Part 14. And she had a sport.…

Hans could not remember how he had come to be at Mary's house. Poor by his standards, but clean and comfortable home, even more attracted this as it seemed to him wonderful creation to him. It was not so difficult to guess what happened between the young man, who was flooded with such high emotions, and a lady who set herself a certain goal.

***

She quit her job - why would she serve someone? Very soon they will serve her! Hans liked that this little woman loved him as she breathed. He sometimes thought of Irene, but with each day he thought of her less and less.

She never bothered him.

They said Irene had gone to her aunt's "to dissipate sorrow" about him and that she would never come back. Hans, a prisoner of feelings for someone else, enjoyed it deep down. But, overcome by pride, he wanted her to show up.

One day, however, about a year later, they met at the university. As they say, nose-to-nose. Hans barely nodded to her, lowering his eyes at once, and she did not look at him at all. He noted to himself that she lost her good looks.

Rumors quickly spread throughout the university that Hans was now dating a former waitress from their cafe. Irene laughed in the eyes of those who felt sorry for her, and she dumped by her boyfriend answered: what happened? We're just friends! Some believed her: she literally blossomed in a few months.

Irene still loved him. As expected she was crying in the pillow at night. If he was so quick to become attached to another girl, then he didn't love her. May he be happy! I'm not staying alone. At least I have a sport. The very next day, after another revelation with a pillow, Irene knew for certain, she was not alone!

***

Then, about ten years later, she finally talked to Hans. Irene resounded all over the country and decisively was going to conquer the world. The girl friend of Hans played in her team. He attended one of the matches with a friend. This is chance, a very late one, but still. Hans made up his mind. He should have long ago!.. And again – cowardice.

He barely broke through to her. Finally, he apologized for not having the courage to talk and explain everything in his youth. Irene with her rough, strong hand tapped Hans on the shoulder, somehow not very ladylike. She is not like his Mary! They have a ten-year-old daughter, and he still calls Mary his girl.

– Come on! That’s fine! Everything is in the past.

– I'm sorry, I feel guilty about you all these years.

– There is only one person to blame – me alone!

Irene was still not married... Hans was the only close person for her. Oh, and aunt, who helps her. No, no, not the Hans who now stands before her with flushed ears. Her son.

Irene's parents died, one by one, on the same day. Mother died in the morning, and her father died in the evening. Her mother was ill and had a serious surgery. And her father was cheerful and kind of healthy. No one knew that this strong man had suffered several micro-strokes. It happened so that both of them passed away on her son's birthday, when her boy was five!

Irene had flown to her little Hans the night before. Her father called in the morning, waking her up.…

Playing with Hans for a long time they fell asleep: she fell asleep on the floor, and he slept on the sofa right in the clothes. Her aunt did not want to disturb them – they slept both so serenely with exactly the same smiles on their faces!

When Irene and her aunt arrived at the funeral, they did not find a father and a brother alive... A tough time.

Irene's son stayed in the house adjoining his aunt's house during their absence. They were like brothers with a boy next door, growing and developing together.

Irene managed somehow to hide her pregnancy from her parents. They never knew they had a grandchild, a naughty boy with protruding ears and always broken knees.

Hans had been living with his lonely aunt in another country since the day he was born. Rather, since the day when very haggard after giving birth Irene brought this little crying lump into her house.

***

She disappeared from the university for a while. Allegedly, she went to her aunt, who at that time was in dire need of her help. Irene got a little fat. Neither the students nor the girls from her team guessed that a new life was emerging in her.

There were no more men in her life until today's meeting with Hans. She didn't want another betrayal. She was rich and lived in her own, but in a small modest house, she wore simple clothes, and she was sending almost all money to her aunt.

And she also had a sport. At nights she kept crying into the pillow. Much less than in her youth. Only she and her pillow knew her tears. Her surroundings did not know a person more cheerful and optimistic.

Very soon she will bring her Hans here, and they will live like a real family, even if incomplete one.

Although Irene did not feel embarrassed about this.

She didn't want just one thing to happen. She didn’t want Hans to know about their son.

To be continued...