— Forgive me, daughter. I so wanted to make peace with her, to ask for forgiveness. But I was too late.
— She forgave you. She wrote in her letter that she forgave you. Really? — There was hope in her father’s voice. — Did she really forgive me?
— Yes. And she asked me to forgive you too. She said that people have the right to make mistakes.
— Daughter, I know I have no right to ask, but… could you come to the capital? I so want to see you, to talk to you. I’ll pay for the trip. You can stay with me.
— I’ll think about it, – Anna answered uncertainly.
— Of course, take your time. I understand that this is a big stress for you too. But know this: I will wait as long as it takes.
They talked for another half hour. Roman asked about her life, her studies, her plans for the future. He told her about himself, about the theater, about how his life had changed over the years. Anna gradually relaxed. Her father turned out to be a pleasant conversationalist, an interesting person.
— Listen, – he said at the end of the conversation, – if you decide to come, I have something special for you. Your room. It has always been for you. I waited so long for you to come to me someday. And I have many photos of your mother and me. I think you’ll be interested to see them.
— Okay, – Anna said. – I’ll call you tomorrow and tell you when I can come.
— Thank you, daughter. Thank you for calling. This is the happiest day of my life in the last 18 years.
After they said goodbye, Anna sat for a long time with the phone in her hands. Her father seemed sincere, a repentant man. And her mother was right: he had really changed. The next day, Anna woke up with a firm decision: she would go to the capital. She couldn’t sleep for a long time that night, thinking about the conversation with her father, rereading his letters, looking at the photos. And the more she thought, the more she understood: her mother was right to guide her to him.
In the morning, she called Roman:
— Dad, I’ve decided. I want to come visit you.
— Really? — The joy in her father’s voice was palpable. — When?
— I’ll arrange everything. Maybe this weekend?
— Saturday. Of course. I’m already sending money for the ticket. First class, a sleeper car. And I will definitely meet you at the station.
The phone conversation lasted almost an hour. Roman Zakharov asked many questions about his daughter’s life, her hobbies, her plans for the future. He told her about himself, his work, how his life had changed over the years.
— I want to show you the capital, — he said excitedly. — Theaters, museums, parks. I want to introduce you to my friends, to the actors of our theater. And most importantly, I want to get to know you, to understand what you’ve become, what you dream of.
They agreed that Anna would arrive in the capital on Saturday morning and return home on Sunday evening. For now, she wasn’t ready for a long stay in an unfamiliar city with a practically unknown person.
— I understand your caution, — Roman said. — We’re not in a hurry. The main thing is that you’ve agreed to come.
On Thursday, Anna met with Uncle Andrei. He came by car and invited her to a good restaurant in the center of Voznesensk; he wanted to celebrate her decision to meet her father.
— I’m proud of you, — he said, raising a glass of juice. — It takes courage to forgive and give someone a second chance.
— Do you regret telling me the truth? — Anna asked. — Maybe mom was right to hide it all?
Andrei shook his head:
