Contents

Chapter 1 – Introduction

The last person left the audience. And it became quiet. At last the nightmare was over. Director was very excited today and, like always, demanded unrealistic tasks, telling off teachers for non-existent mistakes. Robert was not going to leave, or whether he simply didn’t want, or didn’t have the strength to make at least one step in the direction of the house. What was the reason for that? He could not give it to himself. Still, one thought compelled him to gather his papers into his briefcase and get up from the table. His daughter was waiting for him. It must have been twenty minutes since classes had ended, and she was certainly still there. How else could she be? He had to hurry. And he tried to walk quickly, as much as possible without glancing at the fidgeting teachers, the guard, who was discussing something loudly with the superintendent, as usual. The last thing he wanted, surely, was to come across Mrs. Marble, the principal, who was not herself at such moments, setting many tasks, most of which would lose their relevance the next day, but she was always spoiling his mood.

Finally the front door was behind her, and there were no meetings, which Robert was undoubtedly pleased about. Of course, the director would find a moment to call him, but to talk to her on the phone is better than to look into her fat eyes, nervously smeared lipstick, unironed jacket, listen to her husky voice, spoiled by smoking, the fact of which she carefully hid from everyone … But…

Generally, I didn’t want to think about it. He didn’t want to think about anything else at all. So the cold that hit him all over the place right after he left the school was an escape. Robert wrapped into his coat and stopped for a minute. He looked at the light shining dimly, breathed in the fresh November air, and walked to his car.

He knew he would be late, that his daughter’s class was already finished. He imagined her sitting on the couch in the dark lobby of the Social Center, where the vocal lessons were being held. This picture was constantly in front of Robert’s eyes, for he had been late very often.

“Oh, poor girl, she’s used to it,” he thought, remembering how just a week ago he’d been delayed in the same way. Unfortunately, it had been happening very often recently, work took up too much time and, most disgusting of all, took away a lot of energy that could be spent for communication with his daughter. As an educator and as a father, Robert was clearly aware of this, but there was nothing he could do to change it. This time he humbly turned the car key and, to the quiet roar of the engine, turned out of the parking lot and drove down the dark street. It took about half an hour to drive.

My daughter was sitting in the same place where she usually waited for him many, many times. The lobby was completely dark, and all girls had gone out. However, she wasn’t bored: with a dreamy smile, she was looking out the big windows overlooking the road. Robert always discerned her figure in the dim room of the hall, her hat with a pompon, a pink jacket with glitter. Sitting quietly and obediently, she was easy-going. Robert typed in her phone number:

— Alice, I’m here, you can come out. I’m sorry I’m late again, I have to work. Anyway, come out, I’m here,” said Robert in an upset voice.

Even his own voice was terribly irritating. Robert frowned, closed his eyes for a second. “One… two… three… four… five…” he began to count. And, as if through a mist, it came from the speaker:

— Okay, Daddy, I’m coming out…

Robert felt not only a shame, but also anxiety. It was important not to show his emotions, it was important that she should not think anything bad about him. She loves him, of course, and joyfully rushes home, but as an teacher he knew that this love would be eclipsed by disappointment and anger. It shouldn’t last that long, but right now Robert had no strength to change the situation. He was late very often, and he was worried not only about the situation with his daughter, but also about what to expect at home: how his wife would react once again, what his mother-in-law would say, whether there would be another scandal or everything would be settled by the regular lectures.

Robert was lost in these anxious thoughts even as his daughter sat in the back seat of the car and hugged him. The warm little arms around him were the only joy of the day. How could he keep from smiling? Who can’t remember that he is the father of such a wonderful clever daughter, that tomorrow is a new day. Besides, there’s a road ahead and we have to go home.

— How was your day? – he asked, trying to see the girl’s face in the mirror, though it was dark.

— I got an A in spelling. Didn’t do well in the singing today, actually…

— That song about butterflies? – Robert remembered how last night his daughter and his wife were practicing it very loudly and prevented him from filling out electronic forms.

— Yes, I could not do it… Sally over-sang me…

“Cheer her up?” – the thought flashed. Yes, he could tell that everything was all right, that she was wonderful.

They stood at a traffic light. The last intersection before the turn to the edge of town, there would be no more crossroads. Thirty seconds to go… How slowly time dragged on. Robert looked to the right, a girl in a blow-up jacket, with headphones on her head, was walking along the sidewalk. Slim, fit and fast. She was smiling, and her eyes, even in the dark, seemed to glow with joy. The girl’s face seemed very familiar… Where and when could he have seen her? Where?

— Dad…

He was awakened from his thoughtful mood by his daughter’s voice and the annoying horn coming from the car behind him. He needed to go forward and faster. He pushed on the gas, but didn’t go straight ahead, turning right instead.

— Would you like some pizza? Or ice cream?

— Me? Of course I would. What do we tell Mommy? It’s cold, right?

“Silly girl, you’d better think about exactly how and which one of us your mother will scold first when we get home,” Robert thought sorrowfully. But one thought could not help but warm him up: in about an hour they would be able to be together with Alice, at least for a while, but together. And even though it was Tuesday and the whole week was ahead of them, they would still have a good time.

The phone on the seat buzzed, and in the blink of an eye, the director’s picture popped up on the screen. Mm… that was to be expected. I should answer it, of course, but I didn’t want to, and now they were near the cafe. She had to get out of the car. The phone stopped ringing, and the screen turned off.

“I’m fed up with everything…", thought Robert. And then he opened the door, helped his daughter out of the car, and they entered the spacious hall of the cafe, found a table near the window.

Pleasant music played. There were almost nobody in the hall. The waitress went straight to their table. The waitress came over and smiled. They didn’t have to think too long before choosing something from the menu. Her daughter immediately blurted it out:

— We’d like a chicken pizza and some chocolate ice cream, please.

“Business-like… Just like me,” Robert thought to himself as he paid the waitress. The daughter was smiling. And she was really happy today. He, on the other hand, not so much. In general, the state of joy and happiness was practically unfamiliar to him in recent days.

The pizza was warm, the hot slices reminded me of some beautiful, unknown, as if from childhood, pleasant event. Robert was hungry, because at work in the abyss of endless school cares he sometimes forgot to eat. And today, enjoying a delicious pizza, he was glad he was in a cafe. His daughter sat next to him, greedily devouring the treat. The thought flashed through his mind: “Beautiful picture: father and daughter eating pizza together in a cafe. With each bite he ate, his hunger began to recede, and Robert felt good. He was already able to look at the problems from the outside, they would have to be solved later. For now, he felt satisfied and peaceful.

The phone buzzed: Damn it, it’s her again. The director’s face blinked on the screen again. “You’ll have to answer it, it can’t help it,” Robert thought, answering the phone. The girl put away her unfinished pizza. She knew that unpromising look on her father’s face during the phone conversation with the boss. Director was calling again, to indicate a problem, to talk about plans, and meanwhile to load her vice-principal with some annoying information that would become irrelevant by the next day. But what was most disturbing was how the principal, finding free ears, shared her impressions after the faculty meeting. “I’m dragging work not only to my house, but also to the café where I’m currently enjoying pizza with my daughter. Why? Why can’t I refuse to talk and, referring to family circumstances, say goodbye to her? Why do I, as a slave, have to listen to her bullshit and waste my private time on it?” – These questions were keeping Robert in suspense.

After 15 minutes, the dialogue stopped, the pizza was already cold. My daughter was indifferently was on the phone and playing. Robert was confused and, looking at Alice and the pizza, gathered his thoughts: “What was that? And most importantly, why?” The already disgusting mood got even worse. Like an arrow, the thought pierced him that they had sat too long. It was getting late, and he had to go home. And there is waiting, apparently, a scandal, and Robert, although he didn’t want such a development, but was mentally prepared for it. He was used to it.

In the cafe, as bad luck, there was not a single waiter, although it was time to get ready and pay for the half-eaten and cold dinner. The bar desk, behind which was looming the head of either a barman or a waiter, was far away, and there was neither the strength nor the desire to shout and call him to the table.

— Я сейчас оплачу пиццу, и поедем домой, солнышко, – сказал Андрей, вставая из-за стола

— Hmm, – Alice mumbled and yawned.

He quickly made his way to the cash register, where there was a woman reading something.

— Can I pay for dinner? We were sitting over there, at the table, where the girl is.

— Okay, one minute, – said the waitress, pushing a button on her tablet. – By card or cash?

— Robert, hey! – A loud and resounding satisfied voice sounded from the back of my head. Robert turned around and saw George. It was a friend, or more exactly, a drinking companion of Robert, who supported him at the most difficult moments of his life. It’s a small world! Robert clearly didn’t expect to see his friend in such a nice place.

— Hello, – Robert smiled, trying to imitate at least a little cheerfulness on his face. But he knew that he could never hide anything from George. – What brings you here?

— Same question, – the guy smiled, as he always did, nervously going through something in his hands. This time it was a small notebook with a matte cover. – I just stopped by to grab some pizza, I’m going to work the night shift, and this is the closest cafe. Mmm… By the way, why are you and your daughter here so late on a weekday? Are you on vacation?

George glimpsed the girl sitting at the table, and looked intently at Robert. He, as always, incredibly quickly put all the facts together and immediately gave out:

— It wiped you out? – George’s eyes light up with pleasure, mixed with barely perceptible bitterness. – What is it this time?

— Yes, as always… At work overload after the fall break, things to do, as usual, the wife with her complaints … Come on, I don’t want to… I don’t want to whine.

— Well… – George missed a strong word, – Come on. I’ve known you for years. You can talk about whatever’s on your mind. Besides, we don’t see each other that often lately. Although I can see… I can’t talk now, Alice is almost asleep there.

Both turned to the table. And really, the girl was sitting with her arms around her backpack, smacking her lips, blinking her eyes sleepily.

— Yes, – Robert stretched out, – it’s time, the beginning of ten on the clock.

— Well, good luck to you guys, – said George, but suddenly he stopped himself and took out a blue card. – Here, take it.

— Hmm?

— It’s rare to meet people like that in our town. And I was lucky enough to get a couple of seats for a group session. They’ll be going on until the end of the month, – my friend twinkled and smiled again. Quite encouraging this time.

Robert held up a business card. Hard blue paper, various contacts, and large letters were written: “JESSICA HIGHLANDER – psychotherapist, motivational psychologist”.

There was an impatient exclamation:

— Have you ever heard about Jessica Highlander? A fat cat. In our city for only a month. She was born here, studied here, and now, as they say, we were lucky to see her.

George lifted his eyes up dreamily, and then looked intently into Robert’s eyes.

— Well… I don’t think I’m one of those.

— Which one? Don’t make it up, and don’t even dare disagree, – George smiled. – It’s all prejudice. Therapy, and innovative ones at that, are needed not by those who have mental problems, but by those who want to change their lives, to look at problems from a different angle.

— Already you talked as a psychologist, – Robert also smiled, but didn’t return the business card, and clutched it tighter in his hand and together with the credit card and the check slipped it into his wallet. – Well, maybe I’ll have a look at her.

He patted George on the shoulder and got up from his chair.

— Well, good luck on your work shift, and say hello to Sam. I’ll call you later.

— And don’t disappear, because I know you’ll get caught up in all these meetings, gatherings, appointments. It was like a business center, not a school…

Soon Robert and Alice were back in the warm interior of the car. Alice was silent and, to all appearances, very sleepy. They were driving home. It was fifteen to ten on the clock. Robert turned off the engine and stopped the car near the entrance of a five-story apartment building. The cozy courtyard, once green, now looked as gray and unsightly as everything else in this, though located in the resort foothills, but still a small and backwater town.

Apsheronsk… He didn’t choose this town by chance immediately after graduating from university in Moscow. Once upon a time long ago, as a schoolboy, he visited this town, rested in a comfortable sanatorium with mineral springs in the summer. The memories have remained very warm. And so, as soon as they began to actively promote programs for the development of education in small settlements, it was Apsheronsk that came to his mind as one of the enthusiasts. Then everything somehow worked out by itself. Looked through the vacancies, they were, of course. I signed all the documents, in spite of my mother’s protests, packed his bags and left to meet his professional dream. Everything started out so well. And he met Mary eight years ago. Now a family, a daughter, a cozy two-room apartment…

But my thoughts were not cheerful, but increasingly sad, and even angry. Because from the work Robert ceased to expect what he once strived for. The bureaucratic machine of education, luring him with the ideal of saving children under the slogan “Who else but me?”, in many ways had disappointed him and gradually began to break and change his mindset. Now he didn’t understand as clearly as before why he was here and what he was wasting his precious time for. Eight years had been devoted to education, but it was useless. The annoying thoughts he had had over the years remained thoughts without any action to change his life for the better. Robert, however, still had a path he had once elected, which was no longer a source of enthusiasm. And now the road was leading him to home, to his wife, and to a logical scandal. “I wish my mother-in-law wasn’t here,” – he thought.

More and more clearly the algorithm of excuses formed in his mind. First of all, he was late at work, and secondly, he was late picking Alice up from her vocal lesson. However, such excuses would irritate even more, not so much his wife, but her mother, a cranky and unfair old woman, who was always looking for an excuse to blame Robert. Third, instead of going home, they stopped at a cafe and ate pizza when dinner was probably waiting for them at home. Robert was already aware that unpleasant conversations could not be avoided. What else could he expect from his family?

In front of the door, Alice grimaced and wiped her sniffles with her sleeve. It wasn’t winter outside, but it was windy, and they must have been blown out of the car by a draught. “Here we go again, the fourth joint, as long as the girl doesn’t get sick,” Robert thought, catching himself thinking that he was more concerned about how his family would react than about his daughter’s health.

Meanwhile, the door slowly opened. Conversations could be heard in the apartment. The word “came”, spoken in a husky voice from the kitchen, let Robert know that another woman traditionally lived in his house – his wife’s mother, the agile and offensive Elizabeth. She often criticizes him, interferes in their family affairs and treats Robert unfairly. And everything is understandable. His mother-in-law is the kind of woman who had tasted all of his economic characteristics and moral values back in the Soviet Union, carefully transferring them into the family life. For example, now Robert was sure that Elizabeth again rubbed her daughter the wrong way, teaching her to save money and cook more homemade food, to feed her husband and child. Alice became the main object of the so-called “pedagogical” disputes between his wife and mother-in-law. This was invariably annoying.

And Elizabeth’s favorite subject was Robert. Conversations in the way like “…what a strange husband you have, my daughter… Where did you even find him?” had become a tradition.

“No one meets him. A bad sign,” thought Robert, hanging up his coat.

The house slippers, like speedboats, carried him along the standard route – to the kitchen. There were two women sitting around the table. One was a young woman, though she didn’t look too young, but a beautiful and pleasant woman – his wife Mary. And directly opposite her, looking directly at Robert, sat an older woman – her mother, his” beloved” mother-in-law, Elizabeth. The gazes piercing, the displeased faces. In their faces I could read condemnation, rather than the usual indifference. It was clear from their faces that they were both extremely disappointed in the situation.

— Good evening. We are here! – confidently said Robert.

— We can see, – muttered the mother-in-law haughtily. – Why are you so late? It is already dark outside, my granddaughter has to eat, to do homework, and to rest after school. You are a teacher, and you should know that.

His wife was quite, as usual. You could assume that she was afraid of her mother. But having lived with her, Robert could clearly see that she was only using her to keep herself from saying what she was thinking. And now they were probably thinking the same thing.

— I have a lot of things to do at work, today was the faculty meeting. I picked Alice up, and we went to a pizza place. I wanted to relax with my daughter, – Robert made excuses.

He knew that this passage would add additional fuel to the fire. Going to cafes and other leisure activities had an effect on the mother-in-law, like a red flag to a bull. That’s why he said it, to drive her out of her mind. Robert didn’t care anymore. However, his behavior was contradictory. He was not ready for a scandal, he didn’t want it, but the anticipation of a future quarrel, which was inevitable, gave him strength, and, despite his fatigue, he was ready to attack first.

— He fed the child outside again, – my mother-in-law said in her usual indignant voice.

That phrase was already standard in this situation. “He fed the child outside…". Even if he took the whole family to a restaurant and served a fancy dish, she would still consider it the street.

— I made you borsch, there is goulash, mashed potatoes, meatballs. Here’s the salad I chopped, and you have interrupted the child’s appetite. We have been telling you all along that she should eat at home, not outside. Why are you doing this?

A scandal was inevitable. Sometimes words and the energy they carry overflow the cup of patience, and even the kindest and relatively calm person who does not like to quarrel and always tries to compromise, can explode and respond. Robert felt that now or never, he had to show these women who was the boss here. And it was too late to compromise, or he just didn’t want to, or he didn’t know any other more effective way.

— I’m doing what I think is right, – I said, my throat feeling treacherously dry. There was a pause.

— Do you think we don’t know anything? – my mother-in-law shrieked unnaturally loudly.

— Robert, again you … You’re doing it again, – said the wife as she rolled her eyes and leaned her right hand on the tabletop.

“Playing the show again…", Robert’s mind raced. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his daughter close the door to her room tighter. Here we go.

In the same breath his wife blurted out, still covering her eyes and trembling finely:

— You’re always away at work, you don’t answer my messages or phone calls, you don’t listen to our advice, it’s like you’re in your own world. And here we are asking you twice a week to pick up Alice from the studio, and you can’t even do that… there are those words again… You’re being arbitrary again, unforgivable, – she suddenly broke into a high-pitched falsetto, but she has not yet burst into tears, which was to be expected.

This hail of completely undeserved accusations made Robert shudder: “I must, I must, I must… Once again, I… I… I…”

The mother-in-law didn’t interfere so far, looking now and then at him and at her daughter with a troubled look and a disgruntled frown. Meanwhile, Mary, continuing to get more and more wound up, said:

— I have a lot of work every day, and you can’t rely on anything at all. I have no strength anymore,” tears came to her eyes.

Mary looked at her mother demandingly. The mother-in-law all tensed up and prepared for a decisive “throw”.

— Mother… why don’t you say something! – cried at last.

“A forbidden trick,” – thought Robert sadly, but there was nothing he could do about it. Almost always all scandals ended this way, especially with the participation of the “esteemed” Elizabeth. His wife would wail and accuse him without letting him speak, then she would turn to her mother and begin to cry, and then…

— What a poor man he is now, – immediately and harshly, as if at the command, gave out his mother-in-law. – Thee isn’t any support in the family, but only a burden. And Mary cries again, Alice’s lessons aren’t studied again, and it’s very late, and soon it will be bedtime. But what, I … I will not interfere, but you, Robert, think about what you do!

She shook her hands in frustration and, pretending not to interfere, backed away, but very slowly, toward the exit of the kitchen. Nevertheless, Robert knew that she was anxious to continue, and if either of them said one more word, the scandal would surely drag on. But on this occasion, apart from a sense of guilt, there was no harm done to him. Robert, whether from fatigue or frustration didn’t want to say anything, and Mary, suddenly sobbing convulsively, slipped out of the kitchen, even slightly pushing her mother. What happened stopped the “fury” and really made her go home at last. But she didn’t fail to zip up her coat and sting one last time:

— All families are like families, living palsy-walsy… Ah, and yours… I didn’t expect that yours – who goes to the woods, who gets the wood, everyone is on his own.

Robert was frozen in perplexity, not knowing what to answer. Anger was boiling in him and he could not find anything better to say:

— You’d better go to rest, Mom.

And, of course, that phrase was a mistake. Elizabeth, theatrically sighed: “Ah!” And, slamming the door loudly, left. She would not speak to him now for a few days, but would come, of course.

It was quiet in the apartment. He stood in the middle of the corridor, listening to the silence. It was as if time had stopped. A few minutes passed like that before Robert regained his composure and the realization that he needed to end this day somehow and finally cut off the tangle of problems.

He slowly walked to the bathroom, undressed, and stood on the cold plates of the bath, pulled the curtain, and turned on the water. It was cold, and now and then Robert shuddered, but he had no desire to change the temperature, he didn’t want to relax. On the contrary, the cold shower brought him back to reality. And as he dressed again, stepped out of the bathroom, and proceeded to his usual spot, the chair on the balcony overlooking the kitchen, everything that had happened during the day flashed through his mind. An exhausting meeting, dinner with his daughter, a conversation with a friend, an altercation with his wife and mother-in-law, hurtful words spoken during an argument, his usual fatigue, anger, and impotence.

It’s the first quarter past twelve on the clock. The time flew by so quickly, and tomorrow is a new day. And again everything is the same, the familiar script, everything is tasteless and boring, incomprehensible and, characteristically, unsolvable. Outwardly, everything seems fine: there is an apartment with an almost paid mortgage, a wife, a healthy and intelligent daughter, and in general terms, a stable job. But there were gaps in this puzzle: the lack of progress in his career, annoying and stupid management, endless quarrels at home, lack of time for the child, his wife’s problems at work and constant fatigue. Suddenly Robert caught himself thinking that for about ten minutes he had been mindlessly reviewing the list of contacts in his phone. Yes… It was obvious that he wanted to speak out, to tell about all his worries and dedicate someone to his thoughts, maybe together in a conversation to find a way out. But who would he talk to? George – he is, of course, very perceptive, but still a man isn’t family and is unlikely to understand his problems. Mrs. Laura is one of the head teachers at school, the only one of his colleagues with whom he had a warm, trusting relationship, always advised him the same thing: divorce, take your daughter and go to Moscow. But he knew that was not the answer. Mom… No, calling his mother in the middle of the night and talking to her about what was on his mind was out of the question. Margaret, who from the very beginning had been against his going to the countryside and had only visited her twice in all the years he had lived here (the rest of the time he visited her in the capital himself), naturally would have reacted emotionally. And so Robert didn’t want to disturb her.

He fumbled for the lock button, turned off the phone screen, and thought again, “It really was a good idea to talk. Suddenly it hit him”. Turning on the phone screen again, he typed in the search box the name that he remembered well after the conversation in the cafe: " Jessica Highlander. Yes, she was a well-known psychotherapist, motivational psychologist, practicing Gestalt techniques, five years of experience, author of scientific articles and the acclaimed book “Through Life with a Smile” with a circulation of more than a million copies. The book was presented a year earlier, and the book was sold out.

Rising from his chair, Robert, without turning on the light, proceeded to the hallway, fumbled for his briefcase, took out his wallet and business card with an invitation, and then hastily put it behind the phone cover, so as not to lose it. And smiled to himself. He reminded himself of a schoolboy, who is hiding some secret from everyone in the dark. He felt better. Robert looked into his daughter’s room, she was already asleep. Mary, despite the rift that had occurred, still took care of her daughter, as usual. Kissing Alice on the forehead goodnight, Robert thought of his wife: “She’s a good girl, after all, I’m just confused and don’t know what to do, don’t know how to fix the situation.”

It was quiet and dark in the matrimonial bedroom. Mary was already asleep, and that pleased him. Maybe he had done wrong by not talking to her, but now he didn’t want to see her tears and hear her reproaches again. Robert lay quietly beside her and fell into a deep sleep almost instantly.

Chapter 2 – Conflicts to conflict

A week had passed since that altercation. Robert reconciled with his wife, but his relationship with his mother-in-law still left a lot to be desired, and there was still a residue from the words spoken that night. It seemed to everyone that the evening was somehow strange, incomprehensible to anyone and a turning point. Something was gradually dying away, like fog with the first rays of the sun. His love, tenderness, affection for Alice, for Mary, his wife, the mother of his child, was gradually receding into the background. The daily grind at work, the routine of his relationships became a burden that hung like a weight, preventing, as it seemed to Robert, to lift his spirits. From time to time it occurred to me that perhaps the family was the factor that not only killed Robert’s desire to change something in his life, but also fueled his despondency.

Of course, he kept these thoughts to himself, tried not to succumb to them, didn’t want to believe that any of it could be true. But the thoughts, like tectonic magma, were breaking through and would one day have to come out with a deafening force and roar. But right now it was easier for him to get away from thinking and immerse himself in the endless routine of work and family affairs.

“Beloved” mother-in-law, an uncompromising old woman, both after the scandalous evening and on this Thursday morning as if nothing had happened, came to help her daughter around the house. When she saw that the borscht had been left on the stove uneaten by anyone, she burst into a storm of emotions, expressed her displeasure to her daughter by telephone, and, since dinner was ready for the evening, she began to sweep and scrub the floors in her daughter’s apartment. Elizabeth perceived cooking and cleaning her son-in-law’s and daughter’s apartment as her immediate duty, not realizing that by doing so she was interfering with normal family life, not only for her daughter, but also for her young husband.

Everything was as usual. The scandal was just background noise that had no effect on what was going on. The mother-in-law would come to their apartment, cook dinner, help with the cleaning, give instructions about her granddaughter’s upbringing, and babysit her. And then she would take Alice to vocals or art school and then go back to sit in the kitchen until her favorite son-in-law arrived. It may even have seemed that there was a second wife in the house – a kind of caring altruist. But no. Every night in the kitchen sat not a kind angel, but an old, nervous madam, which more and more irritated Robert. But he could not cope with her negative influence.

All week Robert came home from work, listened to the conversations of his mother-in-law and could not be alone with his wife. After leaving Elizabeth, there were only a few minutes to have a few phrases with his wife about the upcoming plans, take a shower and sink into a sound sleep. Robert even began to think that it could not be otherwise. The routine of family life had brought the man to automatic behavior. Sometimes his emotions ran high, and sometimes his wife even thought he was hugging her, but he was hugging her, rather unconsciously, in his sleep. She, too, was no longer expecting anything, and seemed to be guided by a sense of duty – after all, they had a child and responsibilities. The relationship had become a kind of quintessential mutual obligation.

Yes, and the job is just as strange, but even more ridiculous routine, which was even more annoying than the old mother-in-law. The head teacher of the school was a “shitwork”. Robert was constantly making the other teachers do the work that, in his own opinion, was not really good for a teacher. Every day filled a lot of papers: reports, curricula, documents for preparation for contests, examinations, attestations. Paperwork, work with scholarly tables, schedules, checking and rechecking teachers’ reports, calls, letters, administrative duties, trips to meetings, and all that stuff had long ceased to be activities that brought satisfaction. It became obvious that this kind of work was disappointing to the young principal, and was gradually killing off the fervor of his idealism. Where had his desire to change the school system, to put it on a normal human footing, gone?

What struck Robert the most was his colleagues’ indifference to his innovations. Recently they had been asked to convert most of the teachers’ documentation into electronic form. But to do that they had to literally force all teachers to work in the electronic system. Young teachers had no problem accepting the innovation. But older colleagues reacted skeptically. Oil in the fire poured and the principal, who not only didn’t want to help Robert, but sometimes even interfered, played a double game, thus undermining the authority of the head teacher in the school community.

Recently an unfortunate incident happened at work, which not only caused a storm of indignation in Robert, but in general, as it seemed at the time, exposed the hopelessness of the system of education in the school.

Everything happened, as always, unexpectedly. Robert’s daughter Alice, a creative person, began to take her studies more than responsibly in first grade. On the one hand, it was influenced by the fact that her father worked as head teacher at school, but on the other hand, the girl understood with all seriousness the importance of learning, which she liked it. One thing only hindered her from school: the girl had certain problems with the teacher about her appearance. Alice always dressed like a creative person. Even at the age of six, she learned how to make herself fashionable hairstyles, was interested in extravagant skirts, colorful T-shirts, etc. Not to say that the girl’s appearance was excessively flamboyant, but caused some attention not only from teachers, but also from classmates. But Alice liked to be special, and most importantly, her father supported her desire to be a person, to show her individuality, to develop a sense of love for her desires, hobbies, and values.

One day after a meeting at the principal’s office, when Robert was left to deal with other tasks with the supervisor, Alice’s teacher walked into the office and arrogantly said:

— Oh, how good of you to be here! I would like to talk about your daughter’s appearance. This is unacceptable!

— What is unacceptable? – Robert clarified calmly.

— The way she dresses. You as head teacher understand us perfectly well, – she stressed the word “us” defiantly. “What did she mean? Us, the teachers, or me and the principal?” – flashed through Robert’s mind.

— I see nothing wrong here, my daughter’s appearance does not interfere with her studies, on the contrary, it reflects her creative personality. She is the most responsible student in the class, and you have never made any remarks about her.

— What do you mean – it wasn’t? I had comments about her appearance all the time. Back in kindergarten I brought her hair and clothes to your attention. Children in the class and their parents wondered if others could dress the same way. And if they follow her example? – the teacher continued indignantly, glancing at the principal, who at that moment had definitely chosen the side of the indignant teacher, but was waiting for the right moment to make her final word.

— They won’t dress like my daughter, the parents don’t have the will, and the children don’t have the intelligence or imagination. Now they just have to accept my girl for who she is. I’m not going to forbid her to dress the way she wants, – answered Robert confidently, turning away from the principal toward the teacher standing by the door.

— Mr. Robert, I don’t like the way your daughter dresses either. This is an educational institution, not a brothel. We have white tops and black bottoms. Your daughter should understand that and dress according to the school charter, – said the principal, leaning on the table with her elbows. Her decisive word was more than offensive and unfair and inexorably led to an increase in the degree of scandal. Robert had to defend his principles and the honor of his daughter.

— In the brothel, too, they can dress in school uniforms. The only difference: it isn’t children who work there. My daughter has been dressing like this since kindergarten, she has a taste for all things creative, she plays skits, sings beautifully, draws constantly and is engaged in modeling new dresses. I find it useful and I’m not going to change anything! – was the adamant response.

The disagreement with the principal’s opinion caused misunderstanding on the part of both the principal and the elementary school teacher. However, Robert had a strange desire to rebel against his superiors, as well as the educational system as a whole.

The scandal escalated. The trio argued for a long time about how to dress Alice. The principal immediately recalled not only all the miscalculations of the young head teacher, but also the unfulfilled work tasks. It seemed that the abyss opened up and out of it poured out all the bile, pain, and frustration. Robert was on edge, defending himself, protecting his daughter, responding to the director’s aggression with no less stinging aggression. In the end, when he came out, the feeling of disappointment in his work and a desire to quickly get out of the school didn’t leave him. But there was no way out, the second shift had begun, and he had three more classes in high school. The conflict had to be swallowed and he had to go to class.

A new conflict with the principal didn’t take long. Literally the next day at the same time the vice principal came into his office with the information that he had to talk urgently with a 10th grader who was a candidate for expulsion from school because of her appearance. Unlike his daughter, who dressed decently, though creatively torn skirts, complete with embroidered T-shirts, the tenth-grader had an indecent appearance.

Diana (that was her name) stood in the principal’s office in a cathouse outfit: black fishnet tights, a leather short skirt, and a tattered gray T-shirt. The candidate for expulsion was frightened to look around. She knew that Mr. Robert, though not a supporter of such clothes, but he didn’t consider it a disaster.

The conversation began with the director:

— See, that’s what the creative nature can lead to. We warned Diana, as you know, many times, we called her mother, and you remember, even you participated in our conversation last week. But to no avail, we will have to take measures. This kind of appearance is unacceptable in our school. What do you have to say about it, Robert?

Robert understood everything. It was a stone in his own backyard as well. The principal had created conditions under which he had to agree with her. And then the girl would be expelled. But by agreeing with the principal, he would lose, and the whole exchange yesterday would become meaningless. Robert preferred not to play this game:

— Mrs. Marble, – he began to answer the director, – I can understand why you invited me here. I think: it is unprofessional, using the precedent with Diana, to hint at my situation, thereby humiliating me. My opinion about my daughter remains the same. As for Diana, I will say the following: I would not want her to be expelled from school because of her appearance, especially since she has leveled off in her studies and is making significant progress in history and social studies.

Mr. Robert’s words produced a mixed reaction. The principal was extremely unhappy with her vice-principal, including the way he harshly answered her and thereby raised his credibility in the eyes of the student. Mrs. Marble had long wanted to expel Diana from the school, and now she needed Robert’s consent, which she didn’t get. As for Diana, she sat silent, looking at the floor, and it was obvious that she was very bad and ashamed right now. Ashamed, in part, because she respected her teacher very much and didn’t want to cause him any trouble. But it was his words about her success in her studies that really stuck with her. She had already made up her mind: if she was not expelled, she would dress differently and study hard.

But Diana was expelled. The girl is now in the gymnasium, where she is supposed to spend her free time with her classmates, who are going to take her to the kindergarten for the rest of her life. Robert found out about it the next day during the lesson, when the children told him everything. Rage, anger – these were the feelings that were eating away at the good soul of Robert. He no longer thought about the lesson, about education, about upbringing. He wanted to rebel, he wanted to be angry, he wanted to show the principal, the teachers, the whole educational system his indignation. To work not for the good, but in spite of it – that’s what this whole situation was pushing toward.

Consumed with these feelings Robert was sitting in his office, thinking about the absurdity and stupidity of what had happened, when the phone beeped, announcing the arrival of a text message. Robert read the text message and smiled. The message was from Diana: “Thanks for believing in me. I’ll get better at another school.” “There’s still hope,” – Robert noted to himself. And he felt a little better.

Robert’s defeat in this story was defining. He was angry at everything: at the principal, at the education system, at the teachers. But the most disgusting feeling he felt for himself. The disappointment, the senseless waste of time at work, the nervous atmosphere at home – all of this combined to upset him even more. He still had a few days of work left before the end of the week, but he felt no desire to do anything at all. He had no energy for anything. Everything seemed pointless and empty.

Tonight Robert wanted to spend time in a bar, and for some reason he remembered the times when he used to drink with friends, or rather with one friend. And it was him that Robert decided to call.

The conversation was short and brief:

— Hi, George. How are you?

— Hi, fine, and how are you? – The voice of an old friend inspired and cheered up a despondent Robert.

— You know, I don’t want to burden you. I’d just like to meet you the other day.

— Great, I’m all for it! Listen, let’s do it tonight, if you don’t have work.

— Yeah, tonight’s really good. Then let’s do it at our place.

— All right, it’s a deal, buddy.

Robert’s friend George was happy to meet them and was clearly in a positive mood. Apparently, something had really changed in his life. Robert and him often “hung out” in different bars, and most often in three. But this time the choice fell on a small and quiet place in the center of the city.

The bar where Robert and his friend spent their evenings was what they called “the colorful place. Robert was a teacher at the time, and George worked part-time somewhere from time to time. The bar was called “Solo Rock”. It occupied the ground floor of a big house on the main street and had a really racy and brutal design. Its dark walls reeked of a pleasant smoky smell. There was a stage in the bar, on which from time to time some youth groups played. The owner was a fan of rock, so there was never any quiet music in the place. And this was not necessary for men who came here to have a “cultural rest”, to listen or tell stories, pour out the soul of an unfamiliar drinking companion … And in general Robert, as a capital intellectual, liked the fact that visitors didn’t get drunk here. And the aura of this bar with a male character was full of empathy and solidarity.

The music of the 90s was playing tonight. As usual, Robert was the first to arrive at the bar. He bought two bottles of beer, asked about the local alcoholic ration, and waited for his buddy. “Hmm, nothing changes, how nice that many things remain, and that’s a good thing,” – he noted to himself. The bar was indeed the same, and had hardly changed in the three years since he and George had last met, except for the revamped stage, where teenagers, apparently a local amateur band, were already bustling about. So, it will be interesting. Robert’s mood brightened up noticeably.

Here comes George, he, as usual, made his friend wait a little longer. “And that doesn’t change,” – Robert noted with a smile as he watched his buddy swiftly descend the stairs straight to him.

— Hey, buddy, good to see you. Our place, as I see it, has not changed, – George looked around, and an enthusiastic smile appeared on his big red face. – So, tell me what happened. I could smell the negativity coming from you last week. Tell me, Robert. Beer is just the beginning, as I remember.

— Yeah, you’re right, George. I’ve been having a hard time lately, no, it’s so fucked up that I can’t digest it all in peace anymore.

— Tell us, buddy,” George said loudly, and then he swallowed his foamy drink and looked directly at Robert, as he always liked to do.

Sometimes it’s hard for a man to complain about life, and this stereotype does not allow to get rid of problems. On the contrary, pain and aggression only accumulate and lead to despondency. Robert was just in that state, when a black streak in life seemed to threaten to turn into a prolonged depression.

That’s why he told his friend everything. About the disgusting psychological state, which was connected with work, or rather disappointment in it, about the aggression toward the principal and teachers. He told about his daughter and about that girl from the tenth grade. About his wife, whose relationship with her was on the verge of total discord and, possibly, divorce. About the talented daughter who was forced to hear the scandals at home, see the sad father and the angry mother. He told, of course, about his mother-in-law, who he felt was causing a lot of trouble in his family. He would have gladly forbidden her to visit them and, in order to see her less often, was already ready to move to another part of town, closer to his wife’s work. Only this would have led to the apparent collapse of the relationship, because his mother-in-law had a very strong influence on his wife and daughter. The planned conversation with his friend turned into a solid monologue, in which Robert poured out and poured out his soul, while George, finishing his third bottle of beer, listened to him attentively with an unflappable expression, which inspired confidence and joy that understanding and male solidarity in everything would be provided for Robert.

— Yeah. That’s a dead end, no, I’d even say it’s a trap, and you’re in it, my friend. But I’ll tell you this: there’s a way out of everything. And you can look at all the stories that have happened to you now from two angles. This is a crisis, and there is a way out of it. I was listening to you just now, and I realized one thing: you have to get out of this pit by changing your thinking. Look at me. You remember what I was like before.

And it’s true that George has changed a lot. He’s become a businessman, he wears a suit. And this is only two years after they stopped communicating for some unknown reason. Now George has an active life position, he is engaged in his favorite occupation, he has a positive attitude and is very friendly with those with whom he didn’t communicate for two years. But it could have been different. Robert finally swallowed the already warm beer and looked at his friend. Yes, George, the convinced drunkard and weirdo, had changed noticeably. Now Robert wanted to hear his story.

But George wasn’t much of a talker; he got right down to business:

— Remember, I told you back at the pizzeria about the psychologist. Well, she helped me a lot, or rather her methods. Training and communication with her changed me. In a short time I pumped up and now with pleasure go to counseling. Maybe you should try it, eh? It can’t hurt. She’s a cool chick, believe me.

Robert agreed that it did make sense to go to training sessions, or at least to try. In any case, it would not be worse, and George had shown by his own example that a non-serious drunkard could well turn into a businessman and a positive person. It is definitely necessary to dial the number from the business card and make an appointment. Especially since she will be in town for another month.

They drank another mug of beer and parted ways in the evening. Everyone went about his business. George, apparently, went to visit that interesting lady, with whom, judging by the conversations, he had met quite recently. And Robert went to his wife. He remembered her unhappy face, the dull kitchen with all the things going on that he absolutely didn’t want to go back to. “I’ll call the psychologist’s office today and make an appointment,” – he decided.

At the same time, everything around him was so in tune with positive thoughts. It was dark outside, but so unusual, as in principle does not happen in the first days of December, – without precipitation and clear. Normally disinclined to romance, Robert drove leisurely, and from time to time he looked up at the starry sky. “Yes, placers of stars can only be seen so well in a small town, which you can’t see in a stuffy metropolis,” it thought. And he remembered his high school and college days, when Robert walked irrepressibly toward his dream, participated in dozens of projects, tuning in to the frenetic pace of the big city. How active he was then and didn’t know what depression was, which could have been about to consume him, and maybe already had.

With these thoughts, with thoughts of a possible visit to his mother in Moscow alone or with his family during the winter vacations, he parked the car, fumbled for the intercom keychain, and headed confidently toward his apartment. Yes, definitely more confident than usual. But confidence was quickly replaced by confusion, as from behind a tightly closed door he heard the commanding sound of his mother-in-law’s voice. She was doing what she called “pedagogical work” with her favorite granddaughter:

— It isn’t good to watch cartoons for a long time! And don’t mind!

Alice’s voice could not be heard, but that was not what angered Robert so much. He was literally dumbfounded by the next words:

— She must have learned from Daddy to argue with everyone! He may soon be fired because of his constant arguments! You, too.

When the coat was hung up and the briefcase was put in its usual place, Robert was already boiling with anger and indignation. Of course, he realized that his attacks on his mother-in-law were akin to pinpricks, but still he saw no other way to fix the situation, or simply didn’t know about it.

— How can you say that! – he blurted out as he swiftly entered his daughter’s room, where the action was unfolding.

And, most surprising of all, Elizabeth was only for a moment embarrassed, realizing that she had been caught unawares.

— What? – she began, gathering all her confidence and arching her back a little. – Your daughter is restless and wants to have fun all the time when her mother isn’t home. No, of course, I understand Maryenka, she works hard, and she has a night shift tonight. But the remark I have to make, who else …

“A favorite trick,” – thought Robert bitterly. His mother-in-law very skillfully avoided answering, moving on to discuss the shortcomings of other people. And, as always, didn’t pay attention to his objections.

— And so tonight, since I’m staying overnight, I’ll make sure that the lessons are learned.

Alice looked pleadingly at her father. And he also looked directly into her eyes. Father and daughter knew perfectly well that who but Alice deserved a vacation, especially on a Friday. Maybe the beer, maybe George’s words, maybe the special atmosphere of the evening, maybe the resentment that had been repressed for many months against the malicious interference of Elizabeth in the upbringing of her first-grade daughter made itself felt, and he answered rather rudely:

— That isn’t for you to decide.

“One missed opportunity is enough,” – he thought of the expelled student. And Alice, hearing the sudden words of support, even squirmed, pulling up her legs in pink tights on the couch and wrapping her arms around them. Robert continued:

— She won’t be doing any homework today. And you’d better go home and get some rest, it’s been a hard day for everyone.

— How? – That’s all the mother-in-law could say. – As if you, Robert, were able to take care of her, as if you could cook… – But she could not finish as he raised his voice at her for the first time in her life.

— Yes, I can, very much so! Stop treating me like a boy!

And suddenly Robert took the remote control from the TV and made the sound in the cartoon about the Three Heroes even louder, so that the roar of the battle with the Dragon Gorynych began to fill the room.

Elizabeth’s chin trembled, she shrank somehow, squinted. Robert barely knew what came over him, but in his heart was aware that the battle he had won would certainly be lost, because there are two women in the family and one actively supports the other in everything.

— Stop talking like that! I have done so much for your family! If it weren’t for me, you would have split up long ago, and Alice wouldn’t be so talented and clever!

— No, – in Robert’s voice became steely notes, – it’s not your merit. It’s late, it’s time for you to go.

The TV rattled across the room, and everyone in it was silent. The mother-in-law didn’t recover from such aggressive and unaccustomed treatment so quickly. It took her three minutes to digest what had been said, to realize that she had just been kicked out of the apartment. Afterwards, taking her favorite shawl from the couch, leaving the room, she said one last word, as always:

— Black is your ingratitude, Robert! You have no conscience.

He was silent. There were no more words. Gathering up her things and dressing hurriedly, Elizabeth disappeared behind the door. She was gone. But it didn’t become calmer. It didn’t become calmer even when he returned to the room, drank tea with his daughter, looked at the new outfits she had made for the dolls, and then, after bathing her, put her to bed. Everything seemed to be going well. A perfect evening. And he acted like it was the right thing to do. Or did he? Many questions swirled in Robert’s mind, even then swirled, when, going to bed, he dialed a number from his business card and wrote it in the phone book.

Already in Saturday morning, just a couple of beeps later, a cheerful and pleasant female voice answered:

— Jessica Highlander’s office, listening. Are you on a trial training?

— Yes, that’s right, for training.

— The appointment will take place tomorrow at 11:00. We will be glad to see you. Please state your name and patronymic.

— Mr. Robert.

A few seconds later it was registered, the recording was complete. With a feeling of slight uncertainty Robert returned to the room to his daughter, who, hugging a stuffed rabbit named Venya, was watching a cartoon with interest. He sat down next to her, sat like that for a while, but after a while he went to the kitchen. He wanted to do something to occupy himself, to kill time. He boiled the kettle, cut a loaf into small slices and smeared them with melted cheese. His daughter loved such a simple and tasty treat. He varied the treat with a couple of sugar cookies left over from the day before, and, as soon as the tea was brewed, he took them all into the room. Satisfied that she could rest, her daughter happily took up the food and ate everything he offered her with unprecedented vigor.

— Daddy, may I sleep in your room with Mummy tonight? Please, – Alice asked, smiling and bouncing slightly on the couch. – Your blanket is so soft, and Venya really likes it, too.

Asking for something, the girl always slightly squinted her eyes, which made her incredibly similar to her mother. The striking resemblance to Mary always somewhat amused Robert, as my daughter became at such moments isn’t in a childish seriousness. Almost nothing so he could not refuse her, and Alice so rarely asked for something with such enthusiasm.

— Let’s go, of course. And we could even read before going to bed.

The rest of the evening was wonderful. As cozy as it’s rarely been. No quarrels or scandals, no unsolvable problems, no difficult thoughts. They drank tea, then read “The Wizard of Oz” at bedtime. Surprisingly, Robert fell asleep easily and easily. Tomorrow was going to be a hard but interesting day. Deep in his heart he hoped that everything that was happening would be resolved very soon.

Chapter 3 – A first introduction to the Method

The frosty Sunday morning, sunny and piercingly bright, was invigorating. Shivering from the cold and holding hands, she and her daughter walked briskly toward the district art school. A still-life drawing class was to begin by 10:00, during which he could attend a session and then return for Alice and drive home. The plan was very simple and clear. And, in general, since yesterday evening he was doing very well, which could not help but create a certain positive mood. For example, for the first time in a long time his daughter went to her Sunday class with gusto, which was undoubtedly to his credit.

— I’m going to try very hard today, Daddy. And I’ll show you what I could draw. When are you coming? – Alice quickly chattered, putting rolled-up A3 sheets, crayons, and a still-life model out of her backpack on the table.

— As soon as class is over. Today I have things to do in the center of the city, but I’m not going to be late, don’t worry, – Robert stroked her head and smiled. – If anything, you know you can always call Daddy. And I’ll pick you up if you get off early.

Normally his wife and her mother didn’t approve of the phone in class, but to spite them, Robert let Alice take the new smartphone he’d given her a month ago for her eighth birthday today.

— Okay, Dad, – the girl nodded.

— Come on, good luck, – he smiled again, waved at her, and left the classroom.

According to the navigator, the office, where the group therapy was to take place, was within walking distance. Besides, there was still a whole hour before the start of the consultation. Therefore, Robert briskly walked through the familiar streets of the city. After passing a few uniform two-story apartment buildings, as can be found in every small town, he turned into a square, built, as far as he remembered, before the revolution. Farther down the path were a few benches along a circular plaza, adorned by a sheltered winter bed and the crowns of old ash trees that only grew in mountain latitudes. He loved the shadows cast by the bare, massive branches of these powerful trees. They formed a whimsical pattern on the old gray sidewalk tiles. Robert involuntarily slowed his step as he walked past. But the square was quite small, and as soon as he crossed it, he almost immediately found himself in a busy neighborhood with several stores. That’s where most of the city’s residents regularly shopped on weekends.

The stores were just opening. A guy brought fresh baked goods to the bakery in a van. Discussing something with the salesman, he unloaded tray after tray, bringing them into the store. A florist, for some reason unkindly looking at him, intensively sprayed the flowers exposed on the open showcase. So, grinning slightly, Robert turned his gaze to the glass windows of clothing stores. They were habitually displaying almost all the available costumes, put on mannequins. Such is the naivety of provincial marketing masters. In general Robert should have bought himself a new purse long ago, and on another day, had he been freer, he would certainly have gone into a small store with accessories. His salesman, an old haberdasher, who five years ago had been selling in a flimsy stall at the market, had now set up a pleasant “salon. He was always able to find the right option for Robert, smoothing out the pain of choice with up-to-date gossip.

The city lived its quiet and unremarkable life. He was a part of the city that tended to take part, even if timidly, in everything that was going on. However, in Robert’s opinion, it was quite insignificant. Immersed in his thoughts, he almost bumped into a jeep that had parked sharply in the middle of the sidewalk. A stocky man in a black down jacket fell out of the car and without any explanation attacked Robert shouting:

— Watch where you are going! Don’t you look under your feet at all, – followed by a couple of swear words.

The words fell like snow on my head and made me angry – after all he was not breaking anything, was not disturbing anyone.

— Hey! Watch where you’re going! Standing on the sidewalk! I’m going to call the traffic police and see… – Suddenly for himself Robert blurted out, stopping for a second. The blood rushed to his head instantly.

— The cleverest one has appeared.

The careless driver practically walked right up to him and apparently completely ignored the threat that came his way. The tension was building:

— I’m going to hit you before you get your phone out.

— Watch what you’re saying! There’s a lot of people here. What, you want to go to the station? – He wouldn’t let up, and didn’t move from his seat.

The prospect of a fight right before the consultation with a therapist didn’t particularly inspire him, but he was really angry. His recent frustrations were showing, and he didn’t feel much like holding back. Clenching his fists, he waited for the reaction of the boor, who, nervously twisting the keys in his hand, stared angrily at Robert.

Robert was plucked from oblivion by the ringing of the phone. It triggered a reminder of the consultation that was about to begin. The sound had a sobering effect on both of them, causing the driver to stop and shut up, and Robert to walk further down the sidewalk. He did, however, allow himself to wag his finger at his temple, in response to which his accidental companion shouted something rude in his wake. However, Robert didn’t hear what it was, because he was again immersed in his thoughts, thinking about what he would see and hear in the next hour and a half.

The consulting room was decorated in pleasant light colors. Fortunately, it didn’t have the main irritant that Robert was inwardly afraid of – the semi-darkness and the smell of incense, which caused him only melancholy. On the contrary, every detail of the interior tuned his thoughts to active work. Here is a freakishly curved vase by the window, composed as if of pieces of broken glass, paintings in the art nouveau style … All these nice nuances made up the general composition and remained distinctive separate elements at the same time. The furniture was laconic without fussy details. The guests were seated in soft brown sack chairs, and there was no space at all for a lecturer. A standard glossy white board hung on the wall, and above it a clock of the same white color with black strokes in a circle that conventionally denoted the numbers of the dial.

“Nothing taxing on the mind, nice, – Robert’s mind raced. – Nothing to be distracted by.” He looked at the people. The consulting room was filled with all sorts of clients. This fact surprised and intrigued him at the same time. To Robert’s right sat a young, moody-looking girl with a notebook in her hands. The closest to the board, with his back to him, was a man in his fifties, looking through something on his smartphone. Two middle-aged women, dressed as if for a dinner party, took seats near the exit. They were talking animatedly. Right next to Robert sat a young man about his age, dressed in a simple but cozy brown sweater and black worn jeans. The young man was jotting something down on a clipboard, but at the same time he looked frequently at his guests, and at Robert as well. It was not difficult to guess that it was this young guy, noticeably different from the inhabitants of this provincial town, who was an psychotherapist’s assistant.

So when he once again stared at Robert, the latter, without taking his eyes off him, asked:

— I’m here for the first time, maybe you can tell me what format it’s going to be in?

— Um… – The guy hesitated.

Then, with a slight furrowed brow, answered loudly, no doubt attracting the attention of everyone present:

— Jessica is now writing a new book that will be devoted to testing a new method for dealing with negative emotions and attacks of the ‘outside environment’, as she says. To ensure that the method receives sufficient support among readers, clients and practitioners alike, she has set herself the goal of gathering a group of test subjects, who will then become the protagonists of the book, so to speak… And… I’m on the team.

— This is the first time I’ve heard of this approach.

Robert could not help but admit that what he heard clearly interested him, so he moved his chair closer to the young man and asked:

— In the team?

— Ah, well… – Robert’s interlocutor grinned.

Tapping the tablet lock screen and looking at Robert again, he continued:

— That’s what I call those who Jessica has already selected to her group. By the way, I’m Mark.

— Nice to meet you, Robert.

Introducing himself, Robert said that Mark looked not only a very agile, quick-witted and enthusiastic man, but also incredibly cheerful and energetic, animatedly taking part in everything that was happening and as if charged with something from inside.

— And how is the selection process carried out? – Robert asked a question that naturally arose.

But he didn’t get an answer, because a young woman entered the room, where about 15 people had already gathered, and with a springy gait, looking at everyone present one by one, approached the blackboard. She didn’t seem to lose sight of anyone, and the attentive gaze of her dark eyes also stopped on Robert and Mark. She fit wonderfully into the interior of the room. There was nothing pretentious about her appearance: a dark blue woolen dress with a closed neck, high booted boots without heels, brown hair pulled up into a bun above her head. And absolutely no jewelry, not in his ears, not on his neck, not on his wrists. An absolutely calm and laconic image. Nothing about her could distract the listener from the penetrating gaze, the half-smile that almost never left her face, and the highly entertaining conversation that captivated everyone in the room from the very first seconds.

— I am very grateful to all of you that on this Sunday morning you decided to spend some time talking to me, – the coach began her speech, and Robert immediately understood why there was no chair or chair for the psychologist: she didn’t stand still, but walked tirelessly around the room. – I will introduce myself to those with whom we have not yet met. Jessica Highlander, psychotherapist and motivational coach.

Highlander didn’t make a pause in her speech and, stopping right in front of Robert and Mark, continued, slightly lowering her voice:

— In fact, each of us is a pretty good motivational coach for ourselves, aren’t we? I’m sure that last week, and the week before, was not without its difficulties for all of you. I confess that I did too: a heavy flight, having to prepare a place for a meeting, negotiations with representatives of the local administration.

Jessica smiled, defusing the situation. And Robert noted that for the first time in his practice the confidential tone was used so successfully. No tedious introductions, no boring enumeration of their own achievements. A relaxed and open conversation was immediately initiated. Therefore, the revelations expressed by a complete stranger previously he wanted to respond with a conspiratorial tone: “Yes, and I had a hard time this week, and last week, and in the end, all the previous ones, too! But Robert didn’t have time to say it out loud. The girl seated by the window answered on behalf of all those present, whose despondent look, which had previously touched him, was now truly despondent:

— I can’t get over my sadness at all. Can you help me deal with the loss I have experienced?

The girl’s eyes instantly moistened. Robert was struck by the reaction to what the specialist had said. Immediately Jessica walked over to the speaker and sat down next to her. In a low, trustworthy voice she said:

— You and I are in the present moment, here and now. Your sadness is perfectly normal, and my task is to help you not only learn to accept it, but also to cope with the negative consequences of the experience.

Then, turning to the whole group, Jessica continued:

— All the emotions we experience are perfectly normal, but we are often ashamed, unable to accept them, suppress them and as a result get trapped, constantly reacting to the same stimuli. We walk like a rounded corridor, discovering traces of the same experiences. For example, sadness leads again and again to depressing thoughts…

Jessica rose from her chair, again looking trustingly and warmly into the eyes of the girl, who smiled in response, albeit faintly, but still. The therapist continued her monologue:

— But you don’t live your life to the fullest, constantly coming back to the guilt that owns you, you don’t see ways to cope with what haunts you. And there are ways out, take a look.

Taking a marker, Jessica quickly drew a straight line and two circles on the board from the beginning of the line to the end. And then, after some pause, a curved line, going away from the second circle, and another curved line, opposite, approaching it like a boomerang. The explanation was not long in coming.

— The circles drawn on this board represent events, words, and facts that you encounter every day, – Jessica said. – You react to events in different ways. Take, for example, aggression. You can express your dissatisfaction directly…

In this case, the coach pointed to a straight line. In such a situation, she explained, the aggressor immediately gets a response in the form of no less rude words to his address. And most importantly – the situation causes negative emotions, which affect the person negatively. In some cases, on the contrary, people prefer to walk away from aggression directed at them. Such behavior is indicated by a line going away.

— Here, for example, you are criticized undeservedly, someone rude and harshly responded to you, and you kept silent, – said Jessica, and it was clear to everyone that she knows firsthand what she is talking about. – But the offender and the critic won’t benefit themselves either. They will realize their impunity, they will not be able to develop their perception. And remember…

Then she opened the marker and hastily wrote a few words on the board over the chart. Robert, looking carefully, read: “AGGRESSION THAT HAS NO EXIT, CLOSES IN ITSELF”.

Jessica then briefly described various approaches and concepts of understanding aggression and practical ways to struggle with its displays in psychology and psychotherapy. Having finished her speech, she again turned to the chart, pointing to the line that curved up to the circle from below:

— But you can change the situation, you can offer your attention and support to someone who opposes you. You will ask: “How? After all, I have been undeservedly offended, unjustly accused, I am again being attacked for nothing. I have to respond, I have to get even”. It is complicated, but it is possible to extinguish the conflict with the help of excessive support. It should be active, without negativity, and even with a touch of humor, which naturally follows from the context of the position taken.

Jessica Highlander, a young girl, so cheerful and energetic and seemingly far away from such problems, nevertheless inspired confidence with her wise thoughts. It was impossible not to be involved in the conversation, and Robert himself didn’t notice how he began to talk about cases from his life related to aggression.

— Just now, about an hour ago, I had an argument with a driver who was parked on the sidewalk. And he started it first, I just defended myself, – said Robert, which instantly attracted the attention of all present.

Jessica smiled and looked at him with interest and said:

— A very common case, and no less interesting because of it. Can you tell us more about it…

She paused and raised an eyebrow.

— How can we address you?

— Mr. Robert, – he introduced himself and continued his story. – I was walking along the sidewalk just in time for the session. He ran straight under my feet, almost knocked me down, and, most importantly, immediately attacked me with accusations that I was walking too fast, getting in the way, interfering with the traffic. I, of course, told him back. What’s there to say. And that was it. We almost had a fight.

The psychotherapist gave an answer right away:

— But the situation could have been resolved differently. How? I’ll give you a hint. With your support for the aggressor, of course.

All present impatiently waited to hear the cherished formula for the resolution of the conflict. Jessica wrote three short instructions on the board:

“1. Support isn’t given as a directive;

2. Neither advice or counseling are given in the first place;

3. Contains a statement of fact.”

And then I asked a question:

— How can the situation be resolved according to this method? Try to model it!

— How? – grinned Robert and, of course, wished his offender to fly into a tree. – Advise him to learn the rules of the road?

Jessica shook her head slightly, smiled and replied:

— Here you are generating advice, but you should strive to support unobtrusively but confidently, with humor and straightforwardness.

There was a whisper from the audience:

— Let’s tell him he’s a confident driver.

The speaker was Mark. He must have had time to learn the lessons Jessica taught him, and from the looks he exchanged with Jessica, it was clear that they knew each other.

— It’s a good one, but it could be better,” she urged. – The important thing is that you have to be as benevolent as possible, you have to be sensitive to your attacker, to anyone who’s aggressive toward you. The greatest involvement.

Jessica turned to Robert:

— What did you say to the driver in response to what he said?

Robert shrugged his shoulders:

— Threatened that I would appeal to the traffic police. Yes, I got angry.

He smiled at a loss, realizing that the answer within the method is clearly inappropriate. And Jessica, maintaining eye contact with the whole group, said:

— I’ll give you a hint. A variation on the answer might be as follows. In response to his rudeness, say something like “You drive so actively, with your skill you could well get a job in a cab service and earn a lot of money there” or “Such a quick driver like you would better teach courses of extreme driving, try it”.

So the conversation entered a new phase. The audience was more actively engaged in the conversation. Jessica Green asked again:

— How many of you have experienced aggression in the last few days? Tell us.

One of the women, who previously had seemed very distant, was the first to join in the discussion. She spoke with a slight raise of her right eyebrow, stretching her vowels slightly. “Maybe she holds some official position,” thought Robert, looking at her haughty face, tall hair and a strict three-piece suit, noticeably worn, but still made of expensive fabric. Rolling her eyes meaningfully and sighing, the woman began her story:

— My situation probably cannot be called original, but I would certainly like to find a way out of it. In general, I live in an apartment building, and the problem is related to my neighbors. On weekends I usually have after-hours night shifts, and on weekdays, on the contrary, weekends. So I rest and try to sleep it off. But the howling and barking that my neighbor’s recently puberty dog gives me absolutely no way to do that. And it is useless to argue with her. My neighbor breeds dogs and does not seem to do anything wrong. So don’t go to the building or call the police.

— Will you try to model the answer yourself? – the therapist joined in the conversation, taking a marker and getting ready to make notes on the board.

— Willingly, – answered the woman, still keeping a slightly haughty expression on her face, but with enthusiasm and even some excitement. – Instead of scolding, I could have told my neighbor the following: “I really like that you care about all living things, you care a lot, but you should also take care of the mundane life, and don’t give a damn about the neighbors!”

After these words, the woman smiled and continued with a smile on her face:

— It even came out a bit in rhyme. One might also try to say, “I suppose the dog’s singing pleases you, and the concerts go on for quite a long time, but the repertoire and the times they choose to perform aren’t always to the liking of those listeners who wish to rest.”

Jessica Highlander, nodding her head approvingly, wrote down briefly the answers offered by the listener, at the end of whose speech she asked:

— How can I call you?

— Zara.

— That’s great, Zara. Closing the locus of aggression, you can also resort to a reciprocal gesture of politeness – to treat the dog with a couple of bags of food or give a bone with vitamins to the fluffy artist.

Not hiding her satisfaction from the consultation, slightly squinting, Jessica Highlander continued the conversation:

— Now I will give you an example, and your task will be to give an answer that is fully able to meet the requirements of the method. Look. Here is the situation. You have a long-awaited receipt from the post office, which says that your parcel has arrived. Naturally, in high spirits you rush there and finally entered the buildings and came to the delivery point, you find a long line. Naturally, you wait your turn patiently. But then a woman walks in who walks quickly and very confidently to the operator and tries to ask her questions. Her behavior can’t help but irritate, and the aggression that you and the people standing in front of you in line will inevitably be discharged somewhere else. And so… what will you do?

Jessica looked at the audience questioningly. There was silence for a brief moment. Everyone was pondering the situation. Robert also ran through all the possible options in his head. But the girl to his left was the first to give her answer:

— Maybe I’ll say to her, “Woman, you are so fast and confidently ahead of everyone. Careful, they might find a doping in your blood called “And I just have to ask. And disqualification will follow!”

The therapist approved of her answer, but asked for more options. Now Mark spoke up:

— Woman, you move so confidently. That’s commendable, of course, but your place is here, behind me.

— Fine. The choices you have made are undoubtedly appropriate,” Jessica nodded approvingly. – The conflict will be averted. Any other thoughts, perhaps?

Robert gave a sign that he was ready to answer. The psychotherapist caught his gaze and let him speak:

— No doubt I see your leadership qualities, woman. You are very confident and move very quickly. We wouldn’t mind inviting you into our line!

Jessica just as approvingly nodded back at Robert.

— Definitely suitable. I think you, Mr. Robert, can easily apply this skill in life.

After the therapist’s comment, the conversation continued, and Robert sat and thought about what he had heard. And indeed everything could be resolved differently. You could be nice to the mother-in-law, and you could be nice to your colleagues, and to any other boor you came across. Everything was complicated and simple at the same time. He was determined to talk to the therapist after the session, which he actually did when their group conversation ended.

— А… Robert, – she said with a smile, – it was a pleasure to talk. Thank you for coming to my consultation. I think you found something of my advice useful.

He didn’t hide his interest:

— Unfortunately, I haven’t read your book… but a friend of mine advised me to come… very interesting, I really need it. I would like to sign up for an individual consultation. I would really like to ask you some questions about my life.

The specialist’s penetrating gaze caught the confusion on his face. Jessica frowned and nodded sympathetically:

— Surely, I’ll be in town for a couple of weeks, we can work. Ask my assistant in the waiting room for details…

— Thank you. And your method… it certainly deserves attention, – Robert tried to express as much gratitude to Jessica, because while he was in counseling, he realized that a lot would depend on his attitude to the situation. Moreover, her manner of talking, her literacy and her ability to explain clearly showed that she was a good specialist. That is why I wanted to get more answers to my questions.

The session was over, and he was in a very different mood. Not at all like the mood he was in when he entered the glass-walled building, going up to the second floor for the consultation, which, in his opinion, was nothing serious. It was chilly outside, but even the weather, which so skillfully provoked gloomy thoughts, on the contrary, seemed very pleasant. The conversation with the psychotherapist was clearly beneficial to Robert and even more so. Most likely, that is exactly what he needed. At least when he left the building and opened the car door, being in the car and looking through the windshield, he was smiling. It was a rarity in a long time. Gloomy thoughts, monotonous dialogues without obvious conclusions, bickering with relatives, colleagues and strangers was what was becoming commonplace. But now he was encouraged, he was ready to make things right, and as a man he understood: he had to take control of his life, his family, his work. Jessica’s words still echoed in his head: “We are with you here and now,” “Your reactions should move slower than your actions,” “Support your abuser, don’t show him your irritation and anger. There was a certainty that any black streak is always followed by a bright one, it is only necessary to change the perception of the world, of that reality, of the problems that surrounded him, it seemed, always.

The car had started, and Robert drove to his daughter, who was already waiting for him, just as she always did. On the way, raindrops began to hit the windshield at an increasing rate, hinting that it was going to be wet snow again. The winter, as usual, was going to be overcast. This fact didn’t surprise. Only Mary’s silence surprised him: he had not received any calls or messages from her for twenty-four hours. On the road Robert thought: “After all, everything is possible, you can change your life, improve relations with his wife, to strengthen the workplace. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I will succeed. These words Robert mumbled, like a mantra.

His daughter was really waiting for him outside his office again, she didn’t go anywhere, answered her father’s call quickly, and in a minute she was already in the car. She couldn’t wait to show him today’s drawing, he couldn’t wait to praise her no matter what she showed him. He hugged his daughter tightly, kissing her on her small, slightly wet forehead from the rain.

— What a clever girl you are, my daughter, – Robert said as he looked at her sketch. He was overwhelmed with emotion. He knew that the reason was not even the fruit of her creativity, diligently executed, but the communication with the person who not only listened to him, but helped him. At the very least, Jessica Highlander had inspired him to change, breathed determination into him.

Sunday afternoon ended just as well. It was pouring heavily outside, and Robert and his daughter sat together on the couch, drinking tea and watching movies. Alice watched, of course, and Robert was pleasantly immersed in his positive thoughts. Only one thing overshadowed him. My wife didn’t pick up the phone. In principle, during her duty, which was not due to end until Monday, she didn’t call anyone. Nevertheless, not even a text message came in. She only called her daughter once, in the evening, to ask about her progress in art school. Yes, and not a word about him, and not a word to him.

Robert thought about it, while his daughter was preparing her homework for Monday, in spite of all the reproaches of his grandmother to his parenting style.

Monday is a hard day. Sunday’s idyll with a trip to the guidance counselor, motivation, and a tea party with his daughter was over and the work week and first day of winter began. Arriving at school, she and Alice, as usual, dispersed to the classrooms. The elementary school was on the first floor, not far from the front door, and the head teacher’s office was on the second floor. In spite of the fact that they arrived very early, the school was quickly filled with sleepy, disoriented students wandering back and forth. And the teachers began to fill the teachers’ lounge. Loud conversations and, of course, discussions could be heard from the teacher’s room closer to 8:00.

School life has begun to boil, and with it the work of head teachers and teachers. Mondays are called hard for a reason, and it has less to do with the fact that it’s hard to get away from the weekend. No, it had more to do with the fact that Robert had to be on duty in the administration, to answer the endless calls and send reports, and most disgusting – to listen to lectures for the work not done by his colleagues, accumulated since last week.

By the end of the day Robert was like a squeezed lemon – tired and frustrated. There was little left of the previous motivation. Now he wanted to be home as soon as possible, to cuddle his wife and daughter. After finishing all his business, he hurried to get in his car and go home.

It was suspiciously dark and quiet in the apartment. Usually, when Robert came home, there was always someone here, either his wife, or, when she was on shift, her mother and granddaughter were always on duty in the kitchen with a cup of tea. Such unfamiliar surroundings made him wary. When he turned on the light, he realized there was no one in the apartment. Where was everybody?

It was eight o’clock in the evening. “Where are Mary and Alice?” – thought Robert as he went into the kitchen. On the table he saw a note. On an ordinary sheet of notebook in a beautiful, atypical for a medical worker handwriting was written a short and at the same time terrible message to the husband and father of his daughter. This was something Robert had clearly not expected in any way. He frantically reread the note over and over again, not wanting to believe what was written. It was obviously a joke, but deep down he knew that, no, it was a damn foolish reality: “Robert! Me and Alice at my friend Ann’s place. I can’t live with you anymore. I’m filing for divorce. Alice will live with me for now. Let me go! Don’t call us, don’t come to us. Don’t hurt us, you know it’s over between us!”

“Of course it’s not over!” – Robert thought, taking the phone in his hands and dialing Mary’s number, which was hopelessly busy. She just turned the phone off. But that left Alice, and Robert dialed his daughter’s number, which he had already managed to memorize. Alice answered after long beeps in a sleepy voice:

— Hi, Daddy.

— Hi, sweetie. How are you?

— Good, I’m at aunt Ann’s with my mom. We’re spending the night at her place. Mom’s in the kitchen with her right now. And how are you? Are you coming to visit us soon, too?

— I’m fine. I just got home from work and you’re not here. You could give the phone to my mom, I’ll tell her when we can see her, and then you.

Robert was clearly in the mood to talk to his wife and solve everything immediately, so he involuntarily brushed off his daughter. He was even ready to go to them and talk in front of Ann, who always had a squabbling temper. But after thinking for a while, decided that first we should try to talk to his wife on the phone.

A few seconds later we heard a wispy “Hello”.

— Mary, what happened, why did you go away, is this the way to solve everything?

Robert, as if shrouded in a fog, could not think about anything else. Monday was a hard day, and all of a sudden it was like this. He heard only the silence at the other end, apparently, the woman was gathering her strength to finally tell everything to the man, whom she no longer loved, but continued to respect. Probably, she wanted to approach the situation calmly and deliberately (because they had a daughter), but, tired of conflicts and succumbing to impulsiveness, decided to make a rash act.

After a minute, Mary answered:

— If you read my note, then you have already understood everything. What is there to discuss? I’m tired of living like this. Our life is a dead end, I only feel sorry for Alice. You’re a good man, but we’re getting a divorce. Don’t call me today, please.

These words, repeated once more by his wife, but already on the phone, upset Robert even more. “Is this a dream?” – he could not believe what was happening. The conversation was over, and the picture of his wife on his smartphone disappeared. It was the end, it was an unexpected blow, Robert was still sitting in the kitchen for a long time, unable to come to his senses. But it had happened, it was reality, and it was something that had to be fixed. But how? Could he? Jessica was talking about simple things, mundane things, and this was already a tragedy.

In the morning, he made the decision to call the director and take time off. Mrs. Marble, when asked about the reason received a nervous and harsh answer: “For family reasons. Despite the fact that she had often heard this kind of thing from the staff, now she felt that things were really bad here. It was just like that: his wife and daughter had left Robert, and she was filing for divorce.

Robert dialed Mary’s number again. She didn’t answer, and Alice was already in school, there was no point in calling her. You couldn’t tell a friend in a few words, her mother wouldn’t understand. That left only his “beloved” mother-in-law and his friend Ann, in whose apartment his wife now lived. Since after the recent events he had no desire to communicate with Elizabeth, he called the only person with whom Mary communicated last night.

— Hello, – Ann’s voice was indifferent.

But Robert knew perfectly well that the girl was hiding her true intentions. She always wanted a breakdown in her friend’s family. Well, it happened.

— Hello, Ann. This is Robert. Is Mary at your place now? – He tried with all his might to even out the tone of his voice.

— No, she went to work or to the registry office, – Ann put a special emphasis on this word. – I don’t know. Listen, Robert, you really are a very good man, she said a lot of good things about you yesterday. I wish I had a man like you. But I realized that Mary seriously intends to divorce you. So that’s it!

Robert felt that his wife’s friend would certainly not tell him everything and, to all appearances, the real reasons he would not find out for a long time.

— We haven’t decided yet, we always have a chance to fix everything, and I want to discuss everything with her. You realize I love her and we have a daughter. How to be with her?

— Robert, believe me, I understand everything. I’m a divorcee myself! You have a chance, everyone has a chance – Ann thought, and the pause turned into a minute of lingering anticipation for the continuation of her thoughts. – But sometimes you have to decide something, otherwise it’s only going to get worse.

— What do you mean? – Robert asked her.

— And the fact that sometimes people don’t fit together and it’s better to lose eight years than a lifetime.

— I’m not going to lose anything. I want my wife back! – confidently and literally spelled it out into the phone receiver.

The answer surprised him:

— Then my advice to you: make friends with her mother. She was here yesterday, too, and said a lot of bad things about you. I don’t know you that well, but for some reason I didn’t believe her.

— What did she say about me?

Unpleasant speculation instantly began to swarm in his head. Elizabeth, alas, he knew all too well.

— A great many nasty things… She clearly does not like you. She said that you went so far as to throw her out of the apartment, scold her, and throw her down the stairs in return for her willingness to help you and Alice. She even showed me how you pushed her, and said what words you used to call her names. But that’s not true, is it? Mary believed it, but I have my doubts.

— Of course that’s a lie! We did have an argument, but there were good reasons for it. Everything was quiet, and she just left, and I didn’t stop her, – Robert felt himself getting angry, he could barely contain himself from snapping. – Did she say all that in front of my daughter?

— No, Alice was in the living room, lying on the couch, but maybe she heard something. Your mother-in-law was screaming so much, I wanted to shut her up and kick her out. Heavy woman. Anyway, Robert, her mother lied to you, and Mary believes her. If you want to make things right, start acting, and meanwhile Mary, if she wants, lives with me, I don’t mind. In fact, if you want, write or call me if Mary won’t answer… – Ann’s voice became noticeably softer, in general her mood was always unclear to him, but at the moment it was of little interest to him.

— I understand everything. Thank you very much.

Robert looked dejectedly out the window and pressed the cancel button. The plans for the day were determined. He would try to put it all back together again. “Mother-in-law, Mary, what have you done?” – flashed through his mind. He had to act, to act quickly and decisively. Robert was sure: it would not be difficult to get his wife back. Dressed for the weather, he took the keys to the car and drove to the hospital where his wife worked. What he would tell her, he didn’t know, and while on the road, he thought only that all must end well, that the words would be found. It always worked out that way, and, after all, he knew Mary well.

The guards would not let Robert into the hospital building. The guard’s demands were simple: provide a passport, which he, immersed in his own thoughts, frustrated and distracted, had safely forgotten in his apartment. In the end, the plan failed from the very first attempts to implement it. I had to call Mary and hope that she would answer. But she didn’t answer the phone, and for some reason Robert thought that his wife was working, busy with something. She couldn’t always walk around with a phone in her pocket. I had to find another way.

After walking around the checkpoint for a while, Robert decided to walk along the fence, looking for another gate or, at the very least, some kind of a hole to jump over the fence. The hospital was old, and no doubt something like that could be found. But the way out was found before Robert could tear his jacket or bruise his knee. A colleague of Mary’s, Nicole, who worked in the reception area, appeared along the path to the right of the north wing of the hospital, just where he was meticulously inspecting the fence. The girl was walking at a fidgety pace, clutching a bundle of something. Probably with food. The lunch break was just ending. Robert was unspeakably lucky.

— Nicole! – he called out to her, coming out to meet her.

The girl smiled at him amiably, tilted her head slightly as he came closer, ran her bright green eyes over him hurriedly, and with a quick movement of her hand fixed her hair. She was clearly surprised by his appearance. She and Nicole had only seen each other a few times: at a corporate party at the hospital when he had persuaded his wife to go with her, at the coffee house where Mary had met her friends and he had picked her up, and a couple of times when Nicole had brought heavy folders of papers to their apartment. Nevertheless even these fleeting meetings were enough for Robert to understand that this girl liked him, and even a little more than just as a friend. For the first time in his life he decided to take advantage of her sympathy for him.

— Hi, Robert, – she said his name in a slightly choppy voice. – What a meeting. What are we doing here? Nothing happened to anyone, I hope?

Varonika smiled slyly, and, slowing down her pace, walked down the walkway beside him.

— Is everything okay with your mother?

You could tell by her tone that she had figured out his mother-in-law at once, or that she had simply heard about her from her conversations with Mary. But the fact remained that she sympathized with Robert.

— No, Nicole, everything is all right. I just need to see my wife, – he thought, or indeed her face darkened, though, perhaps, overwork and nerves were just making themselves felt. – I have an important matter to discuss with her, and I forgot my passport, and security would not let me in. So now I walk around not knowing what to do.

The girl was silent for a few seconds, probably thinking over the answer or for some other reason, but said the following:

— I can help, of course. Besides, your wife works at the hospital. By the way, why doesn’t she meet you?

Robert knew Nicole was perceptive, in general, like all women, she immediately suspected that everything was not as simple as it sounded in words. So Robert chose the easiest answer of all possible:

— She probably just had a dead phone, and the question is urgent, and I can’t wait.

Nicole’s gaze as she looked at him spoke more eloquently than words could. It was clear: she understood that she and his wife were in a quarrel. So mentally Robert scolded himself for his shortsightedness. But the answer surprised him:

— Come on. I’ll take you, and on the spot to settle everything. Robert, it is, of course, not my business, but I know that you have not all right. Yesterday and today Mary seems out of sorts. She didn’t even come out for lunch…

Nicole’s participation was bribing, and at the same time Robert was a little confused by her awareness of what was going on, or maybe just a woman’s intuition.

Here they approached the gatehouse. Nicole showed her pass and hurriedly told the guard, pointing to Robert that he was with her. So in a minute they walked into the cool hallway of the hospital, where, as always, crowded. The noise of voices and the echo of the stomping of hundreds of feet created an unspeakable cacophony, in which it was difficult not only to talk to each other, even gestures were exchanged. So he followed Nicole, who apparently decided to walk him all the way to the head doctor’s office. They turned right, then left and went up a narrow staircase, then walked along the wall of another small room, now and then dodging hurrying doctors or patients crowding near the numerous offices. The frantic tossing and turning was only completed before the elevator doors leading to the upper floors. They had to go to the top floor, where the administration offices were located. It was quiet in the elevator, only the muffled hum of the elevator could be heard. By the look on Nicole’s face Robert realized that she was not telling him something. She was obviously confused, and almost avoided his gaze, something she had never done before. Suddenly, just before leaving the elevator, as if she had gained strength, she asked:

— Are you only going to see her? Or to the head doctor, too?

Robert was surprised, but asked:

— Should I have some questions for him, too?

Here Nicole behaved very strangely. Elevator rang and stopped at the top floor, and she, before getting out of the cab, blurted out, rounded eyes:

— No, I just thought… Well, then you don’t have to.

But the worm of doubt was now eating into Robert’s soul, he could not refrain from asking questions, and, taking Nicole by the shoulder, in the lobby in front of the offices asked:

— What are you thinking about? It’s important for me to know.

With women he was usually not harsh and demanding, but now something forced him to do so. So Varonika suddenly froze in place and, looking into his eyes and nervously twitching her robe, continued:

— Sometimes he can be rude to her, if not more so… You haven’t talked to her about it once. Or rather, she hasn’t…

Robert was concentrated and, more than ever, he felt the signs of impending aggression. One part of his mind was tracking these frightening thoughts, while the other was focused on understanding Nicole’s words. “Rude?! What do you mean rude? – thought Robert and immediately caught himself thinking that this question should be addressed to her and not to himself. – If the word “rude” means that the head doctor of the hospital pawed or even hit my wife? What nonsense. There was only one thing to do: get as much as possible from Nicole, find out all the details.

— What do you mean? – he asked the girl, feeling a surge of adrenaline.

— The whole hospital knows that Daniel has feelings for Mary. You know, flirted with her in front of all the staff, touched and even unfriendly hugged her, – Nicole somewhat shuddered at her words, but then began to answer more confidently. – But Mary didn’t give in, she didn’t reciprocate. And the worst thing began to happen: he became very, very unfair to her, even yelled at her in front of everyone.

— How so? What is he doing to her? Tell me everything.

The light flickered in the spacious, half-dark corridor, and it got even quieter.

— He put her on extra shifts, scolding her, nagging her about little things. Makes her clean up and do extra work. For example, for sure after the procedures Mary is on duty, the interns are usually supposed to clean. But he put them on other days, and now she manages it all, and then goes to the night shift.

Robert listened carefully to everything Nicole told him. He began to understand the reason for his wife’s fatigue and why lately she often stayed late at work. She couldn’t say anything, or her husband would have done what he was now intending to do. Nicole didn’t have time to grab Robert’s jacket before he disappeared into the hallway, heading for the foyer, where the office of Daniel, the head doctor of the hospital, was.

Quickly Robert walked to the office. His face read that he was furious. The desire to deal with Daniel didn’t let go, also because he didn’t know how to return his Mary. And at that moment Robert thought that this was the only way out: to arrange a scandal, and maybe something more.

A nurse was sitting in the office. Her face was very familiar, but Robert could not remember where he might have seen her. That wasn’t the main thing, though. He forcefully started pounding on the closed door with his fist and demanded that Daniel, the head doctor of the hospital, come out.

— Robert, what are you doing here?! Where is Mary? Why are you knocking on the door like that? I’ll call security, – a nurse quickly tore herself away from the puzzles and rounded her eyes, jumped up from the table.

— Where’s the head doctor? I need to talk to him. Where is he? – Shouted her Robert.

— He isn’t here. He is under examination. Calm down, will you,” the nurse replied irritably.

She apparently understood the reason for such behavior of Robert and, perhaps, contemplated the possibility of warning Daniel or call the guards just in case. Otherwise there would be trouble.

Several patients and young residents stood outside the office and silently watched what was happening.

— What are you staring at? Spread out! – demanded Robert, walking between them.

He, by all means, decided to look for Mary, but even in such a small hospital no one knew where she was. The round of patients was on the second floor. Perhaps she would be there, too. So Robert headed up the stairs. The corridor was full of patients, residents and nurses walking back and forth. Everyone was in a hurry and doing something. Robert thought only of Mary, he was now looking only for her.

The nurse on duty, who was filling out some kind of log, told him that she had seen Mary in the treatment room, but cautiously asked her to wait for her on the couch near the exit. Robert could not sit and wait. His marriage was falling apart, his wife was leaving him, and he also found out that all this time her boss had been hitting on her and harassing her at work. And what can he do but stand up for her? However, if you solve at least this problem, then maybe his wife will come back to him and all will be well. With these thoughts he walked briskly to where the nurse on duty indicated him.

The door to the treatment room number 2 was not locked. Robert jerked it open and saw something he could not understand and accept. He had not expected it so much that he could not believe his eyes. A stocky man in his fifties was sitting across from him on a couch by the wall, his unshaven appearance disgusting. He was smiling, watching how some woman without a mop, hands washed the floors in the office.

— Robert! – Mary cried out unexpectedly.

She clearly didn’t expect to see her husband catching her in this position. A rag fell out of her hands, and Mary stared at her husband standing in the doorway.

Robert was in shock. He could, of course, ask questions, ask, for example, what she was doing here, why she washed the floors, why she washed them with her hands and not with a mop. But he already knew about the conflicts with the head doctor, and so he was furious. There he was, the culprit of all his troubles and conflicts with his wife. This man, who sits and laughs as Robert’s wife crawls on the floor in front of him and mops the floors in the treatment room. Robert couldn’t help but let his fierce feelings come over him like an avalanche.

With the words “Bastard!” Robert threw himself on the head doctor and knocked him down on the couch. He managed to grab Robert by the neck and drop him to the floor. They clung to each other like two hyenas. Mary began to separate them. A nurse and a young doctor came running toward them, followed by guards, who hastily, though with difficulty, began to separate the two tough and angry men. Robert’s smashed lip indicated that the fight could have gone quite far if they hadn’t been separated. How he wanted to vent his anger on the ugly man! The people around him were shocked by what was happening.

The guards grabbed Robert and dragged him out of the office. Mary stayed there, with the chief physician. “Why is she with him and not me?” – thought Robert as the two guards led him down a corridor filled with patients. He glanced around, hoping to see his wife, but she never appeared. She stayed there.

It was only when he was outside that Robert calmed down a little, but the bitterness of what was happening didn’t leave him. At the checkpoint they told him the police had been called, but then someone called it off. The police never arrived. It was drizzling rain, and Robert, in a tattered jacket, was sitting alone on a bench, looking at the entrance. He expected to see Mary there. He hoped that she would come out.

Two or three hours passed, Robert had already lost track of time. As a result, he got soaked through the light drizzle. His lip hurt, and he could still feel blood on his tongue. Finally the door opened, and Maria stepped out. She held an umbrella in her hand and approached him with an uncertain, timid step. It was obvious that Robert’s wife was in indecision and deep despondency.

— Robert, why did you come? Daniel demands that you apologize, and then he will not report you to the police. I could barely talk him out of it. Please go away, – Mary said to Robert.

— So you talked him out of it. Why did you even talk to him after that? I’m ready to tell the police everything. We’ll see whose side is right.

— You’re acting like a complete fool, as usual. You’re not thinking about anything right now. He just came into the office while I was cleaning there, and you fist-bumped my boss. And everybody in the room saw that. You were being rude. I was so embarrassed.

— And how I felt seeing my wife on all fours mopping the floors. Why are you even doing this? Mary, I know everything, your friends told me that this bastard is molesting you. Why didn’t you tell me anything?

— What could I tell you? – She looked tired, unaccustomed tired.

— At least that you have such problems at work. I would have taken care of it, – he wanted so badly to hug her, but he knew that the gesture would make things worse.

— Yeah, I figured it out, sure. The fact that you came to deal with it when I’d already left you says a lot.

— I didn’t know you had a problem like that. We haven’t talked lately, – he was perplexed, and he realized that the conversation was slowly coming to a dead end.

— Yeah? Whose fault was that? – Mary sat down on the bench and sighed. – You know, my problems are my problems. I have made up my mind to leave you. Tomorrow I’m filing for divorce. Please accept it, let me go.

— I don’t want that. Why so abrupt? We haven’t discussed anything.

— That’s why I came out to you now, to discuss it. Alice will stay with me.

Mary’s categorical tone left no chance for reconciliation. Her eyes were empty and detached. In addition, the cold December wind didn’t let her relax.

— I will not give you my daughter. Where will she live, with your evil mother? – Robert blurted out angrily.

He could no longer restrain himself. It was as if Mary was a different person now. But, despite this, he continued to love her. She stared at him pointedly, her former timidity no trace left. Now she was clearly in the mood for a divorce, thinking only of when it would all be over.

— Ah, now you’re talking. I know how you feel about my mother. You treated her disgustingly, she showed me the bruise on her elbow, told me how you threw her out of the apartment and pushed her down the stairs. You insulted her. Aren’t you ashamed? How can I live with you after that?

Elbow… No bruise at all had ever been spoken of before. Of this Robert was well aware. That’s why he became defensive:

— This is a blatant lie. There was no such thing, your mother made it all up. Yes, I was very upset that night, but I wasn’t rude to your mother.

— Let’s try not now, my mother told me everything, and I don’t want to deal with it. – Mary was breathing heavily during the conversation, despite the fact that she sounded as if she was confident, continuing to respect Robert, she wanted only one thing: to part quietly and peacefully. – You know, I’ve wanted to divorce you for a long time, but I just decided to do it only now.

— But why? Yes, you and I have problems, and I also feel that we are estranged from each other. But it’s in our hands, we can fix it and get back to the way we used to feel about each other. I have no intention of divorcing you.

— Well, you know, if I do get a divorce, I’m not going to ask if you want me to or not. I’m a free woman.

Mary got up from the bench and walked to the building.

— Of course you are free. But think again. We have a daughter, an apartment. You have problems at work. And you’re going through a divorce? Besides, I’m not giving Alice away that easily. She’s my daughter, too. If you decide to get a divorce, I’ll go to court, mind you! – he threw after her.

Mary stopped and turned a half-turn, reiterated the familiar retort:

— I know your character. Alice will not live with her father, who not only beat up her grandmother, but her mother’s boss. What will she think of you?

He hadn’t seen his wife like this in a long time, and maybe he’d never seen her like this.

— I’ll tell her everything, I’ll give her my reasons.

— And what will you say? You don’t know anything.

Tears began to come to Mary’s eyes. She was sad about what was happening now. At that moment she remembered everything she had experienced. She was the only one who knew this secret, and Mary was sure she would never tell Robert about it.

— Okay, Mary, calm down. I understand everything. I want you to know that I will fight for you and for my family. You shocked me with this news, but learning about your problems at work, I realized a lot. After all, things are hard for me at work, too. It’s hard for me, – Robert said sadly, reaching out to take Mary’s hand.

But she took her hand away and said:

— Yes I know, but it’s now or never, I can’t do this anymore.

Robert thought that his words would help Mary understand his feelings for her. After all, he thought, realizing the problems they both had had led to a cooling of their feelings, and if they worked together to fix them, things would change and they would be together again. Meanwhile, Mary continued to speak and uttered perhaps the most bitter words of her life:

— The past feelings can’t be returned. Robert, it’s over, I finally made up my mind and I can no longer retreat. It’s now or never.

These words hurt Robert even more. He didn’t understand the reasons. He couldn’t understand why his wife was running away from him like the plague? What had he done to deserve this? And those feelings came flooding back: rage, anger, aggression. It was more likely that he felt them for himself than for his wife. Though, in fact, he understood nothing any more.

The rain had already stopped, and Mary rolled up her umbrella. They both watched as drops fell from it onto the wet ground. Each of them felt uneasy in this awkward silence.

— And where will you go? Are you going to live alone with your mother, or are you going to go to that asshole, what’s his name, Daniel? – Suddenly with a sneer he said. – I saw the way you looked at him when you stayed with him, when I was dragged to the street by the guards. Did you already have something with him? Because I’m right!

The confusion on her face changed to angry surprise. Mary got ready to defend herself:

— That’s it, Robert, I don’t want to talk to you anymore. You don’t know what I went through, and so judge me! I’m going to work. I also have your conflict to sort out. My boss is a serious man, and he has connections in town. Understand, you embarrassed him, and I have to work with him. You’ve only done harm!

Mary’s chin twitched from the surge of emotion. Strange women, after all. She said all she wanted, announced the verdict, but still didn’t move from her seat. Robert continued:

— I wanted what was best for you!

The answer was not long in coming:

— And it turned out, as always. That’s it, Robert, I can’t talk anymore. I will not change my decision. If necessary, I will sue for Alice, but I hope that you will wake up a little bit of sense, and you will let us go. I want to live in peace. I’m going. Farewell.

Now she was gone, turned and went. The aftertaste of their conversation was bitterness and disappointment. Robert was frustrated. He was at a dead end and didn’t know how to proceed. He had to think it over and make a decision. His conscience tormented him, his thoughts were confused, but he knew one thing: he loved Mary, and he would take it all back. All that remained was to figure out where to start.

“And you have to start with yourself,” – his intuition told him. And, already in the car, Robert found a solution. Jessica Highlander he recently addressed, and her approach seemed to him professional. And yet he had made many stupid mistakes today, contrary to her psychological method of excessive support. “I wish I knew how Jessica Highlander would behave in this situation,” thought Robert and went home. Tomorrow morning he would call and arrange a personal consultation with her.

The morning seemed quite ordinary: shower, coffee, sandwiches. His lip and cheek were sore, and the blood stained reminded him of last night’s fight. A pressed shirt, a black cardigan and tie were his standard clothes. It was as if they said he had to go to work now. Since he had taken yesterday off for family reasons, there was a lot of work to do. This finally woke Robert up, he had to hurry, to clear up the mess that was probably piled up on his desk.

However, the thoughts of yesterday’s conversation kept him busy and finally led him to his daughter. He missed her very much. Maybe Alice was the only thing that kept him in the past, and the family from the inevitable, as it seemed, collapse. But the girl wasn’t at school, even though the first class had already started. Robert wanted to call his wife and ask about his daughter, but he was overtaken by a call from the principal.

— Mr. Robert, are you in school? Please, come to my office, – said the principal in a pallid voice.

Her chosen tone indicated two things: either she had guests sitting around and needed to give the impression of a good boss, or the director needed something from Robert. Perhaps there was some new work that he had to do urgently.

There were guests sitting in the office. Besides the director there were two women who looked at Robert unkindly, silently escorting him to the table with their glances.

As Robert found out later during a conversation, these two women are relatives of one girl – an eighth grade student. Everything Robert heard from the principal and from these women shocked him. The girl’s mother told a strange story that threatened Robert with serious problems. The point is that the woman’s daughter has been in a strange psychological state for a long time, she does not eat anything, does not talk to anyone, stays at home all the time. Recently her mother saw under her pillow a pile of pictures of her teacher, Robert. When asked what all this was for and where it came from, the girl told her mom that the teacher was her friend and that she liked him.

Robert, of course, understood where this was going, and the only thing he could do was listen in silence, being in a state of stupor and from time to time watching the principal look at his broken lip in yesterday’s fight.

— My daughter tried to commit suicide yesterday, I barely snatched the pills from her, – the girl’s mother said in a worried voice.

It was obvious that she could hardly hold back her tears. The whole situation disgusted everyone in the office.

— And it’s all because of that TikTok video, – said the other woman sitting next to her.

She held out her smartphone across the table and showed a short video. It showed another student in the school corridor hugging Robert and holding him in her arms for a long time. The video was short, but it looked very romantic with the beautiful music.

— We don’t know who filmed and posted this video, but you’re hugging my niece, and there are rumors that you have a crush on her,” the woman was clearly very negative and turned everything upside down.

Robert became defensive, because this girl was the first to embrace him, she has a sympathy for the teacher, not him for her. But it was as if Robert was not heard. The video was already on the network and it turned out that a psychologist was now working with the girl.

The unexpected accusation of a relationship with a student further upset and disoriented Robert. During the conversation he thought of only one thing: how sick he was of it all. How could the work of a school teacher lead to such consequences! The principal, watching silently, waited for the parents to leave the office so she could talk to the head teacher alone.

— What happened to your lip? Did you have a fight? To be honest, I’m not surprised, – admitted the principal, she was clearly not in a friendly mood toward Robert. – Yesterday the whole school was talking about it. Is that why you didn’t come to work yesterday?

By the intonation of the headmistress Robert understood that the conversation was not going to be pleasant.

— No, I didn’t know about it until now.

Robert made no excuses and didn’t talk about yesterday’s fight with his wife’s boss. He didn’t say anything about his divorce, or about his crisis. He decided now to protect himself at least from this new attack. But the director beat him to it:

— Here’s what, Mr. Robert, I recommend that you go on leave without pay, say, for family reasons. Hopefully, everything will calm down, and then you will write an application for resignation at your own request. I, like the school, don’t want any trouble, you know. There has been a lot of trouble around you lately.

Robert didn’t know what to answer.

— It’s after all I did for the school. You’re kicking me out because of this trifle?

— First of all, it’s not a trifle, it’s a problem that I’ll stay with for a long time. And make sure something else doesn’t come up. And secondly, what are you even doing? There is no methodological work with teachers, no first places in district competitions, the school does not participate in competitions, soon check the Government Office, and your documentation, Robert, leaves much to be desired. I don’t need such employees, let alone head teachers.

The director folded her hands in front of her as if she was fending off future attacks from Robert and looked at him angrily. Never would he have thought that his work in the educational field, his whole career would end so suddenly. Eight years of work had turned to ashes thanks to some ridiculous accident. The problems were escalating rapidly. Not only that Robert was now living alone, so also become unemployed.

— What should I do? – Robert asked sullenly.

He didn’t fully understand the whole situation and, to the principal’s surprise, didn’t defend himself. In those moments, Robert decided that he would not fight for the position of school principal under such a principal. It was important for him to gain time, and he could always quit.

Robert looked at the principal and said:

— I’ll write an application for leave for now, give me paper and pen.

He went up to his office and drank a cup of coffee. The overcast weather outside the window made the day unbearably gloomy. The leaden heaviness of the strange situation in which Robert found himself now corresponded to the depressing weather surroundings. He decided to call first Mary, then Alice. Both their phones were off. He could understand his wife; she had probably turned it off after the night shift so as not to disturb him. But why didn’t the kid’s phone answer? Alice was always on the phone.

Staying in school was pointless, especially the principal explicitly told him to go on leave without pay, and as soon as possible. A cup of coffee did the trick, Robert cheered up a bit, got dressed, picked up some things and hurried outside. Already outside the school, he looked around the building and remembered the purpose for which he had become a teacher, what he wanted to do and change. After all, it had been his idealistic dream to try to change the educational system at the provincial school level. He always thought he had not only the moral right, but the power. And how sad it was to realize that it all ended like this.

In the car on the way home, Robert thought about what he lacked. And what he lacked was solidity in life, a core, a plan, or a strategy. He realized that he needed to calm down and pull himself together. When a red traffic light said “STOP”, Robert understood that in his life, too, the red light was on, that it was time to stop and think about the situation, to decide what to do next.

The light turned green – the car started. Suddenly Robert felt a strong jolt, heard a grinding noise… For the first seconds he refused to believe that anything else could have happened to him today. “Is it really true that trouble does not come alone?” – Robert thought and looked to his left, to the very spot where the other car had struck. He obviously was not to blame for what happened, it was a white Old Ford that clipped him and left a small dent on the door of his car. The Ford itself was not badly damaged, a few scratches could be seen, but the driver, a young man in a cap and a tracksuit, was clearly in the mood for a showdown. Robert opened the window and shouted:

— What did you do? Didn’t you see me coming? How did that happen?

— Man, look what you did to my car,” the driver shouted, waving his hands and pointing to the scratches. – Asshole, you’re going to pay for this.

Robert quickly got out of the car and walked straight toward the shouting man. He was already angry about everything that had happened to him lately. Even a minor reason could now provoke a fight. The driver of the Ford was much younger than Robert, shorter, less physically developed. Moreover Robert asserted his case so ardently that he discouraged his opponent from further showdown. Robert asserted his rights harshly, and soon the argument went on to the utter humiliation of the young man who had made a mistake. At last the police arrived, and after an hour of talking and filling out paperwork, Robert set off in the direction of the house again. The truth was on his side, but his conscience tormented him for having responded so aggressively to the accident perpetrator and humiliating him. It turned out that Robert simply took out his anger and resentment on the young and inexperienced guy.

But what is done is done. The main thing was that his car was not damaged and the quarrel was transferred to the protocol, where the truth would be on the side of the victim. The insurance company will by all means reimburse everything. With these thoughts Robert was back in the walls of his apartment. It was quiet, dark, uncomfortable and even colder than usual, as it seemed. Though it was a sin to complain about the heating.

Given some sudden impulse, Robert went through all the rooms and turned on the lights everywhere. He squeezed his eyes shut against the bright light. It didn’t help. There was a lump in his chest. Robert sat down on the sofa and took his hands to his head. Yes, now he was alone: no wife, no daughter, not even his mother-in-law. At the same time he felt that even she would probably be glad to see her now, if only for five minutes. Would have behaved very differently with her, or maybe not. Who knows. After all, everything in life is still upside down. Communicating in the hospital had turned into a fight, his wife would really give up on him and his family now. The problems at school are on the verge of absurdity. And on top of that, this unexpected accident.

Robert got up from the couch and, after wandering around the empty rooms, stopped in the kitchen. He rummaged in the upper cabinets, found a jar of cocoa, which his daughter loved so much, and brewed it for himself. It got a little warmer. Twenty-one o’clock, December fifteenth. Usually at this time he and his wife and daughter began to get ready for the New Year’s Eve holidays, but this time things were very different. There was no holiday spirit at all. Everything seemed to have lost color and flavor. Maybe that was why Robert spent the rest of the evening in a banal, but at the same time in the way he had always dreamed (but could not imagine the possibility) – he spent a few hours in a hot bath with a book. At least a little, but it was easier.

Nevertheless, he was not going to waste his allotted week of vacation sitting in his apartment. Waking up in the morning and gathering the rest of his strength, he decided to go to the police (to find out about the accident report) and to the school to take the work home, since the current documentation for him, even if he was on vacation, no one would fill out. After running up the usual three flights of stairs and pulling his scarf tighter, he got out onto the street, turned left, and realized that if he was going anywhere today, he wasn’t going to school.

The car, or rather, what it had been the night before, was now clearly not in a rideable condition. During the night, as bad luck would have it, there was a light dusting of snow, which successfully swapped places with the rain. The snowflakes were evenly distributed over the interior seats, as there was virtually nothing left of the windshield. The full tires were, of course, flat, and scratches riddled all the doors instead of the only one damaged in yesterday’s accident, the left rear one. To his deep regret, the damage, recorded in the report, was hidden under the new ones. Robert understood that the bad weather that had broken out during the night could not have damaged the car so badly.

On the one hand it was impossible to leave it like that, but at the same time he couldn’t sit still and wait. He broke out of his stupor with footsteps behind him. The footsteps were heavy and shuffling. Robert looked back so sharply that the old woman almost let go of the three-wheeled cart she was rolling behind her. It was Granny Lucy, who lived with her husband in the next doorway. Fortunately, the windows of their apartment overlooked the parking lot. There was little chance that granny could have seen the intruder at night, but the likelihood that she probably knew the local precinct officer, yard cops, or the notorious doorway activists, headed by the house committee, was higher. Besides, Granny Lucy didn’t have to be summoned for a conversation. She started it herself, as soon as she could see the whole picture.

— Robert! – the old woman exclaimed loudly, her hands splayed out. – What on earth is being done? They are already doing such things in broad daylight! Did you go to the police?

— Yes, what about it, Granny? Just yesterday a kid bumped into me, a traffic accident was reported, and today a miracle like this. Maybe you saw something?

Robert was well aware that the blind but active old lady, already on her way home so early in the morning, would not pass by. Anybody, but certainly not her. Her brown fur coat and lilac knit cap flashed very often in the yard. Either she was walking Pima, an aged Pekingese like herself, or she was rushing to the clinic with her husband, an old man named Sergio, who was a few years younger than she was. Everyone knew this couple.

— Oh, Robert, my blood pressure dropped at night, as it always does in this weather. And today I went straight to the doctor, – she spoke hurriedly, and Robert listened and thought where do old people get so much energy for all these things. – I have not seen the fiends. But I heard the alarm scream, but not for long. Oh, I don’t know. So you go to Valdis. He had a shift yesterday, and today he probably didn’t leave on duty. Now he has an office in the building next door, on the first floor of the second entrance.

Granny reported like a reference book and almost followed him to assist him. Robert managed to forcefully persuade her to return home, citing the light ice that posed a danger to her feet. So she wept behind his back for a while, and then quickly went into her entryway.

The day began with a nightmarish morning. Not only that, like a snowball, family matters fell upon him, problems at work, and also Robert was left without a car. Even if it was only for a while, he would have to deal with other problems now.

When Robert walked to the police station on the route that Granny Lucy had indicated, for some reason he was replaying in his head the yesterday’s traffic accident and his conversation with that driver. He remembered how he had insulted and humiliated him, he was even ready to get into a fight again and win. Although the driver was wrong, Robert still had to control himself, not to show aggression and not to humiliate the young man. Now, of course, he was ashamed of it, but, remembering last night, he suggested that that showdown with the driver could be directly related to the fact that he was left today with flat tires and a broken windshield.

The policeman was busy. There were people in the office, so he had to wait for a while. Through the door he heard irritated voices and thought that all was learned by comparison – he was not the only one who had a bad job. If the school was having a showdown with parents and students, the cops sometimes had to deal with creepy elements.

A few minutes later the door opened and the whole noisy company came out of the office, followed by the district police officer, who intended to close the door, but was stopped.

— Hello. Today someone deflated the tires on my car and broke the window, I want to write a report, – said Robert, moving closer to the policeman.

The policeman was clearly not expecting another victim. He looked at Robert with a tired look and turned the key, closing the office door.

— Wait a minute. I will come in an hour, – the policeman answered sharply.

Robert understood that he would have to wait not one hour, but probably the whole day. The policeman is like a ubiquitous starling, very hard to catch.

— I can’t wait. I just need to write a statement, that’s all. I have things to do, too, – said Robert, scrolling in his head the prospect of spending the whole day waiting, which, in fact, he didn’t like.

— I have things to do now, too. I can’t spare you the time. Go to the police station and file a report.

The policeman was in a bad mood, too, and he looked tired.

— At the police station should I say that you refused to take a statement?

At this moment Robert understood that blackmail was the only possible way out right now, but there was nothing to do. After a few seconds of deliberation, the policeman turned the key in the opposite direction. The policeman nervously opened the door, put the paper and pen on the table and said irritably:

— Write a statement. Describe everything as it was.

After ten minutes of waiting the policeman was rewarded with a two-page statement in beautiful calligraphic script. The statement contained not only what Robert saw this morning, but also detailed information about the yesterday’s accident. The policeman started typing the report, at the same time asking about all the details. Robert noted the gradually growing interest of the police officer in the case. Finding out the details about the accident and the description of the driver with whom the yesterday’s confrontation took place, he called someone and dictated an ID on the driver.

— Good, – the policeman hung up the phone. – Sign here and here. Mr. Robert, I took your statement. Now let’s go to your car, let’s look at it, I’ll take pictures.

The policeman showed his interest. As an experienced professional he knew what had to be done. After all, there would undoubtedly be bonuses for the crime he solved.

After examining the car and taking photos on the phone, the district officer, holding out a small piece of paper, resembling a business card, said:

— Here’s my phone number just in case. If you have any questions about the case, I’ll call you. The energetic and interested manner in which the policeman undertook the case instilled in Robert confidence in him and hope for a positive outcome. Saying goodbye to the policeman he called a cab because waiting for public transport in Apsheronsk was long and pointless. He had to go to school. Robert really wanted to see Alice and pick up some things from his office.

He didn’t want rumors to circulate in the school community, he didn’t want to compromise himself. It was the middle of the lesson when Robert looked into the office and saw that the place where his daughter had been sitting all the time was empty.

— Alice isn’t at school, – said the teacher of the first “A” grade with a smile.

— I know, – said Robert, closing the door.

He didn’t want to be seen by the principal and other colleagues, so he decided to do everything quickly. Already on the street, Robert dialed his wife’s phone number and waited for a beep.

— Hello. Hello, – Mary answered in a frightened voice.

— Where is Alice? I haven’t seen her for days, – Robert said, realizing that he had to be as delicate as possible with his wife today.

The attack of aggression again provoked him into conflict, but Robert had not even imagined that everything would happen so quickly. Mary’s words really upset him:

— Robert! We left with Alice to the village to my aunt’s house. We will stay here for a week.

Mary’s voice sounded so uncertain, but at the same time so harsh, that Robert didn’t even know how to react adequately, so as not to inflame the situation. But he couldn’t help it.

— Why did you leave without telling me? How can you do this? It’s my daughter, too! – Angrily said Robert.

— You are to blame! If you had not had a conflict with Daniel, I would not have had problems at work! It is all because of you. He told me to take a vacation and leave town for a while until the rumors stop. He doesn’t want any more trouble than I do. Alice will be with me!

There was no trace of Mary’s former timidity; she confidently scolded Robert and blamed him for her problems at work. She didn’t want to quarrel and conflict with her husband, but she saw no other way out. Her wife hoped for understanding, because Robert had always compromised.

— How can you do this? – Robert continued to yell at Mary. – Immediately bring me Alice. You’re being mean, you stole her from me!

— I didn’t steal her, you can come here whenever you want, but I beg you, I beg you, give me time. It’s not much to ask. I am so tired. I want to rest, – Mary answered calmly.

From her voice Robert realized that Mary was crying, but was relentless:

— Me! Me! Me! Me! You only think about yourself. You don’t think about me. I have other problems right now, too. I didn’t expect you to stab me in the back like that. You took my daughter and left, divorcing me and asking me not to come. What have I done to deserve this attitude?

Cussing into the phone, Robert saw nothing in front of him. He was moving on automatic, not even fully aware of what is around him and where he was going.

— You say I’m such a bad husband, but how did you behave? Were you a good wife? And now, hiding your daughter from her father, are you a good mother? Think about that with your head! – shouted Robert, then heard a meek dial tone – Mary turned off the phone.

Alice’s phone was also turned off. “What does this woman want to achieve?” – Robert thought. He had never thought so detachedly about his wife before. But now he was very angry with her and wanted to somehow punish her for her transgression, humiliate her, insult her. Maybe there was no love anymore, maybe their marriage was really over, and they should get a divorce.

As his mother used to say, “If things are falling apart, chop them down with the roots!” On the way home, Robert thought about this. Today’s quarrel and Mary’s act seemed completely abnormal to him. It was unexpected, harsh. She had taken her daughter Alice, his only joy in this world, and taken her far away from him. Now he was truly alone in this city.

The dim, leaden sky pressed down on Robert. Sad thoughts didn’t leave him. He became more and more despondent. In the hope that it would get easier, he decided to walk. It didn’t get easier. Robert was depressed, the pain and disappointment was unbearable. His thoughts became confused. Problems seemed unsolvable. He didn’t know what to do next.

The road alone somehow led to the house. There was his broken-down car in the parking lot, which made him even more depressed. Walking up the stairs, Robert opened the door of his empty apartment and collapsed on the couch in frustration. He remembered all of his problems, felt the full range of these horrible depressive thoughts. Robert was very disappointed in himself, in his life. “Maybe this is the end? Maybe we don’t have to live anymore? – he thought, closing his eyes with helplessness. – Nothing comes out anyway, nothing works, everything going on around him falls away like cold bits of wax from his skin.”

Perhaps if he had had a little more strength, he would have continued to bury himself in himself. But there was no more strength. At the same time, life wasn’t standing still, and the knowledge and ideas he had previously gained about how to solve the accumulated problems were gradually taking root in his mind. Robert was asleep.

Chapter 4 – Take your life into your own hands (!)

It’s unusual to wake up without an alarm clock, but it’s even more unusual to wake up when the phone rings repeatedly. It was this call that roused Robert from his heavy sleepy oblivion. Without opening his eyes, he fumbled for a cold black bar, held it to his face, opened one eye, and, squinting, read the inscription on the screen in large letters: “MOM”.

“Ohhh… No,” it rushed through my head. – Is she going to be talking about the same thing again… or… or she already knows everything.” But there was nowhere to retreat, he picked up the phone, and immediately his ear was almost filled with the shrill wails that practically never stopped.

Margaret didn’t stop gibbering for a second, spoke angrily and annoyingly:

— Robert, hello, son! How is it possible, how can you not tell me anything? I have to be the last to know everything. Today I called the school, but you’re not there, you’re on vacation! For how long? Then I call Mary, she says that she isn’t at home, although today is Saturday! What is going on? And you didn’t answer. This is the third time I’ve called! Tell me what’s going on. Are you sick, are you having problems at work? My darling, tell me. And I knew that eight years of work in this school can’t lead to anything good, in this rainy little town, you don’t see success! Robert! How is it possible!

Margaret hardly ever paused, but at the same time he didn’t want to interrupt her. His mother’s position was always annoying, and besides, if he started to object, get angry, she would get even angrier. What to do? “If I start interrupting her, she’ll turn to yelling. If I start teaching her about life, she’ll get upset again. If I stubborn and stubborn again, my mother will probably not talk to me for a long time,” Robert thought tensely, while a stream of panicked exclamations rushed in and out of the tube. The conflict had to be stopped at the very beginning. So as soon as his mother finally decided to take a little pause, he exhaled into the receiver calmly and joyfully:

— Mama Mia! I’m so glad to hear from you! It’s a vacation at work, and my wife is at a friend’s house. Temporarily, as we are all getting ready already for the holidays and you, Mom! You are like a holiday to us!

There was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds, and only then my mother said in a completely different voice, a little surprised and even pleased:

— You? You decided to invite me to visit? Yes?

— Of course, mother! We were knocked off our feet. Besides, in this cold and slushy weather, it’s really easier to do chores from the comfort of your own home. And don’t worry, the week will be over, we’ll get everything ready, and life will go back to normal.

His mother’s irritation had clearly subsided after what he had said. Robert himself, finishing his conversation with her and thinking about the words that had come suddenly as a rescue in his head, thought that inviting mother to visit was not such a bad idea. It was a very good idea. He hadn’t seen her in about three years, and now was the occasion. Whether he would meet her alone or with his family didn’t matter. He wanted to see his mother, and it was good that he could restrain himself and not start bickering with her again, as usual.

Still yawning (after all, his mother had woken him up at a quarter to seven in the morning), Robert strode into the kitchen, drank hot, strong coffee and munched on three cookies. Looking through the mail, he found a notice that his documents on the accident had been accepted by the traffic police and were being checked. A statement filed with the precinct clerk… There was no news on it. But Robert decided not to wait. He suspected that any of the neighbors might have seen his car at night, so he decided to personally go to the apartments and talk to the tenants. Fortunately it was Saturday and most of the neighbors were still home.

However spontaneous questioning didn’t yield visible results. Robert went around five apartments, and no one, as if by chance, had seen anything. And so, being already in a somewhat upset feelings, he went down from the fifth floor, where he met three teenage boys, coming up the stairs. When he looked more closely, he remembered that one of them, the tallest, with curly hair and a snub nose, who laughed the loudest, was the son of the woman who lived on the fourth floor. The boy didn’t go to his school, but he knew him as a roommate, so they exchanged casual greetings as they met. I think his name was Kirll. Robert could be wrong, of course, but still he could not help turning to the fifteen-year-old, who certainly could see and hear much more than his mother.

“After all, I could ask him, too. Why not?” – Robert thought, and after walking a couple of steps, he turned around and called out to the boys next door:

— Guys! Wait!

They stopped laughing, and from the corner of his ear Robert heard one of them whisper something anxiously. He ran up the aisle and, turning to Kirll, said:

— Hi, Kirll! Right? Is that your name?

Hearing the question, the boy reacted more than strangely. He breathed more frequently, his eyes narrowed. His friends also looked at each other. One of them, the older one, turning to Kirll, whispered: “Kirll… … I’ll go now”. And quickly began to climb the stairs. Kirll himself kind of lost the power of speech. So Robert continued:

— You are also my neighbor. And I was at your mother’s the other day. I was wondering…

But Robert didn’t have time to finish, because the guy blurted it out:

— You think it was me? I’m sure it wasn’t me who smashed up your car!

Kirll looked surprised and frightened. Robert understood at once: the boy thought that his neighbor was looking for him, and his friends must have thought something similar. Robert had no such thoughts at all, but the behavior of teenagers could not help but alarm him.

— Maybe you saw who did it? We live in the same entryway, and the windows of your apartment face the parking lot. I’d really appreciate any information you can give me.

There was silence for a few seconds. It was quiet in the entryway. The guys looked at each other, and only then, averting his eyes to the side, Kirll answered:

— No, we really haven’t seen anything and we don’t know. My mother can confirm, I was at my father’s house last night, he lives in the neighboring farmstead.

— Yes, he’s telling the truth, – said Kirll’s comrade, an overweight fellow with a face red from frost, in a dull and muffled voice.

He held himself much worse than Kirll. Every now and then he unclenched and clenched his fists. Years of experience as a teacher told Robert that the boys might not know everything, but they had at least some idea of what had happened. They won’t talk, something bothers them, but whatever happens… Shrugging his shoulders, Robert said as if casually:

— Well, I wanted to find out for myself. And I certainly won’t be in debt… But all right. It was good talking to you guys.

Robert smiled. They didn’t smile, didn’t go away, listened to him attentively. But he wasn’t going to continue, he turned around, quickly went downstairs and out of the entranceway. And then returned to his apartment, poured himself a cup of coffee again, turned on the TV so it wouldn’t be so quiet.

“How could it be? It can’t be that no one saw it happen. The policeman, with all his attentiveness, can’t do anything, either. Yeah…", – thought Robert. His thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell. And maybe not the first one, because it was long and very demanding. “The same as the phone call from his mother,” – thought Robert as he went to the door and looked through the peephole. He had little hope for anything positive, but what he saw pleased him. On the landing uncertainly crumpled the same overweight guy, who an hour earlier with Kirll stood on the landing. Apparently he had seen his friend off and decided to drop in on Robert. Why? Obviously, he knew something. So, without thinking twice, he opened the door and, without saying a word, invited the boy in. As soon as the teenager was in the hallway, without taking off his hat or taking off his shoes, he began to talk:

— Anyway, it’s… I’d like to tell you anyway…

Robert remembered that they didn’t know each other, and the guy looked too embarrassed to think about it.

— Wait. Let’s start by introducing ourselves. I know Kirll. But what’s your name?

— Leo, – he blurted out with the same fervor. – Leo.

— I’m Robert, but I guess you already know. And if this is the case, let’s talk on “you”.

Robert winked confidentially. He was well aware that by creating a trusting relationship from the very beginning, you can get more benefit from communicating with a teenager. So he always resorted to this method. Besides, the excitement was taking over Robert. He stopped thinking about problems and cheered up for the first time in a while.

— Now let’s talk. Don’t just stand there, let’s go to the kitchen.

Robert could clearly see that Leo felt as out of place as possible. It was clear without words that he was very worried about something. He first wanted to refuse the tea, but then modestly accepted the offer. He sat down on the edge of the chair which was closer to the exit, he hardly looked into Robert’s eyes. And so Robert didn’t rush him, because the guy could have said nothing. But, suddenly taking a small sip, Leo began to speak:

— Anyway, I know who wrecked your car. My friend Levon. I’m not really good with him, but last night he invited his buddies and me to go bowling too. Like, my treat and everything. And he was all like, “Oh, he’s got a lot of attitude. Well, he’s always like that… But that night, he was showing off too much. We were having fun, and then all of a sudden he tells me that he’s got a lot of money and some loser’s car is trashed.

At this point Leo paused and gingerly glanced at Robert. He silently swallowed what he heard, he wanted to know all the details as soon as possible, so he encouraged the guy:

— Tell me, tell me more. How did you know he was talking about my car?

— It’s kind of simple. In the evening we called Kirll… phew… And he literally immediately told me that at night in the yard his neighbor’s car was smashed, that is yours… mm… yours, – Leo sighed, took another sip of tea. – Anyway, Kirll saw everything from the window at night, about his father he lied to you… Don’t be angry with him. He’s just afraid that the precinct officer will come to see him. It wasn’t just one guy, but the one who cracked the windshield was definitely Levon. He wore a conspicuous red sweatshirt and white sneakers. Kirll recognized him by his height, tall and thin.

Listening to Leo, Robert thought intensely: “The kid obviously didn’t act of his own accord. And it’s no use talking to him. He’ll start denying it, and there’s not a lot of people in the neighborhood dressed like that and that tall. There is only one way to finish the job. The main thing is to do it right.

Listening attentively to the teenager, Robert, scrolling in his head through the options on how to do it right. He had two ways. The first was to report everything to the precinct and hope that the police would take the case. And the second way, which he intuitively preferred, was to solve everything himself. Especially since fate itself had brought him this outspoken and conscientious guy. Now Robert not only knew the name of the scumbag who had crashed his car, but could also easily distinguish him by his remarkable clothing. Now it would not be difficult to find him in the small town.

— Look, let’s make a deal! After all, if you came to me, it means you want to help me, right? I will not say anything to the detective, and I’ll do everything myself. You just tell me where this Levon may be now, or take me to him, I will not betray you to anyone, – said Robert, looking straight into the boy’s eyes.

Leo was clearly frightened or confused, unsure of the correctness of his action. After all, if Levon found out that it was he who had ratted on him, the boy could be in serious trouble. Everything had to be done carefully, and Robert tried to reassure his guest. You have to trust each other in this business. Leo looked at Robert and after a short thought promised that he would help him find Lavon.

After a brief conversation, in which Leo told everything to Robert, he left his apartment. So, Levon is a high school student from the neighboring school, a bully and a slacker. Sometimes he works part-time at a car service, but does it more to get away from him parents, who, incidentally, were very wealthy people, but chose strange methods of raising their son. All his childhood, as Robert realized, he was spoiled, and now, according to Leo It isn’t surprising that Levon grew up a major and is already on a dangerous path. What else could he do for money in the future?

Pondering the fate of Levon, Robert caught himself thinking that for some reason he was not thinking about his car, but about this boy’s life. After all, he was clearly on the wrong track, and Robert would definitely talk to him about it. Lavon could either be at school right now, or at home, or at work. Leo could find out exactly where he was, but they both decided that it would make the guy suspicious. Robert was now forced to act on his own.

Putting on his coat, he left the apartment and on the way to the park he decided to call his colleague, who worked at Levon’s school as a history teacher and could find out if he came to class or not. Mary was very happy to hear Robert and after a short conversation about this and that reported that Levon in his class had not seen. “Well, I will not go home to him,” thought Robert and went to the newly opened car repair shop. The weather was fine, no rain was expected, the fresh air not only refreshed but also gave him confidence. Robert felt that he was doing the right thing, and most importantly, he knew exactly what he needed, not only to compensate for the wrecked car.

The auto shop had no name, but everyone in the neighborhood knew about it. A service station, a tire fitting shop, a car wash, and a spare parts store – they did practically everything here. Though Robert had never been here, preferring private mechanics, he noticed that everything was done comfortably and with high quality… However, he came here for another business. The door of the store was closed, but through the transparent glass of the garage where the tire shop was located, he saw several people, including one in a red hoodie. “He’s here,” Robert thought, heading toward the small garage.

As he confidently opened the door, he saw three men. In the bright room, surrounded by racks of car tires, they were sitting in a semicircle, watching a sports channel on a TV bolted to the top corner of the garage and eating shawarma. A young, athletic young man of sturdy build sat a little farther away from them and was using his phone. He was wearing a red, warm, and most noteworthy, clean sweatshirt, which was clearly not his work uniform in this place.

— Hello, I’m looking for Levon. I would like to talk to him! – In a loud voice said Robert to all present.

— It’s me. What do you need? – answered the young man, and the men, as Robert noticed, didn’t even pay attention to this, continued to look at the TV.

— I need to talk to you about something, – continued Robert in a calm voice.

— We’ll be right out, – answered Levon, getting up from the chair towards Robert and the front door.

Going outside and closing the garage door, he took the initiative and continued:

— What do you need?

— Levon, my name is Robert. You and your friends yesterday crashed my car. There is no point in denying and lying, I have witnesses, and, as you can see, I found you very quickly – Robert spoke calmly and evenly.

Levon’s face didn’t move a muscle, he was as if he was not there or not yet aware of what was happening. Robert decided to cheer him up:

— I wrote two statements to the police. One to open a file on my car, and the other with a detailed description of your appearance, where you study, work and live, and a list of all the witnesses who saw you that night. I took one statement to the police, and I can take the other now. You understand what I’m saying right now, don’t you?

Levon stood silently beside me and apparently thought about what to say. He was clearly not ready for such a turnaround, it seemed to him that all this game, that it’s not serious. Nevertheless, the mention of the police had an invigorating effect.

— I tell you what. If I found you and came here today, it means I don’t want you to get in trouble. I don’t think that’s what you want either. Just tell me why you wrecked my car, and I’ll settle the matter peacefully with your parents without the police. You don’t want any trouble, – Robert said with a smile.

Looking at the downcast Levon, he decided that he needed to add humor to his threats, so that the boy didn’t feel bad at all. Especially since Robert clearly caught him off guard.

— I got it. I don’t want to deny it. If you found me, it means you have connections. I won’t deny it! Yes, I did. I’ll tell you everything, but don’t tell my parents, – said Levon.

In his voice Robert heard no remorse. The young man spoke as if he was having an ordinary conversation.

— Tell me this: why did you do it? – Robert went on. – Was it not because you didn’t like my unremarkable car? It is even more important to me. My decision about your parents and the police depends on the level of detail you can give me.

Robert stared at the boy expectantly, without blinking, even though it was rather cold to stand still. A couple of minutes passed, Levon clearly hesitated. But, apparently, after weighing the pros and cons, decided that talking is better than silence:

— We have a client who comes to us. Well, I often smoke with him. His name is Samvel. And he offered me to crash your car, he said that the money will give – two thousand in advance, and another two thousand after work. So I agreed. Parents don’t give money, and I really need it now, – said Levon in a quiet voice, but quickly, it seemed, he wanted to lay out everything as quickly as possible. – You don’t tell your parents, the police, too, since you came and found me, tell me what you need to do?

What he heard shocked Robert. As a teacher, as well as a vice-principal, he was used to remembering names. “Mr. Samvel”, – that was written in the explanatory note and the report of the report drawn up on the accident. Apparently, Robert’s insistent position on the fact of the accident and the opinion of the inspector were not to the liking of the “driver”, and he decided to “compensate” the losses. Robert grinned, but, apparently, too obviously exposed his feelings, because Levon, with a wary look at him, blurted out:

— Have I told you everything you needed to know? I’m not lying!

Robert, still keeping a half-smile on his face, continued:

— Not exactly. There’s something else. Listen to me, what do you know about Samvel? If you put me in touch with him, let’s see how we can get out of this story.

Robert put his hand on Levon’s shoulder, they were the same height. Robert felt that he found an approach to the young man, especially, as he became convinced, the young man was cooperative almost without hesitation. Levon told him everything he knew about Samvel, and he knew enough, as Robert realized from the conversation.

The information obtained helped them to find Samvel. A few hours later, leaving the car wash and the dazed guy, Robert sat in a cafe “Mimino”. The thing is that Samvel’s father is the owner of the cafe and his son is a regular customer, as he always drops in on his father after work to solve some business. Robert ordered a cup of coffee and sandwiches. He didn’t know exactly when the meeting would take place, so all he had to do was wait.

Sitting in the cafe he thought about what he would say to Samvel, how he would deal with him to repair the car. All the while, the thought of some kind of purpose, of the meaning of this whole conversation, kept haunting him. “I have to solve this problem calmly and without conflict,” Robert muttered to himself. – I will start a dialogue with him and will not react to the possible aggression. And if Samvel starts to bicker, I’ll press my advice, especially since I have an argument.” Robert mentally constructed the structure of his communication with Samvel. But the main task was to solve the problem calmly and without unnecessary aggression. After all, the truth is on his side!

Samvel failed to blend in with the customers coming out of the cafe, and Robert could clearly make out a thin, young man who was about twenty-five years old, no more. He was wearing a thin, tight gray jacket and the same baseball cap he was wearing when they collided on the road. Samvel walked over to the bar, said something to the bartender, and, after saying goodbye to him, turned around. Only then did he see Robert. Samvel’s eyes, astonished at the unexpected encounter, spoke more eloquently than words a frightened man could utter. They looked at each other point-blank, but Robert with all his appearance showed the kindest intentions. He was the first to speak.

— Hello, Samvel. Why did you do that? You could have broken the car yourself, and not hired children to do it! – said Robert.

Samvel stood still and didn’t know what to say. Robert continued the conversation:

— If you had crashed it yourself, you would be the only one to be demanded. How is that so?

Robert spoke slowly and confidently, looking straight into Samvel’s eyes. He only hinted that he knew all the circumstances. The only thing that remained was to get his own way and not to have a conflict. Robert repeated to himself: “Solve everything peacefully, I must solve everything peacefully.” But Samvel was clearly not in the mood for a peaceful conversation and almost immediately turned to shouting and accusations:

— Listen! And then at the crossroads you were insolent! And now you come here, you’re picking on me! Who wrecked your car anyway? You probably wrecked it yourself, and you’re blaming it on me! I’m not gonna pay you for something I didn’t do! You need proof first. Don’t accuse me illegally!

At that moment Robert realized what had enraged him so much during the accident – the haughty tone with which he had begun to talk to him then. Samvel had gone on the attack even now. However, Robert was ready for it.

— It’s commendable that you can stand up for your rights and invoke the law. So I’m sure you’re well aware that since I already know both the witness and the executor, the law will be on my side. So, if you don’t mind, let’s sit down.

Robert invited Samvel to sit down at a nearby table and continue the conversation. Samvel stopped shouting, because he recognized his opponent’s confidence and firmness in his good-natured and half-joking tone. After they settled opposite each other, Robert continued:

— You and I are adults. We should be responsible for the younger generation. Levon and his friends who crashed my car are just kids. And what will happen next? Robbery? Murder? Even more serious crimes?

Robert didn’t retreat, he needed to say everything to awaken in Samvel not only common sense, but also conscience.

— Yes, I was wrong, and I admit that I shouted at you unjustly. But I was in a bad mood at the time, and I have serious problems at work and in my family right now.

Robert felt that he had to say everything that was on his mind. And even though Samvel was not his friend, he had to listen to him.

— I get it! But they’re just kids, that’s all they are. Let’s have it out with you fraternally, right here, – replied Samvel, with the same accent as at first. – It all came out so stupid.

— What shall we do? My car is wrecked, witnesses saw Levon, and he worked for you. If the police get involved, you’re not the only one in trouble. After all, the cafe employs your father, and he does not need bad publicity around town.

Robert didn’t want to blackmail his interlocutor. He tried to be as convincing as possible, but so that from the outside it seemed as if the two people were solving a serious problem and exchanging ideas. Of course, he did raise his voice, but he could not restrain himself in any way, even in a calm tone. But it had an unexpected effect on Samvel. After a little silence he answered:

— Yes, you and I made a fool of ourselves. I’ll fix your car! Take it to the body shop tomorrow, and I’ll arrange it with the boys. You’ll have it as good as new, you’ll see. Take my card.

Samvel handed Robert the card slipped out of his pocket.

— It’s good when everything is solved peacefully and calmly, – said Robert with a smile.

Samvel was not smiling, but his expression showed that he fully accepted his defeat.

— I’ll think over your words, you’re right. We should raise other people’s children as our own. That’s what my father always taught me.

He sat there, lightly patting the table with his palm.

— You are a good and honest man, Samvel. All the best, – said Robert, extending his hand to the young man.

After the handshake he left the cafe and went in the direction of his house. Robert felt victory, and most importantly, a persistent feeling of the effective work of the psychological method, which he had now adopted for himself. However, he admitted that it was not easy to cope with anger. All the way home, Robert pondered how to proceed. The cold air that burned his skin on the first frosty day didn’t bother him too much.

“I was able to deal with a very difficult situation today. I wasn’t as helpless as I thought I was. It was all due to excessive emotions and my fixation on my own problems. That is why I didn’t notice many difficulties at school, was not interested in my wife’s life, waged a trench warfare with the mother-in-law, argued with my mother, without even trying to understand them. And I accumulated aggression. Yes… Jessica Highlander was right: answering anger with anger was always a mistake, and maybe that’s why at one moment everything began to fall apart”, – so, busy with his thoughts Robert didn’t notice how he approached the house and the place where his car was parked. He stopped in front of it and dialed the number of the car repair shop given by Samvel. After the second ring, a familiar voice came through the receiver:

— 24-hour auto repair service. What can I get you?

— Good to hear from you again, Levon! – Called back Robert, and feeling the confusion of the guy at the other end of the line, smiled. – You probably know where my car is. It needs to be loaded and taken to your machine shop. Anything that’s ruined, rebuild it, and when it’s ready, I’ll pick it up.

— Ye… Yes. Okay. Payment?

— No fee. Samvel will pay for everything.

There was silence on the other end of the line again, a little later a clearly surprised Levon answered:

— Okay, in half an hour we’ll come and get it.

Wonderful, just wonderful! Climbing the stairs to his apartment, Robert for the first time felt good. Once again he had the strength to do something. Apathy and confusion vanished as if by magic. Finding a net of potatoes in the pantry, he quickly and deftly peeled a dozen potatoes, remembering the tourist experience of his youth. After all the necessary manipulations, he mixed the mashed potatoes and boiled a couple of sausages left in the fridge. Yes… no culinary delights of the mother-in-law were in sight. Maybe that was the only thing he could miss at all. Or maybe it wasn’t the only thing he missed. Robert pondered: “She was a woman of economy and knew a lot about everyday life. She was a very good cook too, but she didn’t let her wife prove herself. If only we could have somehow made peace with Elizabeth, or at least agreed that everything was within the bounds of reason. It would not hurt to explain to her, of course, that her interference in our lives within reasonable limits would be the best solution. And she didn’t exactly behave herself. Mary is now convinced that I can’t restrain myself at all. And…”.

Robert swallowed the last bite of the sausage and froze at the unexpected hunch. On Saturday evenings Elizabeth was in the reading room of the library for literary evenings and brought the novels she had read by the end of the week. It was just half-past five in the evening, and if he left the house in about ten minutes, he would certainly be in time for the end of this momentous event. His mother-in-law would not allow him into her apartment, but he could catch her by surprise on the library porch. Maybe there was a chance to make things right? If he could negotiate with her, she would surely influence Mary as well.

Of course, Robert could have waited a few more minutes, but to sit alone in an empty and quiet apartment really didn’t feel like it. For some reason he looked in the mirror, combed his hair better and perfumed, he hurriedly put on his jacket and rushed out into the entranceway. And here he was again, walking down the cold street. The sun had already begun to set, and gradually it began to get darker. Slanting amber sunlight streamed across the pavement, reflected off the windows of houses and the windshields of the cars parked outside. The evening was remarkably quiet and serene. Only Robert’s soul was uneasy. He was immersed in reflection, thinking about his experience.

The closer the library came, the tenser his thoughts became: “She’ll probably get angry, try to reproach me for something, as usual, or even not want to talk at all. I don’t think so, though. I must not give in to provocation. I have heard nothing but lectures from her. And that night when she left our apartment, I answered her the same way, that’s all. No one is fatally offended by this. You have to stay calm. Here is the heroine of Shakespeare’s drama, read enough of his books, and now puts on a circus.

To achieve his goal, Robert only had to cross the road, not the main thoroughfare, but an ordinary one-way street. So he didn’t bother to look for a proper crosswalk, complaining in his heart that they, as bad luck, are never made in convenient places. Robert crossed the road obliquely, in order to get as quickly as possible to the library building fenced with a black metal fence surrounded by tall maple trees.

Back at the beginning of his career, when he had been a class teacher, Robert often came here with his students. The children participated in quizzes, signed up for an additional subscription, and the old employee of the reading room, apparently as old as the building itself, acquainted them with the history of the temple of books.

It was cold in the library, and the fresh, frosty wind seemed to seep into the room from every crevice. Strangely enough, I could hear voices and laughter already in the lobby. “I must have arrived just in time,” – thought Robert. Visitors to the library appeared to be laughing at some story. Despite the chill, the reading room was really cozy: pretty maroon curtains adorned the windows, painted for the New Year holidays, there were shelves along the walls, and pictures hung between them. There were ten or fifteen people in the hall. They were seated at tables. There were younger people and those of Elizabeth’s age. There were more people of retirement age. They were attracted to the library because they could find like-minded people with similar interests, people with whom they could reminisce about the past.

Elizabeth used to go to the readers’ club regularly; it was as if she got accustomed to this environment and always took an active part in the conversations and discussions. Robert didn’t know what book or what topic was being discussed now, and so he silently opened the door and sat down at the end table. It seemed to him that no one even noticed how he entered, so busy were all the discussions.

A few hours of waiting were not in vain. During this time, Robert as an intellectual and lover of literature appreciated the importance of such meetings and was surprised that even in such a small town there are very interesting people, expressing striking thoughts about books and life in general. He listened to each presentation with such attention that he finally realized that he really missed reading good literature. True, because of that he could not concentrate on the main thing, what brought him here. In fact, Robert relied on the situation, because he had coped with the troublemakers who had crashed his car, and he hoped it would not be difficult to talk to his mother-in-law. He had known her for so many years.

Elizabeth was at the beginning of the discussion of the dramatic scenes of the novel, which she was now reading and retelling in great detail. Almost entering the role of the heroine, the abandoned and unloved woman, Robert’s nearsighted mother-in-law suddenly discerned her son-in-law. Her face instantly changed, her voice became sad, muffled and irritated. Elizabeth sat down in a chair and all the way to the end of the event she turned over her shoulder, looking intently at her guest.

Finally, another reading club event was over, and people began to leave. Elizabeth tried to jump out of the hall as quickly as possible, but Robert, knowing his mother-in-law, was already standing near the door, prepared to smile at her, stop her and unobtrusively start a conversation. But it didn’t work out the way he wanted.

— Hello, Elizabeth. I’m here to talk to you, – Robert turned to his mother-in-law with a smile and an apparent disposition.

— Oh, hello, Robert! – said Elizabeth, overexcited by the impending difficult conversation. – And why did you come here? You could have called.

After a short pause, she quickly changed:

— Although, however, I still would not answer you!

The last phrase caused a stupor. Robert wanted to talk seriously and calmly, but his mother-in-law was in her repertoire, she was the first to launch a boorish attack.

— That’s why I came here, not to your house. That’s why I didn’t call. You wouldn’t have answered me anyway, – said Robert and realized that he could not speak calmly, that he had again succumbed to his emotions and rushed to counterattack, thus falling into a trap. – I would like to talk to you about the situation between me and Mary. I want to make up.

— And you don’t want to make up with me? – sharply answered the mother-in-law.

— We didn’t quarrel with you, Elizabeth, at least I didn’t offend you, – reacting to her tone, Robert said not as gently as he would have liked.

Emotions took over. He remembered that ill-fated conversation, where the truth was on his side. After all, the mother-in-law, in fact, constantly actively interfered in his family life and in the upbringing of his daughter. Robert didn’t throw her out, and therefore didn’t feel any guilt for himself.

— You kicked me out of the apartment, I felt so bad! And I had done so much for you: cooked, cleaned, looked after your daughter while you worked. I never would have thought that you would respond with such black ingratitude, as you did then. I am so offended! – Elizabeth spoke very convincingly and insistently impugned her son-in-law’s guilt.

Robert realized at that moment that he was conducting the conversation, as usual, according to the same rules. Her rules. The tension was building up, and until he changed the trajectory of the conversation, he would make mistake after mistake, and so on, until it was too late to change his anger into mercy.

— Elizabeth, that night I made my point! As a father I will take care of my daughter, and I have every right to do so. I have always been grateful for your help and appreciate everything you have done for us, but now I would like to talk about how Mary and I can make peace. Help us, because you have always helped us out,” said Robert, somehow hoping that his words about reconciliation with his wife would somehow help smooth things over with her mother.

It turned out to be the opposite. YElizabeth looked at him like an executioner looks at his victim. It was clear that she didn’t want a truce between the couple. At this point, Robert’s family life was in her hands. In fact, the ungrateful son-in-law himself “crawled” to her.

The mother-in-law began to wrap herself tighter in her shawl and made an attempt to go around him, but Robert took a step to the side and blocked her way. She raised her eyebrows high and muttered thunderously:

— This is out of the question! This is your family squabble. I, by the way, just so you know, advised Mary to have nothing to do with you anymore! That’s it, I have to go.

Elizabeth was determined, though she knew that she could not go so easily. Hearing what his mother-in-law said, Robert was not surprised by her mood, though he hoped for a truce rather than another quarrel over nothing. Eventually the quarrel did occur. This time it didn’t work out for Robert. “It was my mistake,” he thought. – I shouldn’t have spoken directly to her about my intentions, that’s not how I should have conducted the conversation. I should have asked her directly for advice, rather than expecting her to be merciful, trying to soften her, rather than make her even angrier.”

When his mother-in-law walked confidently away from the library courtyard, trying not to pay attention to those members of the club who were attracted to their quarrel, Robert gathered all his remaining strength and rushed into battle.

— Wait! You shouldn’t do that. Why did you advise her not to get involved with me? Mary and I have been married for eight years, and it turns out that I am the only person in the family who wants to keep the relationship,” Robert said with tears, the frosty air quickly dried his throat and made his voice not as loud as he would have liked it to be.

His mother-in-law stopped and, filtering each word, uttered an entire tirade:

— Now you think for yourself why Mary is divorcing you. I observe your marriage. All these unhappy years you quarrel like a cat with a dog, she is constantly in despondency because of you, and besides… what a bad relationship you have with the mother of your spouse. You hate me, you’re disrespectful to me. No, you listen! I understand that I’m nobody to you, but for everything I do for you, including taking care of Alice, I deserve respect.

The mother-in-law seemed to be playing another dramatic role: she was looking straight into her eyes, pressing her feelings and not at all pitying the young man, who at this moment stood, like a stone, and didn’t know how to behave in such a situation.

While Elizabeth was speaking out, Robert mentally talked to himself: “Just so as not to spoil everything. She is dramatizing everything again. He had long been accustomed to this kind of treatment from his mother-in-law, for she had often made such scenes in her time. Back then Robert had the option of either joking off, or dryly thanking for the help provided, or even avoiding communication altogether. Now the strategy for talking to his mother-in-law would have to be different.

— I told you that I am grateful to you for your help and support of my family, – answered Robert.

But the mother-in-law found something to pick on.

— Your family?! She’s mine, too. I want to remind you that Mary is my daughter and Alice is my granddaughter. I take care of them first and foremost, and from you I get constant reproaches. And that night you even threw me out of the apartment! – Elizabeth exclaimed, wrapping herself in her burgundy shawl.

— What do you want to achieve by this game? – Robert couldn’t stand it.

He was no longer thinking about the purpose of the conversation, because the very idea of making up with his mother-in-law was a good one. But that was probably impossible now. Robert became more and more irritated.

— How so?! – Elizabeth’s face looked like a wrinkled tomato, she even blushed, and something told him that not at all from the frost.

— You now look like the heroine of that novel, the abused and abandoned woman. I didn’t hurt you, though, and I didn’t throw you out. I never laid a finger on you. Though you told my wife some nonsense like that I’d thrown you down the stairs. I know, we both know, that it was not so! – Robert paused, and when Elizabeth was about to answer him, continued. – I didn’t want to have this conversation with you. I came to make up, not to recall the negative past.

— But you never managed to make it up with me, – said his mother-in-law, and her tone was deliberately chosen so that Robert felt his guilt for this attempt, too. – I was very unpleasant to talk to you. Your visit was clearly unnecessary today. And you know, I was once again convinced that my daughter was right to divorce you. The way you were, the way you still are. I’m going, and don’t you ever catch me like that again!

Elizabeth finally tightened her scarf almost to the point of strangulation and skulked down the path. Robert, seeing his mother-in-law off, was left alone in the street. The silence that arose immediately after the unpleasant conversation was interrupted by the creaking of the gate leading to the library building. The gate was shut by an old librarian-a woman with slicked-back gray hair, small and wrinkled. The old woman looked something like an owl, with her big combed hair and her massive glasses, but she was also an old house mouse, for her little eyes were looking at Robert and the gate quickly and appraisingly, and her nose was twitching slightly. She had evidently only now made up her mind to leave her book post, and was now noisily turning the key in the lock hung on the wicket. When Robert noticed her, he realized that the old librarian was aware of their tense conversation. He had no choice but to nod silently good-bye to her.

The cold weather sobered him up a bit. It would soon rain, and perhaps snow. The leaden clouds over the city clearly warned of that. The clouds hung low over the city, hiding the hilltops in the distance. There was a chill in the air that was as ugly as his mood. On the way home, Robert was immersed in reflection on everything that was going on in his life. After all, reflection, as it was fashionable to say in pedagogical circles, was clearly necessary. Robert felt that this was not just another failure in communication with his mother-in-law. He was still making the mistakes that Jessica Highlander had warned him about. Communicating with people like Elizabeth requires a different, more thoughtful approach. Levon and Samvel, with whom he dealt at the beginning of the day, were no match for the experienced manipulative older woman with a heavy character.

Robert spent the reflection silently, looking under his feet. “First of all, yes, I have not thought through the main objectives of my communication with Elizabeth,”- he scrolled mentally, like a movie, his dialogue with his mother-in-law. – Secondly, I should have thought out all my steps in advance, rather than listen to the drama of the members of this reading club. Third, I should not have responded with aggression to her aggression. Initially, I should have understood who I was dealing with.

Elizabeth was indeed a heavy and selfish person with bouts of dramatic attitude toward life. For her, those around her were the spectators of her game. Today she played the role of the offended woman perfectly. Robert clearly understood: reconciliation with this domestic actress for a while is postponed, or at least it is necessary to think over a plan of conversation with her.

The road went across the street, where on both sides there were one-storey houses. Robert didn’t know why he took this particular road, probably because he rarely walked here. The conversation with his mother-in-law had certainly upset him. He had expected a different outcome, but now he was aware of all his mistakes. After all, the algorithm that Jessica Highlander had given him had worked twice; he had succeeded.

Bypassing a large puddle on the washed-out gravel path, Robert couldn’t help but appreciate the beauty of the evergreen, well-kept conifers planted in a row. He looked at the beautiful house, which stood alone surrounded by young trees and shrubs. “What a marvelous house. Why hadn’t I noticed it before?” – Robert thought and remembered that he had wanted to buy a house outside the city in the first year of his marriage to Mary. It had been his dream. But he didn’t have enough money for a house, there were other problems, and his wife persuaded him to buy an apartment closer to his mother. Now, years later, Robert realizes that the decision taken at the time was more than wrong.

“And what would have been… if… That’s it, stop being sad. You’ll have everything. The most important thing for you is your wife. We need to save the marriage and get Mary and Alice back,” – Robert thought.

The phone vibrated. The screen read “Alice”. His heart felt a little better, because it was his daughter who had called. Beautiful moments of communication with her dissipated boredom, and the mood, despite the gloomy weather, improved noticeably. Robert was pleased to hear his daughter’s native voice and to know that she missed him as much as he missed her. Despite such an uneasy separation for the three of them, he was convinced that all would be well. His thoughts cleared, and Robert looked ahead as he walked down the lonely sidewalk, planning his next move – to help Mary with her work. That’s what he would do! He was ready for that, even more than that.

On Sunday, of course, you can’t go to the hospital. And after the scandal that had occurred in the office of the head doctor, Robert could not just come and start a conversation with him. Direct action was out of the question. At the same time about the steps taken by him in any case not to know his wife, because there were already too many problems in their relationship. Only after he came to his senses, after some rest at home, a thought occurred to him which he wanted to put into action without putting it off for too long.

Robert remembered his meeting with Nicole, Mary’s colleague. How she had treated him kindly and warmly, even with obvious sympathy. At the moment he didn’t really know anyone other than Nicole at the hospital. At the same time, working in the administrative wing, she was undoubtedly aware of everything and knew about the relationship between the head doctor and his wife, about the relations between the other employees. It was a great opportunity to learn something that would help somehow put pressure on her opponent and come out the winner of the situation.

Thinking about this, Robert fell asleep soundly. Determination and willingness to fight on, even despite the apparent failure with his mother-in-law, didn’t leave him. So in the morning, after a quick snack, he immediately dialed Nicole’s number. The girl didn’t answer immediately, and only when he glanced at the clock and saw that the hand had barely passed nine, Robert sighed longingly and frustrated. Normal people rest on Sunday mornings. Nicole was probably still asleep. He called an hour later again.

— Hello, Robert, – she sounded cheerful. – How unexpected! What do I owe you?

— Listen, Nicole, I probably seem a little intrusive, but as it happens, it is unlikely that the only one who can give me competent and thorough advice.

The girl became alarmed. Apparently, her companion started the conversation too gloomy.

— Robert… I’ll try to help, I even know medicine men.

— О… No, no, – Robert realized that Nicole thought that something serious had happened and that she needed help from a medical professional. – I don’t want to talk about medicine right now. I’d like to discuss the recent events at the hospital. Things with Mary have taken a very unpleasant turn. You’re friends with her, and you’re also very close to her bosses. Anyway, I’d like to ask you some questions about that.

Nicole answered after a few seconds, not immediately. What exactly she was thinking about, he couldn’t know, but the answer pleased him:

— I’ll finish my chores in a couple of hours, and we could see each other. I don’t really care where. Do you have any suggestions?

Robert glanced hastily out the window. All the paths, trees, and rooftops were covered with a thin white layer of snow. As it turned out, it had been coming all night and was still coming even now, swirling in large flakes. So a walk was out of the question. Nicole lived, as he remembered, not far from his school. And since the car was still in the machine shop, he couldn’t pick the girl up from home. So he had to pick a place to meet her where she lived. There was a small and cozy coffee shop near the school. It was expensive for schoolchildren to go there, and teachers rarely went there because they were so busy. Today, on a Sunday afternoon, it was supposed to be freer than usual. It was decided: she and Nicole would go there.

— Do you know “The Amethyst” coffee house on Trafalgar Street?

The answer didn’t take long:

— Sure.

— Let’s go there in three hours.

— Great, I’ll see you there. It’s just a couple of blocks away.

Robert pressed the cancel button. There was the usual silence in the room again. Well, there was nothing to retreat from, he had to go and find out everything. The main thing isn’t to show that he was very worried and confused for the simple reason that he didn’t even know how to approach this difficult task, how to win back his wife’s favor and solve her problems.

Coffee shop Robert found quickly and came to the institution even earlier than the agreed time. There was nobody there except baristas. Slowly Robert chose a cozy table near a window behind a wicker partition, where he waited for Nicole. She was punctual and came right on time. She hurriedly looked around, saw him sitting at the corner table, smiled at the corner of her lips, and came over. Her gaze was one of interest and surprise:

— Hello again… well…

— I’m going to order. Would you like some tea?

— Yes, please, black and no sugar.

— Okay.

He went to the bar while she made herself comfortable on the sofa opposite.

He didn’t think it was appropriate to stay silent for long, so he started talking almost as soon as he got back. Nicole, practically never taking her eyes off him, listened without interrupting, and only nodded occasionally. Robert told her briefly about the events that had happened after they had parted with her in the lobby of the administrative building. He described in detail the scandal that had occurred. He, of course, realized that, most likely, rumors about that incident had spread around the hospital very quickly, but no one could guarantee how reliable they were. So Robert decided to tell his companion all the details, because the advice he intended to ask her for was related to the two main actors in the scandal: the head doctor of the hospital Daniel and his wife.

When he finished his story, Nicole didn’t utter a word. By this time they had already served drinks, and she took a couple of small sips. Robert didn’t think to rush her, she thought it all over. A line was furrowed between her eyebrows and her gaze was vacant. Every now and then she nibbled on her lips, which, as he noticed, were neatly coated with nude lipstick. She was neatly and tastefully dressed, with a high neck to match her lipstick, black suede pants, dark-colored earrings, and her hair pulled up high and held in place with a brown barrette. Nothing superfluous or pretentious, the image looked very expensive. Such an outfit was clearly unaffordable for a secretary at a city clinic. However, from the few stories of his wife, Robert knew that Nicole worked in the medical field not for profit, she had been provided with everything she needed since childhood by her parents – the owners of a chain of construction stores with an impeccable reputation.

After a couple of minutes, her eyes returned to clarity, and Nicole said slowly, as if weighing each word:

— To be honest, we all have problems in the hospital. Relationships with superiors are strained. Endless nagging, overtime, sick leave every once in a while, and leave at an inconvenient time. But whoever he doesn’t like… or vice versa…

— Meaning? – Robert could not stand it and interrupted her story.

Nicole momentarily flared up, but after taking a barely perceptible, but deep breaths, continued:

— Your wife just fell into the circle of these special people. Daniel began to show her signs of attention, and it would be all right, but he knew that she was married and, despite the explicit rejection on her part, still continued to seek her affection. Until… Until another of his bouquets was dumped in the trash and the cleaning lady asked him, “Whose beautiful flowers are they?” Of course, he got furious and retaliated by telling the janitor that Mary had a boyfriend in the hospital and she was hiding it…

After a pause, Nicole looked the stunned Robert straight in the eyes and assured him:

— I’m telling the absolute truth, because I heard this conversation with the cleaning lady with my own ears when I came to sign the documents and stood outside the door.

“Well, well, so the signatures,” – Robert chuckled to himself, but didn’t interrupt her again. And Nicole continued:

— So from that day began the black days for Mary. Warden quickly exchanged anger for mercy. You probably noticed that she was often called for night duty, delayed late… There was no end to the warden’s nagging, he just enjoyed the suffering of Mary. The most amazing thing was that she tolerated everything silently. I guess when you came to the hospital that time you caught him doing the same thing…

Robert listened to Nicole, while he thought about how wrong he had been and how blind he had been. Such problems, actually harassment at work, and Mary had not even said half a word, and he… He could have at least asked why she stayed so long, why she increasingly silent in response to his inquiries about the past day. Her friend at work knew more than he did. Apparently things had gone too far. The question that had been bugging Robert was on his mind:

— Am I reading this right? Are the hospital staff convinced that the head doctor and my wife are having some sort of affair?

There was an awkward pause.

Nicole took another sip of coffee, sighed, and, apparently having put together a comfortable answer, said:

— His actions and words suggested just such thoughts. The tension between them could be felt even through the walls, and it was certainly negative. People who aren’t privy to the situation perceive what is going on, of course, as their imagination allows them to.

Every word Nicole uttered hurt Robert. There was only one question spinning in his head: “How can I make it right?” Indeed, how? His wife resented him deeply and would not help in solving even their own problems. In the hospital about the scandal with the chief doctor had already heard. Even if they let him in the hospital a second time, he will not go into the administration building without an important reason. Yes, what he did was very stupid and rash. Therefore, all can be corrected only by making the head doctor himself to give up confrontation with Mary. What more can a person occupying a high administrative position be afraid of?

— Listen, Nicole, – Robert broke away from his musings and noticed two nuances: that the girl looks at him with interest and that their cups have long been emptied. – Why don’t we go for a little walk, and you can answer some questions for me. They won’t commit you to anything, but they can help me a lot, and maybe not only me, who knows…

In Nicole’s eyes you could read her interest and joy. Robert noticed that the time they spent together didn’t weigh her down, and on the contrary, she did her best to help him. Maybe, given her benevolent mood, as they both walked along the crispy snowdrift along the narrow sidewalk towards her house where there was a small square, Robert dared to ask her directly and without any offence.

— I’m afraid there’s only one thing that can fix this. I need to know things about your boss that he’d rather not divulge. No… no… – he hastened to calm his companion in response to her perplexed look. – No scandal, just well prepared materials, a campaign to eliminate the problem, and after – a modest request to stop everything and disperse peacefully … Well, if society supports it, then maybe not peacefully, who knows.

It was as if Robert was repeating his courageous thoughts: to solve everything quietly, confidently, and without noise. He liked them himself. Surprisingly the girl was not in the least embarrassed, she was full of enthusiasm and in a burst of emotion even took her companion under the arm. He shuddered, but didn’t pull away, listening to her.

— Robert… Just promise me that I will certainly participate in everything. Well… There are a lot of problems, but the most serious ones are with the mandatory repair of treatment rooms and additional payments to doctors. It is a fact that most of the subsidies go into the pockets of the head doctor. There is only one “but”: all these cases are well organized in the hospital, and no one can come across anything in the documents. Only the staff can help. If you record their appeals, say, on video, and summarize everything in a petition…

— Nicole, – he was jubilant for the first time in a long time, – you’re a genius, I promise you. It’s a wonderful idea! But I won’t go ahead with it anymore, of course. I can’t go to the hospital myself, I have to think it over. Let me call you tomorrow and tell you what I have decided.

She was smiling, too. The snowflakes that had begun to fall slowly landed on her freckled nose and immediately melted away. Maybe he was too hesitant, and Nicole got her way. Quickly rising on her toes, she suddenly kissed him on the cheek. Robert instantly blushed thickly and only managed to utter:

— Good luck to you … Bye.

— And good luck to you. I’d really like it to go well.

All the way home, Robert was in high spirits, although he was a little embarrassed by Nicole’s behavior. The conversation with her was unusually good. The warmth with which she surrounded him was surprising and warming, but he didn’t allow himself to think about anything unnecessary. The desire to get Mary back was firm. Robert had to show her that he had character and will and that he really cared about her problems. He had to, he just had to tell George about all his plans. He would certainly be able to find a way to launch a campaign against the head doctor and help save the situation.

The first thing Robert did as soon as he got home was to call his friend. Within an hour he was at his house. It turned out that George also had Sunday off, and with a floating schedule this rarely happens, and so each of them decided that a meeting in person would not be out of place. Besides, so much had happened. Things were looking up for George. Despite the winter, contracts for road repairs around the area were as active as ever. The new resort status assigned to the city seemed only to add to the enthusiasm of the authorities to subsidize the district. However, a friend is a friend at the right time to forget about his joys and pay due attention to the worries and concerns of those close to him.

Of course, Robert understood that some of the problems could already be dealt with. Full of ideas and plans he told George about everything that had happened without too much sadness, but it still turned out somehow not fun. Trouble at work, a scandal with his mother-in-law, a divorce, problems at work with Mary, an accident… All piled up, like a snowball. Nevertheless, Robert attended a consultation with Jessica Highlander, he didn’t forget to thank George. After all, applying the knowledge acquired managed to calm his mother, to resolve the conflict with the car, and perhaps they will help to bring Mary back. Now it was the most important thing.

— Yes … – George exhaled, poured himself a second cup of coffee and sat down on a chair opposite Robert. – Really like a snowball, all at once and in such a short time. By golly, that’s how it always is: quick, nasty, and most importantly, when you never expect it. Let’s think about what we can do.

What Robert loved and respected George for was that he never wasted time. He always had a lot of ideas, and even if most of them were not successful, some of them even succeeded. But just now, noticing the excitable light in his cheerful green eyes Robert felt that he had ideas. And they were very useful.

— It was necessary to get down to business with full publicity. The information must be gathered so that everyone knows that the evidence we have are irrefutable and are about to be made public. That’s a bit bold, of course, but it’s worth a try. At least, I guarantee you: Mary will know for sure that you fought for her, and her reputation we will certainly save.

— I wish we could.

— Yeah, what are you so sour about? I know journalists and a blogger. The social topic is their topic. If someone from the hospital staff talks to them, then it’s a done deal. We need a couple of shots of unrepaired rooms, a couple of disgruntled visitors, and I suspect it won’t be a couple at all, and… we can start a petition. You go to the head doctor with it, or I will. Anyway, we’ll figure it out as we go along.

“Of course we’ll work it out as we go along. But we’d better think it over beforehand,” – Robert pondered. Any business, especially one as important as the fight against injustice with a strong opponent, requires a balanced approach, a preconceived model of behavior. One thing was important: Robert and his friend George were determined to punish their tough opponent and hold the head physician of the city hospital accountable.

The petition was quickly drawn up. The friends immediately drew the main theses of the petition in their notebooks, expressing dissatisfaction of medical workers, patients and relatives visiting them about the state of affairs in the hospital, such as small salaries, lack of repair, poor conditions for receiving patients, etc. The main purpose was to attract the public to the problems of the hospital with the implication that only a labor commission and an external audit would correct the situation. Of course, Robert wished in his heart to change the head doctor of the hospital, but he didn’t express this wish aloud.

After that, when the document was finished, George began to call his friends with the proposal to participate in the case. As Robert realized from the conversation the blogger Alex, who runs a YouTube channel, immediately agreed. It was a great opportunity for him to get publicity. Moreover, he was also dissatisfied with the state of affairs in Apsheronsk and, in particular, in the city hospital. According to Alex, he would “hack all this mess”.

At the beginning of the conversation, journalist Harry diplomatically refused, because this was not the TV channel’s assignment, but then, apparently having weighed the pros and cons, he agreed. George came up with an excellent argument: the journalist could be the first to cover the events in the hospital and get an exclusive material.

The friends were pleased with the work, even though they had to stay up late into the night. The petition was written, the city blogger and the journalist of the local TV channel agreed to take part in the coming events.

The next day, the four members of the future “hospital coup” gathered at George’s apartment. Alex, the blogger, an interesting young man, arrived first and had already met Robert. He immediately expressed a desire to participate in the case. The journalist, introduced by George as Harry and slightly older than Robert, didn’t show interest at first and during the conversation seemed still hesitant. He perked up only at the moment when the conversation turned to problems in the hospital. Interrupting Robert, he said:

— We can achieve results and be protected if we do everything at the same time. We must circulate a petition to all the authorities, shoot a report, and tell the city’s public about the hospital in a blog. If we can reach a large audience with this news at once, my TV channel will agree to show it on the air. It may well be possible to connect the city’s radio and newspaper.

Saying this, Harry anxiously glanced at his watch, showing with all his appearance that he was in a hurry. Robert understood his concerns. Things had been going badly in the hospital for a long time, it was an old non-healing wound on the body of the city. Naturally, to stir up this hive was dangerous. So Robert decided to give some clarity by stating his intentions:

— We will not let the case proceed immediately. When we have interviewed everyone and the materials are ready, I will personally go to the head doctor with this petition. I will put it on his desk and talk to him first. This argument should help, measures should be taken, but if he loses his temper and I fail to change his mind, then everything will go on as planned.

Afterwards, Robert added that he greatly appreciated the help of those gathered, but still sought to resolve the issue peacefully. After all, his wife is in the middle of things, who could get into very, very serious trouble if things go wrong. An unpleasant story involving her also had to be told. Everyone needed to digest what they had heard, so the meeting participants went home only after the final portion of tea had been finished.

Everything began the next day. Robert and Alex came to the hospital in order to talk with the head doctor. The journalist and the cameraman were on call and their arrival depended almost entirely on the outcome of the conversation. Everything was going surprisingly well. Robert and Alex were allowed into the hospital without any problems, at the entrance the security guard only asked to see their passports and told them where to go. Perhaps the noise of the recent incident had already subsided.

The chief doctor was in his office at that time. Before the conversation Robert once again scrolled in his head all the main arguments, in advance thinking about the “pitfalls”, because Daniel would probably provoke him. His task was not to give in to emotions under any circumstances. The outcome of the campaign depended on it. Inwardly attuned to the conversation, knocking at the door, he walked slowly into the spacious and ornate office. He decided not to hesitate.

— Hello, Daniel! I have a conversation with you, – Robert began the unpleasant conversation with this very phrase. – You probably don’t want to see me, but I have come to you on a very important issue for both of us. May I sit down?

Perhaps Robert was in too much of a hurry, perhaps he was a little tactless, but he clearly didn’t deserve such a cold “greeting”.

— How did you get in here? What purpose did you come for? I will not allow it, of course. Quickly tell him and leave, before I call the police – throwing a folder on the edge of the table, a loud, authoritative voice said Robert chief doctor.

— Daniel, listen to me as an adult and a wise man. First of all, I should learn from you how to manage the organization wisely, because, as you probably already know, I am the deputy director of the school and may soon become the director himself. After talking to your staff, I learned how you run the hospital, and despite the fact that it is the only hospital in town, it’s doing quite well.

Robert emphasized the last words very clearly, making it clear that he didn’t come to quarrel, but to establish communication, which caused a natural bewilderment of the chief physician.

— Is that all you want to tell me? For what purpose have you come, answer me? – asked Daniel, whose tone was still rather stern, but noticeably softened by the pleasant words.

— To manage well does not mean to organize the work of your staff. After all, when the arbitrariness of the workplace becomes more and more, people are no longer afraid of anything. How to be in such a situation? – Robert asked.

He noticed the noticeable change in his expression at the word “mercy”. The wrinkles on his sloping forehead deepened, he bit his lower lip slightly. He had no idea of Robert’s true intentions, but the fact that his visit was connected with Mary, he most likely understood.

— What do you mean? – The chief doctor confined himself to a short question.

— I’m talking about how to avoid dissatisfaction of the staff entrusted to you hospital. After all, I heard rumors about overwork, lack of days off, low wages – went on to say Robert. – If you are aware of all these cases, you must have thought of a solution, how to make everyone feel comfortable to work.

— Are you threatening me? What kind of useless conversation? I don’t have time…

The chief doctor wanted to say something else, but Robert interrupted him halfway and went straight to the point.

— Local social activists, as I know, have drawn up a petition to improve the work of hospital staff and the introduction of the long-awaited equipment in the treatment rooms. I just wanted to warn you that the petition will soon be supported by signatures,” – Robert said in as discreet a tone as possible.

He wanted the head doctor to take his hint calmly. Not as a threat, but as Robert’s desire to assist or cancel the signing of the document altogether.

— Oh, that’s it! Why don’t you just tell me? You want to shit all over me, you tinny tot? You think you’re smart? But, you know, if you were a decent man, your wife wouldn’t have run away from you!

That is exactly the answer Robert didn’t expect. Daniel sought to stab him in the sore spot. He should have defended himself, and not with aggression:

— Yes, love is like that, – Robert joked. – You can’t understand women in those situations. Especially when they keep secrets from their husbands about their work. But, fortunately, there are other people who are happy to share information about what’s going on in the hospital.

Robert didn’t want to frame his wife and cleverly let his opponent know that he knew about the machinations from third parties. He also had no doubt that these very “third parties” were now eavesdropping on everything in the waiting room.

— What business? What are you talking about? Are you threatening me? – The chief doctor pointed a finger at him. – Do you have any idea who I am?

— Yes, you’re the head doctor of the hospital, who just bullies his subordinates. And I’m a witness to that. It was strange to see my wife, who I went to work with, mopping the floors while she was a nurse on duty. Isn’t that arbitrary?

Robert felt that he was getting uncomfortable with this conversation, and began to get to the point.

— Well, here it is. A petition has been drawn up, – Robert held out a piece of paper from the file and put it on the table. – It will be signed today, and it will be sent to the regional administration. But it can still be stopped!

— Get out of here! He is threatening me with a petition. The work is going on as it is, and I am the boss! – The chief doctor got up from the table and started yelling at Robert. – Get out of here, you bastard!

— I want to give you one last chance to negotiate and change the policy with regard to personnel, – answered Robert calmly to his outburst. – I came to you with the intention of solving the issue peacefully…

To finish his thought, however, he failed.

— Shut your mouth, you want to threaten me? I’ve talked to more than that. Get out of my office! – said the chief doctor in an irritated tone, pointing to the door with his eyes.

There was a silence. Robert went to leave, but, grasping the handle of the door, turned around and said:

— Anyway, you’ve been warned. I hope our next conversation will take place in a calmer atmosphere.

Sheet with a petition Robert prudently clutched between the flaps of the door. He will read it, the head doctor will read it for sure. The hospital corridor was already crowded with people whom Alex was questioning. Their glances had met. Alex and Robert understood each other without words: the conversation was not successful, let’s move on to the plan.

All day long, Alex and Robert talked to the staff of the hospital, clarifying the situation with the shifts, the renovation of the hospital, the provision of medicine, etc. Of course, the staff was reluctant to make contact, until Robert had the idea to go outside to continue collecting signatures outside the hospital. To the surprise of both of them, communication became more active, signatures were slowly being collected. In such a short time, Robert and Alex learned a lot about how things were at the hospital.

One by one, people confirmed the negative facts. They told him how the walls were falling apart, that everything was covered with mold, and that rats were the most frequent guests in the building. In a word, repairs haven’t even begun. As for the problem with shifts and unfair overtime, the respondents tried to keep silent. But they left their signatures under the petition.

In spite of the fact that Robert spent the whole day collecting signatures and talking to people, he didn’t feel tired at all. On the contrary, he was filled with the hope that he would be doing something useful not only for his wife, but also for the staff of the hospital.

Alex made a few videos for his blog and left to edit the video and put it on YouTube. He was replaced by the journalist Harry who, together with the cameraman, started to shoot a report about the situation in the hospital. Robert was in the center of all this fuss, communicating with the staff and passers-by in order to send the petition to the regional administration as quickly as possible.

Harry also interviewed the head doctor. Answering the tricky and premeditated questions of the experienced journalist, he openly compromised himself by saying that “he is the chief doctor, the owner of the hospital and there are no complaints from the staff”. Of course, this was a lie, which an unbiased journalist pointed out at first glance. And he even highlighted a large number of signatures in the report.

Closer to five o’clock Robert saw Nicole in a beautiful gray coat and black patent-leather boots, her round silver brooch catching her eye. The girl was on her way to work, taking the night shift.

— Hi, Robert, you’re the star of our town today! – Nicole said with a smile. – Everyone already knows about you. You’re good! And you know I totally support you. The hospital staff and I didn’t have the courage to do it. Where can I sign?

Nicole’s words inspired Robert even more. He felt that he was doing the right thing, and, in confirmation of this, Nicole continued with her characteristic optimism:

— I called Mary today and told her about the petition and that you had started it. She was very surprised, of course, and, like me, didn’t expect such a thing from you. But, judging from the conversation with her, she is proud of you. I’m really very happy for both of you. Well, it’s time for me to take my shift. Good luck to you. Bye. Bye.

In the evening in the apartment at a hastily warmed-up dinner Robert watched a report about the collection of signatures and his participation in this case. After the interview with the chief doctor, who was so uncertain and stupidly answered the journalist’s questions, Robert had no doubt that he would reach his goal. Information about his affairs for sure had already spread throughout the city, and it would be impossible to hide the hospital’s arbitrariness. Of course, Robert was helped by his friends, but he was proud of how he didn’t succumb to the head doctor’s furious provocation and did everything right.

The evening’s reflection was interrupted by a vibrating phone. It was Alice.

— Hello, my dear, – said Robert cheerfully.

— Hello, Robert, – it was the voice of his wife.

— Mary! How glad I am to hear you, – said Robert, surprised by the unexpected call of his wife.

— I have heard rumors that you have started a struggle against Daniel. Is it true? – Mary asked the question.

She knew the answer. But she didn’t know how else to start the conversation.

— Yes, I am collecting signatures for a petition against the arbitrariness that is happening in your hospital. And I’m going to fight it, – Robert answered confidently.

— I don’t know what to say to you or how to respond. I’ve been thinking a lot lately. I just want to say thank you, – after a short pause, Mary continued. – Alice is standing here. She wants to talk to you, and I give her the phone.

— Hi, Daddy. How are you doing?

— Fine, dear! I miss you and Mom. How are you? Do you go to school? – Robert asked his daughter, intending to continue the conversation with her.

— Eh, today I was looking for you. Tell me, why don’t you go?

You could feel Alice’s tension as soon as they talked about school. Robert didn’t want to tell his daughter the whole story and said only that he was very tired and went on vacation to solve some problems.

— Yes, it’s a pity that I, too, like you, can’t go on vacation – said Alice, sighing into the phone. – Daddy, tell me, what should I do?

My daughter’s voice was no longer soft, and I felt irritated.

— What happened? Tell me! – Robert asked.

— I have a quarrel with a boy from my class, he always bullies me and doesn’t give me a break. I even used to fight with him. I thought he had stopped, but he started again. Today he hid my class diary and I was looking for it during the whole break.

My daughter was clearly depressed.

— Alice, don’t respond with aggression to his aggression. Next time just ignore his actions, as if he isn’t in your life. Then he will stop touching you, because he will get bored, – Robert tried to convince Alice that aggression and quarrels with this boy will not solve the problem, he brought his daughter a proven method. – The most important thing – you have to think through a plan of action in advance. There is an expression: “Forewarned is forearmed”. Count all the possible attempts to get to you, and the next time you’ll know how to behave with this boy. For example, if he says something hurtful to you, don’t say it back. Tell him instead what an imaginative prankster he is, what a good imagination he has for being able to hide your diary so that no one could find it. Maybe when he grows up, he’ll be a magician. Okay?

— All right, Daddy! – Her daughter’s voice became more cheerful, her father’s consolation, his advice on how to deal with the abuser clearly amused her. – Well… I have to go, my mother is calling me to the table to eat. Bye. Bye.

— Come on. Bon appétit. Bye!

The unexpected and rather pleasant conversation with Alice lifted his spirits even more. After all, these were the same words Robert had to say to himself: he had to outline a plan of action and calculate the possible problems that might arise in the future.

Since man lives in a constantly changing world, it’s impossible to predict future events far in advance. But you can develop a plan of action and consider all the possible risks and problems that may arise on the way to the goal. Even though this was a difficult period in Robert’s life, he was still determined to move forward. He understood that the more he took positive action, the more he inspired himself to do more.

Robert spent the next morning at the auto shop where he picked up his car. The car was conscientiously repaired and restored to proper condition, it now looked even better than before the unpleasant incident. Levon was trying hard to please Robert, smiling all the time and assuring him that he took an active part in the repair and even did more than anyone else.

— I cleaned the interior and washed the bumper. Now it’s as good as new, – he said, wiping the new side-view mirror with his sleeve.

Robert knew that they had broken the previous one. The most important thing in this whole situation was that the young man was well taught and he realized his guilt. So, the communication tactics chosen by Robert turned out to be very appropriate, for which he should thank Jessica Green.

— Yes, I see, I remember exactly how she was, – said Robert, distracting himself from his thoughts and getting into the car, he could hardly contain his joy of being able to sit in his car again. – Thank you for your work, Levon.

Saying goodbye, Robert drove out of the garage onto an empty road and headed downtown. He intended to take a statement from the police and finally settle the case.

At the police station, however, it was as if time had stopped. First he stood in line, then he explained to the police officer why he was withdrawing the report and had no claim on the people who crashed the car. “Pointless waste of time,” – he thought, and every now and then he glanced at his watch.

It was already noon when Robert, relieved, went outside. At that time the phone vibrated in his pocket. It was the director of the school, and he could not ignore the call and not answer it. Mrs. Marble, in her traditional official tone, said that she was summoning him to school tomorrow about his daughter’s misbehavior.

Robert realized that the school would probably have another unpleasant conversation. How timely he had talked to his daughter yesterday, their dialogue prompted him to take his own advice: to anticipate all the problems he would probably encounter. Robert got into the car. Thoughts of the upcoming conversation swirled in his head. He didn’t have to think long, everything soon became clear.

Already in the evening Mary called. Her wife told her that Alice had had a fight with a boy in the canteen and had broken the trays of dishes. The situation is very serious, and the director wants to talk to Mr. Robert. Yes, apparently the advice from my daughter was not taken.

Sipping his green tea, he spent the rest of the time before going to bed thinking: “Okay, I see. They can use that against me. Especially in front of my wife they will probably provoke aggression and say all sorts of insults. I will have to parry the attacks of my colleagues and, no matter what, defend my daughter in this conflict. As persistently as his honor. Falling asleep, Robert kept in his head at least three possible scenarios for his battle tomorrow.

Arriving early in the morning at school, he saw the boy’s parents, as well as Mary and Alice standing by the window. When Robert showed up, his wife could barely contain her irritation over the whole unpleasant situation, but she calmly said hello to him, knowing that she had to be on the same team for the sake of her daughter. Robert, on the contrary, was happy to be near his wife again and to hug Alice. Despite the fact that Mary showed her resentment defiantly, he was still happy to meet her and hoped that she felt the same way.

At nine o’clock in the morning Robert, Mary, Alice, the boy’s parents, the boy himself, the two head teachers of the school, and the district counselor were sitting in the principal’s office. Robert had been many times at such meetings with parents and clearly understood that this conversation would not be pleasant for everyone. A familiar situation, but he was embarrassed by a woman in a police uniform, who was talking to the principal as the parents entered the office. Robert always had a disgusted feeling during preventive conversations with parents, but he was even more disgusted when he sat down at the table and saw from the outside how ridiculous he had looked before.

— Dear parents! We are gathered here today to confer and decide what to do next. An unpleasant situation has occurred with your daughter. This morning during breakfast she had a fight with Vally and broke the trays. It is good that her homeroom teacher was there and stopped the conflict. As she told me, children cannot get along with each other since the beginning of the year. What do you know about this conflict? – The principal spoke calmly and measured, it seemed as if she thought every word before she said it.

Robert realized that this meeting was very strange, because usually the parents of both children are invited to the conversation. This meeting was clearly provocative, and it was good that Robert had thought of everything beforehand.

— Yesterday I called with my daughter, – said Robert, but the director didn’t let him continue.

— And you don’t live together? – She asked a question in an indignant tone.

— Yes, now my girls live with their relatives, some urgent matters came up, and they went away, – Robert answered with a smile, looking at Mary who sat silently beside him. – So, yesterday I called my daughter and she told me about her quarrel with Vally and I advised her not to pay attention to his provocations. I am sure of my daughter, she will not start and maintain a conflict. There is something wrong here. Let’s deal with this situation, – Robert said calmly and confidently, weighing each word.

— And what can the children say? – the director asked a question.

She cast a disgruntled glance first at Robert, and then at everyone else. Only after that she looked at the girl with a manly softness.

Alice said that Vally constantly bullied her, and even then in the canteen she ignored his advances for a long time, until he threw a piece of bread at her. Then Alice could not stand it and scolded Vally for throwing bread. In retaliation, he pushed her, and Alice pushed him back. A fight ensued. According to the girl, she was not the instigator. It was a typical situation for the teachers sitting in the classroom: the guys had a conflict that turned into a fight, something was accidentally broken in passing. Usually in such a situation the parents contributed and compensated the damage. But, surprisingly, it was Robert who was approached by the principal:

— Mr. Robert, you as the head teacher and teacher of the school should be ashamed of yourself for not preventing this conflict earlier. If you had communicated with your daughter more often, you would have known that a conflict situation was brewing. Now we have a fight and a broken tray of 58 glasses.

The principal spoke in an irritated tone. At her slight suggestion, the party attacked was not clearly guilty Vally and his parents, who looked sympathetically in the direction of the vice-principal, well known to them. By the look of the boy it was clear that his father had already given him a beating a long time ago, back at home.

— I completely agree, I would show my daughter how to defend her honor more tactfully, when she provoked, – Robert tried to make a joke.

He understood that he was being deliberately provoked into rash words and actions that he didn’t want to commit. Now was not the time to have a conflict with the director. This was not the situation where aggression was needed. Gathering all his patience into a fist, Robert continued:

— Tell me, what should we do, we can compensate the school, right?

— Yes, that’s right, – Vally’s mother interjected. – The kids understood everything. I had a talk with my son yesterday, and I guarantee that he will not misbehave. And we will pay for the broken mugs!

It would seem that the incident was over.

— All right, children, do you understand? Your conflict has gone too far, now your parents will pay the fine and compensate the school. I really hope you will try to make friends and not embarrass your parents, – the principal changed her angry tone to a moralistic one, trying to end this phase of the conversation as quickly as possible.

The situation resolved itself. Fortunately for Robert and Mary, Vally’s parents understood everything, and they had no need for further proceedings. They tried to quickly leave the office of the director. Robert understood that everything was far from over, because he, unlike Mary, was aware that there had been far worse incidents at school than the quarrel between his daughter and her classmate. Apparently, the conflict between the children was only the occasion.

— You, Robert, I’ll ask to stay, – said the headmistress in a commanding tone.

— Should I stay, too? Is it about Alice? – without giving him the answer, Mary asked a question, suspecting that she would be left in the office anyway.

— To you, yes, if you want to know about the unpleasant story that happened to your husband, – the director answered her. – Our new district officer Mrs. Victory is here, and she wants to ask you, Mr. Robert, some clarifying questions.

The director in her favorite swampy troy suit towered over everyone present like a green statue.

— Yes, thank you very much, Mrs. Marble, – with a sneering tone began a conversation divisional. – It’s about your student Diana, who recently attempted suicide. Do you remember such a student?

The question was addressed to Robert. He met his wife’s glance and decided to talk about everything without concealment, because he was not guilty of anything.

— Yes, of course. How does she feel? – Robert answered.

— She is very well. But I would like to know your opinion, why did your mother find your printed photos at her house? – the policewoman asked, probably thinking that her question would embarrass the teacher.

And the atmosphere in the office was indeed difficult. What he certainly hadn’t expected was this. His wife’s face also visibly stretched, and she looked questioningly first at Robert, then at the principal.

Once again preparing to defend himself, Robert decided to express his assumption.

— Well, maybe because she printed them out, they teach you to use a printer in computer science classes. What does that have to do with me? – keeping his composure, with a touch of irony in his voice, he answered, trying to lighten the mood.

— Why did she decide to commit suicide, do you think? – the policewoman left that question for last.

She must have suspected that the handsome male head teacher, perhaps inadvertently, but still gave the young maiden a reason to hope for something that fed her violent fantasy. However, the obvious background to the question didn’t catch Robert off guard.

— I don’t have a clue, I only remember the unfortunate incident when Diana was tried to teach her a lesson in this office, and, though it was too harsh, the conversation must have done her some good. In fact, that’s why the principal and I have preventive conversations with the students, – Robert parried, answering the district’s question.

On this answer, perhaps, depended the whole further course of the conversation. The next day I am in the middle of an interrogation, and after some standard phrases the policeman says goodbye to the director and leaves. A few minutes later Robert and his wife went out of the office, leaving Mrs. Marble alone.

Alice held her father’s hand as they left the school. Mary kept her eyes on her husband and daughter; she was proud of the way he had persevered through the two battles in the principal’s office. “Something has changed in him,” – she noted. And indeed, Robert didn’t look like his old self, the tired and irritable Robert she saw every day at home.

On the way to the bus stop, Robert and Alice stopped at the store where he bought his daughter a toy. A cute brown bear with a red cap symbolized the upcoming New Year’s holidays and fatherly love. Robert dreamed of spending them with his family. Meanwhile, just over two weeks remained before the New Year. It was as if Mary had caught his thoughts. Although she was a private person, this time she could not completely hide her feelings. Robert turned around, and their gazes met. He smiled, she held back a smile, but slightly bowed her head and nodded to him. Seeing his family off to the bus stop that took them to the next village, saying goodbye to Alice, Robert embraced her as long as he could.

Already in the evening, sitting in the kitchen in silence, as usual in recent days, Robert decided to call his mother. He wasn’t very happy about her intention to come, as he didn’t want her to catch him in such a state. After all, things had to be solved without his parents, and his mother might interfere. But Margaret was adamant. She insisted on coming, as the New Year was approaching. She said that she “really wanted to see her granddaughter, to see her New Year snowflake”.

— Well, here comes the New Year’s Eve rush! – Robert didn’t hold back and muttered aloud.

He hung up the phone and looked out the window into the winter night sky.

The next day he had to return to the campaign against the head doctor. According to an established algorithm Robert thoroughly prepared for the meeting, thought over every step and every word. He didn’t leave the thought that the chief physician can maliciously respond and even blackmail the position of his wife in his hospital. In such a case, the best thing to do was not to get angry, to react to such outbursts calmly and even as friendly as possible. “Yes, this is exactly the essence of the psychotherapeutic method, which is so detailed said Jessica Highlander. To respond calmly, to switch the aggressor’s attention to positive things, not to press, not to give advice,” – Robert reflected.

He called a friend and found out that yesterday the blogger and two other volunteers had collected the required number of signatures on the petition. The document was ready to be presented to the city administration. However, before the petition was put on public display, he decided to give a conditional last chance to the head doctor. Meeting an hour later, Robert and George discussed a plan of further action. His friend supported him, he also wanted to offer to talk to Daniel first. If he didn’t make concessions this time, the petition would be sent to the mayor and possibly to the governor.

However, the situation was not without surprises. Arriving at the hospital, Robert didn’t know that today was Mary’s shift. He noticed that the bruises under her eyes were even larger than they had been before, and her tired, deadpan look said only one thing: she never went to rest after the night shift. Reflexively looked at the clock – exactly 10:00.

— Hello, Mary, how are you? – Robert asked and held out his hand to say hello.

However, she looked so helpless and so broken that he could hardly overcome the desire to embrace her.

— Hello, Robert. As you can see, after the night shift. I had to stay. Why did you come here?

Mary looked at him and at the piece of paper that was clutched in his right hand with interest and concern.

— I brought a petition to your boss. If he doesn’t change his policy on the hospital and its staff, we’ll take the petition to the city administration.

There was a pause. Robert could not believe his ears and eyes. Mary, who got so much from Daniel, suddenly sighed and said anxiously:

— Oh, you should not have started this, Robert, I told you that Daniel – an influential man … Although, though, you’re good, everyone here speaks well of you and supports your idea, even though they are afraid. You know, I’ll sign your petition, too, and whatever happens.

Maybe it was just his imagination, but for the first time in a long time there was a positive change in his relationship with his wife. They communicated kindly, without suspicion, negativity, or anger. While Mary was glancing through the text, Robert hastened to assure her:

— Everything will be all right, darling.

Afterwards, Robert excitedly handed her a pen and pointed to the last page of the petition, where Mary put her signature last.

“How symbolic that Mary is the last one to sign the petition,” – Robert thought to himself and, after saying goodbye to his wife, headed for the office of the head doctor of the city hospital. Would he succeed? For some reason Robert was sure that everything would be fine.

— Is that you? What do you want here?! I heard you drafted some kind of petition for my sake! Did you get anywhere? – That was the greeting word of the head doctor, who apparently was already aware of Robert’s visit to the hospital, or simply saw him through the window.

— Those who don’t try don’t achieve, – Robert smiled victoriously. – And so I say thank you very much, we worked very well and collected a thousand signatures of people not indifferent to the problems of the city hospital.

The chief physician, nervously rubbing two fingers on the edges of his white coat, irritably and angrily blurted out:

— There are no problems in my hospital, snot-nose. You won’t get anywhere. I’m treating people here, and you’re getting in the way of my work.

Yes, earlier at this point Robert would have snapped, but this time he was ready for any turn of events. Without anger and with humor he replied:

— If it weren’t for you, no one would be treating people. As a recognized leader you can influence the staff, because a thousand signatures aren’t put by me. Perhaps my enthusiasm and your leadership will unite. The petition will go no further if the hospital is kept in order, repaired, and free of overtime!

Undoubtedly, the words about professionalism hit the spot, and Daniel cooled down a bit. But, as became clear, only to continue the attack:

— Did your wife put you up to this? I’ll show her! You know, she is ready for anything in order not to lose this job. Do you understand me?! Whatever I say, that’s what she’ll do!

The insulting words had an effect, and Robert bitterly felt that he was inexorably blushing. But his composure didn’t desert him.

— Yes, I know! She’s my very responsible! I’m struggling with her hyper-responsibility for eight years! With her experience, it’s time to look for a secretarial position at a private clinic. If the petition goes through, there will probably be no problem with employment.

The chief doctor looked Robert in the eyes. It became clear that he had nothing to object, but instead of changing anger for mercy, he refused to cooperate with Robert. However, not everyone, alas, is able to reach a peace agreement with everyone. As a result, copies of the petition were sent to the secretaries at the hospital, and the original was sent to the city administration on the same day.

That same evening, after discussing the events and drinking a bottle of beer at a local bar, the friends said goodbye. Robert, despite the fact that the matter had not been resolved peacefully, was in a very good mood. Sitting on the couch in the evening and turning on the TV for the first time in a long time, he thought about how good he was, how much he had managed to accomplish this week. He hadn’t expected such vigor from himself. The car was fine, the director’s machinations had failed, the head doctor was disarmed. Part of his success was undoubtedly due to the skill of Jessica Highlander. His moments of personal triumph, however, were interrupted by an unexpected message on WhatsApp. “Robert, please be at school by 9 a.m. tomorrow!” – the director wrote.

“Hmm, very strange, why does not call! After all, the principal likes to invite to meetings always in person by phone, explaining the need to come in a strict and businesslike tone. It’s a strange situation. Coincidence?!” – thought Robert. Closing the application, he sat for a long time and looked at the smartphone screen pictures of Mary and Alice, made back in the summer. Anxiety and peace intricately mixed in his soul. Robert felt that a drastic change in his life was about to happen, and maybe tomorrow he would have to decide to do something for which he was already inwardly ready. Perhaps everything really was for a reason. And the problems at school, and the fight with the head doctor… It was not over, as it turned out, the fight for his good name was still to come.

Once again the familiar schoolyard. Noisy children, who had already managed to relax before the upcoming winter break, the elderly guard who greeted him, the eternal smell of paint and something baked from the cafeteria again plunged Robert into a familiar world. So familiar and in some ways native. But now there was no time for nostalgia. Before entering the office of the director, he reservedly greeted the secretary:

— Hello, Inna! Is the director free? I have an appointment for nine in the morning.

— Yes, come in! – The secretary responded.

I think her name was Inna. The fat old woman worked as a secretary and was the apple of the director’s eye.

Once in the office, Robert was very surprised that no one was there, except the director. Usually Mrs. Marble liked to talk not alone, but surrounded by assistants or other uninterested people. Apparently, the conversation was going to be private, and therefore again unpleasant.

— Have a seat, Mr. Robert, – she said in a soft but stern voice. – I called you from vacation for a meeting on this matter. As you already know, all unpleasant conversations aren’t very easy for me, but I must talk to you.

— I should know how difficult it is for you. I hear you, Mrs. Marble, – said Robert.

— Well, now! Our relations with you have always been strained. And over the past year I have sensed that you have also had a hard time. This was influenced both by the events with Diana and your family problem, as well as by the events you hold at the city hospital. Yes, it’s a small town, and I heard rumors that you’ve been, to put it mildly, “messing with” our head doctor.

That’s how it all spun out! Echoes of rumors travel fast. But in what way could this activity be detrimental to the work of the school?

— I hear you, – Robert’s voice sounded muffled and aloof, as if it was not him at all. – So the fight against injustice that takes place in the city hospital is seen as something bad? What is the point of our work, then, if not to educate socially active citizens? Through their efforts, there will be less injustice.

— Oh, what an idealist you are, Robert. You don’t know life at all. In general, the teacher of my school, or rather a representative of the leadership cannot do this kind of thing. It should be agreed with me at least.

The headmaster’s scathing remark was easily parried by Robert:

— Mrs. Marble, our employment contract does not say anything about activities outside the school, as far as I remember, and besides, my activity is fully informative. The public should know that the hospital needs help.

The director got up from her desk and went to the window. There was silence in the office for half a minute, and all that could be heard was the ticking of the clock. She spoke suddenly:

— That’s right, the activity is social, but it extends to the school! Yesterday they called from the city administration, and they were asking all about you. Do you think we need all this fuss? We’ve got a performance review coming up as it is.

— You don’t need, and for me the most important thing – to know that you understand: all this I do only for good reasons.

— Here’s what, Mr. Robert, write a letter of resignation from my school. I see no other way.

The headmaster’s sudden switch to “you” was highly unceremonious and tactless. A tense silence hung in the air. Robert sighed. Now it was clear why Mrs. Marble had called him for a meeting. Either he had been replaced, or she was terribly afraid for her reputation. Not believing himself, he decided to ask again:

— Are you firing me?

— I wouldn’t want to fire you, but I have to. I suggest you write a statement! – The emphasis on the word “must” was also apparently deliberate. – You will not be oppressed by the school, and you can do your social activities as long as you like.

The sudden calmness he felt was incomprehensible and surprising to himself. Slowly and a little aloof, Robert said:

— Yes, I wouldn’t want it to become a scandal. In fact, that’s why I’m here. All right, I’ll write a statement. Just, Mrs. Marble, know this: I came to the school as a young idealist, and I am leaving a disappointed man. I tried to make the school as good as possible and helped you in this. It is unfortunate that we are saying goodbye on such a note.

Apparently, the principal got into Robert’s mood or was prepared in advance for such an outcome. She didn’t smile. But Mrs. Marble’s voice sounded cheerful as she took a statement template out of her organizer.

— Yes, Mr. Robert. I understand you. You have been working very well. And I hope that everything will work out for you.

Leaving the cabinet and saying goodbye to Mrs. Marble, Robert, however, noticed how the usual combative expression had disappeared from her face: slightly squinting eyes, lifted chin, small wrinkles. None of that was there. She was now a lost sort of person. Robert caught himself thinking that Mrs. Marble at this moment penetrated his last words, but could not do anything. The only question was: why could not? What problems were we talking about? Of course, all the details he could not know, and didn’t want to. The desire to change his job was as strong as the desire to change his attitude toward life. He had a wealth of professional experience, many children loved and respected him, wanted to become his students. With that baggage, he could easily handle the responsibilities of a manager in any company, maybe even a private school. His mother’s imminent arrival might have raised the question of moving to Moscow. And why not? If he and Mary got divorced after all, he would have nothing to lose here, and if things got better, he assumed that none of the family would refuse to change cities, especially since his firm decision to fight his wife’s work problems could have all sorts of consequences. However, so far the main problem was only one, and name was Daniel.

After writing the application and leaving it with the secretary, Robert went to his office to get his things. At school he talked a little with his colleagues and told them what had happened. He tried to speak directly and openly, so as not to spread rumors. But Robert didn’t tell all the details, and there was no need to. He realized that all the time he had devoted to work in the school had benefited many. Robert felt relieved. Perhaps he had been on his way to the very idea of quitting for a long time, and today was just the culmination.

Robert was on his way home when he suddenly remembered Nicole. Probably because she lived very close to the school. Who better than Nicole to know how successful the venture he had organized was. Robert felt a deep appreciation for the girl and decided to thank her personally for her support. The message he sent her via messenger was read immediately. Nicole’s answer to the question about her free time was a little surprising:

“Yes, I’m home right now, and I just need to talk to you. I learned something important today. I want to let you know before it’s too late.”

Before it’s too late? Robert was intrigued, so he didn’t hesitate. After answering Nicole that he would be there in about ten minutes, he went to her place. When he parked in a vacant spot in front of the driveway, he saw that the courtyard of her five-story building was in a veritable New Year’s Eve rush. A group of people were unloading a small trailer of Christmas trees, alive and smelling so good, everyone was talking and laughing loudly. Indeed, he should think about decorating his apartment. Nothing lifts the spirits like a dressed up beauty, shining lights. His daughter was always happy to decorate the tree, he also helped her. And it doesn’t matter that Robert – not a boy for a long time, with Alice always felt young. But will he be able to do it together with her this year?

He got out of the car and headed for the third entrance, deftly avoiding the bustling men. Another couple of minutes passed, and he was at the door, but there was no need to ring the bell, the lock clicked, and the first thing he saw was Nicole’s rather alarmed face. The girl, oddly enough, was in her work uniform. Her hospital gown was a little wrinkled.

“Only from the night shift,” – Robert realized at once, and so he asked:

— Am I sure I’m not disturbing you with my visit?

Nicole’s face stretched in surprise, and she quickly shook her head, showing with all her appearance the absurdity of what Robert had said. Without saying anything, she showed him into the kitchen in the traditional Russian way, where they were waiting for the boiling kettle and a few sandwiches with sausage.

— On the contrary, your company will be very useful to me. I haven’t had anything to eat today, so you’re welcome to come along. In the meantime, I’ll tell you what I learned just last night.

Robert sat down at the table with a grin.

— Well, you’re intrigued, of course. I just wanted to thank you for your help, our petition went ahead. It’s going very well…

Nicole didn’t let him finish his tirade of thanks. Quickly drinking a piece of sandwich with tea, she said:

— Only not without consequences. And I still warned you, Robert. Daniel is a powerful man, and you’ve made him very angry.

She squeezed Robert’s hand in hers in an outburst of emotion. Their gazes met, and in Nicole’s eyes she read her anxiety. For him. Yes, it had been a long time since anyone had been this worried about him. He was even a little embarrassed.

— What are you… – Robert hesitated, but when he thought about Mary, about how they have a chance to fix everything, gently moved his palm aside, pretending to reach for a mug of tea. – You’d better tell me what this is all about.

Nicole’s story discouraged him. It turned out that at nine o’clock in the evening, the head doctor talked on the phone with someone long. Nicole, who went on duty that evening, several times heard the name “Robert” and the accompanying obscene language. When the conversation ended and the head doctor hurriedly left, as always, scolded her last, she followed the cleaner who entered the office of Daniel, carefully examined his desk. There were several numbers in the journal of the calls that were scheduled, and the last number belonged to none other than the head of the district department of education.

— So… And what connection could a hospital chief physician have with an education official? – Nicole summed up her story.

Of course, if Robert had heard this story before the conversation with the school principal, he would have immediately understood everything. But just half an hour ago, after signing his letter of resignation, he guessed about the connection between the officials who called each other at such a late hour. From Nicole he didn’t find it necessary to hide everything that had happened. Having finished the rest of the tea and stood up from the table, Robert said:

— And I have nothing to be afraid of them. I have made up my mind. I’ve already quit my job, and now I know what’s what.

Girls tend to be dramatic, and Nicole was no exception in this respect. Coming up to Robert and putting her hands on his shoulders, she said in a half-whisper:

— What’s going to happen next?

There was sympathy and support in her every word, and tears came to her eyes. And not a word was said about his family. She didn’t even seem to think about her anymore. In his gut, Robert realized that Nicole’s involvement was growing into a personal sympathy for him. As flattering as this was to him and as sympathetic as she was to him, he firmly declared his intentions to keep the family together:

— Everything will be all right, Nicole. Tell Mary at work tomorrow that it doesn’t mean a thing. It won’t stop me. I’ve been warned, and I quit because I wanted to, not out of fear. It’s just that I have other plans, and I intend to realize them soon, together with my family.

Nicole was affected by what was said. She pulled away from him, but at the same time she smiled.

— I really hope all will be well. Thanks for stopping by.

They hugged like friends, and then he went out into the entryway and the courtyard, already quiet and free of the newly scurrying people.

Back home, Robert decided to call Mary and tell her about the dismissal. He understood that this news, of course, she must first hear from him, and then from Nicole. He didn’t need another fit of jealousy. Mary got into the conversation, and Robert even thought she was happy about the news. It was no secret that his wife had always criticized his grueling job as vice-principal and blamed only work for her husband’s bad mood and frequent tardiness home. “Work tires you out. You work around the clock and are never home,” she would say when Robert came home in the evenings. Now he was no longer a teacher or vice-principal. This didn’t make him sad, but gave him hope that the changes were only for the better. He would take care of other things, spend more time with his family.

In the morning Robert woke up unemployed, but a renewed man. He would be gone for a week, after which he would get the necessary paycheck, which meant he could stop thinking about further work and get on with his day-to-day business. He was in high spirits, which meant that no matter what changes life had in store for him, they still marked a move forward. Many of his problems had already been solved, and new ones seemed to open the way to new achievements. Robert felt alive and invigorated in the face of coming prospects. Ahead of him came the arrival of his mother, the unpleasant meeting with his mother-in-law, which he could not let slip from his mind. Peace with her would mean half the victory over the family turmoil. And yet how could he find the strength to resolve everything, to come to the victorious end of a lingering black streak?

Mom and her arrival was the easiest thing to deal with, which he did. Robert only knew the time of arrival, his mother informed him in advance, sending a short text message reminiscent of the text of the old telegrams: “I’m arriving on December 20 at 16.00 in Krasnodar”. If you want, meet me. Your mother.” After reading such a message, for some reason Robert thought that this is all she is – his mother. Anyway, he decided to meet her at the airport anyway, the time and opportunities now allowed, and on the way back he could discuss everything calmly and thoroughly.

Six hours later the plane Moscow-Krasnodar landed at the airport. Margaret, Robert’s mother, was a very controversial but at the same time rather charming woman. In her time she received a good education and worked in industry. It was there that she met Sergio, her future husband and Robert’s father. The large salaries of both of them, their connections and good pensions later on allowed the spouses to lead an active life and travel. This time Margaret came to her son alone, as her quick and impulsive decision to celebrate the New Year with Robert could have upset the plans of her husband, who was forced to stay in Moscow.

Here at last Robert met his mother. True to herself, she smelled of sweet perfume, clinking her heels despite her age and fatigue after the flight. The son met Margaret warmly, she was also unspeakably happy to see him. However, her rapture didn’t last long, it was time to receive the luggage. Margaret looked around fidgetily, and made her way to the baggage claim point. It may be due to fatigue, perhaps, that all the bustle was concentrated exactly at the place where the long-awaited suitcases appeared, but Robert’s mother managed to turn everyone around her against herself.

— Woman, we all need to get the bags here! Wait your turn!

Standing at the tape was an equally tired and irritated middle-aged woman, clearly unwilling to answer anyone’s questions. But Margaret didn’t even think of giving up:

— Why do you only work here? Am I asking for anything out of the ordinary? Why can’t you make a fence for the queue!

Robert didn’t immediately understand what had happened. It turned out that particularly nimble passengers, ignoring the queue, snatched their suitcases. Margaret didn’t stand aside. Realizing that the altercation between the ladies begins to grow into a full-fledged quarrel, Robert decided to intervene. Gently, but firmly took his mother’s hand, he made it clear with all his appearance that it isn’t worth it to continue to object to her and intercepted the indignant look of the employee, he said:

— Your talent as a leader is obvious! How firmly and competently you have managed to reason with my mother, and I have no doubt that the same skillfully stop and direct any of those standing here!

Having finished his sermon, Robert smiled at the woman. An approving murmur erupted through the line. Baggage handler Angelina (her name was written on a white badge) huffed, nodded at Robert, and told everyone to take their turn. My mother was pleased, too. After receiving the luggage, she couldn’t stop praising his determination. And the opportunity to show it to Robert soon presented itself again.

After getting into the car, my mother declared:

— I’ve already booked a hotel room. But, judging by the photos, the facilities there aren’t very good, but I won’t stay long anyway.

Robert wasn’t surprised. Of course, he could have acquiesced, but the subject would still come up, so he said:

— You could have stayed with me, too.

Robert felt the back of his head, as his mother began to glare at him.

— How are you? And Mary? Where is she? – Margaret asked.

— We aren’t together yet. She is with Alice at her friend’s.

To talk about her most important, so far unresolved problem was awkward and unpleasant, but necessary.

— How?! I didn’t think it was so serious. And just like that? You took Alice and left? Is she out of her mind?

— The doctors would have assembled a whole council to decide this, – Robert tried to make a joke.

But his mother’s indignation was unstoppable. But now he could be absolutely sure that she would stay with him as a guest.

— How so? After all, the New Year is coming up, you need to make up. After all, a father away from his wife and daughter isn’t right. Where are they now, I hope, in town?

— That’s what I hoped when I first called her. No, they’re in the next village.

— I don’t like this at all. I’m worried about you, – Margaret went on.

Robert had no doubt that she was genuinely worried about him and would try to help. And what mother could be insincere in her worries and concerns? The only thing he could do now was to minimize the losses and costs. After all, she had one more piece of news to get used to. To tell her mother, Robert waited until they were on a straight track with no sharp turns.

— You know, Mom, I quit my job yesterday.

— No way! How? What a piece of news!

Robert’s mother changed her face and was visibly surprised. Of course, she always criticized his initiatives in education, but the loss of work still spoke of instability. There was a rustle in the backseat, followed by another shout like thunderbolt:

— What kind of life do you have? What are you going to do? Where will you go?

Robert retorted:

— I’ll probably go to work as a janitor. Why? Fresh air. And the salary, as in school! Nothing will change.

— What a joker! He’s only joking, – Margaret has visibly softened. – All right, everything will be solved. I really never liked your work.

— That’s my point exactly. After eight years of fuss and false hopes for positive change in this field, I realized that a teacher is still a teacher. Nothing will ever change there. But I do have a head, and I will break through.

— I really hope so.

That was the end of the conversation. Almost the rest of the road Robert and Margaret were silent, only occasionally exchanging short remarks.

At home just before going to bed after tea mother gave her last words for the departure of the day:

— Robert! You understand why I came to you. I will not leave until I am sure that everything is better.

He didn’t argue with her, it was too tiring a day. Robert smiled, saying:

— See you tomorrow, Mother! Glad you’re here.

Left alone with himself, he called Mary before he went to rest. His wife was in a good mood, but took the idea of meeting his mother with a chill. Robert wanted to object in his usual manner, but preferred to ask how his wife was doing. The answer surprised him somewhat:

— Today Daniel gathered the entire staff for a five-minute meeting before his rounds. In general, everyone understood that he was afraid of the petition. He said that he would change the shifts and the mayor’s office should allocate subsidies for the hospital. So maybe there will be a renovation.

— Hmm, very strange, – replied Robert.

— Why strange?

— Because it can’t all be solved so quickly. Suspicious.

— I don’t know. He was very nice to everyone today. And my schedule has been changed, now I’m working two in two, which means I’ll get more rest. It’s okay… Oh, and… – there was silence on the phone for a few seconds. – It’s all thanks to you. You’ve done a lot. And, you know, I want to tell you again how good you are!

The phrase “you are my good boy” resonated with tenderness and warmth in Robert. It had been a long time since he had heard or felt anything like that. Everything was really going according to a good script. Robert felt himself being transformed, how the kind words he said to the director, the head doctor, his mother and wife changed his thoughts and feelings, and the positivity encouraged him even more, pushing him to new actions. There really was still a lot to do.

Chapter 5 – A second meeting with the Method, an expanded insight

It’s a funny thing, the phone. It’s always handy when you have difficult thoughts. And now, thinking about the latest events, Robert again began to look through the news feed in the social networks. The column on the right faithfully gave out ads with contextual advertising. Jessica Highlander’s training sessions were still going on in town. After all, he had been there and even learned some lessons, undoubtedly useful for him. Except… things went wrong, if not worse. A difficult spat with his wife, her application for divorce, which the registry clerk had already “carefully” informed him of over the phone, his dismissal, the hassle with the petition, and now the arrival of his mother. Everything was going better than it had been a month before, but not without complications. Scrolling through the events of the past few days in his head, Robert caught himself thinking that for a couple of minutes he was not even aware that he was reading the feed, just flipping through it. So, to somehow break the obsession that came over him, he loudly told himself: “Enough, I’ll call her and ask about everything. The number of the psychotherapist he found in the journal of contacts quickly and immediately pressed the call button. Of course, Robert didn’t feel confident at all, but at least something had to be done. A few minutes later the voice of Jessica Highlander rang out, cheerful and happy as always:

— Good morning, I’m listening to you!

— Good morning. I had a consultation with you about a month ago… My name is Robert Grant. I would like to make an appointment for an individual talk, if this is still possible.

Jessica responded in the same second. And how do people always manage to be so focused and concentrated, as if they have no problems in life?

— Of course, you can make an appointment for a one-time consultation, as well as a set of conversations that will focus on the problem that currently worries you the most, – Jessica said, and while she was giving him a complete and thorough answer, Robert, whether from excitement or internal confusion, began nervously walking from side to side around the room. – But, since you called me on my personal cell phone, it means that your case seemed to me particularly interesting… So, Robert, yes, I see, I wrote you down. You were interested in suppressing anger and aggression.

— Right, yes, – Robert went on enthusiastically. – That’s why I would like to meet you in the nearest future.

Jessica’s answer stunned and delighted him.

— Of course, let’s meet in the next hour. We’ll discuss everything. We’ll discuss everything there, and the price too, – her voice sounded exhilarated and confident.

— Shall I come up to your office?

— No, no,” she said quietly for a few seconds. – It’s winter now, and unfortunately, we can’t go out in the fresh air for a long time. That’s why we can choose one of the best places in our little town for a consultation.

Yes, yes, how could he have forgotten that the therapist was from these parts. To his shame, he spent so much time at work and his petty family problems that he couldn’t even think of the place in question.

— I suggest that we meet at a cafe on the outdoor terrace of the “Honey Bear” guest house, which was not far from our beautiful mountain gorge. What do you think about it? The hot thermal springs and freshly brewed coffee there would set us up for a productive conversation.

— Fine, just send me the address… – he paused awkwardly before he dared to admit that he had never been there before.

From her voice Jessica was clearly surprised.

— Yes, of course, I will send you the address. I’ll meet you there in an hour.

The call was disconnected, and a few seconds later a message arrived with the coordinates. Evaluating the distance to the boarding house, Robert realized that he had to get ready and go immediately. So much the better, there would be less time for doubts and thinking. Maybe it was part of the therapy, although he could not know for sure. He decided not to tell his mother, who had already prepared morning porridge and coffee. Robert assured her that he wouldn’t be gone for long.

— A couple of questions to solve at work with the documents and stop by the service station. Don’t worry. You can go for a walk while I am gone, – he said putting on his shoes.

Margaret only shook her head.

— Don’t stay too long, son. After all, I would like to talk to you more. And we need to plan everything before the holidays.

Yes, Mom! – He was already on the stairwell, and he answered.

Surely, he would manage everything, for he was anxious to come prepared for the final part of this year’s spectacle.

The way to the small village, located at the foot of the mountain in a majestic mountain gorge, didn’t cause any accidents. It is indeed a great fortune to live near such picturesque places, which even in winter amazed us with their beauty. Snow was already lying there, snow drifts were piled along the road, marked by graders, and tree branches were wrapped in a shawl of snow. The forest along the road was a solid wall. We had a real pleasure to look at the local beauties of nature through the window. Fortunately we got a silent driver. Robert had plenty of time to relax and deepen his thoughts.

The boarding house looked organically against the background of towering mountaintops less than a kilometer away. Two buildings joined together. Two open terraces. An outdoor and an indoor swimming pool with thermal hot springs produced steam that puffed along the paths. Robert followed the receptionist who had greeted him to the covered veranda, where at the farthest table Jessica was sitting. She had already ordered them a pot of tea and two cups of coffee. There was also a plate on the table with a heap of sugar cookies on it. Well, this was the first time Robert had seen such an approach to consulting clients, and he liked it.

— Have a seat, Robert, – Jessica friendly began and made an inviting gesture to the sofa opposite. – I’m ready to listen to you, we have plenty of time. All the daytime consultations were canceled for today, I’m free until the evening. We have plenty of time.

As he spoke, she watched him carefully, paying close attention to all his gestures, words, and movements. Robert himself didn’t notice how in her hands appeared a notebook, where Jessica periodically wrote something, barely nodding her head. Such actions made him a little nervous, but Robert told her everything, up to the events of yesterday, when he was also faced with financial problems.

— So… I don’t even know where to go to sort out all this pile of problems piled up on me, – summed up Robert, knowing that he looks confused. – Now I’m unemployed. Although, on the one hand, some of the difficulties I was able to resolve, with this unfortunate accident and problems with my wife at work. But… I think I’m still not close to Mary, and I want to fix everything.

Jessica looked at her notes in the notebook, then at him. She was quiet for a few minutes, and then said:

— Yes, your situation isn’t easy, and I wouldn’t say that it’s all just aggression. But, of course, the tangle of conflicts is quite tangled, and you can only untangle it by active action. The method I have been working on for some time, I am sure, will help smooth out the negative effect.

Robert listened attentively to the therapist and inwardly agreed with her on everything. He understood that he had aggravated many life situations and that now everything had to be solved. However, he didn’t understand the essence of the method, although at the previous session it seemed clear to him and he even applied the knowledge he had received then in practice.

Jessica might have seen a misunderstanding or doubts in his eyes and offered exactly what Robert wanted:

— I think you should describe the application of the over-support method using examples of people close to you.

— Yes, that would be very good. It’s one thing when you have to resolve a conflict with a stranger, but it’s quite another when you’re confronted by a relative or someone close to you. Emotions then pour over the edge. With my mother-in-law, for example, there is no peace, I tried, nothing came out. And my wife is like a block of stone.

Slightly tapping his pen on the table and periodically smoothing his hair, clearly passionate about the topic Jessica Green told:

— The bottom line is that you should not accumulate the aggression and resentment, but also should not splash out on the interlocutor. The interlocutor gives vent to aggression, often it’s beyond humanism, the answer must be adequate, also beyond humanism, but carrying in itself constructive. There will be no adequate reaction of the interlocutor, but there will be a constructive comprehension of what has been said, a reaction in a constructive way, which is what we need. The idea of the method is that the interlocutor does not understand that he is being attacked. He is being attacked with support. Aggression needs to be transformed into something positive, into positive emotions and actions. In my practice I have studied the facts of positive reinforcement, namely, what behaviors evoke the most positive reactions in clients. Support and complicity proved to be always the most effective. That’s why I selected an experimental group of volunteers and tested how sudden participation in a conflict affects the course of the conflict and its conclusion. Let’s put it this way… – Jessica paused meaningfully, her eyes wide open and appearing almost out of breath. – Up to 60 percent of conflicts were either completed or went through the climax stage in half the time. And in practice, things look sometimes more complicated than they seem. Can I give you a personal example? Yes, I had the opportunity to experience the effect of the method in practice.

Robert hurriedly nodded in approval. He could not wait to find out what difficulties such a cheerful woman sitting across from him at the table might have had. And she told him her story, which he believed, of course, with difficulty, but the story was quite instructive. At one time Jessica as a psychologist began her business together with her then fiancé, who later refused to finance it, and left her, accusing her of unprofessionalism. Later she caught him with another girl, but instead of defense, he went on the attack and even filed a lawsuit against the agency Jessica created, accusing her of extorting money.

— Yes, it was hard for me to contain my emotions, but I decided by all means to put my methodology into practice, – Jessica spoke easily and casually about serious things, but every word was weighty. – I showed concern for him, sent small gifts for the holidays, always wondered how he was feeling, how his loved ones were doing. Basically, I went on the offensive with support. Even won the court case he filed, as managed to create a friendly atmosphere before the scandal broke out. By being supportive, I was always a few steps ahead of the curve, and in doing so, approached everything with humor. To summarize briefly, Mark and I are still friends, and he was the publishing agent for my book. I’m on good terms with his wife, too.

Amazingly, the same young man whom Robert met at the group consultation, who took such an active part in all the discussions, was, it turns out, Jessica’s fiancé and her main competitor. It was hard to believe it, but, as they say, it was as if the method advertised itself.

— I think I know him already, – said Robert surprisingly, and Jessica instantly smiled, obviously remembering that day. – We communicated with him at the first consultation.

— That’s right, yes, that’s him. Mark has already left for Moscow, and I’ll be here in Apsheronsk for another week. But nevertheless, there’s a lot we can do together. Your story is attractive because a lot of personal things are intertwined in it, and there is a certain professional emphasis. You are a professional, – the attentive look in Jessica’s dark eyes made Robert embarrassed: nobody has complimented him so laconic, but at the same time pleasant, for a long time. – Right? You are a good teacher, a good father, you love what you do, and no doubt you love your family.

— You know, I really wish I could be like that.

— And that’s the way it is. And everyone in your family can count on their share of expertise. When it comes to conflict, just look for positive traits in your opponent, and if he’s your own person, it will be much easier to do, – Jessica continued to talk and at the same time signaled the waiter to bring the menu. – I think we need to refresh ourselves. It’s getting close to lunchtime. Let’s consider today’s meeting as a friendly one, I think we could cooperate.

During the meal Robert kept glancing over and over at his new acquaintance, a high-class specialist who inspired him with confidence. He felt good feelings towards Jessica, as she was practically the only person, except George, of course, who cared about his situation. Of course, as Mark said, she was writing a book, and she was interested in unusual, so to speak, “clinical cases.” But still, whatever her motives, whether personal or professional, this meeting and this communication could have been the real way out. And it was a way out that was worth taking.

***

The next day Robert woke up early in the morning! It was 5:30 on the clock. It had been a long time since he woke up this early, but, strangely enough, he was no longer sleepy. The invigorating, pleasant coffee cleared his mind. Once again thoughts of life came to his mind. On the one hand, he was encouraged by his conversation with Jessica Highlander. It was nice to know that he had such a friend and mentor, and, on the other hand, there was a turning point in Robert’s life. He had quit his job, which meant that he had lost a stable source of income. Even though he still had some money in his bank account, he realized that his pre-prepared financial “cushion” would not provide for him and his family for long. Robert realized that he needed to look for a new occupation. The only important question remained: where and what would he work now? But there was not much time to think about it.

A family meeting was scheduled for today. Mother still insisted on visiting Elizabeth, whom Alice would visit after school, because Mary had taken a shift at the hospital. “She certainly won’t be happy to meet her,” – the thought of Elizabeth ran through her mind. But, remembering yesterday’s meeting, Robert cheered himself up and didn’t allow himself to fall into despondency. Two hours later he and Margaret were knocking at his mother-in-law’s door with a present for Alice.

— Yes, I hear you! – Elizabeth, who had already put on a mask of arrogance, said indignantly when she opened the door.

She was clearly annoyed. She didn’t think it necessary to hide her emotions.

— Good afternoon, Elizabeth! This is my mother Margaret. We have come to see Alice, – answered Robert with a smile, and after a moment of silence added. – And to you!

Surprising, of course. After all these years there was a second meeting of parents-in-law since their children’s wedding.

— Yes, come on in, guests… darlings! – Elizabeth answered sarcastically, inviting them into the apartment.

But of course, Alice smoothed out the tension in the air. She was glad to see everyone. She talked animatedly about her studies, her successes in singing, her new toys.

— Maybe we should watch a cartoon! – Alice suggested.

She put a disc in an old DVD player by herself. Sitting comfortably on the couch, she hugged Robert, and together they watched a Disney cartoon “Beauty and the Beast.

— Is that your favorite cartoon? – Margaret asked a question.

— Yes, it’s about life, Granny. And it’s also very colorful and interesting, – replied her granddaughter.

— About life?! Yes, yes, how true, sometimes the beauty does not see her monster as a prince – with a sigh said Margaret.

— Maybe the prince shouldn’t have become a monster! – From the kitchen came the loud voice of Elizabeth.

Margaret turned around and looked toward the kitchen. She wanted to talk to Elizabeth about the situation with Robert and Mary as much as she wanted to meet her granddaughter. After a minute Margaret got up and with quick but steady steps went to the kitchen.

— Shall we have some tea? – She turned to Elizabeth.

Robert was sitting on the sofa with his daughter, watching a cartoon, he could not hear what the two women were talking about, but he suspected that their conversation was clearly unkind. They were talking in high tones, and Robert was already ready to swear that their conversation began to turn into an argument.

— And I tell you that everything will work out. They are young! – Margaret’s voice was heard.

Robert had no choice but to intervene. He quickly mobilized himself.

— Mother, what are you discussing? – Robert asked the question so loudly that his voice was probably heard in the kitchen.

— You, dear, and your wife. I am convinced that your crisis will soon be over, – Margaret answered.

Rising from the sofa and stroking Alice on the head, Robert proceeded to the kitchen.

— I have no doubts about that either, the most important thing is that our irritants have disappeared. I quit my job, and Mary’s work has improved. Things are only going to get better from here.

— Yeah, it’s gonna get better. You’re unemployed now. And who’s going to provide for Alice?

Elizabeth didn’t miss the chance to use a proven trump card. But Robert counterattacked with her own arguments, voiced earlier.

— Well, you’ve already completely buried me, Elizabeth! The most important thing: I have a head on their shoulders. And you yourself have always complained about the fact that I work in the school, and now I don’t. And I have in mind other prospects, more profitable for the family.

Robert backed up his rebuke combined with a smile confident look directly into the eyes of the main family “enemy”. After a couple of seconds the mother-in-law found something to say.

— Oh, well! I knew you would quit your job. It’s the only way to get out of poverty, if that’s what you want,” she said, backtracking.

— You see, you understand me very well and believe in me, just like my mother. You have always wanted only good for us. Haven’t you? – Warmly answered Robert.

The trick worked, and Elizabeth didn’t bring up the subject again, and they spent the rest of the day talking on distracted topics. As they said goodbye, Elizabeth and Margaret nodded approvingly to each other, expressing the hope that the holidays will be good weather and everything will go smoothly.

The evening was not without small victories, but Robert felt some lack of clarity between him and Elizabeth. A relationship isn’t a machine, and you can’t fix it in one day. He understood that, and so he decided to try again. All the more reason. A pre-New Year’s fair had opened in the city, and a walk through the center of the city was to inspire Alice.

The next day, at about the same time as he and his mother arrived at his mother-in-law’s house, Robert rang her doorbell. Elizabeth was not expecting his arrival. She had just brought her granddaughter home from school and looked tired.

— Good afternoon, Elizabeth.

— How do you do? What do you want? – From the threshold the mother-in-law answered. She was not going to give her son-in-law an extra chance.

— I am going to fetch Alice, a fair has opened in the city, I want to buy her some clothes on sale before the weather gets very cold.

Entering the apartment and taking off his coat, Robert asked:

— Mary isn’t answering her phone, is everything okay?

— Yes, she is sleeping it off. This morning she moved her stuff in, she’s staying with me until everything is solved at your place.

Wanting to somehow defuse the situation, Robert made another attempt to get through to the mother-in-law:

— You’re the best mother! Over the years I’ve seen how well you can take care of your daughter.

The trick may have worked, but something like a smirk appeared on my mother-in-law’s impenetrable face: “Don’t flatter me, even though it’s true.”

— It’s true! You always give her the right advice, and she listens to it sometimes even more than she listens to mine.

— Because I am a mother and have given her more than you have. You know I don’t want to bring it up again. Will you be with Alice long? She has homework to do.

Help came unexpectedly. Bedroom door opened, and out of there came Mary, sleepy, in a bathrobe, so homely and cozy. As soon as Robert saw her, he felt how much he missed her all these days of separation. He wished he could just call it all off, rewind. But, alas, it was impossible.

— Mom, don’t be so hard on yourself, – Mary objected to her mother. – Robert really helped me with my work. After all, you know that the chief doctor – a tyrant, well, Robert has intimidated him so that now I don’t have such frequent shifts. And in general it became very quiet.

— Salary raise, it would be even better, – said Robert.

— Yes, and he would raise the salary. Probably after the New Year, – Mary said.

— Now, wait a minute. So it was you who organized the collection of signatures near the hospital? – The mother-in-law entered the conversation.

Robert saw genuine surprise on her face. Her hands, which Elizabeth held at the waist, dropped and she slightly leaned against the wall. She sighed.

— Yes, mother, that’s our Robert! – Mary nodded.

— I didn’t think that you are so desperate.

— Well, as I said yesterday, now I have more prospects after the dismissal.

Of course, Robert didn’t tell his mother-in-law that the petition was the reason for his dismissal.

— Then everything is clear. Mary at least began to sleep after work. Oh, by the way, what did you get out? Go back to sleep, you’re after a night shift – made a remark to daughter Elizabeth and went into the living room, where Alice was resting on the couch.

— Now we’ve talked, – Robert stated.

Mary didn’t go to sleep and continued to stand in the doorway and look at Robert. He no longer seemed so sullen to her. She felt that he had changed and that he wanted to improve relations with her mother as much as he wanted to save their marriage. Mary got into today’s conversation and was surprised herself when she heard her husband’s voice in the hallway and felt the urge to go out and defend him, despite her fatigue.

Robert thought this was not like her either. How much she would like to say now, to literally shout out that he wanted things to be like before. At that moment, however, Robert caught himself thinking that if things were as they used to be, the old problems would also return. If the crisis continues, let it lead to something new, to a better life.

Thinking about it, Robert asked:

— How are you, Mary?

He walked closer to his wife and took her hand.

— Tired. Today I have moved the things to my mother, it is hard to go from Khadyzhensk to the city, – she answered.

— Well, you rest, and I want to go with Alice to the fair. There are a sale of children’s clothes, maybe something to take.

— What a great idea! She needs a warm jacket and a winter dress, if any.

Mary smiled. Alice caught every look from her parents. New shopping and a walk with her father were welcome to her.

And so the walk took place. It was cold outside, but not frosty. The engine started, and Robert and Alice drove into the center of town. After a few minutes they saw a large Christmas tree near the administration office. On both sides of the road were stalls with merchandise. There seemed to be everything: honey, toys, dishes, fruit, clothes.

After a few hours of walking, trying on things, and shopping, Robert, laden with his bags, and Alice, holding a lollipop, walked back to the car. It was getting dark. This time of the year it gets dark quickly, and we wanted to take Alice home before dusk. The daughter’s question, as usual, caught Robert by surprise.

— Daddy, why aren’t we living at home? – The child, as usual, spoke straightforwardly, without any offence.

— And what does your mother tell you? – I was asked a question and dared to answer it.

— She does not tell me anything. She says she misses our apartment very much.

— We’ll celebrate the New Year together. I promise you, – he assured his daughter.

And then it suddenly dawned on him. Why don’t they celebrate the New Year together? Why not celebrate the New Year in a great company? And it would be the beginning of a new life. Getting into the car, Robert dialed the number of his mother.

— Mom, hi. How are you?

— Just great. I met an interesting woman in that cafe, which you recommended. We sat and talked all day. All in all, everything’s good.

— Mom, listen, how would you feel about spending New Year’s Eve together?

— With whom? – Margaret asked again.

— With me, Alice, Mary, Elizabeth.

— And you have everything settled, your wife does not mind?

Robert looked at his daughter and said:

— I will do well, it will be even better if you stay. Call your father, maybe he will come too?

— I’m not sure about him. He’s an avid homebody. But I can reschedule the flight.

Alice was happy! All the way there she was talking about how she would like to celebrate the New Year, to please everyone, to make a surprise for her mother. Robert listened silently to his daughter and smiled. The empty evening road inspired calm and peace.

Of course, Elizabeth was happy about Robert’s purchases. She showed her joy as sincerely as she could, and Robert felt that it was not an ostentatious joy. It was all too unfamiliar, Elizabeth had clearly changed.

— What a nice jacket, look, with warm lining. Your father – well done!

— Granny, that’s not all – said Alice, opening the bags.

— Wow, there’s honey, nuts, – exclaimed his mother-in-law in astonishment.

— It’s all for you.

— And you don’t get poor to buy so much? There is no work.

— Mom, – Mary blurted out reproachfully.

Looking at Robert, she turned to him:

— Thank you! It really is a good jacket. I was so worried about what Alice would wear. Now it’s like a stone off my chest.

— I’m so glad to hear that you’ve calmed down. It’s really all right, – said Robert.

He also replied to Elizabeth:

— The unemployed can sometimes do more than the employed, they have more time to maneuver.

— All right, if that’s the case. Well, thank you. I took it all into the kitchen.

Taking the grocery bags, Elizabeth left. Robert wanted to tell Mary about New Year’s Eve, but after looking at her, for some reason he changed his mind. He probably wanted to surprise her, or, preserving the intrigue, to get out of the crisis more thoroughly, without taking quick and hasty steps. As a matter of fact, Robert had been quiet since this morning. Thoughts began to come to him that Mary was ready to go back and be with him. However, it was necessary to choose the right moment. New Year is a good time for change, it is like a certain point, symbolizing the end and at the same time the beginning…

Talking with Jessica Highlander was not in vain, Robert learned a lot from her, and most importantly, learned a complex yet simple psychological method. In this method not only aims at suppressing the aggression of others, but also helps to make partners out of enemies, to avoid negativity, to perceive life positively. That’s what you should strive for!

All the next day Robert dealt with current affairs. He had to take care of the bills and go to the bank.

Driving to the city center and having done his business, Robert went into a cafe for a cup of coffee and in the comfort of his own home to think about New Year’s Eve celebrations. In a small town, it is very difficult for a school principal, even a former one, to go unnoticed. Parents and alumni of previous years came up to him and said hello, but now, sitting in a cafe and thinking about the upcoming holiday, Robert didn’t notice that two young men looked at him. After discussing something among themselves, they decided to sit down with him.

— Hello, Robert, – one of them said hello, while the other stood smiling.

— Hello, – Robert answered in surprise.

— You probably don’t remember us? I’m Basily, – said the first.

— And I’m Sergio, we graduated two years ago, you blew up clappers at our prom, – said the second guy.

Robert tried to remember that year, that graduation, but they all merged into one. He never remembered slackers and slackers, maybe these guys were one of them. He could only hope they didn’t notice him trying to remember them.

— Oh, yes, I remember. Mrs. Mary’s class! So, tell me, how are you doing?

— Yes, we’re fine, we’re in our first year. I’m an economist, and Sergio is a programmer – the guy was just glowing with joy. – We’ll never forget how you protected us last time. They wanted to kick us out of school and prevent us from taking the exams. But you insisted, and by some miracle we made it to the eleventh grade.

Robert muttered embarrassed:

— Yeah. I remember, of course. But that’s my job!

— No, you didn’t. You didn’t treat it like a job. You made a very strong impression on us. It’s as if you live your life with your students, it’s very cool, – said Victor.

Talking with the alumni, Robert further confirmed the idea that the work of a teacher and a psychologist are very specific. Two ordinary guys, former slackers and now students, have changed, and Robert, or rather his approach to children, has influenced this. Perhaps this is how it should be in life: our words and actions should make both life itself and those around us better.

In response to sincere feelings Robert shared the news with the graduates, saying that he had quit his job. Guys were surprised, but expressed confidence that everything Robert will be fine.

— You will develop your business. We don’t doubt you.

***

George didn’t answer the first two calls. Only closer to 4 p.m. did he call Robert back. His voice was depressed, and the intonation with which he spoke could indicate problems, nothing else. Unconcerned, remembering the support from his friend, Robert could not remain indifferent.

— What happened, George? Why do you sound like that? I hear something wrong, – said Robert, suspecting something wrong.

— Yes, there are problems. A businessman always has them, but now they are choking me and my business even more. I’m waiting for a call from my lawyer, maybe he can explain the situation. How are you doing? Have you reconciled with your wife? – George answered.

— Yes, everything is fine, I was fired, – laughed, answered Robert. – Where are you now?

— In my office at High Street. If you’re not busy, come here! – George said.

— I got it. Fine, no business. I’m on my way.

The journey took just over twenty minutes. And all that time Robert, thinking, came to the conclusion that all the problems of his friend were not accidental. But only a detailed conversation could confirm his assumptions.

My friend’s office was located in the center of the city in a beautiful new building. George was the owner of a large business and co-owner of several stores and retail wholesalers. And, as many noted, George built his business quickly and suspiciously fast, which raised questions. But Robert didn’t ask them. He as a friend was very happy about his friend’s success and all these years, watching him, didn’t really go into details. But now, having become close to George again, Robert could not help but support him.

The young guy, who worked as a secretary, was already aware of the visit to his friend’s boss, so, smiling politely, led Robert down the corridor and pointed to the office door. George was sitting in a chair and talking on the phone. Robert nodded and sat silently on the couch. He knew from the phone conversation that something serious and unpleasant was going on. George kept saying that he couldn’t get the documents together so quickly, it would take time. After a few minutes of tense conversation he threw the phone on the table and said:

— Trouble does not come alone!

George got up from the table and walked to the window overlooking the police building. After silent for a while, he cursed:

— Fucking hell!

— What the hell happened? Tell me! – said Robert.

— It looks like they decided to shut down my business in our neighborhood. Somebody sicced Federal Service for Consumer Rights Protection on my stores, and the tax office is coming on Monday. It’s Saturday, I have two days! They are coming to inspect my financial documents and my accountant is on vacation, it’s New Year’s Eve. I had to go to St. Petersburg. We have to call it in!

George was clearly depressed, the impression was that he could barely contain his fear.

— It’s disconcerting that it’s so sudden and on New Year’s Eve!

— It doesn’t seem like a routine inspection. My lawyer said there was an order from the administration.

— Wait, the district administration is interested in you? It can’t be because you helped me with the petition, can it?

— Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking, too. They decided, because I was an accomplice in this case, to shut down my business, so that other entrepreneurs wouldn’t get caught up in it. Okay, I’ll get through it. I was really ready for the inspections. My business was growing fast, it was like a tidbit for the local bosses. But I knew what I was getting into. I guess now was the time.

George continued to stand at the window. Though he tried to sound confident, Robert understood that his friend was not telling him the most important thing. A businessman like George must have “skeletons in his closet”. And after the unscheduled inspection he would probably have even more legal problems than now.

Robert supported his friend:

— Barking at a knot. Isn’t that how the saying goes? You’re a good businessman and leader. And difficulties… They always make us stronger.

— You’re right, when trouble comes, open the gates, as another proverb says. Still, they can’t shut me down, since my wholesale outlets feed the entire fleet of vehicles in the area. And that’s what I need to do now – take care of the security!

— Naturally! And I keep thinking, what are you doing walking around without your personal army.

— Ha-ha. We’d have your chief medical officer obeying us in no time. Anyway, I meet this inspection, beat off the attack, and then we’ll see, – George smiled and continued. – Thank you for coming. You supported your friend!

— No problem! If you need my help, you’re always welcome!

— If you’re not busy tomorrow, come to my countryside house. My team will gather there, it will become more or less clear what to do next. I need your bright head.

— Fine, I’ll come to the cottage tomorrow!

***

The next day, George, even more depressed, introduced Robert to his team. There was an accountant, who had flown out of St. Petersburg in a hurry, two lawyers, and that young and polite secretary, whom George had introduced as Paul. The team was now aware that the mayor of the city was behind all the problems that had come down like a snowball’s head. He was dissatisfied with the petition drawn up against the chief doctor, and when he learned that a local businessman was involved, he began a campaign against him.

The team gathered at George’s countryside house was a veritable war chest, making constructive suggestions, reacting vividly to everything, discussing and arguing. Despite this, Robert understood that George was in despair, although he tried not to show it. Robert decided to distract his friend from his problems.

— It’s a nice countryside house you have. Can you tell me how to make it so cozy? – he said as George leaned back on the sofa.

— Oh, yes. I did a real renovation here. You could say that I put my whole soul into this cottage. To tell you the truth, buddy, I feel much safer here than in the city apartment.

— So this is your place of strength. Your victory is being forged here.

George smiled. The conversation was short, because the conversation was interrupted by a phone call. Robert noticed that during the discussion George often rejected incoming calls, but this time he didn’t do so and answered. The conversation on the phone lasted a long time. George went out into the next room and locked the door. This had no effect on the work of the team. The combat staff continued to rummage through papers and discuss business.

Ten minutes later, George came out in a perceptibly upbeat mood. He smiled and, clenching his fists, enthusiastically said:

— They can’t get me!

— George, what happened, who called? – asked the accountant.

— Stand down, guys, there will be no inspection. We’ll give it to them, and that’s all I have to do. I figured it out: no one wants to make a fuss in the neighborhood.

George quickly went to the table, sorted through a pile of files and, finding the right document, said:

— And I’ll keep this one for the time being!

That ended the meeting of the improvised operational headquarters. The accountant didn’t complain about the fact that he had been recalled from leave and responded to George’s apologies:

— Well, work is work, boss!

The company parted. Robert intuitively felt that George would like to celebrate the safe outcome with him.

Giving up alcohol, Robert offered to make coffee. Sitting on the sofa near the fireplace and inhaling the invigorating aroma of the delicious drink, they talked about life, about family, about problems. Robert was glad to talk with his friend, the more so that George, having heard about his friend’s plans, suggested that they celebrate the holiday at his countryside house. It was a terrific idea, which the friends found no less impressive than the sudden solution to their business problems!

This news had to be conveyed to the family. In the evening, Robert arrived at Elizabeth’s house. He knew that Mary would be at her mother’s this evening.

— Hello, darling.

Embracing his wife, Robert was surprised that she reciprocated and clung to him even more tightly.

— I have been thinking about you all day, come in, – said Mary affectionately.

It was warm, quiet and peaceful in the apartment.

— And where is Alice? – Robert asked.

— With her grandmother went to a neighbor, – replied his wife.

— I came to you with a proposal, – continued Robert.

— I have something to tell you. Please, listen to me first, – said Mary.

She was sad and depressed. Settling in the kitchen and offering her husband tea, Mary continued:

— I have been unfaithful to you. I want to confess it! I had an affair with Daniel. I felt so lousy, so sad about what was going on between us, and I succumbed to his influence. I still feel bad.

Mary covered her face with her hands and cried. Robert sat in silence and, gazing at his wife, found her as beautiful as ever. He was not ready to accept such information, even though he had felt lately that he was losing Mary. And at the same time Robert knew that a lot of it was his own fault.

After a while Mary continued:

— But I refused to go out with him, and then the bullying began. He mocked me, humiliated me every day. I was so depressed and couldn’t tell you anything.

— But the important thing, honey, is that we’re discussing it now. Calm down. I understand everything, and I have to admit that I am also to blame for our crisis.

— Plus, my mom was getting on my nerves, pouring oil on the fire. She insisted on divorcing you and told me to go to Daniel.

It was felt that Mary was ashamed to talk about it. But she knew that she had to say everything now. The time had come!

— Yes, indeed. This is something I could not have guessed. So she knew everything and kept silent too? – Robert asked, guessing what he would hear in response.

— Yes, she knew and pressed hard. But I never filed a complaint, Mary answered.

— You and I are both to blame. You know, for me it’s not what was, it’s what’s between us now that matters. I fight for our future every day and, in general, let’s leave the past in the past. New Year’s Eve is coming up and I have an awesome idea! Let’s celebrate it as a family at my friend’s cottage.

— That’s a good idea. I like it very much! Who will be at the party? – Mary asked, smiling.

The sadness seemed to fade away for a while, and the suggestion had an effect. Mary was talking to Robert with enthusiasm.

— You and me, Alice, George with his girlfriend and his friends, I would like to invite YElizabeth and my parents, – said Robert.

— Wonderful! – Mary said and hugged Robert, she sat on his lap and kissed him on the lips. – Forgive me!

— I’m sorry, too!

Robert pressed his wife against him. They sat like that in silence for a few minutes. The door opened, Alice ran into the apartment and when she saw her mother sitting on her father’s lap and hugging him, she rushed to hug both of them. The mother-in-law stood in the doorway, indifferently observing the scene. True, this time no one paid any attention to her. Now all that mattered to Mary was her husband, whom she loved very much. And how could she have thought otherwise just a short time ago?

Nevertheless, the mother-in-law didn’t want to be silent for long, it didn’t suit her that now she almost turned into a shadow. So five minutes later, Elizabeth said loudly and expressively:

— Young men, I’ve prepared dinner for you. Come to the table. –

Mary smiled.

— Well, Mom, – she looked embarrassed as she rose from her husband’s lap, – why so formal? We are on our way.

— Yes, we are, – said Robert.

Then time seemed to speed up. Dinner flew by unnoticed. Robert stoically withstood the icy glances of his mother-in-law as he prepared for the decisive attack. For the first time in a long time he could not sleep at night. The denouement of the whole mess that had been going on with him was approaching. He was undoubtedly overcoming all difficulties, and the prospect of becoming one of the protagonists in the study conducted by Jessica Highlander. At the same time, he was worried about the situation surrounding the upcoming celebration. His mother, his wife’s mother, he and Mary, Alice, George and his friends, and his great-uncle would be there. A large, noisy and so different interests company! How to spend it all peacefully and quietly. Thinking about all this, Robert fell asleep only in the morning, but woke up awake awake and full of energy.

***

A week was left before the holiday, and everything had to be prepared, as it should be. The familiar New Year’s Eve chores were ahead: ordering groceries for the summer house, buying gifts, decorating the room. Everyone was able to show themselves and get pretty exhausted in this field. But for the first time Robert realized how important all these chores are, how they can bring relatives and friends together. Despite the fact that everyone was very tired, the desire to have fun celebrating the holiday was not diminished.

And now the long-awaited day has come. On New Year’s Eve Robert had to pick up and take his wife, daughter, and Elizabeth to his countryside house. They all agreed to get together for dinner.

Margaret, as usual punctual, had been getting ready since the early morning. When Robert, sleepy, was making his way to the bathroom to wash up, she had already finished her coffee, was mannerly twiddling her thumb and laughing at the jokes of some pretentious New Year television show host.

— Good morning, dear! Happy New Year to you!

Washing up, Robert muttered something resembling a return greeting. After that, wishing to please his mother, he put on a dark blue sweater she had given him the day before and joined the breakfast. Margaret, always tried to hide her irrepressible curiosity behind good manners. This morning, however, she was not very good at it. For all the five days since Robert’s return that evening from his wife and daughter he had been as if electrified. At last Margaret said:

— Well… darling… I’m so happy for you! What a good mood you are in. Have you and Mary made up?

— As you can see. This New Year’s Eve we’ll all be together. By the way, for the first time as a group. A pity daddy isn’t with us.

Robert squeezed his mother’s hand. She sighed a little less dramatically than usual. We sat in silence for a while. Robert also admitted to himself that he really wanted to be together with his mother, even if just for a week. He missed her. Ready to ignore her sometimes irritating manners, irrepressible pride, the eternal moralizing. And he could do it. He could. After all, she was his mother. The same person who motivated him to learn, to succeed, to ignite new ideas. That is why it is twice as comforting that she will be with him when he says goodbye to this difficult year. After all, who knows how many different events lie ahead.

Meanwhile, the year was drawing to a close. And time was speeding up. New Year’s Eve was approaching. And now Robert and Margaret drove up to the house where Elizabeth lived. He knew that between his mother-in-law and his mother-in-law there had always been a grudge. So Robert sat his mother next to him in the car, so that the two proud women would have less contact. Even on a festive day, the women, when they met, contemptuously measured each other with glances. And Robert realized that this was not the time to relax, as a truce between relatives was not yet expected. However, he didn’t fail to tease the two proud girls a little. He got out of the car to meet his wife and daughter and wished them both a good time in his absence. He even thought he heard one of them snort. However, such nuances didn’t interest Robert at all. He wanted to see Mary and Alice as soon as possible. During the time of separation he had missed them very much.

He was convinced right from the doorstep that they both missed him, too. His daughter squealed happily, and jumped up from the chair where she had been eating her breakfast. Kissing his daughter, he immediately found himself in his wife’s arms. Her eyes sparkled with joy and trembling anticipation of the holiday. He himself felt the same feelings. At the same time, the joyful anticipation was increasingly fueled by the eye-pleasing outfits of his favorite girls. Mary’s taste could not be denied. Her dark purple dress matched perfectly with the lilac costume of his daughter, who, judging by the cap on her head and pointy ears bought in a children’s store, was going to be a Christmas elf that night. Alice, an imaginative and eager person since she was very young, always enjoyed making up her New Year’s Eve costumes. Not without her mother’s help, of course.

— Can we go now? Our moms must have had a good talk, and now they’re getting impatient.

Robert and Mary exchanged conspiratorial glances. They knew very well what kind of relationship existed between the honorable ladies. It was not long before their unhappy expectations were confirmed. All the way to their destination the conversation didn’t stick. Margaret, upon seeing Alice, immediately fondled her, saying how clever she was and how much she resembled her father. She gave her granddaughter a painted porcelain doll brought from Moscow. Robert knew her mother too well and, of course, realized that half of the phrases she spoke to her indirectly addressed to Elizabeth, who also hugged the girl and said that she had also prepared a gift for her, but it was more useful and would contribute to the success of her studies.

Margaret, even sitting in the front seat of the car, showed his whole appearance of coldness. After fifteen minutes, she proclaimed that she had a headache, and therefore took out her favorite essential oils. After that, all conversation had to stop. Luckily, Alice fell asleep on the road and snoozed softly in her mother’s arms. Periodically in the rearview mirror Robert met his eyes with his wife, who was clearly worried. He realized that he had to make sure everything was taken care of. Nothing and no one would spoil the long-awaited and so precious day for him and his family.

Everyone was already in attendance at George’s countryside house. Having barely parked, the newcomers were immediately involved in the pre-New Year rush. George was marinating meat. He was accompanied by Harry and Sam, young men so familiar to Robert from the petition case. Harry was with his fiancée, the smiling blonde Lilya. They looked good together. Robert became aware of the presence of another person when he heard groans and laughter coming from the house. As he entered the living room, he witnessed a very curious scene. A man as tall as a mountain, with a thick red beard, slightly touched with gray, but which didn’t spoil his appearance at all, shook hands with Elizabeth, or rather both her hands at once. Margaret, who had evidently already endured the stress of meeting an unknown stranger in a red knitted sweater with reindeer, stood to the side. It was she who let out gasps and sighs. The mother-in-law, on the other hand, giggled and mumbled with uncharacteristic timidity:

— Oh, no, no, Victor! We didn’t freeze at all. Robert brought us quickly. Everything is very good!

The man answered her out of place:

— I am glad, very glad to meet you. Why didn’t George warn us that we’ll celebrate this New Year in such pleasant company? Let me take the food to the fridge!

Noticing Robert, Mary and Alice, standing at the door, the big guy, not a bit embarrassed, playfully winked at them, picked up from the floor dropped packages, went into the kitchen.

— By the way, – he paused for a second, – today I am your assistant in the kitchen.

George’s voice sounded behind me:

— This is my great-uncle. He came from Novorossiysk the day before yesterday. He is a cook. He sails on ships in the Atlantic Ocean. Decided to see me, he’s here for the New Year holidays. You’ll get along with him.

Robert had no doubts that they would get on well with Victor Volkov, retired midshipman and ship’s cook. Only Elizabeth caused fears. At first things were going well. But gradually she began to inflame the situation. She was busy preparing the New Year’s Eve dinner, giving instructions to right and left. Margaret was the first to go to lie down on the sofa by the fireplace, upset and offended. Robert, returning with a whole bowl of just cooked juicy meat, already found the head chef in the kitchen proudly alone. Victor, George and all the other men, meanwhile, were busy tuning the antenna on the roof of the house.

— Hmmm… Are you sure you cooked it properly? – Critically examining the meat, piercing one of its pieces with a fork, gritted a skeptical Elizabeth through her teeth. – Well… that’ll do. Though what good can you expect from a man who isn’t able to take responsibility. No job and no prospects.

Robert was struck by such a hurtful statement. His mother-in-law, as always, hit the target. The irritation in him, which had not previously manifested itself, began to make itself felt more and more. At the same time, intending to annoy Robert, the mother-in-law would not stop:

— And poor Mary forgave you everything again. How I pity her. Once again you’ll get into this mess… Oh… Oh… At least you roasted some meat.

Listening to Elizabeth, Robert convinced himself that the response of aggression to aggression is impossible. He was desperately looking for a way out. Apparently, the reflection he was indulging in was reflected on his face, because his mother-in-law suddenly stopped talking, and, putting both palms on the tabletop, looked at her son-in-law carefully. Robert finally answered:

— Is there anything else you can say?

— Anything else? – To say that the woman was surprised by Robert’s phrase was to say nothing. – I can say. I was very, very hurt, when I sat with Alice, while you and Mary were at work, and after the evening listened to your reproaches, Robert! As if you can understand anything in the home!

But really, what can he understand about it? The answer came to mind by itself. How could he not have thought of it before? Stifling his emotions, Robert said slowly and clearly:

— Of course, Elizabeth! You have a lot of experience in life. I should learn from you. In general, you would be very well suited to the role of our family counselor. Every word you said, I will not only take into account, but I can implement some of your recommendations right now.

And while the mother-in-law listened to so unusual words addressed to her in a dumbfounded manner, Robert with all his usual tactfulness came up to her and embraced her.

At that very moment there was a sigh behind him. His mother was standing in the doorway, most likely listening. Her presence didn’t frighten Robert. On the contrary, the inspiration that had visited him told him how to proceed.

— Mother, my dear, how lucky I am in life! – Robert smiled at both women as he pulled away from his mother-in-law. – We are lucky to have two experts in the family at once! I now suggest you talk about my shortcomings together!

There was silence in the kitchen. No one could say a word. The women looked at each other. Robert looked at them. There certainly were two experts. Elizabeth was the first to speak, taking a step back, she said:

— Indeed! We can teach you everything! Margaret, right?

— Exactly so! – The second expert readily confirmed.

And then, in her typical mentor-mentor tone, she turned to Robert:

— It’s time to put the chairs to the table. We will give all the advice to your family after the New Year!

The atmosphere in the kitchen noticeably loosened up. Especially after the mother-in-law hastily handed Robert a dressed tablecloth that she had taken from home and suddenly laughed, whispering:

— Take someone to help you! The tablecloth is dear to me, because such a tablecloth can’t find anywhere else.

— And such a valuable adviser I will not find anywhere else! – Accepting the precious cargo, with alacrity answered her Robert.

And then he turned to George’s uncle who had already come down from the attic:

— Victor, come with us to spread a tablecloth on a festive table!

***

Alice was given the special honor of dimming the living room lights and turning on the garland on the tall, fluffy tree, which was indistinguishable from the real one, to the cheers of “Christmas tree, light up! There was only an hour before the new year. The table was literally bursting with all sorts of delicacies. The familiar New Year’s hits could be heard over the television set, the antenna of which was working. Everyone present, in high spirits, talked and thought about what currently affected him.

George and Sam vying with one another discussed how to launch an advertising campaign in the firm in the new year without much financial expenditure. They were also concerned about the audits of the district administration. However, the young people didn’t hide their excitement about the petition campaign.

— On January 15 an inspection from the ministry will come to our district hospital, – Sam told everybody, but mainly Robert, Harry and George, who as a journalist was aware of all the latest news.

Robert was undoubtedly happy to hear good news from his friend, but he was more concerned with something else. He was happy to be near his family. Until two months ago Robert had felt heartbroken. Now simple joys were dearer to him than any victories. He just couldn’t get enough of Mary. And there was a lot to tell. Robert recounted in detail the case with his car, talked about the problems at school, about the plan that helped to reason with the head doctor, and, finally, about meeting an incredible woman Jessica Highlander, who with a few wise tips helped him get back on track.

— And I saw that you had changed: you were more determined and at the same time calm. And what did you say to our mothers? – Mary asked, slightly lowering her voice, nodding toward Elizabeth and Margaret.

The two of them, in the company of Victor laughing as loudly as he spoke, praised each other’s culinary skills. Of course, the New Year’s table, and indeed, that evening was the merit of the older generation.

At that the old sea-wolf never tired of repeating over and over again the aphorism composed by himself that this evening he had managed to sail into the harbor with very, very pleasant sirens. This made both women blush even more, and they laughed without ceasing. Who was doing it louder, it was hard to tell anymore. One thing was certain: there were no more problems of mutual understanding. And the rest of the time before the cherished chime of the clock passed remarkably well, peacefully and quietly. Then, to the sound of clinking glasses, joyful exclamations and congratulations began to echo in the room. Fireworks began to crackle. In the cottage village the whole sky was literally lit up with bright lights.

Alice was in indescribable delight at what was happening, and she ran in the tail of Uncle Sam and Uncle Harry, who managed to get on well with her. Every now and then they were shooting new Roman candles, fountains, and firecrackers into the sky. Robert also directed his rapturous gaze into the starry heights, watching the flashes of fireworks and shimmering astronomical objects. The sky was clear. Snow had been promised to fall during the night, but it never did.

Waking up from the enchantment that enveloped him, Robert looked around and, not seeing Mary anywhere, decided to go look for her in the house. He found his wife sitting by the fireplace, she was drinking tea with marshmallows. Seeing her husband, she smiled and offered to join him in the tea party. Robert agreed and sat down beside her. They sat in silence for a while watching the flames that were burning two small logs. Mary was the first to speak:

— Perhaps the last day of the year was one of the best. And everything that was a month ago…

— Tell me about it, – Robert took a sip. – But I think we learned a lot from what happened.

— And what did you understand?

Mary was looking at the fire, but Robert knew that she wanted to hear him out.

— I understood three important things.

— Wow… even so. Three things.

— Yes. First, I realized how much I love you, – Mary smiled and looked at him with the same affectionate gaze as long ago, in the first year of their married life. – Secondly, I am able not only to destroy everything, but also to create and reassemble. And third… Thirdly, I think we should go away.

— Where? How?

Mary’s look from kind and gentle instantly turned into a surprised and worried.

— You know, I’ve wanted to do this for a long time, but life itself has now pushed me to do it. Now I’m out of a job, and I’m out of a job for a reason. Our shenanigans with the petition, I don’t think I’ll get a job at any of the schools in the district. And the principal is going to try. But a lot of people want my history and law classes. So I thought… Maybe… Moscow?

— Mmm… – Mary again turned her gaze to the fire, – I hope we’re not going to live at your mom’s?

— What are you, of course not. My savings are enough to get us settled, and then we’ll solve the housing problem radically. Our apartment here can be sold.

Once again there was silence, and once again it was broken by Mary:

— Let’s do it… Anyway, I won’t be able to live in this hospital anymore. And I don’t want to work in such an environment. Only for Nicole I will miss.

Surprisingly everything turned quickly. The morning after everyone woke up, Robert told George about his decision to move. Sam heard the news and offered to help sell the apartment, George was also ready to help in any way possible. But so far Robert had to manage all the details by himself. It was decided to leave by car, it was more convenient and cheaper. The buyers who have responded to the ad came to see the apartment almost immediately. Mary started to draw up the documents and solve the problem of quitting.

The question of Elizabeth, which had initially seemed unsolvable, was also resolved. Margaret had already flown to Moscow, sparkling with happiness, having exchanged telephone numbers with her son’s formerly hated mother-in-law. Both Robert and Mary were afraid to start the decisive conversation with Elizabeth. However, His Majesty Chance intervened.

The mother-in-law all New Year’s Eve weekend didn’t bother her traditional visits. And when Mary finally mustered up the courage to call her, instead of the usual reproaches she heard in a lively and cheerful voice:

— Daughter! Happy Old New Year to you! How are you doing?

— Everything is fine, Mom! I hear you, too!

— Of course, of course! Victor and I decided to repair my loggia.

— Ah, that’s how it is. You’re not alone?

There was a short pause before Elizabeth found the right words:

— Yes. We don’t even have a minute to spare!

Neither Mary nor Robert could have imagined that this past New Year’s Eve would present a full-blown Christmas miracle. Elizabeth had a friend, and not just any friend, but someone who liked her, despite her bad temper. Mary had never imagined that ten years after she had been widowed, her mother would still be able to pay attention to any man. There was indeed a striking change in her. Elizabeth smiled more and more often, and Robert no longer heard any reproaches from her. Mary only had to shrug her shoulders and ask him the rhetorical question that had already become rhetorical:

— What did you said to her in the kitchen that night before New Year’s Eve?

Robert only grinned in response. The way in which he had been able to solve many conflicts seemed to him a kind of wand.

Of course, Elizabeth, though surprised by their decision to move, but didn’t hold them back. On the contrary, she assured her daughter that now she would have more reasons to travel and visit them. And maybe not alone. Alice also felt good about the move. Her grandmother told her a long time ago that there were so many art schools and creative studios, museums, and exhibitions in Moscow. The girl was looking forward to the move.

One chapter of life was ending, but a new one was beginning.

Epilogue

It was an unusually warm spring. Their first Moscow spring. The timid sun was already beginning to warm up and noticeably affect their mood. However, the Grant family had plenty of reasons to be in a good mood, except for spring.

First of all, the long-awaited move had taken place. By the end of March the apartment in Apsheronsk had been sold, all the apartment belongings packed and the documents filed.

Mary left her job at the hospital with a light heart and immediately upon arrival in the capital thanks to her many years of experience easily got a job as an administrator in a private clinic in the center of the city. Despite the fact that the mortgage agreement was drawn up for an apartment in the nearest town near Moscow, she was happy about her new position.

Robert joined the community of independent tutors and educational tutors. He didn’t want to waste another minute on useless bickering with his superiors and fighting, albeit not without success. Being happy for his family and doing a new job, he was rediscovering himself. Nevertheless, Robert never forgot the one to whom he was largely due the victory over the circumstances – a remarkable psychotherapist Jessica Highlander. In the hustle and bustle of recent months completely absorbed in the move, he could not find an opportunity to meet with her. Robert remembered his first visit to counseling. He remembered Mark and all the other participants. On that day he had been inspired by the positive example of Jessica’s guests and regular clients. Now he himself experienced the effectiveness of the methods used by the specialist.

The method of excessive support has, without a doubt, proven itself well. One evening, when his wife and daughter went for a walk in the nearby square, Robert decided to contact a psychotherapist. He got through to her on the second attempt and was very happy when the phone screen saw the face of Jessica Green.

— Good evening, Jessica! Are you comfortable to talk?

— Yes, for about fifteen minutes I can free up some time for you. I can see in your eyes that you have good news.

— You bet I am, my whole family’s here now. We moved to Moscow.

Robert briefly told the therapist about all the events that have happened since their last meeting in “Honey Bear”. Lively and active, ready for any initiative Jessica Highlander, hearing about the happy and noteworthy finale, immediately made a suggestion:

— Listen, Robert, why don’t you take part in my training next week? Over the course of three days, I’ll be talking about the most successful practices in psychotherapy methods. Your example from life could be a great motivator for the audience.

The offer was unexpected, but Robert was ready for it. Moreover, immediately after the conversation he had the idea of inviting his wife, mother, and daughter to the training. Until now he had not disclosed in detail the work he had done on himself and on his perception of reality. Nevertheless, he had no doubt that his experience with Jessica Highlander and his own story, told through the method, could be a great way to strengthen personal relationships.

Mary, learning of such an unexpected proposal, of course, very much asked her husband not to go into the details of the conflict with the chief physician. In response to the request of his wife, who several times before the day of the meeting had even decided not to participate in it, Robert gave a promise to concentrate on his actions. The situation was corrected by Alice. The daughter, learning that she would be able to participate in an event where her father would be the main character, came to indescribable delight. So not to agree to get together all together was simply impossible.

And so the exciting and long-awaited day arrived. Everyone wanted to look at the man who managed to achieve so much through the method of excessive support. Robert was slightly nervous as he approached Jessica Highlander and the microphone that was waiting for him. The training room was much larger than the one he had been in during his consultation in Apsheronsk. More than a hundred people present and, of course, the people most important to Robert – his wife, daughter, and mother – were watching him attentively from the hall. He took the microphone in his hands and paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts and recalling everything that had happened since November of the last year. Then he took a deep breath and began:

— If it hadn’t been for my family, nothing would have ever made me see a therapist. As it happens with us: when things come to a boiling point and it seems that the irritation and resentment has no limits, there is a desire to ask for help. I will take this opportunity to tell you how the excessive support method presented by our Jessica Highlander helped me not only to resolve difficulties, but also to strengthen my family and find my calling.

So, the last person left the audience…