Zhanna stood, staring at her cottages, thinking that yet another attempt to fix everything had ended in complete disaster. It seemed she had foreseen every detail, studied all the nuances, but, as luck would have it, events began to unfold in the most unexpected way.
The village turned out to be deserted – there were practically no locals willing to help, and financial resources had dried up long before the project could be completed. It appeared that her habit of acting impulsively and relying on luck had failed her once again. When she was offered a pittance to buy out her own idea, a desire to destroy everything surged within her, just to avoid watching other people benefit from her dream. Why had she even decided to pursue this? After all, who doesn’t strive for a better life?
She had noticed this village back when her business was booming. A friend had sent her there, telling her about healing springs known only to a select few. At that time, Zhanna was constantly ill – as soon as she overcame one ailment, another would appear. She was physically and emotionally worn out.
It was then that she recalled her friend’s words: the natural riches of this place could heal even the most hopelessly ill person. Gradually, her urban business began to lose momentum. Perhaps she had chosen the wrong niche, or maybe the competition had become too fierce. So Zhanna decided to try a new direction. She meticulously calculated every step—except one: during the construction, the world had changed dramatically, especially regarding the prices of building materials.
Zhanna sank onto the porch of her house. Even though she had managed to finish building it completely, what was the point when maintaining such property was now nearly impossible?
“Good afternoon, Zhanna Igorevna, enjoying some rest?” a neighboring retiree, who loved to chat, asked as she passed by. Zhanna wasn’t a fan of idle chatter but tried to remain polite, occasionally engaging in conversation.
The locals considered her an arrogant person. And perhaps they were right – years in business had taken their toll. She had no friends, no confidants, no family. “Hello,” she replied briefly, turning away and deliberately cutting off the conversation. She wanted some time alone. The old lady shook her head and walked away, while Zhanna began to gather her things. A week-long trip to another city awaited her to search for a favorable loan. She hoped to find a specialist who could help evaluate the prospects of her new venture.
As she was carrying her suitcases, she felt as if someone was watching her. And that was exactly what was missing – someone was clearly waiting for her departure. She had planned to hire a watchman, but in all the rush, she completely forgot about it. Suddenly, as she turned around sharply, she saw a middle-aged man with a child.
“Hello,” he said.
Zhanna instinctively looked around, checking if what she was experiencing was real.
“Hello,” she replied, struggling to hide her irritation.
The man continued, “I’m sorry for the disturbance. On the bus, they told us there’s construction going on here, and we thought maybe there might be some work available. I can do a lot.”
Zhanna shifted her gaze to the little girl and raised her eyebrows in question. The man immediately understood her silent inquiry:
“Don’t worry, she’s my daughter. I am her legal guardian,” he said with a smile. “I’m raising her on my own; she falls ill often. The doctors advised us to change climates for at least a year, so we’re looking for a place to settle.”
Zhanna gave a wry smile, “You see, I have my own problems right now. The project is on hold, there’s no money. I doubt I can help you.”
The man persisted, “How about this: we can live here in exchange for work. I have experience in construction and electrical work—I can fix and redo things.”
“Alright then, stay. The house is big, there’s plenty of food, and you can also take care of the property. When I return, I’ll decide whether I need your help or if it’s better to sell everything to hell,” Zhanna mumbled.
“Sell? But this place is something else! They say the air and water are healing. There must be clients!”
“Yes, I thought so too. But while I was building, prices soared so high that even the basic connection of utilities wasn’t affordable.” Zhanna waved her hand and grabbed her bag. “Okay, I’m leaving for a week. If the terms work for you – stay.”
The man produced his passport, “Here, so you can feel at ease.”
Zhanna looked at the document and smirked, “You know, I don’t trust people… But perhaps it’s time to change. Just how will you manage without a passport? What if something happens?”
The man smiled, “They told me so many things about you on the bus that I was a bit apprehensive. But you’re not like that at all. My name is Denis, and this is Masha.”
“Keys are in the kitchen drawer. Make yourself at home. If anyone asks, say that I’ll be back in a week,” she replied, gently tousling the little girl’s hair and receiving a joyful smile in return, before heading to her car.
If someone had offered her the house to a stranger just a day ago, she would have laughed. But now she was leaving calmly, confident that everything would be alright. And if something went wrong – so be it.
The trip turned out to be a failure. At least she had enough common sense not to get involved in yet another adventure… but in the end, she returned empty-handed.
It was already dark when she approached the village. She tried not to look toward the lake, where her cottages stood, but couldn’t help glancing. The car came to a sudden stop – lights were on in three of the cottages! Real electric lights, even though the wiring hadn’t even begun to be installed. Bundles of wires lay untouched in one of the houses.
Before she could process what she had seen, she noticed lights at the pier. Her plan included not only the pier with the café zone but also illuminated fencing all around the perimeter. She had only planned to install it, and here it was, already in place and decorated with lanterns!
Someone had been busy at the pier. Determined to find out what was going on, Zhanna turned her car around. She parked and turned off the engine. Music played over the lake – her favorite band. For a moment she froze, astonished by the coincidence. “Real mysticism,” she thought, even though she had never believed in such things. Shaking off her doubts, she got out of the car and walked toward the person at the pier.
After a few meters, she stopped, recognizing Denis. He completely slipped from her mind for a moment. And there was his daughter, sitting on a chair, intently looking at her phone, wrapped in a blanket – only her face visible. Zhanna slowly looked around and began to ponder: could it all really be the work of one man? Incredible! She calculated in her mind how much it would cost to hire an entire crew of electricians.
“Hello, Denis,” she said.
He turned around and broke into a wide smile, “Oh, you’re back! Hello! I decided to do a bit of work within my abilities.”
“I thought that to finish all this, I’d have to sell my organs,” Zhanna remarked wryly.
Denis laughed, “Oh, come now, it’s nothing. I fixed the floors, and my daughter and I cleaned up. In short, it’s ready to move in.” – “Move in? How can it be move-in ready?” a timid hope flickered in Zhanna’s heart.
“Well, almost everything is ready,” he confirmed. “Only one cottage is unfinished – the roof is poorly laid and leaks a bit. But that’s just a couple of hours’ work.”
They walked around the cottages for about another hour, and Zhanna increasingly realized: this chance encounter had become her true savior. No more, no less.
The little girl was already playfully pinching her father’s nose.
“Come with me,” Zhanna said, extending her arms, “let’s go home.”
The little girl smiled and embraced her without hesitation. Zhanna handed Denis the car keys, “Will you take the car? We’ll go on foot.”
Denis smiled broadly again, “Of course! It’s not too heavy for you, is it?”
“Oh, not at all—how could it be heavy to hold such a miracle?” Zhanna replied, though inwardly she admitted that she wouldn’t want to give up the child even to her father. The little girl trustingly pressed against her, and Zhanna felt a strange warmth, as if she had always carried children in her arms.
At the table, as Masha, barely finished eating, promptly fell asleep, Denis took her to bed. Returning, he softly said, “You know, I can see how well Masha is doing here. She sleeps all night, whereas in the city she woke up dozens of times. Her appetite has returned. True, she’s all bruises and scratches – sometimes mimicking a frog, sometimes chasing a rooster. Out all day, she can’t be stopped. I’m so grateful to you.”
Zhanna waved her hands, “Oh no! It’s me who should be grateful. Just a few hours ago, I was ready to say goodbye to my dream. And now I realize: together we can manage. Denis,” she continued, “I propose that you become my partner. We’ll discuss the details later, but know this – I won’t let you down. You and Masha will have a secure life.”
Denis looked at her in astonishment, “Really? But I haven’t done anything extraordinary.”
“You have done far more than you can imagine. You’ve restored my faith in the future.”
When the first guests started arriving, it became clear – everything had worked out. People were thrilled. They not only quickly regained their strength, but the locals also received great support. All the natural products were selling at high prices. For city dwellers, it was a real revelation.
In the autumn, as the season came to an end, Zhanna sat on the pier with a cup of coffee, watching her successful project and realizing that the best was yet to come.
Someone sat down nearby, and Zhanna immediately recognized Denis.
“Zhanna, we’re probably going to leave,” he said softly.
She was so startled that she couldn’t hide her agitation, “Where? Why? You have work here!”
Denis took a deep breath, looked at the lake, and began speaking, avoiding her gaze: “Allow me to say, don’t interrupt. This is very hard… You are a successful businesswoman, and I am just a mere wanderer. It’s hard for me to stay by your side; I can’t bear to look at you, be near you, or do anything. In another situation, perhaps I would have tried to confess my feelings, but I have nothing – no home, no money, and on top of that, a child. Allow me to simply leave. I ask nothing of you.”
Zhanna, trying to hide a joyful smile, listened in silence. After a pause, she said, “I won’t let you leave. That’s out of the question. If you decide to go, I’ll drop everything and follow you. I always thought my life was all about work, but now I’m ready to leave it all just to be with you and Masha. You know, I too never knew how to confess my feelings – I even decided I’d never say anything, since you seemed not to notice me.”
Denis gently turned her toward him, looked into her eyes, and studied her face for a long while, “Zhanna, are you serious? You’re not saying this just so I’ll stay and work?”
She laughed, “Do you think I can’t manage without you? I could give you a good smack right now so you understand this is real!”
Denis smiled, “Please, do it, so I can be completely sure, and then I’ll hug you.”
“Or perhaps I’d rather kiss you?”
The last of the guests nearby could see the two figures embracing, sitting by the lake and silently gazing into the distance. No one bothered them, and that was exactly what was needed – simply to sit in silence, feeling the presence of a loved one.