she, and we.

And he went where my legs were carried.

Alyona would not have been able to endure such a thing - slowly, but with dignity, wither next to a young man.

At that time, her mind conquered the heart, but my heart and mind were full of the desire to connect life with this fragile woman.

Time went by. Madly dreaming of a family, I nevertheless remained faithful to the woman who had accidentally entered my life.

A strange habit appeared in my life - once a week, on any of the days I visited Alyona’s courtyard and stared at the faces of women entering the staircase for a long time, and then, until darkness, I looked for a familiar silhouette in the bright squares of the windows.

But in the apartment of Alyona, an elderly couple still lived - her parents - who had been away for a long time, leaving the apartment under the supervision of friends.

Month left after month, but I did not feel the joy of life ...

I climbed the career ladder, grew up as a specialist, got a flat, a car, built a house. A year after the painful parting with Alena, I met a young girl. Elena is my future wife. She entered my life swiftly and finally - brightened up loneliness, made me stifle my feelings for Alena. Becoming a faithful wife and loving mother, the keeper of the family hearth, Elena did not forget about her ambitions and built a career.

I will not tell the details of our meeting - this is a topic for another conversation. And I do not want to write more in a similar way. Perhaps yes - it will be so, but what am I talking about ...

A year ago, fate threw me a test, which passed me a lot of hard work. More precisely to us ...

Several times a year, a friendly team, in which my wife worked like a bee, burst into nature. A cozy recreation center on the shores of the cleanest forest lake hosted employees and their families — wives, husbands, and a large number of children of different ages. I was not accustomed to this action, because an urgent business trip, then work at work, then personal plans stubbornly left me in a stuffy city.

Elena did not nag me, but at that time could not stand it.

- And how much, Vladimir Alexandrovich, will this disgrace continue? - in feigned rage spouse cried. - I'm already at work for the guys from other departments woo. And this is with a live husband!

- Yes, let's go, let's go. Gad will, if I turn away!

- Watch me ...

We drove into the base a little late, when on the green ground in front of the huge log house we were already setting the table.

- And so every year. - looking at our okhlamonov, immediately mixed with the rest of the flock of children, glanced to the sky, my husband.

Welcoming our friends, Lena's colleagues, we unloaded the car. Finally, I left most of the food and stuff to the hustling women and hurried to the peasants who were casting spells at the mangal.

- Wow, Vova! - The guys were obviously glad to see me. - How domchalsya?

- Yes, so that I, the head of the department, but go to such a distance again with my parasites ?! Let the mother suffer.

- Do not torture. - under the general laughter from behind my back, I heard the voice of Lena. - Come on, help the women's council.

- henpecked! - Understand the exclamations of men reached me while I was following my wife and then ...

And then I saw her - Alena.

It has not changed at all, only small wrinkles in the corners of bright turquoise eyes have become slightly more noticeable. She sat in a half-turn and did not see me, and I followed Lena in her direction, drenching with ice and sweat.

I understood that I simply could not go there! There sat my inadvertent mistress, who had so cruelly behaved with me in the past, and with me my beloved wife walked hand in hand.

- Volodya, - Lena pulled me over the edge of the shirt, - did you not get sick?

- No, Lena. Everything is fine. - I managed to answer, and then Alena met my eyes.

I cannot and do not want to describe the scene of our meeting and the details of a difficult, full of mutual recriminations of a solitary conversation.

I was standing on a long spit reaching far into the lake.Behind - the distant noise of a friendly company, in front - a low-hanging sun, coloring everything around in golden with a red tinge.

Silently Lena approached me and put her hand in mine. The lingering silence was broken first by me.

- You know?

- Yes. - the calm voice of my wife brought me to life faster than a tub of icy water.

- Lena, I ... - the words flowed out of me in an endless stream.

- I know, I know everything. Alena told me everything, did not hide anything.

I looked into the eyes of a beloved woman and tried to convey the main idea:

- I love you madly! All this happened before our meeting with you and I have never seen Alena since then. I do not want to lose you...

- And who told you that I would treat you differently? - Lena's eyebrow flew up. - What has changed in our life with you?

- But ...

- Do not start, Vova! Your high moral principles simply do not give you a chance to intrigue on the side, especially with a married woman. - the spouse was cutting live. - You need to thoroughly talk with Alena. Now you have become a father four times ...

- If I ever hurt you and will not be fair to you - remind me of tonight, and then throw stones at me.

- I will fill you with rubble ...

I go with two bouquets of flowers to the bright school building. One is for the first-grader son, the second is for his twin sister. Excitement stumbles legs, but I stubbornly go forward.

Here they are. The kids fly up to me and knock the air out of my chest.

Only a year has passed since our acquaintance, but they rather easily accepted me into their “wild pack”: Sasha — all of me, and Oksana — spit Alena, as well as her older sister Elizabeth.

I traced how they take places in the line of smart first-graders and turn to Alena. Tactfully standing slightly apart, the rounded Elizabeth, her spouse and son, and a tall middle-aged man (Alena’s husband) look at Sasha and Oksana, so I can calmly talk with Alena.

- Well, hello, Volodya! - the melodious voice of a woman sounds the same as seven years ago.

- Hello, Alyonushka! - I don’t care what people think, so I’m addressing her exactly as I did on that first night.

- I completely became gray-haired ... And what am I?

- Years treat you more than favorably! - I do not prevaricate. - Congratulations on the beginning of the epic. Soon you will hear the cries of “Eleven years! For what?!".

- Well, as without it? - quietly says Alena. - You, too, can be congratulated - what kind of Cossack and bride grow ...

- How are you?

- Like any young mother and any grandmother. - Alyona is her current status. - Liza is waiting for the second, Alexey is building a house for us ... - the woman blushes and looks away. - ... waiting for the addition ...

- That's awesome! - to my surprise there is no limit. - When did you have time?

- In love, yes consent. - Alena looks into my eyes and says the most exciting phrase to me:

- All my children are born of great love, Volodya.

- You are happy?

- Like an elephant. - Alena sincerely laughs.

We are silent for a long time.

- Are you sorry about anything? - I ask my long overdue question. - Do you wish that everything happened so?

“Unless it’s about leaving your life for a long six years.”

- I'm sorry, too.

- Kiss me Lena. - Alena stands up on her socks and kisses me the same way she kissed me for the first time ...

I walk through the central park in the direction of our shop with Lena. Little ones are worn around Lena sitting on it. My spouse, who was round, reads a book, squinting in the rays of the still bright September sun.

I sneak up on them, but the guys treacherously betray me:

- Folder! Folder! - Andryushka and Natasha stick around me.

Elena stares at me.

- How was your day?

- And do not ask! - I roll my eyes. - Rejoice that this day we have only a year. Gain strength - impressions ahead.

- This is from Alena. - I leaned over to Elena and kissed her on the cheek, and then, kissing her lips, he added:

- And this is from me ...