An elderly man hesitantly approached the grand entrance of a fashionable restaurant. His suit was neatly pressed but noticeably worn — apparently, he had worn it many years ago and had only just put it on again after a long time. His gray hair lay in sparse strands, as if unsure whether to stay in its previous order. Stopping at the door, he looked at himself in the reflection of the tinted glass, adjusted his collar, took a deep breath, and entered.
As soon as he stepped inside, he collided with a security guard. The guard looked at him with such an expression as if a ghost from the past had appeared before him.
«Who are you?» he grunted. «You think this is some sort of social services or charity event?»
«I’m here for a wedding…» the old man quietly replied. «My daughter is getting married today…» The corners of his lips lifted in a bitter smile.
The security guard frowned, said something into his radio, casting suspicious glances at the guest. The old man, feeling anxiety rising within him, tried to glimpse the hall through the glass partitions, but saw nothing — the wedding was clearly taking place somewhere in the distant wing of the restaurant.
A minute later, two men in suits came out to him. Without a word, they took him by the arms and led him to a service room.
«What are you doing here?!» a woman pushed him away as if he were an unnecessary object. «Leave! You don’t belong here!»
«Sorry… I just wanted to see my daughter…»
It turned out that the people in front of him were the groom’s parents. It was hard for them to imagine that this man could be the bride’s relative.
«We’re all well-known here,» the woman said coldly, adjusting her designer jacket. «And who are you?»
«Interesting question,» the man remarked.
«But completely unnecessary,» she added. «Look around: these people are here to celebrate, not to witness someone else’s misfortune. Leave before you spoil everyone’s mood.»
The woman clearly loved to control the situation, and the more she spoke, the angrier she became.
«Vasily Igorevich,» the old man introduced himself, extending his hand.
She didn’t even glance at his palm, merely stepped further away, as if he might infect her with his poverty.
Realizing he wouldn’t be allowed into the celebration, Vasily Igorevich began to explain:
«I didn’t come here for the food… The journey was long, the road — not short. Almost my entire pension went to the ticket…»
This only heightened their suspicions.
«Then wait,» the woman suddenly softened. «We’ll gather some leftovers from the kitchen and bring them to you. You can eat on your way back.»
«I didn’t come for that,» he replied with dignity. «I need nothing… I just want to see Yanochka.»
«‘Just wants to see,’» the husband mocked him. «We paid for everything, organized everything, and he just shows up to gawk!»
«She became like family to us!» the woman exclaimed. «She’s marrying our son! Now she’s part of our family! And you think you can just come and be one of us? Nobody has heard of you, and now — bam! — here you are!»
She cast a contemptuous glance at him, especially lingering on his clothes.
«Maybe you’re not even the bride’s father? Just decided to get a free dinner?»
The grandfather lowered his eyes, hid his wrinkled hands, clasped them between his knees. He looked at his polished but old shoes, then at the immaculate leather shoes of the man opposite, and, with a heavy sigh, agreed to take the «leftovers.»
The groom’s parents exchanged glances — so they were right. The wife nodded, and they headed for the kitchen, leaving the old man alone.
In fact, Yanna really was his daughter. And he hadn’t seen her for 25 years.
No, he didn’t deny that he was to blame. He understood why they judged him. But the past could not be returned.
«If people knew how their choices would turn out, maybe they would have acted differently,» he thought. As they say, «If you knew where you would fall, you would have laid down straw.»
25 years ago, when he said goodbye to little Yanna, he didn’t think it would be forever. He was 48, his wife was 46. They had late, long-awaited children. But life had other plans. His wife was diagnosed with cancer. Treatment drained not only her strength but also their finances. After her death, he was left alone with the child.
His job was hard and poorly paid. The house needed repairs, his daughter needed attention. He had read somewhere that conditions for children in Norway were ideal. Generous benefits, help, social protection. But what about himself? Who would take care of the girl if he left to do several physical jobs?
The weather there was harsh. What if the child couldn’t handle the climate? He didn’t want his daughter to grow up in loneliness and poverty. So, in a state of severe depression, he signed the papers, sending the girl to an orphanage. It all happened in a fog — his thoughts scattered, his heart broken.
When he left her that day, his heart was torn apart. Every night, the image of his little daughter’s tears, her outstretched hands, and her plea, «Daddy, don’t go!» flashed before his eyes. He didn’t want to leave her — not for a second. He planned to return in six months. He just needed to earn some money — to buy gifts, clothes, and repair the house. He thought: I’ll come back, take Yanna, and start over. We’ll be together.
But when he returned, he learned the terrible truth. The orphanage where he had left the child was closed, and the children were sent to different cities. He couldn’t believe it. He visited countless institutions, but all they did was shrug: «Did you abandon her? Did you sign the papers? Then we have nothing to say to you.» He was accused, despised, and given no hope. He had become a stranger to his own daughter.
The money he had earned went into useless repairs. He kept the gifts, convincing himself that it could still be fixed. But the years went by, and Yanna remained an invisible memory.
He consulted with lawyers, but most of them were scammers. The internet wasn’t as developed then — no social networks, no search engines. Only legs, patience, and hopeless attempts. Hope slowly faded.
And then — after a quarter of a century — a miracle happened. By chance, he found out that his daughter was alive. And even planning to get married. How? A story worthy of a legend.
It all started with a lost phone. Vasily Igorevich had an old phone, difficult to find the owner, but he decided to help. The phone wasn’t locked. Scrolling through the screen, he accidentally clicked on an incoming message — and saw a photo of a girl… She looked just like his late wife. His heart froze.
Soon he contacted the phone’s owner. She agreed to meet. She wanted to thank him, but he asked for something else — to find out who the girl in the photo was. A coincidence or fate — it was her, and she turned out to be Yanna. The father was lucky: someone had forwarded the photo, and it reached the right eyes.
That’s how he found his daughter. After many years of separation, he traveled hundreds of kilometers to be by her side on the most important day of her life. But no one let him inside.
And then he decided to break through to the microphone himself. When the groom’s parents went for the leftovers, he slipped into the hall. The guests were puzzled but didn’t stop him. The music played in the background, but he didn’t need it. He sang — the song he once wrote for his daughter. The one he sang to her when she was little.
The hall fell silent. No one had heard this song before. It belonged only to them both.
When he finished, there was silence in the hall. Then Yanna took the microphone:
«This is my dad. He hasn’t been around all these years, but he’s always been in my heart. I’m happy he’s here today.»
She hugged him. She didn’t say much — just cried, burying her face in his shoulder. Even the groom’s parents couldn’t remain indifferent. The groom’s wife wiped away a tear, and the husband ordered to give the guest a seat.
Vasily Igorevich sat at the table but didn’t touch the food. He only looked at his daughter. At her face, so familiar, at her young husband, at the love and care surrounding her. «I’m glad they accepted her,» he thought with a bitter smile.
Later, he carefully took a small box from his pocket. Wrapped with love, but awkwardly — by his own hands. The one that was supposed to be passed down to the mother.
«This is from mom,» his voice trembled. «This is the kind of thing usually passed down from generation to generation… Now it’s yours. And then — to your daughter.»
Yanna gently unwrapped the package. Inside was an antique necklace — a family heirloom. Another link to the past, to what she had longed for.
Vasily Igorevich nervously glanced at the groom’s parents. They also noticed the gift. The mother, who had once greeted him coldly, now looked at him with respect. Perhaps not because of the value of the ornament — but because she understood how important it was for Yanna to see her father.
«Forgive me,» he finally said.
«I would…» Yanna began, but didn’t continue. The hug spoke a thousand words. The years couldn’t be returned. But now — the most important thing was that they were together.
Vasily Igorevich quietly left. He didn’t want to spoil the celebration with his worries. He returned to his old house, which hadn’t been renovated for a long time. Neighbors began leaving one by one, and his circle of acquaintances shrank. He was alone again.
But one day, he heard a knock on the gate. Something inside told him — it was her. He opened the door — and indeed, Yanna stood before him. No words, just a smile and a suitcase.
«I’ve forgiven you,» she simply said. «And I want to be by your side.»
Yanna only knew part of the truth. At the orphanage, she had been told that she had been abandoned. That she wasn’t wanted. So, over the years, she had become closed off, mistrustful. She studied well, entered university, started an independent life. The thought of finding her father never left her, but the fear of being rejected was stronger.
It was the accidentally lost phone that helped them become a family again.
