Chapter 15 The Fourth Wheel

• The last time I fell like this was when I was just a little girl, but no one ever played around with me like they did now. Valeriya Timofeyevna brought me tea and a few sandwiches into the room, and a casual conversation started between us. The woman was so kind and caring that I lost touch with the universe, completely surrendering to the pleasant feelings. I didn't even notice how I started laughing loudly at the entertaining story of the housekeeper about how her little grandson tried to escape from the yard and got stuck in a hole in the fence surrounding the house. In essence, with this little boy, we both committed the same desperate act and found ourselves in a very delicate situation.
• The door to the room suddenly swung open, just as Valeriya Timofeyevna was trying to calm me down from a sudden fit of laughter.
• "I didn't even believe it at first when I heard your cheerful laughter, Zoya," said my sister, peeking into the room. The housekeeper quickly gathered the empty dishes on a tray and left the room, leaving me alone with my sister. Valeriya smiled at the sight of my scraped knees and sat down on the bed. "Save me, Zoya, or your sister will die of shame before she even gets married."