Dima had dreamed of becoming a doctor for as long as he could remember. But life seemed determined to throw obstacles in his way. First, his father died unexpectedly — a loss that knocked the solid ground out from under his feet. Then his mother fell ill: nerves and the constant struggle of working two jobs took their toll. Naturally, he failed the medical school entrance exams. And now, for the second year, he was working as an orderly at the regional hospital, still hoping that someday he would don the white coat.
The day started as usual — cleaning, transporting patients, and endless running through corridors. But after lunch, he was unexpectedly asked to see the head of the therapeutic department — Andrey Pavlovich.
“Dima, there’s a delicate matter,” the doctor began without unnecessary words, looking closely at the young man. “There’s a woman here, Lidiya Semyonovna. Very ill. She has a grandson, also named Dima — your namesake. Only… he hasn’t seen her for a long time, and she would so much like to see him at least once before she leaves us. We thought… maybe you would agree to play his role? At least for her peace of mind.”
Dima froze. A lie? And not just a lie, but a full-on masquerade?
“Andrey Pavlovich, I’m not sure… It feels wrong,” he murmured.
“Sometimes a lie can be kind,” the department head answered softly. “Think about it. For her, this will be the last comfort. And you’ll just help someone to pass away peacefully.”
Dima hesitated. His conscience whispered it was wrong. But the image of a lonely old woman waiting for her beloved grandson wouldn’t leave him alone. In the end, he nodded. The nurses quickly gathered information about the real Dima — his childhood hobbies, where he studied, favorite phrases. The strange play for the sole audience member began.
In the evening, exhausted after talking with the head doctor, Dima went to the store to buy bread and milk for his mother. She still needed help. On his way home, he unexpectedly bumped into Marina — a girl from the neighboring building who he had liked for a long time. Lighthearted, cheerful, with a smile that could melt even the grayest mood.
“Hi, Dima! Where have you been hiding?” she smiled.
The conversation started easily — about trivial things, about a movie currently playing in theaters. Unexpectedly, Dima suggested going together. To his surprise and delight, Marina agreed:
“Saturday — perfect!”
On the way home, he smiled. Just the thought of the date with Marina made the day brighter. Maybe a new chapter was really starting in his life? Maybe he would finally find his own true happiness? That thought gave him hope, helping him believe everything was still possible.
The next day, after finishing his shift and changing into civilian clothes, Dima went into Lidiya Semyonovna’s hospital room. His heart pounded as if it would burst from his chest. He was afraid they would see through him right away. But the woman — small, thin, but with lively eyes — looked at him with a long gaze and faintly smiled:
“Dimochka… you came, dear…”
Dima felt a weight lift from his heart — she believed him. He sat down next to her, and their first conversation flowed naturally. He didn’t expect to feel like anything other than an actor, but almost genuinely. Lidiya Semyonovna spoke about life, the past, death — calmly, without fear.
Each day he came more often. Brought water, adjusted her pillow, simply sat nearby. Once she asked if he had a girlfriend. Dima thought of Marina and felt a little embarrassed. Grandma smiled understandingly:
“Tell me later how the date went. I’m curious to hear about love, too.”
However, the Saturday date ended quite differently than he had dreamed. After the movie, they walked through the park, and Marina suddenly became serious.
“Dima, you’re a good guy, really. But we’re different. I want to leave, see the world, make a career… And you… you’re an orderly. It’s important work, of course, but… not for me.”
She didn’t finish, but Dima understood everything. His salary, his struggles, his uncertain future — all that had become a wall between them.
He silently walked her home. When he returned, his mother asked how it went. Dima just waved his hand:
“Nothing came of it.”
His mother sighed. She had never approved of his involvement in the “grandson” story.
“Dima, I understand you wanted to help, but it’s not our business. Other people’s hopes, other people’s expectations… Don’t take on more than you can handle.”
He was silent. Inside, he felt empty. Marina reminded him how far his life was from his dream, and his mother’s words only deepened his guilt toward Lidiya Semyonovna.
The next day, Dima came again to the old woman. He tried to look cheerful, but Lidiya Semyonovna immediately noticed something was wrong.
“What happened, grandson? Did the girl hurt you?”
And then he told her. About how he dreamed, how he was wrong, how he was too far from her dream. Lidiya Semyonovna listened, nodding, then said:
“Love, Dimochka, is different. Don’t chase the one that shines. You need the one that warms.”
Then she took out an old photo album from her bedside table.
“Take it. These are pictures of my son, Alexey… your father. Look — keep the memories. I don’t need them anymore.”
Her voice trembled, and Dima understood: today was their farewell. Not only with her, but with part of his illusions.
At home that evening, he began flipping through the album. A young man with an open smile looked out from yellowed photos. Alexey — a man he only knew by legend. Suddenly, his gaze stopped on one picture — a group photo, clearly from university. Among others stood a woman. Young, beautiful, with a broad smile… Dima froze. That was his mother.
He caught his breath. This couldn’t be a coincidence. So Alexey and his mother knew each other. So there was a connection. But if so — why had she never told anything? Why had she kept this secret all these years?
Thousands of questions swirled in his head. He had to find out the truth. Right now. He jumped up and ran home. Waiting was no longer an option.
Dima practically ran out of the hospital. What he would say to his mother — he didn’t yet know. Passing by the doctors’ lounge, he heard muffled voices. The door was slightly ajar, and he recognized Andrey Pavlovich’s tone.
“…yes, we’ll increase the dose gradually — no one will suspect a thing. We’ll blame it on worsening condition. She has a good inheritance, and this official grandson of hers is already nervous, waiting for her to ‘calm down.’”
Then another voice — sharp, nasty, clearly through a loudspeaker: “Just act decisively, Pavlovich. I’m fed up with the delays. The old woman’s time is long overdue.”
Dima’s heart stopped. A conspiracy! They were deliberately speeding her death. His own grandmother, to whom he had grown close, was in danger for the sake of an inheritance. A wave of panic overwhelmed him. But there was no time to be afraid — he had to act.
He shot out of the hospital like a bullet and rushed home. Bursting into the apartment, he immediately showed the photo to his mother:
“Mom, who is this?! Who is Alexey really?!”
Seeing the photo and noticing how pale her son was from excitement, the mother herself turned pale. Then words poured out of her like a broken dam.
Alexey was her first and only love. They were going to get married, but Lidiya Semyonovna, his mother, was categorically against the union. She believed her son deserved someone ‘above,’ not a simple girl from the outskirts.
When his mother became pregnant, Alexey offered to leave. He wanted to protect his beloved from family pressure. But their happiness was cut short by tragedy — he died in an accident when Dima was not yet a year old. Left alone, without means or support, she had to temporarily give the child to an orphanage while she looked for work and strength to start over.
She wrote to Lidiya Semyonovna, asking her at least to acknowledge the grandson, but the woman, crushed by the loss of her son and her pride, never replied.
Listening to his mother, Dima felt the old world crumble and a new one arise in its place. Lidiya Semyonovna — his real grandmother! And now they wanted to take her life!
“Mom, we have to help her!” he said decisively.
Late at night, when the hospital corridors emptied, Dima and his mother quietly entered Lidiya Semyonovna’s room. She was weak but clear-minded.
“Dimochka… And who’s with you?” she whispered, noticing the woman nearby.
“Lidiya Semyonovna… It’s me… Katya…” his mother said with a trembling voice. “You don’t remember me? I loved your Alyosha… And this is your grandson. Your real grandson — Dima.”
In a few minutes, they tried to tell everything: about the past, the conspiracy, the mortal danger. The old woman’s eyes widened in shock, then filled with tears.
“My dear grandson… And you’re here, Katyenka…”
But there was no time for explanations.
“Grandma, we have to leave. Right now!” urged Dima.
They quickly gathered a few things, gently helped Lidiya Semyonovna stand, and led her out through the service exit where a taxi awaited. Along the way, she didn’t let go of Dima’s hand, as if afraid to lose him again.
That night was crazy and at the same time happy for all three — a woman who had lost her family found it again, and two generations, separated by years and secrets, finally found each other.
Several months passed. Andrey Pavlovich and his accomplice were investigated — thanks to the testimony of a nurse whom Dima trusted with his suspicion.
Lidiya Semyonovna slowly but surely recovered. In the small apartment of Dima and his mother, she felt something she hadn’t known for many years — love, care, belonging. For the first time in his life, Dima understood the meaning of the word “family.”
In the evenings, grandmother told him stories about his father, showed childhood photos. That’s how he learned the face of a man who was so close to him, but had long remained only a stranger’s legend. His mother also seemed to come alive, freed from the secret she had carried for years.
One day, the phone rang. The screen showed the name — Marina.
“Hi, Dima. I was thinking… Maybe we could meet?” she hesitantly suggested.
Dima smirked a little.
“Sorry, Marinachka, I’m busy. I have a completely different life now.”
And indeed — he had not only found new love, but also met a girl who understood him — Katya, a student at the medical college. She didn’t demand much, only was ready to be by his side.
In the warm atmosphere at the family table in the evening: his mother fussed with tea, grandmother told a funny story, and Katya looked at Dima with understanding and warmth. He looked around at all of them — and felt what true happiness was.
Yes, he was still not a doctor, and the white coat hung in the closet as a symbol of an unrealized dream. But today he knew one thing for sure: true purpose is not a profession or a career, but the people who love you. And he had found his path — the path of family, faith, and truth.
He was no longer the lost boy he once was. He had become grown-up, steadfast, strong. And was ready to face each new day with hope, love, and an open heart.