They’re already three days late on the rent, and they keep giving me the runaround. I finally threatened them, saying if they didn’t pay up, my son would come over and throw them out. Go over there, demand the money, and if they don’t have it—evict them.»
«Mom, I told you not to drag me into your business,» Sasha groaned. «I told you from the start: if you rent to students, you’re asking for trouble. You should’ve looked for a family.»
«Please, just help me out. Go over there, okay? I’m feeling a bit under the weather.»
Sasha got in his car and drove over to settle the matter. He rang the doorbell for a long time before anyone answered. When he finally pulled out his keys to let himself in, the door creaked open just an inch. Through the narrow gap, he saw the terrified face of a young woman.
«Are you Sveta?»
«No, she’s not here. She left.»
«So you’re the other student renting this place with her?»
The girl nodded.
«Alright, let me in. I’m not going to stand out here on the porch.»
Sasha walked inside and looked at her. Lord, how am I supposed to kick someone like this out? she looked tiny, pathetic, standing there trembling.
«As you probably figured out, I’m Irina Pavlovna’s son.»
«Yes, I understand. Just a moment,» she said, disappearing into the room.
Sasha stood in the hallway, shifting from one foot to the other, unsure of what to do next. But then the girl reappeared with a small backpack over her shoulder. She started putting on her shoes and handed Sasha the keys. Before he could get a word out, she had vanished out the door.
Sasha walked through the apartment—it was spotless. No complaints there. He didn’t even have to throw anyone out; the problem had solved itself. He locked up and headed back outside.
On a bench near the entrance, he saw the same girl. She was sobbing bitterly while talking to someone on the phone. His first instinct was to walk right past her, but something stopped him. It hit him that she probably had nowhere to go.
«What’s your name?» Sasha asked once she hung up.
«Tanya,» she whispered.
«Tanya, how did you end up behind on the rent?»
«Svetka ran off with the money. We pooled it together, and I gave her my half. She promised to take it to Irina Pavlovna, but she spent it all partying and then disappeared. Then she called me and said she wasn’t going to live with me anymore.»
«That little…» Sasha cursed under his breath. «Come on, follow me back inside.»
They went back up to the apartment.
«Go on, get settled back in. I’ll cover this month’s rent with my mother for you. Tell her you paid me directly, but don’t you dare tell her I paid it for you. I’m helping you out for one month, that’s it. I’m not a charity. After that, it’s on you—find a roommate to split the costs or look for a cheaper room. Anyway, I’m heading out.»
«Thank you so much!» Tanya smiled, wiping away her tears.
Sasha left the building feeling annoyed. He hated dealing with this kind of drama. And his mother was a total fox—the second something went wrong, she was «sick» so her son had to go play the bad guy. He had his own family, a wife and a small child, and now he was dipping into his own pocket to pay for this girl. But he couldn’t help it; he felt sorry for her.
Several years passed, and the incident was mostly forgotten. Sasha’s family had grown with another child, and his career was taking off. One evening, while Sasha was away on a business trip, his mother called.
«Sasha, I have a high fever. I called the paramedics to give me a shot, but they want to take me to the hospital! I don’t want to go—who will walk Zhuzha? She needs her walks. Can you come over?»
«Mom, I’m on a business trip. It’s a long drive; I can’t get there until tomorrow afternoon, or tomorrow morning at the earliest.»
«What about your wife?»
«The kids are sick too, she can’t leave them! Just go to the hospital; Zhuzha will be fine for a night.»
«No, absolutely not! I’m signing a refusal of treatment.»
The nurse took the phone and pleaded with Sasha to talk his mother into going. It was serious, and there was no one to look after her. But his mother remained stubborn.
Sasha was torn. This trip was vital—tomorrow morning was a make-or-break moment for his career. But his mother was being impossible.
I have to go, he thought. He called her back an hour later. Her voice sounded weak, but she was still digging her heels in. To hell with the job; if she’s sick, she’s sick. I’ll figure out the work stuff later. He called one last time to tell her he was heading to the station.
«Don’t rush,» a young woman’s voice answered his mother’s phone. «I’m the nurse from the ambulance crew that came by. My shift just ended, so I came back to look after your mother. She’s sleeping now.»
«Miss, thank you so, so much! Can you stay with her until tomorrow afternoon?»
«Of course! Everything will be fine, don’t worry. I’ll even take the dog out.»
God, what a relief! It was amazing to know there were still good people in healthcare. He made a mental note to reward her properly.
Imagine his shock when he finally arrived and realized the kind nurse was Tanya—the same girl he had helped years ago.
His mother was asleep, so they stepped out into the kitchen to grab some coffee and talk.
«Your mother was in bad shape,» Tanya said. «She had a high fever but kept refusing to go to the hospital. We barely slept a wink all night, but the worst is over now; she’s doing much better. If you’d like, I can take some time off work and stay here to look after her until she’s back on her feet.»
«Tanya, I can’t thank you enough. You have no idea how much you’ve helped both of us,» Sasha said, reaching into his pocket for his wallet. «Let’s talk about your rate so we can get that settled.»
«What are you doing?» Tanya’s eyes went wide with surprise. «Don’t you dare!»
«What do you mean? Are you just doing this out of the goodness of your heart? I’m sure you have a family, and besides—everyone needs money.»
«You already paid me, remember?» Tanya smiled. «Back then, when you covered my rent. If you hadn’t done that, I would have been lost. I probably would have dropped out of nursing school. You helped me when I needed it, and now I’m helping you. Consider the debt paid. It always bothered me that I couldn’t pay you back, but I never forgot your kindness.»
«Does my mother recognize you?» Sasha asked.
«No, and I’d prefer to keep it that way. I’m still a little embarrassed about that whole situation. For what it’s worth, I did eventually find a roommate to split the bills with, and we stayed there for another three months.»
His mother woke up a little later, clearly feeling much better. She kept calling Tanya her «guardian angel,» amazed that there were still healthcare workers out there who would go above and beyond—not just treating a patient, but cooking meals and walking the dog, too.
As Sasha was getting ready to leave, Tanya pulled him aside at the door.
«Sasha, can you do me one more favor? Your mother keeps trying to press money into my hand to pay me for the help. Could you just tell her that you’ve already taken care of it? Technically, it wouldn’t even be a lie—you paid me a long time ago.»
Sasha smiled and nodded. Tanya was a wonderful person; she hadn’t forgotten a single act of kindness.
