Our secret story is already 15 years old. I’ll share it because my husband already knows, which means you can too. Before giving birth, I took 26 days off—mega holidays before sleepless nights. Oksana was with me: 21 years old, pretty, from a middle-class family, living with her parents, the child wasn’t planned, her father wasn’t happy and didn’t call for marriage. A typical situation, and she didn’t see it as a catastrophe, somehow we didn’t talk about it.
She only mentioned once that her mother wanted her little girl, and her father didn’t care who taught her to ride a bike. We talked a lot, became friends, had treats together. One morning during the examination, the doctor asked her, “Have you changed your mind?” “No,” her answer was firm. The nurse would bring the form. According to the law, you have 6 months to change your mind.
I thought of something but was afraid to ask. Before lunch, the nurse brought the documents, and Oksana filled them out. My head was already bursting with thoughts, and I couldn’t keep quiet anymore: “What is this?” “Refusal.” “Why!? You will grow up, your parents will help you, you’re young, strong. What are you doing!?” “I’m still giving birth! And it’s not the right time; I don’t need it.”
And you know, her response was cold… there was no sorrow in her, no pity for the child, no tears. She didn’t even look away from me, and I kept looking at her, waiting for her to cry so I could convince her! And she didn’t cry. We didn’t walk together anymore; we barely talked. And I started dreaming about how I could bring this baby to myself. After the first night of reflection, not knowing where her declaration was going, I went to see my doctor in the morning.
She told me how it was, and we went to see the head of the maternity ward. And she said there. Only then did I express everything: “Can you arrange it so that I gave birth to it, and she… didn’t give birth? I don’t know how, but make it all mine? So I don’t have to explain all this to my husband and relatives, it’s simple— I gave birth to twins, and that’s it! And I had terrible polyhydramnios, and this idea seemed very excellent to me.
The doctors opened their mouths. The director rolled her eyes. “What are you, dear! This is a violation of the law! Do I have to go to court because of you?” “Well, what’s the difference to you?! Do something! Please! Even if we give birth at different times, note it down later with my birth! Or will you sell it to someone?” I said it completely in vain, and the offended doctors kicked me out.
That night, Oksana gave birth. I was upset, but in my heart, I hoped that the Lord had prepared a good fate for this child. I didn’t allow myself to think too much about it, not to burst into tears, and gently stroked my huge belly. The next night, I started having contractions. I gave birth with difficulty. At 6:55, she became the mother of Yulia. Immediately after giving birth, the chief doctor approached me, still bruised after giving birth:
“Have you changed your mind?” I didn’t immediately understand what she was talking about. And when I understood, I shook my head: “No! Not! I haven’t changed my mind! That’s how I gave birth to twins—Daniel and Yulia. I didn’t tell my husband about the twins on the phone. When he saw them, it wasn’t that he was stunned… He sat down on a chair and asked for water, drank it, and asked: “So, an ultrasound…” He stood up abruptly and smiled, as if he remembered something.
“Let’s do it like my grandfather—Daniel?” “Of course, go ahead.” I cried, and he thought—with joy. And I was both happy and understanding what I was doing, that I was lying to him, that I would lie to everyone in 2 days, it was scary. I don’t know how they arranged everything there, but everything was correctly registered for us from the beginning—tags at the hospital exit. My children are already 15 years old. We went fishing. Daniel got a fishing reel, Yulia got a mountain bike. There, I decided to tell my husband, but I can’t be sober—I’m afraid of his reaction, but after drinking, it’s not so scary. On the way back from the store, I took 2 bottles of stronger wine. To her husband’s surprise, she replied, “Well, it’s a holiday, after all.”
The children went to bed late, and I continued the banquet in the kitchen. When he remained at the bottom of the second bottle, she told him. Igor listened, then said: “I don’t believe it.” “It’s the truth?” “Yes,” now I wasn’t so brave, my head hung low. We talked for a long time; I cried. Like a stone fell from my soul, my husband understood me. “Wow! Danila, Julia, come here!” The children came up, and I froze. Your mother is a strong and wise woman!