“Uncle, please… take my sister. She’s extremely hungry…”
This soft, yet urgent plea, piercing through the buzz of the street, startled Igor Levshin profoundly. He was hurriedly walking — no, more like fleeing from an invisible threat. The clock was ticking relentlessly; millions of dollars hinged on a single choice he had to finalize at a crucial meeting that very day. Since Rita — his beloved wife, his guiding light and source of strength — had passed away, his work had become the sole focus and meaning of his existence.
However, that earnest voice halted him abruptly.
Igor spun around.
Standing before him was a gaunt child of roughly seven years, disheveled and with eyes shimmering from tears. Nestled in his arms was a tiny infant wrapped in a worn-out, faded blanket. The girl weakly whimpered, her vulnerability evident, while the boy held her protectively as though he was her only shield against the harsh world.
Although Igor was aware he could not afford to linger, some ineffable spark ignited within him — something stirred deeply by the child’s gaze and the simple yet desperate “please.”
“Where is your mother?” he inquired gently as he sat beside the boy.
“She promised to come back… but hasn’t been here for two days. I’m waiting here, hoping she will return,” the boy’s voice trembled, his small hand shaking as well.
His name was Maxim, and the girl was called Taisia. They faced the world utterly alone: no notes, no explanations — only a fragile hope the seven-year-old clung to fervently.
Igor considered practical steps: purchasing food, contacting the authorities, alerting social services. But when police were mentioned, Maxim winced and whispered painfully, “Please don’t take us away. They will take Taisia…”
At that moment, Igor realized he could no longer stand aside.
In a nearby café, Maxim devoured his meal greedily while Igor carefully fed Taisia with formula he had bought from a local pharmacy. A long-dormant feeling began to awaken inside him — beneath the numb exterior that life had forced upon him.
He reached out to his assistant and instructed, “Cancel all meetings. Today and tomorrow too.”
Soon, two police officers, Gerasimov and Naumova, arrived. They carried out the usual routine procedures and inquiries. Through it all, Maxim gripped Igor’s hand tightly.
“You won’t send us to an orphanage, will you?” the boy asked nervously.
Unexpectedly, Igor found himself replying, “I won’t. I promise.”
At the police station, the formal processes began. Larisa Petrovna, an old friend and skilled social worker, stepped in to help expedite the situation. Because of her involvement, temporary custody was arranged swiftly.
“Only until their mother is found,” Igor repeated repeatedly, mostly to himself. “Just for now.”
He took the children to his apartment. The car was silent — the atmosphere heavy like a tomb. Maxim held his sister close, uttering no words but softly murmuring comforting phrases.
Igor’s flat greeted them with spacious rooms, plush carpets, and expansive windows viewing the cityscape. For Maxim, this environment resembled a fairy tale; warmth and comfort were entirely new to him.
Meanwhile, Igor felt out of his depth. Diapers, feeding schedules, daily routines — all were foreign. He stumbled over these new responsibilities, often forgetting when to feed or put the baby down.
Yet Maxim remained vigilant. Quiet and watchful, he observed Igor as if waiting for him to vanish. Despite this, the boy helped by rocking the little sister, softly singing lullabies, and tucking her in like someone seasoned in these tender tasks.
One restless night, when Taisia could not fall asleep and sobbed in her crib, Maxim gently lifted her and softly hummed a soothing tune. Within minutes, the baby drifted peacefully to sleep.
“You’re amazing at calming her,” Igor remarked warmly.
“Had to learn,” Maxim responded plainly — not with bitterness or complaint, but as a simple fact of his world.
Right then, the telephone rang. It was Larisa Petrovna.
“We’ve located their mother,” she said. “She is alive but in rehab, struggling with drug addiction. If she completes treatment and demonstrates her ability to care for the children, they will return to her. Otherwise, the state will take custody, or… you may become their guardian.”
Igor was silent, feeling a tightening in his chest.
“You can legally become their guardian — even adopt them if you wish.”
Although uncertain whether he was prepared to embrace fatherhood, one thing was clear: he did not want to lose these children.
That evening, Maxim sat quietly in the corner of the living room, sketching diligently.
“What will happen to us now?” he asked without lifting his eyes from the paper, his voice revealing a complex mix of fear, pain, hope, and the dread of abandonment.
“I don’t know,” Igor admitted honestly as he settled beside him. “But I will do everything possible to protect you.”
After a moment’s silence, Maxim whispered, “Will they take us away again? From you? From our home?”
Igor embraced him firmly, without words. His silent hug conveyed a promise: you are no longer alone. Never again.
“I won’t give you away. That’s a promise. Never,” he said softly.
At that moment, Igor understood these children had ceased to be strangers — they had become an inseparable part of him.
The following morning, he called Larisa Petrovna.
“I want to become their full legal guardian.”
The path was challenging: inspections, interviews, home visits, and endless questions. Yet Igor endured every step because he now possessed a genuine purpose — two precious names: Maxim and Taisia.
Once temporary custody evolved into something more permanent, Igor decided to relocate. He purchased a house beyond the city limits, where a garden flourished, a roomy porch awaited, birdsong filled the mornings, and the scent of fresh grass followed rain.
Maxim blossomed visibly. Laughter filled the air as he built pillow forts, read aloud from books, and proudly displayed his artwork on the refrigerator. Most importantly, he thrived — living freely and without fear.
One evening, while tucking Maxim into bed, Igor gently smoothed his hair. The boy glanced up and whispered quietly, “Good night, Dad.”
Deep inside, Igor felt a warmth swelling, his eyes slightly moist.
“Good night, son,” he replied softly.
In spring, the adoption became official. While the judge’s signature formalized the relationship, Igor’s heart had long since embraced his new family.
Taisia’s first word — “Dad!” — was more valuable than any professional triumph.
Maxim made friends easily, joined a soccer team, and sometimes returned home accompanied by a boisterous group of children. Igor learned to braid hair, prepare breakfasts, listen attentively, laugh freely — and rediscover what it meant to feel alive.
- Unexpected guardian roles can transform loneliness into belonging.
- Love and responsibility often arise from unforeseen circumstances.
- Healing and family growth occur through patience and dedication.
Key Insight: What began as chance encounters with two vulnerable children reshaped Igor’s life entirely, showing that sometimes the greatest purpose is found when least expected.
Though unplanned and challenging, this journey became the most beautiful chapter in Igor’s life — a testament to love’s surprising power to heal and unite.