Brush ...

Dmitry Cherashny
Kiev



 - Nastia! Nastia, you put things in order in the room ?!
The question flew out of the kitchen, hallway defeated one-bedroom apartment, but the door to the nursery filёnchataya breasts stood in his way, and once again defended her destination.
If the child does not respond, there is a suspicion: either it's doing something unlawful, or - disrespectful to their parents. Or - sleeps
.  - Your education - without turning jokingly responded Sasha - chodi, look, what she's so busy ...
The knife in the hands of Sasha as boaster * in the hands of the sculptor, habitually cuts superfluous, unnecessary, making the huge build-up in the cracks and, in potato tubers balls for table tennis. Less often - in billiard balls. Volodya tried to keep up with his wife, but his attempt to join the art collapsed mountain of angular, disfigured tubers rose in a bowl
.  - Told you, I warn you: do not buy potatoes in the vegetable, go to the market - there ...
But Sasha did not have time to brush up on her husband's capital worldly truth - a lesson broke off in mid-sentence
.  - Dad, let me brush ...
On the threshold of the kitchen was Anastasia.
 - Dad, I need a brush ...
 - And your where? - Choir parents asked
. Eight-year Nastia, with downcast eyes, softly, almost inaudibly, said:
 - Lost ... It seems at school ...
Misplaced request child found parents by surprise why - brush? Yes, even today ?! They did not understand anything.

Nastya painted three years. Every year she bought in the shop "Stationery" cheap paint and two or three brushes. But two months ago Volodya bought for my daughter, in the shop of the Art Fund, two real artistic brush squirrel - a gift to the first part of September. One brush set aside as a reserve, and the second, with the premise of the Leningrad - Leon grandfather sent a large box of watercolors - handed the girl the morning before going to school. Yesterday, on the first of September ...

Anastasia looked from the pope, then at my mother. The corners of her brown eyes the tears were going slowly. But instead, to embrace his daughter, soothe, help, Vladimir, with a strange grin on his face, blurted out:
 - I do not have a brush! Go and look where lost!
Nastia took a step as if to dodge the blow, sat down, and then stormed out of the kitchen.
Sasha looked at Volodya surprise, shook his finger to his temple, explaining to her husband, who he really is, and back to the sink. Volodya wanted to answer, but changed his mind. Obtёr kitchen hand towel, took a cigarette from the pack and went to the balcony - whether to smoke, or to understand what happened ...
Water hissed with pleasure, breaking away from the tap to freedom. Sasha domyla potatoes, finely sliced ​​and folded into a large pot, put it on the plate. A minute later, a call to the apartment, and then - again. Sasha looked at the clock, smiled and hurried into the hall. Judging by the time - son returned after a workout
.  - Oleg, pereodeneshsya, help cut cheese and sausage for sandwiches - will soon come to the guests, - closing the door behind her son, Sasha asked
.  - And it's his birthday, - Oleg laughed - well, five minutes ...

Tables are served in the lounge. The first guests, close relatives, came exactly six o'clock in the evening. Behind them stretched friends Oleg: in twos and threes, almost without a break, the guys and the girls went into the apartment with flowers and gifts ...
An hour later Volodya went to the neighbors - lent table-book, two long boards and chairs: the number of seats was reduced drastically, and the guests all arrived and arrived
. Sasha was ready to burst into tears, reproaching the son for what had not warned in advance:
 - Olezhek, and if all the food is not enough? Do not feel sorry for you mom, you want to shame in front of people?
 - Ma, I counted fifteen to twenty people - many answered vaguely: neither yes nor no ...

Nastya, unable to sit still, wandered down the hall, then looked into the kitchen, then the living room, but when he heard the trill call, hurried to the front door. In a smart dress, with a white bow at the waist, she met the guests, each greeted, asked about what will be presented with a birthday, and the question: Given that you are? - Slyly smiling, replied: secret
. The girl was bursting with desire to share "secret", but she patiently waited for the guests at the table rassyadutsya ...

 - Mom and Dad congratulated Oleg - the turn sisters birthday - declared
godmother. Naughty lights flashed in the eyes of the girl. She got up from the table, picked up a glass of fruit drink and ...
 - My Mom, I forgot a gift ... - Nastia gasped
. An unexpected break - away with smiles on their faces watched as the girl opened her wardrobe parents collapsed and pulled out a sheet of paper
.  - Olezhka, brother! - Deploying Whatman, said Anastasia - I wish you true friends, health. When you get married and you will have children - love them and perform children's requests. Never refuse a little ...
Finally, the present coped with a large sheet of paper:
 - See
! Sasha and Nastia hung clothes on the balcony. Below, in the yard, Oleg with friends playing football, and at a distance, near the playground, four men, putting a piece of plywood on a wooden box from under the apples, "cut" in a domino. One of them, very similar to Volodya, from the back pocket of trousers peeping brush.
 - The world through the eyes of a child - smiling, summed up Sasha. She added, in detail ...
 - Daughter, and what you painted this picture, with new colors? - Said Volodya, blushing heavily
.  - Yes, Daddy. And a new brush! I will show you now! - Proudly said Nastya, and brought out a children's ... a pencil. At the end of his band of plasticine firmly held impromptu bristle brush. Guests gasped.
 - I have a doll hairs cut - Inspired by the victory, he explained Nastya
. Volodya stood up, turned around, opened the door of the bookcase, took out a top-shelf real brush and reached across the table to Nastya.
 - Winners are not judged! Forgive me ... docha - in complete silence he said ...