Ilya looked at Nina for a long time until she lowered her eyes to the notebook and blushed up to her neck.
– And I really like Bunin's work "Dark Alleys", there are many stories about love, disappointment and hatred in this collection, – Ilya said softly and put his hand on Nina's knee. The girl twitched as if from an electric current, but did not remove her hand, but on the contrary leaned towards Ilya with her whole body.
– In this collection there is a wonderful story about how a young man had to marry one sister, but secretly loved another. Nina, read at your leisure, it will be very interesting for you.
Apparently hearing Natasha's footsteps, Ilya took his hand away, straightened up and pretended to be looking at the Backstreet Boys poster, while Nina stared at her notebook with an unseeing gaze.
– How are you guys getting to know each other better? Nina, Ilya is so interesting, tell me?
Nina nodded and pretended to be busy with her lessons. Ilya smiled broadly and stood up:
– Natasha, well, is everything ready? You're such a hostess. I can't even imagine what you're going to surprise me with today, honey. Ilya took Natasha's hand, kissed her on the cheek and let her go ahead to go to the kitchen. But before leaving the room, he turned around and winked at Nina, who was staring at his back with all her eyes.
Tatiana Sergeevna was sitting at a set table and was putting salad on plates for the girls and the guest. There was a bottle of inexpensive red wine on the table, Ilya noted to himself.
– Nina, go eat! Tatiana Sergeevna called loudly. Nina went out and sat down at the only empty seat next to Ilya. The kitchen was small and everyone was sitting very closely at the table, sometimes touching elbows with each other. Ilya gallantly poured wine into glasses and made the first toast: "To your amazing daughters, Tatiana Sergeevna."
The poor woman had no idea that it was that evening at the table in her own apartment that the beginning of the end started.
Nina blew her nose loudly into a napkin and continued…
Chapter 5
After dinner and meeting Ilya, Tatiana Sergeevna could not fall asleep for a long time. She decided to talk to Natasha and quietly knocked on the girls' bedroom door.
– Mom, come in, Nina has been sleeping for a long time, and I'm still reading …