He found her without any difficulty.
Inessa invited Ivan to a restaurant.
Thats how I became the CEO, she summed up, not without a sense of pride. Now I have everything. Except for the man I love
Ivan couldnt believe her incredible success story.
Lets get married! Inessa said finally.
And where are we going to live? for some reason he asked, being dumbfounded.
I was thinking of buying a flat with a veranda on the roof. Do you remember tales about Carlson?
The haunted roof? Ivan smiled.
Surely, why not! Inessa laughed. Where do you want it, here or in Europe? Or would you prefer a cottage?
An uninhabited island, he smiled again. And a private jet as a bonus!
Not bad for a start! Inessa was full of enthusiasm and energy.
Well done, Ivan summed up and sighed heavily. However, Im no longer the boss, and I dont have the funds to make your life beautiful. In a couple of years youll think, Why do I need him? Youll be still a young, successful, prosperous lady, and I
Ivan walked her to the car. The road became a skating rink. After a sharp warming in the morning, it got cold again in the evening.
Inessa was leaving, and he felt that they would never see each other, but at the same time he wanted to see her again and again.
That night Ivan was overcome by insomnia. Reflecting on whether he had been right allowing her to leave, he realized that, on the one hand, he certainly liked Inessa a lot, and he would like such a woman to be next to him. On the other hand if some years before Ivan had looked at her from up down, that day from down up, just like at her billboard at the embankment
There is something wrong, unnatural about it. Although, perhaps, I simply wasnt prepared for her crashing down on me as sudden as a snowfall Ill call her. Tomorrow he decided.
Ivan didnt want to give Inessa to anyone else. At the same time, he couldnt overcome his fear and call. So tomorrow was postponed for another three days. That night Inessa came to him in a dream, waved her hand with a bitter grin and silently disappeared into the mist.
In the morning, after listening to The subscriber is temporarily unavailable, Ivan dialed her office number, thinking about the best way to introduce himself to the secretary so that she would connect them instead of answering something like, She is busy, call back later!
However, the secretarys answer was unexpected.
She left us.
What do you mean? Did she changed job?
A dead car crash three days ago.
She was gone, but for a long time, every morning and evening, when Ivan left for work and returned home, on that very poster on the billboard at the embankment, Inessa met Ivan and saw him off, smiling and repeating, I LOVE YOU!
There were the same snow and a grey, hopeless sky outside the window. It was very cold, however, on TV they no longer promised any warming.
December 20033. God, Barsik and Borsch
Three women were talking in a hospital room. One of them, Lyudmila, a young and beautiful girl, had just been brought in by ambulance for an urgent surgery under general anesthesia. Lyudmila settled down on the bed by the door and didnt even bother to put out the things hastily gathered at home, leaving the packages at the bedside table.
Dont worry, Lyudmila, Galina, already operated on, encouraged the girl. Everything happens to us for the first time! My first anesthesia was like a dream without dreams! Nothing interesting! And the second time I relaxed, I thought, I wont see God, and thank God! An-no! Imagine, I found myself in a dark corridor, like in a pipe. I was flying at a high speed. As soon as I noticed the Light at the end of the corridor at the most interesting moment! they woke me up!
I dont remember how many times Ive been under anesthesia, said Valentina, whose bed was located right by the window. Each time it was some kind of a new experience. Yesterday I felt as if in reality. There was a light, but such a muffled one, and some voices were heard. Were they calling me? Maybe. The grass in the field was fresh and bright, of emerald color, there were a lot of flowers and beautiful butterflies there. I walked across the field into the distance and felt so good, so easy! As if in my childhood, with parents nearby. I raised my head, and I saw them waving to me and saying, We love you. We watch you from here, and we know everything about you, and well always help you!
Why on earth didnt you stay in that Paradise? sighed Galina. Anyway, its easier there than here!
It seemed to be a border there, Valentina replied. Right in the fields. An invisible one. As I reached it, I just couldnt go further, thats all.
I believe neither in God nor in Light, Lyudmila said smiling. Even if a million people swear on the Bible. I will never believe it, until I see it myself!
After the surgery, which was a success and didnt portend any complications, anesthesiologist began to wake Lyudmila, but she didnt wake up. Her heart slowed down and stopped. The girls face expressed neither sadness, nor pain, nor joy. It was mysteriously beautiful in its unearthly calmness. The anesthesiologist ran out of the room for the resuscitators. Lyudmilas roommates remained speechless.