On the city streets, where the pavement was covered with a thick carpet of golden and crimson leaves, late autumn had settled. The air was clear and cool, with a slight fragility, as if it could shatter in your hands like glass. The sun no longer warmed as generously as in summer, but its rays still found their way through the dense veil of clouds, leaving soft patches of light on the ground. The leaves, like little winged creatures, twirled in the air, rustling under the feet of passersby — a hollow accompaniment to solitary thoughts.
Twelve-year-old Vanya hurried home after school, wrapped in a warm wool scarf that his mother had knitted for him last winter. He tucked his hands deep into the pockets of his jacket and lowered his head slightly so the wind wouldn’t hit his face. On the way, he thought about the hot tea waiting for him at home, the smell of freshly baked pancakes, and how his mother would greet him with a smile and the question: “Well, son? How was your day?” He dreamed of being there soon, in that coziness where everything was — love, care, warmth, and domestic happiness.
But fate had other plans.
Near a small grocery store, which always caught attention with its bright sign and the aroma of fresh bread, Vanya noticed an elderly woman. She stood by the cash register, counting small coins in her palms, while the shop assistant waited patiently without showing any impatience. The woman was dressed in an old, worn coat that had clearly served her faithfully for many years. Her hair was tucked under a headscarf, and her hands trembled — whether from cold or age, it was hard to tell.
“I’m two rubles short…” she said in a quiet voice, almost a whisper, in which one could hear not only confusion but also pain.
Vanya involuntarily slowed down. His gaze slipped over the woman’s basket: it contained only bread, a pack of tea, and some milk. Nothing extra. Only the essentials. Something stirred inside him, as if someone had gently touched his heart.
He stepped closer.
“I’ll pay the rest,” he said, pulling two coins out of his pocket.