My (Not) Perfect One

“Serёzhenka, find me!” I silently scream, sliding down the wall to the floor by the closed door.

“Sonya! Where are you? Give me a sign!” Watching the endless waters of the Persian Gulf, I listen to my heart. Usually our hearts beat in unison—but today I’ve gone deaf. I can’t hear the second heartbeats. I understand I can’t live without Sonya anymore, but I don’t know where to look… She’s twenty-three. She’s modest and shy. Behind her is a complicated marriage, her husband’s betrayal, and work in an orphanage. He is under thirty. He’s rich and a little unhappy— a single father raising a seven-year-old daughter. Behind them is a difficult life and betrayal by friends. They don’t trust people, but both of them need warmth, care, and love.