— Hi, dear. How did the day go?

— Hello. Everything is as usual. And you? — I answered, folding the papers.

“Tired a little, but nothing, we can handle it,” he threw, passing into the kitchen.

I thought. Recently, Alexei often returned tired, but this day seemed to be somehow particularly tense. His smile seemed stretched, and anxiety was read in his eyes. But I did not focus on this.

In the evening, while we had dinner, he avoided my gaze all the time, quickly replaced the topic as soon as I tried to talk about his mood. It began to bother me, but I decided to give him time. Perhaps this is just a job.

However, the next day I found something strange. Removing things in the closet, I noticed a black folder, which was not there before. She looked quite ordinary, but something in her attracted my attention. I opened it and found it inside documents, photos and letters. What I saw forced me to freeze.

One of the documents was the name of Alexei, but the surname was different. There was also indicated an address that I did not know. Among the photos there was a woman with a child. Alexey was with them, smiled, held the girl in her arms. My heart sank. Who are they? Why did he never tell me about them?

When Alexei returned home, I was already sitting at the table with this folder in front of me. My hands were trembling, but I decided not to postpone the conversation.

“Alexey,” I began, trying to make my voice sound calm. “Can you explain what it is?”

He froze when he saw the folder. His face turned pale, and I realized that my guesses were true. He knew what I found.

“Olya, I … it’s not what you think,” he began, but I interrupted him:

— Then tell me what is it? Who are these people? And why did you never tell me about them?

Alexey sat opposite me and covered his face with his hands. He was silent for several seconds before starting to speak.

“This is my … my daughter,” he finally said. — And her mother. It was before you, long before we met. We parted when she was still pregnant. I did not know that I had a daughter until she wrote me a year ago.

My heart froze. A year ago? So, he knew all this time and did not tell me anything?

— Why were you silent? — I asked, feeling tears are full of eyes. “You hid it from me for a whole year!” Why?

“I was afraid,” he answered. — I was afraid that you would not understand that it would destroy us. I myself did not know what to do. I tried to figure it out, but … I did not want to lose you.

The words stuck in my throat. I did not know what to say. On the one hand, I understood that he was in a difficult situation. But on the other hand, he betrayed my trust. How could I believe him after that?

A few days have passed. We hardly talked. Alexei tried to make amends, but I felt that a huge wall had grown between us. I could not just forget about it.

One evening he returned home earlier than usual. He had a bouquet of flowers in his hands, but his face was serious.

“Olya, I know that I made a mistake,” he said, holding out a bouquet to me. “But I want to fix everything.” I want you to meet them.

These words found me by surprise.

— What? I asked, not believing my ears.

— This is my daughter. I want you to be part of her life. If you are ready, of course.

I did not know what to answer. Everything was too complicated. But I realized that I could not live with this anger and resentment. If I want to save our marriage, I need to take a step towards.

We agreed to meet with them on the weekend. I was tense, but tried to be open. When I saw the girl, all my tension disappeared. She was a copy of Alexei, with the same blue eyes and a warm smile. She looked at me and said quietly:

— Are you Olya? Dad talked a lot about you.

These words melted the ice in my heart. I smiled at her and said:

— Yes, I’m Olya. I am very glad to meet.

Several months have passed. We began to meet more often, and I realized that this did not destroy our family, but, on the contrary, made it stronger. Alexei no longer hid anything from me, and I saw how he tries to return my trust.

Sometimes the past can return to remind yourself. But if we are ready to work on our relationship, if we can forgive and move forward, then no secrets will destroy what is really important.

---

I closed the n’s after a divers working day, Kohdda heard hl string the front door. It was Alexei, Mole husband. He went into the closet, smiled and, pushing me in the forehead, said:

— I will, dear. How did you have a day?

— It will be. Everything is like σby. And you? — σ came, folding the papers.

“Tired a little, but nothing, you’ll help,” he, wrapping in the kitchen.

I thought. In the PL, Alexei was often talked about tired, but this day seemed to be somehow abundantly tense. His smile seemed stretched, and Trev secret was in his eyes. But I did not focus on this confusion.

In the evening, we have been so many, he avoided my gaze all the time, quickly replaced the topic, as I tried to wrap it about his mood. It was beginning to take me to the trouble, but I decided to give him time. It’s our hard work, it’s just a job.

However, the next day I discovered something stat. I have killed things in the closet, I noticed a black folder, there was no to the lator there before. She looked dively ordinary, but something in her has adopted my attention. I σ -tlayed it and found it inside dial -to -photographs, photographs and Pussma. The fact that I have lost made me freeze.

On one of the diet, the name of Alexei was meaning, but the surname was different. The address was also indicated there, I did not know to the lator. Among the photos there was a woman with a child. Alexey was with them, smiled, held a girl in his arms. My heart was squeezed out. Who are they? Did he not tell me about them?

When Alexei returned to Dlyma, I had already fused for STLL with this folder in front of me. My hands were drained, but I decided not to ola to defeat a secrets.

“Alexei,” I began, trying to, why my voice sounded splan. “Can you explain what it is?”

He is replying, having passed the folder. His face was praised, and I realized that my divers were true. He knew what I found.

“Olya, I … it’s not what you think,” he began, but I overwhelmed him:

— Then tell me what is it? Who are these people? And what do you not glead the hard for me about them?

Alexei sat on the outline of me and covered his face with his hands. Nesk hard for seconds, he was mulled before starting glevor.

Continuation in the commentary