Lesya tossed the last item into her suitcase—finally! But just as she let out a sigh of relief, her phone rang. She couldn’t quite remember where she’d left it. Spinning around, she scanned the mess of scattered belongings strewn across her room. Listening closely, she realized the phone was on her bed, buried under a pile of T-shirts that hadn’t made it into the suitcase. She shoved the clothes aside and answered the call, slumping tiredly onto the edge of the bed.
“I can tell by your voice that you’re still going. I’ve told you a hundred times, and I’ll say it again—tell that old pig to take a hike…”
“Mom, don’t start with this again,” Lesya replied calmly. “Everything’s going to be fine. There’s no need to worry so much about me. Think about it—what could possibly happen to me?”
“I know you’re brave and strong-willed, and you can stand up for yourself. I’m just venting my frustration,” Raisa Oleksiivna said, softening her tone a bit. “I still can’t wrap my head around why you’re going to see him. I’m telling you, send him packing…”
“And how exactly do you picture that?” Lesya couldn’t help but smile to herself as she asked, knowing full well her mother’s vivid imagination. She’d no doubt launch into a detailed plan on how to do just that, so Lesya quickly cut her off. “He’s my grandfather, who, by the way, we haven’t seen since the funeral…”
“Honestly, I didn’t think he’d even show up, even though it was his own son who passed. Of course, God forbid anyone loses a child,” Raisa Oleksiivna sighed heavily. “I feel for your father, but let’s be real—he wasn’t exactly a saint. He humiliated us, ruined our family’s good name forever. Because of him, we had to move abroad. The whole town was whispering behind our backs, pointing fingers: ‘Look, there’s the woman whose husband died in a car crash with his mistress, heading to the woods… A cheater…’”
“Mom, that was ten years ago, and you still can’t let it go,” Lesya said, her voice tinged with sadness. “I remember all of it too, and it’s painful for me to think about. I was only thirteen back then… Mom, it’s in the past. And you know, no matter what happened, Dad loved me, and I loved him. I’ll always miss him.”
“I’m sorry for bringing it up,” Raisa Oleksiivna said, her voice breaking into tears, and Lesya could hear it through the phone.
“Mom, don’t get upset. Let’s leave it behind us. Things are good now. You’ve remarried happily. Wolf loves you, and my little sister is just the cutest. Speaking of, how’s Marta doing?”
“She’s asleep. A total handful, just like you were at her age. At five years old, she’s already speaking both German and Ukrainian,” Raisa Oleksiivna said, pride evident in her voice. “My girls are so smart and beautiful. I’m proud of you both, and I love you.”
“We love you too, Mom. As soon as I’m back in Kyiv, I’ll fly straight to Berlin to see you guys. I’ve still got two weeks of vacation left,” Lesya shared her plans.
- “I wish you’d spend your whole vacation with us. Maybe you could still…”
“Mom, I can’t say no to Grandpa. He’s invited me to visit every year, and I’ve always made excuses—school, being busy, now work. I haven’t seen him in ten years, and I feel kind of guilty about it. I feel like I owe him something. After all, he’s helped me so much, and he still does. Thanks to him, I was able to buy an apartment in downtown Kyiv, a car… Everything I have is because of his support. And he wants to help you too, but you keep turning him down.”
“I’ll be straight with you: I don’t like Tymofiy Vasylyovych. When his son decided to marry me, he was dead set against it. Said I wasn’t good enough for him. Apparently, they’re successful, wealthy farmers, and I was just an orphan with nothing to my name back then. But I’ve never been afraid of hard work, and I’m not ashamed of my past. I grew up in an orphanage, with just one nice dress to wear on special occasions—until I met your father. Yes, your dad was a cheater, but he lifted me up, gave me a better life. I’ll always be grateful to him for that,” Raisa Oleksiivna began recounting a story Lesya had heard many times before, though she was ready to listen again. “And your so-called ‘grandfather,’ as you call him—because to me, he’s just a rude old man—wanted his precious Andriy to marry a girl from a rich family. Can you believe it? He even picked out a fiancée for him! But his plans fell apart. Your dad went against his father’s wishes and married me. Later, though, I realized your dad just used me. He married me to hide behind my skirt and escape his father’s control. He didn’t love me, which is why he cheated. But he was a good father to you, he loved you…”
“Mom, don’t get upset, and let’s not dwell on this anymore,” Lesya tried to cheer her up. “And please, don’t worry about me. I’ll call when I can. Right now, I want to get to bed early so I can head out first thing tomorrow. I figure I’ll drive all day and get there by evening.”
“Maybe you should take a bus or a train instead? I’m a little uneasy about you driving,” Raisa Oleksiivna remarked.
“Mom, I’ll be careful and take my time. Don’t forget, I’ve been driving for two years now, so I’ve got plenty of experience. For me, you know, driving my own car is the most convenient option. Please don’t worry—I promise everything will be fine.”
“Call me. And don’t tell that old grump too much about me. Alright, goodbye, go get some rest. Love you.”
Lesya set her phone aside, mustered up some energy, and started tidying up her room. She quickly put the scattered items back in their places and set her suitcase by the front door. Just as she let out a breath, the doorbell rang. Standing at the threshold was her neighbor—a good-looking guy her age. Tall, muscular, with blond hair.
“Hey!” Grysha strode into the apartment without waiting for an invitation. Spotting the suitcase, he asked with curiosity, “Going somewhere?”
“Visiting my grandpa,” Lesya replied, treating Grysha more like a friend than a guy who was clearly into her. “I want to hit the hay early tonight.”
“I’d be happy to lie down next to you,” Grysha said, stepping closer and trying to wrap his arms around her, but Lesya backed away. “Come on, am I really that repulsive that you’re dodging me like this?”
“Not at all, you’re cute,” Lesya admitted. “But we can only be good neighbors and friends. You get that, right?”
“I get it, but we could be great lovers too,” Grysha said, his eyes locked on her. He reached out, twirling a strand of her curly black hair around his finger. “What’s stopping us from having a good time? You’re single, I’m single. And hey, sex is good for your health.”
“I’ll think about your offer,” Lesya said, gently removing his hand from her hair. “When I get back, I’ll give you my answer. How’s that?”
“And when will that be?” Grysha asked, this time brushing his palm against her cheek, stepping so close they were almost touching.
“In two weeks. You willing to wait?” she asked playfully, though not seriously.
“Of course,” Grysha played along. “I’m ready to wait not just two weeks, but my whole life.”
Then Grysha leaned in and kissed Lesya on the lips, a long kiss she didn’t pull away from. It was pleasant, but that was it—no deeper emotions stirred in her.
“Alright, goodnight,” Lesya said, stepping back and opening the apartment door.
“Goodnight, kitten.”
After closing the door behind him, Lesya bit her lip and thought to herself that Grysha would make a great candidate for a fling. He was perfect for something temporary. But she wanted more—she wanted to fall head over heels, to feel something real, to tremble, to burn with passion… She wanted to know if she was even capable of that kind of love. At twenty-three, she hadn’t experienced anything like it yet. She’d had relationships, and at the time, she thought everything was fine, that she was happy and in love. But eventually, she realized it wasn’t what she truly wanted. Those steady, romantic relationships turned out to be short-lived. She was usually the one to end things. Sometimes she wondered if it was because she watched too many romance movies, where the couple seems completely mismatched, total opposites, but the passion between them draws them together—so much so that the heroine might faint from a single glance. Lesya knew that kind of thing only happened in movies. In real life, it was much simpler—sometimes just good conversation was enough…
The next morning, Lesya was on the road as planned. She pressed harder on the gas, picking up speed in her white Mini Cooper as she left the city behind. She turned on the radio, trying to find an upbeat tune to match her energetic mood. She’d need that energy, since she had a full day of driving ahead. Sure, she could stop at a roadside motel and continue tomorrow, but she didn’t want to waste time. She was determined to drive straight through. About two hours later, Tymofiy Vasylyovych called, and Lesya turned down the radio, switching her phone to speaker mode.
“Hey, Grandpa,” Lesya greeted him. “I’ll be there by evening.”
“I’m looking forward to it, but I don’t like that you’re driving alone. I told you I’d send a car for you,” Tymofiy Vasylyovych said, his voice a mix of satisfaction and sternness. “It would’ve been less hassle.”
“There’s no hassle at all,” Lesya laughed. “Grandpa, I’m loving being behind the wheel right now. I even had this crazy idea—what if I traveled the world in my little Cooper?”
“I don’t get your jokes,” Tymofiy Vasylyovych remained serious. “Once you get married, you’ll settle down. Then you’ll be thinking about how to please your husband and take care of your kids, not about gallivanting around the world, wasting your energy.”
“I’m definitely not getting married anytime soon,” Lesya replied, pulling into a gas station. “And kids? I’m way too young to even think about that. Grandpa, let’s talk when I get there. I’m at a gas station right now.”
“We’ll talk, we’ll talk,” Tymofiy Vasylyovych ended the call, already mulling over the plans he’d carefully laid out for his granddaughter’s near future…