A Deer Decides to Become a Lion

After the train stopped and Parvis stepped out onto the platform, he was in no hurry to go straight to his fiancée. Instead, the young man headed for the phone booth, trying to ignore the rain that still hadn't stopped. He went inside, smelling the distinctive scent of old wood and the faint smell of coins. He closed the door and dialed the number, replaying the latest events in his head and anticipating the meeting.

The phone rang several times, and soon the sleepy voice of Walton, his fiancee's older brother, was heard on the line.

“Hello?” the voice sounded tired, like a person who had just woken up.

Parvis, with a cheerful and slightly sparkling expression on his face, did not delay:

“How is she? And how is my aunt?”

Walton paused for a moment, apparently aware of who was on the other end of the line, and then responded with a hint of irritation, but also a hint of tired sarcasm:

“Why did you send her to us? Because of her, my mother is constantly having some kind of fights. I can't talk to her calmly, everything about you and your position as a candidate for my sister's groom. She's very worried.”

Parvis, without changing his intonation, let out a joke to the side:

“It doesn't matter, Walton. It's all nonsense. The main thing is, get ready for the park, I'll be waiting for you there.”

There was a slight breath on the other side, perhaps a tired "eh" from the conversation being over, but Parvis didn't let the pause drag on. He ended the conversation instantly:

“Well, don't be late. See you later!”

He hung up the phone with a small smile on his face and walked slowly out of the station, drowning in the city, overflowing with people. The clothes that seemed to him ideal for any occasion, with its immaculate white jacket and blue waistcoat, did not stand out at all among the bright outfits of those walking around. But despite the noisy city and the bustle, his thoughts were focused on something else.

He turned into the park, and when he reached the alley, he decided to rest a little. The park was full of people, among whom Parvis noticed several gendarmes - perhaps some kind of celebration or festival was taking place. They stood guard, as expected, maintaining order on this day of fun. But he did not care about the crowd, nor did he care about the bright atmosphere around him. He was already getting used to the fact that the world around him was moving, not noticing what was hidden under the surface.

Parvis walked over to a bench under one of the trees, where he leaned back, taking a copy of Sue Miller's “The Good Mother” out of his pocket. He grinned, knowing that it wasn't just a book for solitary reading. Hidden within the pages of the novel was something much more important - several documents, carefully folded and encrypted, that he could deliver to the right people. But for now, all was well. The documents were hidden between the pages, and the book itself was just another novel that no one would bother to check.

Buying this bestseller seemed like a coincidence, but it was actually part of a plan. While he was in the bookstore, looking at the options, he realized that this particular book would be the one that no one would pay attention to. A novel about family relationships - who would bother checking the contents? It was the perfect cover to hide what was important.

Once he was at the station, Parvis carefully placed the documents between the pages and, enjoying the moment, walked out into the street with them.

“No one will notice”, he thought. “The gendarmes? They are just waiting for someone to disturb the order, and a book that contains something so important will be absolutely innocent to everyone”.

He looked around the park, noticing how people passed by, alone and in groups, oblivious to his presence. That was fine with him: he was just another in the crowd, holding a book like everyone else. But in his case, it wasn't just a book. There were pages with something more hidden within them.

He opened it, listening to the rustling around him, and continued reading, although his eyes did not show the same lively interest that a normal reader would have. In fact, his thoughts were occupied with something completely different: What if someone suddenly decided to find out what was hidden between these pages?

But he immediately pushed those thoughts away. There were too many people around, and they were all busy with their own affairs. Parvis smiled quietly and decided that for now everything would be fine. Everything was going according to plan.

Parvis sat on the bench, still reading The Good Mother, lost in thought. His eyes wandered from page to page, but his attention was less on the book than on what lay between its leaves. All was quiet, and he was almost at ease when Walton came up from behind a tree.

Walton was somewhat sloppy, hatless and unshaven, which certainly did not add to his attractiveness in comparison with the perfectly groomed Parvis. His sad eyes and slightly rumpled appearance seemed a contrast to his friend's impeccable appearance.

“Hello”, Parvis said with a warm smile, standing up and offering his hand.

Walton, however, did not respond to the greeting with his former energy. His face remained thoughtful and slightly sullen.

"Sit down", Parvis invited, sitting down on the bench again.

He moved over to make room and opened the book to the very page where the hidden documents lay neatly.

Walton glanced at the pages and, seeing what he needed, couldn't help but smile. He relaxed slightly, though his gaze remained heavy.

But Parvis noticed something alarming at that moment. One of the gendarmes standing nearby cast a sideways glance at them. His eyes lingered for a moment on the two friends, and for a moment there was a feeling that their conversation had become too noticeable.

Without hesitation, Parvis quickly closed the book, no longer seeming interested in what was in it. He straightened up and said with a slight smile: