On the edge of the city, in a calm and serene neighborhood, there was a small café called “Corner.” It wasn’t trying to attract the fashionable crowd but mainly served local residents with its warm and familiar ambiance. Alina had been working there for three years.
On the night before a new shift, she was carefully wiping down tables, her mind clouded with worries about the upcoming rent. Since her mother’s death, her finances had become increasingly strained. She had to take extra shifts, and her dream of pursuing higher education was slowly slipping away.
“Alina, wake up! The customers will be here soon,” called Zina, the older and experienced cook.
“Why?” Alina asked, surprised.
“I’ll tell you tomorrow,” he replied as he opened his car door. “After work. It’s important for both of us.”
That night, Alina couldn’t sleep, turning over in her mind why someone would be so generous. In the morning, she called her friend and told her about the mysterious man and the planned meeting.
“Are you out of your mind?” her friend exclaimed anxiously. “What if he’s dangerous?”
“In that suit?” Alina smiled skeptically.
“Even worse!” her friend insisted. “Send me his address and photo, and call me every half hour!”
After finishing work, Alina went to the café “Melody,” where Pavel Andreevich was already seated at a table in the corner.
“Hello,” she said as she sat down. “Enough with the secrets. Please explain.”
Pavel Andreevich sighed, his hands visibly shaking.
“I’ll be straightforward… I’m your father, Alina.”
She was speechless. She had always believed her father had abandoned them without looking back.
“That can’t be,” she whispered finally.
“Your mother — Natalia Sergeyevna?” he asked. “She worked as a nurse at the hospital?”
Alina nodded silently.
“Why?” she managed to ask. “Why did you leave us?”
“I was young and foolish, made mistakes,” he admitted. “I was offered a job in another city and thought I’d support you financially… then I met another woman.”
Tears rolled down Alina’s cheeks. She had longed to meet her father and ask so many questions, but now words failed her.
“I tried to find you later,” Pavel Andreevich continued. “But you had moved and changed your number…”
“My mother passed away two years ago,” Alina said, wiping tears. “She never told me anything about you.”
Pavel Andreevich’s face showed deep pain.
“Is there any way I can make amends?”
Alina shook her head silently. So many moments had been lost. Too much time had passed.
“I just want to explain,” he said, looking at her with sincere regret. “Our meeting is unexpected. One of my business partners lives near your café. He mentioned you.”
“What did he say?” Alina wiped away another tear.
“He said there was a girl named Alina working there who resembled your mother a lot,” Pavel paused. “When I saw you… you were the spitting image of Natasha.”
Alina gazed out the window, watching people walk by, unaware of her inner turmoil.
“I didn’t know how to approach you for a long time,” her father admitted. “So I just watched and left money, trying to help somehow.”
“Time can’t be bought,” Alina whispered.
“I know,” Pavel nodded. “But I want a chance. The past can’t be changed, but I can be here for you now.”
Suddenly, Alina stood up, making her chair creak. A few patrons glanced over.
“I need time to think,” she said shortly and left.
At home, she cried for a long time. She had harbored anger toward her unknown father for years. Now, he stood before her, apologizing, and she was unsure how to respond.
Her phone rang repeatedly, with Pavel Andreevich leaving messages she deleted without reading. She missed work, claiming illness.
Zinaida Petrovna, worried, visited with some homemade pastries.
“Tell me what’s going on,” the cook gently asked, sitting beside her and stroking her hair.
Alina broke down and poured out everything.
“What should I do?” she asked.
“How do you feel?” Zinaida Petrovna studied her face carefully.
“Anger, pain, confusion,” Alina answered, hugging her knees. “But also like I’ve found something lost.”
“Life tests us,” Zina said with a sigh. “People make mistakes. Sometimes they realize too late.”
“Do you think he’s truly sorry?” Alina asked.
“I don’t know,” Zina admitted. “But you won’t know until you give him a chance.”
After Zina left, Alina sat by the window long, watching the night sky. The stars reminded her of her mother, who loved to watch them.
The next morning, Alina dialed her father’s number.
“Let’s meet,” she said. “Today at six, at the park by the fountain.”
Pavel Andreevich arrived early and paced anxiously near the fountain, adjusting his tie.
“I’ve decided to give you a chance,” Alina said quietly as she approached. “But that doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you.”
Her father smiled joyfully, hesitated to reach out, and then they walked side by side, talking for the first time in years.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Pavel introduced Alina to his world: business meetings, luxury events, and expensive cars.
“It’s unbelievable,” Alina said after dinner one evening. “Yesterday, I was a waitress. Today, I’m here with you.”
“Let’s switch to first names,” her father smiled warmly.
Their relationship warmed. Pavel shared stories of his life and mistakes. Alina began to accept him as her father.
One day, Pavel approached with a serious expression.
“I have a proposal,” he said, sitting beside her. “I want to pay for your university education.”
Alina was shocked. It was her dream, but accepting this gift was difficult.
“No, I can’t,” she shook her head.
“Listen,” Pavel leaned in. “This isn’t to make up for the past. It’s to secure your future.”
She thought a moment. His sincerity was clear.
“I’ll think about it,” she said quietly.
A week later, Alina agreed. She enrolled in management, and Pavel paid in full, even buying her an apartment near the university.
She studied well and began working in his company, advancing from assistant to manager. Her intelligence and effort were recognized.
Years later, she sat in Pavel’s office discussing a project. He looked at her proudly.
“You know what I think?” he asked, leaning back. “You could be my deputy.”
“Really?” she asked.
“Absolutely,” he nodded. “You’re talented, strong, and my daughter.”
Alina looked out the window at the bustling city below.
“I’m not that little girl anymore,” she whispered. “Not the waitress counting pennies.”
“You’ve grown stronger,” her father said.
“I still remember the pain,” she said. “But I’m no longer trapped by the past.”
Pavel stood, hugged her tightly.
“Thank you for giving me a chance,” he whispered.
“And thank you for not giving up,” she replied.
Together by the window, reunited after years apart, they looked forward to new challenges and a future built together.
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