Валентина Басан
Vera the Mistress

Chapter 5

Vera was sitting at a table in a restaurant and nervously surfing her page in Instagram. She caught herself thinking she could not concentrate at celebs’ lives, pop idols, gossips and similar kind of social network rubbish plus particularly today she was more than average annoyed with pictures of the ugly off-springs from her not less irritating overweight classmates. Her photo from Courchevel received a huge number of likes and positive comments. At first she was pleased, even flattered that so many acquaintances from her town were jealous of her luxurious and posh life, but it didn’t bring any relief. The tormented soul was suffering the great stress down the night before the conversation with His wife.

"Good afternoon, Vera. My name is Arina. I’m sure you know.

She was beautiful woman in her mid-thirties, a striking brunette sitting at the other side of the table. She was really beautiful, the features of her face were regular and black bob of hair accentuated high cheekbones and almond-shaped eyes while pear-shaped diamonds glittered on long fingers. Arina represented wealth and luxury. The white blouse revealed a chic cleavage that was barely contained by lace and sexy as hell bra.

Vera had never felt so pathetic in her life. She did not understand why Oleg started dating her. She was totally outclassed by His wife.

– Good day, Vera! Nice to meet you! – Arina’s so sincere and radiant smile dashed Vera a bit. In other situation, she would have admired the woman and tried to win her trust. But it wasn’t the case.

Suddenly Vera felt acute pain in her lower belly it hurt so much that she thought about her period. Ah, no, it was a week ago, there were no problems after the abortion, and the tests were excellent. But a twinge of pain cuffed Vera.

"Is there something wrong?" Arina raised an eyebrow, feigning sympathy.

– No… Vera, barely breathing, got up from the table and hobbled to the toilet with her legs half-bent.

Down below there was dark and cool air. The concept of light on the walls made the lighting near the toilet mysterious, even mystical. Vera vomited the tomato juice and vodka and took a deep breath. Her heart was pounding. After flushing the water, she went to wash basin and turned on the tap. The water running down the wash basin turned red. For a split second her face, hands and body were covered with blood

– Ahhh! Vera yelled, stepped back and leaned against the wall. Empty bathroom answered with an echo. There was nobody to help around.

The girl went back to the basin, the pain in the lower abdomen did not subside, there was a fire as if someone had impaled the uterus and fried all its sides.

She rubbed her eyes and made sure that the water was not crimson tide color. The girl had been washing her face with cold water for a long time, and then raised her head towards the mirror. Instead of her face, a three-month-old fetus with no visible organs or body parts stared back at her, as if a medicine atlas image had been placed in her head. The embryo nodded at her and seemed to shake something that had a relative semblance of ahead.

Vera woke up in a familiar clinic. The drawing of the white walls would not be confused with any drawing in the world. The doctor opened the familiar door and said Hello.

– Well, Vera, how are you feeling?

– Good day, doctor! What happened?

"Should I ask you why you've been brought unconscious for the second time?"

"I, I don't know.

– Fortunately, Arina called me and we saved you in time.

When mentioned the name of Oleg's wife, Vera had had a painful spasm in the lower abdomen and fainted again. Her mind played games with her showing a delirium movie about a tall and devilishly beautiful brunette with a bob caressing the doctor, passionately hugging, kissing him and hurrying to take off his medical robe.

Chapter 6

Arina was the only and favorite daughter to the head (King) of the largest Gypsy clan.

Perst, that was his real gypsy name, but people other than gypsies called him Peter. He accepted and acknowledged the only child as his. The most beautiful and beloved wife Dana gave a birth to that girl.

Perst was afraid of Dana's mother, a hereditary witch, so in front of the entire tribe he announced that Dana was his only wife, and the daughter that Dana gave birth to in the first year, Ara was the only heir.

Perst was a real gypsy of the hottest blood. Already at ten, he slaughtered a young man (in the Soviet and post-Soviet criminal world criminals like Perst called such people “friars”) in the market place.

When he was sixteen went to collect his tribe, in other words, organized a criminal group in the South of Moscow City. Perst was about fifty (although no one knew how old he really was) when he took the eighteen-year-old Dana, who was his last and favorite wife.

As soon as Ara was born, Perst proclaimed her to be the only recognized and legitimate daughter to receive all movable and immovable property after his death.

The times were dashing, and there were many young and zealous candidates for his throne. Traitors were punished by the King, who himself sentenced them to death, and the sentence was immediately carried out. But in their place came new leaders who demanded a greater share in the drugs selling and decentralizing the influence over the Moscow beggars who, in their turn, brought a lot of cash in the common fund. The new heads of his armies tried to create their own brothels for the clients who came from all over the world.

The King feared every day that he would die, leaving little Ara alone to be devoured and torn to pieces by the hungry wolves of the pack. He could trust to only one person, his Deputy, Sul Kaisarov, the leader of the Gypsy mafia who instructed him to take her abroad to the United States.

"Sul, you are responsible for Ara with your head, and if something happens to her, none of your family is going to stay alive. You know me.

– Yes, my King, I understand – Sul was always stingy with words, so he only adjusted his holster with a gun.

"The documents are ready. According to them, you are the father of Ara, she is only five, but she knows everything and understands why I am sending her overseas.

– Yes, Master.

"I'll let you know when things quiet down here." But for the next ten years you are not going to come back here. It will be rather hot here.

Sul sniffed. He left his sworn father and boss at such a difficult time to babysit a girl in a distant country, which he saw only in pictures. Everything was ready Ara’s coming to the US: citizenship, house, medical insurance and a place in a private school. Sul was supposed to control the American branch of the King's people.

At parting Perst embraced Sul, whom he loved as his own son. For a long time he looked into Arina's night-black eyes, stroked the raven hair, and called her Dana.

"Daddy, I'm Ara.

"I know, my flower, I know, I know, my soul. Your mother always looks at you from heaven. She died when giving birth to you. She is your angel-guardian who always keeps you safe. I will always keep you safe.

A terrible and cruel bandit who punished by killing and gave orders to take young girls as prostitutes, collected tribute from young children beggars, cried bitterly for the second time in his life. The first, when his beloved Dana died in childbirth.

And all the guards, even the heartless Sul had tears in their eyes.

Arina returned to Moscow exactly twenty years later.

On the threshold of his death, Perst was saying goodbye to his beautiful daughter, who was sitting at the head of the bed in one of the most expensive clinics in Moscow. Next to him stood strict and untouched by the years Sul.

"Daddy, maybe try Switzerland medicine services?" Ara uttered the words with emphasis and with a trembling voice.

"My flower, I am going to my beloved. Don't stop me. Before I die, look through all the property documents at the place of Sul’s wife. I have money in my Swiss account that will be inherited by you, lawyer Jorik Rosenberg manages all my finances, you heard of him. He settled all the problems without telling you when you lived in America. The documents for the Restaurants here and abroad have already been drawn to your name. But you know that. Come closer to me. Sul, wait outside the door.

When they were alone in the room, Perst took his daughter's hand and finally said:

"Your grandmother Vada was a witch. The entire tribe knew and feared the power of her curses. It could destroy the fruit, send a pestilence, or kill a whole herd of horses from a neighboring tribe. I also turned to her for help more than once, she gave me a long life, but with the condition that I had to give something in return. But I didn't know then that the dark forces would take my Dana, my heart and soul. Vada, having lost her daughter in childbirth, cursed all her gods and asked them to take away all the dark forces from her. But our gods were merciful and returned dark strengths to you… I kept the secret of Vada for a long time, but when you turned eighteen, Sul mentioned that he felt strange aura around you, that you could read minds and get into heads. He also said that the Professor who taught you history jumped out of the window…

"Daddy, it wasn’t me he did it himself… he just pestered me after lectures.... – Arina was on her knees near her dying father and wept…

– Light of my eyes, I don't blame you, you are my soul. Forgive me.

"For what, daddy?"

"Before she died, Vada said that in exchange for your gift, which the gods returned to you, they would take the most precious from you. You will always be barren.

"What?" Dad? Daddy?! Ohhh!!! Nooo!!!

Sul ran into the room to the screams, disheveled, tearful, and barefooted Ara tried to shout to the helpless old man.

Only for a moment did the Perst open eyes that had once been black, now transparent with age.

– Dad!

– Dana, my Life, I have been coming to you for so long…

After a lavish funeral of the criminal business legend, Ara received an inheritance and lived the life of a rich, fashionable lady. She wasn't interested in drugs, prostitution or begging business.

Having appointed Sul their right-hand man, they hired a staff of the best lawyers to open new, absolutely legal businesses in the field of IT. Arina graduated from the US University with a degree in modern computer programs and websites, so after the research of Russian market, she invested part of her inheritance in IT development.

"Dad would be laughing at me right now if he knew that robots bring me money.

Sul silently smiled in the next seat and adjusted his holster out of habit.

– Mila, who's next? Arina asked her Secretary over the phone.

– Oleg Bryantsev, a post-graduate student from Moscow State University with the project "the Future of computer technologies".

Chapter 7

Vera regained her consciousness in the clinic room. The aching head was heavy and splitting. Her eyelids didn't open. She fumbled for the nurse's call button.

A few minutes later, the doctor entered the room.

– Doc, what's wrong with me? Why I'm here. Can I have some water?

"Yes, sure Vera. The nurse will bring you some water and dinner.

"Dinner?" Is it evening?

"You've been here more than a day. Another surgical intervention was necessary.

"What? What happened? Doctor, I felt very well. I had excellent tests. It's been so many months, what's the problem?

– Dear Vera, I am very sorry to inform you that you can no longer have children. Inflammatory processes in the uterus caused fever and dizziness. You passed out in the restaurant bathroom. You were discovered by Oleg's wife Arina. She was the one who brought you in her car. You should be grateful to her now and then. I don't know how it would have ended if she didn’t take you here…

Vera couldn't believe her ears. The tears were streaming down her cheeks. Nightmare. Nightmare. She pinched herself painfully, and her vision went dark.

"I don't understand, I don't remember…"

"That's a normal state at a high temperature. It happens so that to save energy, the body shuts down for a more important, in simple terms, fight. Now everything is fine, have a good rest. The discharge papers will be ready tomorrow, and today you will take another blood test, and the nurse will measure your blood pressure and temperature. If everything is all right, you'll be home by tomorrow night.

Oleg's phone was disconnected or out of network coverage. Vera dialed the number she knew by heart over and over again with a stubborn, stupid persistence until she was exhausted.

– Hello, Vika, hi. It's alright. Can you come tomorrow before two I'll send the address? No, nothing is serious. I'm being discharged from the clinic. Thank you, see you tomorrow – last word was said hysterically, the voice wavered and she instantly hung up.

Vera didn't want to feel sorry for herself, she was afraid to start and then not stop. She texted the address of the clinic to a friend, plugged the empty battery phone to the charger, answered to her worried mother twenty messages "mom, a lot of work, I can't call for a few more days, we rent objects, love, and kiss, hello to dad", turned to the wall with unusual patterns and silently howled.

Vika was here colleague and a friend. She was a strikingly well curve shaped, tall, blond, green-eyed, and as precisely accurate as a Swiss watch. Filling the clinic's lobby with the aroma of fresh pastries, coffee, and expensive perfume, she gave Vera a businesslike look, introduced herself as a sister, and received all the documents and statements. Vera, like a faded carnation on a monument, leaned against the reception desk, suddenly noticed a familiar silhouette in the distance along the corridor. The girl went to the head doctor's door, but the secretary halted her into it.

– Sorry, the Doctor is busy right now.

"I'm sorry, I…"

– So, Vera Klimova. The Doctor has already signed the documents for your discharge.

"I just wanted to say thanks and say goodbye."

– The doctor has a consultation right now, I'm sorry, you can't see him.

Vera had already turned to leave when the communicator on the secretary's desk asked for two coffees in the voice of the chief doctor.

"And juice, please, I need fresh juice," the voice on the speakerphone said with a loud laugh.

– Daria, bring two coffees and fresh orange juice, please.

– Of course, Doctor.

– Vera? – the secretary has already left the table and addressed the girl, – Can I help you with anything else?

"No, no, thank you. Tell me, who is in the Doctor”s office now?

– This is closed information, – Daria shrugged her shoulders and danced to make coffee and fresh orange juice on perfectly long and straight legs for her boss and Arina, Oleg's wife.

Vika made herbal tea with berries, put the tray on the small coffee table, and sat down on the sofa next to Vera.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Are you going to be silent for a long time?" What happened?

– Nothing. All right.

Vika nodded and went into the hall.

"Where are you going?" Vera got up weakly from the sofa and threw off the blanket, shivering, although there was no temperature.

– Home.

– Vika, wait, and tea?

Always temperamental and cheerful friend exploded like a bomb:

– Tea? What kind of tea, Vera? You're in a clinic, you've had fainting spells, surgery, and abortion, which, by the way, is not listed in this statement. It's listed in the history of your medicine cabinet. What the hell, friend? Are you a normal person? Why don't I know anything?

Vicka's green eyes burned with righteous fire. She was standing in the corridor in one boot and an unbuttoned raincoat. She was angry, brave, and beautiful.

"Vic, I'm sorry, I couldn't tell you, it's embarrassing and painful.

"So I'm a stranger to you?"

– No, not a stranger, sorry, – Vera sighed and trudged to the sofa, she took the cup and took a small sip, then resolutely took a deep breath.

Vika listened with her mouth open, still sitting on the sofa in her raincoat, her boot in her hands, having forgotten to take it to the corridor. Vera told about Oleg, about their secret affair, which lasts more than a year, told about the abortion, about travel, about calls from his wife, meeting, and events of the last days.

Twilight faded into the late evening, and then into the night. The girls were sitting on the sofa, one occasionally crying and falling silent, while the other only nodded sympathetically and shook her head.

Vera finished her story and covered her face with her hands. She felt ease and lightness as if a heavy stone that had been pressing her to the ground fell from her shoulders. A secret affair with a married man was no longer just her secret.

But for some reason, Vika was more interested in his wife’s charitable actions than in Oleg.

"Vera, dear, this is not the worst thing, believe me. We all make mistakes. You're still young, but I'm five years older than you, and I once slept with a married man.

Vera looked at her friend gratefully. She knew that Vika was telling all this to comfort her, but saint Vika, the mother of an equally fair four-year-old beauty daughter and the wife of a famous Moscow lawyer, could not be….

– Yes, before I met Misha, I worked as a designer in Novosibirsk, you know, but you don't know why I moved to Moscow. My boss, Roman, was an elementary womanizer and freak. But that doesn't mean it's not my fault. I am guilty, of course, guilty as a sin. I was naive twenty-year-old fool who fell for the sweet speeches, words, and velvet chatter of an elderly ladies ' man. Naturally, at the corporate party, it happened right in his office. It was later that I found out that all our women's team had been there before me, including the accountant Valentina, his age, with whom he had had affairs twenty years ago when both were young and hot. His wife, who had long endured his infidelities and debauchery, for some reason went berserk with me. Not only did she make a scene at my house in front of my parents, but she also brought her children to work so they could see "daddy's new whore." The entire team was in shock, each with fear thought that in my place could be it. But many of our women also had families and children. My affair with Roman ended with a couple of times of dubious quality of comfort in the office before it had time to begin and flourish. The hero-lover cowardly suggested that I write of my own accord, which I did with great pleasure. My parents calmed me down and blessed me for Moscow. And I am happy that I came here. Here I met Misha, my love, my happiness. But he has not yet shown me his documents and passport with an empty column about marital status, I even forbade him to kiss. We're still laughing. He, by the way, that's why he married me, said that he had never seen anyone like me. And I told him that I had vowed never to have any personal dealings with married men in my life.

Vera never talked to her friend about her personal life. She knew their family, sometimes went to birthday parties, but always alone. Vera was silent about her married lover, and Vika pretended not to notice her secretive personal life. Vera did not know that in the past, Victoria had such an instructive and difficult story, although with a happy ending. And Vika, in turn, having heard her friend's story, felt that the situation had gone too far. Vika realized that Vera had already lost this battle. The main thing was that Arina in this unequal struggle felt sorry and let go of the stupid fool. Although in the back of her mind, something told Vika that Ara did not take prisoners and shot them on the spot.

Chapter 8

Oleg has always been a very exemplary boy, a loving son, and a caring grandson. He loved his mother and grandmother very much. It should be noted that mother Olga and grandmother Zina loved Oleg much more. He has always been too overprotected and put on a pedestal as a little God.

Oleg's father left the family when the boy was eighteen. Having suffered in eternal quarrels and scandals about the upbringing of the child, the family broke up, the father was forbidden to punish the boy for pranks, give him to sports or take him fishing. It was a taboo to punish him, he could get injured in sports, and catch a cold at the open air. The slightest desire of a man to teach his son was met with hostility. And it ended with another stupid and vulgar scandal.

Grandmother Zina, who came from the countryside to help with her grandson, remained in Moscow. Their seniors’ apartment was a large one, left as a legacy by rich and distinguished relatives. His great-aunt had no children, and the only heir was a grandson her dear and beloved sister, Maxim, Oleg's father.

Having met Olya at an exhibition of paintings, a modest, provincial girl studying the art of the Silver age, Maxim just a few months later made a proposition. The couple was among a smart set of artists and the Bohemia of Moscow. Quiet, intelligent, and smiling Maxim and Olga carefully hid their main family problem, they tried to get pregnant for a long time, but fate, generous in everything, did not give them a child for many years.

Maxim was forty, Olga was thirty-eight.

– Pregnant! – reported the district gynecologist with joy and relief.

The late pregnancy was a very hard ordeal. Olya went blue from toxicosis and thin from headaches and nausea. In the last months, she was taken to the hospital. There was a real threat of miscarriage. That happened at the beginning of the ninth month, the long-awaited first child Oleg was born.

The boy was very weak and sickly. Granny Zina rushing to help her daughter and it was reliable support and help. They took turns sleeping, the little boy screamed from colic and often had a fever. In the first three years of life, three adults never got eight hours of sleep each. Oleg had caught all types of children and adult illnesses. He was a regular visitor to all hospitals, managed to break not only his hands but also his legs on the playground, so until he was three years old, the three adult idiots did learn how to take care of a small trouble bag.

A little later it became a bit better, the boy got stronger, almost equal in height and weight with his peers, was ill once every six months and almost never missed school.

The family returned to its usual rhythm of life, Maxim and Olga were engaged in work in the field of art, and Olga's mother helped around the house and with Oleg.

– Pregnant, – the district gynecologist looked at Olga.

There was a vivid discussion until morning. Olga decided to give a birth, although Maxim was strictly against it. The mother was on her daughter's side.

The miscarriage happened almost at the sixth month, the child could not stand the virus Olga got sick with and got still inside. She asked not to tell the gender of the unborn child, even though she knew in her heart that it was a girl. She had already secretly named her, Eva.

Since then, their family had had a black streak. Olga gave up her job at the state gallery and devoted herself to her only son. And his grandmother was taking care of him as well, now both women were praying for him. At first, the husband blamed his wife's insanity on a severe loss and then realized that the wife had gone mad because of her only son. All-day long they waited for him from school, taking him to music, drawing, and language classes. Maxim wanted to go in for swimming with him but met with such a cruel rebuff that he closed the subject.

Once Oleg, spoiled by two eternal servants stole some money from his grandmother's purse and bought binoculars, cigarettes, and chocolate. Maxim wanted to punish the impudent youth, but his mother and grandmother, with bloodshot eyes, rushed at his father and son-in-law like tigresses.

The head of the family began to come home later and later. Then he started staying with a colleague from work. But he left the family like a decent man, leaving everything when the child turned eighteen.

Oleg, who had pretty much driven his mother and grandmother with his antics, became subdued after his father left. Looking at himself from the side, he shook himself up, entered the Moscow Polytechnic and moved to a hostel. Without his mother and his grandmother it was difficult for the first few weeks. Then he forgot that someone had cooked for him, washed, cleaned and ironed. He made friends with his classmates and was surprised to discover football and swimming.

Oleg was the best in computer science at the University. In the late nineties, computers were unavailable for ordinary citizens like spaceships. And having learned that the computer was going to restore the peace in their family, his mother and his grandmother called Oleg's father and asked for half of the sum of money. He listened to the offer, bought and brought to them a real computer, a gift for his son's birthday by himself.

The only condition that the computer would stay at the mother’s flat (Maxim's former apartment), Oleg was happy as a young dolphin. Now was spending days and nights through in the family home. Mother Olya and grandmother Zina was crying with emotions of happiness, his father came once a week to visit his son and always found him at home, by the computer. Moreover, Tolik, his best friend, who was a graduate of medical school, came to work on the computer with Oleg every day. And women, instead on his coming every day, now they had a double joy. They loved Tolik as if he also was their son and grandson.