She was not their own, those five But who would dare say it
Yegor had lost his wife. She never recovered from the last childbirth.
Grieve or not, five children remained. The eldest, little Nicky, was nine. Young Ilyaseven. The twins, Alex and Leo, were four. And the youngest, little Helen, just three months oldthe long-awaited daughter
There was no time for sorrow when the children begged for food. But after putting them all to bed, Yegor would sit in the kitchen late into the night, smoking
At first, Yegor managed as best he could. His sister-in-law came by now and then to help. They had no other family. She once offered to take Alex and Leo, saying it would ease his burden. Later, two officials from the welfare office came.
They suggested sending all the children to an orphanage. Yegor refused outright. How could he give his own flesh and blood away? How would he live after that? Life was hard, but what choice was there? The children would grow, bit by bit.
Sometimes he even found time to check the older boys schoolwork. Helen, of course, was the most trouble. But Nicky and Ilya helped where they could.
The visiting nurse, Nina Ivanovna, often came by, watching over them. One day, she promised Yegor shed send a nanny. A man with an infant, after all, had his hands full. “A good, hardworking girl,” she said. Worked as a nurses aide at the hospital.
No children of her own yet, unmarried. But shed helped raise her siblingsfrom a large family in the next village over. And so Lucy came into Yegors home.
Petite but sturdy, round-faced, with an old-fashioned braid down her back. And quiet. Never a word out of place. Yet everything in Yegors house changed. The place gleamedscrubbed, polished.
She mended the childrens clothes, washed them fresh. Tended to Helen, cooked meals. The school and nursery noticed the difference at once. The children were clean, tidy, buttons no longer haphazardly sewn with black thread, elbows no longer worn ragged.
Once, Helen fell ill, feverish. The doctor said shed recover with care. Lucy stayed by her side night after night, never once lying down herself. She nursed the girl back to health. And somehow, without a word, she stayed on in Yegors home
The younger ones began calling her “Mum,” starved for a mothers touch. And Lucy gave freelypraising them, ruffling their hair. Holding them close. Of course, they were just children
The older boys, Nicky and Ilya, were wary at first, never calling her anything. Then, simply, “Lucy.” Not nanny, not motherjust Lucy. To remember, perhaps, that theyd once had a mother of their own. And she was hardly old enough to be one anyway.
Lucys family objected.
“What are you doing, tying yourself to such a burden? Plenty of lads in the village!”
“There are,” she replied. “But I feel for Yegor And the children are used to me now.”
So they lived. Fifteen years slipped by unnoticed. The children studied, grew. Not without troublemischief happened. Yegor would flare up, reach for his belt. Lucy would pull him back: “Wait, Father, lets hear their side first.”
They quarreled, made up. Soon, no one in the village called her “Lucy” anymore. She was Ludmila Vasilyevna now, respected. Nicky married last year, expecting his first.
The young couple lived apart. Nicky worked at the state farmno ordinary tractor driver, but one who earned commendations year after year. Ilya was finishing university in the city, Lucys prideher boy would be an engineer.
They did everything togetherplayed as children, stood for one another in trouble. Helen had moved up to Year Nine, another of Lucys joys. A singer, a dancer, no celebration passed without her.
And Yegor often thought how well Nina Ivanovna had chosen his wife
That summer, Lucy felt something amiss in her body, unwell. Never sick a day in her life, yet now sudden dizziness, nausea She shooed Yegor and his pipe out to the porch, the smoke made her ill. At first she ignored it, but it lingered. Finally, she went to the doctor.
She returned quiet, withdrawn. Brushed off Yegors questions”Nothing, just nonsense.”
But that evening, once the house slept, she called him to the porch.
“Sit, Father we must talk. Know what the doctor said? Im with child Too late to do anything now, we must keep it.” She covered her face. “The shame of it”
Yegor was stunned. All these years, no childrenand now this!
“What shame, Mother? The elder ones are nearly grown, just the two of us left now? Nature knows best! Well manage.”
“How do we tell the children? Theyll say Im too old for this.”
“Old? Thirty-nine is nothing!”
“I dont know what to do the shame”
“Enough. Ill tell them. Tomorrow, when all are gathered.”
And he did. Just as they sat down to eat, he said it plain: “My dears, soon youll have another brother. Or sister.”
Lucy stared at her plate, flushed to her ears.
Nicky, visiting with his young wife for Sunday, burst out laughing.
“Brilliant, Mum! Well done! Now you and my wife can birth together! The little ones will grow up side by side!”
Alex cheered, “Go on, Mum! We need another brother!”
But Leo protested, “No a sister. Too many lads here, just one girl. Weve spoiled our princess enough.”
Helen shot him a look.
“Spoiled? You spoiled me? Of course a sister, Mum! Ill tie her ribbons, buy pretty frocks!”
“Frocks? Shes not a doll,” Ilya cut in. “A child must be raised properly.”
“Well raise them,” Yegor said.
Yet Lucy still hid her growing bellywith a shawl, a coat in summer heat, as if chilled.
The months passed unnoticed. They rejoiced at Nickys firstborna boy! Ilya returned to university, holidays over. Alex and Leo left too, enrolled in agricultural college.
Helens school year began. The house grew quiet, empty. Helen was either in class or with friends. Even had a lad now, walking her home from Sunday dances.
One night, Lucy lay awake waiting for Helen. Thenpain. Sharp, sudden, darkness in her eyes.
“Yegor,” she called weakly, “Yegor its time.”
He paled, fumbled with his boots.
“Wait, Mother, Illthe ambulance! Helen!”
The girl understood at once, darted out. Two minutes later, she burst back in.
“Mum, Tolik will take youhell borrow his fathers car, wait!”
“Tolik, is it” she thought, then another pain seized her.
“Oh, Mum! Whats happening?”
Five minutes later, the lad whod walked Helen home stepped inside.
“Father will drive you himself,” he told Helen. “Coming?”
“Im coming,” Yegor snatched his coat. “Dont fear, Lucy, Im here.”
All night Yegor paced the hospital porch, smoking. At dawn, an older nurse emerged.
“Waiting, Father? Smoking? Youll smoke less soon First child?”
“Fifth,” he muttered.
“Oi! A rich man! Not fiveseven! Your beauty brought you twins!”
“Ttwins?” he stammered.
“A lad and a lass! The lads loud,” she laughed. “The lasss a beauty! Go home, Father. Come back tomorrow. Shell stay awhile yet. Bring whats needed. Understood?”
“Aye,” Yegor nodded, dazed.
On discharge day, the whole family gathered. Even the three students skipped classes for it. The nurse solemnly carried out two bundlesone tied with blue ribbon, the other pink. Lucy followed, flustered.
Yegor took one, hesitated over the other.
“Twos awkward forgot how.”
Nicky took the second.
“Here, Father not my first time!”
“Oh, shes lovely!” Helen peeked into the pink bundle. “My little sister!”
Flowers and cake duly handed to the nurse, they piled into the state farm vanthe director had lent it. Such an occasion!
“Well, Mum, youve pleased everyone!” Nicky grinned.
Lucy cradled one bundle, smiling softly. God willing, shed raise them right She glanced at Yegor holding the other.
“Well raise them,” she corrected herself, “of course, we will”
