Ева Султан
A woman from the past

Small and big cities wake up equally early. However, in the big ones there is always more noise, more fuss. Streams of people rushing to different ends and whole rivers of people rushing to the center – to the heart of the city. If, of course, the city has a heart. Konstantin is one of those who rushed to the center. Sitting behind the wheel of his big, powerful car, he was nervous, moving through a common traffic jam several meters per minute. Every day he scolded himself for choosing a route and promised himself that next time he would take a detour or get out earlier. But every morning he didn't have enough time, and automatically, immersed in his thoughts, he drove the same way.

There was a parking space waiting for him at the office building where he worked. In his perfectly fitting suit, with a leather briefcase in his hand, he rode the elevator to one of the upper floors, pondering the main points of the upcoming meeting. He considered his main goal to make others work. He chastised his subordinates in the manner of a mentor, giving them the opportunity to improve. He also praised the staff with restraint, leaving an emotional reserve for outstanding achievements. He personally selected employees for his team. He hired obviously inexperienced employees and preferred to train them on the job. He had deep confidence that initially experienced employees with many additional competencies always come with high expectations for working conditions and pay, but they easily change the company if they receive a better offer. Those who were selected by Konstantin got used to performing a certain, limited range of duties. Over time, they became very efficient at work and remained loyal to the company that gave them the chance. Small bonuses stimulated them, literally, to generate ideas that were presented as common in the team. But for the big bosses, Konstantin passed them off as his own.

In his personal office, everything was strict and refined. Among the things that had at least some personal relation to Konstantin was an oak wooden desk, an antique clock with a pendulum on the floor and striking the beginning of the working day, as well as a carved photo frame with a picture of his wife. In this picture, Lola was standing in front of their country house in a big white hat and a tight red dress. No one knew that a whole team of makeup artists, designers, fashion designers and photographers had been invited to create this picture. This photo was part of Konstantin's image.

The wife was also part of the image. The foreign partners of Konstantin's firm did not negotiate with unmarried people and did not sign such serious contracts with them. A person who did not make promises to other people was considered an unreliable partner. Lola often had to accompany Konstantin to business dinners and dinner parties, so her only responsibility was to keep herself in perfect shape. Konstantin and Lola lived in different parts of the house and sometimes could not see each other for weeks. They were united by a common roof over their heads and complete satisfaction with their existing relationships. Their family nest was always empty, quiet and clean. The housekeeper came once a week, in the absence of the owners. The residents of the house did not cook – they returned well-fed from the city or ordered ready-made food. The refrigerator was almost always empty, and the stove in the kitchen became part of the interior, which, like many others, no one used.

One evening, while celebrating the signing of another contract with colleagues, Konstantin met his classmate Vladimir. Kostyan and Vovan met each other as if there had not been all these years separating them. They didn't notice how they had changed. Only half an hour later, Volodya asked how Kostya, dressed up in a suit, ended up in this place.

"I'm at the parade today," Vova said in a conversation, "celebrating the anniversary with my wife. In the morning, imagine, I forgot. But I'm smart, I got away with it. Said, that she'd have a surprise tonight. I have a friend who works here, and I've made an agreement.

– And my colleagues and I are celebrating the signing of the contract.

– I'll go. Mine's probably already worried. Call me sometime. Call me at home. The number is the same. Remember?

– I remember. I'll call you in a week.

Konstantin wasn't going to bring up the past. He promised to call everyone he met, but he did not call or leave his number. However, he glanced briefly at Vovka's wife. It was a fateful moment. In an instant, he lost confidence, detachment, and indifference. Lively, cheerful, sincerely smiling at Volodya, not an ideal, but naturally beautiful woman attracted Konstantin's gaze. She was mysterious and at the same time seemed familiar to him. He had met many women, but not one had caused such emotional excitement. Today, he had already missed the chance to get close to her. His colleagues insisted on the presence of the boss. Then, contrary to his rule, he already knew that he would call Vladimir.

Konstantin couldn't sleep that night. Thoughts overwhelmed him. He couldn't get rid of the image that was affectionate but pleasant. The next morning, he left earlier than usual and followed a different route. On the way, he did not get annoyed, but continued to think about an excuse that would allow him to get closer to the fascinating person. He was thinking about the same thing when he came to his office. The sound of the clock announcing the start of the working day startled Konstantin. He usually arrived a little later and did not notice that the sound scared the employees, forcing them to cover their ears with their hands. But none of them dared to tell him about it. The first thing he did was turn off the alarm clock, and then, without delay, he dialed a familiar number. A woman picked up the phone and answered:

"Hello?"

Konstantin was confused and dropped the call. He expected to hear Vladimir's voice, but not hers. Taking a slow breath in and out, Konstantin dialed the Number again. This time, a familiar male voice answered him.

– Hello, Volodka, it's me, Kostya. Did you find out? – he started the conversation. – I'm calling you, as promised.

After talking a bit about this and that, the old friends made an appointment. On the same Saturday, Kostya was invited to Volodya's father's name day, where all the treats would be prepared by Vova's mother. Many years ago, she fed Koshchei, her son's skinny friend, with meatballs or borscht. No restaurant could beat the taste of these dishes, and Konstantin, of course, agreed. He found out that Volodka's wife's name was Natasha, and his dreams, fueled by excitement and intrigue, had a name. But there was something he did not expect – he was certainly expected to visit with his wife.

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