Exes. A Family for Father Frost

– Tell me, did I happen to visit you earlier by accident? And this fur coat... was I yesterday working as Santa Claus at the corporate party?

– Uh, you were... – I try to get my thoughts in order, turn to face the stove, and pretend like I’m busy looking for something.

And I completely miss the moment when it turns out: on the kitchen we are no longer alone—me and my boss.

– Mom, do we have a Father Frost? – my son’s voice rings through the room.

Now my little performance is definitely going to fall apart. I slowly turn around and meet Mitya’s curious gaze as he studies “Frosty.” And Timofey looks at the child just as intently, as if trying to figure something out.

– Hooray, hooray! Grandfather Frosty! – the son claps his hands, runs around the kitchen, then suddenly stops, becomes serious, and—suddenly—sounds grown-up and important. He lifts his head and says, completely sincerely: – and give me Dad!

My boss is the father of my child—only he doesn’t know that. He doesn’t remember what happened between us four years ago, but, by a ridiculous coincidence, he ends up at my place right on the eve of New Year.