Two Suns. Дмитрий Наринский

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      A wave of vanilla and cinnamon scent from behind the door, which was sharply opened, nearly knocked him off his feet. An older, yet still strikingly beautiful woman stood on the doorstep, donning a flour-stained apron with a kitchen towel draped over her shoulder.

      «Full house, and no one to answer the door,» she exclaimed, not with anger, but with indignation, into the shadows of the corridor, and then looked at Mark in surprise. Unperturbed, he recognized her as his future mother-in-law, sharing the same stature and bushy eyebrows.

      «Good afternoon. This is for you,» he offered with a courteous greeting, handing over the bouquet and delivering a slight, respectful bow.

      «You must be mistaken, young man?» she responded with astonishment, yet still appreciating his politeness.

      «I'm quite certain I'm not,» Mark smiled, openly inviting. «You're Berta's mother, aren't you?»

      «Ah, of course,» the woman's eyes sparkled with a familiar slyness, as if to say, «Another contender, let's see…» – «Bertha, you have a visitor. A very gallant young man! Thank you. Please come in.»

      The cramped hallway was illuminated as a gray-haired man emerged from a room with a little girl on his shoulders, both laughing. Vladimir followed them.

      It was time to introduce himself.

      «Mark Maretsky, a cadet of the military-technical school,» he stated with a sense of pride and confidence.

      «It's Mark, Mommy! I told you! About the guys in Sestroretsk…» Vladimir chimed in…

      «Oh, that's right! I'm Anna, the mother of this lively troublemaker,» she introduced herself.

      «I'm Alexander Galper,» the man said, gently lowering the little girl to the floor. «Rose, go play,» he instructed, then warmly shook Mark's hand, displaying genuine interest in the guest with a good-natured smile, devoid of any ulterior motives.

      To the left, at the back, beyond the hallway, a table came into view, and there was Berta in a white apron, much like her mother's, carefully arranging another batch of pies on a baking tray (her proud profile quite captivating). Vladimir was already pulling at Mark's sleeve, eager to show off his latest creation:

      «I built this machine! You have to see it!» he eagerly exclaimed.

      But Mark, resolute, headed toward the kitchen, or rather, what appeared to be a makeshift kitchen set up in the hallway. With slow grace, Bertha wiped her hands and showed no sign of surprise as she accepted the bouquet.

      «Thank you,» she said, but couldn't resist asking, «How did you find me?»

      «It's a military secret,» he replied with a playful twinkle in his eye.

      «I can imagine…» her teasing smirk reappeared.

      Oh, that look! Mockery again.

      «You know what military secrets are? Then, we'll understand each other without words!»

      «Let's have some tea. Berta, Anna, stop teasing us with those enticing aromas! Vladimir, help set the table!» the wise patriarch of the family decided to defuse the situation.

      «Yes, yes,» Mark said gratefully, «the aroma of your pies wafts all over the entryway. Is it cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla?»

      «Do you know anything about cooking?» Anna, experienced in the tricks of potential suitors, wondered if Mark was simply being polite.

      «No, I'm not. I'm just a gourmand. And my mom was an exceptional cook.»

      «Was? What happened?» she asked, sensing there was more to the story.

      «She passed away two years ago,» he said with a touch of sadness.

      The woman offered a comforting pat on his shoulder. «Well, you're in for a treat. Let's go to the room.»

      As it turned out, Berta's older brothers, Boris and his wife, Mikhail, along with her sister Julia, her husband, and their daughter Rose – a whole community, as Mark thought – resided in the three-room apartment. In the past, the Galper couple had raised eight children under one roof, but most of them had already flown the nest. Once, they had an eight-room apartment. In the twenties, they had to sacrifice part of the apartment, including the kitchen, although they managed to keep the gas stove – a rarity for those times.

      At the table, only a tall, young man in his thirties with fine facial features was present (the others had gone to the movies):

      «Mikhail,» he introduced himself briefly, noticing the two bouquets adorning the room. He couldn't hide his irony, «This is the first time you've come to us, and you want to get married right away!»

      The brave cadet felt a bit embarrassed, but there was no turning back now.

      «You know, I'm ready right now, but I think we should get to know each other first,» Mark replied.

      The parents nodded approvingly, and Vladimir shouted enthusiastically, «I agree to such a son-in-law!» Berta seemed about to respond with a retort, but then she changed her mind and burst into laughter. In that moment, she saw him in a different light, realizing he was more than the self-assertive guy she initially perceived. And he has such a beautiful smile.

      Her laughter was pure and ringing, and it caught Mark off guard, leaving him thinking, «What a nice girl… So different… Yet somewhat similar to Anna!»

      Mikhail, clearly enjoying the interaction, added teasingly, «Berta is a girl with a temper. You still have time to change your mind.»

      With determination, Mark quickly composed himself and responded, «I appreciate the advice. I undertake to study this temper thoroughly,» casting an expressive glance at Bertha.

      And thus, began the exchange of questions and stories, as it always happens between kindred spirits who have overcome the initial awkwardness of a new acquaintance.

      Alexander, originally named Isaac, was a tailor, but not an ordinary one; he specialized in crafting military uniforms. The workshop was situated right in their home, and all the children, to varying degrees, had acquired the skills of this profession. After graduating, Berta became her father's right-hand woman and was now the «official» employee of the family atelier, which had now shifted to civilian orders.

      The help of the older children was particularly crucial during times of war when the workshop was inundated with orders.

      «If it weren't for the boys, I would have never made it through. But then, things got so tough – we feared we wouldn't survive. The repairs, alterations… It cost a fortune! You couldn't find good fabric anywhere, day or night, except on the Sennoy market, and even then, it was exorbitantly expensive!» The elderly tailor sighed, recalling the times of hunger, market raids, goods requisitioning, and constant fear for his family.

      «Almost everything valuable in the house had to be exchanged for food and fabrics,» his wife echoed.

      «But the NEP somewhat improved the situation,» added Alexander.

      «Yes, you know, the new bosses surprisingly had a taste for finer things,» his wife chimed in.

      «And СКАЧАТЬ