Chapter 1

Forest lilac smells in a special way - a thick, moist aroma envelops it from head to toe. In the twilight you can not see the inflorescences, but I know that they are not as large as in gardens and parks. Oh that crazy smell! It is not spoiled by the admixture of fumes emanating from the earth upturned with a shovel, nor the bitter-salty taste of blood on my lips, nor the pain from abrasions on my body. I stand with my head held high and breathe with my eyes closed. I feel so good that I can't feel the ground under my feet. It looks like I'm going to take off now. But you are pulling me back... Marina, what will happen to us now?..- Why are you standing? Help, come on!The sound of a shovel wakes me up. But I don't want, I don't want...- My God, what weight! Come on, don't sleep! *** - Wake up, Lelya! Open your eyes, look at me! In vain, you did not go with me. I missed! Lapu-u-l, talk to me!Olya drowsily raised her hand and patted the head of the man clinging to her. The smell of cognac and cherry tobacco hit my nose.- Got drunk? With difficulty opening her eyes, the girl squinted from the bright light. - Turn off the lamp.- Well, Lyol, - the man, without taking off his elegant shoes, threw his legs on the bed and tried to lie down next to him, - just don't leave, I want to sleep with you.- Lord, Artyom, - Olga, pulling up her hair gathered in a ponytail, sat on the bed, - decide already what you want!Artyom smiled broadly, his arms outstretched across the bed, and Olya once again realized that she could not be angry with him. Suppressing her laughter, she bit her lower lip and knitted her eyebrows.- Beletsky, you're drunk as hell! Take off your shoes and take a shower!Artyom grabbed the girl by the waist and buried her in the side.- Lyolka, they approved me! The reason to get drunk is quite official. I'll put on a Masquerade!- Seriously? - Olga rubbed her eyes, shaking off the remnants of sleep. - Beletsky, this is fantastic! Let me kiss you! - she bent over Artyom and, grabbing him by the ears, kissed him relish on the aquiline nose. - Is the budget worthy?Artyom chuckled approvingly.- Listen, I already see several options! I understand it's early. Have you decided on the concept? We will discuss this with you later. But I'm ready to make sketches, sketches. You just hint! Olya's green eyes glowed with excitement.- Lyol, - Artyom grimaced and turned over, rising on his elbows.- Lie down, don't get up! - Olga easily jumped to the floor and began to pull the boot off Artyom's leg. - I'm not angry anymore.- Olya, shut up! - Artyom pulled out his leg and put his hand in front of him. - Luchnikov insists on his own terms. And I can understand him. He has connections, obligations. Everything is official. It's time for you to take things seriously, to declare yourself. I am ready to cooperate, but I do not need "dead souls" in your face. Lyol, my composition and directing. I wanted to introduce you today. Do you really think I will butt heads with Luchnikov? Stumbling into Olga's eyes, he lowered his head repentantly. - I'm sorry, I really think so. Why hide? You are the most talented decorator and costume designer, and the most beautiful of them all! Big-name directors will soon be ready to line up to work with you. But this desire of yours to be in the shadow all the time frankly surprises me.- Good. I understood everything. But I need to think, - Olya took her pillow and, hitting the switch with her palm, closed the door behind her. - Tomorrow we will discuss, sleep!A minute later, a snoring sounded behind her. Olya pressed her head against the door and took several deep breaths.And what was she up to? Artyom is absolutely right. And maybe even loves her... But he doesn't know anything about her. They dated for six months. Is it a lot or a little? Probably enough to satisfy the first passion, with surprise continue to strive for each other, but to understand and accept with all the pluses and minuses is clearly not enough.Artyom was only two years older, but he had already achieved a lot. Olga still saw in him a swirling young student, and not a fashionable theater director, which he became in a short time. His staging and reading of Ostrovsky's "Mad Money" on the stage of the youth theater made a splash, bordering on a scandal, since the young director, having modernized the play, rather frivolously treated both the text and the appearance of the characters.Olga thoroughly had a hand in the "picture" of the performance, but her name was not among those releasing the play. It was her sine qua non.The audience accepted the performance with enthusiasm. The main thing is that Artyom Beletsky became the winner. The boy, who was born with a golden spoon in his mouth, is the son of his father, the luminary of the Russian stage, and his mother, in whose veins the blood of a once popular Soviet composer flowed. The heir to the dynasty, he very well learned the rules dictated by the very fact of his birth, but, despite the outrageousness, he carefully teetered on the verge of what is acceptable.For the first time, Olenka Valeeva saw Artyom at his graduation performance at the institute. It was completely incomprehensible how they had not crossed before, because they “cooked” in the same party.Olya at that time already sewed costumes for several graduation productions. Basically, she talked with actress girls - bright, eccentric, self-confident. She honed her skills, acquired a large number of metropolitan acquaintances. Observation, keen interest in the theater, provincial charm and subtle innate taste served Olya in good stead. She was popular: they turned to her in emergency cases, when time was running out or the work required special knowledge and scrupulousness.“My hands are my everything,” Olya often thought, rubbing her fingers itchy from constant sewing and paint.She was an orphan who came to Moscow at the age of 16, where no one was waiting for her. She graduated from a vocational school. She changed several ateliers and decor studios, but tried not to linger anywhere, despite persuasion. She organized her own workshop with a single worker in her person, and took orders only on the recommendation. All her thoughts were occupied only with work, until she met Artyom.What was it? Thunder, lightning, hitting your head on the asphalt or brick from the roof?Olya hemmed the hem of "Vanina Vanini" performed by Zhanna Sablina. In a small dressing room, practically buried her forehead in a silk crinoline, she was on her knees, protruding her ass to the door. The guy has not yet come into her field of vision, but his voice suddenly took her breath away: velvety, with a slight hoarseness, enveloping timbre made her freeze and listen.- My soul, are you ready?- God, Beletsky, I'm sorry! I'll be ready in a few minutes! Got caught in the heel when I put it on! Vanina waved her cigarette in the air. - It's good that Olenka was already here. You are my salvation, Valeeva! - the actress stroked Olya with her free hand on the top of her head. - I will become a star, I will take you to me. You will only sew for me!