X. TWENTY-SIXTH
For the last time this year, the sun was setting over Mtatsminda, leaving a thin bronze glow that pressed into the windows of the room on the second floor. Candles were lit on a gloomy, worn-out candlestick, and a group of five sat on a single mattress along the wall. It was dark and quiet. Vakhtang and Tamara had gone to a large shopping mall outside the city, and a child was watching some New Year Disney cartoon, something like Frozen, and fell asleep to it.
— Guys, — Sophie whispered, — what if we see off the old year together, without their family?
— Let’s, — Emi replied.
— We’re like teenagers, away from parents, — Mariam said, laughing. — One New Year, I must’ve been about fourteen, I brought a friend home, but my grandfather forbade me from talking to him. So we climbed up to the attic and sat there on the evening of the 31st, and there was a sunset too, this orange one. That was when I had my first kiss. And then he slipped away unnoticed before my grandfather saw him.
— By the way, Mariam, what kind of New Year traditions do you have in Georgia? I used to celebrate with my family like in Russia, so I’m curious, I want to try celebrating it in a more Georgian way.
— Well… listen, in Tbilisi it’s pretty much the same. The only thing is there’s a small chichilaki that we usually put up together with the Christmas tree, we have one in the kitchen. It’s that white fluffy tree you asked me about once. It’s made from walnut shavings. In the countryside it’s more fun, there used to be all kinds of traditions, but… what matters are the people, and they’re not here anymore. Now there are new ones. There’s you. And you should probably ask Fleya about it.
Emi turned toward Fleya and nodded.
— We usually celebrate like this: the whole company of gods, those who gather to celebrate together, form a circle with a large bonfire in the center. At midnight, everyone jumps into it one by one, and the important part is that you set your hair on fire — it brings good luck. The fire doesn’t affect our skin, and on the hair it goes out very quickly, it’s not painful, just a light pleasant tingling. Sometimes we also prepare gifts.
Endless rows of shops stretched like a maze. “Tbilisi Mall” shimmered with garlands, stores were packed with crowds, and in the central hall stood a giant Christmas tree three stories tall.
— Hurry up, it’s already half past five! We’ve got a kid at home, and we still need to go to the supermarket! — Tamara urged her husband.
— Just a second, why are you rushing so much? I’ll pick the most beautiful kitchen vase for us, and then we’ll go, — Vakhtang replied.
December 31st was the one day when the entire crowd in the shopping mall could disconnect from reality, relax, exhale, and fill themselves with hope. Children begged their parents for balloons and lollipops with Snow Maiden characters, and everything felt allowed.
— Fleya, bring us some tangerines! — Mariam shouted.
Fleya quickly ran downstairs into the dirty “royal” living room and brought back a large orange bag.
— Mmm, these are so good! — Sophie said. — Moroccan ones are always so sweet at the beginning of winter.
— Yeah, exactly! — Mariam was eating. — So, the year was just amazing, I love ‘25, despite all the problems, there was way more good than bad! Emi, this is your year — we met on the night of August 23rd to 24th, and that was the most important event for me. You know, maybe there aren’t as many people around me as a few years ago, but now I have a solid, big company — and that’s you. And I can’t forget that we performed as a band for the first time last week, it was just… unforgettable. A lot of my dreams came true in ‘25. Oh, and I also met the most beautiful guy, Elvin, and the sweetest… goddess Fleya dear. I love you all! Let’s drink to us being together!
Sophie clinked her glass.
— Only you and me, Mariam, are the old ones here: I met everyone else in this room in ‘25. For me, the year wasn’t good or bad. On one hand, new people… and more than just that, — Sophie glanced at Fleya, — my first relationship and a lot of good experiences, but on the other hand… I was still recovering from my parents’ death, I was really, really bad at the beginning of the year, and by the end I lost “Marfi” and my old room. I hope everything that happens is for the best!
Elvin stretched his legs and replied:
— Yeah, I think the same. It’s for the best that I broke up with that chick and stayed in Tbilisi instead of leaving, definitely for the best! — he took a deep drag. — I honestly thought I was gonna die, not survive this year, haha! And at the end Mariam appeared, and the band too. “ANGELIC KISS” is really good, I think success is waiting for us, and all that, Vazha promised us. I think I finally found my place and became a drummer.
— Your band is so cool! — Fleya interrupted. — And I’m really happy I met you all this year too. People gave my life at least some meaning.
Emi sat quietly, listening:
— So… I guess I’m the only one who hasn’t spoken yet. My year is probably like Sophie’s: a lot of ups and downs. I just want to say “thank you” for being here…
— Thank you! — Thank you! — Mariam and Sophie said almost in unison.
— Thank you… — Fleya added in her divine voice.
— Thank you, — Elvin said when he realized he couldn’t stay silent.
A door downstairs burst open, and Vakhtang’s familiar hoarse voice echoed through the house.
They went downstairs; there was a lot to do. Vakhtang called out to them:
— Hey! New Year, New Year, shove a tangerine in my mouth, haha! If we’re celebrating together, we work together too! We need to move the table from the kitchen to the living room, set it, lay out the dishes, put the presents under the tree, yes, and clean the entire floor, then we start. Let’s go, go, go!
By eight, everyone was already sitting at the table. Champagne had been poured into glasses. On the new red tablecloth, the plates were filled with baked duck, khachapuri, khinkali, salads, tangerines and persimmons. On the TV — black-and-white films from the 80s. Vakhtang ate loudly, chewing and gulping down food, then placed his hand on Tamara and began his toast:
— Alright, I’m starting to send off this year. Everything was great for us, top class as always! Family, money, fun — everything was there. Yeee! A celebration!
He noticed an empty seat to his right — noticeably empty.
— Ami, — he said, — sit here, why are you so far away?
Fleya, who was actually occupying that seat, began to tremble:
— Right… I didn’t even think when I sat down… I need to get up right now, but the table is pressed right against the sofa, I can’t, I’ll bump into something… unless everyone gets up one by one, but that would be strange… Emi won’t be able to sit here… should I touch him?… No, I’ve been hiding for so long already… I’m tired of hiding…
Suddenly Vakhtang was overwhelmed by heat.
He jumped up from the table, pushed through people, nearly knocked over the dishes, and screamed:
— Aaa! A monster! I see a huge monster! I’ve gone insane!
Tamara immediately rushed to him:
— What’s wrong? — she muttered anxiously.
— Nothing, I just imagined it, — Vakhtang replied, stepping backwards. — I’m going to celebrate with the guys, I’ll be back soon!
He opened the door and left.
Tamara sat back at the table, exhaled.
— Again… he could at least manage one New Year without his drinking buddies…
And just as she finished speaking, she felt a burning hand on her as well, flinched, and knocked her glass to the floor.
— Well… alright, sit down, I’ll get you some food, — she said in confusion.
Emi, Mariam, Elvin and Sophie froze, watching all of this madness.
— Oh my God… this is like a blockbuster movie, — Sophie thought.
Vakhtang was running up a dark, slippery road, stumbling, breathing heavily, repeating:
— God, I’m sick…
Higher up the mountain lived two of his friends — equally desperate old men. He picked up one, then the other, they grabbed a lot of alcohol and headed toward the wild part of the mountain.
They reached the place where Emi had been crying a month ago, where the mysterious temple stood. The men sat near the edge of the cliff and started drinking.
— Well, Happy New Year, while we’re still functioning! — one said.
— While we’re still functioning! — the other replied.
Vakhtang noticed a strange shimmering light, turned around — and saw a huge god flying toward him, wings spread.
He sprang up and ran forward. He was extremely drunk. He didn’t notice the cliff.
He jumped. The rock was merciless. There was no chance of survival. Only a wet stain and scattered bones remained of Vakhtang.
The rest of the dinner did not go well; the conversation drifted into emptiness.
— I wish it was midnight already, — Mariam said lazily. — Why is it so boring? I’m tired of waiting.
— It’s quarter to eleven, — Tamara replied. — Just a little more, dear, eat some salad, some meat. TV is always garbage lately… those women are singing terribly, off-key! What nonsense.
Midnight came, and Sophie popped a party popper.
— Happy New Year! — almost everyone said at once.
— Happy happiness! — Tamara added.
She handed out sparklers, everyone clinked their glasses, and they ran to check under the tree.
— Let’s go upstairs! — Mariam suggested, struggling to carry the boxes with their names on them.
They went upstairs.
A violet foil-wrapped package read: “EMI”.
Emi opened it and smirked.
“A vibrator, 10 modes. 14 cm,” she read.
— Sophie, from you?
— Yes, happy life, darling! — Sophie replied. — I’ve been using one for a while, but maybe this year we can… diversify the ways we enjoy ourselves.
Fleya saw a beautiful pink-red handbag and a real phone — a cream-colored flip phone.
— Now you’re almost like a real human! — Sophie said excitedly.
— Thank you! Thank you! — Fleya almost cried. — You have no idea how happy I am! I’m the first goddess with a phone and a bag!
She immediately started saving contacts into her new phone.
Then Sophie announced:
— And one present didn’t fit under the tree.
Everyone turned to her.
She held out a travel agency card: “Five-pointed Star”.
On it was printed in bold: Georgiy. Handwritten were the number, destination, and dates: Kazbegi, January 6–10.
— We’re all going. I paid for four people — Fleya is free.
Mariam looked at the card, then at Sophie, and laughed:
— So… we’re going to the mountains?
— Yes. I thought we should start the year with something really nice, a trip I can already call family. Everyone likes mountains, right?
The room filled with warmth and anticipation — except Fleya.
She suddenly looked down.
— Sorry… I think I don’t want to go. I just don’t want to feel invisible again, or be put in a position where I either stay silent and behind everyone, or I speak and touch people and scare them.
— But you didn’t scare us, — Sophie replied. — You only surprised Tamara, and just Vakhtang, and he’s… well, a rather unusual person. You’re not scary. You’re sweet.
— You’re not angry at me for appearing in front of Vakhtang and him disappearing?
— Of course not. We understand you’ve been hiding for so long, it’s hard. And honestly, who is Vakhtang to us that we should care so much? He left — so he left.
— By the way, you usually get attached to shady people like Vakhtang, — Mariam said sarcastically.
— I could’ve flown up or passed through the table, but I don’t think I could’ve done it properly. To pass through surfaces, you need a specific posture… palms forward, — Fleya demonstrated. — I was sitting pressed down… I would’ve knocked something over or caused a delay…
— It’s okay, you’re not at fault, — Sophie said. — If you want, I can call the travel agent and tell him you’re coming. He seemed kind. I’ll pay extra if needed.
Suddenly Mariam grabbed her phone.
— Guys, Vazha texted me…
They all gathered around.
“Dear 🌹Mariam, happy 🎊 New Year 😘 wishing you health, success, and prosperity in all your creative work. 💣 glad to collaborate! 🤝 I hope your band succeeds 🏅 love 💜 kisses 💋 Vazha.”
Mariam typed: “Happy New Year to you too.”
— He writes like a boomer! — she laughed.
Then a bank notification arrived: transfer of 500 lari.
— Maybe we should go wander around outside? — Mariam suggested. — I’ll bring my guitar and play a bit. Of course, Vazha’s five hundred is nice, but honestly, I’d like more.
They went out and headed toward the square. A festive crowd was moving along the avenue; music, laughter, and voices came from all sides.
Mariam stopped on the sidewalk and began singing old English love songs, like “My Heart of Glass” — the ones she had learned when she was about fifteen, back when she still liked them, though now she didn’t really anymore… but the crowd did.
The others sat down on the steps of a monument.
— Mariam said on the way that we’ll split the money from the admirer between the five of us, — Sophie said. — So that’s exactly one hundred lari each. Maybe we should extend the celebration? Go somewhere tomorrow?
— Sure, where to? — Emi asked.
— We could go to Mtatsminda Park. It’s right next to us, and we’ve never been there together. We could ride the roller coasters, the Ferris wheel. I went there as a child with my parents, it was amazing! We could go to a restaurant afterward, with a view of the city at night.
— I’m a bit afraid of roller coasters, but… I think it’ll be great.
— Don’t forget, on the fourth we’re all going in full readiness to the shoot with Mariam’s admirer in some fortress. Fun holidays we’ve got ahead!
— Could you please not say “admirer,” — Elvin cut in. — It makes me uncomfortable.
— Alright, I won’t. But didn’t you notice he’s clearly in love, when we pulled her away from Vazha at the club?
— I did. And I don’t want to talk about it… I just hope it doesn’t get out of control.
— Don’t worry, she won’t leave you. Have you even seen what he looks like?
Their conversation was interrupted by a passing group of Krishna devotees. One of them, an old man with a long gray beard down to his chest, wrapped in an orange shawl, came up, wished them a happy new year, said “Hare Krishna,” handed them a book, and ran off.
Sophie opened it and started reading: “The Science of Self-Realization.”
— Emi, — she said, — let’s do a divination with the book. Pick a page between one and four hundred eighty-nine.
— Four hundred twenty-three.
— A line, up to thirty-seven.
— Let it be thirty-two.
— Now a word. We can choose: one, three, seven, eight, nine.
— The third one.
— “Void,” Emi, — Sophie said gloomily.
— Oh… just as I expected. Nothing good.
— Why think it’s something bad right away? For example, in Osho Zen Tarot there’s a card called “No-thing.” It’s pure black. It represents freedom, absence of boundaries, an empty space that can be filled with something new.
— Alright, you convinced me. Your turn.
Sophie started thinking, counting on her fingers.
In the end, she drew a word from a Sanskrit prayer, the translation of which couldn’t even be found online…
They returned only around three o’clock. When they reached the house, they saw that all the lights were off except for a distant window in the kitchen. They went inside, took off their shoes, and hung up their coats.
In the kitchen, Tamara was sitting alone, crying uncontrollably.
— Tamara? — Mariam approached her, placing a hand on her hunched back. — What happened?
— He… still hasn’t come back, — she said through tears. — And he’s not answering his phone.
— Poor thing… Do you want us to help you with something? Bring you water or food? Or just sit with you?
— Sit with me, if you want. It might make me feel better. I don’t need food… I’m not hungry, and I’ve already drunk, I think, three pitchers of water tonight.
Sophie and Emi quietly came downstairs, turned toward the kitchen, and sat down nearby. Fleya was asleep upstairs, deeply and unmovingly, and Elvin had gone back to his place.
— I loved him my whole life, — Tamara continued. — And he turned out to be such a bastard. I recently found out he was cheating on me, and probably still is. Sleeping with another woman — young, beautiful, like I used to be — celebrating New Year’s with her… And I’m a lonely fool who believed him. I loved him when I was a girl, like you. I was only twenty, he was just under thirty. It was 1993. We lived in poverty, barely surviving, but I was truly happy then. I met him at the market. He was so young, fit, charismatic! I came to his house, right here… I remember everything like it was yesterday. And nothing here has really changed — the same wallpaper, the same table, even the bed and the TV from back then. But it felt so alive, so fresh. His grandfather Georgiy was still alive then, the one who built this house. He lived upstairs with Vakhtang’s father and mother. He never married me, though I wanted children with him, I wanted to be his family. We started fighting often. He hit me for the first time… God, how terrifying it was, but I endured it. We lived like that for ten years, and I was never anything to him — just “a friend,” not even a girlfriend, as he told his parents. When I was thirty, he told me he loved another woman and didn’t want to see me anymore. I left. What else could I do? This wasn’t my home. I came from a village, and my work was in the city. I drifted through rented rooms, changed several apartments, and found — as you young people say — a boyfriend. A cheerful, kind, slightly odd man. But we both understood our feelings weren’t real, just wounds trying to heal. We broke up. Alone again. Vakhtang married that woman soon after. They had a child two years later. He never loved the child because of its mental disability, saw it as unwanted, wanted to send it to an orphanage… They lived together for another ten years. When I was forty, they divorced. He called me again and said: “Let’s live together. We’ll get married.” I believed him… and he dumped all the care of the child and the house onto me, did nothing himself. He treated me like trash. And only now, in old age, I understood it. I want a divorce, but where would I even go? I don’t love him anymore. That’s it, girls. Protect your lives. Don’t waste them on just anyone.
— You’re brave, — Sophie said, — for admitting it, first of all to yourself. You’re not deceiving yourself, and that’s the most important thing.
— Thank you, girls, — Tamara replied and hugged them all.
— Don’t worry about age. You’re not old at all! In Italy, people in their seventies live active lives, travel, take up hobbies, even go skydiving! Are we worse than Italy? You’re still beautiful, strong, full of life. Medicine is advancing. You still have half your life ahead of you!
— That’s true, — Tamara said, wiping a tear from her cheek. — I shouldn’t despair.