It was a normal working day. Sergei walked, as always, along his route, tapping the rails. He was a wayfarer. The guy didn’t like his job, but he did everything conscientiously, never messed up, such a character. Suddenly, a train horn sounded in the distance. Sergey habitually wanted to move away from the tracks, when suddenly, with horror, he noticed in the distance a human figure lying motionless on the rails. In a panic, he estimated the distance with a trained eye and rushed with all his legs to the lying body, shouting loudly and trying to attract attention:
– Hey, can you hear me? Get off the rails immediately! There’s a train behind! – the guy ran and waved his hands.
As he approached, he realized that it was a young girl. She lay completely motionless, her arms outstretched, and her glazed eyes stared at the sky with detachment.
– Girl, can’t you hear?! Are you ill? Get up immediately!
The train was already very close, the driver pressed the brake when he saw the man, and honked all the time. But by inertia, the train continued to fly forward…
A split second separated the girl from death, when Sergei forcibly pulled her on himself and rolled with her head over heels down the embankment…
When he came to himself, Sergei began to shake the girl with all his might, like a rag toy and yell at her:
– Are you completely crazy? Crazy? Are you tired of living? – the guy was indignant.
The girl began to fight him off, and also screamed:
– Yes, I’m tired of it! And why did you climb? What’s your business? Why did you save me? and she burst into tears, shaking her whole body.
Sergey was embarrassed, he was always lost at the sight of women’s tears, and realized that he had gone too far. He felt insanely sorry for the stranger, he helped her get up and dust herself off. Then he put his arm around my shoulders and said as calmly as possible:
“All right, quiet, quiet, let’s go to my place, wash up, calm down,” and he led her slowly to his lodge.
“Something very terrible must have happened, since the fool decided to take such a desperate step. Shouting won’t help here,” the guy thought.
Sergey gave the girl a wash, a drink of water and put the kettle on. The girl sat like a limp beautiful porcelain doll, and was silent. The guy was fussing and involuntarily glanced at the stranger out of the corner of his eye, he really liked her. Soft brown curls had escaped from a once beautiful hairstyle and fell on her forehead, plump lips were alluring, and in huge, inexpressibly sad blue eyes like the sky, it seemed you could drown.
– I’m Sergey, I work as a wayfarer, and what’s your name? What happened? – the guy began the conversation cautiously.
The girl did not react in any way and continued to stubbornly remain silent, she was in a state of shock.
“It’s bad,” Sergei thought, he needed to wake her up somehow, help her talk.
Then the guy just started talking out loud, hoping that the girl would still get the meaning of what was said.
“You shouldn’t have thought of that, silly. Whatever happens in life, you can always find a way out, always, remember. You know, but I was stupid too, once I got into a loop, can you imagine? – Sergey told me.
The girl started up and looked at the guy with interest, waiting for him to continue.
– Do you think other people have a raspberry life? I grew up in a poor family. Father and mother worked hard at the factory from morning to night, and the salary there, the chickens laugh. There are two of us with my brother. Sasha, the older brother, got into a terrible accident fifteen years ago. A drunken reckless driver knocked down, how many were not treated later and were taken to the doctors, but all to no avail, he never got up on his feet again. It became even harder, Mom was torn between work and her brother. I was always short of sleep, crying a lot quietly into my pillow at night so that no one would hear. And Sashka was angry at me because I’m healthy, and he… what do you think it’s like to look out the window at kids playing football, enjoying life and cursing the hated wheelchair and his fate. But I didn’t break down, I got used to it, I resigned myself, I even learned to make wood at home so as not to go crazy. This is your first example! I got distracted. So, I fell in love with a girl at school, Yulka. I couldn’t live without her, we spent all the time together, I couldn’t get enough of her, I blew dust off her, I carried flowers in armfuls every day. And then they took me into the army. On the wires, Julia cried, swore in love, promised to write. It was so bitter to say goodbye, but I believed that he loved me, he would wait. In the beginning, Julia really often wrote, talked about life, said she was bored. Then less and less often. I felt something was wrong, I asked my parents in letters, but they were silent, they were afraid to tell me the terrible truth. Then the letters stopped coming at all, I was all worn out, I couldn’t find a place for myself, I kept waiting, hoping, worried a lot. Then my brother couldn’t stand it and wrote the whole truth, saying that your Julia didn’t wait for you, she went on a spree with the son of a rich businessman. Sasha asked me not to worry that this does not happen in life. I barely finished reading that ill-fated letter, everything inside shrank into a ball, it became hard to breathe. My beloved has exchanged me for a rich and well-fed life. So I decided that there was nothing to live for anymore, everything inside seemed to burn with a hot iron, I wanted to howl and climb the walls. I even found a rope for a dark case. Yes, thanks to the guys, colleagues, they literally pulled me out of the loop, they didn’t let me take a sin on my soul… I came back from the army, I couldn’t stay at home, it was hard for me… I got a job as a wayfarer in this remote place, and that’s how I live. I picked up the puppy out there so that it wouldn’t be boring, I called him Alma. I come home, rejoices, meets me, and my soul becomes easier. What no, but a living soul nearby. So my life is far from sugar, as you can see. But I am not discouraged, I help my parents whenever possible…
The girl listened attentively to Sergei, her look changed, and she finally spoke:
– My name is Svetlana. Thank you, Seryozha, very much that you saved me. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be on this earth anymore…
The girl frantically began to fumble in her purse, took out bills from her purse and handed them to the guy:
– Here, take it, thank you for everything, if it’s not enough, I’ll bring it back tomorrow, – Sveta babbled.
The guy was really angry:
– What kind of person are you? Put your money away and don’t waste it. I don’t need them, I wanted to help you in a human way, but you…” the guy frowned and fell silent.
– I’m sorry, Seryozha, I’m just used to everything being for money. And you’re not like that, you’re the best,” the girl whispered softly, blushing.
The guy smiled, and continued more peacefully:
– Well, wretch, tell me what happened to you? Sergei asked again.
The girl sighed heavily and began her story…
It turns out that Sveta is not an ordinary girl, but the daughter of the most famous millionaire in Moscow Razumovsky. It was hard for Sergei to believe this, because Sveta was quiet and not promiscuous and did not look at all like the current crazy majors who revel in their permissiveness. Since childhood, she was brought up in strictness. Father is a very tough tyrant, everyone is terribly afraid of him. No one has ever dared to go against his will. Sveta studied at the best elite school, after school there were tutors, singing lessons and newfangled shaping, and on weekends going somewhere was accompanied by the obligatory and ubiquitous protection of her father. Mom was always busy with herself and never delved into her daughter’s life, first there were nannies, and then tutors. Sveta didn’t even really have any friends. Loose girls, chatting only about dresses and foreign trips, were never interesting to her, she seemed to feel like a stranger among them. And if suddenly she began to communicate closely with someone simpler, not from their circle, the security service immediately reported and the father already decided whether Sveta would be friends or not. The poor girl lived in an absolute vacuum, she even had no one to share her experiences with.
– It feels like I’m living someone else’s life, which was invented for me from birth, no one has ever asked my opinion. I was like a robot executing the given programs. It’s so hard, I’m so tired of it,” Sveta sighed.
– Yes, it’s not easy for you, of course… But is it because of this that they say goodbye to life, silly,” Sergei smiled.
“Wait, this is just the beginning,” and tears welled up in the girl’s eyes.
One day, my father invited his business partner and his family to a dinner party. He had long dreamed of teaming up with him. And right during dinner, without being particularly shy and without asking for his daughter’s consent, the father announced that she would marry the son of a companion, Eldar. Sveta was shocked, at first she thought it was such an unfortunate joke, she tried to talk to her father, but where is there.. As usual, they didn’t even listen to her. The girl was in despair.
– You understand, Seryozha, this Eldar, he’s just terrible, he loses a lot of money in the casino, he dabbles in drugs, but he doesn’t give a damn about me. This reveller changes girls like gloves every night, he’s just disgusting! How can you live with him? Why do I need all this? – and Sveta started crying again.
– A nightmare, of course, but does it really happen? We don’t live in the Stone Age! – Sergey was indignant.
– But that’s not all. I wanted to run away, and I started rummaging through my father’s safe, looking for my documents, but I found a certificate of my adoption, can you imagine?! I’m not their own! That’s why I’ve never felt loved in this family. Mom will never caress. Father only gives orders. So I decided out of desperation to throw myself under the train, what else could I do… the girl’s voice trembled and broke.
Sergey was shocked by what he heard, it was hard to believe…
He didn’t know how to help a poor girl in such a complicated life situation. Sveta looked out the window, it was already getting dark on the street, and said in a frightened voice:
– It’s time for me to go home, otherwise my father will raise such an alarm, I won’t be able to help.
– Okay, Sveta, I’m taking you to the bus now. If you want to chat, I’ll always be glad to see you. Come back anytime,” the guy replied.
In fact, he really didn’t want to say goodbye to the girl.
– Thank you again, Seryozha. I’ve been holding this load in myself for so many years, and now I’ve spoken out, and it immediately became easier, and in general, it’s so calm and good with you,” Svetlana confessed, embarrassed.
The young people warmly said goodbye and parted…
All night Sergey did not close his eyes, he kept thinking about his beautiful stranger, she hooked him in the heart. The guy was trying to figure out how to help Sveta, and could not find an answer. After all, it was clear who he was and who her father was…
What was Sergei’s joy when Sveta came to him the next day! They could not talk enough, walked a lot, admired nature, sat for a long time by the river under a spreading willow and dreamed…
It seemed like they were two halves of one whole, so warm and good they were with each other.
So a month flew by.
Sergey could no longer imagine himself without his laughing Svetochka, he was looking forward to the meeting, collecting an armful of wildflowers for her. He drowned in her bottomless loving eyes and kissed, kissed…
But one day a huge black jeep drove up to his gatehouse, two young men jumped out, twisted Sergei under his arms and took him somewhere…
Sergei understood where he was being taken, sooner or later it had to happen. It’s even good, the guy thought, the uncertainty and impending danger greatly exhausted the couple.
Sveta’s father, Eduard Nikolaevich, was furious. Yesterday, the security service reported to him about where his daughter regularly escapes. Just think what a shame, to get involved with poverty, and this is on the eve of matchmaking with an Eldar. Ay, a quiet one, he won’t say a word across, but here you are! After all, such a lucrative contract with Eldar’s father is at stake! This is simply unheard of audacity. The man immediately ordered the scoundrel to be brought to him, intending to scare him so that he disappeared from the horizon once and for all.
Sergei was pushed into the manager’s office. Eduard Nikolaevich did not let the guy come to his senses and immediately went on the offensive:
– I hope you understand, puppy, who I am? Don’t you need to explain? – he began menacingly.
– Yes, I know, you are Sveta’s father, – Sergey calmly replied, although everything inside him was turning over.
– All the better, listen here. My daughter is getting married to a respected man in a month. Everything has already been decided, and today you’re packing up your manatees, and you’re getting out of town in a good way! Otherwise I’ll level you to the ground! Sveta’s father fumed.
Sergei gathered his courage and decided, come what may, but he would not let the Light offend.
– Do you even know that your daughter got hit by a train and almost died because of you? I miraculously saved her, another second and that’s it! Have you ever wondered how your daughter lives? What does she want? You’re like a bulldozer crushing everyone around! You only think about your money! Why are you torturing her? Is it normal, in the twenty-first century, to force marriage to drive. She’s not your slave, after all! – the guy blurted out in one breath.
The man’s face changed, he did not expect to hear this in any way…
He saw that the guy was not lying and he clearly cared about the fate of Sveta, since he was so fiercely defending her. He even respected this kid, who was not afraid of anger and consequences and went into open conflict. Eduard Nikolaevich could not even remember who and when dared to contradict him, and here it is…
So he changed his tone, and told the guy:
– Let’s sit down and tell me everything in detail, – the man asked.
And Sergei did not conceal anything – he told her that he loved Sveta more than life, how she was afraid of her father, and that she was adopted, and how she did not want to marry a nasty Eldar…
Sveta’s father listened in silence, without saying a word, and then said:
– I heard you, I need to think, – and called the guard. – Take the guy home and don’t touch him, okay?
Sergei felt a little relieved from his heart, since he didn’t kill him right away, it means he still reached his heart, managed to find the right words.
“Maybe the father will have mercy and leave them alone with Sveta?” – the guy hoped in his heart.
Eduard Nikolaevich thought a lot, recalled, analyzed…
A picture surfaced before my eyes of how many years ago he and his wife, desperate to have a child, came to an orphanage and chose this baby, a curly-haired girl with sad blue eyes like saucers. Everything was done secretly, the manager was well paid for silence. The child was chosen meticulously, so that with good health and without bad genetics. Yes, of course, they had everything like everyone else, and even a thousand times better. No one guessed that Sveta was not a native, she studied perfectly, was obedient, called him dad, and his wife mom, and in general did not cause him inconvenience. That’s just, hand on heart, he and his wife could not fall in love with the girl, the heart did not skip a beat…
And Sveta, feeling some kind of alienation in her soul, grew up a little closed and shy. This simple guy today said something to his eyes like that, which a man could not admit to himself for many years. After much thought, in the evening the father knocked on his daughter’s room:
– Sveta, daughter, can I come in? Sveta was taken aback.
Usually, my father didn’t bother with questions and came in when he wanted to.
– Yes, Dad, come in – the girl answered.
The man came in and looked at his daughter:
– Sveta, I need to talk to you seriously, – he began.
The girl’s heart sank and ached in anticipation of something bad, she was terribly afraid that her father would find out about them with Sergei and hurt him. The man saw that his daughter’s face changed, turned pale, and her eyes became moist.
“My God, she’s really scared to death of me,” he realized.
– Daughter, I talked to your Sergey today… – my father began as calmly as possible.
Sveta burst into tears and began to ask:
– Daddy, please don’t do anything wrong to him, he’s not to blame for anything. I love him, he’s the best thing in my life. If you want, punish me. Only I will still love him…” the girl cried.
– You didn’t finish listening. I’m letting you go, Sveta, and I won’t interfere with your union with Sergey, he’s a really good guy. And you know what else? You forgive me and Mom, we really sincerely wanted to love you, but we couldn’t. It’s true. But it’s not your fault and you shouldn’t suffer. I wanted to provide for you until the end of your days by marrying you to an Eldar. But since he’s so disgusting to you, decide for yourself. God be with him, with this contract, I’ll come up with something,” the man finished and wanted to leave his daughter’s room. She jumped out of bed, ran to him and hugged him tightly, quite sincerely, he felt.
– Thank you, Daddy, you are the best, I love you! Sveta cried out in a burst of emotion.
A pleasant warmth spread in Eduard Nikolaevich’s soul, he had already forgotten that you can sincerely open your feelings like this, because for many years of hard business he became a machine for making money and completely hardened.
Sergey couldn’t find a place for himself, Sveta hadn’t come for three days. He tore his hair and cursed for saying everything to Sveta’s father. It is not known what he has come up with for his daughter, everything can be expected. The guy was very worried that suddenly Eduard Nikolaevich would force Sveta to get married and they would never see each other again. From this very thought, despair covered the guy.
Suddenly, on the fourth day, a familiar jeep drove up to the gatehouse, Sveta came out, heavy bags were unloaded from the trunk, and the car left, leaving clouds of dust behind. Sergei ran up to the Light:
– My love!! How are you?
Sveta joyfully rushed into his arms, kissed him non-stop, and chirped:
– Seryozha, my father let me go, let me go for good, you know, we’re together forever now!
Sergey picked up his beloved Svetlana in his arms and whirled her around in joy, not fully believing in what was happening. Sergey introduced Sveta to her parents, they immediately liked the girl…
The guy built a small but very cozy house on a plot not far from the gatehouse, where they lived with their Svetlana happy and friendly family. They didn’t have a lot of money, cool cars, didn’t go abroad, but they had a lot more: they sat every evening in the yard under the apple tree, which Sergei lovingly planted. A contented Alma was dozing nearby, drinking fragrant herbal tea with fragrant jam, and were absolutely happy without any riches. Because happiness is where love lives and peace of mind, and no money can replace it.
One day the phone rang in Eduard Nikolaevich’s office, he looked at the screen, it was Sveta. My father picked up the phone and heard:
– Daddy, hi! I’m calling to congratulate you, very soon you will become a grandfather twice! I’m going to have twins! I’m so happy, and I couldn’t help but let you know. Know that I love you and I don’t hold any grudge against you. After all, the father is the one who brought up…
A stingy man’s tear rolled down Eduard Nikolaevich’s cheek, it was the best news! Well, wow, he will become a grandfather, and the man smiled, mentally getting used to this thought.
– Sveta, daughter, I am very happy for you. I will try to give my granddaughters everything that I didn’t give you, all the warmth and affection!
Only now, after hearing this news, the man finally realized that he really loves Sveta, he just realized it only now. Well, better later than never.
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