“Mia is naive, she thinks that if she grabbed the best man in the world, he will not go anywhere from her, – Victoria’s friend’s voice sounded from the recorder. – I’m holding on now, but if I feel like it, I will definitely tell her husband about my feelings and easily take him away from the family. Mia is a gray mouse, but I’m still a beauty. You will see – I will take her at any opportunity! However, it must be done carefully, so as not to miss Ralph.”
Angela turned off the recorder and put the smartphone in her purse.
– Well, did you believe it at last? – she asked the surprised Mia, – Victoria can’t do that, she is my childhood friend, I trust her! Although we have known each other since college, I never even thought of taking a married man away from the family!
– Where did you get this recording?” Mia asked.
– We went to a cafe with Victoria! – Angela answered. – We were discussing your birthday present. We drank a little, so she got carried away, maybe she doesn’t even remember her confession. She was always hinting to me that she was crazy about your Albert, ever since she saw your husband, so I caught her! And you didn’t believe me.
– What a rascal!” Mia was surprised, “She’s almost engaged to Ralph, she’s going to marry him.
– Ha, – smiled Angela. – Do you think she loves him? She needs his money. Let’s face it – she’s pretty, Ralph is nondescript, but rich. If you can’t take Albert away, then Ralph is a backup! So, will you invite her to your anniversary?
– Yes, I will! – Mia answered after a little thought. – Listen, send me this recording on my phone. Just don’t say anything to Victoria. There will be a surprise for her – both in the form of Albert and Ralph, I guarantee it.
The day before the anniversary celebration, Albert and Mia invited Ralph over and let him listen to the tape. The poor guy tore and threw, wanting to quickly clarify the relationship with his fiancée, but Mia told him:
– Don’t hurry! Let’s arrange a test for her tomorrow at the restaurant. Albert will hit on her, let’s see how she behaves. If it was just drunken talk, then tomorrow she will be an obedient girl. I also do not want to believe in such treachery of my friend.
The thirtieth anniversary of Mia was in full swing, the guests were full, satisfied and occasionally broke into a dance to live music between toasts to the health of the hero of the day. A tipsy Victoria sat next to Ralph and cast a languid glance at Albert, licking her lips. A little later she asked him to dance. Albert kindly agreed.
– Listen, Albert, – Victoria whispered in his ear, “there are crisis moments in a woman’s life when she realizes that she can make a mistake. So, I will probably make a mistake if I agree to marry Ralph. In fact, the hero of my novel is you! You and Mia still have no children, and it is unknown whether you will have them! And I can give you a baby, do you want? You just quit your boredom, come to me tomorrow, and we’ll talk about it. Ralph is leaving on a business trip in the morning anyway, so he won’t come to me, we’ll be alone. It’s good that we don’t live together with him yet!
– And you won’t forget about it tomorrow? – Albert asked. – Otherwise you’ll invite me over, I’ll come, and you won’t open the door.
– That’s exactly what I won’t forget! – Victoria smiled. – So I’m going home right now, and tomorrow I’ll be waiting for you at 12 o’clock in the afternoon. Okay, bye!
Victoria really left right away, asking Ralph to see her off. She did not know that the plan had already been worked out by Ralph, Albert and Mia.
The next day, exactly at 12 o’clock in the afternoon, Albert came to Victoria. A coffee table was set up in the room – fruit, cookies, coffee. Albert brought a rose, champagne. Victoria was wearing a short evening dress, bright makeup – she was obviously preparing for the meeting.
– I knew you would come! – Victoria said, raising a glass, – Let’s drink to us! I have long dreamed of such a meeting between us. I was sure that someday you would get bored with Mia. Let’s meet with you secretly for now, but I’m afraid to miss Ralph – he’s rich and wants to marry me.
– And I think you shouldn’t decide everything at once! – Albert replied. – I’m not ready to leave Mia yet, and you should think about it – if you leave Ralph, you will lose a lot. And I agree to secret meetings.
The doorbell rang. Victoria looked through the peephole.
– Oh, my God, it’s Ralph and Mia! – Victoria said frightened.
– I’m going to the closet! – Albert came to his senses. – For Mia, I even went to the country to my parents!
Albert grabbed the bag he came with and climbed into the closet, taking his rose there. Victoria hastily put away one coffee cup and a glass.
– Surprise! – the guests shouted from the threshold. – Here we are!
– Victoria, darling, don’t be surprised, – said Ralph, – My business trip broke up, I stopped by to pick up Albert and Mia to take them to you and continue the celebration. Only Albert went to the country for some reason, I don’t know why. So I took your best friend to you! Are you happy?
– Very! – Victoria said nervously and tried to smile.
The guests entered the room and saw a table with coffee and sparkling wine.
– Oh, why are you sitting here alone? It’s not nice, all secretly, like a thief, – Mia joked, – Let’s sit down. Why are your hands shaking so much? From yesterday? Well then, let’s sit down and celebrate again.
There was a stirring in the wardrobe, Victoria shook even more, but the guests didn’t seem to pay any attention to it. Victoria turned on the music. We talked about dreams and desires, even unrealizable ones.
– I hope that my dream will come true, – said Ralph, – I want to marry a nice girl, in a year I plan to move into my two-storey country house, which I am building now. I will buy my wife a car, and if she wants, she will not have to work, I will still be able to provide for her! Don’t you agree, dear?
Victoria shook her head and Mia said:
– Come on, this dream is easy to come true! And I dream that some funny character suddenly appeared here. Well, for example, a clown from this wardrobe with a rose in his hands.
– Here I am! – the closet door opened and Albert’s head appeared in a red wig and a clown nose. He held a rose in his hands. – You called me?
Ralph and Mia laughed and clapped their hands. Only Victoria, blinking in confusion, did not understand what was going on here.
– Did you play a trick on me? – she guessed. – Why?
– No, you played a trick on yourself! – answered Mia. – What kind of bride are you if you decided to pull someone else’s husband out of the family? I’ll tell you a secret – even gray mice have faithful husbands!
– Ralph, then why did you offer me marriage now? – Victoria asked.
– Did I? I just said that I want to marry a good girl! – Ralph answered. – And you turned out to be very bad – to put it mildly. So goodbye!
Victoria sold the apartment and left the city. What is the point of staying here if everything is lost – both friends and a profitable groom. Ralph proposed to a nice girl and the wedding will take place soon. And Albert and Mia are also doing well – they are expecting a baby. Dreams do come true.
