Читать книгу Golden сarriage for Cinderella. A novel about love - Svetlana Mirrai - Страница 3

I often ask myself the question: how will I love a man if I meet a sincere and real feeling. Love is something important to me in life, and I wanted to be honest in my relationship, because it will be my real love.

So the frosty winter is over, and the first spring days have come, the sun’s rays, like bunnies, playfully play on my window.

Beautiful early morning. Opening the sash of the window frame and taking a deep breath of spring air, I take a sip of fragrant coffee brewed in a new coffee machine, press the “start” button on my laptop, the monitor lights up, and long live the miracle of scientific progress. I like to read articles on the Internet in my free time, sometimes I visit the Odnoklassniki website and communicate with my friends there.

And here’s the letter, I wonder who it’s from?

– hello.

They wrote to me from a page without a photo, I usually ignore such mail, but now I decided to talk, maybe some friend is hiding behind a faceless profile.

– Who are you? – I wrote back.

– My name is Peter, I am a priest, I serve in the Orthodox Church. I live in the city of Chernihiv in Ukraine. I’m not old yet and I’m not young anymore, I’m forty-three years old.

– Very interesting, and I’m Vlada.

– Good health to you, Vlad, and your family!

– Father, I live alone and am not married.

But there was no more response.

I had to finish my coffee alone.

It didn’t cost me much effort to put on makeup, because my naturally well-drawn facial features practically didn’t need to be tinted. Blue eyes with long, fan-like eyelashes, a straight nose and beautiful wide eyebrows lay in an even line on my oval face. My figure was slim, but for this I always had to sit on long grueling diets in order to maintain a thin waist and beautiful legs. My long blonde hair gave my face freshness and made me younger than my years.

Soon I left the house and was at work in a beauty salon all day. There was a lot of work that day.

The weather began to deteriorate in the evening, it was raining, interfering with melted snow and mud, it turned the road into a gray, muddy mud. Because of this, it was hard to walk and had to avoid puddles. For a few minutes I stopped at the entrance and, admiring, looked at the evening sky. Bright stars were burning on it, and among their brilliance I saw a constellation very similar to the Big Dipper. It even seemed to me that she was looking at me with her sad eyes, probably she was missing a little bear next to me, like me.

I quietly went into the apartment and closed the door behind me. In order not to be bored, I sat down at my laptop, and when I opened the Odnoklassniki website, I read there an interesting message from my new acquaintance, Father Peter.

– Your happiness is not going anywhere from you.

“What a nice man,” I thought. And I posted some of my successful photos, turned off the computer and went to rest.

Love cannot be predicted or hurried, it will come by itself with the beautiful murmur of the stream and the singing of birds, transforming your whole life.

At the age of thirty-five, I had quite a successful business in the field of beauty. My salon was called “Healthy Care” and was located in the center of Novosibirsk. When the front door opened, the bell rang, notifying of the arrival of each visitor, and at this time the face of our administrator Ekaterina spread out in a kind and hospitable smile.

– Good afternoon, what can I offer you,” she said politely.

So the days passed in the hustle and bustle of work.

One day I got free a little earlier than usual, went to the Odnoklassniki page and saw a message from Father Peter.

– You are a nice lady, judging by the photo. I would like to hear your voice.

I was pleased with this, and without hesitation I texted him my phone number.

There are so many roads and moments in life that decide our fate, and we do not think that this second will be the main countdown of your new path.

The next morning, the smell of coffee cheered me up, and after a few sips, my brain was already in working mode. A minute ago, I wanted to climb into a chair with my feet, turn on the TV and spend the whole day like this.

But the phone rang and I answered.

– Vlada Romanovna, I’m really waiting for you at work, I need to talk, – Katerina, my assistant, said in an anxious voice.

“Okay, I’ll be right there,” I replied.

I went outside, the weather was sunny, a light breeze touched my face and gently blew my thick, long hair.

The phone rang again, I was sure that Katya was calling me, so I quickly said:

– I’m running, I’m running.

And she quickened her pace.

But he didn’t calm down, he kept ringing anyway, and as soon as I put it to my ear, I immediately heard a man’s laughter.

– Where are you running to? a pleasant voice asked cheerfully.

– Excuse me, but who am I talking to now? I asked, slowing down a little.

– Dear Vlada, I’m sorry that I don’t know your patronymic, it’s Father Peter calling, to whom you left your phone number in Odnoklassniki.

– It’s very good that you called me,” I said in a joyful voice.

– I feel that you are glad to receive my call. I liked the photos that you posted on your page.

– thanks.

“You know, you have a very beautiful voice,” Peter said good – naturedly.

– So many nice compliments, – but then the second line intervened in our conversation, and I switched to it.

– Yes, tell me.

– Vlada Romanovna, administrator Ekaterina is unable to work, she has locked herself in the service room and does not come out. What should I do?

– Nelya, I’m already here.

Quickening my pace, a few minutes later I was already in the salon. When the front door closed behind me and the bell rang, there was no reaction. At first glance, one might have thought that I was completely alone in the hall, but my loneliness was broken by sobs and a quiet female voice that came from the service room. Getting closer to her, I pulled the handle on myself, but the door wouldn’t budge, it was locked from the inside.

“Girls… open up,” I said and froze in anticipation.

The lock clicked on the back and the door opened. What was behind it looked very sad. Nelya and Katya were sitting by the sink, and there was a bottle of motherwort next to them, Nelya was holding a glass of water in her hands. Katerina lowered her face down and covered it with her hands, while her body shook with sobs. Katya had a calm character, so it became clear that something very serious had happened in her life.

– Please calm down, let’s talk,” I said in a calm voice, stroking Katya’s back with my hand.

I took a towel and gave it to Katya to wipe her face. Putting her arm around her shoulders, she gently sat her down at a small table for the staff.

“Good, you’re my good,” I whispered in the hope that Katya would want to talk to me. Indeed, my words soon had an effect on her. She took a deep breath, as if she hadn’t breathed at all until that moment, and on exhaling loudly said:

– He’s gone!

– Who left? I asked, not understanding what he was talking about.

– Sasha, my husband. Yesterday he didn’t come to spend the night, took his things and documents, and today he called and said that I wouldn’t wait for him home, and didn’t explain anything else to me,” and tears shone in her eyes again.

– Katyusha, don’t worry so much, you’ve always been strong. After all, the most important thing in life is children and relatives, and he, you’ll see, will definitely regret everything later.

“I think it’s not that simple,” she said thoughtfully.

But her face had already stopped being so gloomy, she became calmer, and we went to our workplaces.

It was a wonderful warm evening, I was walking slowly along the sidewalk home. Cars were rushing towards them along the roadway. The phone rang, it was Katya.

– Vlada, I’m hugging my daughter now and I understand that in the whole world I can’t find a closer and kinder person than my blood, my daughter.

– Katyusha, everything will be fine with you, you’ll see.

I put my phone back away. Suddenly the noise of the engines died down, and all the sounds of the street disappeared, a gentle melody sounded that was coming from inside me, there was a cello, and a violin sang thinly, it was the music of happiness. After all, how good it is when good comes from you, and you extend a helping hand to someone who needs it.

– Heh-khe, girl, give the homeless for food, – suddenly a man’s hoarse voice rang out from behind me. I turned back and saw the stooped figure of a man. He was dressed in old, worn clothes, patches were visible in places, they were darned with threads of different colors.

– Just a second,” I said, and began to turn my pockets inside out, but there were only small bread crumbs and a handful of caramels in them. I didn’t find any change in my bag either, and some large bills were peeking out of my wallet. Now there is silence and expectation in the air.

I took out a five thousand dollar bill and handed it to the man.

– Thank you,” he said, and at that moment the man’s eyes sparkled, and tears rolled down his cheek, “and this is for you,” and he modestly held out several willow twigs, which he had been holding in his hand all the time.

– God bless you, – the man said goodbye.

This touching scene remained in my memory for a long time, and for many years I remembered the willow given to the homeless, it even became some kind of good sign in my life. After all, there was another story with her participation, but I’ll tell you about it a little later.

It rained all night, drumming on the glass first with a small fraction, then with increasing force it hit with large drops and became quieter again. In the morning, when the sunlight began to penetrate into my room, only wet patterns on the glass remained in memory of the rain. Such rainy weather has not been for a long time, and therefore I was happy to look out the window at the sun’s glare, which was reflected in puddles.

The phone rang, and a man’s voice wished me good morning. But I didn’t immediately understand who was talking to me.

– Vlada, it’s the priest who’s bothering you again.

– Come on, Father, what kind of concern can there be, I’m glad you called.

– Then I will call you every day. Our weather is so sunny, and the birds are singing in my soul. How are you?

“We didn’t get to talk to you last time,” I said.

– It’s God’s will for everything. And let’s talk right now.

“I want to talk about faith, hope and love,” I said.

– Probably, it will be about your friends? – the priest said with a touch of irony.

– About self – belief, hope for a better future and about love, which I have been waiting for for a long time, – I did not lose my head, I replied.

– Intricate, as I see it, you are a young lady, but it even pleases me. You can talk to me on absolutely any and different topics. Even the innermost secrets can be trusted with a priest. And with your permission, I want to switch to you.

– Okay, let’s break my rules,” I replied.

– And what, are there any other rules? – he was surprised.

– My personal rules of communication.

– Vladochka, do not attach much importance to this, breaking the rules, I will not cross the boundaries of our friendship. Better tell me about yourself.

– Peter, you have me very much in your favor, and I want to share a lot.

– Well, here you are again, Vlada, we have now switched to you, – his voice became quieter and more affectionate with me.

– In my life there was no communication with a priest at all, and therefore I want to tell one story.

– Of course, tell me what’s bothering you,” the priest said gently.

– When I was ten years old, my parents died in a car accident. Aunt Nina, my mother’s sister, took me to live with her. But while I was living with her, she was constantly drinking and driving gentlemen. Therefore, at the age of seventeen, after school, I left home for a completely different city and began to live independently. And she went on drinking.

– How old are you? Peter asked.

– Thirty – five,” I said.

– My girl, you are still so young, you still have a lot ahead of you. The main thing in life is not to lose yourself and love God. If you want, I will always support you.

– Yes, I want it, I really want it, – I answered and pressed the phone to my chest…

– I will always be there, – said Peter and hung up.

The next day, a burgundy Volvo drove up to my entrance, without turning on the headlights, the driver got out of the car. He lit a cigarette and blew out a smoke ring. I walked up to the car, greeted the taxi driver and said:

– On Kamenskaya, forty-three.

Sitting comfortably in the seat, I closed my eyes and began to think about him. Maybe it’s bad to think about a married man, especially a priest, but it began to seem to me that I was falling in love with his voice, his manner of communication, and I wanted to be near him.

– Girl, wake up… – the driver said loudly.

I was startled and woke up.

– Girl, you can get out, we’ve been standing on Kamenskaya, forty – three for a minute, – the taxi driver said with a smile.

A few minutes later I was standing on the threshold of the theater. There were a lot of people gathered in the lobby, they were crowding everywhere: at the entrance, in the locker room, in the long corridors. They were smartly dressed, so a state of celebration reigned everywhere. There were tables with various trinkets and souvenirs along the walls, there was everything you could buy for a slow-moving onlooker. When the first bell rang, the audience slowly began to pass into the huge hall. And I was sitting in the buffet of the theater, enjoying the aroma and taste of latte, and with the second bell I also went to the stalls to take my place.

My dear reader, let’s open the veil of a woman’s soul with you, what does she want and what is she looking for? Spirituality is theaters, movies, exhibitions, wants attention, but most of all she is waiting for love.

My soul was also full of expectation of this feeling and, like a wonderful rose, is ready to open its ripe bud towards female happiness. And I saw this happiness in Peter.

Two months have passed. It was a wonderful summer evening, my room was filled with a cloud of dust from a huge pile of things that I took out from the shelves and put in boxes. It was a grandiose move to Moscow, which completely changed my whole life. Through the wide-open window, the screams of local children who were playing football in the yard could be heard.

– This goal was mine, you prevented me, you didn’t score it yourself and didn’t give it to me, – one young football player shouted.

– Let’s hit!

– Go-o-l!” they shouted again.

I heard a beautiful melody from the phone, and I answered.

– Good afternoon, Vladochka, – Peter said in a cheerful voice.

– Good afternoon, Peter.

– I hear screams, what happened there?

– Yes, these are young football players outside the window.

– Are you probably packing your things now and getting ready for the road?

– Yes, I’m packing everything in boxes, tomorrow a car from the transport company will arrive, and the movers will load all the things into the car, and then I will go too.

– You have no idea how glad I am that we will meet soon. Sorry, I can’t talk for a long time now, I’m in a hurry, my service will start in a few minutes.

– See you later, Peter, – I whispered.

– See you later, my dear, – he said warmly in response, and the connection was cut off.

I went to the window, opened the curtain and shouted with all my might:

– Hooray! Goal!

The boys stopped playing and raised their heads high in confusion. One of them hesitantly shouted back:

– Actually, there was a penalty!

I laughed and walked away from the window.