JOHN.

  Is everything really okay with her? Her voice sounded excited. And I can’t even check and help if she needs it. Why did I even contact Linda? I didn’t have time to fully recover. Okay, everything will pass and then I’ll go to Chris. Although, I still won’t be able to touch her, even if I really want to. This means there is no point in tormenting myself. I get up and go downstairs.

  “Are you okay?” Ae asks.

  She tries to look after me and spends a lot of time, constantly asking if I need anything. I don’t get tired of her at all, because she gently insists, but does it unobtrusively. Dad needed such a wife for a long time. No, this does not mean that I don’t remember my mother at all, but my attitude towards her is blurry and incomprehensible, and towards her death too. Then Christina was very young, and I was older, but my parents came home so rarely that I could not cling to the memories. It was all fuzzy. And Ae is cheerful, understanding, and pretty in her own way, although redheads are not my type. But if my father likes her, then it’s good for me too. Although he hardly likes her for her face. She is completely harmless, but at the same time she knows how to defend herself if necessary, unlike my girl. Oh, if only she could really be mine…

  There is always a bright chandelier in the kitchen; someday we’ll repce it and modernize the house, but for now we use what we have.

  “Good evening, Marco,” I say to the chef, “do you have a cake with mushrooms?”

  He looks at me in surprise.

  “Is this the one that Christina usually asks for?”

  “Yes, it is,” I answer with a straight face.

  “Do you really eat it?”

  “I’ve never tried it, but I need to try it sometime.”

  “Okay, I’ll do it for you. Will you wait half an hour?”

  “Yes, I’ll sit by the firepce. Call me when it’s ready.”

  Unlike Christina, the workers are a little wary of me. Everyone loves her and spoils her on occasion. But it’s not bad. I would spoil her too if I had the opportunity. I lie down on the sofa not far from the firepce.

  “Should I throw some firewood?” The father comes into the living room.

  “Yes, dad, throw it, if it’s not too much trouble,” I answer, “by the way, your phone.You forgot it in my room when you came in during the day.”

  “Oh, exactly. No one called?”

  “No.”

  “Our baby called, but excuse me, father, I cleared the st one. She doesn’t need to know anything about me,” I thought.

  “Okay, I’ll go. And you warm yourself. Is your head feeling better?”

  “Yes, today it hardly hurts, although there is still weakness.”

  “You need to recover, son. You shouldn’t have gotten involved with this girl, Linda.”

  “Perhaps you’re right, father. Something went wrong. But I myself am to bme for this. At some point I stopped thinking with my head.”

  “That happens,” he says to me.

  “What, you too? Yes, though, Mabel?”

  “Yes, I told about her. People are different. There are people who are very attractive on the outside, but inside they are empty. It’s like an icy slide, you roll down it and want to slow down, but there is nothing to grab onto. And sometimes they are completely nondescript on the outside, but inside they are multifaceted and bright. There is a bance, but this is extremely rare. It seems that I found one such candy with a bright wrapper and a sweet filling.”

  He winks at me and leaves me alone. I close my eyes. He is, as always, right. Christina is a girl with no outstanding appearance. Of course, she knows this, so she tries to dress well to look more presentable. She is not stupid, but naive, and therefore sometimes does strange things. She’s also quite clumsy. I just remember the moment when we fell into the pond, although I was very pleased to be next to her at that moment. And yet, there is something that makes me mentally return to her and worry. She makes me want to care and know that she is safe. But now I can’t be sure of this.

  “John, your cake is ready,” Marco interrupts my thoughts, “will you come or should I bring it here?”

  “Yes, please bring it.”

  “Just a minute... Take it, John.”

  “Thank you, I’ll take the pte myself.”

  “I’m left alone again. The wood is crackling in the firepce. It’s so warm. I eat sweet mushrooms from the cake. It’s really very tasty.”

  CHRISTINA.

  My thesis on watercolor painting skills is almost ready. I’m not worried, I’m confident in the results. I wonder what will happen next. And then I need another schorship, I want to improve my skills and open up new opportunities for myself. At the same time, I no longer want to be a burden to the family that raised me. It’s time for our lives to go their separate ways. I will see them less and less, and finally they will forget me, although I will never be able to forget them. I guess I’ll have to ask Jack for one st favor. I had already read a lot of information on the Internet and realized that I wanted to enter the London University of the Arts. I need to improve my qualifications, then I can make a decent living. The Gsgow School already periodically organizes my exhibitions, sometimes among other works, less often my personal ones. One day I agreed to participate in a charity auction, and my paintings were sold out very quickly. Everyone was happy, and then I received a small financial incentive. Therefore, I should try to study at this prestigious pce, although my success rate is not that great, it is there.

  Somebody’s knocking on the door. I snap out of my thoughts.

  “Who is there?” I’m reluctantly getting up.

  “Christina, go down to the hall, please, guests have come to see you.”

  This is the first time I’ve seen this girl. Probably some neighbor from the floor. I throw the cardigan over my top. The hall is always cooler than our rooms.

  “Who could it be?” I’m going down.

  “Long time no see, friend.”

  “Oh, Peter! I didn’t expect to see you. What’s the reason here?”

  “I came on business and decided to come see you.”

  “Oh cool. Shall we go for a walk?” I smile at him. It’s good to have such a friend. He will always listen to me.

  We are walking. Newly greened trees rustle softly above us.

  “Well, you’ll finish your studies soon. What are you going to do?” Peter asks curiously.

  “I would like to go to London,” I say.

  “This is a good decision. Especially with your talent. But is it too far from home?” There is doubt in his voice.

  “I can handle it, you know me,” I answer deliberately cheerfully. I start spinning, walking backwards.

  “Hey, be careful,” he ughs.

  “Excuse me.” A woman walks past us. I think I hit her a little with my clothes.

  We walk in silence for a while, then I say:

  “I need your advice!”

  “Of course, if I can help.”

  “I have one friend. He is somewhat partial to me and is trying to get me…”

  “Are you all right?” Peter interrupts me.

  “Listen to the end,” I continue, “in general, recently he tried to get me drunk, but in the end he got drunk himself. He tried to pester me, so I ran away. But we still cross paths, although to be honest, I try to avoid him. Do you think he told the truth or not?”

  “Well, I didn’t see him and I can’t judge his actions, but he shouldn’t have even jokingly offered you something. Have you told Uncle Jack?”

  “No.”

  “Do you think you can figure it out on your own?”

  “Well, I just have to pass the exam. His behavior irritates me. Sometimes he looks at me without looking away.”

  “How long has this started?”

  “It’s been a year already. But this is the first time he has behaved so badly. Although there were preconditions.”

  “It sounds terrible, to be honest. Be careful. I’ll leave you my number just in case. I repced it. Of course, it won’t be easy for me to get to you quickly, but I will help as much as I can. And be sure to call Uncle Jack. And also the police. They will help too.”

  “Thank you, Peter.”

  We reach the intersection of streets.

  “How about having some coffee?” He smiles, his eyes beam with kindness.

  “Of course,” I answered.

  And we went to the next street.