After dinner, Daryna climbed the oak staircase to the second floor, pausing halfway to glance back at her brother and his wife, who were still sitting in the living room, chatting warmly. Roman, a tall brunette with short-cropped hair and a clean-shaven face, always reminded Daryna of their father when she looked at him. It wasn’t just his appearance; he shared their father’s character and manner of speaking too. Responsible, intelligent, determined. Daryna was proud of her brother, and that pride shone through in every word she spoke and every look she gave him.
Daryna didn’t linger on the stairs any longer and continued on. The door to Danny’s room was slightly ajar, and she peeked in but didn’t enter. A smile crept across her face as she stood there for a moment, watching her nephew diligently assembling the building set she’d brought him as a gift. Just as determined as Roman, his father. He wouldn’t give up or set it aside; he’d stubbornly see it through to the end. Not wanting to disturb him, she moved further down the long hallway.
She stopped again, this time in front of the closed door to the bedroom that once belonged to her parents. She opened it and stepped inside. Suddenly, each step felt heavy, and a sharp pain gripped her chest from the weight of loss, from the realization that they were no longer there. Her dearest loved ones were gone. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she no longer tried to hold them back...
"I knew I’d find you here," Roman said, entering their parents’ bedroom and sitting on the bed beside his sister. "I miss them too. Sometimes I come up here to their room and let myself get lost in memories. Then I remind myself that life goes on, and we have to learn to let go of the past."
"Learn to let go," Daryna echoed. "That’s well said. You know, I’m not upset with Nika anymore. Even on my way home, I thought I wouldn’t be able to look at her. But not only did I look at her, I actually talked to her easily. I was expecting an apology from her, but now I don’t want her to apologize. Honestly, I’m not holding a grudge against her anymore."
"Thank you," came Veronica’s voice as she entered the room as well. "But I still want to apologize. If I hadn’t meddled in things that weren’t my business, you’d probably be married by now with kids of your own. Instead..."
"Maybe I would’ve gotten married, but would I have been happy with Yuri? Thanks to you, Nika, I found out about his cheating, and it hurt so much back then. It was such a huge shock and disappointment, not just for me but for our parents too. The wedding dress was already bought, the reception booked, the guests invited. I didn’t believe you at first; I blamed you for ruining my happiness," Daryna recalled.
"I’m sorry. But when I saw Yuri cheating on you, I didn’t hesitate to run and tell you. Not because I wanted to gloat or ruin your wedding—I just wanted you to know who you were about to marry," Nika said, sitting down on the bed beside them. "Later, I beat myself up over it. I thought, if only I hadn’t stuck my nose where it didn’t belong..."
"No, I’m actually grateful for what you did. You saved me from making a huge mistake. But I don’t want to talk about it or think about it anymore," Daryna said.
"You’re right, no need to talk about it," Roman agreed, uncomfortable with revisiting the pain his sister had endured. "That jerk isn’t worth even mentioning his name."
"And I also want to apologize for insisting that you live separately from us," Nika said, lowering her head as her dark curls fell over her face, hiding it.
"Now that, Nika, you definitely need to apologize for—and not just to Daryna, but to me too," Roman said, clearly displeased by the memory. "Can you believe you even thought of that? I want you to always remember that this house belongs to my sister just as much as it does to us. She has the same rights as we do."
"I was wrong, I admit it, and I’m sorry to both of you," Nika said, feeling guilty as tears began to glisten in her dark eyes. "I’ll never say anything like that again. This is our home, and we’ll all live here together."
"Of course, we’ll live together," Roman said, wrapping an arm around his wife. "I’m glad you’ve realized your mistake and regret it. So let’s forget about this too."
"Yes, let’s forget it," Daryna agreed. "Know this, Nika—I’m not upset with you anymore. And I’d like us to be friends."
"I’m all for it," Nika said, brightening up as she leaned over to hug Daryna.
"Alright, enough hugging and crying here. Let’s head to our rooms and get some sleep," Roman said, standing up. "Tomorrow’s a workday. Maksym Petrovych is eagerly waiting for you at the office, Daryna. And he assured me your office is fully ready for your arrival."
"Well, we’ll see about that tomorrow," Daryna said with a smile, closing the door to their parents’ bedroom behind her.
The next day, Daryna woke up early. She wanted enough time to get ready, freshen up, and have a cup of coffee before Roman dropped her off at the office where she would now work as a private notary.
"That business dress looks fantastic on you. You look great," Roman complimented his sister. "Ready to go?"
"Let’s go," Daryna said, taking one last look at herself in the large mirror hanging by the front door.
She was pleased with her appearance. The summer navy-blue business dress and matching heels accentuated her perfect figure. Her curls, styled to fall seductively over her shoulders, and light makeup highlighted her features even more. A gold pendant, which she never took off, added a touch of elegance. It was a gift from her parents for her eighteenth birthday...
"Daryna, are you coming or not?" she heard Roman’s voice as he opened the gate, ready to drive out of the yard in his car.
"I’m coming," she called out, grabbing her black briefcase and hurrying out of the house.
As they drove through the city, Daryna shared her plans with her brother.
"As soon as I start earning, I’m going to save up for a car. I want to get my driver’s license and buy a red Audi."
"I’ll help you out. I’ll teach you to drive and even chip in some cash for the purchase," Roman said, supporting his sister.
"You don’t need to give me any money," Daryna protested. "But I’m all for you teaching me to drive. I promise to listen. And thanks for the ride."
"You’re welcome. Call me if you have any questions. I’ll pick you up at the end of the workday," Roman said, kissing her on the cheek.
"No need to pick me up. I’ve already made plans with my colleagues to go to a restaurant after work. But don’t worry, we won’t be long—two hours at most. We’ll sit for a bit, celebrate my first day, and then I’ll take a cab home," Daryna said, quickly checking her makeup in the rearview mirror.
"You look great, really great," Roman said with a smile. "The prettiest. All the guys will be falling at your feet."
"Stop it, bro. Have a good day," Daryna said, stepping out of the car and heading toward the office.
The most successful private notary firm in the city was located downtown, occupying the entire second floor of a five-story building. It was founded by Maksym Petrovych Mykytenko, a friend of Daryna and Roman’s late father. Two private notaries already worked with him, and Daryna was set to become the third. Maksym Petrovych had promised his friend that he would take Daryna under his wing as soon as she graduated from law school. He had offered her an internship at his firm, but Daryna had declined, wanting to do it in the capital instead. Maksym Petrovych hadn’t insisted, understanding that Daryna wasn’t ready to return to her hometown so soon. He had told her at the time:
"Whenever you’re ready to come back home, rest assured, you’ll have a job waiting for you. I’ll be thrilled to see you at my firm."
"Thank you, Maksym Petrovych," Daryna had replied. "As soon as I decide to return, I’ll call you right away."
And she did call, just as she’d promised, when she decided to come back to her hometown. Now, today, Maksym Petrovych was delighted to see her.
"You look wonderful, Daryna. But from now on, I’ll address you formally as Daryna Mykolaivna. Allow me to escort you to your office."
"Thank you, Maksym Petrovych, for your care," Daryna said, following him. "Thank you..."
"Enough with the thanks, Daryna Mykolaivna. It’ll be an honor for me to work with a brilliant notary who graduated with honors," Maksym Petrovych said, opening the door to what was now her office and letting her step inside first. "Even though you’ve been here before and know the lay of the land and are familiar with all your colleagues, the setup of your office should still be a surprise."
"It’s so beautiful," Daryna said, stepping into the office and marveling at the new furniture, the brand-new laptop on the desk, and the flowers on the windowsills. "This is so unexpected."
"This is my gift to you for your homecoming," Maksym Petrovych announced. "I want you to work in good conditions."
"Thank you, Maksym Petrovych, for the new office and for welcoming me to your team," Daryna said, touched to the point of tears but holding them back to avoid ruining her makeup. "May I give you a hug?"
"Of course you can," Maksym Petrovych said, pleased with himself.
There was a knock at the door, and Daryna’s colleagues entered. She already knew them from before, and they brought her a bouquet of flowers and a painting as a gift, which Daryna hung above her desk.
"Thank you," Daryna said, no longer able to hold back her emotions as tears welled up. "Thank you all for welcoming me into your team."
"Come on, enough of that," said Halyna, Daryna’s childhood friend and Maksym Petrovych’s niece, who also worked as a notary at the firm, waving her hand dismissively.
"We’re getting together after work," Stepan, another notary, reminded everyone. "I’ve reserved a table at the best restaurant in town. There’ll be kebabs and champagne. Maksym Petrovych, no excuses."
"Alright, alright. Now, everyone, back to your places. Maryna," Maksym Petrovych said, turning to his assistant, "bring Daryna Mykolaivna up to speed on the firm’s affairs. And the first client who walks in today without an appointment will be yours, Daryna Mykolaivna."
"Thank you, Maksym Petrovych. Thank you all. I’m beyond thrilled to work with you," Daryna said, casting a grateful look around the room...