The conductor seated the pregnant stowaway in a compartment with the strange old man. That night, screams echoed through the car.

Natalya had an unsettling premonition that morning. Her 19-year-old daughter, Lusya, had brought home a kitten named Musya. But the kitten made a mess on the bathroom mat. Despite Lusya’s apologetic pleas, Natalya, already late for work, refused to clean it up. They argued briefly, mainly about Lusya’s boyfriend, Igor, before Natalya rushed out. She caught the van, only to trip over the curb and fall, her stockings torn, skirt dirtied, and shirt sleeve ripped.

“Hello, Natalya. What happened to you?” Nikolai Sergeyevich, the foreman, greeted her, his voice dripping with amusement.

“None of your business,” she snapped, irritated at his usual probing. She had always felt judged by him. Despite the awkward exchange, she boarded the train and went to check the compartments. She passed the “hermit”—an older man who was known for his odd behavior and grim expression. He never spoke to anyone, and passengers usually avoided sitting near him.

To her surprise, when she asked the hermit if he needed anything, he requested some tea. She almost dropped the tray, shocked by his sudden engagement in conversation. She left the tea with him, closing the door and returning to her duties.

As she checked the compartments, Natalya discovered a strange bag in an empty seat. Upon further inspection, she realized it wasn’t a bag at all, but a pregnant young woman named Kira, hiding and crying. She had run away from her fiancé and his family, who wanted to take her baby from her.

“They want to take my child,” Kira cried. “I won’t give up my baby. I have nowhere else to go.”

Natalya, moved by the girl’s distress, offered her some tea and a sandwich. Kira explained that her fiancé’s family had manipulated her into transferring her apartment to them, and now they planned to have her declared insane and take the child. Desperate, she fled.

Natalya, seeing the girl was younger than her own daughter, Lusya, decided to help. “You’ll stay with one passenger for now,” she said, leading Kira to the compartment with the hermit. “He’s a little strange, but don’t worry. He’s harmless.”

When Kira entered the compartment, the hermit barely reacted, his eyes narrowing when he saw her pregnant belly. He stayed silent, staring out the window.

Hours later, the situation took a dramatic turn. Kira went into labor. The hermit, who unexpectedly revealed he was a doctor, confirmed that the baby was positioned incorrectly. The nearest station was hours away, and there was no doctor on the train. The passengers began to gather, murmuring anxiously.

As Kira struggled, the old man calmly directed Natalya to fetch towels and boiled water. With Nikolai organizing the passengers, they worked together to help Kira through the labor. Three hours later, a healthy baby boy was born. The passengers erupted into applause.

The old man revealed his identity: Roman Savitskiy. He had once been a prominent doctor but had disappeared after his daughter died during childbirth. His grief had kept him away, but seeing Kira’s situation reminded him of his purpose—to help others. He promised to take Kira and her baby to his home and raise them both.

As the train pulled into the station, an ambulance arrived for Kira and the baby. Roman stayed with them, offering to provide a safe home for Kira, and even suggesting he might help her find a husband.

Natalya, deeply moved by his kindness, returned to the train. She was exhausted but relieved that everything had turned out well. However, when she returned home, there was a surprise waiting for her—Lusya’s fiancé, Igor. The young couple had decided to get married, and Igor was there to ask for Natalya’s approval.

After a tense conversation about his work, his studies, and his feelings for Lusya, Natalya gave her blessing. She realized that despite all the chaos, her daughter was happy, and that’s what mattered.

At Lusya’s wedding, Nikolai Sergeyevich sat beside Natalya. No longer her boss, he had become a friend, someone she trusted. As she watched her daughter marry, she was struck by how quickly life changed. Despite everything, it was a new beginning for all of them.