Ngemuva kwezambulo zePlaksina, ukucabanga kwayo kwamema uMalakhov kuye wanikeza inhlolokhono enkulu. Uthe odokotela bahlala besemsebenzini endlini yakhe, bemsindisa ekuphazamisweni kwezinzwa kanye nengcindezi ephezulu.
Ngihlala esihogweni. Kuphume embhedeni. Odokotela bami abayishiyi indlu. Angizizwa kahle. Nginesimo engisifa ngiyafa, nginosuku lokugcina,
- Kusho u-Uspenskaya oneminyaka engama-65 ubudala ngezinyembezi emehlweni akhe.
Waphika konke ukumangalelwa kwendodakazi yakhe lapho kuthiwa kusola futhi kuvinjelwe. Umculi uyaqiniseka ukuthi le ntombazane yayisho ngaphansi kwethonya labanye abantu abamisa ama-plaque kumama.
UnguZombie namuhla, angikwazi ukuthola ulimi olujwayelekile ngalo. Lokhu akuyona indodakazi yami. Intombazane engakwenza lokhu kimi ...
- Ikhononda ukucabanga.
Umculi wasikisela ukuthi ubaba wentombazane u-Alexander Plaksin angakwazi ukuhlanganisa indodakazi yakhe. Ngokusho kwakhe, umyeni bekuzama isikhathi eside ukubambelela uTatiana. Lapho le ntombazane ibimncane, uPlaquin akazange avume ukudivosa, esongela ukuthi ngeke asayine imvume yokushiya indodakazi yakhe phesheya. Kamuva, ngokulandela umculi, waqala ukubopha uTatiana kuye ngemali: waba nezipho ezithandekayo, uhambele phesheya. Futhi kusuka kolunye uhambo olunjalo lokuya ePeru, intombazane yabuya enganele.
UTanya wafika e-US, waqala ukubhema into enqatshelwe. Wakhokha amathikithi ePeru. Ngabe sengizwa ukuthi uvela lapho engekho, enganele. Wamemeza, u-Oral, uHysteria. Nginomuzwa wokuthi umyeni wami weza nohlelo lokungibhubhisa ukuthi ngithathe wonke umuntu enginawo. Udala izinto ezinjalo, azi ukuthi ngiphatha kanjani uTana,
- uLyubov uspenskaya wavuma.
Futhi muva nje, uTatyana washiya indlu izinsuku ezintathu, futhi umama ojabulayo kwadingeka aqashe umphenyi wangasese ukuthola ukuthi ukuphi.
Engxoxweni yokugcina kwavela uPlaysina futhi waxabana futhi nonina. I-USPENSkaya yafuna ukuba nendodakazi yokuxolisa ngezinsolo ezihlekisayo, futhi uTatiana uthe ufuna ukuhlala yedwa. Umculi wabona ngokuzisola ukuthi le ntombazane yaba nesikhathi sokuthola umsebenzi futhi iqale impilo ezimele, kodwa akenzanga lutho ngalokhu.