And began to leave the store.
– Happy New Year, – the girl said cheerfully with a smile.
– Thank you and happy holidays to you! I replied.
With great difficulty, due to the strong wind, I opened the door and went outside.
The blizzard played out in earnest. But for me now the snow was the best gift of fate, because it means that I got back into my world.
– Did it really work out! I exclaimed joyfully and ran home waving the bag containing the bread.
Happy, I just flew up the stairs to my floor. And my joy knew no bounds.
Soon I went up to my floor, and saw a completely unfamiliar door, after a little hesitation I rang the bell.
My wife Lena opened the door, she was wearing a dress I didn’t recognize.
– Anton, you’ve finally come, otherwise I’ve been waiting for you. «I have an important conversation to have,» she said in a serious voice.
– What’s right for the New Year? And I thought we were going to rest. «And where is the mother – in-law?» – I asked, passing into the apartment.
The most interesting thing is that not only was the door unfamiliar, but all the furniture in the apartment too.
– Mom? I told you, she decided to stay with her neighbor to celebrate the New Year.
– How interesting, – I said with horror realizing that I was again not clear where, just not at home in my own world, – Honey, remind me, what year is it now?
– Are you kidding me? – she looked at me without understanding.
– Yes, what kind of jokes can there be, – I objected, – So what year is it?
– The outgoing two thousand and twelfth.
– That’s right, – I said.
– You surprised me, of course, that you don’t know a year, but I’m already used to your oddities. Let’s go to the kitchen, I’ve set the table, we’ll talk at the same time,» Lena said and pulled me by the hand.
– Let’s go, – I was very glad that food was waiting for me.
When I went into the kitchen, I was extremely surprised there were no festive salads on the table, there were no potatoes, traditional chicken baked in the oven. There were rolls, sushi and wasabi on my plate.
– You know I don’t like this kind of food.
– Since when did you stop loving them? Lena asked irritably and sat down at the table.
– And that there is definitely no other food? I asked, looking around.
– No, you let’s sit down and we’ll see off the old year.
I sat down and pulled a plate towards me, there were seven rolls and two sushi pieces in it.
– Economical,» I said, picked up a fork, stuck it on and dipped it in soy sauce.
– Well, what is delicious after all? she asked with a smile.
«Tolerable,» I replied, «So what did you want to talk to me about?»
– Yes, Anton, I wanted to. It’s like pulling out a bad tooth.
– Do you have a toothache?
– No, I’m speaking figuratively. Our relationship with you has reached an impasse. Do you understand?
– Well, go on.
– So here’s Anton. I want to file for divorce after the holidays.
– Have you thought about our son?
– What kind of son? Lena said in surprise, «We have a daughter, Natasha. And she knows it, she’s with Grandma now. Are you out of your mind at all? What’s the matter with you?
I decided not to continue the conversation anymore, left the table and went into the corridor.
– Wait, Anton, where are you going? Lena shouted after me.
«I’m sorry,» I said, «I have to leave now.
And without waiting for an answer, I abruptly opened the door and left the apartment.
A strong wind was blowing outside. I turned up my collar and went. There was nowhere to go, and I decided to go to the store to pull the door again, and to fully understand whether it was closed.
The door was locked. And that meant that the road to my world was closed to me. For a long time or not, I didn’t have an answer to this question at the moment.
– Happy New Year,“ a five – year-old girl shouted and ran up to me, „Uncle, happy New Year, I’m telling you.
– Happy New Year girl! – I smiled for the first time in a long time.
– And my name is Katyusha, here take a candy in honor of the holiday, – and the girl handed him a candy in a golden wrapper.
– Thank you, girl, you are so kind. Only here I have nothing to treat you with,» and I opened the package in front of her, in which the bread I had bought the day before lay alone.
«I don’t need anything from you,» the girl laughed.
Her mother came up to us, took her daughter by the hand, and they disappeared behind the house.
And I was walking down the street not knowing how to live and where to go now. I was tormented by a lack of understanding of the situation and not knowing how to get out of it.
Suddenly, my feet began to slide on something unstable and smooth, and at the last minute before falling, I realized that there was ice under my feet, which was lying unnoticed under the snow. My head started to hurt because I broke it and began to lose consciousness lying on the ice.