Running late for her abortion appointment, the woman realized she had left her documents in the car…

The boy’s strange behavior, his peculiarities. Nina was always special. In school, she was considered eccentric because she could predict who would get an F, what the weather would be tomorrow, when a test would start.

Teachers explained it as observation and intuition, but Paula knew it was something more. They became friends in seventh grade. Nina was a quiet, withdrawn girl who avoided noisy crowds.

But with Paula, she opened up, told about her visions, how she felt people and events. Paula was the only one who understood her and didn’t think she was crazy. Mom says it’s a family trait, Nina told.

She has this gift too, and grandma had it. We see what is hidden from others. Paula envied her friend back then.

It seemed cool to have such a gift. But over time, she realized that for Nina, it was more a curse than a blessing. The girl suffered from knowing too much, feeling too deeply.

In ninth grade, Nina’s family suddenly moved. Paula remembered their last conversation. «We’re leaving tomorrow,» Nina said, meeting her after classes.

«Dad got a job in another city. But we’ll keep in touch.» Paula exclaimed.

«No,» Nina replied sadly. «I saw it. Our paths diverge forever.

But someday we’ll meet again. Not us ourselves, but… part of us.» Back then, Paula didn’t understand those words.

Now she did. Nina foresaw that her son would find the pregnant Paula at the moment when she needed a sign. «Katie,» Paula said, stopping.

And what did Mike say about his visions? What has he seen lately? He rarely talks about it. But recently he said he must find a woman in a red car. That she needs help, and only he can give it.

Red car, Paula repeated. I have a red car. So he was looking for you.

They reached the park. The playground was almost empty—weekday, kids in school. Only a few moms with toddlers playing in the sandbox.

No one on the swings. «He usually comes later,» Katie said. «Let’s wait.

They sat on a bench not far from the swings.» Paula mentally prepared for meeting the son of her best friend. What would she say to him? How to explain that she knew his mother? And most importantly, what did his note mean? Katie, does Mike remember anything about his mother? Very little.

In the orphanage, they only told him she died in an accident. Mike suffers a lot from that. He has only rare memories from before six years old, when he was very little.

And the stress from her loss closed his memory even more. «I can tell him,» Paula said. «I knew Nina well.

It would be a gift for him.» He dreams so much of learning about his mother. Time dragged slowly.

Paula looked at the playing children and thought about Nina. I wonder if her friend knew she would die young? Did she foresee her death? And if so, how did she live with that knowledge? At five in the evening, the park began to fill with children returning from school. Paula peered intently at every face, expecting to see familiar features.

And there he appeared. The boy walked slowly, uncertainly, as if afraid he would be chased away. He was skinny, his clothes hung like a sack.

His hair needed a haircut, his face was dirty. But in his eyes, the same blue eyes as Nina’s, shone an extraordinary mind. «There he is,» Katie said quietly.

Mike approached the swings and sat on one. He didn’t swing, just sat and looked around. When his gaze fell on Paula, he froze.

For a few seconds, they looked at each other, and Paula saw surprise in his eyes, then recognition. The boy got up from the swing and slowly approached their bench. He stopped a few steps from Paula and said quietly.

«Did you read my note?» Mike’s voice was quiet but clear. He spoke not like an eleven-year-old child, but like an adult, tired of life. In his blue eyes was wisdom that didn’t match his age.

I got it and read it, Paula replied, trying to sound calm. «How did you know I needed help?» «I saw it,» Mike simply answered. «Saw a woman in a red car who was about to make a big mistake.»

«Saw a child who must be born.» «Saw in a dream?» «Not in a dream. Just saw.»

«Like a movie playing in my head. Katie stood up from the bench. «I’ll leave you to talk alone,» she said.

«Mike, this is Paula.» «She knew your mom.» The boy’s eyes widened.

«My mom?» His voice trembled. «You really knew my mom?» «Yes,» Paula nodded. «We were best friends in school.»

She was an amazing girl. Mike sat on the bench next to Paula, trying not to be too close. Katie walked away to the playground, giving them a chance to talk.

«Tell me about her,» the boy asked. «No one tells me anything.» «They only say she died.

Your mom was special,» Paula began. «She had a gift, like you.» «She could foresee events, understand people.»

«We met in seventh grade when she transferred to our school.» Paula told, and Mike listened with such attention, as if every word was a treasure. She talked about how Nina helped classmates, warning of dangers.

How she saved a girl from injury by foreseeing that the gym bar was about to break. How she knew when one of the teachers would be in a bad mood and tried to warn the kids. «She was very kind,» Paula said.

«But it was hard for her to live with such a gift.» «She felt too much, experienced others’ pain too deeply.» «And why did you stop communicating?» Mike asked.

«Her family moved when we were in ninth grade.» «We lost touch.» «I regret it very much.»..