in his youth Dave worked as a Forester he thought it would always be like this he enjoyed the job why wouldn't he his grandfather had been a Forester and so had his father Dave lived worked and thought once he gets married he'll have a son who will also become a Forester he would teach him everything the various intricacies of the work if he took the boy into the forest from childhood just like his father had taken him he would understand everything from a young age such simple and straightforward dreams Dave had time passed and Dave
chose a bride for himself from among his own from the village she was quiet and modest rumors circulated in the village that she was adopted and came from an orphanage so what wasn't she a person her parents loved her and she was a good person Dave thought uh we'll live well once I finish my military service and return we'll have our wedding but as they say man proposes and God disposes Now Dave had to come to terms with the fact that he would have no son never again would he have one and he had to
give up his beloved job he had to find work in the city where the salary was higher he he and his wife really needed the money now everything would be fine but Dave missed the forest terribly though he didn't show it so as not to upset his wife the only Solace he found was walking through the forest to the station to go to work in the city but that was just to ease his soul to breathe in the fresh air and that was all there was no time to wander aimlessly in the forest there was
so much to do at home his wife was paralyzed so he had to do everything himself the chores around the house and in the garden the only thing Dave allowed himself was to collect trash when he returned home from the station passing by the Pioneer camp that camp drove him crazy not the camp itself of course the camp was a good thing let the kids rest and interact with nature what annoyed Dave the most were the Camp counselors who didn't keep an eye on the children allowing them to throw all sorts of trash over the
fence they also contributed to the littering quite a bit Dave loved nature dearly and couldn't just walk past without tidying up the forest if only he were a Forester like before he would have set those counselor straight he would have quickly resolved the issue with the camp director and put everyone in their place but he had no Authority now so he had to stay silent and pick up the trash himself so today Dave was returning home from work it was getting dark it was August and the nights were already cool so much so that cold
and dampness began to creep in as soon as the Sun Touched the Treetops Dave looked and saw that there was once again a pile of wrappers plastic bottles and other trash behind the camp fence what kind of pigs are these why can't they take their trash to the dump why throw it here Dave approached noticing that the village dogs had already been at work during the day they had scattered the sweet wrappers around he pulled out a bag from his pocket it was always prepared just in case and began to gather the pile he cleaned
it up and continued picking up more trash it seemed litter was scattered throughout the entire Forest he didn't realize how deep he had gone into the thicket it was also getting dark suddenly he heard a sobbing sound was it a child Dave looked around on a Fallen Tree sat an unexpected surprise two little girls huddled close together shivering from the cold they were dressed only in light sundresses with thin straps just like two peas in a pod Dave immediately realized they must have come from the camp Don't Be Afraid let's sneak off to pick some
raspberries and you got lost Dave thought and the counselors probably aren't paying attention to the kids they're probably caught up in their own Affairs well just wait I'll deal with you Dave decided this will be a lesson for them he took off his cloak and draped it over the girls are you lost he asked the girls nodded silently my name is Uncle Dave don't be afraid I used to work as a Forester here let's go to my place I live not far from here behind the mill the girls climbed down from the tree wiping their
tears they walked around the mill and soon Dave brought them to his home the last house in the village they went inside Dave seated the girls at the table and poured them some hot tea as he did he thought for now I'll keep them here I'll see when they're missed at the camp then I'll make the counselors clean up the entire Forest before I return the girls but something about the girls troubled him they were quite small not at all like the camp kids who were usually older by their faces the girls look to be
about 5 years old at most well it doesn't matter Dave decided we'll see what are your names names he asked Kelly and Lilith they answered in unison he never figured out which of them was Kelly and which was Lilith okay I'll sort it out later thought Dave at that moment the phone rang he stepped outside to talk it was his workplace calling they needed him to return urgently due to some emergency well then beautiful Kelly and Lilith make yourselves comfortable I need to step out for work I hope it won't be long but don't be
afraid no one will bother you here and no one visits us anymore the villagers rarely come around just don't go into the next room my Jessica is lying there she's very sick so don't disturb her the girls nodded in sink again Dave smirked I wonder if twins always do things the same way or do they have their differences sometimes as he walked to the station a dreadful thought flashed through his mind what if I hadn't found them on that log the temperature drops close to zero at night they would have frozen to death ah I
wish I could find out who left them unattended no I can't let this go when I get back from work I'll go to the camp with the police officer tomorrow to sort this out for for something like this they need to be held accountable it was completely dark outside Dave walked along the path to the train station lost in memories how he once strolled through these same places with Jessica when they were just getting to know each other Dave had worked in the forest since he was a child Village boys start early if they're good
at it some Drive tractors others Drive combines his father tipped Dave into the for for to distant boundaries from the age of eight teaching him all the intricacies when his father's sciatica flared up Dave was already capable of replacing him at work although they thought back then that it was just sciatica his mother rubbed and warmed his father's back on the advice of local doctors and healers but it turned out to be much more serious in reality Dave's father didn't have back problems he had kidney issues but who knew when Dave was 16 his father
passed away renal failure that's when Dave began working as a Forester himself he managed just as well as his father and grandfather it was during that period that he set his sights on Jessica he found her attractive and that was that he often invited her to the forest telling her about trees and herbs explaining everything to her Jessica listened with with interest and smiled she was a good girl Dave made up his mind she would be his wife either her or no one else that's how he was Village boys mature quickly and understand things better
unlike immature City Boys whose mothers wipe their noses until they're 35 at 16 Dave already knew perfectly well what he wanted how he would live and what kind of girl he needed for a wife but he didn't plan to rush Jessica he wanted everything to happen in a proper way first he would serve in the Army and then they would have their wedding he had seen too many people rush into marriage only to go off to the Army two months later and return as a different person they live argue and divorce and if children appear
by then they suffer too running around the village like orphans even with their parents alive no Dave thought there's a reason for sending people to the Army you serve your country and test your feelings Dave was confident in his feelings for Jessica his love had not diminished at all over the two years he had no doubts about her feelings either but it was one thing to be together every day in the village and quite another to test their love over a distance that's what the Army would show he thought he vividly remembered how he was
seen off to the Army his mother of course cried and Jessica stood nearby also with tear-filled eyes she promised to write and she really did almost every day for the first six months then the letter stopped Dave asked his mother what was going on with Jessica but she remained silent well then Dave thought I guess I was mistaken he didn't lose his mind like some people did he decided for himself since Jessica had stopped writing the test was passed what was the point of running away from the Army if she had betrayed him running away
wouldn't change anything Dave didn't plan to do anything to himself unlike others there was a guy in his platoon who found out that his girlfriend had left him and shot himself in the head he missed him lost an eye Dave thought what did that achieve for him even if he got that girl back what would be the point someone who betrayed once would betray again why live with a person like that and fear new infidelities every day Dave was not like that he was determined and sensible the truth was Jessica didn't marry someone else his
mother would have definitely written about that she just stopped writing why no one knew Dave decided he would figure it out himself as soon as he got back and so when he returned from the Army he immediately went to Jessica's house to her parents although the village said her parents were adoptive Dave didn't care parents or parents adoptive or not let them explain how they lost their daughter at the doorstep Dave was greeted by her father who glanced into his eyes briefly and then looked away Jessica is no more he said and started to cry
how can that be Dave almost lost Consciousness just like that she's gone said her father see for yourself Dave entered the house and there she lay on the bed staring at a spot on the ceiling she didn't seem dead but she wasn't alive either her mother was bustling around adjusting something Jessica is paralyzed her mother said she can't move at all how is that possible nobody knows such a misfortune happened I told her not to walk around the Old Mill all sorts hang around there but she insisted it's a shorter way home from the station
and it goes right past Dave's house I look at his windows and feel like I'm meeting him said her father wiping away another tear I don't know who did this to her and the doctors what do the doctors say Dave asked and what do they say what doctors do we have here they buried your father when he was still young they just shrug their shoulders said his mother so just like that Jessica is gone is this really Jessica she's like a vegetable her father said sternly God didn't give us our own children so he took
away someone else's Dave sat on the stool his mother had set up for him he needed to collect himself to regain his composure he expected anything from Jessica that she no longer loved him or that she had met someone else he even thought maybe she got pregnant and had a child he was ready for anything even to accept someone else's child if that were the case but he definitely didn't expect this and what to do now live go to a disco meet someone else get married and Jessica would be lying here his beloved Jessica that's
not right it won't do this isn't the life he dreamed of it's in Humane listen Dave said firmly as he got up from the stool I won't allow you to bury her before her time while she's still alive so we'll fight yes I'll get married as I promised so get ready future relatives why don't you just get out of here kid and don't mock our grief why do you need her like this there are plenty of healthy girls running around The Village pick any of them and leave us alone Jessica's mother leaned toward Dave the
doctor said she won't be able to have children after this you understand what do you want her for find another well that's not for you to decide Dave replied just as firmly I said I'd get married so I will of course they didn't have a lavish wedding they invited the chairman of the Village Council and the secretary to their home and just signed the marriage certificate when they asked do you take Jessica as your wife she could only blink her eyes everyone took that as a yes and that was it they were married Dave put
a ring on Jessica's finger and hung his own on a chain what did she need jewelry for who knew after the wedding Dave took her home at at that time he had already brought his mother to live with him his sister had taken her there since her health wasn't great that's how they all lived Dave and Jessica her adoptive parents visited a few times checked in to see everything was fine with them saw that Jessica was doing okay and then left them alone let them live as they wanted if they were happy of course Dave
worried that they had no children and probably never would as the doctor said but he naturally didn't show Jessica any sign of this one thing remained unclear what happened to her they found her in such a state right by the Old Mill not long after the wedding Jessica began to speak sometimes she would say only a few words and those would often be unclear Dave wanted to ask her what had happened but he quickly thought better of it what if something Terri able occurred why stir up memories after all it wouldn't affect her recovery at
all what happened happened it was all in the past Dave decided as we mentioned before he had to give up his job as a forest ranger he needed money for examinations in the city and better yet abroad but the ranger salary was small so Dave got a job at a factory in the city of course it wasn't a great paying job either but it was enough to live on plus they could save a little to set aside thus it turned out that Dave didn't find any children in the woods life was still a strange thing
he thought God doesn't give children to some While others abandon them in the forest they might have gotten lost of course but it was already night and no one had come looking for them Rescuers and the police should have been digging around the area by now if these were children from the camp someone must have noticed yet no one seemed to care and little girls for a camp what happened to them that work called came at the worst possible time he needed to ask the girls who they were and where they came from Kelly and
Lilith Lilith and Kelly what a coincidence maybe it was some kind of sign of Fate twins he would gladly take them in for upbringing Dave of course wanted a boy like all men do but having a girl is good too and two girls then you remembered how his wife once asked him who would you choose if I had a twin sister just like me identical why would I need to choose I've already made my choice Dave smiled back there then what if she were normal not like I am now Jessica asked I'd still choose you
you're my one and only unique Dave replied and kissed her just imagine that you're not the only one Jessica insisted I remember an orphanage just a little it's strange but it's like I had a twin but you were adopted at 3 years old what can you remember Dave was surprised I hardly remember anything until summer just how my father taught me to ride a bike and how I fell from an apple tree he treated me with Nettles afterward why Nettles because the apple tree belonged to the neighbors that's all the memories I have were you
3 years old then no Dave I remember I need to check the documents you were probably sitting in front of a mirror and that's why it seems to you that you had a sister who would separate twins think about it that used to happen before they would definitely send them to different regions in the Army but now they only send them together well maybe you're right Dave maybe you are Jessica side in any case she being paralyzed couldn't do anything Dave wrapped up his work quickly and hurried home his colleagu suggested he stay and celebrate
the successful handling of the accident but Dave wanted to return as soon as possible he was curious about how the girls were doing you're just like a family man joke one of his colleagues who knows maybe it will turn out that way Dave replied and hurried to to catch the train something in his heart was restless and when he returned home he was taken aback by what he saw when the girls were left alone warmed up and the morning passed they began to look around so what do you think they did first that's right they
went to where they were told not to go and took what they weren't supposed to take let's go see the lady suggested one sister uncle said we shouldn't replied the second but we'll just Peak we won't touch anything said the first well only if we just Peak the second agreed this often happens with twins one encourages the other to agree it was the same with Kelly and Lilith Lilith was quiet and calm while Kelly was always looking for adventures and not just for her own the girls opened the door and cautiously poked their heads into
the room a woman lay on the bed with High pillows under her head they saw her and rushed to her mom mommy what are you doing here get up let's go home the girls hugged Jessica cried and kissed her hands and cheeks but Jessica couldn't move where did these children come from and why are they calling her mom she didn't have children she would remember that and they were twin girls too the girls were crying all Mommy Mommy Jessica looked at them and felt as if she was looking in a mirror she had a photograph
like that with her parents a year after her adoption girls where are you from asked Jessica Mommy get up they kept repeating but how could she get up she made an effort but it was all in vain then another the girls cried how she wanted to comfort them and so they sat together on the bed until Dave returned he came in and saw the scene the girls were calling his wife mom and Jessica upon seeing her husband lifted herself up on one elbow wow this has never happened before Dave I think I'm starting to feel
my legs said Jessica why are these girls calling me Mom Dave they look like me as a child Dave had already seen that the twins did indeed resemble his wife he took an album with photographs from the Shelf the very photo Jessica had recalled both girls look just like her but how could they be her children for years ago he and J Jessica had already been married and lived here Mom Mom get up let's go for a walk look at the sunshine shouted the girls as they ran into Dave and Jessica's room they had never
woken up to the sound of children's cries before it was a strange and unusual feeling in bed help your wife girls do you remember what your mom's name is Lindsay mommy Lindsay the girls replied and this aunt's name is Jessica no she's not an aunt she's our mom shouted the girls Kelly and Lilith this aunt just looks like your mother Dave began to explain but the girls interrupted him here's the thing mom is a little sick and can't go out with you her legs hurt so so you go out and play by yourselves but don't
go far from the house she said smiling and extending her arms for a hug the girls hugged Jessica and kissed her once okay mommy they shouted running out into the street Jessica what are you doing Dave asked how do you think I should handle this you can see they can't hear you I'm sure these are my sister's children you urgently need to find out something otherwise I'm going to go crazy I think you have a day off please take care of this go to My adoptive parents ask them where I was adopted I'm begging you
otherwise I'll start to think that these are my children and that they came here from another dimension Dave understood he did everything his wife asked and found out that there really were twin girls in the orphanage Jessica and Lindsay these two girls were so different in character that if it weren't for their appearance it would be hard to imagine they were sisters Lindsay was adopted by a very wealthy couple they like that the girl was so energetic and persistent they didn't want the second girl and said outright what are we supposed to do with this
quiet one that's not our temperament but in Still Waters Devils dwell said the adoptive mother a small bribe resolved the matter Lindy went to a wealthy family meanwhile the director of The Orphanage didn't worry too much there were candidates for the second girl who wanted a calm child that's how Jessica ended up with her adoptive rural parents Dave was in shock he started searching further a lot of time passed and the girls lived with them all that time they continued to call Jessica mom Jessica gradually asked the girls what they remembered about the day they
ended up in the forest but they couldn't really tell her much they only said that their mom had put them in the car taking them to the forest asked them to sit for a little while and then she would bring them ice cream but time passed and their mom never came back and then Uncle Dave showed up he came here and it turned out that their mom the girls thought that their mom had fallen and that was why she hadn't come to get them the child's mind works this way when a child doesn't know something
they make up their own story based on their level of understanding mom where is our car asked one of the girls the more observant one I don't know maybe it left said the girl and went to play that was was probably enough for her at this point Dave in turn traced Jessica's background and what he discovered left him in shock he had never seen such different Fates for twin sisters he conducted nearly a whole investigation it turned out that Lindsay had grown up in a wealthy family from a young age she was quite the Troublemaker
she didn't let her classmates rest and drove her teachers crazy unlike Jessica Lindsay's adoptive parents revealed to her that she was adopted Lindsay grew up unaware of anything and her teachers prayed she would graduate from school quickly there was no way to influence the girl her father was proud of her he was glad she was growing up just like that she's just my copy he would say he was immensely pleased by all of Lindsay's mischief and whims as as a result she grew up spoiled capricious and willful when she got older she dated boys however
she wanted and then she rushed into marriage to say that her parents threw her the most extravagant wedding is an understatement she was simply their beloved daughter and Lindsay to both girls she simply had no idea what to do with two children I didn't order two Lindsay screened where did they come from there have never been any twins in our family I wanted one child Lindsay literally cried when she saw her girls and suffered immensely each time she had to feed or dress both of them it was then that her parents decided to reveal the
secret to her they thought it would be for the best they told her that she herself was a twin so she shouldn't be upset if she wanted to they wouldn't mind her searching for her sister and having a relationship with her but the effect of this news was completely the opposite Lindsay didn't try to find anyone on the contrary she seemed to retreat into herself made her husband hire a nanny and simply stopped approaching the children then Lindsay threw herself into the gym and it ended with her filing for divorce and severing ties with her
ex-husband and the parents who had raised her she didn't want anything to remind her of her past life that's it because Lindsay found herself a husband even richer than her previous one now she was only interested in money there was just one problem the new rich guy had absolutely no use for someone else's children especially for duplicates as he liked to joke about the twins is it that nature gave you a backup right away just in case he laughed the girls were still little and didn't understand these jokes and the new boyfriend insisted that Lindsay
get rid of the kids if she wanted to continue her relationship with him well then Dave figured out on his own that Lindsay had simply taken the girls to the woods and left them there to fend for themselves when he told Jessica all this she initially didn't believe it could she really have such a heartless and cruel sister she thought but the facts spoke for themselves Jessica suggested to Dave that he keep the girls with him he had already thought about it himself but they couldn't just live with them without any documents something had to
be done about it Lindsay had to write a waiver for them Jessica and Dave applied for guardianship but there was just one problem it was unlikely that the guardianship Council would give the children to sick Jessica and the girl's face would be sealed they would end up in an orphanage a power of attorney could solve the problem it's a document that parents usually prepare when sending a child on vacation with a grandmother or Aunt and few people know that this power of attorney can be drawn up until the child turns 18 it is arranged by
a notary doesn't cost much and in case of any problems with the child regarding the law or health the holder of such a power of attorney will be the official representative of the child in the absence of parents what more could Jessica and Dave need in their situation but how to convince Lindsay to sign the power of attorney they would need to meet with her however Jessica had little idea of what that meeting would be like and didn't want to meet her not because she was disabled but because she knew from the girl stories what
nonsense their mother had done without any shame in front of the children now it seemed that the girls were beginning to suspect that Jessica wasn't exactly their mom even though they still continued to call her mom Jessica also knew that Lindsay would most likely ask for money in exchange and if they gave in to her demands she would keep asking for money all the time and they had very little of it already there was only one possible way left Jessica herself needed to get on her feet and fight for custody of her nieces and then
Fate intervened One Day the girls decided to go for a walk they didn't like to walk around the neighborhood however they had been strictly forbidden to go to the Old Mill well you probably guessed it as soon as you forbid a child something it immediately becomes a coveted forbidden fruit for them in the window of the house Jessica saw the girls heading down the path that led to the Old Mill she tried to call them from the window but the wind was blowing the other way and the girls didn't hear her Jessica was tossing and
turning in bed unsure of what to do Dave was at work at that time the horror that had happened to her many years ago at the Old Mill returned from the depths of her subconscious the images of what had happened in that disgusting bald man all of it came rushing back in an instant what if he was still at the Mill what if he still went there Consciousness flickered bringing Jessica back to the past she remembered that terrible night she had unwillingly spent at the mill then that scoundrel simply threw her out of the window
from quite a height here's what happened to Jessica she had a compression fracture of the spine and now her girls were heading there possibly into the clutches of that bastard Jessica gathered all her strength all her will lowered her legs from the bed sat up and then stood up she took a few steps around the house and of course fell fell because her muscles were weak she hadn't used her legs for several years Jessica crawled out of the house saw a rake at the door tried to stand up again and this time she succeeded she
realized that her spinal cord had healed and now it was just a matter of training her muscles leaning on the rake Jessica walked along the path and caught up with the girls right by the mill now this place had become even more horrific covered in Moss and ivy with a repulsive appearance it was unpleasant Jessica returned home with the girls and by the evening she was waiting for her husband on her feet Dave picked her up started kissing her and then pulled the chain from under his shirt took off his wedding ring and put it
on his wife's finger now that you can walk let everyone see that you're married God forbid someone take such a beauty Away Jessica quickly got back to normal not without Dave's help of course life in the village was such that there was no need for a gym all the household chores were like a rehabilitation center bring water chop wood tend to the Garden what more could one want so Jessica quickly got into shape you United both sisters met at the courtt hearing regarding custody of the twins Kelly and Lilith this woman standing on her own
feet would never have made anyone think that just recently she had been lying down and couldn't even speak let alone take care of children in the presence of the judge Lindsay didn't dare to demand money from her sister so she had to agree to hand over custody of the girls to Jessica for free Dave hinted to Lindsay in the hall way that if she started yelling it would get interesting what did she expect leaving them there she asked Lindsay said she thought they would be found by the camp counselors they would have been the ones
at fault then Dave his wife and now their daughters left the courtroom as winners why did they part ways probably because of Jessica's quarrelsome nature she lost everything her husband her parents a happy family and her daughters but she realized and understood all this too late as a result Lindsay started drinking yes unfortunately this happens to women too it's not just men who drown their sorrows quite often she would get behind the wheel to put it mildly in an intoxicated State once this ended tragically Lindsay hit a person with her car she understood what this
could lead to she urgently needed help but she had no one absolutely no one there was no one to even call Lindsay dowed Jessica's phone number it's your sister she said have you tried calling When You're Sober Jessica asked Jessica I hit someone I hope not to death Jessica exclaimed in horror I I don't know I'm scared to approach him then call an ambulance I can't please come to me Jessica could tell from her sister's voice that she was in despair they had spent so little time together in childhood that they hardly remembered each other
they were so different with such different Fates yet the bond between Twins hadn't disappeared Jessica understood that if she didn't help her sister now she might might never get another chance first of all Jessica wouldn't have another chance to pull herself out of that swamp this was a once- in a-lifetime Opportunity the first and the last who else if not her she arrived at the accident scene with Dave and was stunned when she saw the person Lindsay had hit what a twist of fate what a joker what other surprises did fate have in store for
the Sisters lying on the grass was the very man who had dragged her into the Old Mill the one who had caused her to be unable to have children and who had paralyzed her for several years if it hadn't been for the girls and her husband Dave she might still have been confined to bed and that man that bald bastard was still alive how Jessica wanted to get behind the wheel of her sister's car and speed off at Full Throttle but that would be too generous a gift Jessica asked her husband to go home and
trust her she called the police and an ambulance who was driving the officer asked I was Jessica replied without hesitation what are you doing asked her astonished sister be quiet this is the first and last time swear that you'll stop drinking and get your act together I swear Lindsay replied Jessica didn't really believe that oath and hand on heart she just really wanted to be at least a little involved in this incident so that that bald bastard would know that it was she who had taken her revenge as Jessica had anticipated Lindsay received a suspended
sentence while that scoundrel remained paralyzed for life now he would attend her school now he would know what it felt like surprising L Lindsay got her act together well as much as she could now she occasionally came to the Village to see her sister hooray Aunt Lindsay has come the girls greeted her be careful don't stain my new dress she would tell them tell me sister Jessica asked her one day do you regret anything I do Lindsay replied I regret that we did didn't know each other sooner and also Jessica continued I tried to tell
the girls that you lost them absolutely not Lindsay replied well just think about it what kind of mother am I what can I teach them no no no what was I made for to be their aunt maybe they just mixed something up up there in heaven we look alike and they hand them to me then fixed the situation so enjoy motherhood to your heart's content it's not for me would you like to be an ant again but for real this time Jessica asked in what sense her sister didn't understand literally I'm pregnant it looks like
I'm having twins you're the first one to know about it the sisters burst into tears and hugged thus Justice prevailed Jessica gave birth to twins just like her sister only this time boys Dave was on cloud n now finally he could leave his job in the city and returned to his beloved occupation forestry moreover not just one successor was growing up but two there would be someone to pass on the wisdom of the forest
