She recently turned 18. They told her at work that she wasn’t doing well because of some little thing and kicked her out without a second thought. So she came home earlier than usual that day and found her young man in their bed with a girl she didn’t know. That evening her mother hinted that she didn’t really want her in her house because Nathan wanted to enjoy life without children. And the next morning the test also showed two bright stripes, which left no room for doubt.
The whole nine months flew by as if in one murky instant. She had to stay at various acquaintances’ houses, sleep on the subway, and at train stations. She took any part-time job she could find. Winter was the hardest. Once she even had to beg outside the church.
The baby was born on the night of December 13. The boy was born very beautiful. He was so warm and sleepy and radiated happiness. I wrote a note: “Son, I love you and wish you find a caring family!” She put it next to the crib with the baby and ran away.
Everyone in the capital was getting ready for the New Year: garlands and snowflakes were decorating store windows and apartment windows everywhere. The jingle bells could be heard on every corner. Julia stepped out of her car, the key fob beeping. The red elegant car stood lonely and majestically in the empty parking lot. Again she was the first to arrive.
The security guard hurried to open the doors for her. Julia courteously nodded to the man, tapped her tinkling heels on the deserted corridor, entered her office, sat down in front of her computer, took out her documents and automatically turned over another sheet of the desk calendar. The thirteenth. A couple of years ago she might have burst into tears, but now she only clenched her fists.
– Julia a, coffee, as you asked! – The secretary came in with coffee, as she was supposed to at nine in the morning.
– You have a visitor today, but he asked to see you without an appointment. He said he had a very important and urgent matter. Will you accept him?
Julia looked at her reflection in the mirror, fixed her hair and told me to call her.
– Yes, call me while I have a minute.
A young man of twenty came into the office. He hesitated at the entrance, looked intently at the woman, timidly came closer and stopped.
– Good morning, – Julia spoke first. – How can I help you?
– Hello, Julia . I’m… My name is Adam. I think I might be your son.
Julia even stopped breathing. He, thinking that she wasn’t happy to hear this, began to tell her:
– I’m not entirely sure. I was born on December 13th. My parents told me that my birth mother was eighteen, her name was Julia. And also… They saved this. He got nervous and reached into his pocket. A moment, and the woman saw in front of her an old scrap of paper, on which in her handwriting was written a wish to her son. What doubt was there? She burst into tears. Not a day had passed in all those years that Julia had not thought of her little boy. She often imagined how he had grown up.
Through her tears she tried to look at such a mature and handsome boy. But she saw him as a baby, whom nineteen years ago she had to say goodbye to. Julia stared into his eyes and facial features, and noticed the resemblance. She recognized him. Julia finally felt the very, unique scent of happiness that she had once lost.
