“Lena, Len!”shouted the boy beneath the window of a five-story block of flats, its entrance door hanging loose on its hinges. He stood there with his bicycle, craning his neck upward.
“Lenaaa, Len!”
“Ill throttle someone in a minute,” growled a man in a blue vest, leaning out. “Clear off!”
“I wasnt calling youLenaaa!”
“For heavens sake,” snapped a woman in a nightgown and curlers from another window. “Its Saturdaypeople are trying to sleep!”
“Shut it, the lot of you!” bellowed a tall, bald man from yet another window. “Ive been up all night, just dozed off, and now”
“Lenaaa! You coming or what?”
The creaking door groaned as it swung open, and out stepped the girllight summer dress, a string bag clutched in her hand, something wrapped in parchment inside.
“Took you long enough. Sleep in?”
“Nah, was making sandwiches,” she said flatly, securing the bag to the bikes rack before perching on the crossbar. The boy pedaled off, swerving sharply.
“Hooligans!” the sleepless man shouted after them.
“Let people sleep!” came another voice.
“Sleep then!” the boy yelled back, laughing as they rode past the windows again. “Its Saturday morningwhats wrong with you lot?”
Laughing, they left the courtyard behind.
The boy pedaled hard, and soon the little town faded behind them as they sped down a dirt track through the fields.
“Len, you tired?”
“Nah. You?”
“Not a bit,” he said, pumping the pedals harder.
With a shriek, they tumbled into the grassa flat tire had sent the bike skidding sideways.
“Oh no, what now, Lesh?”
“Dunno,” he said, sprawling in the grass. “Guess we live here forever.”
“Leshhh!”
“What? Well build a hut by the river. Ill fish, well cook over a fire.”
“And where do we get the firewood?”
“Well make a fire.”
“Matches, Lesh?”
“Who needs matches? Well rub sticks togetheror borrow some from the fishermen.”
“Ah.”
Collapsing into giggles, they lay back in the grass.
“Lesh, look at that cloudits like a teapot.”
“Yeah, and now its a dog.”
They watched the clouds drift for ages.
“Fancy a swim?”
“Go on, then.”
They raced to the river, then sprawled on the hot yellow sand to dry.
“Len, what dyou reckon youll do when you grow up?”
“Dunno… finish school, maybe uni, then work. You?”
“Marry you and get rich. Or the other way round. Either way, those two things.”
“Dont be daft.”
“Youre rightthats not enough. Gotta fit in the army and learn a trade before you go marrying someone else.”
Lena laughed.
“Like who?”
“DunnoVitek, maybe. Saw you giggling with him, heads together like.”
“We were doing the school paper, you nutter!”
“Just saying. Doesnt matter. Ill take you back from anyone.”
***
Saturday, early morning. The summer quiet shattered under the roar of a motorbike.
“Lenaaa! Len!”
“Hooligan!” a woman shouted from a window.
“Let us sleep!”
“Keep it down!”
“Lenaaa! Not calling yougo back to sleep! Its Saturday, for pitys sake!”
The same wobbly door creaked open, and out stepped the girlolder now, squinting in the sunlight.
“Hi. Sleep in?”
“Nah. Made butties.”
“Some of us are trying to rest!”
Lesh handed her a helmet. She climbed onto the bike, arms tight around him as they sped off.
“Disgraceful!” yelled the insomniac from his window.
With a rev of the engine, they were gone, tearing through town, onto the tarmac, then down to the dirt roads.
“You all right back there?”
“Fine!” she shouted over the wind, pressing closer.
Tears streamed from her eyes, hair whipping loose from the helmet.
When the bike finally stopped, she jumped off, rubbing her stiff legs. They flopped into the grass, staring at the sky.
“Look, Leshthat clouds like two cats sat together!”
“Yeah, and that ones a bike.”
“Swim?”
“Go on, then.”
They swam, sunbathed on the sand, then kissed until they were dizzy.
“Len…”
“Hm?”
“Ive been called up. Army. Youll wait for me?”
“What? When?”
“Tomorrow. Got the papers.”
“You… why didnt you say?”
“Didnt know myself,” he shrugged.
“Thats why you didnt apply to uni, isnt it?”
“Dont cry. Ill go after. Then Ill marry you. You wont run off with Vitek, will you? Len?”
***
Lena stood on the platform, waiting.
The train emptied, soldiers spilling out.
“Lesh, son!” A woman flung herself at the tall, broad-shouldered young man, weeping. “Home, youre home!”
His father shook his hand. His little sister, tearful, jumped into his arms.
Then he saw herstanding apart, hands clasped to her chest. He pushed through the crowd.
“Len… whats this? Crying?”
“Happy tears, Lesh.”
“Ah… plenty more of those to come.”
Never mind his sisters sulk, his mothers pursed lips, his fathers gruffnessright now, it was just her. The girl hed loved since childhood.
***
“Son, its too soon. Youve only just got backwhat about uni? You were set on it.”
“Got in, Mum. And Im getting married.”
“Oh, dont be like the others. I love Lena. She loves me.”
“Son, shes just in a rush to tie you down. You ought to see a bit of life firstmeet other girls”
“Mum, shes nineteen. And I dont want anyone else. Understand?”
“Lesh, its too soon”
“Enough. When I got back, you were the one nagging me not to go off the rails. Now this?”
“We saved you! From your layabout mates”
Lesh just smiled, closing the door softly behind him.
***
“Its a boy! A son!” Bursting into his parents flat, Lesh was radiant. “MumDadIve got a son!”
His mother wept. His father wiped his eyes.
“A nephew! A real, live nephew!” His sister danced around.
Five years later, a daughtertheir little princess.
***
“Son… Dad says you quit your job? How will you manage?”
“Mum, Im sick of working for pennies. Well be fine.”
“And Lena? She agreed to this madness? At least here youve got stability”
“I dont want *stability*. I want my kids to live properlynot splitting a chocolate bar with a knife. I”
“Leshenka, love, we got by without such things. Never even tasted”
“Mum, times have changed. Itll work out.”
And it did.
Not straight off. There were highs, lows, everything in between.
Sometimes he wanted to howl, chuck it all inbut there she was. Lena. Calmly buttering bread.
One day, she handed him a guitar.
“Len, what?” He bit back a shout. Songs were the last thing on his mind.
“Sing, Lesh. It helps. Always does.”
Softly, they began: *”Ill ride my bicycle far…”*
Lena cried when he wasnt looking. He knew, pretended not to, and pushed harder.
In the end, they made it. Comfortable now, as his mother put it, *rolling in clover*.
Yet lately, Lesh found himself restless. Life half-lived, everything securedmoney, houses, kids sorted, parents cared for.
He and Lena traveled, saw the world…
But he wantedsomething. New thrills.
Then a mate invited him to a club. Dull as ditchwater, really.
“Nah. Not my scene.”
“Come on. Its not about the placejust come.”
Should he?
“Lesh… weve got theatre tickets.”
“Cant, Len. Work thing.”
First lie hed ever told her. Felt rotten. Sat there scowling while his mate grinned.
A woman approachedpolished, pretty.
“Lets get out of here. Hate these places.”
“Whyd you come, then?”
“Needed the money.”
Outside, she talked. A toddler at home, useless ex, scraping by.
“Save up, leave. Pretend this never happened. Or find someone decent… like you.”
Sharp, honest, bold. They walked all night, just talking. He listened, spellbound.
Went home in a daze.
Met her again. And again.
A month passed. Came home one daysilence. Emptiness.
Realized Lena hadnt been there for days.
Called the kids*Havent seen Mum.* His parents*No idea.*
Rang the other woman. Met her.
“Sorry. I love my wife. You were… fresh air. Hope things work out.”
“Thank you, Alexei. I realized this path goes nowhere. For a second, I envied hera man like you. But youre right. Live rightly.”
“Want me to tell her? We never even”
“No. I will.”
***
Lena sat in her parents old flat. Fourth day here. Needed to *think*.
Quietly, she sliced bread.
“Lenaaa! Leen!” A motorbike roared below.
“For Gods sakelet people sleep!”
“Outrageous!”
“How many times?”
Then, singing: *”Ill ride my bicycle far, through lonely fields, and stop to pick flowersa bouquet for the girl I love.”*
The door banged. Lena stepped out, took the helmet, climbed on behind himjust like old times.
They raced through town, down to the fields, through meadows thick with wildflowers.
“Len, tired?”
“No.”
They lay in the grass, arms wide.
“Lookthat clouds a ship.”
“Yeah, and theres an old couple having tea.”
“Len…”
“Mm?”
“Forgive me?”
“What for, Lesh?”
“Nothing, really. But I hurt you. Im sorry.”
“Forgiven.”
“Wont happen again.”
“What wont?”
“You singing alone. You were singing, werent you?”
“Was.”
“Me too. Lets do it together.”
“Alright.”
Softly, they began: *”Ill ride my bicycle far… …through lonely fields, and stop to pick flowersa bouquet for the girl I love.” The wind carried their voices, thin at first, then stronger, weaving together like threads mended but never broken. Above, the clouds shifted slowly, shapeless again, drifting over the river where theyd once swum, where their children now played on summer afternoons. Lena rested her head against his shoulder, eyes closed, smiling. Lesh reached for her hand, calloused fingers intertwining with hers, and didnt let go.
