Sitting in his office, Vyacheslav leaned back in his comfortable chair with a satisfied smile playing on his face.
He couldn’t stop marveling at how his restaurant, now the pride of the entire city, had gained such great fame.
The restaurant owner ordered a homeless old woman to finish her bread and leave immediately! But soon he fell to his knees in front of her and burst into tears… The best restaurants nearby. And certainly, thanks to the refined cuisine and a well-coordinated professional team, and of course, the superb atmosphere. In his thoughts, Vyacheslav returned to his long journey to his dream, which lasted more than 20 years, and began in the difficult nineties. At that time, he had to make decisions instantaneously and often take risks to survive in a highly competitive environment.
Remembering that period, Vyacheslav thought especially warmly of his grandfather, Leonid Makarovich. The grandfather undoubtedly played a decisive role in his success when, despite his age, he made an important decision—to sell the family dacha and transfer the money to his grandson. Leonid Makarovich said that the dacha was no longer needed, and that he saw in his grandson a person ready for business.
These funds became the starting capital for Vyacheslav’s restaurant ventures. Starting with opening a small snack bar at the local market, then a cafe at the station, the man worked hard and gradually expanded his business. His efforts and pursuit of perfection led to his restaurant becoming the best in the city, boasting a renowned chef from Italy.
This path was not easy, but every decision made and every step taken were justified, gradually leading the businessman to achieve the dream of his entire life. And here were the pleasant reflections of the man. Suddenly interrupted by quiet voices outside the door of his office.
Verochka, one of the waitresses, was discontentedly sharing her indignation with a colleague about an elderly woman who often appeared near the restaurant and irritated all the employees. Vyacheslav approached the window and saw on the street an old woman who looked very poor and unkempt. Despite the fact that she was not very old, her terrible sloppiness aged her, as evidenced by her dirty clothes, tangled gray hair, and grayish face.
The woman stood, staring intently into the restaurant windows where guests were enjoying their exquisite dishes. She only swallowed saliva greedily and was clearly very hungry. At that moment, there was a quiet knock in Vyacheslav’s office.
Verochka, the same waitress, peeked into the door, and her face expressed great anxiety. With a slight tremor in her voice, she informed Vyacheslav Ivanovich that the unpleasant situation with the homeless woman had occurred again. Feeling an involuntary irritation, Vyacheslav immediately asked where the security guard was, as he was supposed to deal with such issues, not the restaurant owner.
Maria, another waitress, also appeared in the doorway and quickly added that the security guard had already tried to drive the woman away, but she had returned. Vyacheslav really did not want his restaurant to be the center of unwanted attention, as this homeless old woman clearly repelled customers. Every time visitors noticed her at the restaurant windows, their faces showed expressions of disgust, which, of course, negatively affected the atmosphere and appetite of the guests.
Realizing that the situation required an immediate solution, Vyacheslav decided not to delay solving the problem. He immediately called the police, asking them to maintain order as tactfully and quietly as possible, and for the police to simply take this woman away from his restaurant. The police officers quickly arrived at the scene, carefully seated the old woman in the car, and took her away without attracting the attention of bystanders. The best restaurants nearby.
Vyacheslav attentively watched the scene, pondering what could have led this woman to the street. In his head, memories of his grandmother Anna surfaced, who along with his grandfather, Leonid Makarovich, raised him from the age of five, after the tragic death of his father. He barely remembered his mother, as she simply disappeared from his life shortly after her husband’s death.
As a child, little Slava often listened to his grandparents’ stories that his mother had gone far away. But deep down, he always continued to wait for her return. He cried for a long time, feeling abandoned, and even tried to find her by writing several letters to the police, asking for help.
However, his touching letters were returned to his grandfather, who worked in the city administration. When the family was about to move to the capital, little Slava firmly stated, «What if mom comes back, and I’m not here? How will she find me then?» These childhood fears and grievances lived in his heart for a long time, but life took its course.
And over the years, memories of his mother began to fade, giving way to new cares and achievements. And then one day, in the midst of another heated argument, the grandmother, completely losing patience, angrily shouted a terrible thing. «Your mother died a long time ago!» Adding a second later that she probably just froze somewhere at a fence from alcohol and cold.
Slava froze in shock, unable to believe what he had heard. The grandfather immediately became indignant, condemning the grandmother for her harsh words, insisting that it was wrong to speak like that, especially in front of a child. The grandmother, turning away, immediately began to cry, confessing that she could no longer carry this pain, which was literally tearing her heart apart.
The grandfather, approaching her, gently embraced her and whispered something in her ear, trying to calm her down. Then, turning to Slava, they called him to them and began to assure him that they would always be there to support and surround him with love, despite all the difficulties and bitterness they had to endure together. Slavka was completely confused, unable to believe that his mother, whom he remembered as beautiful and joyful, would never return.
He had waited for her for so long, hoping that one day she would appear on the doorstep. Over time, the pain gradually subsided and eventually faded from his memory. However, his beloved grandfather, true to his word, was always there, supporting Slava in all his endeavors, using all his connections and financial opportunities to help his grandson achieve success.
When Vyacheslav opened his first small restaurant, his grandparents were already very elderly. They passed away one after another, the same year his establishment began to bear its first fruits. By that time, Vyacheslav had already created his own family, which helped him cope with the loss more easily. Restaurant takeout orders
Married to his beloved Lilia, whom he considered the perfect woman, he found his true happiness. They had a wonderful son Ivan, named after Slavkin’s father. When the grandparents learned that they would soon have a great-grandson, their joy was simply boundless.
Over time, Vyacheslav and Lilia had a daughter. Vyacheslav dreamed of naming her after his mother, but bitter memories of the past and his wife’s disagreement led him to change his decision. After long discussions, they settled on the name Olya.
Years flew by quickly, their children grew up, and their son soon planned to marry a good girl. Vyacheslav and Lilia gladly approved of his choice, as the future bride was to their liking. And now, when both spouses were over fifty years old, thoughts increasingly returned to future grandchildren, about whom they had already begun to dream.
For Vyacheslav, family always remained a sacred priority. As important as his restaurant business, which he continued to develop with unchanging success. One morning, arriving at work, Slava decided to conduct a small audit in his restaurant.
Check how the kitchen works, whether everything is in order in the storerooms. And during the inspection, he stumbled upon an unexpected scene at the service entrance. An elderly woman of a homeless appearance was sitting next to the new cleaner Anya, who was feeding her from a plate.
Anya, noticing the appearance of the restaurant owner, instantly fell silent and became flustered. The owner asked her in surprise, «What’s going on here?» But beneath his outward calm, a real storm of emotions was hidden. Inside, Slava was literally boiling with anger, of course, worried about the reputation of his establishment.
In his thoughts, he constantly worried that Anya did not care at all how such a scene could affect the prestige of the restaurant, where, incidentally, influential and respected people dine. When Anya tried to justify herself, explaining that she brings food from home because she feels sorry for the old woman, Vyacheslav could no longer contain his emotions. He abruptly interrupted her, pointing out the great risks that the presence of such a woman could pose to the restaurant’s clients. The best restaurants nearby
The reputation of the establishment, which he had built for years, was his top priority, and the mere thought that one careless act could destroy everything enraged him, how dare she. Anya stood silently, looking down and clutching a piece of bread in her hands, which she had not yet managed to pass to the poor old woman. At that moment, the elderly woman tried to stand up for Anya, trying to calm the enraged boss.
But Vyacheslav was too enraged to listen to her, and obvious contempt reflected on his face. The old woman, despite Slava’s irritation, once again asked not to scold Anya, explaining that the girl was just trying to act humanely. However, the man, blinded by anger, only threw a malicious glance at her, and then turned his gaze back to Anya.
Suddenly, he snatched the bread from her hands and threw it right in the old woman’s face, accompanying the gesture with a scream and demanding that she leave and never appear here again. Following this, he sternly warned Anya that next time she would be fired. Anya merely nodded quietly, indicating that she understood the threat.
The old woman silently picked up the bread from the ground and carefully shook the dust off it, and, looking at the girl with gratitude, said that «any trouble can be survived with bread,» then calmly walked away. These words unexpectedly pierced Slava, causing him to freeze on the threshold of the restaurant. Suddenly, he remembered how in his childhood his mother, who had long disappeared from his life, said the same words «Any trouble can be survived with bread.»
Turning to the grandmother, Slava asked insistently, «Where do you know this expression from?» The woman calmly replied that it was just a saying, and when he asked her name, she introduced herself as Lyubov Vasilyevna. Hearing this name and patronymic, Slava immediately felt a shiver run through his body.
It seemed to him that these words were like a return to his childhood when his mother, who was also called that, comforted him with a piece of fresh bread right after he fell off his bicycle. He had never heard this phrase from anyone else, and suddenly he was overcome with anxiety. Could it be that this homeless-looking old woman was his long-lost mother? When the elderly woman turned, preparing to leave, Vyacheslav, gripped by a vague premonition, abruptly stopped her and invited her into his office.
Anya and the grandmother exchanged glances, and their faces expressed complete incomprehension. Such an unexpected turn in Slava’s behavior simply stunned both of them. Just now, he seemed the embodiment of cruelty and coldness, and now suddenly he was showing signs of unexpected compassion.
Trying to soften the sharpness of his previous words and actions, the man made another unexpected move. He offered the old woman to come into the restaurant, where he sincerely wanted to apologize and invite her to lunch. The staff of the establishment was astounded by such an unexpected change in the boss’s behavior.
Slava himself did not quite understand what exactly was driving him. In fact, he was trying to find in this woman the features of his long-gone mother, thereby trying to comfort his childhood desire to return his lost parent. The words of gratitude spoken by the old woman touched a deep chord in Slava’s soul.
Suddenly he became interested in whether she had a son and other relatives. But the answer was very sad. Her life, full of simple joys and everyday difficulties, was destroyed in an instant by a terrible tragedy.
The story of her son Slavochka and a happy family life that suddenly collapsed along with the death of her husband Ivan shook Vyacheslav to the core. He began to look for connections and coincidences with his own fate, possibly even finding unexpected parallels between their lives. Listening to her story, the man began to experience new feelings, and compassion and understanding were awakening in his soul.
Vyacheslav, absorbed in the grandmother’s story, could not believe what was happening. Each of her words seemed to him an echo of his own story. After all, the memories of his parents and even their names completely coincided.
He continued to listen attentively to her life story, which contained more and more parallels with his own past. «When they buried my Vanechka, a week later my in-laws unexpectedly came and stated that my grandson Slavochka should move in with them. I, of course, categorically refused, but then they threatened that if I did not agree voluntarily, they would take my son by force.
I didn’t believe them and simply kicked them out of the house. However, exactly a month later at the store where I was working then, a serious audit began, and such large financial shortages were discovered that it was hard to believe. The documents all looked impeccable, but I was accused of major embezzlement,» Lyubov Vasilyevna continued to recall.
«And in the end, I was sentenced to a long term—almost ten years in prison. An absolutely innocent person, I was put in jail. Why did they do this to me? And I served my term from beginning to end.
Already in prison, I learned that I had been deprived of parental rights. My little Slavochka was left without his biological mother. When I was released, I found out that other people were living in our service apartment, and my in-laws had left.
And where exactly—no one informed me, and my son was taken away. But life went on. A few years later, I remarried a good man, but it was too late to have children.»
Vyacheslav was stunned to the core. Could this woman be telling a story that so strongly coincided with his own past, overcoming inner confusion, he decided to ask her the name of the city, as well as the names of her husband’s parents. And again he encountered an amazing coincidence.
But how could this be? Slava’s heart beat in an accelerated rhythm, as now sitting before him was his own mother, alive and real. But why then did his grandparents convince him that she had long died? It turns out they just lied. But how could they? After all, they saw how much their son suffered without his mother.
Obviously, this way they simply got rid of an unwanted daughter-in-law, destroyed her life, and separated her from her son. Slava felt a sharp pain in his chest, again remembering his childhood love for his mother, her tender kisses, and warm words of consolation after falls from a bicycle. But could all this be just some silly coincidence? His grandparents couldn’t have been that cruel? Love continued her life story, as if she needed to pour out her pain to someone, just to be heard.
«After the death of my second husband, I immediately left the city for the village,» continued Lyubov Vasilyevna, «there I lived in my parents’ house and worked on a farm until retirement. But one day, there was a fire in my house caused by a wiring short circuit. I barely managed to escape, and the house burned down to the ground.
I stayed with neighbors for a month, and then I was offered to move to the capital. They were looking for workers at a sewing factory there, even promising to provide a dormitory. I, of course, agreed, as I knew how to sew, and I didn’t care how much they paid.
Slava immediately rushed there. «We do have one homeless person,» said the nurse in the reception disdainfully. «Does she have tuberculosis?» asked Slava.
«No, her lungs are fine,» the nurse shook her head. «But she was hit by a car, and she has complex injuries. The doctors, of course, performed surgery, but she needs expensive medicines for serious treatment, and she simply doesn’t have them, and without them, she won’t last long.»
Slava insisted that they show him this woman immediately. When he entered the ward, he immediately saw her, so familiar and beloved. She was simply lying in bed, her face gaunt and pale.
Vyacheslav, remembering his young and beautiful mother, gently touched her hand. «My dear mommy, hello!» he whispered. The nurse standing by even recoiled from what she heard.
«Could such a decent man have such a mother?» Lyubov Vasilyevna opened her eyes and looked at Slava tenderly. «Who are you?» she whispered with dry lips. «I’m your son!» the man answered with a trembling voice.
«I don’t believe it!» The woman’s forehead broke out in sweat. She tried to sit up, but from pain, she fell back onto the pillow. «Could you really be my Slavochka?» «No, it can’t be.
This is just some mistake.» She carefully studied his face, and with each moment, she found more and more familiar features. She remembered how at their first meeting, she thought he was just a kind man who wanted to help her.
«But could he really be her son? This is clearly some silly joke!» Vyacheslav pulled out a paper with DNA test results and read aloud what was written. There were no more doubts. «Did you guess right away?» the woman smiled, still not believing what was happening.
«My son, how long I’ve dreamed of our meeting!» «Not right away, of course,» admitted Slava. «There were just so many amazing coincidences. And this is your saying about bread.
Remember how I used to come to you with scraped knees, and you comforted me with hot bread?» «I remember everything, son,» Love cried. «It’s a pity we met so late. I don’t have much time left.
No, don’t say anything!» Slava immediately shouted. «I found you. And I can’t lose you again.
I will definitely cure you. And you will live a long and happy life. Hear me? I won’t abandon you, mom!» And indeed, Vyacheslav transferred Lyubov Vasilyevna to the best clinic in the city.
He bought her the most expensive and effective medicines, and gradually her condition improved. And soon, Slava took her from the hospital together with his entire family. The children and wife quickly found a common language with their mother-in-law and grandmother, who turned out to be a very sweet woman.
All the household members were simply happy, but especially Slava, because his mom was now again by his side. Lyubov Vasilyevna, although elderly, finally found true happiness. Genuine maternal happiness.