William looked around. For the umpteenth time, he promised himself that he needed to clean up, but… These thoughts only came in the morning when he was getting ready for work, and in the evening… In the evening, he came home with a bottle of whiskey, quickly drank it, and collapsed into bed.
He had been living at this pace for a year now. Maybe a bit more. Right from the moment Natalie left him and headed off for a better life in the city.
William met her in the neighboring town, at a dance. He had never seen her before. Guys wouldn’t give her any space because he was a good-looking fellow.
Plus, he worked on a farming operation, as it was now trendy to call the former co-ops that had suddenly become private properties. William earned really well. All because he was considered almost the best tractor driver, trucker, and combine operator on the farm.
There wasn’t a piece of machinery he handled poorly. The guys sighed with envy. They said any metal obeyed Will.
William lived alone. His grandma, who raised him, died as soon as he turned eighteen. As if she had been waiting on purpose.
No one thought the guy would return to the small town after finishing his studies. But he did. He built a big house, worked like a damned soul.
He didn’t look at girls. He firmly decided to get on his feet first, so it wouldn’t be embarrassing to bring a wife home. From childhood, he understood what it was like not to eat enough, not to sleep enough, because grandma saved on firewood, and the house was very cold.
But when he saw Natalie, he almost went crazy. They got married quickly. The girl really liked the guy.
And even more, she liked that she could finally leave her large family, where she was the oldest and had to help constantly. He spoiled her a lot. He bought outfits that no one in the town had ever seen….
And she quickly got used to the good life. She didn’t handle the household because of her hand skin, because it was hard, and many more becauses. And Will did everything himself.
Just so Natalie would be happy. They lived like that for three years. And one fine day, his wife declares.
«Will, how long are we going to sit here? Everyone is developing, moving to the city, and we’re rotting in this small town.» Will didn’t even understand what she meant then. «I never said I wanted to go to the city.
And you didn’t either. Where did this come from all of a sudden?» «Well, I definitely don’t want to rot in this small town my whole life. I hope you’re not going to force me to do that?» William raised his eyebrows….
«I don’t understand something. You’re from a small town yourself. You’ve lived here your whole life.
Where did this pull come from suddenly? Especially now. We can live comfortably. Just wait, I’ll get water hooked up to the house.
It’ll be just like a city apartment.» Natalie stood up, nervously pacing the room. «Lord, you’re so dense.
What’s water got to do with it? What about theaters, cafes? Culture, for goodness’ sake!» That day they argued. William lost it first. He called his wife a small-town princess and the pea and left.
Of course, they made up later. They didn’t return to the conversation. And three weeks later, he didn’t find Natalie when he returned from work.
There was only a note on the table saying she met a man who understands her, with whom she’ll live in the city. Natalie also wrote that she took the money William had been saving in the box. She wrote that it was her compensation for wasting her best years on him…
From that day, Will changed his lifestyle. First, he sold off all the livestock, and then let the house go. No one suspected for a while what was happening to him.
Then rumors started spreading. He went to work, but got a couple of warnings. He didn’t respond.
Just that day when his boss talked to him, he took not a fifth, but two right away. Will sighed, looked around again. Oh, how he wanted to close his eyes to all this.
A couple of times he even started cleaning, but the first time he came across Natalie’s hairpin, and the second—their wedding album. So he gave up on it. He went outside, shivered.
The frost was such that it nipped at his nose. He’d have to fiddle again to start his tractor. How many times he argued with the boss that the watchman doesn’t heat the garage.
«Excuse me!»—he flinched. It was still dark outside, and he certainly didn’t expect to hear an unfamiliar voice at this hour, especially in his own yard. He turned sharply.
Before him stood either a woman or a girl, and behind her huddled a child. «Lord, what are you doing here so early and in such frost? And with a child!» The female figure shrugged indefinitely. «It just happened that way.
Can you tell me if we can find shelter with anyone for a while? Johnny is completely exhausted. We have no money though.» William tried to peer at her face.
Exhausted, thin, and seemingly quite young, though he could be wrong. Knowing his townsfolk, he could assume they’d sooner call the sheriff than let some vagrant stay for free. Will cast a quick glance at the child huddled against the woman.
«The boy was no more than five.» Then he looked at his watch. «No, he couldn’t help.
If Will is late, everyone will decide right away that it’s because of drinking.» He shoved his hand in his pocket, pulled out the house keys. «Here, take them.
Go to my house. I’ll be back after six. The house is warm, if you get cold, you can stoke the furnace.
There should be food. Well, should be, but God knows. Just, my place is a mess, no time for everything.
Don’t stick your nose out much, or there’ll be a lot of questions. Alright, I’m off, no time.» He handed the stunned stranger the keys and dashed down the path toward the garages.
For some reason, the thought didn’t even cross his mind that they were strangers, that they could rob him. The day flew by quickly. Worry appeared in the evening when he habitually turned toward the store but didn’t stop…
