Valeriy walked through the restaurant one more time. Today, he had dismissed all the staff, and all that remained were some leftover supplies. He decided he would return in a few days to gather everything to donate to a shelter.
His restaurant had been open for only five years. Initially, business was booming, and the restaurant attracted many customers. However, a year ago, a fast-food joint opened nearby, and patrons began to flock there. Fast, cheap food became more popular than the sophisticated dishes he offered. Valeriy believed that the interest in fast food would quickly fade, as surely not everyone would want to eat such food all the time. But it turned out not to be so simple: the guests began disappearing not because of the fast food, but because the head chef was considering moving to another establishment and had stopped overseeing the quality of the dishes.
Valeriy bitterly reproached himself for having long stopped tasting dishes before adding them to the menu. When he finally recognized the problem and tried the food, the restaurant was almost empty. Valeriy immediately fired the chef, but the situation did not improve. He tried cooking himself, and although he was competent, he could not reach the restaurant’s previous level.
Ultimately, he had to make a tough decision: close or sell the establishment. He chose to sell because he was already burdened with a loan taken out in the initial phase, and without selling, he would not have the means to pay it off. The restaurant looked gloomy and neglected. He needed to find someone who would refurbish the place, otherwise, no buyer would offer a good price.
In the yard, he remembered how, not long ago, the waitresses would cheerfully gather there for a break, chatting and laughing, and he could hear them from his office, the windows of which looked out into the yard.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed movement behind a bush and headed there.
“Hello, sorry…” came a voice from the bushes.
A woman with a wary look was peering at him, standing next to her was a girl about five years old.
“Why are you hiding here?”
The woman sighed:
“Forgive us, we didn’t know the restaurant was closed. The girls always brought something out to us… We will leave.”
She was about to leave, but Valeriy stopped her:
“Wait. Do you have a place to live?”
She gave a faint smile and replied:
“Yes, but it’s temporary. I’ll figure something out.”
He wanted to ask what had happened, as the woman with a child clearly did not look homeless. He noticed the pain in her eyes and decided not to ask any more questions.
“Which of the girls helped you?” he asked.
“Do you want to punish them?”
“No, of course not. Just wanted to know. Were they Tamara, Olya, and Sveta?”
She nodded, confirming his guess.
“Can you tidy up?”
The woman was surprised by the question, but still answered:
“I think anyone can do that.”
“Come,” Valeriy suggested, pointing to the restaurant. “See for yourself: everything is dreary and neglected. I could offer you to stay here and gradually put everything in order. There’s enough food for a long time.”
“We can stay here and cook?”
“Yes, for as long as it takes. I’ll leave you the key to the back entrance so you can come and go freely. There’s a sofa in the office, along with a pillow and a blanket.”
The woman smiled:
“I promise, everything will be sparkling here.”
Valeriy showed her the kitchen, the food, and everything needed for cleaning, and then, hesitantly, asked one last question:
“Forgive my bluntness, but… you don’t look homeless…”
The woman, who turned out to be named Lera, lowered her eyes and nodded in response.
“My husband brought another woman home, and for complete happiness, all they needed was a child—our daughter. He never really cared for her; he was more concerned about his status. All that mattered to him was that the family looked good. Now I have no way to fight for Ritochka, so I had to flee and wander.”
Valeriy shook his head; he had heard such stories before. A question formed in his mind: “Where were you all when you were choosing your husbands?”
Lera as if read his thoughts:
“I know what you’re thinking, but he wasn’t always like this. Or maybe I didn’t notice. We met when I was just twenty. I had housing provided by the state because I was an orphan, and we sold it to buy a big house. Of course, my husband contributed his money too, but now he has somewhere to live, and I have nothing.”
Valeriy grabbed the door handle and said:
“Alright, I won’t bother you anymore. There are business cards with my number in the desk drawer in my office. Call if you need anything.”
Lera gently touched his hand:
“Tell me, why did you decide to close the restaurant? It was so popular, a good place.”
Valeriy smiled sadly:
“That’s how it turned out. Do you think only women get betrayed? Friends and partners too. I need another couple of weeks to find a buyer.”
He left, trying not to disturb Lera and little Ritochka’s rest. Leaving, Valeriy felt as if they were no longer strangers to him. He cared about what would happen to them.
Three days later, he came back to see how they were doing. Inside the restaurant, a vigorous cleaning was underway: all tables had been neatly moved to the wall, curtains taken down for washing.
“There’s real work going on here,” he noted.
Lera looked much better, her eyes sparkled with energy.
“And lunch is ready?” Valeriy was surprised, noticing the set table.
“Yes,” Lera answered shyly. “There’s so much food here, and it’s all so tasty.”
Little Ritochka was helping her mother set the table, her tongue peeking out from the effort. Valeriy watched them and smiled, realizing he hadn’t eaten anything tastier in those few days.
“Did you study culinary arts?” he asked.
Lera laughed:
“I did, of course. And if I could, I’d cook around the clock. I really enjoy turning simple ingredients into amazing dishes.”
Valeriy sighed:
“It’s a pity we didn’t meet earlier. We could have taken the restaurant to a new level.”
Lera looked at him intently:
“Why not try now?”
“It’s too risky. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll be left with debts I can’t pay,” Valeriy confessed.
Lera sighed:
“That’s too bad. I always liked this place. My husband and I used to come here in the first years after our wedding.” She turned away and wiped away tears. “Don’t worry, I’ll get everything in order. Just warn me in advance.”
Valeriy came again but did not go inside. Each time he thought about the upcoming sale, his heart ached. The day of the deal arrived, and Valeriy went to the restaurant with the buyer and several assistants. The bank owner, who had given a large loan for the purchase, also came.
They agreed to first inspect the restaurant from the inside and then discuss the price. Valeriy knew he wanted to sell the place for a fair amount, but the buyer was not yet agreeing to his terms.
Inside the restaurant, there was perfect cleanliness: fresh flowers stood on the side tables. The bank owner looked puzzled at Valeriy:
“Is your restaurant really closed? It looks like one of the best functioning establishments.”
“We made an exception today, just for you,” Valeriy replied and suggested they sit down.
Then he headed to the kitchen. Little Rita was drawing in his office, where a cartoon was playing. He found Lera in the kitchen; she looked tense and pale.
“Is something wrong?” he asked anxiously.
“Yes… one of your guests is my ex-husband, the one who tried to take my daughter away and left us homeless.”
“Really? Which one?”
“The one in the blue suit.”
“That’s the buyer.”
“I wonder where he got the money to buy the restaurant?”
“He’s taking out a loan. Leave it, I’ll take everything out so he doesn’t see you.”
Fifteen minutes later, the hall was silent as everyone focused on their meal. Finally, one of the guests exclaimed:
“God, this is so delicious, I didn’t even notice how I finished everything.”
The bank owner, nodding, added:
“If you decide to buy this restaurant, convince whoever cooked this to stay with you. Otherwise, it will be hard to find someone of this level.”
All eyes turned to Valeriy, who was just starting to stammer as if he didn’t know what to say. But then Lera stepped into the hall.
“Hello,” she said softly.
The buyer jumped up, shocked by her presence:
“Lera! What are you doing here?”
“I’m cooking here. Don’t yell,” she replied calmly.
“How?.. Since when did you become so bold?”
Lera shrugged:
“Maybe since you brought another woman into our home? Or when you left me and our daughter on the street?”
“How dare you!” the buyer exploded. “You kidnapped her!”
The bank owner, watching the scene, glanced at Valeriy, who just nodded:
“I know. If you want, I can tell you the details later.”
The bank owner stood up and calmly said:
“Sorry, but I do not want to deal with such people. We will not approve the loan.”
Valeriy, smiling, addressed the buyer:
“You know, I’ve changed my mind about selling the restaurant. With such a chef, we can restore its former glory.”
The buyer surged up:
“You’ll regret this. And you, Lera, too. I will take your daughter away. You have no money, no home.”
“You’re wrong there,” Valeriy firmly said. “Lera is now my fiancée, and Rita will be under my protection.”
The buyer left, casting a malicious glance, while Lera quietly cried from relief. The bank owner, smiling at Valeriy, offered:
“I’m ready to give you a loan on better terms. Just make sure there’s always a place for me in this establishment.”
Three months passed. There were minimal changes in the dining room, but the kitchen had undergone a major reconstruction. Valeriy called his former waitresses, and those who could, returned to their old jobs.
On the eve of the opening, the kitchen was bustling with activity. Valeriy peeked in a couple of times, but was promptly kicked out. He sat in the dining room, looking around—everything looked perfect, and he knew it was all thanks to Lera, as if she sensed every detail.
Rita came over and, joining the conversation, said:
“They won’t let you in there?”
“They won’t,” Valeriy sighed.
“Don’t be sad, they won’t let me in either,” Rita smiled, showing adult seriousness. “When mom cooks, she doesn’t notice anyone around her.”
Valeriy smiled:
“Even you?”
“Even me,” Rita seriously replied. “But I’m not offended. Mom is passionate.”
Valeriy realized that Rita might not fully understand all the expressions, but her efforts sounded so sincere that he couldn’t help but smile.
Rita and Lera moved in with Valeriy. He took them in right after Rita encountered her ex-husband. Valeriy hired a lawyer and dealt with the division of Lera’s property, although her ex did everything he could to hinder the process. Lera didn’t know yet, but today she officially became free, and her ex transferred to her account compensation for her share in the apartment.
“Rita, how about some ice cream?” Valeriy suggested.
“Let’s! Otherwise, why just sit around? We can’t get into the kitchen anyway. Just don’t let mom see! She always says sweets in the evening are bad,” Rita replied.
An hour later, Lera walked into the room and, smiling at Valeriy and Rita, noticed them happily eating ice cream. Her gaze fell on the table, and she was almost speechless:
“Have you gone completely mad? You ate everything!”
Rita quickly glanced at Valeriy and giggled, then chased after him as he cheerfully headed for the exit. Together they reached the promenade, where Lera, catching up with them and catching her breath, walked alongside Valeriy. Suddenly he stopped and, smiling at her, said:
“You know, today you’re officially free. It’s all over. You’re probably skeptical about marriage now?” he teased.
“I don’t know, I haven’t even thought about it,” Lera replied.
“Then think about it.” Valeriy turned her towards him and gently kissed her. “But not for too long. I’ve already bought a ring.”