– Tomorrow we are invited to a restaurant, – joyful anticipation played in Lisa’s eyes. – Mom and Dad are eager to meet you. Do you have a suit?
“I’ll find it if I need to,” Nikita replied, vaguely remembering his graduation. “What, can’t we do without it? I don’t like all this officialdom, to be honest.”
“I don’t know,” the girl shrugged. “Maybe it’s possible, it’s just that dad is usually always in a suit, that’s his job.”
“Who would doubt it?” Nikita thought and sighed. But there was nothing to be done, the first impression could not be spoiled, he would have to live up to it. He was already afraid that the high-status father would not approve of the choice of his only daughter, after all, they really were from different social levels.
Patience ran out already at the stage of tying the tie. Videos on the Internet did not help, the son went for help:
– Dad, help!
– No, I don’t wear one myself, – answered the father. – And I’ll tell you this: a man who knows how to wear one should learn to tie it, otherwise – what’s the point? You’re already nervous. And in a tie you’ll feel out of place.
“Maybe we should forget about him then?” Nikita rejoiced.
– Yes, I’ve been telling you this from the very beginning – don’t worry about it. Turn around, let me look at you.
The son obediently turned around.
– Well, how is it?
“You’ve grown out of your suit,” my father drawled honestly. “You look like you’ve been shot. Wave your arms, isn’t your jacket cracking in your shoulders?”
– What should I do? I have no other choice.
– Well, no and no, put on a more decent shirt – and that’s enough. Are you going to meet the girl’s parents or are you already taking her to the registry office?
– Yes, those are the parents there… I doubt they’ll like me.
– Why is that?
– I think they want someone well-off, with their own apartment and an expensive car. They have a two-level cottage…
Nikita’s doubts were understandable. The guy went into the army after school, and only then entered university. And at that age, even a year is a decent amount of time. While Nikita was finishing his studies in the daytime, working part-time as best he could, his peers had already managed to get their degrees and started earning decent money.
True, compared to his classmates, Nikita not only looked good, he also behaved much more sensibly, more maturely. It is not surprising that the first beauty of the course paid attention to him.
– Listen, I can tell you from experience – you may be a student now, but your Lisa’s father is definitely not a fool, he will see everything he needs in you, believe me.
After thinking, the father smiled and continued:
– The first impression can be made in different ways. If only you knew how your grandfather and I met.
– Come on, come on, – Nikita lit up. – You haven’t told me about this before.
– It was too early for you to know this before, but now it’s just right. It was about 1992. It was early May, the lilacs were blooming so much, you’d think it was amazing. Your mother and I had been dating for over a year. Well, one Saturday she calls me and tells me coquettishly that my parents had gone to the country, which meant the apartment was at our complete disposal…
“Dad,” Nikita blushed slightly.
– Come on, you do understand that you weren’t found in a cabbage patch, right? So, I got out my modest stash and started thinking about how to organize some romance. I was lucky – a friend of mine worked in a flower shop, she picked me a gorgeous bouquet. I left her place and realized that with such beauty I wouldn’t be able to get on the bus, it was cramped there, I had to catch a ride. Taxis weren’t so easy back then. I hailed a car, gave the address of the store – I thought I’d also grab a bottle of dry wine. I was driving, and my mood… well, you know!
The father was silent, smiling at his memories.
– The driver looked at me and asked condescendingly, like, why are you so happy? I told him everything as if it were true. Like, spring, love, and then my sweetheart’s parents conveniently went out of town. He smiles, says, he was a young man himself, he understands everything. And so we drive up to the store, I tell him that I’ll drop in for some wine and item number two at the same time, and then we’ll go to such-and-such an address. And then his face changes…
Nikita burst out laughing:
– Was that the grandfather?
————————————————
– Right on target! He immediately said to me: you don’t have to take the item, because your Natasha’s father forgot something at home and came back. And instead of wine, he says, take some cognac. By the way, we had a good time, Petrovich is a great guy, you know that yourself.
Nikita meanwhile took off his tight jacket, changed his trousers, and took out his favorite shirt.
– Okay, dad, thanks for the encouragement, I’ll go.
– Be yourself! Good luck!
Half an hour later, the guy walked into the doors of a rather expensive restaurant. Well, apparently, Lisa’s father decided to remind him of his modest income. Approaching the table, Nikita smiled at his beloved, greeted her mother and froze in confusion, holding out his hand to her father.
… Six months ago he met a classmate who persuaded him to go to a bar to reminisce about his wonderful school years. To be honest, Nikita never liked this slippery fellow, but he still gave in.
A couple of hours later, the classmate went to the restroom and never returned. Nikita sat there, waited for half an hour, then, upset, paid for both and went to the exit.
– What, did you want to cut the phone and get away quietly? – a two-meter tall man of very serious appearance met him on the porch. The question was followed by a strong blow to the solar plexus. Nikita caught his breath from surprise, but he pulled himself together quickly, in the army they were taught much worse. He immediately appeared at the side of his opponent and delivered several short blows. It is difficult to say how this confrontation would have ended, but a police patrol was nearby.
Already at the station, Nikita learned that the slippery classmate had not only ditched him, but had also quietly grabbed the man’s phone, which was lying on the table, on the way to the exit.
Having sorted out the situation, the man immediately apologized and even paid the fine for both of them:
– Get rid of such acquaintances, boy, they will lead to no good.
And here is the owner of the ill-fated phone sitting next to Lisa and extending his hand to introduce himself. Dmitry Sergeyevich – that was his name – greeted him absolutely calmly, not showing that it was not the first time he saw the groom.
“Nikita, let’s go have a smoke?” he suggested after about half an hour.
The guy agreed, even though he didn’t smoke.
“Did you serve?” Dmitry Sergeyevich asked briefly when they went outside.
– That’s right, Airborne Forces.
“The shift is growing,” the man grinned. “And you’re a good boy, you fought a man twice your size and didn’t get… That means you won’t let anyone hurt my Lizaveta either.”
After thinking, he added:
– I suggest: women don’t need to know about that unpleasant incident. Especially about the police. What do you think?
“I agree,” Nikita nodded happily.
But of course he told his father everything in person and in detail, and he laughed heartily and promised to keep the story a secret from all interested parties. But with one condition: the future grandson must find out about all this. The main thing is at the right moment.
