Sunlit oak tree

Spending another Friday evening drinking, the friends didn’t even have time to look back when the time was getting closer to night, and now Augustine was dragging his drunken friend home. Augustine and Alex entered the apartment when it was already past midnight and most of the cafes were closed. Augustine, of course, finally moved to Agnes, but sending his friend home and making sure that he did not die from something along the way was important to Augustine. “Augustine,” his friend addressed him in a drunken voice. — Alex, let me drag you to the apartment, and then you can tell me everything you want, okay? “Alex, hearing this, shook his head and fell silent, and Augustine, as best he could, dragged him along the corridor. He exhaled and looked at his watch — he had to go to work tomorrow, and damn, he wouldn’t have time to sleep. And Alex’s birthday is coming up: I need to buy him something. — Alex, tell me, you couldn’t somehow drink less, no? — Augustine poured himself some water from the decanter standing on the table. — Excluded. You know, you looked at Irene so much that I thought maybe you were in love? — Augustine pushed his friend with such force that he fell off the sofa. — Stop doing that. No, definitely not. Besides, who would say? — Alex, laughing on the floor, said something incomprehensible under his breath. — Oh, my friend. — Alex muttered something under his breath. — You never know when you will become infected with love, but the worst thing is that sooner or later it will happen, and you will ignore the symptoms for a long time. Augustine looked at him with a serious, ironic look. They called the apartment. Alex, no longer lying on the floor, tried to get up, and he almost succeeded. Augustine went to open the door and his sister appeared on the threshold. — Agnes, what are you doing here? The sister remained silent. “Augustine, I’m afraid that we’ll all be taken back to our parents.” And me, and Yuma, and Yunnu…” Her voice trembled. — Why do they need you and why did they decide to do this? — Augustine asked in amazement. Agnes walked over and sat down on the sofa in the living room. “That’s it,” she spread her hands. — I came to you right away. — How were you able to leave there? — I was not at home. When I returned, the neighbor told me that they had been taken away. Therefore, most likely, they are looking for me too. — Augustine, hearing this, closed his eyes and for a moment or two plunged into memories of that evening when their little ones were brought to William and Anna. He was overcome by panic and the inability to clearly see the path that runs somewhere beyond your sight. — And what arguments do we need so that the court will side with us and they will leave us behind? — If only we prove that our minimum income per person is not lower than fifty marks a month. And another thing is that we do not receive benefits from the state. “I definitely get less,” Augustine stated sadly. — And I’m not settled anywhere at all. Augustine realized that this was the end: the beautiful days were followed by sad ones. The parents will obviously take away the sister and brother, and Augustine will no longer find them. The only thing that could be proven was that they were in the party or at least in the service. — We will have to taxi on our own. — Augustine said bitterly. “We will have a chance only if we bet on their insanity.” Anna and Wilhelm can be witnesses. — Do you think they will agree? The last time we left their house, I wouldn’t say they would be happy to see us again in this life. — Agnes, this is our only chance. We need to go to Berlin. I hope they haven’t moved anywhere. *** Augustine and Agnes came to Berlin to meet Wilhelm and Anna. It was necessary to persuade them to help and discuss what they would do at the court hearing. Sitting down at the table, Agnes noted to herself that they had not changed at all since their last meeting. Augustine was glad to see them more than ever, because if anyone could help them, it was only they. It was inappropriate to bring in the mother’s sister from Austria, and besides, she could hardly become some kind of ironclad argument in court. Wilhelm sat in an elegant suit, and Anna emanated a light flair of expensive perfume. — Augustine, so what happened? You didn’t really explain anything when you talked to me on the phone. — Agnes and I need your help. Wilhelm took a sip of hot coffee and made it clear that he was interested. — What? If I remember correctly, it was about taking away the rights from the parents. — Anna broke off a piece of strudel and offered it to Agnes, who kindly refused; my sister was so worried that she couldn’t get a piece of food down her throat. — Yes, I want to ask you to become witnesses. As people who saw what happened to the mother when she first returned from prison, you can make an impression on the court. They cannot return their children — they will simply die of hunger or become mired in parental debt. “Augustine, you are their only son who has reached adulthood, so you can also act as a witness.” Of course, we will help you too. — Wilhelm paused, as if thinking about what to say next. — After filing a claim in court, an examination will be needed… Paperwork, all these showdowns. This may drag on for a long time, Yum and Yunna may simply not wait for us. Of course, I have connections, and I can significantly speed up this process. However, the court will definitely have questions. — What character? — Why do sick people need children? — Anna intervened. — It’s not just like that. If it turns out that for several years in a row, instead of taking care of you, she spent money on something else, then I think the court will be on our side. Of course, the court may not give you the right to be a guardian, but Yuma and Yunna will definitely be returned. And this is best. — If you have sufficient financial conditions, then I think you can try to submit a certificate of income, and everything will be fine. — That’s why you were so eager to look for a job then? — Agnes turned to Anna, and she confirmed her words with a nod. Augustine and Agnes spent a little more time visiting, and then said a warm farewell, and a few days later they met in court. *** The process was short-lived — everything around testified against Augustine’s parents. Even the younger children were able to confirm that they did not want to live with them. Bank statements became the final confirmation that the family’s money was not going where it should. Leaving the courthouse, Augustine was very happy with his victory — of course, not without the help of Wilhelm, who at the right moment put pressure on the court and connected his connections, persuading the court to transfer the children to Augustine, even though his income was less than necessary. The case was quickly closed, of course, the children were returned to Augustine. Augustine shook hands with William, the man who had been his mentor and example. — Thanks a lot. Wilhelm waved it off and ruffled Augustine’s hair. — It’s OK. I was glad to help you, besides, Yulon and Armen should have been declared incompetent a long time ago. They just didn’t do it at the time, because everyone hoped that some kind of connection would remain between you, and we didn’t want to ruin it. Family ties still matter. “Sometimes there is no connection, this should have been done when I was leaving and not delayed so long.” — Augustine thanked William again; he said that if Augustine was looking for a new job, he could help arrange it. — Yes of course thank you. I will think. — Think faster, because everything in this world can end while you are thinking. — Yes, unfortunately, I don’t have much money right now. Agnes wants to get a job as a nanny for a government official; she is “kind of happy” about this prospect. — Sort of?! — Wilhelm laughed. — Well, yes, now everything is “sort of” with us. In any case, Augustine, if the younger ones are going to live with you, then I think you could use a solid job. Call me sometime. — Certainly. It was morning time. Augustine accompanied Wilhelm to his official car and went to the gallery, but when he approached the door, he saw it all painted and closed, with a sign that it had been sold, and now its owner was a certain Mr. Kolb. Augustine stood in front of the doors, not knowing what to do. A woman passing by helped him. — Do you need something? — she attracted the young man’s attention. — Yes. Tell me, please, do you know where the owner of this gallery is now? “I just work for him,” he said. The woman just shook her head. “Young man, I’m about to disappoint you: the gallery was sold this morning, and its former owner was sent to prison due to a fight with the police. So go and look for a new job,” was all she could tell him. Augustine, annoyed, came home and told Alex about it, but he just shrugged. — No, but what did you want? — He spread margarine on a piece of bread. — I told you right away that galleries and art are unlikely to last long. Whether it’s cars! — Alex, you better eat your bread already. — Augustine waved his hand. — By the way, what should I give you for your birthday? It’s like you’re visiting him this Friday? “Better give me one date with your sister,” muttered the friend. Augustine just waved it off, realizing that it was unlikely that he would be able to persuade Agnes to go on a real date with him. Although he knew that she was not against communicating with the young man, he still did not see their union as successful. However, he will still take Agnes with him to his birthday — they will figure it out themselves. The birthday party was celebrated in shades of red lipstick and champagne. Alex got a box somewhere on the black market, so the alcohol flowed like a river. Of those present there were only the closest: Agnes, Augustine and Irene. Yum and Yunna, whom they had to take with them, did not disturb them, playing with new toys on the other side of the room. The evening was filled with laughter and jokes. There was nothing for them, no barriers and no prohibitions, jazz was playing, and they didn’t care that the neighbors complained that the music was playing loudly. The table was laden with simple but tasty snacks for champagne, from which everyone quickly, pleasantly, became drunk. Augustine sometimes smiled deliberately when he saw Irene laugh — he didn’t want to admit it, but he really liked her. There was something between them. He admired her, her beautiful curly hair and luxurious dress that gracefully framed her slim figure. At some point she mentioned that she was being married off. Augustine, who had drunk quite a bit, engaged her in a dance and began talking about his love for her — talking a lot, sometimes not understanding what exactly. He rattled off some jokes about life, work and everyday life. But, all the same, behind this rosy facade of fun, his sadness and longing for Irene were visible — he was very attached to her. In the depths of his soul, he instantly became killed by the fact that she was leaving. Irene said that she would always write to him, but was that true? Hardly. It was only 1926, and it was the prime of their lives. Augustine was very young, and he did not yet know what life was, just like Agnes, who fell head over heels in love with his seductive red-haired friend. That evening, Augustine, smoking a cigarette that burned through his fingers, realized what loneliness in the soul was. Even though Irene promised to write to him that evening, she still, as Augustine expected, did not keep her promise. She disappeared from the restaurant, she was not visible on the streets of Munich, she no longer rushed around the galleries, buying the paintings she liked. All that Augustine could do was look at her photograph, left for him that very evening. Irene left a red lipstick mark on the back. He wrote letters to her, where he talked about his life. But neither Augustine, nor Alex, nor anyone else knew where she was, and therefore the love letters gathered dust in the desk drawer. And over time, Augustine slightly pushed his love for Irene into the background; he no longer had time for it. Life started spinning very quickly.