The right to happiness

ㅤ The restaurant's spacious kitchen was filled with the sounds of cooking and a variety of delicious aromas. Ludger deftly flipped the sizzling meat and returned to chopping vegetables, adding spices to the soup along the way. He managed to keep up with everything without sacrificing quality. That's why his establishment was popular. "Someday you'll have to admit it's time to hire some help in the kitchen," Julius lamented habitually, rolling up his sleeves and trying on his brother's spare apron. "And the sooner the better." He often helped out in his free time. He had already memorized many recipes down to the last detail, so he could work without instructions, without disturbing Ludger. They often cooked in silence, smiling at each other: they didn't need words to understand each other. This enjoyable task, even under heavy pressure, didn't require much energy. Ludger had plenty of it left over to prepare additional dishes while Julius closed the restaurant, bidding farewell to the last guests. Like a responsible older brother and loyal assistant, he tidied up, turning over the chairs. Only one round table remained untouched: the central one. On the burgundy tablecloth, he arranged plates and cutlery for four. He paid special attention to the glasses, assessing them with a glance, anticipating. He replaced the flowers in the vase. Nova and Vera entered through the back door just as Ludger was bringing in the prepared dishes. A double date? An ordinary evening family get-together. Although the wedding date hadn't been set yet, both brothers and sisters were already preparing for the celebration. On the same day. Together. There was no stronger bond than the one between the four of them. "Ludger, never take out a loan!" Nova blurted out emotionally, when dinner had opened the door to conversation. "I got a client today who'll have to pay us off for the rest of his life. Just think about it, it's lifelong slavery! Even selling a kidney wouldn't help him!" "But…" Ludger hesitated, remembering how he met his future wife. He'd just gone to the bank for a loan to open a restaurant. He was lucky, of course, that the business paid off quickly, but without the loan, he wouldn't have been able to even get started. Julius looked at his brother seriously and shook his head, as if to say there was no point in continuing the topic. Ludger nodded. Vera merely smiled slightly. She was always dressed to the nines and looked great. But not because of her date with her beloved. Her job as a secretary-administrator at a large company demanded a lot of her, so even outside of work, she couldn't allow herself to completely relax. Perhaps at night, after completing all the preliminary procedures. Or in Julius's arms… With him, she felt protected from all hardships, physical and mental, like an ordinary person with a right to weakness. And as soon as she closed her eyes, she was enveloped in silence and peace. Moments of happiness that kept her going. And she didn't want to lose her job, no matter what: such a salary would be hard to come by. If she could endure it for at least ten years, she wouldn't have to worry about the future, boldly plunging into a different world, a truly family-oriented one, with diapers and all the other delights. The well-fed and contented couples went home. Tomorrow awaited them, a new day full of noise and worries. And small joys. Although the days were similar in many ways, the couples themselves diversified their leisure time, striving to live life to the fullest. They had nothing to complain about. Ludger was walking his usual route to the restaurant again. He was already beginning to recognize some of the faces of the passersby hurrying to work. But one of the faces made him stop suddenly. His own. He saw it for only a moment: the crowd briefly blocked his view, then the image of himself vanished. Only a small girl ran toward the vision. Had he imagined it? Ludger shook his head, trying to get the thought out of his head, but the anxiety didn't go away. He needed to concentrate on his work, lest he accidentally oversalt something; that was unacceptable. Toward evening, Julius came to the rescue. Only this time, Ludger didn't give him his usual smile. "Did something happen?" Without looking up from his cooking, Ludger answered after a moment: "I saw myself today…" he paused, hesitating. "They say that meeting a doppelganger is a harbinger of imminent death." "Nonsense. Even if you did see someone who looked like you, that's perfectly understandable. Did you get a good enough look at them to be sure they were your copy?" "…No," Ludger had to admit. However, the dread clenching his heart still lingered. "Everything will be fine." As they passed by, Julius patted his brother on the shoulder reassuringly. Just as Ludger was about to say thank you, he fell silent. "Julius…" it sounded muffled. Julius only managed to turn around to meet Ludger's gaze. For the last time. Everything around them, like themselves, dissolved into nothingness. Without pain. Even the fear was gone. Only confusion remained. And soon, that, too, was gone…" ㅤ