Mikhail sat at the table, buried in a pile of papers, frowning. How did his father keep all this in his mind? If Mikhail had to process all that these numbers represented, through his mind, nerves, and heart, he too wouldn’t be looking at them like a student glancing at notes for a class he’d skipped. And why hadn’t his father introduced him to managing the company and involved him in business dealings earlier? He had asked many times. But his father was adamant: learn, experience life, there’s time, the company won’t run away from you. Mikhail even sometimes felt that his father either didn’t trust him or was jealous of his own creation. It was hard to tell: his father was naturally a reserved, restrained, and laconic man, and his mother’s early death had made him almost morose. Mikhail understood his father; he saw how hard it was for him to juggle work and the suddenly empty house. He himself was still just a boy, barely able to help. But his father had an iron character and rare endurance, so, albeit with a clear lack of warmth and affection, he provided care, attention, and daily bread for his son and achieved good results in work. Business was his second child, watched over day and night, and Mikhail always felt that he would never let anyone into his domain, including him. And here you go! Without any internships, now he had to take over managing the company. Perhaps his father thought the most effective learning method was deep immersion? If you fall into the ice hole, swim out, or you’ll die. Maybe. And maybe there was some rational grain in it. But Mikhail felt like a complete idiot, hanging on unfamiliar nuances and catching skeptical looks from deputies for whom he was a greenhorn, not a leader. At least his father instructed who to approach with which questions, who to rely on, and generally who was who. But authority had to be earned. How many more bumps would he get, and would he earn it? There’s Anatoly Vasilievich, for instance: speaks smoothly, but his lips are pursed, and his eyes coldly mocking: struggle, fledgling, maybe wings will grow. Good people, as there are plenty everywhere, have already informed that he had already seen himself in his father’s chair. One should be more careful with him, he’s a predatory man. At the thought of Anatoly Vasilievich, ready to catch him on any mistake, Mikhail immersed himself in the financial report with doubled diligence.
Two hours later, tired and drained, he drove home through the evening city. Dusk had already given way to darkness, dispelled by street lighting and the colorful lights of signs and storefronts. Near the «Big Ben» club, Mikhail felt a pang of sorrow. I wonder if Ilona is there now? And if so, with whom? Although… what difference does it make to him now? They both made their choices. If you look truth in the eye, the outcome was practically predetermined: Ilona – the daughter of the director of an international company, never knowing denial, having no idea where money comes from, used to wasting it without knowing its worth. And him… Yes, he’s not a poor boy, but the revenues of their business can’t even closely compare with the level of life Ilona is accustomed to. His father assessed everything immediately. Mikhail then didn’t understand why his father, having apparently liked Ilona, just briefly replied to his son’s questioning glance: «Cut your own wood and it will warm you twice.» Life experience taught his father well what his son would face. Good thing he didn’t tell him, a lovesick fool, let him see for himself on his own experience. Now, when Ilona’s constant whims and offenses over the fact that perfumes could be bought more expensive, a restaurant for meeting could be chosen fancier, and flowers more exotic, everything seems in a different light, but then… Why, why is she so irresistibly, impossibly lovely: long chestnut hair, sculpted figure, mermaid-like greenish eyes… Even now, after so many quarrels, disappointments, and the break-up, a chill runs over his skin at the mere memory. But memory also supplied unpleasant moments: he still remembers how she sneered at his sincere but hardly wealthy friends when he happened to bring Ilona to a party celebrating the end of university; how she didn’t want to consider that he had to rush to the hospital to his surgically treated childless sister in his father’s absence. He was already covered with astonishment then: how can such a beautiful appearance have such a selfish character? The last straw was their joint vacation attempt. His father had just missed a profitable deal then, had to pay a penalty, and Mikhail knew well with what difficulty his father had scraped together funds for a vacation in Malta, but Ilona fancied Mexico. You see, she dreamed all her life of seeing Machu Picchu! Paying for Machu Picchu was harder for Mikhail than rowing to Mexico, and he revolted. The long-accumulated tension found an outlet and Ilona learned quite a lot about her complete unfitness for life and ignorance of its realities, unwillingness to look at life not from a nightclub window or her daddy’s car, and inability to be sensitive to other people. In response, Mikhail learned that he was a miser and a plebeian, not understanding what a precious diamond had luckily fallen into his hands and that a precious stone needs an expensive setting. A fit of anger declared Mikhail that gems are also stunningly beautiful but much less of a headache and a loud door slam put an end to their relationship. Despite all understanding of the correctness and inevitability of what happened, the unhealed wound ached, and Mikhail, at the memory of just one name Ilona, gritted his teeth and swore to himself to take his father’s business to a new level so that no one ever dared to humiliate him again because of his financial situation.
The meeting the next day was successful. Even managed to wipe the nose of Anatoly Vasilievich, who tried to ask the newly minted leader tricky questions. So when the door to his office cracked open and the girl in uniform asked if she would disturb the leader by watering the growing hibiscus in the office, Mikhail nodded graciously and even looked up from the papers to get a better look at the newcomer. The girl quickly lowered her eyes. «And she’s not bad looking,» the man noted: «The hairstyle, of course, is nothing special and judging by all she doesn’t have much for dressing up, but quite alright, especially considering the total lack of makeup.» Aloud he asked:
— Are you new?
— Yes, I was just hired today, so I didn’t manage to take care of it in your absence.
Mikhail noted to himself that the girl was modest but dignified and he liked that:
— What’s your name?
— Lera, — the girl answered and smiled slightly. The smile was sunny, her face seemed to light up with some light.
— Very glad to have such an addition to our team, — Mikhail’s mood lifted, — Valeria, if you need anything, come in, don’t be shy, I’ll consider all requests and wishes
— Thank you, — the girl smiled radiantly again and, grabbing the watering can, disappeared behind the office door.
«Well, at least one truly pleasant face lately,» thought Mikhail and enthusiastically took up studying the project of a new contract.
From that day he gradually began to taste his new business. The accumulated information from quantity turned into quality and he increasingly managed to make the right decision or make a relevant remark. This uplifted him and young energy rushed into a new channel for it. Mikhail started coming to the office earlier to manage to work in silence or stayed to analyze the accumulated information of the day without distractions. One such day, arriving at the office an hour earlier than usual, he noticed the door to his deputy’s office ajar. «Why can’t you sleep, Anatoly Vasilievich?» a thought flashed because the deputy had not been seen either coming early or leaving late, rather the opposite. The thought did not have time to continue because voices were heard from behind the door: ringing upset — of the new cleaner Lera’s and hissingly displeased — of Anatoly Vasilievich’s:
— Anatoly Vasilievich, I am forced to warn you that if you try to behave in such an inappropriate way again, I will be forced to defend myself — the female voice was barely holding back.
— Look at us, what words we know, — the male voice pressed threateningly, -And in what way are you going to do that? Don’t pretend to be a princess, or you’ll be out of a job in no time. We’ve seen the likes of you before, untouchable…
Further, some noise was heard, then the sound of a ringing slap, the snap of a door and light steps of fleeing girlish legs.
«Good girl!» Mikhail mentally applauded: «That’s what he needs, the bald lothario. Decided to become a Casanova, apparently that’s why he came to work early.» The thought that the deputy got a slap from Lera filled him with almost boyish joy and a desire to take the newcomer under his wing.
But a couple of days later the matter took a completely unexpected turn. Into Mikhail’s office came a sullen and threatening Anatoly Vasilievich with a sheet of paper and laid it on the director’s desk.
— What is this? — Mikhail was surprised.
— An official note, — Anatoly Vasilievich grated, — I registered it with the secretary.
— Why?
— So that there is no possibility to brush it off and put it under the cloth. Facts of money disappearance among the staff have appeared in our office. This was not observed before. I indicated the names of the affected employees. Please organize a check of the newly hired personnel to identify the perpetrator. I personally suspect the new cleaner. No one else has such freedom of movement around the office. There were no such cases before her arrival.
With these words, Anatoly Vasilievich got up and solemnly left, and Mikhail almost broke his «Parker» from annoyance. What a rascal, found a catch! And he perfectly understands that it is impossible to leave theft cases unattended. Well, if search, then search. If Lera is guilty, measures must be taken, and if not… Oh, I hope the girl didn’t set herself up!
Calling the head of security, Mikhail gave him an order to install additional cameras in office premises and review all recordings. He asked to send the recording from his office camera to him personally. Then he called all the affected employees one by one and made sure that the deputy was not lying, thefts really took place. Left alone, he sat for some time in perplexity, experiencing contradictory feelings. On the one hand, it is quite possible that the deputy is simply settling scores with the newcomer. But then who is stealing the money? They have not hired new employees lately, and there were no such cases under his father, that’s for sure. In what, if not in the demands for a healthy office environment, he was always demanding. Oh, how he didn’t want it to really be Lera. Such a good girl or he doesn’t understand people at all! Just as things started going and here you go, play Pinkerton. It must be resolved somehow quickly. But how? After a short reflection, Mikhail was enlightened: we’ll catch with live bait!
Without delay, he took out his wallet and pulled out the bank cards, leaving a substantial amount of cash. The wallet was carelessly thrown near the table to create the impression that he had dropped it. If the thief really needs money so much that he looks into colleagues’ wallets, he will definitely not resist such a temptation, at least pull out a few bills, counting on the fact that the well-to-do owner does not keep the exact amount in mind. The wallet lay on the carpet very attractively: both noticeable and unobtrusive, and visible on camera. Warmed by the hunter’s ardor, counting on prey, Mikhail left the office and rushed to a business meeting. Lera cleans the office in the evening, there will be something to see.
Amid current problems, the search for the thief receded to the background and Mikhail only remembered his «trap» when the head of security sent a message with an attached video recording. Mikhail put aside his unfinished coffee and started playback. Here Lera entered the office and started watering the flowers. Here she wipes the dust… Ah, noticed! Stands, examines. Picked it up. Really? Opens, looks… No, didn’t take anything… What’s this? Sits at the desk, takes a note paper, writes something, puts the note back in the wallet and places it on the desk. What are these tricks? Oh what a piece she is, this Lera! Now suffer until morning to find out what she scribbled there. Oh, Anatoly Vasilievich, you shouldn’t have started this, it seems you’ll break your teeth on this, seemingly fragile, lady. He slept poorly that night and at dawn Mikhail rushed to the office. There was still no one there and the unlucky wallet forlornly lay on the table, hiding yesterday’s note inside. Mikhail impatiently unbuttoned the clasp and pulled out the folded sheet. In clear large handwriting it was written: «Thank you for the check, I think I passed it.» There you go! She immediately saw through him! Something Valeria is too quick-witted and bold for a mere cleaner, he should get to know her better.
The next day Mikhail deliberately stayed in the office, waiting for Lera. The staff dispersed home and for some time silence reigned. But soon there were steps, jingling of keys, and clatter of inventory – Lera was preparing to clean. He adopted a concentrated look, knowing that she starts cleaning with his office. Sure enough, the door cracked open, and Lera, seeing Mikhail, froze on the threshold.
— I’ll probably clean the other offices first, — she was about to leave, but Mikhail stopped her.
— No, wait, I wanted to talk to you.
Lera approached the desk and sat down in the chair opposite. Her eyes were calm and attentive.
— Forgive me for that trick with the wallet, but recently some thefts have been discovered among the staff, and I as a leader had to react. I can’t just call the police into my own office.
— I understand, — Lera responded softly, — The situation here is very complicated, for you too.
— Did you notice anything?
— It’s easier for me to notice than anyone. I don’t always clean the office before or after work, often it’s during the day. And they practically regard me as an inanimate object – so, some kind of moving attachment to a mop, so they talk about what they would keep silent about in the presence of others. In their understanding, a cleaner can count to a hundred at most, so I already have a pretty good idea of both the moral and the financial-household situation in the company.
— You seem to have a couple of higher educations, — Mikhail laughed. He was more and more impressed by this smart and laconic girl.
— No, only one, but a good one, — she responded in his tone, — Please don’t ask why I clean the office. It’s temporary and there are good reasons for it.
— Well, I just seemed to have found an ally, and there’s already a threat of losing him. If it’s not a secret, what worried you most about the company?
— Well, how to tell you… If you compare the company to a ship, then there is a hole in the hull and a significant one. Your deputy in sales is clearly gathering his supporters. Rumors have it that he has long had secret designs on the director’s chair. As far as I understand, one of the lawyers is being persuaded to endorse a deliberately doomed contract with a company, which, having taken a solid jackpot, can declare bankruptcy. You won’t be able to hold on after such a fiasco, and Anatoly Vasilievich, — at this name Lera grimaced disgustedly, — will take on fixing the situation. He seems to have some trump card up his sleeve for this. As a result, — he will settle everything with some losses for the company and some benefit for himself and sit down in the coveted director’s chair. Curtain.
— You’re like Mata Hari, — Mikhail mused, — With such analytical abilities you should be my deputy in sales. Let’s have a cup of coffee. My office doesn’t need to be cleaned today. I’ll brew the coffee myself.
Ten minutes later they were already sitting at the table holding steaming drinks. The conversation flowed in a different direction and it turned out that Lera was a very interesting interlocutor with a broad outlook, a remarkable mind, and an ironic view of things. Mikhail parted with her reluctantly, realizing that keeping her longer meant making her stay at work almost until night.
He slept very poorly that night. Either the predatory smirk of Anatoly Vasilievich and the infamous doomed contract in his hand haunted him, or he dreamed that he was catching up with the fleeing Lera, and catching up, he discovered that it was Ilona mockingly laughing in his face. He got up in the morning gloomy and with a heavy head and dragged himself to the office, pondering who the thief was and how to fish out this rigged contract among the mass of concluded contracts.
That day and several following ones passed in the aforementioned torments, to which were added reflections on where to invite Lera so that the setting was relaxed and didn’t burden her with excessive demands on the visitor. Not in the park on a bench with her, right! After long reflections and searches for accessible leisure on the internet, he decided to try a countryside horseback ride. Lera seemed to be a sporty girl, and the event was non-binding and not trite. Slightly encouraged, Mikhail rushed to work and immediately saw the head of security in the reception area.
— Got a catch? — he immediately understood the reason for the visit.
The head of security nodded and followed his boss into the office.
— Finally slipped up yesterday, — the head of security pulled out a tablet, found the necessary recording, and handed it to Mikhail.
He peered at it. The video showed a middle-aged man entering the office and starting to look into the drawers of desks. In one of the drawers he finds a bill, quickly stuffs it into his pocket and hurries to the exit. At the exit, he turns his face to the camera… My goodness! It’s Viktor Sergeyevich, their legal consultant, one of the oldest employees! What happened to him then that he decided on theft?
— Thank you for the good work, you honestly earned a bonus. But this information must not be accessible to anyone but us. At least for now. I hope you heard me?
The head of security nodded affirmatively and left the office, and Mikhail arranged to call the legal consultant.
Viktor Sergeyevich entered, squinting myopically and uncertainly sat on the edge of the chair. His appearance was so bewildered that Mikhail even felt sorry for him. But theft had to be stopped and before the perpetrator lay a tablet with a video recording set to play. As he watched, his face paled, covered with sweat, and at the end of the recording, his lips, which had turned almost bluish, whispered:
— What will happen to me?
— Everything will depend on how frankly you tell about the reasons that prompted you to commit this act, — Mikhail said dryly, — Especially since I understand this is not the only case.
Viktor Sergeyevich’s trembling fingers loosened his tie and squeezed out:
— I… Understand… I just saw no other way out. Understand, my mother needs an urgent operation, she has a progressing tumor in her brain, and, what’s worst, without surgery it’s impossible to understand whether it’s benign or malignant. And that, you understand, are completely different treatment concepts. Everything I could, I already sold or pawned. Just a little bit short. I would return everything. Later. But now… I just really need…
— Are you a little child, Viktor Sergeyevich? — Mikhail shook his head, — And to ask for financial help from the company didn’t occur to you?
— How come, — the legal consultant’s fingers were still trembling, — I asked, but understand, I often had to leave because of my mother’s illness, and Anatoly Vasilievich said that I had already received my financial help in the form of full salary for incomplete working hours. I would return everything to people, I have it written down, right from the first bonus I would start returning.
— Is it not a rigged contract that Anatoly Vasilievich promised you a bonus for? — Mikhail struck a probing blow.
The strike hit right on target. Viktor Sergeyevich began to gasp for air, paling even more:
— I… I refused to sign… And did not sign… The contract was passed to my colleague, Roman. There are tens of millions there… I just couldn’t.
— That’s commendable, Viktor Sergeyevich, — Mikhail poured the frightened lawyer a glass of mineral water and let him drink, — Let’s do this: you calm down now and pull yourself together. Then name me the counterparty and the subject of the contract planned for the scheme, and I will give you an interest-free loan from the company for the amount you lack for the surgery and returning the borrowed money. You return the money to people immediately, and I will stretch the loan repayment over three years. But all this under one condition: I want to know everything about any movements of Anatoly Vasilievich, who does not shy away from any means to plunge the company into discord and losses to achieve his dubious goals. How do you like this arrangement?
— Mikhail Vladimirovich! You… You just can’t imagine what you’ve done for me! I’ve been tormented by insomnia for months from my helplessness: my, so to speak, weight category, you can’t compare with your deputy! And I just didn’t know how to approach you, you are a new person for us. I never, hear me, never.
— Enough, — Mikhail interrupted the flow of gratitude ready to overwhelm him, — Go write an application for a loan and prepare your mother for surgery. Bring the contract information with the application.
Hardly had the door closed behind the delighted Viktor Sergeyevich, Mikhail leaned back in the chair with relief. Phew! It seems he has now cracked both tough nuts. How to completely discredit Anatoly Vasilievich he would think a bit later, but now he had to deal with a much more pleasant task – trying to arrange a date with Lera.
— Lyuda, — he pressed the button to connect with the secretary, — Lyuda, it seems my hibiscus has dried up, we need to take measures.
The walk turned out to be simply wonderful. Lera held up well in the saddle, was more uninhibited, laughed, joked and Mikhail covertly admired her profile illuminated by the setting sun, strands of hair escaping from the hairpin, and laughing mischievous eyes. She was so natural and relaxed that he now completely did not understand how he could have endured this artificial and utterly fake world of Ilona. He felt like a seventeen-year-old boy who had finally escaped to long-awaited freedom. The day flashed by in an instant and here Mikhail was driving Lera home through the night city. But she behaved somewhat strangely, asking to be dropped off at the trolleybus stop and no arguments about it being improper for a girl to wander the streets alone at this time had any effect on her. Mikhail remained in the car thoughtful and somewhat disconcerted by such a turn of events. In his thoughtfulness, he didn’t even notice how Anatoly Vasilievich came out of the bar across the street and watched Lera walking away, then turned his gaze to Mikhail’s car and smirked.
The next time Mikhail invited Lera to the yacht club. But his hasty preparations were unexpectedly interrupted by his displeased father:
— Where are you off to? — Vladimir Grigoryevich’s voice sounded stern and boded nothing good.
— On a date with a girl, — Mikhail decided to be completely frank, noting to himself that his father had noticeably paled and lost weight lately.
— With that… The cleaner of your office? — the father was seriously angry.
— You have something against it? — the son parried.
— I do! I’ve already picked a worthy bride for you, the daughter of one of our investors, and you decided to play crimson sails. Not the time and not the circumstances.
— Another elite girl? Dad, I’m sick to the stomach with Ilona, I now have an allergy to these girls. I finally met a normal girl and here you are – against it! By the way, who informed you so promptly?
— My deputies remain loyal people to me.
— Ah, deputies? Isn’t it the deputy in sales? Well, then it’s not surprising, he himself laid eyes on this girl. Loyal, you say? And the fact that he wants to cover the company for millions, he didn’t tell you? I’ve been breaking my head for several days how to pin him down to get rid of him urgently.
— From this point in more detail, — the father’s brows moved closer, forming a deep furrow.
Mikhail, continuing his preparations, briefly outlined the situation.
— That’s what it is… Well, his departure I’ll take upon myself. I have something to press him with, but you promise me that you with this cleaner…
— Not today, dad, just not today! — exclaimed Mikhail and, not giving his father a chance to recover, grabbed a travel bag and ran out of the house.
Mikhail did not miscalculate with the yacht. Lera really enjoyed spending time away from the hustle and bustle, noise, and crowd. She watched the water surface enchantedly, exposing her face to the cool wind, constantly trying to try herself as a skipper and simply beaming with delight and joy. Mikhail watched her wide-eyed and felt that he was completely losing his head. The feeling that he had finally found exactly the one he had already despaired of finding grew stronger with every minute. But the end of such a wonderful day was hopelessly spoiled. Lera again did not let him accompany her, getting out of the car at the same stop as last time, and at home the father went on the offensive:
— So, son. I fulfilled my obligations. Tomorrow your deputy in sales will write a statement and leave on his own accord. What I took him with, don’t ask, these are our old affairs, you don’t need to know. So now it’s your turn: be kind, the cleaner – dismissed and tomorrow I expect you in the restaurant «Vermont» at eighteen-zero-zero, you’ll meet your future wife and her parents. Objections are not accepted, the survival of our business depends on it.
All objections, arguments, and ultimatums of Mikhail ran into a stone wall: the father, usually considerate of his son’s opinion, turned into an implacable tyrant, unwilling to hear anything, only paling and frowning more and more. At some point, almost hoarse Mikhail paused, examining the unhealthy appearance of his father.
— Are you all right? — feeling a surge of pity, he asked.
— If you do everything as I ask, it will be quite good, — the father cut off and went to his room.
Mikhail tossed and turned sleeplessly all night. He categorically disagreed on the rich bride, but could not understand what suddenly happened to the father. Vladimir Grigoryevich had been behaving strangely lately: first plunged headlong into his business, now trying to forcibly marry him off. Usually, he was not so authoritarian. Plus the unhealthy appearance. Maybe he got sick and is trying to fix everything? The terrible guess chilled him and drove away any signs of sleep. It’s useless to ask, the father clearly does not want to talk about this topic. Well, how do you order to untangle this mess?
Barely waiting for morning, Mikhail rushed to the office: Lera was supposed to come to work in the morning. But she was not in the office, and for some reason, her phone turned out to be out of reach. She did not show up neither at the start of the office work nor at lunch. Even the fact that Anatoly Vasilievich was fussing behind the wall, freeing his office, did not cheer him up. Mikhail paced like a wounded beast and, finally unable to stand it, dialed his father’s number:
— Dad, is this your doing? Where did Lera disappear? I understand she’s not up to your standards, but not to this extent! I’m not a puppet to be manipulated so unceremoniously with my life!
— Lower your voice, — the father’s voice was impenetrable, — I have no idea where your Lera went. I still have no need to deal with your passions. I’m waiting for you at eighteen-zero-zero. You can deal with Lera tomorrow.
Mikhail slammed his fist on the table in rage. Another black stripe caught up again! He could not miss the meeting with his father’s investor. Another matter, would he want to marry his daughter. But Lera… What happened to her and where did she disappear?
He showed up at the restaurant «Vermont» on time. The father and his investor with his wife were already at the table. Only the bride was missing. Maybe she won’t come at all?» Mikhail thought hopefully and, barely greeting those sitting, buried his nose in a plate of salad, breaking all the rules of decency. The father and his partner pretended not to notice and continued to converse casually.
— Oh, and here is our Valeria! — suddenly the father’s partner announced joyfully, — Sit down, dear, or we’re already hungry.
At the bride’s name, Mikhail flinched and looked up at the girl. At first, he did not believe his eyes. Lera stood there, neatly combed, with unobtrusive makeup in an elegantly simple peach-colored dress. She was smiling faintly. Mikhail, first jumping up, then, regaining his composure, sat back down on the chair, not taking his eyes off the girl.
— This is my daughter, Valeria, the girl’s father introduced, — And this is Mikhail, son of Vladimir Grigoryevich, — he turned to his daughter.
Lera nodded, smiling with just the corners of her lips, and Mikhail was overwhelmed by a wave of heat and again stared at the ill-fated salad. But how? Lera, is this the same bride? Is this a setup? It doesn’t seem like it. Then why did she scrub floors in his office? His ears burned, the shrimp maliciously slid off the fork, looking at Lera didn’t work out at all. But suddenly slow music started playing, inviting those wishing to dance and Mikhail immediately used the opportunity to talk:
— May I? — he extended his hand to Lera, inviting her to dance.
The girl stood up and they headed to the center of the hall.
— Lera, is that really you? — Mikhail gently embraced his partner.
— Yes, it’s me. You recognized me, why do you ask?
— I just can’t understand, then why did you need a mop and bucket? What kind of circus…
— Actually, everything is very simple. I’ve already run into fortune hunters or gigolos several times. So when dad started telling me what a wonderful son Vladimir Grigoryevich has, I decided to see what you are really like. After all, you wouldn’t pretend in front of a cleaner. That’s basically it.
— And that’s why you didn’t want me to see that you live in a house, not quite suitable for a cleaner, — Mikhail continued and breathed in the delicate scent of her hair, — I almost went crazy today when you disappeared.
— But I found myself, dear, — Lera answered, beaming a dazzling smile, — Aren’t you glad?
Mikhail, instead of answering, hugged her even tighter, pressed his cheek to her cheek and the couple didn’t even notice that when the music stopped, they remained alone on the dance floor under the approving glances of the parents and the interested ones — of the surrounding.
— Well, you butted heads like a bull in a corrida, — Vladimir Grigoryevich noted with satisfaction on the way home, — Didn’t the father choose a bad girl for you? There, you immediately forgot your cleaner…
— Dad, what about your health? I’m not a little boy, I have the right to know, — Mikhail asked the question that had long been of interest to him.
— I’m going into surgery tomorrow. Something was found in the lung. Whether it’s benign or not will only be known for sure after its removal. But in any case, I’m calm. You won’t perish in business, your wife will also be wonderful.
— You just have to raise grandchildren. I will have very little time for that, — Mikhail stated categorically, suppressing the cold fear that had surged up mixed with budding hope.
Exactly a year later, Mikhail was frantically pacing around the house, shoving the necessary papers into his briefcase and at the same time looking for his tie.
— Dad, maybe you’ll hold today’s meeting yourself? Lera and I still have to make it to the classes on preparing for childbirth. You’re already fully back in shape, maybe it’s time to return?
— No, dear son, postpone the meeting to another time. Getting on your feet doesn’t mean trying to climb back into the wheelchair again. I’ll remain your remote consultant. At least until your wonderful wife makes me a grandfather, — Vladimir Grigoryevich turned to the plump Lera and winked conspiratorially. She stood, shifting her gaze from husband to father-in-law and smiled happily and a bit mysteriously.
