Beautiful Handwriting!

Chapter 10. Memories

- Hello.
Waving his hand, Alex approached Roma. Anya wasn't with them.
- How are you?
- Nothing, it seems. What's up with you?
- Everything is normal.
The guys stood for a while, looking down.
- Let's go, maybe?
- Oh, yeah.
Roma and Alex walked along the Embankment along the lake and enjoyed the May air. In two days it's summer, you can go to the sea, sunbathe, relax. It would seem that there is nothing to be sad about?
But both guys were in no mood. It's been 10 years, friends have long since graduated from university and went to work. Alex and Sveta got married just a couple of years ago, and they live happily. It's all good. Except for one…
- Every time this date comes, no matter how good a day it is, I'm still sad, – Roma said quietly.
- Do you still remember what it was like? - Alex turned to him.
- Of course. It is impossible to forget this…

Fast forward to 10 years ago. May 30th, that fateful day.
- No, no, no, no, no, no!!!
Roma was rushing down the corridor of the hospital, headlong. He didn't care about doctors, patients, or visitors, the main thing was - to have time!
The guy finally reached the right ward and, despite the barrier in the form of nurses, ran inside.
Anya was lying on the couch. Numerous doctors bent over her. Everyone was trying to help the poor girl who was dying of coronary heart disease right now.
- Young man, come out now! If you want our doctors to successfully perform the operation, then do not interfere with them! – loomed before the eyes of the nurse.
- Roma, I understand that you are very worried about Anya, but the nurses are right, if you want to see her alive, please come out, – the girl's attending physician put his hand on the young man's shoulder.
Roma, realizing that he was making Anya even worse, lowered his head and left the ward. He sat down on the nearest chair and started to wait. To wait and to hope.
It's been 5 hours. Roma did not sleep a wink, even though it was already 3 o'clock in the morning. There was no news about Anya's well-being.
The next morning Alex came over. Roma was still sitting, not having slept a minute.
- Hey, Rom, you need to eat and sleep, you already have bags under your eyes, - a friend said worriedly.
- I can't! I can't sleep knowing that literally in the next room doctors are fighting for Anya's life!
- Damn, well, at least eat a sandwich, - Alex handed the guy bread and cheese. – Listen, really, go home, you won't help Anya in any way with your condition. Especially since it's graduation today.
Roma somehow chewed a sandwich and slowly nodded.
- yes. Yes, you're right. It's graduation today. Even if Anya can't, I can. I'll be her eyes and ears at this ball.
- Well, that's right! Now go home and get a good night's sleep, - Alex smiled.
Roma did so. After asking the girl at the reception desk to report as soon as any news appeared, the guy quickly pulled himself together and went home. There he slept for several hours, and at 6 o'clock in the evening he began to get ready for graduation.
After putting on his suit, Roma checked his phone. 0 missed calls and 0 messages.
Exhaling sadly, the young man ordered a taxi and went to the ball.
There was a real disco in the hall: everyone danced in fancy costumes, colorful lights ran on the floor and walls, a DJ controlled the music. Roma, of course, also danced, and was literally in demand from the girls, but his thoughts were only about Anya, who is fighting for her life in a hospital bed.
The ball is over. There was no news. The tired guy was returning home on foot in order to clear his head. Roma was walking along the edge of the small river. Suddenly the phone rang.
- Hello, yes, I'm listening! - The young man immediately jumped up.
- Roman Lester, right?
- Yes, I am!
- There is news about Anna Shorokhina. I am very sorry, our doctors... failed....
Roma slowly sat down on the ground. He no longer heard any voices on the phone, or passers-by, or the noise of the river. In his ears there was only a quiet beep of the cardiograph: "beep, beep, beeeeeep"....
Anya never danced at the prom. She never fulfilled her dream.
The young man covered his face with his hands and started to cry. Tears were pouring from his eyes straight into the river, perhaps that night Roma made a real big river out of the small river. The guy didn't care about anything and everyone.
- Roma! Roma! Hey! – the voice of a friend brought the young man back to reality. – Roma, damn it! You scared us so much! Why are you sitting here? Oh, and what is so much water added to the river?
Roma slowly raised his tear-stained face to Alex.
- Anya... is dead....
- What?... - Alex said, dumbfounded.
- Didn't you hear that?! – Roma quickly got up, grabbed his friend by the shirt and started shaking. – Anya is dead! She's dead! She's gone!!!
- Hey-hey-hey, calm down! You need to cool down! – Alex broke out in fright. – Is it true? Did they call you from the hospital?
- Yes. Half an hour ago.
Both guys got up and fell silent, not looking at each other, looking down at the floor.
- Listen, I need to show you something, - Alex said suddenly.
Roma nodded blankly and followed his friend. He came to his senses only when the guys came to Anya's house.
- Hey, where are we going? - the young man asked.
- Just follow me, you'll find out that later.
The guys went into the house and went up to the last floor. Alex searched his pockets for something and started to open the door.
- Alex, where did you get the keys to Anya's apartment? - Roma asked, perplexed.
- Wait here, I'll be right there. You can come in, though.
Alex quickly entered the apartment and went to Anya's room. Roma followed him. When the young man came up, Alex was looking for something in the dresser of the desk.
- Hey, can you really...?
- I can, Anya allowed me.
- How could she let you if she's dead?!
- Listen, - Alex turned to face him, - I'll explain everything to you later, okay?
Leaving the guy no choice, Alex returned to the search. A couple of minutes later, a joyful "Ooo!" was heard, and the young man took a small lilac-colored notebook out of the dresser.
- Now listen to me carefully, - Alex said. - This is Anya's personal diary. Do you remember when Anya asked me to stay in the ward and you to come out?
Roma nodded.
- Then she told me about her diagnosis. She had coronary artery disease. She already knew at that time that she had a great risk of dying, but she did not believe it. Anya didn't want to worry you, so she told me, and asked not to tell. Then, the last time we visited her, you went to ask Anya's condition to her doctor, right? So, then I stayed in the ward, and she told me to do what I'm doing now. Anya gave me a duplicate of the keys to her apartment and told me where her personal diary was hidden. She asked me in case of her death to get the diary and give it to you. There she made a special recording at the end. So here you go. I'm not supposed to read it, I don't know about you.
Roma carefully took the notebook from Alex's hands and opened the last page. There he immediately saw Anya's cute handwriting. The recording said:
"Hi, Roma. If you're reading this, then I'm already dead. Well, here I will tell you everything that I did not have time to tell during my lifetime.
I have coronary heart disease. This is a terrible disease in which the heart stops functioning normally. I've already told Alex everything, and I don't want to worry you, so you'll be in the dark until my death.
It seemed that not so long ago my life was consumed by darkness and horror. However, in November, a small ray of sunshine appeared from behind the clouds of fear. Roma, you are that ray of light in my life. Soon Alex appeared. I am insanely grateful to both of you for being able to decorate the last six months of my life. If you want, you can take the painting, it is in the hallway. And you will always have my books.
Also, Roma, you can take this diary to yourself and read it when you want to remember everything you have passed with me.
And there was only one thing that I wanted to tell you for a long time, but I didn't dare. Roma, I love you. Very much. I really love you. Thanks for everything."
Roma finished reading the last lines and fell to his knees. Tears started pouring out of his eyes again, again that damn water with salt. Roma loved her too. And loved very much.
Suddenly, the young man realized that Anya would not want to see him crying.
Smiling through tears, the guy said:
- Beautiful handwriting!