Michael’s wife was eight months pregnant. First long-awaited baby. The pregnancy was normal. We cooked a nursery, bought a crib, grandmothers knitted fashionable flaps and pinettes on both sides. Suddenly, Michael called his mother-in-law at work and said that his young wife had a premature birth. In this state, all decisions are made automatically. Michael rushed into the car, the gas pedal to the floor, and now he is at the hospital. With parking lots as always, he puts the car second, writes his phone, attaches it under the glass and rushes to the hospital.
All relatives have already gathered in the hospital. The doctors are soothing, they say it happens. It’s okay. She’ll give birth. Someone called the phone. I must say that Mikhail worked in the transport business, and when someone called the phone from an unfamiliar number, at any time of the day or night he answered with a confident voice. For example, if they called and asked: “Is the cargo on the way?”, he replied in a tone that does not cause doubt: “On the way!” And what cargo and in what way, it does not matter.
Here’s a call to Michael from an unfamiliar number:
— Is she having a baby?
Yes!
— Good luck!
— Thank you!
Friends and family phoned periodically. Michael answered everyone, “gives birth”, “everything is normal”. Another call from the same number:
— You didn’t?
Nope.
— Then the name of the Scandinavian series. Four letters?
Bridge!
— That’s right!
Michael was not surprised, there are some. It’s been forty minutes. Call.
— I won’t torture you. I’d tell you. Right to the point. Dictator and salad. Six letters.
— Caesar!
— That’s right! You didn’t?
Nope!
Wait!
The nurses were stunned. The intensity was rampant. The doctor’s out. Said she had a baby. Girl. Two hundred. It’s okay. Michael exhaled, when suddenly again a call from the same unknown.
— Name of Athos’ beloved?
I don’t know. Who the hell are you?
— You backed my car with your car, I’m sitting, I’m solving a crossword puzzle, I’m waiting! Birth?
Yes. Girl!
— Congratulations!
Why didn’t you tell me to let you out? You might have missed something important, right?
— What could be more important than children? I have four myself. Where to hurry… As Dos said, “Without children it would be impossible to love humanity so much.”
— My Lady, Lady Winter!
— That’s right!
The author of the story Alexander Bessonov
The Holy Land Charitable Foundation
Orthodox stories from life
Soul investment!
