with a headache - you can simply not let go of your parents, because they don't have the money to buy your friend a gift. Hard counting friends that you invite to your birthday party. No updates, except the most necessary. But the lowest quality for cheap.

Dead silence reigned in the apartment, broken only by my irritated voice:

- And if you think that all this porridge was brewed only to fuck you, then you flatter yourself too much! When I hear from you about your son, I imagine myself in his place and do not want him to spend all his childhood just like me! Strangers, when they found out about the profession of my parents, asked: “Did you not give away the Lost Childhood Medal? And they should have been! ”

My voice almost broke into a cry:

- And while I have this opportunity, I want to help your child, although I don’t know him almost! Protect from constant feelings of shame in front of peers that he walks in jeans three years ago or wear sneakers from a neighbor's child! Do you think that I, as a “daddy,” used you and lost money ?! Go ahead Leave everything bought to me, it will go in the trash! I'll take you to the station, leave and do not write me more! If my care about you and your baby offends you !!

I was breathing heavily. Children's memories swept over me, adding fuel to the fire. Breathing hard, I turned away from Inna. Outburst of anger was gradually replaced by a sense of shame. I wanted to turn this visit of Inna into a fairy tale, which she will remember every time as the best episode in her life ... But again, she ruined everything ...

“Forgive me, please,” Inna's voice rang out from behind my back. - I did not think that caring for me and my son means so much to you ...

“And forgive me,” I answered, burning with shame, without turning to her. - I had to hold back, and not throw it all on you.

“Everything is fine,” said Inna, placing her hand on my shoulder. - It was useful for both of us to speak out. Do you want to eat?

- I'm starving.

Inna quickly set the table - warmed up the stew, made a vegetable salad and invited me to the kitchen for breakfast.

- Listen, well, you got me on a stew, - I said with amazement, trying the dish. - I do not know what you added here, but it turned out very tasty.

- Yes, I noticed here that you have a lot of completely open seasoning mixes, but you don’t make them yourself. Therefore, I have a little “thinned” your stocks of individual seasonings and quickly made my mix yesterday.

After breakfast, while Inna was washing the dishes, I collected all the presents in two bags - one for Inna, the other for her son. Inna's husband, I, for bad behavior, left with nothing. Finally, all the preparations were completed and we left the apartment. At the entrance, as usual, it was stuffy. I called the elevator, and a minute later we found ourselves on the street. Hiding in the shade of trees, we managed to get to the parking lot. The old Ford, as always, stood alone unwashed among prestigious cars.

“You should have washed him ...” Inna began.

“No need for a sore spot,” I interrupted.

Having given the security guard a pass, I pressed the gas pedal and an old car slowly drove us to the station.

“Dimka will be happy,” said Inna, twirling the Lego box in her hands.

“I imagine,” I smiled. - Tell me about his reaction.

“Did you really say that you could bring him with you next time?” - asked Inna, turning to me.

- Why not? - I answered the question with a question. - We have a big city, take a walk and entertain a child where there is. You want in the children's park, you want in the water park - just enough.

Half an hour later we were already standing on the platform and waiting for guides to appear near the cars.

- Hello, Nyurka, where are you? - Inna asked by phone. - In the ninth? Come out then meet me, eh?

By the time we reached the desired carriage, Nyurka was already standing and scratching her tongue with a conductor from another carriage. When she saw us, she showed off her colleague and said with a wide smile on her face:

- Bah, what people!

“Nyurka, silence,” Inna blurted out and, turning to me, added. - Now bring things and come back. Do not go anywhere.

“So-so,” Nyurka said efficiently, giving me a glance after Inna disappeared into the depths of the car. - If you hurt Inca, I'll kill you.

“I have no doubt,” I smiled. - And Inna, by the way, doesn’t like you either.

“You say that,” Nyurka confusedly shrugged it off. “But you really don't offend her ...”

“I didn't even think,” I answered sincerely. “Keep an eye on her there.”

Nyurka nodded approvingly.

Inna fluttered out of the car and threw herself on my neck:

- I had a great time and will miss you a lot. You are better than this ... Go on ... Otherwise, I will be crying here, let no one see it better.

- Give, I will click you, dove - said Nyurka.

I handed her my phone and hugged Inna tightly. I don’t know if Nyurki did something, but all those minutes that we stood embracing I barely breathed - I wanted those minutes to become eternity. I felt that Inna was sobbing slightly, buried in my shoulder, but I did not want to stop her. My heart itself was torn apart by future separation.

I kissed Inna firmly on the lips and let go. She, without raising her eyes, jumped into the car and disappeared into the dim light of the vestibule.

“Hold on, Don Juan,” Nyurka said softly, handing me my phone. - I hope that at least something happened.

“Thank you,” I smiled at her, and with a quick step I headed towards the underpass ...

Late in the evening I could not sleep. I sincerely waited for at least some news from Inna, even if she got to the house without incident.

Five photos that made Nyurka goodbye, I reviewed already the hundredth, no less than once. The long-cold coffee, which I had already forgotten, stood alone near the laptop, and in the headphones Yankee’s voice, carried through the years, sang:

"... And in the worn glass of old tea,

Not enough for spreading old cases.

Photography - there are stars and dreams.

How to make, that all was good ... "

Looking forward to the dark display of the phone, I didn’t notice how I fell asleep ...