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Sergey Vladimirovich had always been a man of action. That\u2019s why, after just a week and a half, on one clear May day, he\u2014having left the manager in charge\u2014climbed into the driver\u2019s seat of his SUV and set off, not exactly knowing what awaited him ahead.<\/p>\n
It should be noted that the head of the \u201cNew Thresholds\u201d company had not taken the wheel simply for pleasure in a long time. Usually, his trips were connected with business matters\u2014transporting documents, meeting with clients, or handling urgent issues. But this time, everything was different. As soon as Sergey Vladimirovich merged onto the highway, an almost forgotten feeling of freedom washed over him. The ease with which he drove and the absence of his usual haste reminded him of what it meant to enjoy the journey.<\/p>\n
He wasn\u2019t in any hurry. Deep down, he harbored a fear that once he reached his destination, he might be disappointed by his own scheme. Thus, Sergey Vladimirovich drove slowly, curiously taking in the surroundings. Spring had fully arrived: nature, having shaken off the lethargy of March and the sluggishness of April, now burst forth in colors and aromas.<\/p>\n
His preparations for the journey were spontaneous. Sergey Vladimirovich didn\u2019t bother with elaborate planning\u2014he simply tossed a couple of items into the trunk, bought a few cans of preserves and semi-prepared foods. Unsure of the success of his idea, he didn\u2019t want to waste time on unnecessary preparations. However, closer to the end of the route, when only a few kilometers remained until the needed turn, a strong hunger hit him. And then, to his delight, he noticed a group of women sitting by carts selling homemade food on the roadside.<\/p>\n
Sergey Vladimirovich had passed by such makeshift \u201cmarkets\u201d many times before, but he had never stopped. He had always been skeptical of homemade food, preferring tried and true cafes or restaurants. But now, he had no other choice. Deciding to make an exception, he slowed down.<\/p>\n
\u201cPirozhki! Chebureki! Homemade apple pies! Mushrooms!\u201d voices rang out from all around.<\/p>\n
He did not rush his choice, carefully examining the counters. And then his gaze fell on one of the saleswomen, who was standing apart. She wasn\u2019t shouting or calling out to customers; she simply looked at him with a strange, almost recognizing expression. Beside her stood some old milk cans and empty jars.<\/p>\n
Sergey raised his eyes and froze. It was Maria, his former employee. She looked simpler than he remembered her: a headscarf, plain clothes, and a slightly more mature face. But it was definitely her.<\/p>\n
Sergey Vladimirovich Veretennov, the owner of the real estate agency \u201cNew Thresholds,\u201d was a principled and honest man. He disliked lying or cheating unnecessarily, preferring to speak frankly or remain silent when the situation demanded it. For that, his employees\u2014the three agents and a secretary who made up his small but tight-knit team\u2014respected him.<\/p>\n
The agency was located in an administrative building that housed dozens of similar firms. Despite its modest size, \u201cNew Thresholds\u201d was spoken of with warmth. Sergey Vladimirovich always focused on quality rather than quantity, and his motto \u201cLess is more, but better\u201d became the firm\u2019s calling card. Thanks to this, the agency gained loyal clients and earned a reputation that attracted new customers through word of mouth.<\/p>\n
However, success brought new difficulties. The influx of clients grew so much that the existing staff barely managed the workload. He had to hire new employees, expand the office space, and even consider hiring a permanent cleaner. Previously, cleaning had been handled by cleaning companies, but now that wasn\u2019t enough.<\/p>\n
It was then that, on the recommendation of one of the clients, Maria\u2014a young girl from the countryside who had come to the city to study and work part-time\u2014joined the agency. Despite his prejudices against youth, Sergey Vladimirovich decided to give her a chance.<\/p>\n
He had always been skeptical of the new generation, believing that young people were incapable of serious deeds and preferred to live off their parents. His opinion was based on personal experience: he himself had been accustomed to hard work from an early age, having gone through numerous trials before finding his place in life.<\/p>\n
But in Maria he saw something special. She was hardworking, responsible, and, contrary to his expectations, quickly fit into the team. However, their paths eventually diverged, and now, after some time, they met in such an unexpected place.<\/p>\n
Standing by the roadside, Sergey Vladimirovich looked at Maria, his mind flooded with memories. He thought about how life sometimes delivers surprises, and how important it is not to judge people by first impressions. Perhaps this meeting would serve as a new lesson for him.<\/p>\n
Despite a slight inner discomfort, while speaking with Maria for the first time in a long while, he couldn\u2019t help but think: \u201cShe looks young! Beautiful! But, it seems, a bit naive and simple-minded\u2014such girls are usually \u2018chewed up\u2019 by the city without any regrets. Well, I\u2019ll hire her and see how she copes. And who knows, maybe she\u2019ll even get pregnant by some local guy. Although\u2026 who knows? Man proposes, and life disposes.\u201d He added to himself: \u201cBesides, I\u2019ve taken precautions\u2014I\u2019ve contracted her on a civil law basis. So if anything goes wrong, I won\u2019t have to worry about maternity benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n
Calming himself with these thoughts, Sergey Vladimirovich signed the necessary documents, affixed the company seal, and politely reminded the new cleaner not to be late for work. To his surprise, Maria proved herself extremely responsible from the very first day. She arrived at the office exactly on schedule, greeted everyone cheerfully, and then quickly and efficiently carried out her duties. After cleaning, she headed off to her studies and, if necessary, returned in the evening to tidy up the office after especially hectic days.<\/p>\n
Over time, the trust in Maria only grew. She was given her own set of office keys so that she could enter in the evenings and clean the premises on her own. She was also included in the list of permanent employees that was handed over monthly to the security agency. Maria was even shown how to set the office\u2019s alarm system. Initially, everything went smoothly: the cameras recorded the girl, who, with her favorite music playing on her phone, handled the cleaning effortlessly. Her movements showed that she had been accustomed to household chores since childhood and wasn\u2019t afraid of large volumes of work.<\/p>\n
Gradually, Sergey Vladimirovich began to interact with Maria more warmly. In turn, she, like the other employees, developed respect for her boss. However, this did not go unnoticed. The secretary, Olga, though married and not particularly fond of Sergey Vladimirovich, felt a tinge of jealousy. She was the type of person who was used to being the center of attention, especially for men. And now, as Maria began receiving more approval from the boss, Olga harbored a grudge.<\/p>\n
Everything culminated in an unpleasant incident in the middle of the workweek. After one evening, a large sum of money\u2014a deposit for the purchase of an apartment\u2014disappeared from a small safe where money was kept before being sent to the bank. All the evidence seemed to point to Maria, who had been cleaning the office that very evening.<\/p>\n
There was no direct proof of her guilt. The cameras, which were supposed to have recorded what happened near the safe, had not been working that day. The technician responsible for the video surveillance system had repeatedly hinted to Sergey Vladimirovich that the equipment was outdated and in need of serious updating. However, despite the growing revenues, the director considered such expenses premature. And now, this backfired on him.<\/p>\n
Miraculously, the money reappeared in its place the very next evening. But this only deepened the suspicions among the staff. Everyone, including Sergey Vladimirovich, was convinced that it was Maria who was to blame, as she had reappeared at the office that day.<\/p>\n
The girl did not try to defend herself. She listened to her boss\u2019s accusations with a haughty expression, asked to be paid that very day, and left the office. For a moment, Sergey Vladimirovich lost his composure and shouted after her:<\/p>\n
\u201cSay thank you for us not having called the police!\u201d \u2013 then quietly muttered to himself: \u201cHow many times have I told myself not to get involved with the youth\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
It seemed that this was the end of the story. However, everything changed after a visit from the technician who maintained the video surveillance system. A tall, taciturn man named Pyotr, the owner of a small firm, unexpectedly appeared in Sergey Vladimirovich\u2019s office and gestured for him to follow.<\/p>\n
Soon they found themselves in the server room, where a monitor connected to all the building\u2019s cameras was set up.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou must be surprised,\u201d Pyotr began, \u201cbut we don\u2019t only service your office.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m aware,\u201d Sergey Vladimirovich replied, still not quite understanding where his interlocutor was heading.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, you don\u2019t understand. We trust your firm, but not all of our other clients. Therefore, just in case, we installed an additional camera in the corridor to monitor activity near the server room. You never know who might try to sneak in. Look.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pyotr pressed a few buttons, and a recording appeared on the screen. In the frame, Olga was seen deftly opening the door to the technical room with a set of keys and entering.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you\u2019re trying to say that she took the money?\u201d Sergey Vladimirovich asked, as everything in his head began to come together.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know all the details, to be honest. Only rumors and conjectures. But it seems to me, Sergey, that you accused the wrong person.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut why would she do that?\u201d Sergey Vladimirovich asked incredulously.<\/p>\n
\u201cOlga?\u201d Pyotr shrugged. \u201cLet\u2019s ask her directly. And also, let\u2019s find out from the guard why he handed her the keys.\u201d<\/p>\n
They started by questioning the guard.<\/p>\n
A gray-haired man in a black uniform, sitting at the checkpoint with a cup of tea, clearly did not expect the visit of two irritated men.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you hand over the keys to my server room to Olga Mikhaylovna?\u201d Pyotr asked sternly, the owner of the video surveillance maintenance firm.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d the guard coughed slightly, sensing the tension in the air.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd on what grounds did an outsider get access to the territory I rent?\u201d Pyotr continued, raising his voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cOutsider?\u201d the guard replied, genuinely surprised. \u201cShe works here!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything is clear,\u201d Sergey Vladimirovich interjected, feeling the picture of what had happened beginning to clear up. \u201cBut we won\u2019t get anywhere with this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Soon, three irritated men appeared at the reception: the director, the technician, and the guard, who felt betrayed and decided to join the investigation.<\/p>\n
\u201cOlga Mikhaylovna,\u201d Sergey Vladimirovich addressed his secretary, \u201ccan you explain what you were doing in the server room on the day the money went missing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMe? Nothing!\u201d Olga replied quickly, but upon seeing the guard, her tone immediately changed. \u201cI mean, I accidentally went in there. I thought it was a manicure room. I needed to pick up a phone for a friend from the neighboring office. Anechka forgot it, you know? A really nice girl who does manicures one floor up.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know Anya,\u201d Sergey Vladimirovich interrupted coldly. \u201cBut the camera clearly recorded you entering the technical room and leaving it, and then you left the floor. Was the phone there?\u201d he asked sarcastically.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd what were you doing on my property?\u201d Pyotr interjected. \u201cI remind you, as you know, I don\u2019t have any manicure rooms. And as for the room you mentioned\u2014you never even went there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCamera?\u201d In Olga\u2019s eyes, confusion flashed. She clearly hadn\u2019t known about the additional device. \u201cWell, I\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBy the way, Sergey,\u201d Pyotr turned to the director, not letting Olga finish, \u201cI once showed her how to reboot the system and the individual cameras. Apparently, this was a setup. Everything fits together\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSergey Vladimirovich!\u201d Olga burst out. \u201cYou yourself didn\u2019t want Maria in the office! Yes, I pulled a little trick to speed up her departure. But the money did return to its place! I\u2019ve been working for you for three years and never let you down. Are you really going to fire me over something so trivial?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, Olga, not \u2018over something trivial\u2019,\u201d Sergey Vladimirovich replied coldly. \u201cMaria Viktorovna left on her own. And you framed an innocent person. Therefore, I\u2019m firing you \u2018for breach of trust.\u2019 Be thankful that I\u2019m not calling the police. But if you don\u2019t bring in your resignation by this evening, you\u2019ll have only yourself to blame\u2014I\u2019ll initiate more serious measures.\u201d<\/p>\n
With those words, he turned and headed for the exit.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere are you going?\u201d asked Pyotr.<\/p>\n
\u201cLooking for Maria, of course,\u201d Sergey Vladimirovich dismissed, and left the office.<\/p>\n
Despite the firm\u2019s strict rules, he decided to call the client who had once recommended Maria to get her contact details. The girl\u2019s phone had been unreachable for several hours.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes?\u201d the client answered, surprised.<\/p>\n
\u201cOleg Pavlovich, I apologize for the inconvenience,\u201d began Sergey Vladimirovich. \u201cCould you tell me where Maria Viktorovna is right now?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, it\u2019s you, Sergey Vladimirovich?\u201d Oleg Pavlovich\u2019s tone carried a hint of irritation. \u201cMy relative left for the countryside. She was deeply disappointed by your attitude and by the city in general. I couldn\u2019t persuade her to stay. She took the documents from the educational institution. By the way, not all the mobile operators work in her region, so it\u2019s currently impossible to reach her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s very unfortunate,\u201d Sergey Vladimirovich mumbled. \u201cPerhaps she has another number?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf she does, I don\u2019t know it. And, Sergey Vladimirovich, I no longer wish to continue this conversation. Maria is a person of absolute honesty. After what happened, it\u2019s hard for me to view you the same way as before. Goodbye.\u201d<\/p>\n
The interlocutor hung up, leaving Sergey Vladimirovich with a heavy feeling of guilt.<\/p>\n
\u2026Almost a year passed. Life went on, and the \u201cNew Thresholds\u201d firm continued to develop, albeit without Olga on the team. Yet every time a new cleaner couldn\u2019t keep up with the duties, Sergey Vladimirovich kept remembering Maria. Her responsibility and diligence became the standard for him, while her unjust dismissal remained a constant source of remorse.<\/p>\n
One day, while once again reflecting on the past, Sergey Vladimirovich realized he needed a reset. But here lay the problem: he simply didn\u2019t know how to rest. Tourist routes, beaches, hotels\u2014it all seemed boring and meaningless to him.<\/p>\n
He shared his feelings with Pyotr, who had come to fix yet another glitch in the video surveillance system:<\/p>\n
\u201cIs that how people rest\u2014doing nothing?\u201d Sergey Vladimirovich asked thoughtfully. \u201cI can\u2019t even imagine it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, that\u2019s not good,\u201d replied Pyotr, without taking his eyes off his work. \u201cIf you can\u2019t rest passively, then rest actively. For example, my grandmother used to leave for her country house every spring and stayed there until deep autumn. Everyone thought she was suffering\u2014spending whole days digging in the garden, opening greenhouses, and weeding. But for her, it was the best kind of rest. When her relatives sold the house, claiming it was \u2018for her health,\u2019 she quickly withered from idleness.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sergey Vladimirovich pondered. Perhaps he really needed to find his own way of resting\u2014active, productive, and far from his usual routine.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, are you suggesting I buy a country house?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOr a house, if you\u2019re not afraid of long trips. The region is full of abandoned houses in the villages\u2014it\u2019s simply amazing. Of course, with your busy schedule, you probably won\u2019t be growing a crop. But you\u2019ll find solace in tending to the plot and fixing up the house. I\u2019m not saying you need to go to the backwoods. But recently, I was in the village of Zapolese, not far from the highway, and I spoke with the local head. He told me he launched a whole campaign: houses there are given almost for free\u2014just pay the fees and the paperwork, and move in. But despite the affordability, there aren\u2019t many interested yet. Maybe this will interest you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cReally, that sounds interesting,\u201d Sergey Vladimirovich\u2019s tone betrayed a spark of interest. \u201cAt the very least, I\u2019ll try it for the season. If I like it, I\u2019ll stay. If not\u2014it wasn\u2019t meant to be.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGreat! And I\u2019ll even teach you how to fish. The places there are simply magical. A wide river, meadows, a dense forest. I\u2019d buy a house myself, but unlike you, I work with my hands. After a week of climbing stairs, as they say, \u2018both your paws and your tail will give out.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlright. I\u2019ll arrange for a vacation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWow! You, the notorious workaholic, are taking a vacation?\u201d Pyotr couldn\u2019t hide his surprise.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes. I\u2019ll put someone in my place and give my girls from the primary team a raise. They already know the business well\u2014they\u2019ll manage. And if needed, I have a car. An hour\u2019s drive is no problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust keep in mind, the connectivity there isn\u2019t great. Be ready to be off the grid.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks for the heads-up!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnytime\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2026On the highway, feeling as if the ground was slipping away beneath him, Sergey Vladimirovich approached his former cleaner:<\/p>\n
\u201cMaria! I find it hard to come up with words to justify myself. I\u2019m deeply sorry to you. Forgive me, but only a week after you left did we figure out who set you up.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAmosova?\u201d Maria frowned, though there was no surprise in her voice. \u201cI had almost suspected, but I decided to stay silent. She rushed into the office that evening when the money went missing. And just as quickly, she returned it. I didn\u2019t see her open the safe, but by the sounds I understood that someone had gone in.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you say anything in your defense?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWould you have listened to me?\u201d Maria answered reasonably.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow can I make amends? I searched for you, but couldn\u2019t find you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know. Oleg Pavlovich said that you called,\u201d Maria relaxed slightly. \u201cI just wasn\u2019t in the mood for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut he said you took the documents and left because of me!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cReally?\u201d Maria smiled faintly. \u201cThat\u2019s his way of getting back at you so that your conscience gnaws at you even more. My father died, and my mother was left alone and fell seriously ill. I had no choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPhew,\u201d Sergey Vladimirovich exhaled and then immediately realized, \u201cI wasn\u2019t happy about your misfortune at all. I was just tormented by the situation. I kept thinking, \u2018I\u2019ve ruined a girl\u2019s life.\u2019 Now I understand that Oleg Pavlovich took his revenge in a subtle and fitting way.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on, Sergey Vladimirovich! It happens. But I\u2019m glad we talked. By the way, what brings you to our neck of the woods?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m heading to Zapolese. I want to check out a house.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cReally? That\u2019s great! So, Efim Petrovich has got your back?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEfim Petrovich? Who\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe head of the village. His surname is rather funny\u2014Skorobogatko. As soon as he took office, he decided to revive the village. Now he\u2019s promoting the idea that city folks should come here at least for the summer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen that\u2019s where I\u2019m headed. And do you live in Zapolese too?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes. We have a house on the main street. Ask anyone about where Orlov lived\u2014they\u2019ll show you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExcellent. Do you have your own milk?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course. I charge fifty per liter. I sell it in cans to passersby, but for you, like family, I\u2019ll give it straight from the can\u2014half is left over. Then you return the container.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDeal! We\u2019ll see each other again and have a good chat!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBuy the house first,\u201d Maria smiled. \u201cOtherwise, you might change your mind and leave our backwater.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI won\u2019t leave. I see what kind of people live here\u2014good and honest. But I\u2019ll make a few trips to the city. It turns out I brought too few things with me.\u201d<\/p>\n
The village administration was located in a small wooden house with a corresponding sign, but it turned out to be closed\u2014probably due to the lack of need for a full-day operation. Efim Petrovich was found quickly\u2014a passerby pointed out a sturdy log house not far from the center of Zapolese.<\/p>\n
The village was surprisingly beautiful. On one side, it was surrounded by a pine forest; on the other, a birch grove bordered the wide river. However, it was noticeable that the population was gradually aging, and the youth were leaving for the city.<\/p>\n
Efim Petrovich\u2014a sturdy, gray-haired man in a striped shirt and military trousers who resembled a seasoned sailor\u2014welcomed the guest warmly:<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of the abandoned houses are still available. Don\u2019t be alarmed by the word \u2018abandoned.\u2019 I make sure that all the buildings are preserved. So\u2014remove the window boards, open the doors, and move in.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAren\u2019t the previous owners going to mind?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you a superstitious person?\u201d he replied with a question in return.<\/p>\n
\u201cSeems to be the custom here,\u201d Sergey Vladimirovich thought, but aloud he said, \u201cI believe that there are things in the world we can\u2019t explain. But overall\u2014not.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen I\u2019ll be direct: the houses we offer belonged to people who are no longer with us. So, there\u2019s nothing to worry about. But there is one condition\u2014you must take care of the house and keep the plot in order. If you agree, I\u2019ll give you a packet of documents. You notarize them at the district center and become the legal owner. However, the contract states that if you don\u2019t maintain the house for a year, the agreement will be nullified.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou clearly understand legal intricacies well,\u201d Sergey Vladimirovich remarked respectfully.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I happen to be a lawyer. I was quite well-known once. But then I got tired of it all. I pointed at the regional map and left for the first village I came across. I\u2019ve never regretted it,\u201d Efim Petrovich replied with a wide smile.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you like milk?\u201d the guest suddenly changed the subject.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI need to return the container. Let me see the documents, I\u2019m ready to sign.\u201d<\/p>\n
After sorting out the paperwork, Sergey Vladimirovich returned to the village. Meeting with Efim Petrovich, he headed straight for the Orlovs\u2019 house.<\/p>\n
Maria\u2019s dog barked as she came out:<\/p>\n
\u201cAh, Sergey Vladimirovich! You\u2019re not in a hurry!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not used to dragging things out. But there are heaps of papers. By the way, I need to return the container.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you. Did you like the milk?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSimply exquisite!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOur cow does her best. Now you know where to get it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlright,\u201d smiled the former boss as he handed over the can. \u201cIf anything, my new home is now by the birch grove. Drop by if you get bored.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople will start gossiping,\u201d Maria giggled. \u201cIt\u2019s not like the city here\u2014everything is out in the open.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot entirely\u2014I\u2019m here with my mother. How\u2019s her health?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMuch better. There\u2019s something magical about one\u2019s native place.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter my father passed away, she fell very ill, but chemotherapy helped. I think she\u2019ll be fully recovered in a year or two.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlright! God bless!\u201d<\/p>\n
After arriving at his new home, and having prudently borrowed a crowbar from Efim Petrovich, Sergey Vladimirovich removed the window boards and rather clumsily broke in through the door. Immediately, the smell of neglect hit him\u2014a mixture of dampness and old furniture varnish.<\/p>\n
\u201cAh, there\u2019s a lot of work to be done,\u201d muttered the new owner. \u201cJust the way I like it,\u201d he added with a smile.<\/p>\n
First things first: he had to clean up and remove the old furniture. But he couldn\u2019t finish the task.<\/p>\n
On the doorstep, Maria appeared, her face flushed and her head uncovered.<\/p>\n
\u201cSergey Vladimirovich, what was that about?\u201d she began from the doorway.<\/p>\n
\u201cCompensation,\u201d he answered honestly. \u201cA contribution toward your mother\u2019s treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI looked in the can and couldn\u2019t believe my eyes. That\u2019s unacceptable!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMoney is like water, Maria. It flows in and out. To me, that sum is significant, but it\u2019s nothing compared to what I have done. So I won\u2019t take anything back. Better put it aside for your studies in the city, to which you\u2019ll surely return someday. Or deposit it in an account with interest. I\u2019ll teach you how to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I can\u2019t accept such a gift.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important to me. Consider it that I\u2019ve finally made peace with my conscience.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf that\u2019s the case\u2026 perhaps I can help you with the house?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not even sure where to start\u2014there\u2019s no plan yet. But most likely, I\u2019ll often come by for tools. I don\u2019t have my own set yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExcellent! Come over this evening. My mother and I will treat you to some tea. With milk.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlright,\u201d Sergey Vladimirovich laughed. \u201cI still need to meet the neighbors, after all\u2014around here it\u2019s nothing but trees and a cemetery. But please, no milk\u2014I\u2019m allergic to it\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2026In old fairy tales, it was often said: \u201cA tale is told quickly, but the deed is done slowly.\u201d<\/p>\n
In conclusion, it should be said that Sergey Vladimirovich lingered in the village. He spent the entire summer there, relying on the trusted manager left in the city. But that wasn\u2019t the most important part. The main thing was that Maria\u2019s mother, Arsenia Mitrofanovna\u2014gentle, smiling, and still beautiful despite her illness and the loss of her husband\u2014had so charmed the city guest that he began stopping by for tools far more often than necessary.<\/p>\n
By the end of the summer, everyone in Zapolese knew that the widow and the visiting businessman communicated far more warmly than ordinary neighbors. And a year later, all the speculations ceased\u2014the couple officially announced their relationship.<\/p>\n
Over time, Sergey Vladimirovich became immersed in village life and turned into an indispensable handyman. The house by the river had to be returned\u2014there wasn\u2019t enough time or strength for two plots. But Efim Petrovich understood and calmly annulled the deal, ultimately gaining another resident for his village. And it was impossible to be resentful\u2014the \u201cNew Thresholds\u201d firm launched a successful advertising campaign for Zapolese, and within three years, not a single house was left unsold\u2014the city dwellers snapped them all up.<\/p>\n
Soon, the Orlov house became merely a summer residence. Although, more accurately, it belonged to the Veretennov family, as the marriage was officially registered.<\/p>\n
Despite having suffered an illness and his advancing age, Arsenia Mitrofanovna managed to become pregnant and gave birth to a son\u2014named Efim, in honor of the recently deceased village head. And Maria, never abandoning her dream of education, trained to be a veterinarian and became a respected specialist in the region.<\/p>\n
But all of that was just a consequence\u2014consequences that, incidentally, continue to branch out and influence the fates of the characters in this story to this very day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sergey Vladimirovich had always been a man of action. That\u2019s why, after just a week and a half, on one clear May day, he\u2014having left the manager… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":23403,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n