Sunlit oak tree

1926 Those years, which at first seemed like a long time to Augustine, flew by very quickly. In addition, life itself has changed a lot. He and Agnes were sent to school. Wilhelm got a job with the party and had a good position; he was paid, although not a very large sum, but it was much more than in the workshop from which he was fired. The evenings now all passed the same way: Wilhelm sat in his office behind papers, locking himself behind a thick door. On weekends, friends from his new job would come over and they would laugh late into the night, talking about politics. On such evenings, Augustine would open the door slightly and listen to what they were talking about, and this was precisely what became the boy’s new hobby. He loved to eavesdrop on the conversations of adults, then looking up new words in the dictionary. He shared a room with Hume, and while he put his brother to bed, Agnes did the same with Yunna. Then they met and talked a lot: about the new school and gossip, about new friends, but most of all they indulged in memories of what happened in the old house. Anna got a job as a personal tutor for children for one of Wilhelm’s party friends. Life seemed to fall into place — until the mother returned from prison. They celebrated Christmas cheerfully; Anna and Wilhelm were not rich, like their parents, but they spent more time with their children. But all good things come to an end. The return of their mother was something exciting and incomprehensible for Anna and Wilhelm, and even more so for Augustine and Agnes — they were so unaccustomed to the presence of their parents in their lives that now for them their parents seemed something distant and something blurry. For an adult, time flows differently, and five years are equal to five minutes; for a child, five years is five centuries, so everything is forgotten. Augustine could not remember in detail the evening when they were brought here, and life before that seemed to him like something out of a fantasy picture. He also played the violin and drew, however, now he had to do this together with little Yum, who wanted to know everything around him and often interfered with his brother. Although Augustine was very calm, sometimes even his patience was not enough. At such moments, he went into the living room and read all kinds of literature — mostly books on history and politics. Agnes easily got along with Yunna: they had similar tastes in everything, from clothes to the choice of food. Yunna tried to be like her sister in everything. She dressed in her outfits and sometimes watched her sister try to do her hair. It was cute, and Augustine always laughed when he saw his little sister like this. *** From the very morning, Anna tried to do everything as it should be: she cooked food and was happy, she considered it a good ending that the children would be reunited with their parents. Wilhelm believed that it was his wife’s nervousness; He first entered the kitchen and looked at Anna for a long time. — Anna, tell me, are you sad because Yulona is coming today? “Wilhelm knew his wife, and it was difficult to hide from him the fact that she was sad and was disgusted by the fact that today they would no longer be a family. — No, what are you talking about! — she exclaimed. “I knew that sooner or later this would happen. — Anna rushed around the kitchen, looking after the white tablecloths, cake and linen hanging on the balcony. — Anna, don’t lie to yourself. — Wilhelm came up, took a mug of coffee and took a sip from it. “Her return just doesn’t mean anything.” You should know this. — Anna suddenly stopped fussing and turned to her husband; Of course, she was tormented by sadness and melancholy, but most of all she was worried about what would happen next. — Oh, Wilhelm, how do we know? Our life became better just because we were able to overcome the most difficult things, but this does not mean that it will not destroy what we built. — Wilhelm sighed, agreeing with his wife that Armen and Yulona had this property. They were the type of people who destroyed everything — even what was not built by them. “In any case, if they don’t want to leave, they can stay with us.” — Yes, you’re right, we completely forgot that they also have their own view on this situation, and we need to listen to them. — Anna hugged her husband, and with that they parted. Agnes helped Anna as best she could — for example, she carried the dishes, and little Yunna looked after them. Augustine, William and Hume went to a bookstore. On the way, Wilhelm constantly talked about politics, and it turned more into his long monologue. Hume looked at him boredly, but Augustine did not listen at all, answering everything positively. Returning home, Augustine changed clothes, and they began to wait for his mother to arrive. It was about four o’clock, Agnes put on her best dress, Yum and Yunna were in trembling anticipation. Augustine tried to smile, and Agnes, looking at him, asked a question: -Aren’t you happy? “Augustine was confused: he didn’t know how to answer without his sister getting angry at him. “No, no,” he tried to justify himself. “It’s just that so much time has passed, and I can’t say what I’m feeling… Mom left a long time ago, and I don’t know how she’ll come back.” “I somehow crossed her out of my life, or something,” my brother said a little guiltily. Agnes took his hand. — In any case, pretend that you are happy with her. — Certainly. — Agnes smiled at her brother, and at that moment the bell rang. Everyone held their breath; Anna ran to open the doors. Wilhelm stood next to the children in the living room. A quiet voice was heard, and a few minutes later a woman completely unfamiliar to them entered the room. At first Augustine was even frightened of her, then only he saw in her face the features of the former aristocracy and luxury. Her luxurious hair had become dull, and in some places there was even gray visible, and there were large bags under her eyes. Augustine greeted his mother with restraint. Agnes, approaching her, hugged her lightly, but it was clear from her sister that she also did not understand who was in front of her. Yum and Yunna made do with a brief greeting. Anna invited everyone to the table, timidly and hesitantly everyone moved forward, except for Augustine — he stood, unable to move, and only then, under the stern gaze of Wilhelm, he walked and sat down next to his mother. — We are so glad to have you back. — Anna tried to make the atmosphere pleasant, but it didn’t work out well. — How are you? — the woman said in a slightly hoarse voice, looking at the children. — Fine. — Agnes barely squeezed out the words. — Not bad. — Augustine poured himself some juice. — Yulona, ​​you can stop here for the first time. Besides, you still need to get used to the surroundings. “Wilhelm intervened in the conversation, seeing the horror in the children’s eyes. It was clear from them that the piece was not in their throats. — Yes, of course, but I think that after my return I will be able to ensure that our accounts, which were frozen, will be unblocked, and I will no longer be able to burden you with the presence of my children. — There was deathly silence in the room. Augustine’s blood ran cold. Burden? And where will they go? She has nothing behind her soul. Who is she anyway? Who is their father now and who are they all to their parents? A man brought him out of his thoughts. “That’s not true at all,” said Wilhelm. The last thing he wanted was for them to leave here, and besides, he understood that Yulona was unlikely to do anything. Watching the children’s reactions, he sensed the same feeling. She was a stranger to them, they did not recognize her, and it was impossible to guarantee that after prison she would not lose her mind. Augustine looked at her with hostility and coldness, Agnes made stupid eyes because she was afraid of her mother. Yum and Yunna especially did not remember that it was their mother; she was more like a stranger to them than a loved one. “Besides,” Augustine entered the conversation, “you should rest.” “He spoke coldly, but with restraint. His mother, sitting opposite, looked at him with a cold and callous gaze. “I think a couple of days won’t do anything.” Agnes supported him. — OK I understood you. I think that my father will be released early and we will be able to move out. “She didn’t say or say anything else.” She sat in the living room in complete silence for the rest of the day. Agnes did not dare to approach her, like Augustine, and the younger ones were not very eager. Augustine sat, drawing on scribbled paper in his room. Only in the evening he went into Agnes’s room to share his thoughts with his sister. — Can? — He knocked on the door. — Yes, sure. What’s happened? “The sister carefully threw a blanket over his shoulders. — I came to find out how you are. Agnes put the book down. — Not very good, like you. — Augustine sat down on the bed. “I didn’t think that after prison she would change so much, and even more so that she would want to take us away from here.” Where? For what? She doesn’t have anything. — Agnes ran out of words from the inability to express what was in her soul. — Agnes, nothing has been decided yet. In addition, it is unclear when the father will be released and in what condition he will be. I’m not happy either, and I don’t want us to be taken away from Anna and Wilhelm. I’m already used to them, or something… They did a lot and sacrificed a lot. Agnes sat down next to her brother. “I’m also used to Anna constantly teaching me something: either sewing or handicrafts, and it’s not so bad that we live here.” — Augustine hugged his sister. — Why did she even decide that we hadn’t changed? “In any case, I don’t think she can carry us all, it’s too hard.” — Agnes agreed with him. In the following days, it became obvious that the mother’s arrival turned into a complete disaster for their peaceful life. She constantly screamed at night or wandered around, went into Yunna’s room, and then Agnes calmed her down. She constantly scolded Yuma, and Augustine came to the rescue, putting his mother in her place. The relationship between mother and eldest son was strained to the limit. William very often separated them and told Augustine that he needed to be more restrained; he just said that next time he would try to be more restrained, but this occasion never came. The mother also could not establish a relationship with Agnes: realizing that she would no longer build Augustine as she needed, she switched to Agnes, but she simply left the room every time her mother tried to talk. It got to the point where the children started locking their rooms at night. There was no peace for anyone. She also spoiled her relationship with Wilhelm and Anna, and no one loved her in the house. The last straw came in the morning when they had breakfast together. Agnes and Augustine went to school together, and Yunna and Yuma were taken to kindergarten. Anna was about to leave, but Wilhelm, entering the kitchen, told her to sit down. — Yulona, ​​there is a conversation. — The woman turned around. — What kind of conversation? Anna tensed. She was so tired of these quarrels that it was easier to just throw Yulona out the door. “Yulona, ​​please don’t take our children away from us.” — Anna said in a short phrase what her husband had been meaning to say for a long time. “We’ve been through a lot with them, and it’s unlikely you have the means.” Yulona looked first at Wilhelm, then at Anna. — Wilhelm, I told you that I will try to get funds through the court. “Yulona, ​​wake up, you don’t have any money, and you won’t be able to support your children,” the man said in a harsh voice. — Besides, with your criminal record, this is unlikely. — It’s none of your business! “Yulona was tough in her positions. Anna, seeing that the quarrel was gaining serious momentum, sided with her husband. — Yulona, ​​listen, he’s right about something. Children are simply afraid of you. Can’t you see how happy they are here? — Anna, don’t interfere in our conversation! “Yulona flared up, she relied on unknown arguments and did not understand what she was counting on. Nevertheless, the court is more likely to side with her. — The conversation is over. As soon as my husband gets out of prison, I take the children. Wilhelm and Anna silently stood up and left. It was useless to argue — now all that was left was to tell the news to the children. The father was released after six months, and with scandals and quarrels, but Yulona moved everyone to the apartment, which she rented with Anna and Wilhelm’s money. She sent Augustine, as the main one, to a boarding school — with money sent by Anna and Wilhelm. The court ruled them as guardians of the children. But the truth was this: she got rid of Augustine, and Agnes, left alone with her parents, finally could not stand it and often came to sleep with Wilhelm and Anna. Yuma and Yunna followed their older sister like tails, wanting to have as little contact as possible with their own father and mother. Their happy days were over.