detail from: KRK Art dizajn

A CHILD OF FIRST LOVE

A NOVEL IN INSTALLMENTS-4

***

The whole aunt's family welcomed her in Zemun, they prepared a nice dinner and prepared a bed for her, and they spent the evening in family conversation. Everyone was happy that Dunya came to visit them and that they would be able to visit them more often. Milkica, aunt's daughter of Dunya's age, especially liked it. On the same evening, Milkica offered to go out together and that she would introduce her to her friends, which Aunt Ivana, sister of Dunya's father Milan, refused, saying that Dunya was tired from the trip and that she had to go to college tomorrow.

The next day it dawned rainy and she needed an umbrella, but she didn't bring one with her. And since Mikica went with Dunya, she took her own for both of them. By the way, Mikica knew where the school was and she knew Belgrade well enough, so Dunya was welcome not to wander. They handed over Dunya's documents at the school, and Dunya also offered a written recommendation from her doctor Marija Mitić, which the secretary received, letting it be found if needed. Her school year was only starting in a week, during which time Dunya stayed with her aunt.

On the first day of the school year, they saw on the notice board who was accepted and who got a student dormitory. Dunya got both, so the very next day she moved into the dormitory, where she got a room with another colleague, "roommate" Dragana. And two days later, their classes started. Only girls were enrolled in Dunya's Gynecology-Obstetrics course, and almost exclusively men in the Rehabilitation course. Hence, as the first introductions went on, the boys from the rehabilitation department started courting the girls from the gynecology department. Among those girls, Dunya was without competition, as the most beautiful. Beautifully built, outstandingly beautiful, with wavy auburn hair and blue eyes, she was a figure that everyone turned to. Some boys drew her attention in passing, while some immediately approached intrusively, begging her to go out with them. Dunya was cautious, and she occasionally thought about her first love, hoping that the two of them would meet somewhere.

That autumn was beautiful in Belgrade, the days were warm and sunny, the fruit bore well and the markets were full, and flowers were sold everywhere on the streets. The smell of ripe autumn was felt at every step. There was hardly a flower without at least one bee on it. The people also felt satisfaction and a good mood. Somehow, at every step, she felt cheerfulness and joy. White children are especially happy. They played everywhere in the streets where the traffic did not threaten their safety. Dunya liked the city at first sight. Immediately, after the first few days at the university, she wrote to her mother. She bragged to her about everything she had experienced in those days. She also wrote to her about her aunt Ivana and her daughter Mikica, she greeted them all.

At the university, in addition to general subjects, in the first year she also had the Latin language, and from professional subjects anatomy and physiology, health care of children and the like. She also saw from the program that in the second year she would have a foreign language (most of them opted for English), and from professional microbiology with epidemiology and pathology. And as they got older, the professional subjects were more and more close to what they were going to do, namely child psychology, pediatrics, and even children's literature, medical biochemistry, infectious diseases, musical education of children, first aid and the like. In this way, Dunya was informed in advance what to expect and immediately started preparing and adapting. It was not difficult for her because she loved the profession she had chosen. Her aunt asked her at home:

- How is it, Dunya, that you chose that profession, when no one in your family practiced medicine?

- Well, I don't even have anyone who would deal with it, Dunya answered her and continued: - You know that I only have a mother, who is a seamstress, and my father died early, I didn't even remember him. I don't even know what he was doing in his time. I worked for a year in the field of medicine and I liked it. I especially enjoy working with children and for children. I love them, they are so cute, they are the cutest when they are still little.

In the dorm, Dunya made good friends with her new colleague, "roommate" Dragana. They were both of similar behavior and easily communicated and agreed. Dragana's parents lived in Mačva, in the countryside, they had a lot of their own vegetables and fruits, so they brought most of the food from their home. They also bought her dishes, and even before arriving, Dragana knew a lot of things to cook and prepare, so the two of them started preparing snacks for themselves so that they could find anything if they happened to miss a meal in the student canteen during classes or exercises. Dunya knew how to iron clothes well, she learned that from her mother, a seamstress. So they complemented each other in many ways.

Dragana was often visited by a boy from her village. Dunya would immediately pick up her books when he came and go to the library to study there. Students from other majors also came to the library, so among them there were boys who stared at Dunya. She certainly attracted them with her beauty. She was always elegantly dressed, very well groomed and made up barely noticeable, but enough to complement her natural beauty. Usually the boys stared at her, hesitant to approach her. She secretly noticed their looks, but tried not to look back at them. Her professors and assistants noticed her both during classes and exercises. In their department, most of the professors and assistants were women, but also a few men. One younger assistant in particular revolved around Dunya, which his colleagues noticed.

- How is it, Dunya, that you don't have a boyfriend, and you are so beautiful and handsome? Her roommate Dragana asked Dunya. - No one has ever come to visit you, not even your parents.

- I don't have anyone Dragan! Dunya answered her. - I only have my mother in Bosnia, and she is far away from visiting me. I will go home when we finish the year. I don't have a boyfriend. I had him when I was in high school, and since he lived in Novi Sad, and my mother was in a hurry to marry me, it didn't suit him, he had just finished technical school and started working. When his company offered him a scholarship to study and he accepted, my mother didn't like it and forced me to end the relationship.

- So why don't you find him now, when you're here, Novi Sad is not far, if you still love him?

- Well, he doesn't even know I'm here, he would probably look for me, and how can I look for him first, and I'm not even sure if he would like that.

- Are you crazy, try it, what will it cost you!

-How to do it? Dunya asked her.

- We'll figure it out, I'll find some connection and we'll make it happen, just give me some time to ask my folks. - Do you agree if I manage to arrange it?

- I agree, in principle. I'll see what you suggest and let you know my final decision. - It's okay, we'll make an agreement.

The next time Dragana's boyfriend came, she asked Dunya not to go to the library, and started asking her boyfriend who he might know in Novi Sad, without telling him why he was asking him. When she mentioned to him that she needed someone to find someone, he promised to ask around and let her know. The next two weeks pass like that, when he brings her news of cousin Erika, the sister of their first niece. Erika, he said, is German by mother, and studies literature. She will succeed, and now you can find out what you need, here is the phone number and address of Erika and her parents.

When Dragana called Erika on the phone, Erika was at class, and her mom promised her that Erika would call her. So it was. Erika called in the evening and they agreed to meet.

Dragana asked Erika if she could find Boris, who is studying at a technical college for the food industry, but she didn't even know the name of the college. When Erika told her that she knew Boris personally and that she was teaching him German, since as she told her:

-Boris is getting ready to go to Germany. Soon, his professor is sending him for a summer internship. Dragana could not believe that this coincidence completely coincided with her request.

- Then Erika, get out to the bus station on Saturday around two in the afternoon, my roommate will arrive, her name is Dunya, she looks very beautiful, you will recognize each other, I explained to her what you look like. You should take her somewhere where she will meet Boris, that will happen to you, but don't tell him in advance who will be visiting him.

- Agreed, Erika confirmed to her, without telling her anything about her acquaintance with Boris. Erika only told Boris that the two of them would meet that Saturday at two o'clock at the bus station. And since Boris was seeing Erika, either for German lessons or for dating, he didn't even ask her for what reason, thinking that the two of them would meet and go somewhere to spend an hour together. Boris lived in a student dormitory, and his roommate went to his parents in Zrenjanin that weekend.

When Erika and Boris met at the bus stop a little before two hours ago, they kissed and Boris asked her where she wanted to go. To that Erika said to him:

- We have to wait for one of my friends, she is coming from Belgrade, so we will make an agreement with her.

About ten minutes pass, when the bus from Belgrade arrives and the passengers start getting out. Boris doesn't pay attention to anyone, because he doesn't expect anyone. And when Dunya appeared at the door, he recognized her and in astonishment ran up to meet her, hugged each other tightly and began to kiss, not letting go of each other's embrace. To that Erika will:

- I don't even need to try to recognize my guest, she was recognized by the one to whom she is coming. - I can leave you two now, you will manage without me.

- Erika, don't go home, let's go sit together somewhere, Boris told her.

- Come on, Boris, you and I will see each other another time, and now you have a nice guest, go where you want. I wish you a pleasant meeting, may you have a nice time.

Boris decides to take Dunya to the "Staro Zdanje" restaurant. They have good dishes and pleasant soft music. They will be comfortable there, no one will bother them. They sat down in the corner away from the window and ordered "Karađorđe steak" and ice cream for dessert. Boris sat Dunya against the wall, where her face was illuminated by the daylight, which he enjoyed. She was beautiful to him, he couldn't believe his eyes that it was reality, that she had come to him after four years. There was a constant gentle smile on her face, and when she spoke her teeth were like a string of pearls. It seemed to Boris that he was reflected in her eyes. He did not take his eyes off Dunya.

- And how come you came to me after so long? -And how did you manage to find me?

- Well, I came to Belgrade to study, and when I talked to my roommate and mentioned you, she promised to help me find you, and I found you. I hope you do not have anything against it?

- Not that I have anything against it. I never hoped we would ever see each other again. You made me happy, you made me happy, overjoyed. You changed my life. All these years, since we weren't in a relationship, I was grieving all the time, and I loved you, and I love you now. Thank you for finding me. No one has ever done such a nice thing to me, nor can anyone else do such a thing to you. He leaned across the table and kissed her. He took her hands in his and caressed them lightly. Tears of joy appeared in his eyes. It was Boris' second birthday. It was as if an angel had come to him from another planet or from heaven. They didn't even notice when the waiter put their food on the table, and he noticed the rapture they were in, so he didn't say anything to them. He put down the dishes and walked away unnoticed. And from another corner came soft music, which made their meeting more beautiful. Unforgettable for both.

Leaving the restaurant, Boris showed Dunya the building of Matica Srpska, and then the Nikolaev Church where Mileva and Albert Einstein baptized both of their sons. Walking further down Pašićeva Street, he carried her travel bag in his left hand and held her in his arms with his right. They walked slowly, looking at the shop windows, passed by the Cathedral and Bishop's Court, then stopped at Dunavska Street and returned along Zmaj-Jovina Street to the town hall in the center of town. Along the way, they bought pastries for dinner in a small shop, which they took to his dorm.

After arriving at the home, first she, then he, went to the bathroom, washed their hands and freshened up, while Boris stretched out his couch. When Dunya came out of the bathroom, Boris welcomed her with open arms and immediately embraced her. He pulled her to his chest with all his strength, feeling the touch of her body, so she hugged him too. So they spent a few minutes with their mouths together, kissing, and then Boris put his hand on her chest and started unbuttoning her blouse. Dunya closed her eyes and surrendered to him, her face felt a rise in temperature, she liked the touch of his hands, which were going lower and lower down her body. They both glowed and then hurriedly began to remove each other's clothes. They almost didn't even feel that both of them were soon completely naked and joined as one body. As Boris moved back and forth, she breathed harder and harder, her eyes closed, pulling him closer and closer to herself. Then came the moment when they both started screaming with happiness and enjoyment. For some time after that, they still hugged, and then Dunya got up to go to the bathroom, where she caught Boris's seed in a sterile, very small vial, and then put it in the refrigerator. Boris didn't pay attention to it, and he didn't notice anything. Then she returned to Boris on the couch, they lay together, then after ten minutes they repeated the game of love again, which lasted for a very long time. Only then were they both joyful. They felt closer to each other and were more relaxed. They were laughing, looking into each other's eyes, and Boris kept both his hands on her breasts, which barely fit in his hands. There was no end to the enjoyment, until it got dark, when they decided to go out for a walk on the beach.

They held hands on the beach, looking at the beauty of the Danube. Dusk was falling and the lights were just starting to come on in the cottages on the slopes of Fruška Gora and the houses in Sremska Kamenica. And the Petrovaradin fortress glittered in the light reflected in the waves of the Danube. Some pedestrians were crossing the bridge in both directions. And the two, calm and happy, slowed down their walk to make it last longer. Some of the acquaintances passing by just wave their hand as a sign of greeting and go in their own direction. Dunya suddenly asked Boris:

- What is the coincidence that you and Erika know each other and that my roommate came across her while looking for a contact in Novi Sad?

- Well, Erika lived in the neighborhood where I lived until I got a student dormitory. My friend used to have fun with her, and when he went on vacation, the two of us extended our relationship, and I replaced him. And since I started preparing to go to Germany, she started helping me, teaching me, she is German by mother. And so, we see each other almost every day. I will have to honor her for bringing you.

- What is the coincidence that you and Erika know each other and that my roommate came across her while looking for a contact in Novi Sad?

- Well, Erika lives in the neighborhood where I lived until I got a student dormitory. My friend used to have fun with her, and when he went on vacation, the two of us extended our relationship, and I replaced him. And since I started preparing to go to Germany, she started helping me, teaching me, she is German by mother. And so, we see each other almost every day. I will have to honor her for bringing you.

- Respect her, just don't let her steal you from me. She looks good, and I wouldn't want to lose you, now that we've been reunited after four years.

- And tell me the reason why you stopped writing, without even answering my two letters. I'm guessing your mom was the reason, I'm just not sure why.

- To be honest, she needed a man's company, and since I was already an adult, I think I was bothering her and she was rushing me to get married, and I didn't want to.

- So my friend Branko was right, who told me the same thing. It was hard for me, because I loved you, but I had to accept that I was rejected.

- It's just lucky that I didn't reject you, but my mom, so you see, we found each other and now we're together. If I didn't love you, I wouldn't even look for you.

- Thank you for finding me, now I am happy and I love you.

-I love you too. At that they hugged and kissed even though other walkers were passing by.

Returning to the dorm, they continued to make love until after midnight, after which they both fainted and fell asleep in each other's arms. When they woke up, the sun was already high, and there was absolute silence outside. It was Sunday, no one was in a hurry to go to work and only birds could be heard from the surrounding trees. In the bathroom, they bathed together, Boris enjoyed soaping Dunja, especially focusing on the parts of his body that he liked the most. And Dunja was truly extraordinarily built, as if the world's most famous sculptors had shaped it. They both liked standing naked, hugging each other in the shower. It seemed to them that they would stay together forever. Finally, the moment came when they had to separate, dress and get ready to go. They had lunch together once more, and in the afternoon Boris escorted Dunja to the bus. While she was packing her things, she took a bottle from the fridge, which Boris did not pay attention to, because Dunja did not tell him anything about it. At the bus stop, they stood in each other's arms for a long time, until the conductor told them to go. And when Dunja entered the bus and sat by the window, Boris waved at her, blowing her a kiss, until she completely disappeared from his sight.

Boris met with Erika in the evening and told her only some details about Dunja, although she knew what it was about and did not object to it.

Only about a week passed, when Boris left for Germany. He was going on a ferial internship, and Dunji responded with only one letter. He didn't even manage to wait for an answer from her, and she knew when he was leaving, so she didn't even write to him. That's how they agreed.

***

When Dunja arrived in Belgrade, the very next day she met with her professor, with whom she consulted about what to do with her sample that she brought from Novi Sad. She didn't say anything about it to Boris, and she explained her idea to the professor, asking if there was a chance that it could theoretically work. Her intention is to preserve the seed in a frozen state, so that if she ever needs to fertilize it. She read about it, that they were working on those researches, so she decided that she should carry out that experiment, since she loved Boris and they were not in a position to get married right away. When the professor heard Dunja's idea, she knew about world research, even though she did not deal with it herself. She just told her:

- You know what: I will transfer that sample to you in a test tube, I will mark it with your name and it will be given a code under which it will be stored, and you can take it whenever you want and you can do whatever you want with it. No one else will have the right to do anything with it without your permission. Dunja agreed with that.

During the school holidays, she traveled to Bosnia to visit her mother. At home, she met her mother's friend Mladen, with whom she maintained regular contact. Dunja expected that she didn't show any signs of opposition and befriended him. He helped mom with all the housework that was more masculine. At the health center, she met doctor Maria, with whom she maintained good contacts, and told her about her idea and the sample she had left in Belgrade. Neither Marija, nor her teacher in Belgrade, had any knowledge that this idea could succeed, but she agreed with Dunya, telling her:

- You won't lose anything. You can keep it, so when you decide to experiment you can tell me, and I would be happy to be informed. I will be happy if it is successful. And you know what else: If you succeed, you might be among the first in the world, you never know. Good luck to you.

Dunya told doctor Maria about her relationship with Boris, but at that time it was her infertile days, so there was no fear that she had become pregnant.

Dunya didn't tell her mother anything about Boris. She knew she wouldn't like it, so she didn't even want to let her know. She didn't even mention to her that she was in Novi Sad, nor did she mention Boris's name at all. She found her school friends, with whom she went to the beach in those days, and in the evening they went out to meet everyone and have fun. And in those days, they preferred to go to the fortress, from where they had a wonderful view of the river and the surrounding mountains. One evening, old friends Amir and Sejdo came with guitars. They stayed with the concert until the moonlight appeared, which made the evening much more pleasant.

She spent the entire vacation at home with her mother. She spent most of her time working at the health station. There she socialized with the friends she had previously acquired and with doctor Maria. She trusted her and could confide in her about everything and ask for expert advice. Ferial practice was not compulsory for them that year, but it was welcome.

She did not receive a single letter from Boris from Germany, it was not practically possible for him to ask the post office there for a stamp, and so they agreed that he would not write to her during his stay. Only when he returned before the beginning of the new school year did he come to Belgrade to see each other. Then Dunya's roommate Dragana had already arrived, so all three of them went out for a walk together and spent some time in the pastry shop. In the early evening, Boris returned by train, and the two accompanied him to the station. At parting, Dunya and Boris hugged and kissed each other, promising to visit each other in the future. When the train was leaving the station, Boris leaned out of the window and waved for a long time, and Dunya waved at him until he was completely out of her sight.

A new school year has started for both of them, Boris's is the third, with the most difficult subjects, and Dunya is the second, also with more and more serious vocational subjects. At that time, she had more and more practical exercises, some exercises were even started to be performed in health centers and hospitals. Both of them had less and less time left to write, so their contacts began to decrease. Autumn was beautiful, the market stalls were full of ripe fruit, and the days were sunny and the weather was perfect for spending time in nature, but there was no time for that. "Gypsy summer" was approaching, when the leaves started to turn red and the buzzing of bees could be heard everywhere. The whole animal world was getting ready for winter rest. Only the students had to work harder. Both Boris and Dunya counted the days and months until the end of their schooling, planning when their wedding day would come, the day of their life together. They were both waiting for him with delight, they loved each other and dreamed that no one would separate them again.

Another year will pass like that, when Boris, in addition to the exams in the fourth year, was also doing his graduation thesis, and Dunya was finishing her third year of studies, and for her the most difficult one. During that time, they saw each other twice, once in Belgrade and once in Novi Sad. Dunya was coming to Novi Sad to attend Boris' defense of his diploma, on which occasion they went out to the Petrovaradin Fortress in the evening after the defense. The plateau in front of the restaurant offered the most beautiful view of the city and Fruška Gora, which Dunya liked very much. She told Boris that she would be happy if she would be given the opportunity to live here. Walking by the defensive wall, she whispered to him:

- I fell in love with you, and from now on I feel in love with Novi Sad as well. To me, Novi Sad is an extremely beautiful city. As of today, you are an engineer, you have achieved your dream, and soon I will, so after that we will be able to get married without mom's insistence. You already have secured employment, as a scholarship holder, and I hope that I could also easily get a job in Novi Sad, my profession is in demand everywhere in Yugoslavia, which will be enough for us to live a decent life. Boris then hugged her even tighter, pulled her to him and kissed her tenderly, telling her: - I love you Dunya and I feel the happiest with you. They walked like that, hugging each other, while the October night seemed pleasant, warm with a gentle breeze from the direction of Fruška Gora. Both were beaming with happiness that evening. They spent that night together, and the next day Boris saw Dunya off on the bus to Belgrade, not knowing that it would be the last time they saw each other.

To be continued...

Kalemegdan fortress, Belgrade

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