Time passed. Arevik was slowly recovering. As Hayk had promised himself, he did not force her to meet him, but he also did not allow her to forget about him. From time to time, he sent flowers to the hospital. He really wanted to see the child, but, imagining the possible consequences, he patiently waited until a solution to the situation with Arevik could be found.
On the day of her discharge, Arevik finally came to terms with the thought that Hayk would not leave her alone — especially after she learned that the hospital bill had already been paid by Mr. Shalunts.
After returning home, she put herself in order. Sitting in the yard with the child, Arevik looked at him for a long time, then took a deep breath, picked up her phone, and dialed the number from the business card.
Hayk was in his office, immersed in documents, when a call from an unknown number came in. He looked at the screen in surprise.
"Did she change her number?"
He immediately answered the call.
— I'm listening, — he said in a formal tone, still not entirely sure it was Arevik.
— Hello, Mr. Shalunts, — her voice came from the other end.
It was as if an electric current ran through his body. The voice was familiar… and at the same time distant, cold. He gathered himself with effort.
— Arevik… how are you feeling? — he asked.
— Thank you, I'm well, — she replied and added: — You didn't have to worry about the hospital expenses.
— It's not worry, — he said quietly. — Is everything alright at home?.. how is the baby? — he asked and immediately regretted it.
He didn't want to rush her. He didn't want to scare her. He had already seen that anxiety in her eyes — and now he understood: the topic of the child was too painful for her.
Arevik froze for a moment. But she was already prepared for the fact that he might know. And if he didn't — he would figure it out.
— Mr. Shalunts, — she began, ignoring his question, — I don't want to be indebted to you for your charity.
— Arevik, please don't devalue what I did, — he said, taking a deep breath. Her words hurt. — What do you mean "indebted"?
— I am ready to meet with you and discuss everything you want, — she said, again not answering him.
— Agreed, — he replied immediately. — Choose a place. Any restaurant…
— No restaurant, — she interrupted sharply. — This is not a romantic meeting.
— What do you suggest? — he asked calmly.
— I will come to your office at the end of the day on Friday.
— As you wish, — he answered.
— Goodbye. See you on Friday, — she said and hung up.
The dial tones.
He slowly sank into his chair, ran his hand through his hair, and when it reached his neck, began to massage it. He hadn't even noticed how tense his muscles had become.
"No one said it would be easy," he thought.
A tightness rose in his throat. He involuntarily remembered that Arevik — gentle, fragile, shy. And then — her current coldness.
A shiver ran through his body.
He wanted to shout, to release the tension… but couldn't.
Time passed. He didn't know how much — he just sat there, motionless. Then he slowly lifted his head.
— A meeting… — he said quietly.
— The last meeting… or the last chance, — he added, almost in a whisper.
That thought unexpectedly brought him hope. Tears filled his eyes.
— I need to think… — he said out loud. — I need to get her back.
He tried to gather his thoughts, but the walls of the office felt like they were closing in on him. He stood up abruptly and walked out.
On his way to the car, he stopped. In the distance, he could see the dome of the garden, glowing in the moonlight.
He involuntarily smiled… and changed direction.
Inside, it was dark, but the soft light made almost everything visible. He walked to the bench by the fountain, sat down, and looked around.
The silence of the garden gradually calmed him.
He took a deep breath.
— A meeting… — he repeated quietly.
And with a different kind of silence inside him, he stood up and headed home.