Anna froze in front of a small, cozy café. This was the very place her grandmother had told her about. The establishment had opened recently, and the staff already seemed complete. But maybe there was a place for her too?
Taking a deep breath, the young woman cautiously pushed the door.
Seven years ago…
Though to Anna, it felt like an eternity.
Back then, she was only eighteen. She was giving her first solo concert, the audience was giving her a standing ovation, and a bright future lay ahead.
But it was cut short in an instant.
On the way back, their car was rammed at full speed by a truck.
Her parents died on the spot.
Anna was severely injured, but she did not lose consciousness. She saw her mother and father leaving this world.
And then her grandmother, upon hearing about the tragedy, suffered a stroke. Her legs nearly failed her.
Life was divided into “before” and “after.”
Three months in the hospital.
Years of surgeries, but the consequences could not be fully corrected – the bone healed incorrectly, and medical errors left her with a limp for life.
The cost of medication was astronomical. She had to sell jewelry.
Her grandmother wept quietly, while Anna emotionlessly packed their belongings into boxes.
Finding a job was impossible. People avoided her as soon as they saw her walk, saw the look in her eyes.
She could play the piano – but who would hire a pianist like her?
When the money ran out, she had to sell the piano.
The piano her parents had saved up for, the one they had bought on credit.
Anna cried for two nights before making the decision.
Strangers came, counted the money, and took the instrument away.
Now her grandmother had learned to move around the apartment, albeit with a walker.
Anna arranged for her to receive a disability pension. They were barely making ends meet.
Her grandmother had heard about the café from the neighbors.
They sometimes visited, brought something for tea, and shared gossip.
And what if they would hire her there?
The café door opened soundlessly, but bells jingled above her head.
A young man emerged from the depths of the room.
“Good afternoon. We are not open yet.”
“Good… I know. I’m here about a job,” Anna said with an embarrassed smile.
“Which position are you considering?”
“Any… I only have a high school education.”
“Maybe a waitress?”
Anna noticeably blushed.
“No… I’m not suitable for that job.”
The young man slightly raised an eyebrow.
“Then there’s only the cleaner position left. The schedule is from noon until closing.”
“That suits me.”
He lost all interest in her and simply called out to someone deeper inside the establishment:
“Victor, come here! We have a candidate for cleaning.”
A minute later, Victor appeared – a sturdy man in his forties.
He gave her an appraising look from head to toe.
“Drinking – immediate dismissal without pay. Absences too. I hope you won’t have many excuses.”
“Of course…” Anna replied quietly.
“Alright, come on.”
He led her through the hall, explaining what needed to be cleaned and where.
Anna listened attentively, nodding, but suddenly froze in place.
Before her stood IT.
Her piano.
Anna would recognize it among thousands.
She took a step forward and carefully touched the lid of the instrument.
With her eyes closed, she could almost hear the music she once played…
But the moment was broken by a rude, mocking voice:
“What are you staring at? Grab a mop, you’re as far from that piano as the Moon.”
Anna pulled her hand away.
Tears welled up in her eyes, but she did not let them fall.
Six months later
Anna had been working at the café for six months.
And, oddly enough, she felt happy.
The salary was decent, and the team was friendly.
But Victor couldn’t stand her.
He was always looking for a reason to reprimand her, but he found none – Anna worked diligently.
Perhaps that was what irritated him the most.
On the day of an important banquet at the café, it turned out that the musician had not arrived.
Alexander, the administrator, was in a panic.
“Does anyone here know how to play the piano?”
“Of course not!” Victor immediately dismissed the idea.
But then a quiet voice spoke:
“I can.”
Everyone turned to Anna.
When the music filled the dimly lit room, the hall fell silent.
Anna played with her eyes closed, tears streaming down her cheeks.
When the melody faded away, the guests stood and applauded.
Alexander exhaled and turned to Victor:
“Victor, find a new cleaner. I’ve already found our musician.”
The next morning, Anna’s doorbell rang.
She opened it… and was stunned.
Her piano stood before her.
And behind it, Alexander and the café staff were smiling.
“Anna, welcome your guest!”
“What… How?!”
Alexander handed her an envelope.
“Vladislav Nikitin, the owner of the bank, bought a new instrument for the café and told us to return this one to you.”
Anna burst into tears.
Inside the letter, it was written:
“Thank you for last night. It was magical. In life, everything must be in balance, so I want you to have your instrument. Also, you are expected at a private clinic for a consultation. I will cover all the costs of the surgery. Don’t worry about the money – that’s not important.”
One year later
Anna and Alexander danced their first wedding dance.
In the very same café.
Where her new life had begun.
