, maybe you will change your mind after all. You have such a wonderful little girl. …

– Why did you come here? Eleanor recoiled, looking around to make sure no one saw her in such company. I asked you so many times not to. The girl told everyone that she lived with her grandparents, and her parents were in the military, which is why no one ever saw them. – Eleanor, your father and I were passing by, going to the Post Office to collect our pension. This weekend we are going to the market, and we will buy you anything you want. Eleanor’s mother was an elderly and very thin woman; her father looked better, …

We often visit relatives in the countryside on weekends. And so, one day, a good acquaintance of ours asked us to give her mother a ride. The elderly woman was returning home, and it was on our way. Of course, we gladly agreed. We were scheduled to leave early in the morning, and around six o’clock, Mrs. Evelyn Anderson, along with her daughter, was already sitting on a bench by the entrance. The retiree looked elegant. She was wearing a gray coat and a smart blue beret, which accentuated the color of her eyes. – Good day, I feel so …

Michael Smith brought a stool out onto the balcony, sat down, and smoked several cigarettes in a row. His hands were shaking from the insult, and tears welled up in the old man’s eyes. Could this really be happening to him? He had lived his whole life for his children, loved them, and never denied them anything. And now, it turned out, no one needed him. They wanted to get rid of him. – Dad, stop smoking! And you do not have to be so stressed! Sarah, his eldest daughter, said sternly. – You need to understand us, too. The …

– Mommy is fast asleep. I hope I do not wake her up! Otherwise, there will be a scene. Moving on tiptoes, the child approached his small sofa and carefully lay down, trying not to make it squeak. This little couch had been given to Timmy by the neighbors five years ago when they began renovations and decided to replace all their furniture. At the time, the three-year-old Timothy thought the sofa was huge. Now, the growing child found it uncomfortable and cramped. Moreover, the little sofa had become worn out over time and squeaked horribly. But his mother did …