Julia is 37 and has never even been married. She used to work as an accountant. She still can’t find the meaning of life. She can’t find her calling.
She was very sleepy. She got up and forced herself to go to work. It was her shift again. The girl got a job as a waitress. Now she had to serve guests on the summer terrace, and if it was her shift, she came to work by six in the morning. After all, from seven people were already arriving.
Given the fact that she lived in the suburbs, in order not to be late, she had to arrive at the place of work even earlier – at five o’clock. Otherwise, she has no time to change, and sometimes she has to make a mishap with her transportation. The bus can be late or she gets stuck in a traffic jam.
Then Julia began, as usual, to wipe down the tables before the opening of the summer playground, because overnight dust always settled on them. Guests should sit on clean chairs. She purred a familiar tune to herself.
My mommy sings well, too. – A child’s voice suddenly reached her.
Yulia did not expect to hear anyone at this early hour. She saw a little girl of about five or six in front of her. All alone. She even looked around.
What are you doing here? All alone? Early in the morning?
Out for a walk. And to get food for me and my brother. Auntie, do you have a piece of bread? – The little girl asked hesitantly. She could see that she was hungry.
Well, of course I do. Sit down, I’ll look for something in the kitchen. Where is your brother? Is he far away?
No, he’s not. He’s at home. Here, around the corner. With her grandmother.
Yulia did not ask why the girl was alone and where her mother and father were. And she herself decided to continue explaining the situation further.
Our parents are long gone, and her grandmother is very old, she forgets about everything in the world, even us, her grandchildren, she does not always remember.
Julia did not even know what to say to this. It just took her breath away.
You don’t have to be afraid of me, I won’t bother you, just give me some bread and I will go home and take it to my brother and grandmother.
Don’t hurry, I’ll go with you, wait for me here. Don’t go away.
Julia asked her partner to take over for her. She said she had to go out for a while and went to see the girl off.
The little girl had her own key. They came in and saw a boy about one and a half years old crawling around on the floor and playing. He smiled at the sight of us. There was an old woman lying on the bed who didn’t even notice what was happening. She was in a kind of prostration.
What on earth is that? – Julia asked with surprise.
She called an ambulance. They came and took away the grandmother, it was clear by the look of them that this would not last long. Julia took the boy and the girl and took them to her house. There her 13-year-old son was waiting for her, who was genuinely surprised at what was happening. But when his mother explained everything to him, he understood and supported her.
He never fought with her son. There was a relationship of trust between them. It was not customary in their family to quarrel. He always helped his mother and did not get on her nerves. This time he agreed to be with the children while Julia went to work.
Ten days later grandmother was gone. It was clear that the children were going to be sent to an orphanage. But Julia’s heart was torn to pieces – they were so kind, obedient, so used to them that she didn’t want to part with them. Julia understood what it would be like for them in a shelter with strangers. So she decided to take responsibility and adopt them, or adopt them. In short, to become a guardian.
She had to quit her job as a waitress and take a job with a friend who had long suggested that she become an accountant. Her friend even helped her with the paperwork. So after a few weeks Julia was able to take the children to her on a permanent legal basis.
So that’s it! That’s why you wanted to be a waitress! – My friend joked.
You’re right, it was a long-term plan that’s just now coming to fruition.
Who would have thought that her life would change so dramatically. That she would have three whole children and have to choose between different professions. But Julia is not used to being strong. She accepted this challenge, thrown to her by fate.
