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Flying Happy
Susanna Arutyunyan
Anna Kazaryan
Mariya Kazaryan
Cover Design by Arabo Sarkissian
Desktop publishing by Ninetta Adamyan
English translation by Lilit Bekaryan
© Susanna Arutyunyan, 2019
© Anna Kazaryan, 2019
© Mariya Kazaryan, 2019
ISBN 978-5-4496-3506-8
Created with Ridero smart publishing system
EARNED HAPPINESS
CHAPTER 1
HELEN
When Helen turned six, her parents gave her a robot, a funny rubber monster Xena. She named him Tesla. Though Tesla was no way different from any other interactive toy, he was Helen’s favourite.
Charming and kind, Tesla could wiggle his ears, make hand movements, nod, clap, sing and cry. His smile would make the girl happy and he would nestle in her hands when falling asleep. He would wave her off, when she tickled his toes and would drift off to sleep again. She was so taken with the little monster that would never part with him.
Helen’s brother, Arthur, was her senior by eight years. He was 14, a tough age for the whole family.
He had in mind only his video games, his girlfriend Yulia and his mates with who he would hang out in cafés with until late at night. At the same time, nobody could guess how he could find time for his assignments and be an excellent student. Because of the age difference, the children were not close to each other. They didn’t share any common interests, nor were they friends. Despite this, Helen felt that she could always rely on her brother. When reflecting on her future as a schoolgirl, Helen always wondered who she would like to take care of Xena. “I could leave him with Arthur”, she would often think, “but he might forget about him and he will remain hungry and lonely. I still have a year to make a decision. Things might change a lot during this period and I’ll make the correct decision.”
If she had known how right her assumptions were…
Both Helen and Xena were in pre-school. Helen loved drawing. Her pictures were interesting and her parents let her paint on the walls of her own room. The room came alive with colours and Tesla clapped with delight.
Helen was also a good tennis player. At weekends, she would play table tennis with her parents in the yard and Xena would watch her with interest.
When Helen was attending her ballroom dance classes, Xena would quietly sit in the hall, as the girl was going through cha-cha steps.
– …Turn to the right, … step forward, toe… turn again, one, two, three…
Helen also played the piano and sang in the choir and Xena also got interested in music.