After cleaning a stranger’s abandoned grave at the cemetery, the next morning I FROZE from what I saw…
Hello, Mom! Oh, what I’m about to tell you! — my daughter said joyfully to her mother. — I’ve been wanting to tell you since yesterday. Yesterday at the library, I had the most amazing encounter. I ran into Vera, my friend from fifth grade. You must remember her. Her parents moved to Prague back then because her father was offered a contract there.
In the end, their whole family settled there permanently and adjusted wonderfully to their new life. At first, Vera and I didn’t recognize each other; it’s been so many years. But as soon as she said her last name, something clicked in my head, and all the memories flooded back.
I instantly remembered who she was. I’m sure you remember her too, Mommy. Vera and I once accidentally broke your favorite red glass vase while playing hide-and-seek.
Remember? We were so scared of your reaction that we didn’t dare confess for a long time. So, Mommy, Vera told me that everything turned out wonderfully for them in Prague.
She finished school, went to university, and now works at a major company. We talked so much about the past, our pranks, and childhood dreams. It was pure nostalgia.
I even thought how amazing it is that life sometimes brings us back to people from our past. It was like diving back into my wonderful childhood when you were still alive. And she gently adjusted her beloved mom’s photo on the grave.
The wind had tilted it slightly to the left. And she continued her quiet monologue at the cemetery. You know, Mom, Vera also shared updates about her life.
She’s doing great. She works as a designer and is happily married. She has a husband and two sons, born just a year apart.
They’re sweet boys, ten and eleven years old. She eagerly showed me their photos on her phone. And imagine, their whole family moved back here a year ago.
Alright, Mommy, I have to go. I’ll run now, but I’ll definitely come back next Saturday. If I linger now, I might miss my train….
Karina, suddenly realizing, glanced at her watch and saw she had 40 minutes until the train left. Since the walk to the station takes 20 minutes, she knew she had enough time. Before leaving, Karina checked the gravestone again, ensuring everything was in order.
The grave was neatly cleaned, and in the photo, her young mother smiled kindly at her. Karina remembered that photo. Her mom took it the year her daughter started school.
The photographer, who was taking pictures of the first-graders, also snapped one of Karina’s mom. He was so struck by her beauty that he even wanted to ask her out, but soon learned she was already married. When Karina was choosing a photo for the gravestone, she instinctively picked this one.
The result was extraordinarily beautiful. The woman glanced at her watch again and was shocked to see 10 minutes had passed. That meant she risked missing the train and waiting an hour for the next one.
Alarmed, she turned sharply and hurried along the path to the gate. But suddenly, she cried out in pain and fell to the ground. “Sweetie, don’t you watch where you’re going?” — a man in work clothes, reeking of alcohol, said and offered his hand to help her up.
Karina looked at her legs and gasped. Her knees were scraped, covered in dirt, grass, and blood. She pushed his hand away and limped to a bench.
Sitting down, she took a handkerchief and a water bottle from her bag. She wet the handkerchief and carefully began wiping the dirt and blood from her knees. The man watched as Karina cleaned herself up, and once he saw she was feeling better, he returned to his interrupted work.
He was cleaning an abandoned grave near the path, surrounded by a pile of trash. The grave was neglected. An unkempt gravestone, no fence, and no flowers gave a very gloomy impression…
Every Saturday, Karina visited her mother’s burial site. But she had never noticed this neglected grave so close by. Curious, the woman watched the man diligently cleaning the area around the grave.
Approaching him, she cautiously asked, “Excuse me, is this the grave of your relative or someone you know?” The man, slightly confused, looked at her with surprise. Karina clarified her question…
“I mean, are you cleaning this grave because it’s a relative or someone you know?” The man replied that it wasn’t his relative’s grave. “The director asked me to take care of it,” he explained, continuing his work. He said a relative had called and asked to clean the grave.
They couldn’t come themselves, as they live far away in another city. The woman nodded, showing she understood. After wiping the blood and dirt from her knees, Karina took a photo of the unfamiliar gravestone on her phone.
Then she stood up and, carefully watching her step, headed along the path to the gate. And so, she missed the noon train and had to wait for the next one. At a small kiosk at the station, she bought a bottle of water and found a shady spot to rest.
When the woman finally returned home, the clock showed 7 p.m. She was glad she didn’t have to go to work the next day and could sleep in. Before starting dinner, Karina first tended to her scraped knees.
She carefully treated the cuts with antiseptic to avoid infection. Then she cooked pasta and reheated cutlets left from the previous day. After finishing dinner, Karina decided to search for information about the woman whose grave was so neglected.
The gravestone bore the name Anna Petrovna Isaeva Tolmacheva, but there were no birth or death dates, which made the search much harder. She decided to use the internet to find information about Anna Petrovna. Opening her laptop, she entered the last name, first name, and patronymic, hoping to find any details about the person whose gravestone she saw at the cemetery.
She had no specific goals; she was just curious. Among the search results, Karina found only two people with those names. The first was too young, only 20, and didn’t have the last name Tolmacheva.
The second woman had died 25 years ago. Thus, it could be assumed the abandoned grave belonged to her. According to the information, Anna Petrovna was born on March 1, 1906, and passed away at 83…
The woman smiled wryly, realizing that at the time of Anna Petrovna’s death, she hadn’t even been born. According to Wikipedia, which she thought was reliable, Anna Petrovna was a famous singer, renowned in her musical circles for performing romances. Karina found a few photos showing different stages of the deceased’s life.
In one, young Anechka gracefully tilted her head on stage; in another, she was older, standing next to her young daughter; and in the third, she was pictured with both her daughter and son. Young Anechka looked truly charming. A delicate figure, dark hair styled elegantly, and a snow-white dress that perfectly highlighted her slender frame.
Karina sighed sadly, realizing that with her size 50, she could never experience such lightness and grace. Back in school, Karina and her close friend Vera tried to lose weight. Those attempts continued until Karina fainted right in the middle of a math class.
She still remembers her mother’s frightened face when she rushed to the school. Since then, she never tried to lose weight again. Karina took a deep breath and wondered why some people get everything while others get so much less.
Anna Petrovna, resting in that abandoned grave, clearly had it all: beauty, an exceptional voice, grace, and even two children. Karina, on the other hand, was tied to a routine job at the library, struggled with excess weight, had an unsettled personal life, and a very small circle of friends. Karina had only one true friend—Verka…
And a year ago, her mom passed away. That completely broke her spirit. In the evening, after cleaning the kitchen and washing up, she decided to go to bed early to regain some strength.
The week flew by unnoticed, and Saturday came again. Karina headed back to her mother’s grave. In her bag, which she placed on the train floor and held with her feet, were a few seedling bushes and a large bottle of water for watering.
“Here, Mommy, now everything will be beautiful. I think you’d like it,” the woman thought, looking at her purchases. After thoroughly cleaning the gravestone, planting, and watering the fresh flowers, Karina walked to that same abandoned grave…
Though the trash was gone, the grave still looked neglected and unkempt. Karina couldn’t help but think of young Anechka on stage and felt deep pity for her. Thinking that her life probably wasn’t as carefree as it seemed, at least in those kind old photos.
She thoroughly cleaned the gravestone and, after removing layers of dirt, found the birth and death dates etched in the stone. This fully confirmed her guess. The grave indeed belonged to that very Anna Petrovna Isaeva Tolmacheva.
Karina diligently weeded the small area around the grave, removing all the weeds, leaving only a neat carpet of green grass. Then she brought a few leftover flower bushes she had planned for her mother’s grave. Stepping back from Anna Petrovna’s grave, Karina looked at her work with satisfaction.
The grave no longer looked so abandoned and neglected. The tidied-up site now radiated warmth and care. Six months passed, and every Saturday, Karina continued to visit the cemetery to tend to the graves.
Now her care extended to two graves—her mother’s and the singer Anna Petrovna’s. Even when it was time to replace the wreaths, Karina bought two—one for each grave, showing her respect and devotion. “Karinochka, hello!” — a familiar, painfully dear voice rang out.
“Mom, is it really you? How is this possible?” — Karina exclaimed in surprise. “It’s simple, my dear. You’re dreaming,” — her mom replied with a warm smile.
“Oh, I see. You came to tell me I’m going to die soon, didn’t you?” — Karina asked anxiously. “No, of course not.
What nonsense!” — her mom laughed softly. “It’s too early for you to think about that. I just wanted to pass on an important message.
I’ve made a good friend here named Anechka. She’s very pleased with how you care for her grave and wants to express her sincere gratitude.” “Gratitude? In what way?” — Karina tensed at the words.
“I’m not sure exactly. She sent you a gift.” Her mom paused and added…
“And in that gift, there’s a husband, two children, and a cozy house by the sea.” “What are you talking about? How is that possible?” Karina was utterly confused. “I don’t know all the details myself.
But Anya said you’ll receive this gift very soon. And now, goodbye, my beloved. It’s time for me to go back.
I wish you happiness and well-being.” Her mom hugged Karina with her gaze and simply vanished. “Mom, wait! Please, Mommy, don’t go! Stay, my dear!” — Karina cried, reaching out.
But her mother was already gone, leaving only the memory of her warm smile. Karina woke up, gasping in shock. Her heart was pounding, and her nightgown was soaked…
To calm down, she headed to the shower. Trying to recall the dream’s details, the woman wondered if she had really seen her mother and truly heard the words about Anna Petrovna, whose grave sat in that neglected corner of the cemetery. The idea of a gift from beyond seemed almost fantastical.
A house by the sea? It was hard to believe it was true. Doubts and thoughts about the strange dream lingered with Karina all week. Finally, Saturday arrived, and as usual, she headed to the cemetery to visit her mom’s grave again.
When the woman approached her mother’s burial site, her attention was drawn to a magnificent bouquet of fresh flowers lying on Anna Petrovna’s grave. It was quite unexpected, and Karina froze, looking around for someone who might have left this gift. Seeing no one, she sat on the bench, as always, and began telling her mother about the week’s events.
Lost in her story, she didn’t notice a tall stranger approaching. “Excuse me, could you tell me where I can find a container and water to put these flowers in?” — the man asked with some hesitation. Karina, without thinking, handed him her water bottle.
The man deftly cut off the top with his pocketknife, turning it into an makeshift vase. Together, they went to a nearby stream to fill it with water. “Thank you so much for your help!” — the man said when they returned to the graves.
“My name is Sergey. My grandmother, Anna Petrovna, is buried here. I confess, I haven’t visited in a long time and, unfortunately, haven’t paid proper attention to her grave.”..
The woman smiled warmly and, nodding, replied, “Nice to meet you. I’m Karina, and this is my mom’s grave. I try to come here every week.
For the past six months, I’ve also been caring for your grandmother’s grave.” Sergey was pleasantly surprised to learn that a complete stranger had been tending to his grandmother’s grave and sincerely thanked her for her kindness and care. That’s how their acquaintance began, quickly turning into a warm friendship.
With each visit to the cemetery, they grew closer, tending to their loved ones’ graves together. Perhaps this was the gift her mother had spoken of in that strange dream. The man shared that he barely remembered his grandmother, as he was only three when she passed away.
Puzzled, Karina asked why he didn’t care for his grandmother’s grave. Sergey explained that he lives far away, by the Black Sea coast. So, he arranged with the cemetery director to have the staff care for the grave, of course, for a fee. Hearing this, Karina immediately protested, noting that no one was tending to the grave, and she had been doing all the work herself.
Surprised by her words, Sergey asked why she took on this responsibility. The woman explained that she simply felt sorry for the abandoned grave, and it wasn’t hard for her, as she already visits the cemetery weekly to see her mom, who has been resting there for a year and a half. One day, Sergey offered to walk Karina home and asked for her phone number. That’s how they casually started talking on the phone.
The woman didn’t notice how attached she became to this serious and reliable man. She eagerly awaited his calls and their next meeting. Six months passed, and Sergey, realizing he had found the one, proposed to Karina.
And she said yes, and soon she was about to see the sea—for the first time in her life, she was going to the sea. As their plane began its descent, the woman couldn’t take her eyes off the window. She was mesmerized by the view of the vast blue expanse stretching to the horizon.
In the distance, she spotted a white ship slowly gliding across the water. The blue sky, dotted with fluffy clouds, seemed to merge with the horizon, creating a sense of infinity. Turning to Sergey, Karina caught his gaze, full of warmth and tenderness.
Her eyes sparkled too, reflecting joy and excitement, and Sergey couldn’t look away from her face, realizing this was true happiness—being by her side. Karina, with gratitude, leaned into Sergey and, hugging him, admitted she never thought she’d be lucky enough to see the sea with her own eyes. Sergey hugged her back and whispered in her ear to savor every moment, as this sea was now her gift…
Karina just smiled, basking in this unexpected and serendipitous happiness. But at that moment, the plane suddenly jolted, and frightened cries filled the cabin. Karina, gripped by fear, clung to Sergey even tighter and whispered, “What’s happening? Are we crashing?” It was her first flight, and she had never been in the sky before.
Sergey tried to calm her, explaining that the plane likely hit a crosswind, a perfectly normal occurrence. Despite his reassurance, Karina only relaxed when the plane landed safely, and the cabin erupted in passengers’ applause.
Arriving home, Sergey invited his woman into his modest house. “You’re the lady of the house now. Make yourself at home, my love,” — and he kissed her vanilla-scented hair.
At first, Karina saw only a tall fence painted bright orange, behind which lush greenery of a beautiful garden hid. But when Sergey opened the gate and gallantly let the lady pass, she saw a small but charming two-story house, completely surrounded by greenery. On the porch sat a little boy, strikingly similar to Sergey, reading a book to a dog lying nearby, attentively following every word.
As they approached, the dog lifted its head. The boy, distracted from reading, turned toward them, greeting the guests with a curious look. “Hooray! Daddy’s home!” — the boy shouted joyfully, rushing to Sergey and wrapping his arms around his neck.
The dog, excitedly running in circles, barked happily. Sergey lifted the boy into his arms, hugged him tightly, then gently set him down on the grass and introduced Karina. “Antoshka, meet her.
This is the lady I told you about. Her name is Karina.” The woman smiled and extended her hand to the boy, softly asking, “Can I call you Antoshka too?” The boy nodded, shyly shaking her hand and glancing curiously at Sergey, who gave his son an encouraging wink.
Wanting to start a conversation, Karina noticed the dog. “What’s the name of this wonderful dog?” Though she already knew it was Baykal, she wanted to connect with the boy. “It’s Baykal,” — Antoshka replied seriously.
“And he’s a boy.” Karina smiled and, noticing the book in the boy’s hands, asked, “What were you reading?” “It’s about Akbar,” — Anton answered. “Can I take a look too?” — Karina asked…
Antoshka immediately ran to the porch to show the book. Sergey and Karina followed, and when she took the book in her hands, she noted with surprise, “I used to have the same book.” Antoshka proudly explained, “It was Daddy’s book…
Now it’s mine.” “Got it,” — the woman replied tenderly. “Antoshka, why are you keeping guests on the doorstep? Come inside!” — a middle-aged woman’s voice called out, suddenly appearing at the door.
Her dark hair was neatly tied in a bun. Karina, embarrassed, blushed slightly and quickly introduced herself. Then they entered the house.
A year passed since then. Antoshka, peering into the stroller, curiously asked Karina, “When will my little sister Anechka grow up?” Karina just smiled and reassured him. “It’ll happen faster than you think, and you won’t even notice how she grows.”
She suggested Antoshka go play with his friends, who were already waiting for him, sitting on a nearby fence. The boy eagerly agreed and ran to his friends, shouting something joyfully along the way. Karina, looking at little Anya, gently said.
“Well, darling, shall we go home for lunch?” She carefully put away her knitting, stood up from the bench, and headed toward the house with the stroller. At home, Karina lay on the bed for a bit and quickly fell into a deep, sweet sleep. “Hello, Mommy!” — Karina exclaimed joyfully, seeing her mother.
“Karinochka, hello, my dear! I want to introduce you to my friend Anechka!” — her mom said softly, pointing to the woman standing nearby. Karina smiled and greeted Anna Petrovna, her mom’s best friend. She closely studied the woman in a snow-white dress; her magical charm had now turned to calm wisdom, as evidenced by the wrinkles on her forehead, mouth, and corners of her eyes….
Despite her age, you could still see traces of that young Anechka. Anna Petrovna smiled warmly and said that Karina’s mom often talked about her. Then the woman thanked her for caring for her grave and curiously asked if she liked the gift mentioned earlier.
Karina gratefully replied that the gift was simply wonderful. “Now it’s time to say goodbye,” — Karina’s mom said gently, looking at her with love. “Please, be happy, my daughter!” Karina, feeling her heart ache from the farewell, warmly thanked her mom and Anna Petrovna. She shouted after them as they began to fade.
Sergey woke her, concerned by his wife’s cries in her sleep. He gently asked, “Sweetheart, did you dream of something?” Still shaken, Karina hugged her husband tightly and told him about her dream, where she saw her mom and his grandmother. Sergey, surprised, asked in disbelief, “But how is that possible?” The woman just shook her head, “I don’t know, but Mom said they became best friends.”.
At that moment, Sergey remembered a photo they received the day before and hurried to show it to his wife. In the picture, taken at the cemetery, two well-kept graves were visible, surrounded by bright green grass and blooming white and pink flowers. The gravestones stood side by side, and on one, Karina’s mom smiled softly, while on the other, young Anna Petrovna stood solemnly.
They seemed to be looking at each other, their gazes filled with deep tenderness and warmth. The kind of look only close friends share.