Even as time advanced, Halyna persisted in her belief that marriage and motherhood were still within reach for her. Little did she anticipate the twists of fate that awaited her.

As Galina approached her 50th birthday, she held onto her dreams of finding love and starting a family, despite her age. She had meticulously renovated her two-room apartment, setting aside one room in hopeful anticipation of a child. Amidst her routine as an accountant in a small firm, her world was shaken by the arrival of Oleg, a 51-year-old newcomer with a tumultuous past marked by failed marriages and imprisonment, who was hired by the company where Galina worked.

Their initial acquaintance over office lunches blossomed into a close friendship, with their first shared walk to buy candy igniting office gossip. As their bond deepened, they soon found themselves holding hands, prompting speculation about a potential wedding. Before long, their relationship evolved from office whispers to reality as they tied the knot. While Galina’s parents were overjoyed at her marriage, they longed for grandchildren. To their astonishment, Galina, despite her age, announced her pregnancy not long after the wedding, bringing tears of happiness to her parents’ eyes.

Galina had envisioned various ways to celebrate her 50th birthday, but none compared to the unexpected and joyous turn of events that unfolded in her life.

On her milestone day, Galina found herself in the maternity ward, welcoming her newborn son into the world. The elation of the new family radiated through phone calls and captured moments in photographs. Peering through the window of the maternity ward, Galina’s parents and, of course, Oleg, could be seen sharing in laughter and tears of joy, undeterred by the chilly November weather.

A few hours later, Galina lay beside her son, contemplating her journey thus far. The years had led her to this profound moment of contentment: with her cherished husband in her heart and her precious newborn son cradled in her arms.