Learning that flowers were disappearing from his wife’s grave, a wealthy man installed a camera…
Michael was a short, handsome, middle-aged man. He inherited his mother’s large, expressive eyes and his father’s well-defined chin.
In childhood, everyone would say, what a beautiful boy, he’s just meant for portraits. In school, Mike was a bit reserved and very serious, excelling academically and eventually enrolling in university on his own. Now, halfway through his life, he looked back with the thought that he had probably missed out on a lot.
It was becoming depressing, especially with the dreary weather outside. The wind was smearing raindrops across the window. It had been raining for four days straight and the weather forecasters were not optimistic.
Autumn. Michael parked near the cemetery and stepped out, closing the door of his new car with a thud. He had bought it just a year ago.
On that day, he purchased two cars, one for himself and one for his wife. She had just obtained her driver’s license, drove very carelessly, but she enjoyed it. She had a black car, tinted.
That’s what Catherine wanted. Michael walked among the graves, trying not to step into the deep puddles. The path was painfully familiar to him.
If someone had told him earlier that he would be visiting the cemetery so often, he would have laughed out loud. Michael hated such places. After burying his mother, he preferred to remember her at home.
He rarely visited the cemetery, but now he was becoming a frequent visitor. Kate passed away four months ago. His wife died in a car accident, crashed in that same black tinted car.
How? Unclear. Experts said that the cause couldn’t be determined. Everything burned down.
However, it was clear that Catherine lost control and crashed into a tree. Apparently, she lost consciousness from the impact. She didn’t like to wear seatbelts, always used belt buckles.
There was a buckle at the time of the accident. So she hit the glass, lost consciousness, and died in the burning car, or maybe died instantly. This option was better.
Mike and Kate got married spontaneously. They met, sparks flew. Mike was going through a difficult breakup at the time, and Kate was just a loner.
She was beautiful, smart, self-sufficient. Michael fell in love with her and proposed, but he wasn’t sure if her feelings were mutual. It always seemed to him that Kate was playing with him, and in the last month, he was sure she had a lover.
They had been married for almost three years. They didn’t have children. It didn’t work out.
But Michael convinced Catherine to adopt a girl from an orphanage. He had desperately wanted a child from the beginning, but Kate said she had problems with it, and the doctors had long given up on her. Every such conversation ended in tears and scandal…
Kate didn’t even want to think about examinations, surgery. She said that this topic was closed forever, resigned to the fact that she would never be a mother. Michael insisted that they adopt a child from the orphanage, or else they would divorce.
Kate then shrugged coldly. Well, as you wish, and she raised a five-year-old, took care of her, but Mike didn’t see any maternal love in her. She did everything reluctantly, became irritable.
At some point, he even began to feel like he had forced a child on her that she never wanted. So he hired a good, experienced nanny. Sophia, their adopted daughter, quickly grew fond of Mrs. Morris, and Kate was able to breathe a sigh of relief.
Life went on. Catherine’s death was a shock to him, especially considering that he had to bury a charred skeleton. He remembered how his wife had smiled in the morning, joked about his stubble.
She left without kissing him goodbye, just closed the door behind her. If only he had known that he was seeing her for the very last time. Lost in memories, Michael didn’t notice how his feet led him to the grave.
Kate looked at him from the black monument and smiled while he cried. Who’s doing this, huh? he suddenly said. For the third time, Mike noticed that the roses he brought to her grave kept disappearing.
He didn’t like funeral paraphernalia and brought her live flowers, the ones Kate loved in life, yellow roses. She adored them, saying they brought her true euphoria. He had left the last bouquet there no more than three days ago.
After talking to the cemetery guard, Michael realized he would have to catch the thief himself. The guard just shrugged, saying, you can’t watch everything. The cemetery is huge.
And of course, he didn’t care much about cemetery thieves. But for some reason, Mike was sure that someone, out of jealousy, was removing his wife’s flowers from the grave. She’s been gone for four months already, and you’re still jealous, he said, looking at himself in the mirror.
The next day, Michael asked a security employee of his company to buy him a small hidden camera for surveillance. And that same evening, he installed it near Kate’s grave. He began to watch.
He left a new bouquet there, hoping that whoever was taking the flowers would show up again. And it happened. Less than a day passed before a little boy of about seven appeared on the camera.
He approached, took the flowers, and carried them away somewhere. Mike saw it all in real time while being in his office at his company. He got into his car and rushed to the cemetery.
His colleagues just shook their heads. Yeah, ever since he lost his wife, he’s not himself. Can’t seem to recover.
Michael arrived in time, caught the boy as he was leaving. Stop right there. I saw everything, Michael declared.
Why are you stealing the flowers? Mike carefully examined the boy. He was poorly dressed, without a hat, in just a hoodie, his feet soaked through. Was it really him? Doubts started to creep into Michael’s mind.
The boy didn’t have any flowers in his hands. I’m sorry, the boy sighed. You just put flowers on an empty grave, and I take them to a real one.
My grandma died two months ago. I saw them bury her, and your grave was empty. Why did you even make it? The child spoke like an adult.
Mike shook his head. What did you just say? What do you mean I put flowers on an empty grave? My wife is buried there, and you’ve been taking the bouquets I bring her, not for the first time. Was your wife at her grave? I ran away from the shelter at that moment and went to talk to grandma.
I was passing by. Glanced. She was standing there, smiling.
I looked at the photo, and realized it was her looking at her own picture. At first, I got scared, thought she was a resurrected zombie or vampire. She noticed me looking, and started scolding, yelling.
Must have gotten scared herself. Ordered me not to tell anyone, and threatened, and I burst into tears and ran away. I was already having a hard time…
I miss grandma a lot. And then she started yelling. Michael couldn’t believe what he heard.
They stood near the gates of the city cemetery. The wind was blowing, drizzling rain. And what was she yelling, Mike asked, trying to figure it out.
She said I shouldn’t meddle in other people’s business and should mind my own. And when I asked why they made a grave for her if she’s alive, she started yelling that she would call the guard and have me taken to prison. And I already ran away from the shelter.
I got scared and left. That’s it. Michael shook his head.
I understand. What was she wearing? He wanted to know as many details as possible. Believing that Kate was alive was simply impossible.
He had already resigned himself to never seeing her again. She was wearing, she was wearing a yellow jacket and a cap with a visor, and her hair was curly, loose, and her lips were red. Mike was shocked.
That’s exactly how Kate was dressed when she had the accident. This was her clothing. They found the belt from her jacket burnt.
And the belt, the belt was on the jacket, Michael asked. I don’t think so. I’m not sure.
Please forgive me. I won’t take your flowers anymore if you don’t want me to. Grandma never received flowers.
And these are so beautiful. And I believe she sees everything and is happy when I come to her grave with flowers. She misses me too, probably.
The boy sighed intermittently and left. Michael frowned. He felt terribly sorry for the boy and decided he would take him in.
He felt relieved. But on the way home, he thought that such decisions are not made hastily. He wants to take this boy in now just because he misses Kate.
But what about tomorrow? No, that’s not the right motive. Michael decided he would keep an eye on him and for now just take him in on weekends. Luckily, the workers at the local shelter knew him and treated him with respect.
After he adopted Sophia, he became a regular sponsor. If something was needed, they would ask him and he would buy it. Do you specifically want this child? But why? The caregiver exclaimed in surprise.
Michael didn’t delay his idea and went to the shelter the next day. Now he understood that the attitude towards children here is not as careful as they try to show, since a six-year-old child can easily run away from there. I know this boy a little.
The caregiver sighed. That’s Adam Johnson, the troublemaker. Always running away from us, can you imagine? Michael didn’t feign surprise.
Well, it’s probably not the boy’s fault. Adults are the ones in charge here. The teacher looked embarrassed.
Yes, you’re right, of course, it’s just that we haven’t had this situation before. I still wouldn’t advise you to take him. The thing is, if you get attached, you won’t be able to adopt the boy.
Once you start taking him in, you’ll want him to stay with you forever, but they won’t give him to you. Why? Michael asked, surprised. I heard his grandmother passed away.
Yes, the grandmother is gone and the child ended up with us, but there’s still his mother. She disappeared without a trace, went to the capital to earn money for her mother’s surgery, and disappeared. It’s been over a year and her whereabouts are still unknown.
The boy still hopes, of course, but… Michael shrugged. I didn’t know, but that doesn’t change things. I’d like to take Adam on weekends.
Let him play with Sophia. She lost her mother. She needs a friend now, and we’ll see how it goes from there.
Michael arranged it with the management and went to work. He felt lighter immediately. He just needed to figure out who Adam saw at the cemetery.
Maybe he made up that story to justify his stealing. The next weekend, Adam came to pick up Michael. They didn’t tell the boy anything to avoid giving false hope.
Seeing his uncle at the cemetery, the boy got scared. I didn’t take any more flowers, I swear! I know, they’re still there. I came for a different reason.
I have a daughter your age. Her name is Sophia. She used to live in this shelter too.
If you want, come with me. Visit. You’ll spend time with her.
Watch TV, play. I’ll take you to the park and the day after tomorrow I’ll bring you back here. I can’t take you forever, but you can visit us for a couple of days now and then if you want…
Michael said this, squatting down to be at the boy’s eye level. Adam sighed and said earnestly, OK, I love the park. Mum used to take me there, but I don’t remember much now.
I was still little then, and now I’m almost seven. Sophia and Adam quickly hit it off. Michael had a wonderful weekend with them, gradually realising he wanted to take Adam home right away.
Returning him was very difficult, but Mike promised to visit during the week. He also asked how to find his grandmother’s grave and promised to bring her a new bouquet of flowers. In return, Adam vowed not to run away from the shelter.
Michael asked the boy once more about the woman at the cemetery. He spoke confidently, clearly. Michael believed him when Adam remembered that the woman had an accent, especially Catherine pronounced the letter R differently.
It sounded beautiful like a French woman, so there couldn’t have been any mistakes. Believing that his wife hadn’t died was difficult. Michael racked his brain.
If she staged her own death, then why? He asked his acquaintance, a detective, for help and told him about his suspicions. The phone call took place late in the evening. Michael dialed and asked if he had woken him up, then explained the whole situation to Liam.
You’re a detective, your mind is geared for this, I just can’t understand. Is it possible that the boy really saw her, and if so, why would she do this? Maybe someone forced her, huh? Liam had been a long-time friend of Michael’s older brother, once they even spent Christmas holidays together. His brother maintained friendly relations with Liam, so he was glad to help.
It took the professional detective only thirty minutes to solve this mystery. I think your wife went for a scam for money. It’s all quite banal, unfortunately.
Her life was insured. The payout was cashed by a certain Jacob Cortez. Does that name ring a bell? Michael dropped the phone from his hand, awkwardly trying to catch it on the fly, but failed.
Picking up the receiver from the floor, he cleared his throat. I’m sorry, what did you say? Jacob Cortez. Kate was insured in case of death? At that moment, when Michael realised that Kate was alive, she truly died to him.
How could she? How much pain she caused him? I ran this guy, a couple of arrests for drunken brawls, and that’s it. He’s a programmer, works remotely, divorced, recently settled a large sum in alimony payments, probably from the money he received. And what was the insurance amount? Quite substantial to go to such lengths, I was even surprised.
Do you happen to have Jacob’s address? Michael asked, and I do, write it down. The next day, Michael stood at the threshold of a small private house. He was ready to talk to this person calmly.
He just wanted to know where Kate was now. He needed to find her, talk to her, explain. He could give her the money, just give it and that’s it.
Yes, when they got married, Michael’s lawyers insisted that she sign papers stating she couldn’t claim any money from the company. Other property was acquired before the marriage. Maybe she just wanted money.
But Mike wouldn’t have refused her if she just asked. Why did she do it this way? Maybe something happened to her, some kind of trouble. Well, she could have just said so.
Michael pressed the doorbell for the second time, and the door in front of him swung open. He saw Kate, alive and unharmed. She wore a pink terrycloth robe, her hair wet, apparently just after a shower.
Kate, you’re alive? He looked at her, unable to believe, while she seemed entirely unsurprised. Suddenly Michael felt an excruciating pain on his head. The sound of the blow echoed, and he lost consciousness.
Standing behind him was Jacob with a baseball bat, the tool of the blow. Michael woke up in a basement room, dim light filtered in from above, where there was a small window barred with iron. His head was throbbing, nausea and panic washing over him in waves.
He sat on the ground. His hands were tightly bound with ropes, numbing them. His legs were bound tightly too, making any attempt to escape futile.
The pain was so intense that Michael let out a hoarse groan, attempting to free himself. His fingers barely obeyed him. He realised he couldn’t even stand up.
And who were these sadists who had treated him like this? Suddenly Kate’s image surfaced in his mind. Apparently it was her lover who had done this. How wrong he had been about her.
Living with someone under the same roof for years, it turns out you cannot know them at all. Are you awake? came a voice from behind. Kate entered the basement.
She was completely calm. He turned around seeing his wife. You’re alive, Kate.
I was so worried. I cried so much. Why did you do this? Suddenly the question seemed utterly foolish to him.
He was sitting tied up in her lover’s basement. Why did she do this? Well, apparently not out of great love. Because I got tired of living under the same roof with someone who doesn’t appreciate me…
You stopped caring, made me wipe the snot of someone else’s child. I’m not a maid. And yet you always demanded homemade borscht.
I married you thinking you weren’t so poor as to make me a servant. But no, apparently you needed a cook, a dishwasher and a nanny. What are you talking about? I just wanted a normal family, a normal life.
We had a cleaner, we had a nanny. But even if so, why? I buried you. I have documents stating you’re dead.
A death certificate. That Kate did indeed die. Now I go by a different name.
I live under a different passport. And for what? For money? Yes, for them. Right now, Jacob just got into your safe.
Now we’ll have enough to leave and live normally the way you don’t know how to, Mike. You never knew how to live. You should have worked, had snotty kids, shelters and helped animals.
You could have amassed a huge fortune. How many times were you offered good bribes? But no, you and your honesty are completely out of touch with life. Everyone lives like this now.
And you’re a fool, a loser. I hate you. Those words brought him to his senses.
He realised what kind of person she was. Suddenly a thought came to him. Better if she had died.
At least the memory would have remained bright. Did you tie me up to rob me? Yes, I knew you would find me. We were prepared for this, but you took so long to find us.
Anyway, I know the safe codes well. And what are you going to do with me afterwards? Kill you. You’ll disappear without a trace.
Understand? And that’s it. And I’ll leave. Everyone will think you just took the money and ran away.
And no one will suspect the widow. An image of Adam and Sophia formed in Mike’s mind. How would they be without him? The investigator who found you through me knows you’re alive.
They’ll catch you and put you in jail. Kate, don’t do anything stupid. Murder will imprison you for a long time.
Take the money and leave. And remember, I still have a daughter. You know that.
You don’t have a daughter. Sophia objectively will be better off in a shelter. Killing you has been my dream since the day of our wedding.
I hate people like you. You ruined my life. Michael sincerely didn’t understand why she was so angry with him.
Yes, not everything was smooth, but not to this extent. Catherine left, and he started thinking about how to escape. He looked around, tried all possible ways, yelled, called for help, but no one came.
Desperate, Michael began to pray, then decided to be cunning, asked to use the bathroom. But once again no one responded to his call. Only towards evening did Catherine and her lover descend into the basement.
That’s it, buddy, wake up. It’s time to die. The dark-haired man with narrow brown eyes said viciously.
Michael asked to use the bathroom, but he was simply thrown into the trunk of the car. Jacob turned out to be stronger than he seemed. He lifted the bound Michael and effortlessly placed him in the trunk.
In doing so, Michael was severely injured. His legs and arms hurt like hell from the ropes. The road tossed him inside.
He clearly understood that these were his last minutes of life. What to do? He began to recall the happiest moments of his life. Some from childhood, some from adolescence, victories at competitions, the smile of the most beautiful girl in class, a diploma with honors.
Then his adult life, the army, where Mike went by his own will. It was hard there, and he regretted his decision to serve many times, but in the end he was proud of himself. Then all the good memories were already associated with Kate, and after that with Sophia, with Adam.
How would they manage without him now? His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the engine dying down. The shaking stopped, the car stopped. Soon there were the sounds of doors slamming, and a minute later the trunk opened…
They say you complained that your wife’s grave is empty. We’ll fix that now. Some alcoholics approached Kate, and she gave them money.
They had shovels in their hands. Michael understood. They brought him to the cemetery from the back so that the guards wouldn’t see.
It was dark. Jacob turned off the engine. The cemetery keeper’s booth was far away.
He wouldn’t be able to shout loud enough. Mike realized that if he screamed, they would just hit him on the head and bury him unconscious. Amazingly, this evening turned out to be very warm.
On such an evening, one would want to of streetlights rather than preparing for premature death in a cemetery at the hands of a loving spouse. Michael was brought to Catherine’s excavated grave. Next to it stood a coffin containing remains that were then passed off as hers.
Who would have thought you’d be lying in my grave, huh? Kate smirked. Mike realized she was insane. How could he have lived with her for so long without noticing? You know, I cried at this grave.
I wanted to come to you. Thought about being ready to die and lie down next to you. It hurts so much, Michael confessed.
Despite everything, he loved her, truly loved her. His words struck Catherine. She looked at her lover fearfully.
He understood she might get emotional and change her mind. Yet there was still something human left in her. Go to the car.
I’ll finish up here, Jacob said. Kate nodded and walked away, eyes downcast. They threw Michael into the coffin and started nailing it shut.
Panic engulfed him. This is it, echoed in his mind. He struggled with all his might, but the ropes cut into him so deeply they were already soaked in blood.
Then they simply dropped the coffin into the grave. Michael lost consciousness from the impact. When he opened his eyes, he heard dirt being thrown on top.
He screamed with all his might, and suddenly everything went silent. Nothing happened for some time. Maybe they’ve already buried me, he thought.
Suddenly someone stepped on the coffin lid. Help, help, Mike screamed in panic. In the next moment, the lid of the coffin creaked open.
He saw the face of a bearded stranger. He held a shovel. Above the grave stood Adam, wiping his nose.
And what would you do without me, he asked proudly. The gravedigger helped Mike out of the grave. It turned out Adam had disobeyed and run away from the orphanage to the graveyard.
The boys had teased him all day, calling him names, and he couldn’t take it anymore, so he ran away. He had been sitting on her grave until late evening and was about to leave when he saw Michael dragging some stranger through the cemetery. Behind him was the woman he had seen there before.
Adam ran as fast as he could to the shovel. He approached Jacob from behind. Jacob didn’t see him.
He was too busy burying a living person. That’s not how we do things here, the caretaker said, and struck Jacob on the head with the shovel. He fell to the ground unconscious and lay there until the police arrived.
Actually, Kate didn’t let Michael escape either. Seeing him leaving the gate, Catherine took Jacob’s car keys and tried to leave, but Michael blocked her path. He understood she only wanted to kill him in words, she wouldn’t have the courage to run him over.
So both Jacob and Kate were arrested that evening. At home, they found a bag of money from the safe. The cemetery caretaker gave his testimony, and Adam stayed with Michael until late at night.
When everything was over, he called the orphanage and told the story. I’m taking him. It doesn’t matter whether it’s guardianship or adoption.
I hope you won’t object. The boy really saved my life. I can’t just leave him now.
The nanny stayed with Sophia all night. Michael apologized to her, paid her extra for the overtime, and let her go home. Adam and Sophia spent the night in the nursery.
Adam was already used to sleeping on a small couch next to Sophia’s bed. Michael still couldn’t fall asleep. Those events kept playing in his mind…
Where would he be now if it weren’t for Adam? He would have run out of oxygen. He would be dying right now, underground. Closer to dawn, he finally slipped into a deep, restless sleep, only to wake up screaming.
He dreamt of a coffin, the sounds of earth pounding against the lid. Rain was pouring buckets. Adam and Sophia were quietly watching TV in the bedroom.
Michael pondered for a long time on what to do. To take the boy, he needed to make sure his mother wouldn’t show up. He already felt attached to Adam.
The boy was so curious, so polite, so independent for his age, like an adult in a child’s voice. Michael drank strong tea without sugar and watched as the drops monotonously slid down the glass, replacing each other. So much had happened.
Just yesterday, he was grieving over Catherine, feeling the pain of loss, and today he almost hated her. Yesterday he would have given anything to see her alive, and today he would trade much to keep everything the same. Hello, Mr. Mathis, this is Mike Larson.
Yes, good day, he said into the receiver. He had a three-day stubble on his face. He had neither the strength nor the desire to shave.
He contacted his old acquaintance and asked for help. Mr. Mathis was an extremely busy man, juggling a job in law enforcement and private detective work. With connections in all the important departments, he could easily find a person, even if they had left the country.
He was often approached by those who couldn’t find their loved ones. Michael explained that he wanted to find Adam Johnson’s mother. As long as she’s listed as missing, they won’t let me adopt Adam.
Wouldn’t it be easier to grease the palms of those who decide on adoption, missing and for a long time? How long has it been? Ah, two years. You don’t say, no, I have a different interest in this matter. What if something happened to her? The boy misses her.
He keeps telling me how wonderful she was. I would still like to find her. But if she’s dead, then I’ll adopt him and that’s the end of it.
All right, I’ll check through my channels. Just remember, I’m not all-powerful. Sometimes these things remain unsolved.
But as my experience tells me, the mother probably just abandoned the kid and is up to who knows what in the capital. She did go there, right? Yes, it happened on December 28th, just before New Year’s. She got on a train and that’s it.
But no one knows where she got off. Train, you say, or how many people were thrown off trains back in the day. But it’s not the same time now.
Let’s hope for the best. All right, keep in touch. Michael had been waiting for a response from his old friend for over a week.
During this time he had been working from home remotely, only occasionally popping into the office to make sure everything was in order. The staff were handling things splendidly and weren’t bothering the boss with trivial matters. Finally, late one evening, the long-awaited call came at his home.
I found Adam’s mom, the voice on the other end said. Linda Johnson is currently in a maternity hospital on the outskirts of the capital. It’s a budget facility and the service leaves much to be desired.
According to my information, she decided to become a surrogate mother. She spent a long time in the hospital, treated for amnesia, but upon discharge she still didn’t remember anything. That’s what it says in her medical records.
For some time she lived with Scott Howell. He works as a janitor in the same hospital where Linda was treated, and then she became a surrogate mother for a childless couple. It was a family that, shortly before Linda’s delivery, got into a car accident, with all members present.
Grandmother, grandfather, husband and wife. Linda is still in the maternity hospital, having a difficult time after giving birth. According to my data, she has triplets.
Michael was shocked. This was unbelievable. How could she decide on something like this? Could it be that her memory didn’t return and she simply doesn’t remember her mother and son? Amnesia, you say? Michael mused thoughtfully.
Yes, that’s what it says in the patient’s chart. There are some peculiarities with her passport. She was getting it restored.
She renewed her health insurance, but didn’t request her son’s birth certificate. Maybe it wasn’t lost, or maybe someone deliberately removed the child from her documents. It’s a dark story.
It’s a pity for the girl, 26 years old, and she’s holding three strangers’ children, and it seems there’s nowhere for her to turn. And the guy she lived with in the city, Scott, according to my data, left the country. He has a grandmother in Israel, and he headed there.
Looks like they went their separate ways. Thank you so much. Can you give me the address? And of course, I’ll text it to you.
After that call, Michael sat for a long time, staring into space. Trying to process everything that was said was extremely difficult. He watched as Adam brushed his teeth in the bathroom.
He did it meticulously. Apparently, his mother had taught him well. Michael desperately wanted to tell him that she was alive, that tomorrow they would all go see her, but he remained silent.
The next day, Michael took Adam and Sophia to the address provided. Fortunately, the journey wasn’t too long. They arrived within a few hours….
Michael didn’t know how to tell the boy that they were going to his mother. What if his friend was mistaken and it wasn’t her there? It could be quite traumatic for the child. We’re going to visit one of my good acquaintances, he lied.
Oh, okay. The children didn’t need much. They drank juices and watched cartoons on the tablet the whole way.
Soon, the maternity hospital appeared on the horizon. It was an old two-story building made of red brick. Linda certainly didn’t end up there for a good reason.
Perhaps she didn’t want publicity. Surrogacy isn’t exactly advertised, or maybe there wasn’t enough money for a good clinic. It was strange.
The maternity hospital stood in the wilderness on the outskirts. Around it were ruins, steps and plantations. Well, here we are.
Let’s get out. Michael opened the car door and the children jumped out. Approaching the doors of the maternity hospital, he encountered an elderly plump woman in a white coat.
Hello? Is Linda Johnson here? He asked quietly, while Adam got distracted, examining an old wooden carved door. Yes, she’s here. Come in.
Are you the father of the twins, then? Thank God you were found. The mother was already ready to write a refusal. She kept saying that nobody needed her with three children.
Michael and the children were dressed in special visitor gowns. They weren’t allowed into Linda’s room, of course. They were told to wait in a small shabby corridor where family visits were permitted.
A slender blue-eyed blonde with shoulder-length hair walked in unsteadily. She was pale but incredibly beautiful, even without make-up, wearing a gown and slippers. Michael smiled, looking at her.
He had expected a worn-out housewife, not a Barbie doll. Mum, shouted Adam, and almost knocked Linda off her feet. There was a flash of confusion in her eyes.
The boy hugged her so tightly that Linda lost her balance for a moment. Michael jumped up to catch her, but she steadied herself. You found her! Where have you been? I missed you so much, Mummy! Adam cried bitterly.
Linda looked at him in surprise. Then something seemed to flash in her eyes. It was as if she returned to the day she last hugged her son on the threshold of her home.
Her elderly mother had handed her money for the trip and stay in the capital and smiled, saying, Everything will be fine, dear. I’ll earn money, we’ll get you the operation, and you’ll be running around like young again. Her mother needed vascular surgery, a rather expensive procedure.
There were few good specialists, and the necessary equipment was only available in the capital. Linda feared her mother wouldn’t hold out, waiting for a quota. The doctors confirmed her condition was worsening day by day.
Age was taking its toll. Surgery was needed quickly. Linda left, leaving her mother and son behind, looking out the window on the way and trying to think about how she would take care of her mother after the operation.
Along with her in the train carriage sat a sullen young man, an elderly woman with him asked to switch places with her. The grandmother found it difficult and scary to climb to the upper bunk. Linda agreed, thinking that perhaps someone would help her mother in a similar way one day.
Linda remembered when the next station was announced. She jumped up, realized she had dozed off, and started gathering her things quickly. Outside the train, it was completely dark.
Dim lamps lit up some roadside eatery. The train stopped and Linda got off. A few other people got off with her.
She didn’t know the area. She planned to get to the eatery and ask for directions there, but she didn’t make it. Knocker out, knocker out, came a voice from behind.
Linda turned around, but didn’t have time to see anything. At that moment, she received a powerful blow to the head. Everything afterward was a blur.
She remembered fragments of coming to consciousness, seeing dirt, feeling intense cold, unable to move or speak. There was no one around. She lay there for a long time, not even remembering how long exactly.
It was cold and icy winter rain was pouring down. Then she woke up as someone was placing her on a stretcher. She’s still alive, she heard a voice above her.
Let’s get her into the car quickly. Who knows how long she’s been lying here. It got a bit warmer.
Linda passed out again and woke up in a hospital. She didn’t even remember being washed and changed into warm, dry clothes. She felt comfortable…
Tubes were sticking out of her arm. Feeling nauseous, Linda weakly said. The orderly in the room brought her a basin.
Linda thought she would vomit from dizziness, but it didn’t happen. Then the treatment began. What can you remember, asked the meticulous elderly doctor with a black moustache.
Linda, my name is Linda, but I don’t remember anything else. Where do you live? I don’t remember. Family? I don’t know.
What year is it? Linda looked at the doctor in surprise. I don’t remember anything. She began to panic.
She started breathing deeply. The doctor called a nurse and gave her an injection. Recovery was slow.
She felt very sick. Moreover, she needed documents. The head doctor insisted on contacting the police, but Linda said she would remember everything soon.
She believed she had relatives who would help. It seemed her memory should have returned by now. Sometimes faces, images, her old home and childhood memories would surface in her dreams.
Linda now understood. Her memory was returning in chronological order. The first images she saw in her dreams were of her childhood.
Their dog, her grandmother, her father on a motorcycle. Because of this, Linda decided she had a husband. However, time passed and the memories didn’t return.
I can help if you want, the orderly said to her one day. He visited Linda every day. They just chatted.
At first she didn’t care. Then Linda thought Scott was hitting on her and she felt uncomfortable. He seemed fake, untrustworthy, but time passed and she needed help.
Linda agreed and Scott found her through his acquaintances, took a photo and within a day brought her a print out of her old passport. Linda Johnson, you’re 25, he said. I thought I was younger, Linda smiled disappointedly.
She looked 18 and it seemed to her that she was. Until her memory returned, Linda believed she was a student, had a family, maybe a boyfriend or even a husband and of course friends that her whole life was ahead of her. I have a friend in the local administration.
We’ll go there today. They will quickly restore your documents, Scott suggested. She didn’t want to go anywhere with him, but she needed her passport.
She had to agree. On the way, the guy told her about himself, how he went through a tough breakup, how his ex only wanted money from him and left him because he was just an orderly, couldn’t finish medical school. His teachers were biased against him.
Scott helped restore her documents. Only he deliberately withheld one important fact that Linda had a child. He also lied to her that Linda’s mother had died, although at that time she was still alive.
He said this so she wouldn’t leave. Scott kept confessing his love and eventually convinced her to go with him. That’s how they started living together.
Gradually, Linda got used to him and they began a relationship. Meanwhile, Scott kept rushing her to find a job. It was important to him that they had a lot of money, that Linda earned money.
Sometimes he gave her tasks to put up posters, distribute flyers, or give a massage for money to a neighbor. Linda took on everything since she was already living with him for free. She couldn’t work fully.
Headaches and weakness after a serious injury lingered. Her health was undermined. Six months later, when Linda was already going to job interviews, Scott came up with another idea.
Linda remembered him coming home in a good mood. Today a rumor spread in our hospital that a couple is looking for a surrogate mother. The woman is infertile.
She had everything removed and the husband wants to have children. They made an agreement with our people who promised to carry out the procedure in the hospital. It’s easier than a real IVF.
It’s simple. Just your egg and his material, for example. You carry it, give birth, get a lot of money…
Listen, you can’t earn that much in nine months, not even in several years. They’re willing to pay well. It will secure us.
We’ll change the apartment, have a lavish wedding. Come on, huh? Linda flatly refused. Scott then threw a fit, reminding her that she was living with him for free.
She decided to leave, packed her things and sat on a bench for half a day. Soon Scott came down to her with a cup of hot coffee. It was clear to everyone she had nowhere to go.
I’m sorry you’re taking this too seriously. You’re young, the age is right, healthy. And if you don’t agree, this couple might remain childless forever.
It’s a good deed, self-sacrifice. You’ll be credited in heaven and you’ll earn honest money and you won’t need to go anywhere. Stay home, take vitamins and give blood for tests.
And then they’ll pay for your recovery. And in a year, we’ll have our own baby. Just think about it, okay? I won’t pressure you anymore.
Let’s go home. Linda didn’t want to go back, but she had nowhere else to go. In the end, she agreed.
A simple procedure was done in the hospital and soon she found out she was pregnant by a stranger. No, she had seen him, of course. The couple was immensely grateful to her.
They called her constantly checking how she was feeling. You’re doing great, smart girl. So brave.
You know what? We’ll buy you a car, Scott said, thinking he had the right to manage the money that was meant for her. The first payments went towards medical checkups, groceries, and vitamins. Scott liked to keep the money himself, while Linda was constantly nauseous.
The pregnancy was difficult. The father of the child had a rare blood type. There are very few people like that in the world.
Linda had a negative RH factor, which negatively affected her case. She spent almost the entire pregnancy on bed rest. She developed depression.
Scott hardly ever visited, but Linda was even glad about that. She realized she didn’t want to be with this man, that she was with him out of desperation. Sometimes she was amazed at herself for agreeing to be a surrogate mother, thinking about having to give her children to another woman and never seeing them again.
She was ready to end it all. By that time, she already knew she was carrying triplets. Scott just shrugged when he found out.
Let them pay extra or send them to an orphanage. The couple was thrilled by the news of having three children. Linda asked if they would let her keep one baby, but the client flatly refused and even insulted her.
Linda cried for a long time, but eventually accepted it. The children would stay with their father and that loud woman. The day she was told that the entire family of the biological father had been in a terrible accident and none of them survived, Linda was in shock.
She stroked her belly and wondered what to do next. Now she was left alone with the children. The day before she had received a money transfer to ensure she wanted for nothing, was paid a salary and promised a large sum when she handed over the babies.
Scott, we need to meet, she called him. She knew he had withdrawn all the money. Something needed to be done.
Linda took his hand. Owen and his entire family are dead. There’s no one to take the children.
Now they’re ours. She needed his help and decided to try to start over. The children would change everything in their lives and they would become a real family.
Linda understood that this was again a decision made out of desperation, but she had no other choice. What and no more payments and it’s too late to terminate, right? He was terribly upset, swore and paced back and forth in the room. Linda looked at Scott in confusion.
They’re mine. They’re biologically my children. What termination? I can give birth in two months.
There are three of them. They’ll be born prematurely. Scott shook his head.
I get it. I get it. Okay.
You’ll just sign a waiver. These babies are orphans now. There’s nothing we can do.
Their mother and father died in the crash and we’ll have our own baby or we can try again. We’ll find another couple and you can give birth for them or we can try to sell the children. Many people want to adopt newborns now and you have three in your hands.
Jackpot for sure. Linda got out of bed, though it was difficult, approached Scott and slapped him. He immediately hit her back…
She screamed. And you think I’m going to slave away at work to feed someone else’s kids? I don’t need them. And you, you know what? Just get lost.
Scott didn’t return her money, leaving her without means to live. Linda spent all the time until the birth in the hospital. The doctors were aware of the situation and didn’t discharge her, keeping her under observation.
Then came the long-awaited C-section. For some time after the birth, Linda was unconscious. Then she just lay in the maternity ward, recovering.
The babies were also very weak and gaining strength. Now Adam burst in and one hug was enough for her to remember everything. Linda hugged him tightly and memories troubled her mind.
How’s Grandma Adam? she asked. Michael and Sophia were still sitting there, but Linda barely noticed them. She didn’t stop hugging and kissing her son.
Mom, she passed away. Linda burst into tears. Michael told her the whole story from the moment he tracked down the thief at the cemetery to the point when he decided to adopt him and found her here in this hospital.
Linda then told him everything that had happened to her. They talked until evening. Adam and Sophia almost fell asleep on the couch.
You know, I talked to the doctor. He’s ready to discharge you. Will you go home? he asked.
At night, maybe in the morning, and how to travel. I don’t even have carriers. Well, it’s okay.
I’ll take care of everything. Don’t worry. Michael and the children stayed at a hotel, and in the morning they went shopping.
He picked Linda up already with the carriers. He bought everything that might be needed for the children at first and took them not to their small house, but to his luxurious apartment. He had two free rooms and a great desire to get to know Linda better.
He liked her from the first glance, and Linda had to act according to the circumstances again, but this time it was truly pleasant for her. Michael was kind to her, helped selflessly, and didn’t even think of using her like Scott did. He accepted her as she was.
Michael and Linda were slowly getting closer. He wanted to come home from work sooner, and Linda waited for him, providing a cozy home. Tonight we’ll have something delicious for dinner.
Can you buy some seaweed? I read that it goes well with what I’m making, Linda said with a smile. Michael smiled back. Okay, as you say.
Anything else? Linda shrugged. Charlie has a fever again. It’s strange that Luca and Sean haven’t caught it from him.
He’s been sick for a while now. We need to take him to the doctor again. Maybe we should see a different one this time.
Michael took Linda to the hospital the next morning. They sat in the corridor, holding hands. Linda was very worried.
It’s taking them a long time. The boy was undergoing an MRI. The doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him.
When the doctor finally came out, Linda jumped up and rushed over. We have a diagnosis, don’t worry, it’s treatable. He has a rare genetic disorder and a very rare blood type.
We perform such operations under a quota for children. Alternatively, we can do it at a private clinic, where I also work shifts. It would be faster there.
The problem is your son has a very rare blood type. Performing the surgery without a supply of this blood is risky. Linda grabbed her head, while Mike smiled.
Well, then you’re in luck. I have the same blood type. Linda hugged him so tightly that Mike was breathless.
Well, let’s do a test first. Don’t get your hopes up too soon, said the doctor. The blood was a match.
The doctors conducted several more compatibility tests and eventually delivered strange news. The child has similar DNA to yours, and if you’re not the father, as you claimed, then it must be a close relative of yours, like a brother. We are indeed lucky…
We can operate as soon as tomorrow. While Linda sat in the hospital corridor, praying for the operation to be successful, Michael was on the phone with the same detective. Mr. Mathis promised to help sort out the situation and did so very quickly.
The operation wasn’t over yet when he called back and asked, Mike, are you aware that you were adopted? Michael shrugged. Yes, did you find out anything? I looked through the documents. You were admitted to the orphanage with your brother, but you were adopted alone.
You were twins, born on the same day. You probably know that your biological mother died in childbirth. She was an orphan herself, no relatives.
She was only 17 at the time. Yes, I did some research, but no one told me about my brother. Apparently the head of the maternity ward was bribed, and the child was taken.
You weren’t supposed to be separated by law. Your brother’s name was… Eowyn, said Michael, recalling how Linda referred to the boy’s biological father. From one end of the corridor, Michael was walking towards a beautiful, slim blonde with shoulder-length hair, bringing her the news that he was the uncle of her sons.
From the other end, a doctor was approaching her to inform her that the operation had been successful, the pathology had been resolved, and her little boy’s life and health were no longer in danger. Linda remembered that day forever. She and Michael finally confessed their feelings for each other and decided to officially become a couple.
After some time, Charlie was discharged, and the triplets were reunited. Michael, however, couldn’t leave his discovery aside. He dug into the truth, found the head of the orphanage where he and his brother had been placed, and went to his home to look him in the eyes.
An elderly man opened the door. You don’t remember me. When we last met, I was very young, Michael began.
The man nodded and invited Mike into his apartment, explaining how he had given Michael’s brother to a wealthy couple. They paid, they paid well, I had problems back then, debts, a sick wife, I just couldn’t refuse the money. Seeing that the head of the orphanage lived in a very modest apartment and was deeply unhappy, Michael decided not to take any action against him.
He accepted his apology and left. Now he knew the truth. To ease the old man’s life, Michael said that he forgave him.
A year later, Linda and Michael were married. Since the twins started walking, their responsibilities increased. Fortunately, the nanny was a big help.
Mike officially adopted all of Linda’s children, and she became a mother to Sophia. The girl immediately bonded with her. She saw nothing familiar or close in Kate, but she loved Linda right away, and only called her mom.