Heaven Tastes Like Peaches

No, but Konrad can't do that. A crying for man is a very private matter. Too private to be violated by any other guy. It is best to pretend you heard nothing. Yes, definitely, walk away and pretend you weren't here.

Only his legs wouldn't take him out of this place.

So he stood motionless, listening to Sławek's sobs slowly fading away. It was only when he was completely silent, and instead he heard footsteps and the shuffling of a stool, Konrad's hand dropped. He took a deep breath, surprised that so much tension had built up inside him. He felt relieved. He left satisfied, but at the same time he felt a strange anxiety and helplessness within him. He wanted to help Sławek so much! Not only in getting money. He wanted to help him in this difficult life situation in which he found himself having lost his last family member.

But how was he supposed to do it?

He knew that Domejczuk did not have any family members around. What about his friends? I guess everyone has one? And if not a friend, then at least a good acquaintance. So why, since Konrad was at Sławek's home (admittedly not too long, but still) nobody visited him or called him? His phone remained silent, almost dead. He didn't even get a text of condolences. Then, right after Sławoj's funeral, Sławek was also alone. Maybe due to vacation his friend left and did not know what happened? It is possible. Even likely. If he was abroad of the EU, the calls could have cost a fortune, and it's no secret that Domejczuk didn't have a cash. But despite everything in such a situation ...

On the other hand, Konrad himself had no real friend. Colleagues, yes, but he didn't share his domestic problems with any of them, and he couldn't imagine doing it. They were just buddies to whom it was a shame to admit that the perfect house of the Skalski was far from perfect. Konrad was sure that if they found out the truth, they would start looking at him differently. A good relationship would go bad quickly. It may be similar in Sławek's situation.

It could, he thought mentally, because he, Konrad, knows Sławek's situation. She was the one who brought him here, and to hell if he didn't come up with something to help this boy with more than just money. He'll start by calling Henryk.

***

Krystyna Skalska pressed the phone to her chest. She had just finished talking to her son, and every sentence of that conversation was stabbing with a dagger in her chest.

Julia Domejczuk is dead? Her beloved Julia Lasota, her dearest friend from the school bench, is dead? For three years? How did nobody tell her about it? How was it that her husband hadn't told her? He knew, he had to know, and yet he was silent. Why?

Krystyna knew that Julia was not easy. After her husband died, she had to raise her teenage son alone. They weren't rich, but she refused any financial support from a friend from years ago. She always showed her beautiful, warm smile that she had for everyone. Due to her pride, Krystyna did not impose herself with help. She believed that they had enough funds at their disposal, maybe they did not allow them to go mad financially, but they should not live in poverty either.

Julia always spoke warmly about her Sławek, who was the apple of her eye. She was equally eager to hear about Konrad. They rarely met. Krystyna's husband did not like the Domejczuk family, but from time to time the women managed to meet for coffee and talk. When Julia became widowed, the contact between them became less frequent. Julia had so much on her mind. Finally contact broke off. Krystyna wanted to restore him, but her friend apparently changed the number. She wrote two letters to her, which were met with no reply. She approached the third one several times, but was unable to finish it. But she had never suspected that Julia might just not be in this world anymore.

Her Sławek was a sweet child. Lovely blue-eyed blonde, very similar to his mother. His character, however, was different - quiet, shy and sensitive. He hid behind his mother's back even when he met someone he had seen before and looked at this person with curiosity and insight as if he wanted to discover all her secrets. He was also very polite. He didn't fuss, didn't fidget and he didn't cry. A tiny, sweet angel with huge eyes in the color of clear sky. He was a peer of her Konrad, but the boys met only once as pre-school toddlers.

Konrad's father did not allow more frequent contacts. These were different social circles, inappropriate for his position. It's idiotic, of course, but her husband had some quirks and Krystyna wasn't going to fight them for the sake of family peace. She accepted his demands. That's why she saw Julia and her son so rarely.

It's been three years since her death. For three years the boy was growing up without a mother and father. Fortunately, he was not entirely alone. After all, he had Sławoj.

But now Slawoj was gone.

Krystyna remembered an elderly, slim man who made beautiful folk sculptures. As teenagers, she and Julia sometimes came to his studio fascinated by the local artist. This is how Julia met Waldek, her future husband. She fell head over heels in love with him, and she was lucky for him to be in love with her.

Krystyna was also infatuated with him for a moment, but it was never love, although her husband thought otherwise. He was always jealous. About everyone. About Waldemar, Henryk, even Julia. Krystyna was supposed to be only his. And she was. Charmed by his strong, possessive love, not understanding how easily it can turn into something terrible. Then Konrad was born and it was too late to leave. Anyway, she still loved him and believed that he loved her. Maybe she was naive and stupid, but she believed in the power of the marriage vow even when the other party broke all her points.

But there were things she couldn't just forgive him.

Why didn't Józef tell her Julia was dead? After all, he knew how important she was to her. He knew, and yet ...

Krystyna was angry. For the first time in a long time, she was really angry. With trembling hands, she put the phone in her purse and ran out of the house with her, heading for her husband's office. She must ask him why he was hiding the truth from her.

"The director is busy at the moment," secretary explained, overly politely.

"I do not doubt" Krystyna replied in a similar tone. These were the last words to the secretary. Ignoring her, she opened the door to her husband's office, who was sitting at his desk staring at the monitor. He looked up as soon as the door opened.