Dropping to the ground, Lauren tried to remember where she might have lost it, but it was in vain. Weeping with hopelessness and deciding that she would never see Norman again, the girl went home, cursing herself for her indiscretion. Lauren spent the whole week as if in delirium, thinking of Norman.
Finally deciding to go to the city and find him there, she took all the money she had left and began to pack. When Lauren was ready to leave, something incredible happened. A car pulled up in front of her house and Norman got out.
Hi, I’ve been thinking about you all the time, he confessed to Lauren, who came up to him. I’ve been out of my mind and now I’ve decided to come here. I’ve been thinking about you too, Lauren whispered back.
I’m so happy you’re here. She pulled against the guy with her whole body and trembled, and Norman, meanwhile, took something out of his pocket and smiled. This is for you, he said, handing Lauren the gold ring.
I want you to be my wife. Lauren, accepting his gift, pondered for some time what she should do about it. Norman, seeing her excitement, put the ring on her finger himself and smiled.
I agree, replied the girl, not believing her eyes and ears. At that moment, Aunt Gabriela came out of the house. When she saw the young people embracing, she immediately understood everything and shook her head.
Well, I wish you happiness, she said in a trembling voice. Love each other. Lauren and Norman turned to her and nodded.
Thank you, they answered together. One year after Lauren’s and Norman’s wedding, their family had their eagerly awaited firstborn son. They named him Patrick.
By then, Norman took his wife to a new two-story mansion near a large lake. Every morning, waking up and taking her son in her arms, Lauren would go out to feed the swans and ducks. It was the most beautiful thing fate could give her.
The girl could still not believe in the fairy tale that surrounded her and was afraid that it might disappear like a desert mirage. And every time she realized that everything was real, she blissfully closed her eyes. But as it turned out, Lauren was afraid for a reason, and the end of the fairy tale was almost there.
One cloudy day after breakfast, she went shopping. For some reason, she decided to take her son with her, though she always went alone before, and putting warmly dressed Patrick in the stroller, she slowly walked down the street, looking at her son smiling from under the hood of his jacket. At the crosswalk, Lauren waited for the traffic light to change from red to green, making funny faces at her son to amuse him.
Enraptured, Lauren did not notice how the traffic light turned red again. Coming to her senses, she pushed the stroller and ran across the still empty crosswalk to the other side of the street. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a white car appeared on the road.
It rushed right at Lauren, and she, standing frozen in place, watched it approach, not paying attention to the shouts of gathered passersby. It was as if time stood still for her. Lauren couldn’t scream or move an arm or a leg.
The only thing she could do was watch the car move inexorably toward her and her son. Why are you standing there? Are you crazy, girl? shouted some man, rushing toward her. Go away, quickly! Coming to her senses by his shout, Lauren pushed the stroller with the last of her strength.
The moment the stroller with the baby was in the stranger’s hands, the car hit Lauren and threw her far back. Once on the pavement, the girl felt an unbearable pain throughout her body and screamed. Trying to get up, Lauren crawled a little to the side and lost consciousness.
When she woke up, she realized that she was in a hospital ward. Trying to get up, Lauren suddenly fell off the bed, and screaming from the pain piercing her back, she began wriggling on the cold floor, beating it with her hands. At the noise came several nurses.
They gently put Lauren back on the bed and called the doctor. What are you doing here? The doctor who entered the ward smiled at Lauren. You should not move at all.
Do you know what happened to you? Lauren wrinkled her forehead, trying to remember everything, but the only thing that came to her mind was pushing the stroller to a strange man. Is my baby okay? she asked, looking at the doctor from under her heavy eyelids. Is he alright? Please tell me he’s okay.
Oh, don’t worry. Your son is fine, the doctor said quietly. He’s with his grandmother now, so there’s nothing to worry about.