— What are you doing, where do you think you’re going?! — Semen snapped irritably, though he himself knew he wasn’t without fault, as he pondered behind the wheel. But how could anyone decide on such a step: crossing the street at a non-designated spot, and moreover, holding a roughly five-year-old child’s hand? This is the height of recklessness!
A heavy truck stopped literally within a millimeter of a woman who had frozen in place, her eyes squeezed shut. The boy began to cry, and that was the only thing that snapped her out of her stupor. She scooped her little son into her arms.
— Do you even realize there’s no pedestrian crossing here?! — Semen tried to keep his voice down, but his indignation kept breaking through.
— I’m sorry… I didn’t notice, — she mumbled so quietly that he could barely hear.
— “Didn’t notice”? Had I not managed to brake in time, I’d be tormented by guilt for the rest of my life! And what about your child? Did you even think about him?
She suddenly turned around sharply.
— I apologized! It would have been better if you hadn’t stopped at all… Perhaps it would have been easier for both of us.
The woman was clearly neither drunk nor foolish. Semen looked at her carefully and made up his mind:
— Get in the car, — he said.
She looked at him warily:
— What for?…
— Really, get in. I’ll give you a ride. See what kind of traffic jam we have here?
There really was a jam — a total of five cars — but apparently even that frightened the woman. Semen watched her out of the corner of his eye: she clutched her child tightly, clearly a loving mother. But why did her reply sound so strange? Something was clearly amiss…
— Why do you need someone else’s problems? — she sighed softly, yet eventually she agreed.
The car stopped at the entrance to a restaurant.
— Let’s go in, have lunch together, talk, — Semen suggested.
— No, no, that’s inconvenient… — she faltered.
— It’s convenient, it’s my restaurant. So, feel free. Consider this my apology for scaring you. By the way, let’s introduce ourselves. My name is Semen.
— Valentina, and this is Egor, — she introduced herself.
While they waited for their order, Valya absently fiddled with a napkin, and then began to speak:
— You know, until yesterday I thought everything was fine with me. But last night my husband just kicked us out. He said he has a new family, and we’re no longer needed… I was sitting at home with my son, I haven’t had a job for ages, and neither have my friends… If this is your restaurant, maybe there’s some work available for me? I can wash floors, do the dishes… anything, just to survive.
— And where will you live? Who will look after your son while you work? — Semen asked.
Valya lowered her gaze:
— Honestly, I don’t know… Really, I don’t know what to do…
Semen pointed at the plates:
— Eat, and feed the child. We’ll have to think about it.
He looked at this young, worn-out woman and couldn’t understand how her husband could have done this. Proud, perhaps, that she hadn’t resorted to lawsuits or scandal. Just one bag with her… How can we help them? Strangely, Semen, who usually avoided obligations to other people, felt the desire to lend a helping hand. However, what exactly he could offer remained a mystery for now.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at the screen:
— Of course… Hello.
— Semen Vasilievich, we need to buy compound feed. You bought it a month ago.
— Yes, alright, I’ll transfer the money. What’s the situation? No buyers?
— No one called… It’s a pity for the animals, they’re not to blame…
— Alright, I suppose soon someone will come to take everything off your hands.
On the other end of the line, the female interlocutor noticeably perked up. An elderly lady who had been looking after the house was completely worn out. She hadn’t visited her grandchildren in three months.
This property had fallen onto Semen like a ton of bricks. An uncle, barely known to him, had left behind something resembling a farm. Semen had gone there once, looked around—and that was it. He had paid a neighbor to watch over the animals with her husband, and what to do next he couldn’t imagine. Tucking his phone back into his pocket, he looked at Valentina:
— Tell me, have you ever worked with cows or sheep?
— I lived in the countryside until I was fifteen, then we moved, — she waved her hand dismissively.
Semen brightened:
— What do you think about moving to the countryside? Let me explain everything… — And he explained the situation: — You’ll get all the keys in your hands! Develop, sell, buy—do whatever you want! I won’t interfere at all. I don’t need anything. I just can’t bear to see it left to waste. The settlement isn’t small; there’s a school, a kindergarten, probably too. There will be no problems with Egor.
Valya looked at him with wide, astonished eyes:
— Are you serious?! But that’s your…
Semen waved his hands:
— If you can rid me of this burden, I’d be delighted! To sell the farm, you need to invest a ton of money in paperwork. In the end, it’ll be worthless. I’d just be wasting time.
Valya’s eyes sparkled:
— But we’re complete strangers to you… Completely strangers…
— Valentina, don’t take it that way! Think of it as helping me! I won’t spend money on maintaining the farm; I won’t worry about it. By the way, do you have a driver’s license?
The woman nodded.
— Excellent! There’s some equipment in the garage. The uncle was selling something. In short, use whatever you find! The main thing is that this “rural nightmare” no longer weighs on me.
Valya looked at Semen gratefully:
— You know, half an hour ago I thought there were no good people left in the world. When your closest person betrays you, it feels like everyone else is even worse. And now I realize—no, good people do exist. And maybe there are even more than it seems.
Semen called over the administrator:
— Oleg, take the keys to my car, drive these people to this address. Someone will cover for you. There aren’t many people around anyway.
Valya gazed out at the fields and forests passing by the window, a smile spreading across her face. How much she missed the countryside! Though she had never admitted it to herself. Egor would be fine there too. As long as the house was in order… What a kind, considerate, and, to boot, good-looking Semen!
After arriving at a large house, Valya exhaled: “My goodness…” Oleg helped her unload the belongings. Semen gave him some money and asked him to stop by a grocery store, and Valya bought everything necessary. Bags and packets accumulated in plenty. She took little by little, but Oleg, it seemed, decided to take matters into his own hands.
— Semen called, warned me, — said an elderly neighbor. — Oh, if only you knew how glad I am that you’re going to live here now! First of all, a house shouldn’t be left without an owner, and secondly, I’m so tired.
Her name was Anna Fyodorovna, and her house was nearby.
— Don’t worry, Valyusha, — she said. — I’ll help you for a while, and then you can decide for yourself what to do. Do I understand correctly that you have full authority?
Valya laughed:
— Of course, you bet! — And, like a child, she twirled around the room. — Honestly, it can’t be compared to the apartment where I lived with my husband! The whole apartment could fit into one room of this house!
Anna Fyodorovna showed her the dishes, the bed.
— Don’t worry…
— Don’t think, the owner isn’t dead here, he’s in the hospital. So, feel free to use everything.
Thus, the weeks passed by. Valentina, a woman with a kind and accommodating nature, gradually mastered and remembered the ways of rural life. She got acquainted with the cows — there were very few left, with the sheep raised for meat, with the chickens… Little by little, everything became clearer in her mind.
Soon she began to understand that even not-so-well-kept animals produced more than they could consume themselves. That meant it was necessary to look for markets for surplus goods. In other words, if a place could be found to sell the extra milk, meat, or eggs… Perhaps to some grandmother at the market? Then she could even hire someone to help…
And then Valya decided to peek into the garage. There stood a real monster — a huge vehicle designed for transporting small loads and moving through mud. Valya sighed. Once upon a time, she had a small car that would easily have fit in the cabin of that behemoth.
A few weeks passed, and she learned things she had never even considered before. And the vehicle… Well, it was just a bit larger than the one she used to drive.
Anna Fyodorovna watched the proceedings from the window with wide-open eyes:
— Grandpa, look! Did I imagine it, or is that the neighbor’s car? Really, did he sell that beast? No, look, Valya is driving it! Well, girl, she’ll probably go through fire with it! It’s about to turn around; they’ll need helpers. Didn’t she say anything to you?
— No, I haven’t heard anything, — replied the old man. — Well, nothing. Perhaps some work will come to our village.
— That’s for sure. Strange, though, why hasn’t Semen come by even once? I thought that… well, that… they’d make a nice couple.
The old man laughed:
— Oh, Anya, you’d marry everyone if you could! And Valya, I’m sure, will manage just fine.
Semen stopped the car in front of the restaurant. He gazed at the building for a long while, lost in his thoughts.
He hadn’t expected to be caught like an inexperienced youth. A simple asset seizure. He relaxed, believing himself invulnerable… What an idiot! Fortunately, he realized in time what was going on. He sold the restaurant and the house almost for nothing. Luckily, he had a reserve of money, and now he could try to start everything anew.
But while the bankruptcy proceedings were underway, the funds in the unnamed account were frozen, and they couldn’t be withdrawn. He would have to wait somewhere for half a year. Or maybe a little more, perhaps less. It all depended on how things turned out…
That evening, on the eve, the uncle’s farm suddenly came to his mind. No one had touched it because he had never managed to complete the inheritance paperwork.
“Surely, Valentina won’t kick me out, right?” he mused. “Although, who knows? Maybe she left long ago? But on the other hand, Anna Fyodorovna would have called…”
He set off for the countryside. The morning was quiet and calm. Upon arriving at the house, he stopped and his mouth dropped open in astonishment. Of course, he had been here a couple of times, but he was sure that half of what he saw now hadn’t been there before.
He had just stopped at the gate when Valentina ran out. She pulled out some huge bags and dragged them to the new building. From there, someone came out to meet her… Semen’s mouth opened again… It was Anna Fyodorovna, in a white coat and white cap! He rubbed his eyes to be sure he wasn’t hallucinating, and got out of the car:
— Good day, ladies!
The women turned around. If Semen were to meet Valya on the street right now, he wouldn’t recognize her at all! Confident gaze, stylish jeans, a light T-shirt…
— Hello! — Anna Fyodorovna exclaimed, flinging her hands about.
Semen noticed a flash of fear in Valya’s eyes and hurried to explain:
— Valentina, please don’t misunderstand—I just wanted to ask if I could crash here for a bit. Some problems have arisen in the city, and I need a break. You wouldn’t turn me away?
She smiled broadly:
— What are you saying! Of course, come in!
Semen looked around in amazement:
— And what is this?
— A cheese production workshop. Yes, indeed. And this… — she pointed to a new building. — We’re just starting here, but there are already many orders. We make kebabs, marinate cheeses, prepare ribs and all that.
Semen’s mouth opened once again:
— Valya, how did you manage all this?
— It’s been two years since we last saw each other, — she shrugged.
Until late into the night, Valentina and Semen stayed awake. Egor, having been exhausted early, had been put to bed, because the entire evening they had been riding bicycles. Semen felt… wonderful! Carefree like a child. And now they sat at the table, and he listened intently to Valya’s plans.
— Do you really want to make all this happen? — he asked.
— Of course! Now we’re earning decently; there’s enough for a salary, and we’re saving, too.
Semen looked at her and couldn’t understand how he had never noticed before how beautiful her eyes were, what a delicate oval her face had, who she really was…
He approached Anna Fyodorovna:
— I need your advice.
She gave him a knowing look:
— I even think I know what you’re after. Want to talk? Or rather, about whom?
Semen blushed:
— Well, you know, Anna Fyodorovna… I wanted to ask… Maybe does Valya have someone? Perhaps it’s better for me to leave?
The woman laughed:
— Who could she possibly have, if her mind is completely occupied by work? And where would she get such strength? From morning till night she’s on the move, zooming around on that monster. She’s like a little bee!
— Thank you, Anna Fyodorovna, — Semen smiled. — I very much hope I can be a good assistant to her.
Semen never returned to the city. He decided that such a beautiful and cozy place could also use a café. And possibly even a hotel. Moreover, there was plenty to attract customers.
The reputation of the products they were working with spread throughout the area! Orders were coming in from other regions. Although, Valya had asked to hold off on expanding production until their newborn daughter was at least six months old.
— Well, why rush? — she would say. — Family is the most important thing!