Svetlana Mirrai "Golden сarriage for Cinderella. A novel about love"

– And this, young people, is the Pioneer Pond, it was created back in the nineteenth century, the whole territory then belonged to the Petty-Bourgeois School. Before the revolution of 1917, the reservoir was called Small. Only when Gorky Park was built here, it was renamed. I worked as a teacher before, so I know the history of this place well.

– Thank you, and I’m also fond of history, – said Peter.

– Grandma, let’s go,” the little boy who was standing next to her said tearfully.

And they immediately left.

After walking aВ few steps forward, we came even closer toВ the pond. Boats and catamarans floated inВ front ofВ us. Small fish splashed inВ the water, and fry inВ flocks dissected the pond.

– I have to tell you something, Vladochka. I definitely have to leave tomorrow. I have a service, and I have to be at the temple by the weekend.

– Of course, I understand everything.

IВ felt very sad, but he had his own life, another family, there, far away, inВ aВ completely different country.

– And so that you wouldn’t be sad, I ran to buy delicious ice cream. Which one do you like?

– Buy me a milkshake, then I will try not to be sad, – I tried not to show the true emotions that just engulfed me at that moment.

Peter bought himself an ice cream, aВ cocktail for me and went toВ the free catamaran:

– And now we’re going to do a few laps, have we swam?

– Of course, we swam.

Peter quickly stepped into the very center ofВ the catamaran and held out his hand toВ me. Another second and IВ was there. Having settled down comfortably, we began toВ pedal, and splashes ofВ water flew inВ different directions, getting on our face and clothes.

– Oh, how fun, look at the sun, it has crumbled into small fragments in the water, and it’s like a lot of lights are floating next to us.

– And one piece of glass fell into my catamaran, – laughed Peter.

We talked and laughed merrily, completely oblivious toВ how our time flew byВ and the evening crept up. We got home very late.

The next morning Peter began toВ prepare for departure. Suddenly the phone rang.

– Good afternoon! How are the kids? How is she? he spoke very softly.

IВ immediately realized that it was my wife calling.

Soon he hung up the phone and continued toВ work on trousers.

“Do you love her?”

– No, I just live with her, she’s a sick person. Let’s postpone this conversation for later.

– Of course, we will postpone.

– Maybe you won’t come to see me off? Let’s say goodbye at home.

Peter never once looked me inВ theВ eye.

“Don’t you want to be with me when the train departs?” I asked sadly.

– No, that’s not the point at all.

Peter got dressed. He took the suitcase byВ the long handle and said:

– Goodbye, Vlada, and thank you for everything.

And he left the apartment.

Of course, I was somehow uncomfortable. I haven’t smoked for a long time, but at this moment it was just necessary. The pack of cigarettes was in the closet in a small jar for cereals, hidden just for such a special occasion. Along with the cigarette I smoked, the idea came to me that everything in life should be told. I quickly left the house. I looked at my watch and realized that I would definitely make it before the train left, and my legs carried me along the subway faster and faster.

There wasn’t much time left, so I immediately ran to the platform. The train had already been announced, and there were more and more people. Among the many faces, only Peter was missing. Suddenly someone gently took me by the shoulder. My heart almost jumped out of my chest in surprise, I turned around.

– You again, and I recognized you! The gray – haired man was smiling happily.

Oh my God, IВ recognize that snow-white smile.

– Aristarkh Borisovich, what are you doing at the train station? I asked, confused by the unexpected meeting.

– I’m taking my friend on the train to Kiev, but where is the man who was jealous of me? – the actor asked and laughed.

– Yes, we missed him a little, he is also going to Kiev on this train.

– Here, take my business card, since we have already become friends so much, my dispatcher will answer, if you want to come to my concert, then they will tell you all the necessary information at this number. And now I’m in a hurry. But if I meet you again, then … – Aristarkh Borisovich smiled and winked at me.

A few minutes later, the Moscow – Kiev train started moving and began to pick up speed. I stood thoughtfully on the platform and watched him go until the last car disappeared from sight.

The door at my entrance was half open, someone had planted aВ stone. When IВ got toВ my floor, IВ felt aВ hand on my shoulder again and quickly turned around. Peter was standing next toВ me as if nothing had happened.

– Did you plant the stone? I grinned.

– Yes, I was afraid I’d miss you.

– And I was looking for you at the train station and met you again, you won’t believe it, Aristarch Borisovich.

– Wow, did you meet him again? It happens. And I like to joke sometimes, it’s okay, you’ll get used to it,” and he showed me his ticket, where it was written that the Moscow – Kiev train No. 005 departs tomorrow at two o’clock in the afternoon.

“I thought you didn’t want to see me anymore,” I said with a smile.

– Come on, honey. Shall we go for a walk in Moscow? Peter suggested.

We left the car at aВ paid parking lot, and we went for aВ walk along the Arbat.

The walk was long, and it was only late in the evening that we returned home. Peter gave me several gifts: diamond earrings and a beautiful evening dress. If you say that I was happy, then it’s not to say anything at all. I was floating in the air and spinning in a dance, wearing new clothes on myself. He poured a glass of red wine “Cabernet Sauvignon” and offered to drink to our wonderful evening. After a few sips, a wave of warmth swept through his entire body. Peter took my hand, and we embraced and danced into each other.

But the next day came, no matter how we tried to delay the minutes of parting. At the train station, Peter did not take his brown eyes with long eyelashes away from me. His gaze fascinated me more and more, but at the same time it broke my heart. After all, there was a huge mountain of obstacles and uncertainty ahead of our relationship. You can’t love a married priest, my mind screamed, but how I need him, my heart said.

Standing on the platform waiting for the train, our heads were bent towards each other, we held hands, and our lips whispered:

– I love you, my Vladochka.

– I love you, my good one.

“I’m going to miss you so much, honey.

– And me.

– I’ll come to you, you just wait.

The train arrived on schedule. Peter kissed me gently, then stepped inside the car, and soon his silhouette disappeared into the crowd ofВ people leaving. The train started, and the wheels rattled inВ time with my heart, taking with them my joy and my love.

Santa Claus as aВ gift

Time passed. The green leaves changed and turned yellow, but soon they too were gone. The bare branches stuck out absurdly inВ different directions, and the knots were intertwined with each other, like snake-haired monsters. It was the end ofВ December. People were bustling on the street, and inВ the shops, gift packages with shiny ribbons, snowflakes, decorated Christmas trees were dotted inВ the windows, and everything was seasoned with flashing lights and garlands. During this time, IВ got aВ job inВ aВ Moscow beauty salon. IВ had toВ get used toВ Moscow life and learn how toВ work inВ the capital, so IВ was inВ no hurry toВ open my own business.

– Vlada, go, you have a client.

Nadia, the salon administrator, came into my staff room.

– Thank you, honey.

IВ put the unfinished glass ofВ tea inВ the sink for dishes. AВ young woman was waiting for me inВ the hall. After aВ couple ofВ hours, the work was ready.

– Coloring the roots, tinting and styling, – I told Nadia.

– That’ll be three and a half thousand.”

The client handed the money toВ the administrator and left.

– Vlada, I’ll come tomorrow at nine in the evening, – Nadia, my new friend and work colleague, said in the voice of the lord. – And we will immediately go to Sokolniki Park for the Christmas tree, it will be so interesting, I have thought everything through to the smallest detail.

– I would like to, – I tried to hide my true mood.

Peter has been in touch very little lately, referring to the large pre-New Year’s employment.

– At five minutes to ten, girls, have you overworked today? Julia, our manicurist, asked loudly.

– Yulka, the red – haired beast, – Nadia said with a grin, – a cold bed is waiting for us, but you run to your overseas prince and faster!

AВ few more minutes we finished our tea and aВ little later went outside, closing the salon door with aВ key.

– See you tomorrow, Nadenka.

And IВ walked briskly along the snow-dusted sidewalk.

– Taxi, – waving her hand, Nadia ran up to the car.

“Yandex-taxi” was written on a car painted under the brand, and, apparently, at the moment it was standing alone waiting for a passenger. Nadia was very assertive by nature, but with a sense of humor. Her red curls stuck out awkwardly from her hood. She gave her address to the taxi driver, quickly got into the car and closed the door behind her. The car let out a roar of brakes and disappeared from sight.

The next day I was preparing for the New Year. Last night, together with Nadia, we decided to share the responsibilities of preparing a festive dinner. I had a few salads and a baked festive goose stuffed with apples. And Nadia was supposed to bring dessert, French-style meat, a couple more salads and champagne. I spent the whole day in the kitchen, and in the evening, out of impotence, I fell on the sofa and fell asleep. When the doorbell rang, I realized that I didn’t have time to do half of the things.

– Here you go, Sonya, a taxi is waiting for us, and you’re not packed yet. Quickly put on jeans with some kind of jacket and hit the road. I didn’t come alone,” Nadia drawled cheerfully, and I realized that she was drunk.

She went toВ the table and put some prepared dishes with food and aВ cake with huge roses, which she brought from home.

– Where did you get so drunk? I asked in surprise, zipping up my jacket.

– We congratulated each other with a neighbor! At first she came to visit me, then I went to her, and then she came to me again,” Nadia replied and burst out loudly with her bright and infectious laughter.

IВ was getting ready quickly, like aВ soldier on alert. And after aВ couple ofВ minutes we went outside.

When we got closer toВ the taxi, IВ saw aВ huge female figure, she occupied most ofВ the cabin.

– Hello, Happy New Year! I said, opening the door and getting into the back seat.

– Hi, my name is Sofa, – said a large, obese woman in a low voice. I’ve heard a lot about you, Vlada. You probably already realized that I’m Nadia’s neighbor.

– I think it will be more fun together, – I muttered to myself and turned away, looking out the window at the kids who were running around in the yard, pretending to be riders on horses. It was unclear to me why Nadia took her with her.

– And I also thought that the three of us would be much more interesting, – Nadia said cheerfully, reading my thoughts.

When we reached Sokolniki Park, the Sofa opened the door in the car, caught on something with its foot and rolled out like a bun, right on the sidewalk. Nadia managed to catch her before she was completely sprawled out in the snow, and so they went to the park in an embrace. I just noticed the package in Nadia’s hands.

– What’s in the bag? I asked.

“Oh, and this is fuel for warming,” Nadia said cheerfully.

Soon we entered Sokolniki Park. The Christmas tree was huge and glowed with multicolored lights. The floodlights illuminated all sides ofВ the park, it lay beautifully on the snow, on the Christmas tree, cutting further into the horizon, taking the rays far toВ the stars.

AВ lot ofВ people gathered around. And we moved closer and closer into the crowd, and more and more dances with children formed around us, their happy faces were everywhere. AВ man with an accordion sang nearby, he danced, calling on everyone toВ sing along with him. Suddenly, two men dressed inВ the uniform ofВ paratroopers fell at our feet from the crowd, the third, the largest and very tall man, scooped up two inВ an armful, having gathered aВ hand full ofВ snow, and began toВ rub their cheeks with cold toВ bring them toВ their senses.

– What are you guys, you haven’t spent the old year yet, and you’re no longer in good condition. Stand straight and listen to your commander! – he commanded.

The men obediently tried toВ straighten their chests and draw inВ their bellies. And then they noticedВ us.

– Girls, Happy New Year!

– Boys, and you! Nadia answered cheerfully.

– And let’s spend the old year together with us in a warm company, – one of the paratroopers suggested. – I’m Sanya, the most important one in our position and rank is Yura, and next to me – he pointed to a friend who was barely standing next to him – Roma.

– I… I… Roma,” said a middle – aged man, stammering and barely moving his tongue, he was the drunkest of the three.