Married for Kolya’s Sake Kolya’s happy childhood ended abruptly at the age of five, the day his parents never came to collect him from nursery. As the other children went home, Kolya sat alone, drawing pictures of himself and his mum and dad, while the teacher watched him with tearful eyes. Eventually, she scooped him up and hugged him, whispering, “Whatever happens, Kolya, you mustn’t be afraid. You have to be strong now, darling. Do you understand?” “I want my mum,” he replied. “Auntie and uncle will be here soon. You’ll go with them, Kolya. There’ll be lots of other children, but please, don’t cry.” Her face was wet as she held him close. He was led to a car when asked, “When will Mummy come for me?” was told she was far away and wouldn’t be back that day. Kolya was placed with other boys in a shared room, waiting night after night for his parents, but they never came. His distress brought on a fever, and, after he recovered, a nurse gently told him his parents were “very far away, up in the sky,” and watching over him – so he must behave and not get ill to avoid upsetting them. Kolya didn’t believe a word. He searched the sky and saw only birds and clouds, so he decided to find his parents himself. He discovered a loose fence post, squeezed through, and escaped the orphanage, but got hopelessly lost in the maze of houses. Spotting a woman in a polka-dot dress and neat blond bun who looked just like his mother, Kolya ran after her, calling, “Mummy!” She turned – it wasn’t her. That woman, Nina, had been divorced two months earlier and missed her husband terribly. When this strange little boy called her “mum,” her heart skipped a beat. “What’s wrong, sweetheart, are you lost?” she asked. “I’m looking for my mum and dad. They said they’re up in the sky. But I don’t believe it,” sobbed Kolya. “Come along, I live nearby. I’ll give you some lovely cakes, would you like that?” she smiled, taking him home. He tucked into pastries, greedily gulped tea with blackcurrant leaves, and poured out his story as best he could. Nina’s own story was painful: she and her husband, Vitaliy, had married after falling head over heels at a summer dance, but after years of failed medical treatments, they had to accept they would never have children. She loved him enough to offer divorce so he could find happiness with someone else, but he refused to leave her. In desperation to make him go, Nina pretended to have an affair, coming home late, smelling of wine and aftershave, until her heartbroken husband finally agreed to a divorce. Back in the present, Nina visited Kolya daily at the children’s home, but as a single woman, the authorities wouldn’t allow her to adopt him. Desperate, she brokered a deal with her recently divorced, womanizing colleague, Stan, to marry her in name only—a move that filled her with disgust, but she vowed to “save Kolya” whatever it took. One evening, dressed in the red dress Stan insisted on, Nina opened her door to find not Stan, but her ex-husband. “I want to talk to you, Nina. I’ve been watching you – I haven’t once seen another man come or go…” At that moment, Stan blundered out of the lift, flowers and champagne in hand. Vitaliy stormed off, furious and heartbroken. Nina, in tears, sent Stan away. Two years later, Kolya marched proudly among the first-graders at school assembly—his neat uniform and shiny shoes a testament to his new life. His little sister Marina fidgeted in their father’s arms, while their mum wore her favourite polka-dot dress. Nina and Vitaliy had remarried, adopting both Kolya and Marina, and still visited the children’s home with gifts for the other kids. “Mum, Dad, I promise I’ll study hard,” Kolya whispered toward the sky. “Don’t be upset that I have other parents now. I love them very much, but they’re just for now—until I see you again.” Now he knew the truth: his parents had died in a car crash. He’d visited their grave, gone to Sunday school, and finally understood what “the sky” meant. Nina hadn’t listened to her husband, at first, doing things her way—but fate decided otherwise, and she found herself marrying Vitaliy all over again. In the end, everyone in this story was happy. **Married for Kolya’s Sake: How a Lost Little Boy and a Second Chance at Love Created a Family Against All Odds**

A Happy Childhood Ended for Jack
Jacks idyllic childhood comes to an abrupt end at the age of five. One day, his parents just dont turn up to collect him from the nursery. By the time all the other children have gone home, Jack is sitting alone at a table, colouring a picture of himself with his mum and dad. The nursery teacher keeps watching him as she quietly dabs at her cheeks with a tissue. Eventually, she walks over, scoops Jack up into a hug and whispers, No matter what happens, you mustnt be scared, darling. You need to be brave now, Jack. Can you do that? Can you, my love?
I want to go home to Mum, he replies.
Auntie and Uncle will come soon. Youll go with them for a bit. Therell be other children there, Jack, so please try not to cry.
She squeezes him tight, her face wet against his.
Later, someone walks him to a car. When he asks, When will Mum fetch me? hes told, Mum and Dad are far away and cant come today. Jack finds himself in a shared dormitory with a handful of boys who look as lost as he feels. But the next day, and the one after that, his parents still dont come. At night, he sobs quietly under the covers until he grows feverish.
A lady in a nurses tunic eventually sits by his bed, and gently tells him his parents are now far awayup in the sky, in fact. They cant come down, you see, but theyre always watching and want you to be good and stay healthy, so you mustnt make them sad.
But Jack just cant believe it. He stares up at the heavens, but only sees birds and clouds. He decides hell do anything to find his parents himself.
He begins by exploring the garden as they play outdoors. One day he notices a gap behind a bush where the bars of the old metal fence have bent. With a bit of wriggling, he squeezes halfway through but cant quite make it. He starts digging quietly, bit by bit, and eventually hes able to crawl through to the outside world.
Jack runs for his life away from the homethe home, as the older boys call it. But he doesnt know the town and is quickly lost. He tries desperately to spot his house, but they all look much the same.
Suddenly, at the crossing, he spots a lady who reminds him of his mum: same spotty dress, hair tidily pinned up.
Mum! Jack cries, chasing after her.
But she doesnt hear. He clutches at her sleeve as he catches up.
She stops, bends down and studies his face. No, she isnt his mum.
Jess Fell in Love at Twenty
Jess falls head over heels at twenty. She and David meet quite by chance at an open-air dance in the park. David approaches, awkward and blushing, to invite her for a slow dance. They chat easily, end up dancing the night away, and are inseparable ever after. They dont wait long to marryjust three months.
Their life is full of laughter, but after three years, Jess learns she cant have a child of her own. David cant come to terms with it, and Jess embarks on endless tests and treatments at spa resorts. At last, they have to face the truth: a baby of their own isnt possible. David suggests they consider adopting.
But Jess loves David so much, she proposes they divorceafter all, theyre still only thirty, still young. He can remarry and have the family he wants. Shell find a way to manage alone.
David refuses. He says he will never leave her. So Jess hatches a desperate planshe pretends she no longer loves him, and claims she has found someone else. David doesnt believe herbut the next night, she doesnt come home, and when she does, theres perfume and the scent of aftershave clinging to her. She keeps insisting shes met someone. David finally agrees to the divorce.
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When Jack calls out to Jess, shes been divorced for two months. Shes miserable, missing her husband, and cant stop worrying about him. When a little stranger calls her Mum, Jesss heart nearly leaps out of her chest.
Whats wrong, love, are you lost? she asks gently.
Im looking for Mum and Dad. They said theyre up in the sky. But I dont believe it! Jack sobs.
Come on then, I live just nearby. How about a big slice of Victoria sponge and some hot tea, would you like that? Jess takes the little boy by the hand.
Back at her place, Jack devours cake with both hands, washing it down with steaming tea steeped with mint leaves. Little by little, he explains what happened. He hasnt had anything sweet in agesthe older boys in the home always snatch the treats and sometimes even rough him up.
Jesss heart melts. Gently, she asks, How would you feel if you came to live with me, Jack? Youll grow up, and one day youll make sense of it alland you might see your parents again, but that wont be for a very long time.
Jack nods.
Jess calls the childrens home to let them know shes found him. She takes him back herself and asks the staff to keep a closer eye on the youngsters. She visits Jack every day, but cant take him home.
She has a steady job, a nice flat, but shes singleand no agency will allow her to adopt. For the first time, Jess bitterly regrets the divorce. But how can she bring David back now?
She comes up with a plan to have a paper marriage with her friend from work, Simon. Hes recently divorced; a bit of a ladies man, but good at his job and with sterling references. Simon wavers, but finally agreeson the condition that Jess takes him out for dinner. Hes fancied her for a while and wants more than a favour.
Jess feels sickened; she still loves her husband and cant imagine being with anyone else.
But when she visits Jack that evening and sees the dark bruise blooming beneath his eye, she cant bear it any longer. The older boys have hit him, furious for telling tales to the kind woman. The staff, instead of helping, have told everyone about her visits. Jess realises life is only getting harder for Jack.
The very next day, Jess agrees to Simons terms. She sets the table, puts on a red dress (as requested), lights candles, and waits, her heart heavy with dread, but determined to rescue Jack.
The doorbell rings. Jess drags herself to answer itonly to find David on the other side.
I need to talk to you, Jess. Thing is, Ive been watching. Not once have I seen a man visit you or you sneak out.
Suddenly the lift doors bang open and Simon staggers out, arms loaded with flowers and a bottle of bubbly.
Jess, here I am
David turns beetroot-red, fists clenched, but says nothing. He spins round and bolts down the stairs.
David, wait, its not what you think! Let me explain! Jess calls after him, but hes already leapt onto a London bus and vanished.
Jess bursts into tears and sends Simon packing. Her heart aches for Jackwhat will become of him now?
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Two years later, Jack stands proudly in line with the new Year Ones at the school assembly. Hes wearing a smart grey suit and crisp white shirt, hugging a massive bouquet for his teacher.
Hes escorted to school by his parents and little sister, Molly. Shes a bundle of energy in Dads arms, and Mums wearing Jacks favourite spotty dress.
Thats Jess and David, with Molly, another child they adopted.
As it turned out, Simon wasnt such a scoundrel after all. Hed found David and told him everything.
The very next day, David dashed to Jesss office, whisked her off to the registry office to marry her again, so they could finally adopt Jack.
They still regularly visit the childrens home, bringing armfuls of presents and sweet treats. Molly came to them from there too, right away when she arrived.
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Mum, Dad, I promise Ill work hard at school, Jack whispers up at the sky. Please dont be upset that I have a new family. I love them so much, but theyre only until I meet you again.
He knows now that his parents died in a car crash. Hes visited their resting place. On Sundays, he attends the parish Sunday school and is finally starting to understand what Heaven means.
Jess never intended to get back with Davidshe thought she could live by her own rules. Life decided differently, though, and she ended up marrying David a second time. And, as it happens, everyone in this story finds their own happy ending!