{"id":58121,"date":"2025-05-06T15:36:14","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T15:36:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pulsperry.com\/?p=58121"},"modified":"2025-05-06T15:36:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T15:36:14","slug":"the-son-was","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pulsperry.com\/?p=58121","title":{"rendered":"The son was."},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Marina watched her son trying on a new suit. Tall, well-built, dark-haired\u2014tomorrow her boy was getting married, and it was hard to believe. Ilya carefully studied his reflection in the mirror. He turned around, nodded in satisfaction, noting that the suit fit perfectly. \u201cFashionable outfit,\u201d the young man turned to his mother. \u201cAnd the color is good, it looks expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is expensive,\u201d thought Marina, but aloud she said: \u201cI\u2019m glad you like it. I\u2019ll definitely shed a tear at the wedding as soon as I see you in full dress.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ilya finally turned away from the mirror: \u201cMom, are you going to the wedding or what? We agreed that you wouldn\u2019t be there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe agreed, son? I thought you were joking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat jokes?\u201d The son nervously paced the room. \u201cDid you forget what Vika\u2019s parents are like? The wedding will be full of elites. You\u2019ll feel like a poor relative there. I\u2019ll start worrying about you. Mom, do you want to ruin such an important day for me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The son sat down next to Marina on the couch, took her hand, and gently squeezed it: \u201cMommy, just imagine how out of place you\u2019ll look among those dolled-up ladies. My heart would break from such humiliation. And think about how you\u2019ll feel. We\u2019ll come the day after, okay? Have some tea or champagne. You can congratulate us, give us your gift.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marina\u2019s heart clenched with hurt. Her own son was ashamed of her to such an extent that he was prepared to appear at his own wedding like an orphan without kin. \u201cWhy would I look out of place?\u201d the mother retorted. \u201cI have an appointment with a good hairdresser, I\u2019ll get my nails done. I\u2019ll wear a decent dress.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat decent dress? That blue old thing!\u201d Ilya snapped and paced the room again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo that\u2019s it.\u201d He stood in front of his mother. \u201cIf you don\u2019t understand the nice way, I\u2019ll tell you straight. I don\u2019t want to see you at the wedding. I may be\u2026 but I\u2019m ashamed that my mother is a cleaner. I don\u2019t want you to embarrass me in front of Vika\u2019s relatives. Is that clear?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Marina was shocked by her son\u2019s confession and could not utter a word. Ilya silently took his backpack, proudly flaunted his suit, and headed for the exit. At the threshold, he stopped: \u201cI\u2019ll say it again, don\u2019t come to the ceremony. No one there will be glad to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ilya had left a few hours ago. Twilight had set in, and Marina just sat on the couch in complete stupor. She was so shocked that she couldn\u2019t even cry. Tears came a bit later when the woman turned on the light and pulled an old album with family photos from the dresser. This album contained her entire unembellished life. Memories crashed down on Marina with such force that it was hard to breathe. An old worn photo. There she was, a two-year-old girl with blue eyes, gazing intently into the lens. Her colorful dress clearly second-hand. Beside her, a thin, strange woman with a vacant look and a foolish smile. Even in the poor photo, it was evident that the woman was in high spirits.
Marina was two and a half when her mother lost parental rights and disappeared from her daughter\u2019s life forever. As she grew older, the girl never tried to find her wayward mother. Why bother?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A group photo. Ten-year-old Marina with rebellious golden curls stands in the second row, third from the left. Life in the orphanage was no picnic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The institution where Marina was raised resembled the troubled shelters from documentary films about the nineties. Cooks were caught stealing food, educators didn\u2019t mince words, and the director turned a blind eye to bullying, uninterested in the methods older children used to maintain discipline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three attractive girls in waitress uniforms flirtatiously posed for a photographer on the porch of a building with a crooked sign. After school, Marina didn\u2019t think too much about choosing a profession and quickly got a job as a waitress at a roadside caf\u00e9 called \u201cBy the Road.\u201d The salary was small, but the tips generously left by customers compensated for this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Twelve-hour shifts were exhausting, but Marina did not despair. She liked her independent life. Her room in a shared apartment was spacious and bright, and the neighbors, an elderly couple, turned out to be friendly. She had enough money, although not much, and unexpectedly discovered a talent in herself. It turned out that she knew how to dress stylishly on a dime. By buying clothes from second-hands, she remade and altered them into fashionable items. In a summer meadow in the forest, a happy and laughing Marina sat on the grass with a crown of flowers, embraced by a handsome dark-haired guy wearing a similar crown. Many years have passed, but Marina\u2019s heart still skips a beat at the sight of this photo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She had been working at the caf\u00e9 for about a year when she met Maxim. That summer morning, the caf\u00e9 was unexpectedly crowded. Marina rushed around the room with a tray, serving impatient customers, and suddenly tripped, spilling tomato juice on a guy by the window. A bright red stain spread across his light shirt. Marina was lost for words, realizing that the shirt was expensive. Before she could recover, Stas, the caf\u00e9 administrator, rushed to the table and began fussing, threatening her with dismissal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy worry so much?\u201d the guy smiled, handing Marina the keys to his car. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, I\u2019m going to my parents\u2019 country house. There\u2019s a clean shirt in the car. Could you bring the backpack from the back seat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll bring it, Maxim Nikolaevich,\u201d Stas offered helpfully, snatching the keys. \u201cOtherwise, this chicken might break something in your car too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Left alone with the client, Marina finally managed to apologize: \u201cPlease forgive me, this is the first time this has happened. I swear, I will compensate you for the damage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maxim replied. \u201cIt\u2019s nothing serious.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maxim extended his hand. She responded with a handshake and then dared to look at him for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stas brought him the backpack and escorted him in order to a back room to change. When he passed by Marina, Stas remarked sarcastically:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat are you waiting for? Has your shift ended?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While she was just taking payment from a loving couple, she heard a cheerful voice behind her: \u201cMarina, could you spare me a minute of your attention?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maxim, in a fresh blue shirt, was sitting at the same table. \u201cWill you take my order?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Serving the attractive visitor, the girl felt awkward. Stas personally escorted the guy to the door, then winked at Marina, \u201cDon\u2019t be upset, I purposely snapped at you, otherwise he might have made you pay for the shirt. It costs more than your salary.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow do you know this guy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s Max Skvortsov, the mayor\u2019s son. Everyone in town knows him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By that evening, Marina was so exhausted from the day\u2019s hustle that she had forgotten about the morning incident. She only desired to get home and collapse into bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was already dark outside. Suddenly, a light foreign car pulled up to the caf\u00e9. On closer inspection, Marina recognized the car. What was the mayor\u2019s son doing here?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maxim jumped out of the car and headed straight for Marina. He approached and handed her the flowers: \u201cHave you finished work? Sorry, I didn\u2019t know what kind you like, so I chose white roses. But I promise that from now on, I\u2019ll only give you your favorites.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marina was completely bewildered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m actually courting you. Besides, the evening is so lovely, maybe we could go somewhere?\u201d, Max said, laughing.<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Everything that was happening seemed like a magical dream. Marina realized that she was ready to go anywhere with him. Yet she quickly came back to reality. She remembered she was dressed in old jeans and a simple t-shirt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThank you, but I\u2019m tired, I can\u2019t today\u201d, Marina said regretfully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen tomorrow?\u201d Max was persistent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next day they met, never to part again. It was love at first sight. Maxim was an economics student. He had successfully passed his summer exams, and they started seeing each other every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Max introduced Marina to his university friends. Together, they often went swimming and barbecued in the wilderness. It was the brightest, most carefree, and unforgettable time of Marina\u2019s life. She never experienced such happiness again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marina and Maxim had already started planning their wedding, but all their dreams about the future collapsed. Maxim\u2019s cousin saw him on the street with some ragamuffin and reported it to daddy-the-mayor. Marina\u2019s life turned into a nightmare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Skvortsov family disapproved of their relationship. It was understandable. The only son and a girl from an orphanage. Maxim\u2019s mother called hundreds of times a day, demanding that Marina leave him. Maxim\u2019s cousin came to the cafe and caused a terrible scandal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, neighbors also reported that some people had been asking about Marina for an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRecently one lady\u201d, confirmed Yakov Ivanovich, a neighbor in the apartment, \u201coffered us good money if we confirmed that you were a drug addict and a prostitute. I threw her out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marina told nothing to her fianc\u00e9. She knew that his opportunity for an overseas student exchange was being decided at that moment. Apparently, he was also under pressure, because a worry settled in his eyes. Sometimes he would look tensely at his beloved\u2019s face, but, seeing her gentle smile, he would sigh with relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two weeks before Maxim\u2019s departure, Marina received a phone call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is Nikolai Borisovich, Maxim\u2019s father. You must break up with my son before he leaves. Tell him you have another man. If you ignore my words, you will bitterly regret it.\u201d<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The mayor hung up. Marina was ready to give her life for Maxim, how could she possibly give up the man she loved so deeply?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When her beloved flew to London, events began to unfold around Marina that she still remembers as a bad dream. Stas, bribed by the city\u2019s mayor, suddenly accused the waitress of a major shortage, and the girl was arrested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marina was in sh0ck by her boss\u2019s vile act. As the case quickly went to court, she had no doubt that the truth would soon come out and these horrible charges would be dismissed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trial was like a farce. The lawyer provided by the state barely stayed awake during the proceedings. In contrast, the prosecutor tried his hardest. Every day, Marina hoped that Maxim would appear and save her, but a friend informed her that, according to rumors, the boy was planning to continue his studies in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marina was sentenced to three years. It was only in prison that she learned she was expecting a child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marina tried not to think about the time she spent in women\u2019s prison\u2014it was too painful. Overwhelmed by emotions, she quickly turned the page of the family album. The photo showed her dark-haired, gray-eyed little boy. Marina tenderly ran her finger over the image. Her son was so affectionate and clever. Only God knows what it cost her to raise him alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After serving a year and a half, Marina was released. Her child had not been taken away. Outside, a myriad of problems awaited her. No one wanted to hire a young woman with a small child, especially one with a criminal record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her neighbor Yakov Ivanovich helped get little Ilyushka into daycare, Marina was able to work tirelessly. She worked as a cleaner in a restaurant, cleaned offices in the evenings, worked at a car wash on weekends, and sewed pillowcases and duvet covers at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She didn\u2019t look back at the past\u2014why suffer unnecessarily? Once she accidentally met a former friend who told her that the roadside caf\u00e9 owner, Stas, had gone bankrupt, Mayor Skvortsov had moved to Moscow with his family after receiving a promotion, and his son had married a beauty from the capital a year ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marina wiped away her tears and went to clean floors at the restaurant. She needed to raise her son.<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

She always tried to please him with tasty food, expensive toys, fashionable clothes. She was ready to do anything to fulfill all his wishes, as much as possible. If Ilya needed a new gadget, he calmly talked to his mother about it, knowing she would find the necessary amount, or at worst, take on extra work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Certainly, in that Ilya had grown into such an insensitive egoist, she was to blame too. She never complained to him about being tired, never took sick leave, always gave him the tastiest pieces at dinner. No wonder her son never once considered the price his mother paid for the money. And now he was ashamed of her and didn\u2019t want her, a cleaner, to attend his wedding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abI understand,\u00bb Marina sighed bitterly, then turned to Ilya\u2019s portrait on the wall. \u00abSon, I\u2019ve indulged you for 25 years, but this time I\u2019ll do as I see fit. Forgive me.\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She got out of bed and pulled out a box from the nightstand, where she traditionally kept her savings. Plus, her monthly salary was on the card\u2014enough for an outfit, hairstyle, and a visit to the beautician.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marina\u2019s appearance at the registry office caused a real stir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She always looked younger than her years, but after visiting the beauty salon, she seemed to have shed a decade. The guests, especially the men, sneakily glanced at the blonde woman in an exquisite blue dress. During the ceremony, the mother, wiping away tears, admired her serious, slightly bewildered son and his charming bride. It was good that she had come here. After the ceremony, all the guests congratulated the newlyweds. Ilya stealthily made his way through the crowd to his mother and whispered:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abSo my request means nothing to you? I hope you\u2019re not going to the restaurant?\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u00abI won\u2019t,\u00bb Marina nodded. \u00abI\u2019ve already seen everything I wanted.\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abHello!\u00bb a flushed Vika rushed up to them. \u00abMarina Anatolyevna, you look stunning! The parents invite you to go to the restaurant with them.\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abThank you, but it\u2019s time for me to leave.\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abWhat do you mean, time?\u00bb Vika was indignant. \u00abIlya, what\u2019s happening?\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abReally, Mom, where are you rushing to? It\u2019s your only son\u2019s wedding,\u00bb Ilya invited his mother to the restaurant with a forced smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it was time for parents to congratulate the young couple, Marina took the microphone:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abChildren, be happy, love each other for a lifetime\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As she descended from the small stage, the woman nearly bumped into a tall man in an expensive suit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abIt can\u2019t be,\u00bb said Maxim, blocking her path. \u00abMarishka, is it really you? What are you doing here?\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abMaxim?\u00bb Marina couldn\u2019t believe her eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abThe bride\u2019s father is my business partner, he invited me to the wedding. What a handsome son you have.\u00bb Maxim, nervously, took Marina\u2019s hand. \u00abMaybe we could step aside, talk by the window? Are you here alone, without a husband? I\u2019ve been divorced for 10 years now, and I don\u2019t have any children.\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They talked for an hour. Maxim told how his father, having flown to him abroad, informed him that Marina had met another guy and moved to Moscow with him. Shocked, Max didn\u2019t believe his father but, fearing to humiliate his beloved with suspicions, decided to first find out the truth from his best friend. The friend went to the roadside caf\u00e9 but didn\u2019t find the girl there. The owner and waitresses unanimously confirmed the information received from the father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abI nearly went mad with grief then, stayed in England for another six months, then returned to Moscow. My dad got promoted, then I got married. Was I happy all these years? Not a minute. Only in my youth with you. But how have you been living all this time?\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abLet\u2019s not talk about sad things,\u00bb Marina suggested. \u00abIt\u2019s a wedding, after all. I\u2019ll tell you everything later, but now invite me to dance.\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guests couldn\u2019t take their eyes off the beautiful couple. Ilya watched his mother and didn\u2019t recognize her. He suddenly thought that his mom was a very attractive woman who had given up her personal life for him. For the first time in his life, Ilya felt truly ashamed. Then he noticed that his mother, arm-in-arm with some wealthy man, was heading towards the exit, and caught up with her on the porch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abMom, where are you going?\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abI\u2019m leaving. That\u2019s what you wanted,\u00bb the mother reminded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abMom, I\u2019m sorry, but where are you going with this man?\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abI\u2019m ready to go with him to the ends of the earth,\u00bb Marina sincerely confessed. \u00abBy the way, meet your father, Maxim.\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ilya looked bewildered at Marina. She paused and added with a smile:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abYes, it looks like we have a very long conversation ahead. But not today. Today is a wedding!\u00bb<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Marina watched her son trying on a new suit. Tall, well-built, dark-haired\u2014tomorrow her boy was getting married, and it was hard to believe. Ilya carefully studied his… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pulsperry.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58121"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pulsperry.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pulsperry.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pulsperry.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pulsperry.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=58121"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pulsperry.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58121\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":58128,"href":"https:\/\/pulsperry.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58121\/revisions\/58128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pulsperry.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=58121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pulsperry.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=58121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pulsperry.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=58121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}