Are you going alone? – Palych, also known as Berkutov, stared at Dima in surprise, as if he couldn’t believe his ears.
They stopped at the cemetery gate, getting out of the car.
What’s the big deal? Do you think you can’t manage without me? I’ll go, see everything with my own eyes, – Dima cut him off.
No, this isn’t your level. I’ll go myself. – Palych frowned and waved his hand sharply. – Don’t worry, I’m not going to get into a fight, I’ll just watch from the sidelines.
Dima shook his head skeptically:
This isn’t for you anymore. Times have changed.
Palych, whom everyone knew by this nickname, smirked as he remembered the old days:
You think the old methods don’t work anymore? They still work just fine. And by the way, they work every time.
Things are different now. Life used to be simpler. Fights, showdowns, blood flowing like rivers. Now? Maybe we’ll just scare someone a little, and even that quietly, without a fuss. No one even gets a slap anymore.
Yeah, times have changed, – Dima sighed.
And they themselves were no longer the same. Now they were a legitimate company with a pompous name – “Berkut.” But not because it sounded solid, but simply because their boss’s name was Berkutov.
The important thing is it sounds solid, – Dima said with a slight smirk.
Come on, it’s all nonsense, – Palych waved it off. – We still take on special orders, we just don’t advertise it. For example, there was a case recently.
What case? – Dima asked, stepping closer.
Well, this guy decided to get back at his ex-wife, who was living pretty well after the divorce. He wrote her letters, made threats, left nasty stuff around. He thought she wouldn’t figure out who was doing it.
And she didn’t figure it out? – Dima clarified.
Of course, she figured it out. He wasn’t too bright. We tracked him down quickly. We traced his phone. The woman paid well and asked for him to stay off her radar, – Palych smirked. – Back in the day, we would’ve just wiped him off the face of the earth, and that would be the end of it. But times have changed. – He sighed heavily and ran his hand over his neck. – Everything’s so quiet now. Too quiet.
With these words, Palych headed deeper into the cemetery. His small “entourage” of three men scattered among the graves — each going to visit their own.
Palych knew why he was here. Sometimes, he visited his mother’s grave.
When he approached her massive, expensive cross, he froze, staring at the inscription on the plaque. His childhood had been far from rosy, and now he found himself thinking more and more about the past. What if things had turned out differently? What kind of person would he have been?
I would have studied, started a family, worked at the factory, drank beer with friends on Fridays… – he muttered to himself.
But memories quickly brought him back to reality. Fedya Berkutov’s mother drank. A lot. The new stepfather who came into their house once decided to “teach” his stepson a lesson. The result was a broken arm and two broken ribs. After that, Fedya ended up in the hospital, and then was sent to an orphanage. His mother visited rarely. Each time, she cried, swore she would take him back, but disappeared for weeks. And he waited.
She was a bad mother, but I loved her, – he whispered, as if justifying himself to someone.
But one day, Fedya realized that no one would come for him. No one would save him. That’s when he started to survive. He understood that only those who could stand up for themselves stayed.
Fedya tried to be fair, not picking fights without a reason. It helped him gather a solid group around him. There weren’t many of them, but they stuck together like a real family.
The police took him away many times. Once, he even slept in a storage closet. But Fedya knew: show weakness, and respect would vanish.
When they left the orphanage, their group stuck together. Of course, now many of them were gone — they found peace here, in this very cemetery.
Fedya didn’t immediately decide to look for his mother. But when he finally arrived at the place where they had once lived, he found only an empty shack with broken windows. Everything was destroyed, as if this place had never existed.
Only five years later did he seriously start searching. He found her quickly. She was living in a nursing home, in a terrible state. Fedya did everything he could to make her life easier, but she only lived for another six months. The doctors said alcohol was to blame. Two strokes, liver failure — the body just couldn’t take it.
Fedya visited her grave often. For many years, there had been an expensive monument here, and it was always clean and well-kept. He didn’t like to stay for long, but he visited regularly. Some invisible force kept bringing him back here.
A little further away, he noticed a fresh grave. It seemed like someone was about to be buried. He was ready to leave, but then stopped. Somewhere close by, a strange sound was heard. It was either a faint squeak or the cry of a child. The sound didn’t fit the usual silence of the cemetery.
What the hell is that? – he muttered to himself and then guessed: – Ah! Probably a dog or kitten fell into the fresh grave.
This kind of thing happened often. Stray animals often wandered through the cemetery looking for food or shelter. Fedya approached closer and peered into the hole. But instead of a dog or puppy, he saw a small boy, about six years old! Dirty, frightened, curled into a ball. He was quietly sobbing, as if afraid someone would hear him.
Hey, what are you doing there?
The boy flinched, raised his head and looked at Fedya with wide, frightened eyes.
Give me your hand, – Fedya said calmly, extending his palm down.
The boy immediately grabbed it, holding on tightly, as if his salvation depended on this hand. Fedya carefully pulled him up and set him on his feet. The boy was trembling all over, clearly very cold.
What were you doing there? Did you fall? – Fedya asked, taking off his jacket, which clearly wasn’t made for such situations.
The jacket cost as much as a decent used car, but right now, he didn’t care about that. He carefully wrapped the boy in it, trying to warm him up.
The boy silently looked at him, his teeth chattering from the cold.
Alright, let’s go to the car. You’ll warm up there, and then tell me who you are and how you ended up here, – Fedya said gently, trying not to scare the boy.
The boy just nodded, not saying a word. Fedya carefully examined him, evaluating his condition, and then, without hesitation, picked him up along with the jacket.
You’re freezing, buddy, – he muttered, heading toward the car.
Fedya put the boy in the front seat, sat down behind the wheel, and took out a thermos with tea. It took about ten minutes before the boy started to warm up a little. His body stopped shaking, and he was finally able to speak. Meanwhile, people who came with Fedya approached the car.
What’s going on here? – Dima asked in surprise, stepping closer.
So, tell me, what were you doing at the cemetery in the evening? – Fedya asked sternly, but without much pressure, looking closely at the boy.
I wasn’t there in the evening… I came in the morning, – the boy quietly replied, looking down. – Today is my mom’s birthday. I just wanted to visit her… There was always a path there, but now there’s a hole… I fell.
Fedya remembered that there was a small bunch of wildflowers in the grave.
And who let you come here alone? – he frowned. – Your dad?
I don’t have anyone, – the boy whispered barely audibly. – I’m from the orphanage. They wouldn’t let me go see my mom, so I ran away. Uncle, please, don’t send me back there! I’d rather stay here… – His voice trembled, and he quickly added: – My name is Zhenya. I’m not a coward! I’m friends with everyone! It’s just… the caretakers are mean, they hit us.
Fedya frowned even more. He knew this happened. In his time, orphanages also broke children to make them obedient.
Yeah, Zhenya, life’s not easy for you, – he said thoughtfully. – But what should I do with you? I can’t leave you here.
He turned to his friends, who were standing near the car.
Well, what do you think, guys? Is there enough room, or do we need to figure something out? – he asked, squinting.
There’s enough, of course, – Dima replied, exchanging glances with the others.
Alright, for now, you’ll stay with me, – Fedya said, addressing the boy. – But first, we’ll need to visit your orphanage. I haven’t been there in a while.
Take us too, – one of his friends chimed in. – We should check out those caretakers.
We’ll see, – Fedya nodded. – Maybe we’ll decide something else too.
At home, Fedya quickly realized that if he sent Zhenya to the bathroom, he’d have nothing to wear. So he pulled out his old shirt from the closet, and planned to go shopping for clothes in the morning. But it wasn’t necessary, because the boy, wrapped in a warm jacket, fell asleep right on the couch.
In the morning, while Zhenya was washing up, Fedya thought about what to feed the boy, who was clearly hungry. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. When he opened it, he saw Denis, one of his men, who had been with him at the cemetery yesterday.
Something happened?
No, Palych, everything’s fine. We stopped by somewhere on the way. The stores are closed at night, but we found something. The boy has nothing to wear.
He handed over a package, and Fedya looked inside. There were jeans, underwear, a tracksuit, and new sneakers. Everything looked decent.
I don’t even know what to say, – Fedya muttered, a little confused.
He had known Denis as a reserved and cold person. Taking care of someone else’s child didn’t fit his image.
Maybe you’ll come in? – Fedya suggested, leaving the door open.
No, I’m going home. I’m tired, – Denis said briefly, turning toward the car.
Fedya watched him leave, involuntarily drifting into his memories. They had grown up together in the orphanage. Denis ended up there due to a tragedy. His parents lost their jobs, and debts led them into crime. That fateful day, Denis was left an orphan. Everyone thought he would never be able to create a family or trust anyone enough to care for others.
Meanwhile, Zhenya came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a big towel.
Here you go, – Fedya handed him the package. – The guys brought you some clothes. Change and come to the kitchen, we’ll have breakfast.
Zhenya appeared in the kitchen in his new clothes. His eyes were shining, as if he had put on something that belonged to him for the first time.
Everything’s so… nice, – he whispered, looking at himself.
Why did you put on the sneakers? – Fedya asked, smiling.
The boy looked down, shyly tapping the toe of his shoe on the floor.
Just… – he started but fell silent, as if picking the right words. – Just, I know they’re going to send me back soon. And there, they’ll take everything from me. At least I can wear it here for a bit.
Fedya frowned, gritting his teeth. He knew all too well how life worked in orphanages. The strong always took what they liked from the weak. He and Denis had gone through that until they found friends and built their own team.
Zhenya ate, and Fedya sat beside him, watching. Something inside him stirred, but he couldn’t quite understand what it was. He had never had children, and never thought about it. His life had always seemed full and rich enough.
I can send him back to the orphanage anytime, – he muttered to himself. – But why not give the kid a couple of good days?
They watched cartoons, ordered pizza and sweets, and the day passed joyfully and casually.
The next morning, closer to eleven, Fedya decided it was time to wake up the boy.
Zhenya, get up, or you’ll sleep through everything! – he called loudly.
The boy jumped up, looking around with sleepy eyes.
What? Where? – he mumbled, still half asleep.
Let’s go for a walk, – Fedya answered, smiling. – We’ll go to the orphanage tomorrow.
They went to the park, and the day flew by unnoticed. There, they met Denis, who joined them without a word. From the outside, it probably looked strange: two bearded men with a little boy riding the carousel, laughing, and eating ice cream.
When they returned home, Zhenya had a small snack and immediately collapsed on the couch, falling asleep almost instantly.
Fedya couldn’t sleep for a long time. At three in the morning, he went out to the porch to smoke and noticed that Zhenya wasn’t asleep either.
Hey, why aren’t you sleeping? – he asked, sitting down next to him.
Zhenya’s eyes sparkled with tears. He spoke without looking up:
I know you’re going to take me back tomorrow. It’s the right thing, I understand. But I wanted to say… If I had a dad, I would want him to be like you…
He fell silent, quickly pulling the blanket over his head and turning to the wall.
Fedya stayed in the dark, then got up and went out onto the porch. He stood there for a long time, looking at the night sky.
Palych, we need to talk, – Denis’s voice came as he entered the room, leaving the door slightly open.
Denis had worked with Fedya for a long time, helping him build the company from scratch. What started as a small business had turned into a serious company. Now, Fedya sat at a large table, a bottle of whiskey in front of him with only half left. When he looked up at Denis, he was already sitting across from him. And next to him, at the door, stood three of their mutual friends.
What’s going on, Palych? You’re as mad as hell. And drinking every day, – Denis started, looking intently at Fedya.
Everything’s fine with me.
Yeah, sure. We’ve talked it over with the guys. If you don’t take Zhenya, one of us will.
Fedya slammed the glass down on the table.
What are you talking about? Where am I supposed to take him? Do you even understand that a kid isn’t a toy?
We understand. That’s exactly why we can’t leave him where he is. You’re not a gangster anymore, you’re a grown man, a businessman. What are you afraid of?
Fedya gritted his teeth and looked at his friend as if he had crossed a line.
Do you think it’s that easy? – he asked irritably.
I think you’re making it harder than it is. Since you sent him back to the orphanage, you’ve changed. It’s like you’re eating yourself up from the inside. But the kid’s good. And if you don’t get married, it’s fine. We’ll raise him ourselves. We’ll make a decent man out of him.
A heavy silence hung in the air. Fedya was silent for what seemed like an eternity. The others also chose not to say anything, giving him time. Finally, he sighed heavily, pushed the bottle away, rubbed his face with his hands, and said:
Find me a good lawyer.
Now that’s more like it.
Despite the fact that Fedya was wealthy and had connections, the guardianship process dragged on for a month. He asked everyone to keep it a secret from Zhenya, so he wouldn’t get his hopes up. Fedya knew that the worst thing for a child was waiting and fearing that nothing would work out.
But the day finally came when all the documents were ready. Fedya decided he wouldn’t go to the orphanage alone. He took everyone who had helped him with this matter.
He stood at the end of the long corridor, clenching his fists so tightly his nails dug into his palms. His friends stood a little further away, silently watching him. The director had gone to get Zhenya, but she had been gone for fifteen minutes. Fedya was starting to lose his patience. He took a couple of steps toward the office but stopped abruptly, trying to pull himself together.
Suddenly, light footsteps were heard at the end of the corridor. The director appeared, and behind her, Zhenya. The boy looked a bit confused, but when he saw Fedya, he froze in place, as if afraid to believe his eyes.
Hello, Zhenya, – Fedya said quietly, trying to smile.
Hello, – the boy whispered, not moving.
I’m here for you.
For me? – Zhenya raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Yeah. Will you take me as your dad?
Zhenya froze for a couple of seconds, then, as if suddenly overcome with emotion, ran to him. He hugged Fedya around the neck so tightly that Fedya nearly lost his balance.
I knew it, I knew you’d come! I’ve been waiting so long! – The boy spoke quickly, barely holding back tears.
Fedya gently held him, feeling a lump rise in his throat. He noticed his friends, standing nearby, quietly wiping their eyes.
Alright, Zhenya, let’s go home, – Fedya said, trying to speak firmly. – We’ve got so much ahead of us!
He carefully led Zhenya to the car, still holding him by the shoulders. And although the feelings he was experiencing were completely new for him, he knew one thing for sure. He would be a good father. He would do everything to make sure Zhenya grew up to be a worthy person.