Chapter Twelve

As time went on, life continued to make me happy. I had enough work to live, not rich, but comfortably. My son’s own life-summer began. The time came when his son was to be born. My first grandson. During his birth, I was standing at the window of a labor ward, where I heard his first cry, announcing his arrival into this world!

Unfortunately, pregnancy left us with complications. Anna, my daughter-in-law, had been forbidden by doctors to get pregnant. She was very slim and weak, so on the advice of her mother she decided to hide the pregnancy even from Vova, and told him only at the sixteenth week of term. She just confronted all of us, including Vova, with an accomplished fact. For me it was much like a betrayal, but Vova loved this girl, and I was happy for him. Anyway I felt sorry for Anna and always tried to support her. Moreover that was my grandson!

But life didn’t forgive betrayal. The punishment followed immediately. Bad pneumonia in the middle of the pregnancy challenged the birth of the kid. All the doctors we consulted with gave unpromising predictions: after so many antibiotics and extremely low hemoglobin, the child was unlikely to be born healthy. Only one woman, a professor with forty years of experience, gave me hope. At first she didn’t even want to talk to me. She was angry.

“How could you allow your daughter get to this point! With such poor health, she shouldn’t have gotten pregnant. I don’t even want to talk to you!” The doctor turned away and headed towards the door.

“I am her mother-in-law.”

The doctor stopped abruptly and looked back.

“What? Mother-in-law? But where is her mother?”

“Well, it’s not that easy to explain. Her mother is very worried. She cannot be here. And I have to. I must support not only this girl, but also my son. Besides me, there is no one to support him. After all, it will become his responsibility, both moral and material, if this child is born.

Doctor looked at me with her eyes wide open. I closed mine to gather thoughts in my head, rubbed my forehead and continued, “Mmmm, unhealthy. You know what I mean? And not only for the child, but also for his wife. Everyone will feel sorry for her, but who will feel sorry for my son? There is only me to help him. You know, I have to help the kids make the right decision. So, please, help me.”

“I would be careful giving them advice.”

“No, no. The decision will be made only by them but I have to help, to provide them with information. What to expect, what to do. So what do you think?”

“Okay, let’s talk.” The doctor softened. After a long conversation she said, “Nature is wise. You can only pray and hope.”

And I prayed. Not sure if it was correctly, but it was with all my heart.

I was standing near the window, on the other side of which there was a miracle about to happen. Only the Lord knows how scared I was. After a couple of minutes, when I heard the cry of a newborn, my phone rang in my pocket.

“Well, Polina Aleksieievna,” I heard the doctor’s voice, “congratulations on your grandson! What a nice and healthy boy.”

“Thank you, doctor, thank you!”

I could feel the tears of happiness running down my cheeks.

Thank You, God! A miracle happened! Such happiness in my heart!

“Thank You, God, a nice and healthy boy!” And I prayed silently, thank You, thank You. Please send him a good guardian angel, like You gave me. Thank You, thank You.

I immediately shared the good news with my son, who, by the sounds I heard in the phone, was also crying from happiness. And afterwards I called Mike. He was delighted with the news and the fact that I wanted to share it with him. So my son was starting his life’s summer, while I, being in my Indian summer, was ready to enter spring together with my grandson.