— I didn’t want to worry you. I thought it was just a passing thing. At first, Yulia just complained of a stomach ache after school. Then the pain started coming more often. I took her to see doctors, but they all said the same thing: the tests were fine, nothing serious. Meanwhile, her tummy was getting bigger. I couldn’t understand how that was possible…
Andrei gently picked up his daughter. The little girl sobbed, clinging to him.
— Daddy, I’m scared…
At that moment, their neighbour, Tatyana Vasilyevna, appeared in the doorway.
‘Andrey, I saw you’d arrived… Denis has been in the police station since yesterday evening. They arrested him when he tried to sell Marina’s old gold chain. He said he needed the money for Yulia’s treatment.’
“What madness is this?” Andrei clenched his teeth. “Why didn’t he come to me? I have money!”
The neighbour sighed heavily.
“He didn’t want to worry you. He said you were already on edge. He hoped to find a way out himself.”
Andrei gently handed Yulia over to the nanny.
“Stay with her. I’ll be back soon.”
At the police station, Denis sat on a chair, hunched over with his head bowed. When he saw Andrei, he stood up abruptly.
“Dad, I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to…”
“Just explain,” Andrei said firmly. “Why did you keep quiet? Why did you let it get to this?”
Denis swallowed.
— I looked for information, read up on illnesses, and rang clinics. No one could tell me what was going on. Yulia was getting weaker, growing paler by the day, and her bump was getting bigger. I knew we needed good doctors and proper tests. I wanted to find the money and sort it all out myself…
Andrei walked over and gave him a firm hug.
— You silly boy. We’re a family. You can’t go through things like this on your own. Let’s go home.
On their return, Andrei immediately called an ambulance. The medics who arrived examined Yulia and decided without delay to take her to hospital. There, urgent examinations, tests, consultations, an ultrasound and a CT scan began.
Three days later, the chief consultant — a grey-haired, weary man with a serious expression — invited Andrei into his office.
‘We’ve received the results. It’s a rare case, but understandable. Your daughter has a huge ovarian cyst. It grew gradually, and because of its location, the symptoms were vague for a long time. Surgery is now necessary, and as soon as possible.’
Everything went black before Andrei’s eyes.
“Surgery? Is it very dangerous?”
The doctor replied bluntly:
“There’s always a risk, but we can’t delay. The sooner we intervene, the better the chances of a full recovery. We need your consent.”
“Yes,” Andrei said immediately. “Do whatever needs to be done. Just save her.”
The operation lasted nearly four hours. All that time, Andrei and Denis sat in the corridor, barely moving. They didn’t speak — words were unnecessary. When the surgeon finally appeared, they both jumped up at the same time.
“Everything went well,” said the doctor with a weary smile. “The cyst has been completely removed. The girl is currently in intensive care, and her condition is stable. We’ll move her to a regular ward in a few days.”
Denis couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst into tears, burying his face in Andrei’s shoulder. Andrei held him close.
“Everything will be alright. It definitely will now.”
A week later, Yulia was already in her ward. She was still weak and spoke softly, but there was life in her eyes again. When she saw her father and Denis, a smile spread across her face.
“I’ve missed you so much…”
Andrei sat down beside the bed and stroked her hand.
‘We missed you too, darling. But let’s make a deal: no more silence. If anything hurts or scares you, tell us straight away. Together, we’ll get through anything.’
Denis, standing nearby, squeezed his sister’s hand.
— And I won’t try to be a hero anymore. Forgive me.
Yulia smiled slightly:
— And I won’t put up with silence anymore either.
Andrei looked at them both and realised: no matter how hard life gets, they have the most important thing — they have each other. And that means they can get through anything.
Epilogue
A year and a half had passed.
The spring sun flooded the kitchen in Andrei’s house with soft light. Hot pancakes stood on the table; the air smelled of coffee and the warmth of home. Yulia, now stronger, cheerful and lively, was setting out the plates. Almost nothing remained of that terrible story — only a thin scar, which in time would become completely invisible.
Denis had changed a great deal during that time. He had matured and become more confident and composed. He no longer felt like an outsider or out of place in that house. On the contrary, he realised that he was needed there. After the incident with the chain, he threw himself into his studies, and later began to earn a bit of extra money on the side, but now honestly and openly, discussing everything with Andrei.