“What was I thinking, agreeing to your stupid adventure?” I whine, dropping my voice into a groan. I fall onto the couch sitting in the nurses’ station and grab my head with both hands.
“Well, think about it—they just conned a guy into ‘a baby.’ He’ll never even know. He’ll be fine. Do you know how they spread those ‘seeds’ all over the world for their lifetime? Gardeners—gardeners!” Katya laughs nastily.
I don’t share her humor. If earlier it just seemed like a bad idea, then now—now that everything has worked out—I’m simply horrified!
“Don’t panic,” she continues to reassure me.
A couple of minutes later, my colleague joins us and announces a grand news item that makes my legs go weak!
“There’s a new mayor in our town!” She pulls a phone from her pocket and shows me a photo.
My pulse starts pounding a frantic dance in my temples.
Ilya.
I don’t believe in coincidences—absolutely not!