Just a few seconds later, the answer came.

“I feel guilty for what happened. Don't worry, Victoria, I'll pay for everything."

“Thanks, of course, but it was not worth it. And it's not your fault."

"How are you feeling?"

"Been better."

“Get better. Good night."

"Thanks. And you."

She minimized the messenger window and, after a little thought, went into the call log. The first outgoing call to Dimka's number, which was saved under the name "Beloved", was at eight thirty-seven in the evening, and he remained unanswered. Then there were several more outgoing ones with a difference of half an hour. And yes, indeed, the call he received was at ten in the evening. Where was he all this time and what was he so busy with, since he did not hear the calls? It's all strange. OK. As the great Scarlett O'Hara said, I'll think about it tomorrow. Now sleep, sleep, sleep...

The next morning greeted me with a bright sun breaking through the blinds closing the window. There was no trace of yesterday's weather, except for high snowdrifts. They took tests from me and put a dropper with some kind of solution. The head ached less, but the nausea was still present. Therefore, there was no appetite at all, and I refused the breakfast that was brought to me right in the ward. The hospital gown was terribly uncomfortable, as it was oversized and constantly slipped off the shoulders. I rummaged a little in the things that Dimka brought, and found my home suit, consisting of a T-shirt and shorts. Will do. She pulled off her shirt and was left in some lace panties. At that moment, there was a knock on the door and, without waiting for an answer, they entered. I raised my head to the door and saw Igor Nevsky on the threshold with flowers in his hands and his mouth open.

- Can you turn away for decency? - she squeaked embarrassedly and bursting into a thick blush.

- Oh, yes, sorry Victoria! Nevsky turned his back on me. - Awkward situation. I thought you were still sleeping.

Yes, sleep in the hospital. They torment me from early in the morning. – muttered, quickly pulling on a T-shirt and shorts. - You can turn around.

- Figure offset! Igor laughed and handed me a bouquet of soft pink roses.

- Thanks for flowers. You will need to ask the staff for a vase.

- I already asked the nurse on duty. Will bring later. How are you feeling?

- I have to say it's good. Nauseous only at times.

I sat down on the bed and covered my legs with the blanket. Igor came closer and familiarly sat down on the edge of the bed. He was dressed as always in a formal suit and clean-shaven, his dark almost black hair was parted and casually styled, as if he had stepped out of the shower and simply ran a hand through his hair from forehead to crown. His brown eyes radiated a smile of self-confidence. Handsome all the same an infection and knows it.

- You know, I thought, after what happened between us, you can switch to “you”, don’t you think so?

It sounded very ambiguous. What does he mean? What saw me practically naked or an accident?

- We can speak unformally".

- Excellent! Maybe you need something, I'll order it and they'll bring it to you right away.

- No thanks, I have everything. Did you find out anything about the identity of that driver?

Igor lowered his gaze.

- No, the car was stolen from the parking lot of a company that provides cars for rent. Maybe they're covering for one of their drivers. The car can be rented with a driver. There are not so many of them in the state, now the police are checking them.

It's a miracle we didn't get hurt. People die in such accidents.

- I agree. You are my guardian angel Vika. Igor narrowed his eyes and shot me straight in the eyes.

She turned her gaze to the window.

- And why are you, that is, you are not at work?

- I'm at work. Igor chuckled and looked at his watch. I have a meeting not far from here in half an hour. My event managers are organizing a New Year's corporate party. I need to see the premises they found. We will invite several partners and potential investors. Everything should be on the level.

- And when is the corporate party planned?

- Friday the thirtieth of December.

- Right before the New Year? - I was surprised, because usually such events are held a week or two before the New Year.

- Vika, the city is small, there are few good establishments worth attention in our city. Everything was quickly booked, and my debi ... the staff came to their senses late. And only this date remained free.

- Thank you very much for coming and bringing flowers. I am very pleased, but not worth it.

- You deserve more. Igor took my hand and raised it to his lips.

Again, these ambiguous phrases. Igor let go of my hand, got up from the bed and straightened his jacket.

- Well, I have to go. Get well soon. At work, I fixed everything.

- I hope, German Petrovich, was not very angry?

- He was only angry at me, because I almost killed his secretary. – grinned Igor and headed for the exit.

Goodbye Vic.

- All the best, Igor.

I spent the rest of the day either falling asleep or waking up on IVs or painkillers. Toward evening, the attending physician came to see me. A very pretty woman said that the concussion was not very serious and at the end of the week they would be able to let me go home, but they would not allow me to return to work until two weeks later. I talked to dad on the phone, said that I had a little cold and that I would not come this weekend as promised. He doesn't need to know the details of my sick leave. Just get upset. Then Dimka called me and said that he would not be able to come today, as he would again have to stay at work. I was starting to dislike it. I decided that after discharge, Dima and I would seriously talk about this topic.

The next two days passed measuredly and quietly. With the onset of December, winter has fully come into its own. Through the window of the ward, I saw how the snow sparkled in the bright sun, and the gloomy janitor was trying to make the snowdrifts look decent so that the snow would not bother anyone. Overall, I felt much better. The nausea receded. Dima came only once these days, explaining this by being busy at work. I sent greetings from my mother and brought various goodies. Igor also handed over with the driver a large package of fruits, and even some intricate ones. I assumed it was Thai. I could no longer cope with such an amount of food, so I treated the clinic staff, which undoubtedly attracted me.

Toward Saturday evening, I decided to call Dasha. I dialed my friend's number and she didn't answer right away.

- Hello?

- Hey Dash! I don't distract?

There was some fuss, maybe I woke her up. She looked at the clock. Half past ten in the evening. Dasha was always an owl, I couldn't wake her up.

- Hey Vikul. No, everything is fine! How are you, lost soul?

And I told Dasha about how I got a job and about the accident. Dasha groaned and gasped and supported me in every possible way. She has always been very emotional. She promised to visit me at home on Sunday after she was discharged. At the same time, she promised to bring some things that she, having overestimated her volumes, ordered in online stores, but they turned out to be hopelessly small and should have suited me perfectly. It was very helpful.

- Vika, your voice is kind of nervous, is there anything else you want to tell me? – asked cautiously girlfriend.

After a little silence, she said:

- Dash, I think Dimka is cheating on me.

Dasha did not answer anything and after a few seconds of silence looked at the display of the phone, thinking that the call had been dropped, but the call time was running out.

- Dash, are you there?

- Yes... Yes, Vic. Hmmm , where did you get that from? You're getting married soon, what a nonsense.

- I do not even know. He became something else. Stays at work, doesn't pick up the phone. The other day I smelled women's perfume from him.

- Oh, Vika, you are such a dreamer. It's just pre-wedding jitters. Your Dimka is not like that at all. He is family.

- Mmm. - I just gave out. When did she manage to get to know my fiancé so much that she knew that he was “not like that” - I don’t know, Dasha. I don't have peace of mind.

- You stop this. OK. I'll run. See you soon. Bye! - and dropped the call.

Maybe Dasha is right and I, in the light of recent events, have somehow begun to think inadequately? But I knew for sure that I didn’t have any wedding jitters.

On Sunday, I was discharged and strictly forbidden to go to work earlier than a week later. But to be honest, I planned to break this ban and go to work tomorrow. Dima said that he would not be able to pick me up because he would go to his mother to help change the faucet and toilet bowl in the bathroom, he promised her this two weeks ago, and asked to get home by taxi. I was calmly packing my bag when there was a knock on the door of the ward. It was Igor. Today he was wearing black jeans, a dark green V-neck jumper and a black winter coat. With his arrival, the frosty smell of winter burst into the ward with an admixture of expensive men's perfume. I thought that I had become very sensitive to smells.

- Hello Victoria. I thought I'd check on you while I was passing by.

Thank you, but I've been discharged. So I collect my things and I will call a taxi home. She pointed to her bag with her hand.

- So that's great. Why a taxi, let me take you. – and cheerfully, without waiting for my answer, grabbed the bag.

- Igor, thank you, of course. But I'd rather take a taxi. Dima probably won't like you bringing me home. - I, in turn, also grabbed the handle and tried to pick up the bag.

- Why didn’t your Dimulya come for you? - Igor raised the bag on his outstretched arm above his head and watched as I tried unsuccessfully to reach it. A comical sight, because Igor is almost half a meter taller. Soon I stopped my attempts and gave up, sitting on the bed.

- He went to help his mother change the plumbing.