Lisa married for love to a fellow student. Together they lived their happiest years, almost fifteen years. They brought up their daughter, in whom they did not want, but at one moment their happiness was cut short: her husband crashed his car on a slippery icy road and failed to control it…
Liza was so worried that she turned gray and lost weight. Grief bent her literally. Within a year she began to look older than her years. And only her daughter kept her afloat. Gathering up all her strength, Lisa brought up her daughter, and now gave her all her attention and love with redoubled force.
Her daughter graduated from high school and college, started working, Lisa had less to worry about. At her daughter’s insistence she began to take care of herself and her health. Together with her daughter Lisa started to go to the swimming pool constantly, do fitness, eat right.
The results were impressive. At her daughter’s wedding, Lisa looked almost like her daughter’s older sister. Slim, trim, tanned after a vacation at the sea, she impressed all the guests of the party.
Everyone joked that her daughter was settled, now her mother should seek her fate. But Lisa guffawed. After losing her husband all these years, it never even occurred to her to look for a lover or a spouse. It was not up to it.
Lisa was five years to retirement, when their department appointed a new head. All the women were pleasantly surprised by his appearance. The new head also had two higher educations, and had a calm but firm character. It seemed that nothing could make him lose his temper. And most importantly, the newcomer was a widower.
“The unapproachable knight,” the women of the department dubbed him behind his eyes. But everyone, even the married ladies, began to take more care of their appearance, someone had a new haircut, someone even began to lose weight, and some updated their outfits according to the latest fashion. Lisa, however, took the boss calmly. She had given up on herself a long time ago and did not even dream of finding a life partner again.
In addition, Lisa and already looked better in recent years than after the death of her husband, although a lot of years had passed. And if the single women of the department began to give the chief immediately obvious signs of attention, Lisa remained calm and almost indifferent. Why almost? Because deep down, of course she liked the manager, as well as everyone else. It was impossible not to like him. “Such men are not lying on the road! He won’t be alone for long…” – the women joked and looked him in the eye when they met. But he lived up to his nickname. He seemed perfectly calm and even aloof. He took his eyes off the female employees and hurriedly left for his office.
Several months had passed since the head of the department. All passions for the head of the women subsided, because the efforts to please him were not successful. However, many noticed that more and more often he began to call Lisa to his office, conferred with her on certain issues.
– Well, he’ll probably take her as his deputy,” they said.
– Why, she is smart. She knows the business. And a lot of experience, – quite rightly noted other colleagues Lisa.
Lisa only thought nothing of it. She strictly dressed out of habit, almost never used makeup, was discreet in communication and respected the chain of command.
One day she was among the seconded on a business trip to St. Petersburg. There were three of them: the boss, she and a lawyer from their company. The four days of the business trip were not very busy. At the end of the day they had dinner in a restaurant or cafe and went for a walk in the city, which added a touch of romance to their trip.
Lisa was enlivened by such walks. She loved St. Petersburg and this gave her a chance to take a boat trip on the canals and even see the opening of bridges… She was happy as a child, her eyes lit up.
She also discovered her boss to be quite different. He no longer seemed so dry and stern to her. She saw him as a good-natured, sweet and caring man. She herself did not notice how she already took unintrusive advances from him, he took her under the elbow as they walked through the park. And on the last night of her business trip the two of them were having dinner and he kept his eyes on Lisa.
Liza was dizzy, as if she was younger, afraid that when she came home this romantic fairy tale would end…
But when she arrived at work on the morning of the new work day, she saw a bouquet of scarlet roses on her desk. Lisa flashed and looked at the female employees. What would they think? She unmistakably realized who these roses were from and carefully put them in a vase on a low cabinet in her office.
And the women only smiled, staring at their papers. No one of their colleagues snapped in Lisa’s direction. She had long been known as a modest and intelligent woman. Though even such women could have their fair share of enemies.
Liza could barely concentrate on her work, but before lunch she was summoned to her boss’s office with a business trip report.
– Lucky Lizka … – still quietly sighed one of the employees. – They will do well. I’m sure.
– And well. She deserved it. And such a woman – a godsend. Don’t be jealous, there will be a good man for you too. – Strictly replied her oldest employee.
And in the office of the chief Lisa showed sketches of the report, the head absent-mindedly looked at the sheets of paper, then raised his head and said Lisa:
– Tonight we will have dinner together? I will order a table in a restaurant. In our St. Petersburg tradition, eh?
Lisa smiled and looked at the man.
– You spoil me. What if I get used to? No salary will be enough…
The man stood up and adjusted his tie. He looked Liza straight in the eyes.
– Then you have to marry me. And we’ll have dinner at home. Together.
He took Lisa’s hands and kissed them. Lisa wept and left the office. To calm her excitement, she walked down the long corridor, stood at the window opposite her office, but soon heard footsteps behind her. She looked back. It was the warden.
– You forgot your report,” he handed her the sheets. – So until tonight?
– Until tonight … – echoed Lisa.
A month later the whole department congratulated Lisa on her marriage. Wedding as such was not. So decided modest Lisa and her husband did not insist. The age of pre-retirement. But for the staff of his department the new family arranged a nice banquet in the auditorium.
Soon Lisa became a housewife, quit her job. Her husband insisted on it. And the daughter was glad her mother didn’t have to work. She began coming to visit her mother more often with her little granddaughter. Both mother and daughter were happy. And the husband didn’t dote on his spouse. Lisa was an excellent hostess and a kind, sweet woman. “You are my reward.” Maybe he was exaggerating. But the beloved always seems the best and most worthy of all women in the world…
