Almost right at the entrance to the restaurant, a quarrel nearly broke out between Alisa and Pavel.
She understood perfectly well — this conversation had to happen sooner or later.
She just didn’t expect it to start right now — when they had arrived to discuss the banquet order.
Pavel stopped the car and critically looked over the building:
“God… It’s hard even to call this a restaurant!”
Alisa shrugged:
“I like this place. I used to come here often with my friends.
By the way, the owner is wonderful, and the food is excellent.”
He abruptly turned to her:
“Are you serious? Is this a joke? We’re not just coming here for a quick bite!
This will be our wedding day!”
“Pasha, first of all, don’t raise your voice at me,” she replied calmly.
“Secondly, we simply can’t afford a more expensive place.”
He slammed his hands on the steering wheel in frustration:
“And this is coming from the daughter of a man who manages millions!”
Alisa grew serious:
“We’ve talked about this more than once. It’s easy to live off someone else’s money, but I don’t want that.
Dad gave you a good position, although you clearly aren’t ready for it.
If you want, we can postpone the wedding and wait until we can afford what you want.”
Pavel barely controlled his irritation. Sometimes Alisa could be so stubborn she seemed almost foolish.
“Alright,” he exhaled. “Let’s not spoil the evening over some small thing. Let’s go.”
Alisa realized he was deliberately changing the subject.
She decided not to continue the conflict.
The restaurant was indeed on the outskirts of town.
Once, when Alisa lived nearby with friends, all important events were celebrated here.
Everything was cozy, bright, homely — and most importantly, affordable.
The owner always treated them warmly and gave discounts, joking: “For students, like in the good old days.”
Now the interior was more modern, and the place was run by the previous owner’s daughter — a bit plump, but just as kind as her mother.
Alisa liked her immediately, so the choice was obvious.
“Alisa, come on already!” Pavel impatiently pulled her.
But the girl suddenly noticed a little girl. She had seen her near the restaurant before — then the child had offered to wash car windows. She was poorly dressed, even too much so.
Now she was sitting near the entrance, thoughtfully watching passersby.
“Wait…” Alisa took a step toward the girl but changed her mind and quickly went inside.
Pavel sighed. He was used to his fiancée often being impulsive, acting without explaining anything.
But after the wedding, he would definitely change that.
Just not now — this was too emotional a moment, and her father was quite a character…
No sooner had he gone inside than Alisa returned. In her hands was a box of pastries, a cola, and something else.
She passed by without saying a word.
Pavel shook his head: “I wonder how many more homeless people Alisa will come across before she feeds them all?”
Sighing, he followed her.
“Hi!” Alisa spoke gently to the girl. “My name is Alisa, and this is my fiancé, Pavel.”
The child’s tired eyes lit up at the sight of food:
“Thank you… My name is Katya.”
She ate a little, carefully wrapped the rest:
“I’ll take it to my dad. He’s sick.”
Alisa was flustered and handed her several bills:
“Take it. I don’t have any more with me.”
Pavel theatrically sighed again, hoping Alisa would hear him. But she ignored him.
Katya politely refused:
“No, I won’t take it. I’m not a beggar, I have a home. And thank you very much for the food.”
She stood up, was about to leave, but suddenly came back:
“Alisa, you’re kind… But I wouldn’t marry him. You don’t really know him at all.”
Pavel immediately flared up:
“Look at that pride! Got food, and instead of thanks, rudeness. Like a stray kid who got help — and bites the hand.”
Alisa nudged him with her elbow, but the girl was already leaving.
“Alisa, one day all those poor people you pity will kill you,” he called after her.
“Well, will you cry then?” she smiled.
“No… You’re definitely out of your mind.”
That night, Alisa couldn’t sleep for a long time.
Her thoughts kept returning to Katya’s words.
Although she didn’t believe in predictions, the strange warning wouldn’t let her rest.
Maybe the girl had a relative who was a psychic?
Sighing, Alisa sat on the bed and looked at the clock.
It was about time Pavel went to sleep. Usually, he would call, wish her good night, and say he was going to rest too.
She quickly got ready:
“No, it’s not about that. I’m just going for a little drive.”
Quietly slipping out of the house, fifteen minutes later Alisa was standing by Pavel’s building entrance.
His car was gone. The apartment windows were dark.
She approached but decisively rejected the idea of going in — she had the keys, but she knew no one was home.
She slowly drove around the city, not knowing where she was headed.
And suddenly, right in front of her, she noticed the familiar silhouette of Pavel’s car.
The car was moving slowly, then signaled and turned into a yard.
Alisa parked a little away, got out, and hurried after.
Her fiancé wasn’t alone. Next to him was a woman. Bright, striking.
They couldn’t reach the entrance — kissing and hugging.
Alisa even pinched herself — was she dreaming? Their wedding was in two weeks, and everything was almost ready!
But the images didn’t disappear. It even seemed they might lie down right on the asphalt…
As soon as Pavel and his companion disappeared into the entrance, Alisa got into her car.
Her hands were trembling.
“I can’t drive like this,” she thought, although the streets were empty.
She circled the neighborhood a couple of times, then finally went home.
Surprisingly, she fell asleep almost immediately.
In the morning, her father was already bustling in the kitchen.
Alisa got up and, hearing his steps, went out immediately:
“Daughter, it’s early today… Did you go somewhere? I heard you came back late.”
“Not with Pavel. Alone. Dad, I need to talk to you.”
Her father immediately became serious:
“I understand. What happened?”
“Well… something.”
Alisa looked around near the restaurant — no one was around.
She got out of the car and headed to the establishment.
By the pond, on the grass, sat Katya, thoughtfully looking at the water.
Alisa smiled, went inside the restaurant, and a few minutes later returned with a large bag of food.
She approached the girl and silently sat down next to her.
Katya turned:
“Are you alone?”
“As you can see. Want some food?”
The girl sighed:
“Of course! I’m at that age… And things are not going well at home right now.”
Alisa began taking food out of the bag.
Katya asked:
“Will you stay with me?”
Alisa hesitated a bit, then shrugged lightly:
“Why not? I don’t need to lose weight for the wedding anymore.”
“Really?” Katya laughed. “You shouldn’t lose weight — you’re already like a glass doll!”
They ate together, chatting about nothing, until Katya suddenly asked:
“Did he leave?”
“You could say that. For me, he’s already gone, but he probably doesn’t know it yet.”
“Alisa, can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Do you really see things, or was that a joke?”
Katya laughed again:
“Well, yes, I’m a ‘seer’! I saw your fiancé kissing a girl!”
Alisa looked at her in surprise.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Katya continued laughing. “I do go to the city!
And his face is easy to remember — distinctive. They left the hotel and kept hugging the whole time.”
“A ‘seer’!” Katya repeated and laughed again.
Alisa felt tears welling in her eyes — whether from laughter or everything she had gone through.
Together they fell into the grass and laughed for a long time, like two crazy girls.
In the evening, a call came from Pavel:
“Alisa, let’s talk!
Your dad has overloaded me with work so much I’m about to die!
He even sent me to another city! Maybe you can talk to him?”
“What’s the matter? Isn’t the chief supply officer’s job your responsibility?”
“But I’m your fiancé!”
“I don’t recall dad ever creating this position on the farm.”
“Alisa, I don’t like the tone you’re using with me!”
“Listen, Pasha, if you don’t like it — just don’t call. You called me, not the other way around.”
After a pause, he asked:
“Are you upset?”
“No, on the contrary — very happy.”
“I don’t understand…”
“Alright, never mind. Just know — the wedding is off.”
Pavel started shouting, but Alisa simply hung up.
After the third call, she put his number on the blacklist.
Half an hour later, there was a knock at the door.
Her father peeked in:
“Alisa, Pavel is here.”
“Tell him I flew to the moon.”
Her father smiled, and Alisa stood up — it was time to clear everything up once and for all.
Pavel looked dejected:
“Alisa, you misunderstood everything! That was my sister!
I can introduce you to her!”
Alisa grimaced:
“Pasha, I don’t need explanations. But if she really is your sister, you two kiss too strangely.
So don’t call or come anymore. We’re no longer together. By the way, I already canceled the banquet order.”
She wanted to leave, but Pavel grabbed her hand:
“Wait!
You can’t just give up like that! We’re not married yet! People are waiting! I owe them! They’ll finish me off!”
Alisa pulled her hand away.
Her father quietly but firmly said:
“Leave the house. Or I’ll call security.”
The next day Alisa returned to the restaurant, but Katya was not there.
She sat in the car for almost an hour, hoping, but the girl never appeared.
“I should have asked for the address yesterday,” she thought, scolding herself.
Entering the restaurant, Alisa asked:
“Excuse me, but is the girl… Katya?”
The owner sighed:
“Oh, they have problems. Someone reported to child services that she’s begging.
Probably an outsider. They came there in the morning.
Her father’s health has been poor since a fall from a tower last year.
They gave two days to fix the situation, or they’ll take Katya away.”
“Who reported? Do you know?”
“They say Pavel Zagorodny did. The very fiancé you were supposed to marry?”
But Alisa was already running out to the street.
She had the address, but that wasn’t enough — she would need her father’s help.
Usually, she tried to solve everything herself, but this was a special case.
Andrey Semyonovich never refused his daughter.
Three months later
“Katya, ready?” Alisa cheerfully entered the room.
Katya tried to look important but immediately rushed to Alisa:
“Do you think Dad will like it?”
“Of course! And you’re doing great: you don’t bite your nails, sit properly, eat neatly…”
Katya sighed theatrically:
“How hard it is sometimes to be good!”
They both laughed, carefree and sincere as always.
“Let’s go, Katyusha! Dad can’t stand long.”
“Alisa, are you sure Dad can walk?”
“Sure! He’ll even run. Thanks to Grandpa Andrey!”
Alisa’s father watched the scene and smiled.
He saw his daughter from a completely different side — caring, gentle, real.
Alisa has many talents, but this new one — showing love and compassion — touched him most of all.
Katya’s father turned out to be a kind, decent man, just caught in a difficult life situation.
Andrey Semyonovich was sure they would succeed. Alisa had proven it more than once.
He sighed. What happiness that their paths had crossed!
No matter how much effort, connections, and money he had to spend.
He wouldn’t regret a thing for these people.
And exactly three months after all the changes began, they had their wedding — in that very cozy little restaurant where everything for Alisa had started anew.
