The Four Orphans: Edited by Sonya Mayer-Cox

By Elizabeth Mayer

Set during the early 1900s in a European town full of old traditions, The Four Orphans is an empowering and emotionally charged family history that evokes many thoughts and feelings within the reader as they follow the lives of the Gacek family. Following the tragic loss of their parents, newly orphaned Stefan, Maria, Anna, and Rebecca have no choice but to leave their heartbreak behind as they go through all the ups, downs, and mysteries life has to offer, alone.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Jul 26, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543402230

Elizabeth Mayer

Elizabeth Mayer spent the first chapter of her life growing up in Europe, where as a young girl she experienced the devastating and traumatising effects of WWII. For the last 7 years Elizabeth has worked hard recounting her whole life story to pursue her dream of becoming a published author. At the age of 83, she achieved her goal with her first book The Four Orphans, An emotionally charged history of her family's life during the early 1900's.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

It was 1905. Marushka Waren and Simon Gacek were high school sweethearts in a small town called Lučenec in the beautiful country of Czechoslovakia. They had always been very close as they shared the bond of being orphans. As each day passed, they became closer and closer; and eventually, love blossomed between them. Marushka had lived with her aunt from the day her parents had passed away. Her aunt had never shown her any kindness or given her any love, treating her as though she were extra, unwanted baggage. She was just another mouth to feed, and she made sure that Marushka knew this. Marushka worked hard to earn her keep by looking after her aunt’s children and keeping the house clean, but she had big plans to leave as soon as she finished school. Unfortunately for Marushka, that was still two years away.

Simon had also lost his parents. His father had died before he was born and his mother when he was 3. A couple that had no children of their own took him in. They had always taken really good care of him and treated him as if he were their own son. Simon was two years older than Marushka, and he was just finishing high school.

One day, Marushka and Simon were talking about their future, as they often did; but this time, Simon had unwelcome news. Simon told her that he would have to leave so that he could get a better-paying job in the city—any city. She was so upset to hear this even though Marushka understood why this was important to Simon. There was not much work in little old Lučenec—the economy was making the small town suffer, and for Simon to make a life for him and her, he had to leave. Simon promised her that he would return as soon as she finished high school.

He took Marushka in his arms, both holding each other with neither wanting to let go. Simon wiped the tears away from Marushka’s pale face. Her mouth was quivering, and her body was shaking. Just the absolute thought of Simon leaving her alone without a place to escape from her aunt seemed unbearable! ‘Don’t worry, Marushka. Our love will bring me back to you,’ said Simon. ‘But I don’t want to say goodbye, Simon!’ Marushka sobbed. ‘Then just say See you later.’ And he looked at her with a sad smile. Simon requested one thing from her, however—that she make a promise to keep her love true and not fall in love with anybody else while he was gone. Marushka made that promise—she could not imagine her life with anyone else.

Three years passed, and many love letters were exchanged between the two. One day, a long time in waiting, Marushka received the best news that a letter could bring. Simon was coming home! Marushka was so excited and could barely wait. He was arriving by train, and she rushed to meet him at the railway station. Arriving early, she waited for the train that carried her love to pull into the station. Every minute seemed like an eternity. When the train finally stopped, Marushka frantically looked around for Simon on the crowded platform.

Then a well-dressed tall young man with a beautiful smile came towards her. She couldn’t believe her eyes. It was her love! He dropped his suitcases on the ground and ran towards her, shouting, ‘My god, Marushka! I hardly recognised you!’ They held each other tightly, crying and laughing. Passengers were looking at the couple, but the two were so oblivious—they couldn’t keep their eyes off each other. Simon backed away slightly from Marushka and looked at her as though for the first time. ‘I have never seen a more beautiful young lady in my whole life.’ Then he picked up his suitcases. ‘Come on, my darling. I have already booked myself a room in a small hotel for tonight. Let’s walk there together, and you can tell me all about what has been happening in your life.’

All the way to the hotel, they were joking, laughing, and looking into each other’s eyes with pure happiness and love. ‘I don’t want to go home without you, Marushka.’ ‘Then please don’t, Simon! I’ve missed you so much!’ When he settled into the hotel, Simon lifted Marushka up and spun her around like an overjoyed child. She cried in happiness, ‘Put me down! The whole room is spinning, and I am getting dizzy!’ Simon laughed. ‘I will, but you have to kiss me first.’

It was a magical kiss—like one of the ones you see in those old black-and-white movies. The room was spinning, and their hearts were soaring. They were both so giddy with joy. Simon felt so blessed that Marushka had walked into his life and told her so. ‘I love the way you laugh, and I love how you smile, especially when you’re in my arms.’ Then he planted a kiss on each cheek and then a third on her beautifully curved red lips. Marushka was so moved by his words that tears started to build up in her eyes. ‘I love you very much too, Simon!’ They had missed each other so much in the three years they’d been apart, and they were finally reunited like two perfectly fitting puzzle pieces.

Simon unpacked his suitcase, the entire time talking and at times stopping to stare at his beautiful love. And when night fell, they went to a local restaurant, which was hidden away in a private alley. Aside from needing to eat, they also knew they had to talk about what they would do with their future now that they were together again. Marushka had finished school, and she was ready to start her future with him. As the music played softly in the background, they sipped on a glass of wine to celebrate their reunion and the wonderful future they could see together. It was such a beautiful evening—full of love, hope, and desire. So when it became late and Simon paid the bill, they reluctantly left, holding hands for fear of letting go.

Above them, it was a crystal clear night, and there were a million stars brightly lighting their path. The moon shone brightly on them as Simon took Marushka home. Finally, at her house, they kissed each other longingly and said goodnight, not wanting to part for even a moment.

Marushka walked up the stairs and walked into her small room. She undressed quickly, got into her nightgown, and lay down in her hard and uncomfortable bed, trying to welcome sleep—but it would not come as constant thoughts were running through her heart and mind. She could see her aunt’s face and how furious she would be once Marushka told her that she would be leaving her aunt. Marushka knew, though, that her aunt would not be losing a daughter—just a housemaid and a babysitter. She smiled to herself and then pushed that thought out of her head. As she got sleepier, the only thing she could think about was how she was going to spend her day with Simon the following day. Closing her eyes, she welcomed the rest of the night, which was filled with pleasant dreams.

In the morning, she put on her best dress and fixed her beautiful curly blonde hair. She made coffee and toast for her aunty, as she did regularly, and smiled to herself. This is going to be fun, she thought to herself. Marushka casually mentioned that she was going into town to see an old friend. But her aunty was smart, and her mouth dropped with surprise. She knew that Marushka had nobody in town to see—she didn’t have many friends and mostly kept to herself. But she let it go. What did she care?

It was a beautiful sunny day with not a cloud in the big blue sky. The birds were singing, children were playing in the sunlight, and Marushka’s heart was full of joy as she walked to meet Simon. He was already waiting for her in the park like they had agreed the previous night. Marushka went to him, and they kissed gently and walked around the park for hours hand in hand, smiling at each other. They enjoyed the sunshine and talked again of their future together and the plans they had. They had big dreams, but they could not happen here.

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Henry was a retired middle-aged engineer who used to work in the city. Because of his health, however, he had retired and moved to a small town not far from the city. His wife also wanted to live closer to her sister as she was suffering with her health, so they moved to one village over from her. The couple had no children, and they loved Simon as their own and had from the first moment they laid eyes on him. They were the only people that had treated Simon like family since his mother had passed away. They didn’t know much about Marushka but knew that Simon was very fond of someone and had come back to plan their life together. It was time for them to meet her.

Simon was clutching Marushka’s hand tightly in fear of letting go. They walked across the park together and down the cobbled stone street to his place. As soon as they walked in, the aroma of something wonderful cooking came out of the kitchen. They followed their noses and found Henry reading the newspaper at the table and Margaret stirring something in a pot on the stove. ‘Hello!’ Simon called to get their attention. Henry and Margaret looked up and stopped what they were doing. Henry took off his glasses to get a better look at the beauty before him. ‘I would like you both to meet Marushka. This is the girl I love with all my heart and soul.’ Marushka was amazed at such an introduction and began to blush. She had never been graced with such kind words before. Margaret and Henry were overjoyed and a little surprised at the fact that Simon had found such a fine, beautiful young girl. ‘Marushka, this is Henry and Margaret—my parents.’ Marushka smiled shyly and greeted them politely. That was all the formalities over, and now Simon could do what he had always wanted to do.

Simon took Marushka by the hand and knelt down on one knee. ‘My darling Marushka, I love you more than life itself. Will you take my hand in marriage and be my wife?’ Marushka’s eyes began to well with tears as she replied in a sweet voice, ‘Yes! I thought you would never ask, Simon!’ He pulled out a small box and opened it. ‘Please take this ring as a token of my love for you, my darling. Always wear it as a reminder of our never-ending love for each other.’

There was still something hanging on Simon’s mind. He knew the proposal wouldn’t be complete without the permission of Marushka’s aunt. Simon turned to Marushka and reminded her that it soon would be time to go to her aunt’s house and ask for her permission to marry. ‘Wait till you see her face! She will go pale at first and then green with envy!’ Marushka exclaimed with a small laugh. ‘Why would that be?’ Simon curiously asked. She looked at him with a sad look in her eyes as she thought carefully about what she would say to Simon. ‘Well…’ She hesitated. ‘My life living at Aunty Cathy’s house has been spent working as a slave. I clean, cook, and look after her child. Every day she reminds me of how lucky I am to be living with her, but that it doesn’t come without a price! I had no choice and had to do what was necessary to have a roof over my head.’ She looked up at Simon and tried to read his thoughts. ‘I didn’t mention anything to you because I knew you would come straight over for me. I didn’t want that, and I wanted to make sure that you came to me when you were ready.’

Simon stroked her cheek and replied with a smile on his face. ‘Oh, my darling Cinderella! Unfortunately, I’m not a prince with a castle and only have little money saved from working. I can’t even afford the smallest of houses yet, but what I can offer you at this time is my love and my heart with a promise to you that we will have a small house filled with a large happy family and all of the things we missed out on when we were children. You will no longer be Cinderella, but instead my princess. And I will treat you so!’

Two months went by, and finally, Simon led Marushka to her aunt’s place to pack her suitcase so that they could get married and start their new life together. Simon went home to take care of some official papers while Marushka went about packing her things. Simon planned to pick her up and then ask her aunty for her hand in marriage—but plans change!

Simon knocked on the door, waiting patiently for it to open. He heard the rattling of the door handle until it finally creaked open. There, he saw a lady with a very harsh-looking face and angry eyes—he knew immediately that she would not have been kind to his future wife. Nevertheless, Marushka introduced Simon to her and told her about their plan to marry. She wasn’t too impressed but knew there was nothing she could do to prevent this union from happening.

Simon and Aunt Cathy sat uncomfortably in the kitchen, waiting for Marushka to come down from her bedroom with her belongings. Marushka quickly packed her things and knew exactly what she needed to do before she left. She rushed quietly to her aunt’s room, and seeing it ajar, she walked in. She headed straight to the jewellery box on the dressing table and opened it, hoping that what she was looking for was still there. And it was. There was her golden chain with a golden heart pendant. With one hand, she grabbed the chain; and with the other, she picked up her suitcase and hurried downstairs.

All was quiet in the kitchen when she entered, and Marushka could feel the uncomfortable air. Her aunt asked her if she had gotten all of her belongings. Marushka replied with a satisfied grin, ‘Oh yes, Aunty Cathy! I got more than I bargained for.’ She held up the gold chain so that her aunt could see it. ‘You have kept this from me for so many years—it is the only memory I have of my mother.’ Marushka took a deep breath and lowered her voice. ‘This is the most precious thing I own. Ha! You forget that I clean your room, and I know where you keep things. This belongs to me—this locket with my mother’s face is back now with its true owner.’ Her aunt let out a horrible scream. ‘Marushka! How dare you go into my room without my permission!’ She had the most evil look in her eyes. When Simon saw such rude behaviour, he realised there was no point in asking for Marushka’s hand. They did not need her permission to start their life together. ‘Let’s go!’ he said angrily, wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible. ‘I have seen enough!’ They left the house immediately and, with the aunt’s ugly face staring at them from behind the window, headed for his place. Marushka breathed a sigh of relief that she was finally free. She took Simon by the arm and smiled victoriously at him.

Margaret and Henry were waiting nervously for them to return as they had a feeling there might have been some trouble. They heard the door open and welcomed the young couple with open arms. ‘Everything went well?’ they asked, trying not to probe too much. ‘As well as could be expected,’ replied Simon. Margaret made coffee, and they all sat around the table as the two lovebirds recounted the events of what had happened at Aunty Cathy’s place. ‘Not to worry! That’s all in the past now,’ Henry said. ‘Only good things will come to the two of you. Now you both know that there has to be a wedding!’ Simon could feel the excitement in the air. ‘Will you give the bride away, Henry?’ Simon asked with great delight. Marushka asked Margaret to be her maid of honour. ‘We would be ever so delighted! Nothing would give us more pleasure.’ And so began the plans. ‘Now enough of this nonsense!’ Margaret said with a heartfelt laugh. ‘We have a beautiful wedding to organise, so let’s get on with it!’ They all looked at one another happily, sipping the coffee that Margaret had made. Then she said with a smile, ‘By the way, Simon, you will be sleeping on the couch, and your lovely young lady will take your comfy bed while she’s here.’ It was taboo to sleep together before marriage. Simon agreed, and Margaret went about quickly making the sleeping arrangements for the night.

The following day, Henry announced that the two ladies should go to town and start organising the wedding. ‘Leave us two men alone as we have much to discuss!’ Henry winked at his wife. Earlier that morning, he had given Margaret some money that he had saved up to buy whatever was necessary for the wedding. Margaret jumped up excitedly and grabbed Marushka by the hand. ‘Come on, Marushka dearest. Let’s go shopping!’ Marushka was taken aback, knowing that she and Simon had no money to hold a fancy wedding. She looked at Margaret’s excited face and decided she could not decline. She put on her shoes and grabbed her jacket, and together, they left the men to their discussions.

It was a beautiful, crisp, clear day. The birds seemed to be singing louder than usual, and people seemed friendlier. Marushka felt content, and as they walked into town, she felt that she had more of a bounce to her step. Margaret stopped suddenly when she saw a beautiful wedding dress in the shop window. ‘Ah! Marushka! You would look like a princess in that dress. Come on. Let’s go in so you can try it on!’ Yes, it is a beautiful dress, Marushka thought. But it really is a bit too much! Marushka formed her words carefully. ‘That’s very kind of you, but I can’t afford anything like that, Margaret!’ Margaret took her by the hand reassuringly. ‘Don’t worry, dear girl. Henry has saved money for an occasion such as this, and we have enough to get you whatever you need. So please try the dress on and don’t worry about money today.’ Marushka’s eyes filled with tears as she thanked Margaret for their wonderful generosity and began trying on some wedding dresses.

It was a hard job! She tried on many dresses, and even though they were all beautiful, none of them felt right. She picked up another dress and sighed. ‘I’m really sorry, Margaret. These dresses are beautiful, but they are too fancy for me! I would prefer something more practical, something that I could wear again on other occasions.’ Thankfully, Margaret did not take offence to Marushka’s comment. ‘Oh dear! Then we are definitely in the wrong shop!’ They walked a few metres farther down the road and went inside a little boutique to continue their search for her outfit.

Then Marushka saw it—the perfect wedding outfit. It was a very smart and classy navy blue two-piece suit. She tried it on, and it fit her like a glove. Margaret looked at her proudly. ‘Now we just need a white blouse. Oh! And maybe even some new shoes!’ Marushka found it difficult to accept such generosity. ‘This is too much, Margaret! This suit is more than I deserve, and I can’t thank you enough.’ She reached for her purse to see how much she could spend on a shirt. She could go barefoot after all. Margaret looked at her and said very seriously, ‘Put your little purse back in your bag, darling girl. Henry wants to pay for this, and it would be an insult if you declined.’ She continued quickly ‘Okay, so let’s see. You know that you have to wear something borrowed, something new, and something blue. We have the new and the blue. I have a beautiful little hat with a veil for something borrowed. So once we get the shirt and shoes, we should be done with your outfit.’ Marushka was dizzy with happiness. It was so wonderful to be treated like part of a family, and Margaret and Henry treated her as though she were their own.

With her outfit finally complete, they walked out of the last shop hand in hand and went home. As soon as they entered the house, they heard roars of laughter coming from the kitchen. Simon and Henry had not moved and were still sitting at the kitchen table just as they were when the ladies had left them. They were both in a good mood—and with good reason. In front of them was a bottle of rum, which was half-empty. Marushka had a surprised look on her face as she had never seen Simon tipsy before! The girls giggled at their men and set about making some coffee.

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The wedding was taking place in an old local parish church. It was built out of huge sandstones, and inside the church was a beautiful altar decorated with beautiful fresh flowers brought in by the locals every few days. Above the altar was Jesus on the cross, surrounded by stained-glass windows, each of which was decorated with a holy story. There was one window in particular that Marushka loved. It was a picture of Mother Mary holding baby Jesus in her arms, and it always made her cry. She so wished that her aunt had treated her with more kindness. Simon was waiting for her at the altar as Marushka and Henry entered the church and walked over to the altar, where the reverend was waiting for them. There was no one else there, just the four of them.

The reverend commenced with, ‘Dearly beloved, we are here to unite this couple in holy matrimony in front of God.’ He then asked, ‘Who is giving the bride away?’ Henry very proudly replied, ‘I am.’ The reverend continued, ‘Do you, Simon Gacek, take Marushka Waren to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, till death do you part?’ Simon responded, ‘I do, with all my love.’ The reverend then turned to Marushka and asked her the same. ‘I do, with all my love,’ she replied as tears of happiness rolled gently down her cheeks at the thought of her new life as a wife. They exchanged their vows and finally their rings, and then the reverend pronounced them man and wife. He announced joyfully, ‘And you may kiss the bride!’ Simon and Marushka shared a magical tender kiss filled with love and hope. Margaret could hardly hold back her tears—it was such a beautiful thing to see.

Before they left the church as husband and wife, there was one last thing Marushka knew she had to do. She turned to her new family and asked them if she could have some time to visit her parents’ grave on their way home. ‘Sweet girl’, Henry said, ‘take all the time you need.’ Simon asked Marushka if he could accompany her. She was so grateful for his offer and to have someone to stroll down the winding path leading to her parents’ resting place with. She held her beautiful bouquet in her hand, and when they arrived, Marushka introduced Simon to them. ‘Mummy, Daddy, this is my husband, Simon. He has promised to love and protect me and care for me just like you would have. Knowing that I’ll be taken care of, you can now rest in peace.’ She put the bouquet on the grave and wiped a tear from her eye.

It was still daylight. There was not a single leaf moving in the trees. Suddenly, a warm, gentle wind blew against their faces. Marushka and Simon both looked at each other as Marushka said in a wobbly voice, ‘Simon, they just kissed us goodbye.’ Marushka finally felt at peace and knew that her parents were proud of her at that moment. She buried her head in Simon’s chest and breathed in her future. She looked up at him, and Simon wiped a stray tear away from her eyelash, smiling. She blew her parents a kiss and linked arms with her husband, slowly walking back to where Henry and Margaret were waiting for them.

Now that the ceremony was over, it was time to celebrate over dinner and drinks. The food was simple, but very good… but the cake was especially wonderful! A local pastry chef, who was also Henry’s good friend, had made it. He lived on the other side of town and was the best pastry chef around. The wedding cake was small—a three-tier cake with icing as white as the winter snow. The edges were decorated with small pink roses, and right on the top stood figurines of the bride and the groom, representing the newly married couple. Simon embraced Margaret and Henry. He was touched beyond words. ‘I really don’t know how to thank you both for your kindness and for the love that you have always shown me. I hope that one day I will be able to repay you for everything. God bless you both.’ Henry shrugged his words away and raised his glass to make a toast. He wished them a life filled with happiness and everlasting love for each other. They all raised their glasses in celebration of one another.

Margaret finally stood up from the table. ‘You kids are on your own for a while. With the wedding on, I forgot to tell you that Henry and I must leave tonight. We have had a message that my darling sister is very ill, and we need to catch the next train.’ But Margaret couldn’t fool Simon. He had known her a long time now and knew that she was up to her usual tricks! He knew her sister was well and that she really just wanted them to enjoy their wedding night and have a bit of a honeymoon. Simon said with a cheeky smile, ‘Well, give her our love and tell her to get better soon.’

The newly married couple was happy to have the house to themselves. Simon moved in close to his wife and whispered, ‘Let’s take our wine, go to our bedroom, and continue celebrating.’ Marushka playfully pushed him away. ‘Oh no, my darling husband! We must do the dishes first, and you’re going to help me.’ She turned towards the sink and smiled to herself, knowing full well that there would be no dishwashing tonight! Simon growled, ‘I have been dreaming about this night for three years!’

He lifted Marushka in his strong arms and carried her to the bedroom, kissing her lovingly. Simon gently laid her down on his single bed and lay down next to her. They looked at each other with nervous excitement and love. His lips met hers and savoured their warmth and sweetness. Then Simon’s kisses became hungrier and more eager, and he caressed every part of her beautiful body. Suddenly, there was a big bang! The bed collapsed into pieces, and they were both thrown on top of each other, making them both laugh out loud hysterically. Simon quickly pulled Marushka up from the broken bed and threw the mattress on the floor. With a laugh, he said, ‘We won’t fall down from here!’

Their lovemaking was passionate. It was both urgent and gentle—a tangle of arms and legs and sweat on skin. It was a wonderful feeling and one that neither of them had experienced before. It took over their whole body and consumed them entirely. Exhausted, they lay side by side, with Marushka’s head on Simon’s shoulder. He kissed her and whispered, ‘I love you, my darling. I have loved you since the first time I saw you at the school yard.’ They made love again and again. Simon just couldn’t get enough. They were very happy and hardly came out his bedroom that entire week.

Margaret and Henry finally returned. The newly-weds welcomed them with open arms and smiled. They quickly caught up on their week and exchanged what little stories they had. Margaret went about preparing dinner and opened the food cabinet. She noticed that hardly anything was missing and wondered to herself how the lovebirds managed to survive a whole week without eating! As they continued talking, they reminded Simon and Marushka that they were welcome to stay with them until they were ready to settle.

CHAPTER 2

The economy was bad, and there was not enough work in Lučenec. Simon searched for work every day, but to no avail. With each day that passed, Simon became more and more disappointed and disheartened. A few more weeks passed, and the situation was not getting any better. Simon sat Marushka down and suggested that they would be better off leaving and moving to a bigger town. ‘There are just no employment prospects here, Marushka, and there is more opportunity elsewhere. We have to do this if we want to move forward.’ They sat Henry and Margaret down and told them the news that they would be leaving. Even though this saddened Henry and Margaret, they knew that the newly-weds needed to go and find their own way in life, and they completely understood.

The next morning, Marushka and Simon packed their little belongings into their suitcases and embraced Margaret and Henry, thanking them for everything. They left and walked with their cases full of hope to the train station, and when the train pulled up, they hopped on, excited by the journey. They travelled all day and all night, reminiscing about the life they had left behind. Exhausted, they eventually fell asleep and woke to the voice of the train guard. ‘This is the last stop on this train. The connecting train will arrive in three hours.’ They grabbed their cases and jumped onto the platform.

Leaving their suitcases at the railway station, they decided to look around Rožňava. Not far down the road, they found a coffee bar, and they realised that they were both very hungry. Breakfast was a simple coffee and sandwich, but it tasted like gold to them. With a nice full belly, they continued walking around the town’s tranquil surroundings, hand in hand, soaking in its beauty. Out of the corner of his eye, Simon noticed a big sign advertising jobs at a local mining company. He stopped to read it and got a peculiar feeling. He turned to Marushka. ‘Let’s go and ask someone how to get there.’ He pointed at the ad. At that moment, an old lady was passing by. They stopped her and politely asked for the directions to the mine. ‘It’s about three kilometres from the town centre. You will see a big bitumen road, which will lead you to the company. It has tall trees on both sides of the road. You can’t miss it, and you will know when you get there.’ She looked at the young couple and thought to herself, What a beautiful couple they are! Must be newly-weds.

They kept walking and came to the trees. They instantly reminded Simon of the trees back home when he used to walk Marushka home from school every day. He allowed his thoughts to go back as he remembered his old school days. His best friend at the time pointed out a new girl in the yard, observing that she sat at the same spot every day by herself. Simon remembered thinking that he had better go and introduce himself and see what she was really like. Saying hello, he recollected the feeling of his heart beating very fast when he saw her face. He would never forget when Marushka looked up at him with the most beautiful sky-blue eyes that he had ever seen in his life. Her hair was blonde, and her curls gently fell around her face. Simon stared and then asked if he could sit down. Not waiting for a reply, he sat down beside her. ‘Hi! I’m Simon! What’s your name, if I may ask?’ Simon remembered the surprised look on Marushka’s face as Simon interrupted her usual routine. She preferred to sit alone and ponder about what her life would be like in the future. She could not resist such a nice boy, though, and thought to herself that there was no harm sharing some of her time to talk to him for a little while. ‘I’m Marushka,’ she said. They talked for as long as they could about the classes they were in, how old they were, and where they were from. From that day on, they had lunch together every day.

And now that