The child s heart

 Mary looked at the window. The snowflakes were dancing their tender waltz. The sky was dark-blue like Mary’s mother’s best dress. Somewhere one could hear magic New Year songs, which seemed to recall all the world’s miracles.
- I wish I could see the Moon, - Mary said to herself, - She must be playing hide-and-seek with these dark clouds.
 Mother entered the room. Mary turned to her.
- My dear, it is too late, you must go to sleep.
- It’s New Year’s Eve! May I do that a little bit later?
- Oh, Mary, dear… Please, go to sleep. This night will be magic for you. Don’t miss it.
- Really? – Mary’s eyes glittered, - Do you really think so?
- I am sure, - Mother smiled kindly.
 Mary went to bed, a little irritated. Oh, these adults are so strict! And their rules are always so stupid! The little girl closed her eyes. She was sad.
 She seemed to fall asleep, but suddenly she heard a very nice voice. Mary could not even guess, to whom it belonged – to a little boy or to a girl of her age.
- Hey... Mary! Can you hear me? – the Voice greeted her in a very strange way.
 Mary didn’t open her eyes – she was afraid of never hearing the Voice any other time. She was surprised. She had a very strange feeling – her heart got so warm, as though somebody embraced her and said the most wonderful and lovely words which exist in this world.
- Who are you? I can’t see you? Where are you?
- I can’t explain clearly to you, who I am. I carry your name and I live inside your heart.
- Inside my heart? It means that I will never see you? – Mary smiled.
- You will always feel me, being a child… - The Voice whispered, - Today it’s time for good wishes.
 Mary laughed quietly.
- How nice! I always dreamed of seeing a big Polar Bear… Can you show it to me?
- With pleasure!
 The night darkness disappeared, and Mary saw a white desert. Above that she could see a dark blue strip of cold water. And a huge Polar Bear was walking around, surrounded by two charming little bears.
- You can touch it. He is kind, ’cause the dream is yours, - The Voice said.
 Mary liked the Bear. The animal was so pretty! Its wool was so soft! Mary played with the little bears. She didn’t lose the chance to look at the cold water, and it was like a mirror, so pure and so mysterious…
- Now, I would like to see the real New Year party! – the girl exclaimed.
- This will happen next night! – the Voice promised.
 Time passed quickly. Next night, the 1st of January, Mary visited a very big room, where she was listening to the glorious music and dancing. The gigantic fir tree was shining brightly, and its light seemed to eclipse the night’s darkness. Another time she even got a chance to see the boundless ocean and an island, whose inhabitants had never seen snow and huge fur-trees.
 Every holiday The Voice visited the happy little girl. She saw beautiful places, she enjoyed all the landscapes presented to her imagination.
- I want to be visited forever. Always… Every night! - Mary said sadly.
- I will be inside you. Till the age do us part. One day your heart will close. But I am living inside your heart forever…
 Time passed. Mary was already thirteen, then, instantly she was celebrating her twentieth birthday, and she didn’t notice, how she became a very serious, clever and good-looking woman. She smiled very seldom as though she had suddenly lost this ability.
 She was already thirty-three. Mary had a pretty daughter – a little girl with golden hair and big blue eyes, who was only six. It was New Year’s Eve. The last day of the year was clear and the whole street was white – the day before it had been snowing for a very long time.
- Lucy, my dear, it is too late, you must go to sleep.
- It’s New Year’s Eve! May I do that a little bit later?
 Mary hesitated… Once she had heard these same words …
- This night will be magic for you. Don’t miss it, - she answered.
 She went up to the window. The night was pure. The stars, little unreachable diamonds, were shining brightly. The full Moon was like the only eye of this fabulous night.
- Mummy, do you really think so? – the daughter shouted.
 For an instant, Mary stayed immobile. Her eyes caught sight of a falling star. She smiled.
- I am sure, - she answered.
 Her eyes glittered. At the same moment her heart got so warm, as though somebody embraced her and said the most wonderful and lovely words which exist in this world…