Indecent Proposal

This story is based on some real events, although, of course, I had to make some things up.

My deepest thanks to RogueUlfric for bringing this story to an acceptable form for English-speaking readers. I hope the story will leave a much better reading experience now than it did before his edits.

Enjoy.

Indecent Proposal

Sergey and Marina had been married for four years. They first met at one of the New Year's parties arranged by the holding 'Iterra' for the children of its employees. Sergey, at the age of twenty-seven, had no children, but his friends, Alain and Victor, married early and almost immediately gave birth to twins, Anya and Sasha. Now the twins were eight years old, and at their school there was a New Year's party at which the children made different performances; some recited poetry, some sang songs, both in chorus and solo. Happy parents dragged Sergey to this celebration of life. In exchange, they promised to arrange a party at home, where they could socialize, sitting in front of the TV and drinking rare drinks, brought back by Victor from his business trips abroad.

***

Sergey

I had no plans that evening, I was moping and kind of devastated. In fact, that evening my girlfriend Natasha and I were already supposed to settle down in a room at the five-star Imperial Hotel in Karlovy Vary, but just a week before the trip she announced that we were not suited to each other, and we should break up. The blow for me was painful, and most importantly, I could not understand the reason.

Before, everything seemed to be going fine, we even shared plans on further living together, and I was thinking about proposing to her, being in the Czech Republic. And the sex was awesome; Natasha was very hot, and with her athletic training (she was a former gymnast) we did some breathtaking things in bed...

I thought she was seeing someone, but lately the rumors about her behavior gave me no clues. In general, the mood was rubbish, and I did not want to be alone for the whole New Year's vacation. Then I was approached by Alain and Victor with a proposal to go with them to the school concert, where their twins would perform. "Why not," I thought, and agreed.

And here we are in the second school-gymnasium, beautifully decorated for the New Year.

Well, what can I say, kids are kids, their performances are not professional, but innocent and touching. Thus, Anya and Sasha sang a duet 'The forest raised a Christmas tree', and Anya played the piano. In general, it was childish, but very sentimental. And the rest of the concert did not let us down; the parents did their best, making children learn poems, songs and dances, which they are now presented to the public. All performances were received with great enthusiasm, and each of them ended with thunderous applause. I also clapped my hands with pleasure, feeling my spirits rise with each passing minute.

And then I noticed a girl a few seats away from me. She was sitting next to a short, overweight young mother, excited about her child, who was just reading a poem about Santa Claus. What exactly caught my attention, I did not understand at once. No, the fact that she is very beautiful, having delicate features, high breasts, no less than the second size, thick curls of blond hair framing the oval, beautifully contoured face, this is understandable, but what else?

Ah, yes, her smile... More precisely, SMILE. When she smiled, and now she did it especially often, it seemed as if her entire face was illuminated by a spotlight, making her even more beautiful, and illuminating everything around.

Just at that moment, the performance of the son of her friend, I suppose, ended, and in a flurry of applause, the silvery laughter of this stranger was heard in response to some remark of a neighbor. Her laughter seemed to have touched something in my soul, and it resonated like a string, causing an irresistible desire to get acquainted, so that, upon the concert ending, I mustered up the courage to approach the girl before leaving the hall, feverishly thinking of what to say to her.

"Tell me, didn't we meet at the last corporate party?" I said to the stranger.

Surprised, the girl looked at me, and something flashed in her eyes.

"No, you are mistaken. I do not work at Iterra."

"Then where do you work?" I was taken aback, being sure that all here were employees of our holding, but then I checked myself. "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm Sergey, a manager of Silikavel JSC. However, it does not matter. You know, you're so young, I even thought that you might be a student at our university."

The girl smiled, and her cheeks showed very nice dimples.

"Well, Marina, are you coming?" her friend intervened in the conversation.

"Oh, sorry, I'm keeping you," I did not want to finish the conversation, but at the same time I didn't know how to continue it. "So, your name is Marina. I have a something interesting for you, and if you give me your phone number, I can surprise you."

The girl laughed and asked, "Is that how you get acquainted with everyone, or did you make an exception for me?"

"No, this is the first time it's happened to me. I'm usually as shy as a lamb and don't approach beautiful women."

"So I thought," she smiled slyly, but still dictated the phone number, and I quickly wrote it down.

The second meeting took place literally a day later...

***

My willpower wasn't strong enough, and a day later I called the number I had written down.

"Hello," I heard a friendly voice in the receiver.

"Hello, this is Sergey, we met the day before yesterday."

"Oh, it's you. Hello. And where is the promised surprise?"

"Everything is ready, but we have to meet for it."

"When?"

"I suggest we don't wait too long. How about tonight?"

"Well, that's fine. I'm working until 5:00, so if you can pick me up right after work ends, I'll meet you there."

"Deal!" I exclaimed. "And where are you located?"

Marina told me that she worked as an operating nurse at the clinic 'Expert'. I knew this clinic; we passed the annual checkup there. Its founders had Western capital, providing the clinic with excellent equipment and contacts with foreign colleagues using their expertise.

Entering the lobby, I asked the receptionist, where can I find Marina Viktorovna Tkachyova? She said that most likely in the nurses' room.

"And there she is!" The girl pointed to a couple coming down the stairs.

I immediately recognized Marina, and next to her there was a familiar tall thin man in his thirties, smooth-shaven, elegant suit and tie, talking animatedly to a smiling nurse. They reached the front desk and said goodbye, after which Marina turned her attention to me.

"Oh, who do I see, is it really that timid gentleman that does not have the courage to approach a beautiful woman?" Her laughter sounded like silver bells in my ears, and I felt that I was lost.

"And what was the promised surprise?" she asked, still cheerfully.

"Well, it's a surprise." I did not give in to the provocation and offered to go to my car.

Out into the street, we approached the silver Volkswagen Passat, bought by me a year and a half ago in a car dealership when I wanted to throw dust in Natasha's eyes. Opening the passenger door, I asked the girl to have a seat, which she did, without the slightest embarrassment and anxiety.

Much later, I asked her why she so blithely got into the car with a stranger, without thinking about the consequences, and Marina replied that from the first moment we met she felt that I was no fake and that she had known me for years. That's how she was thinking of me.

As we drove, I suggested that we get something to eat first, since the surprise was expected in about a couple of hours, and we would need to eat anyway. So, we stopped at a small restaurant nearby which I knew had good food and spent the next two hours chatting.

It turned out that we had a lot in common; we both love sports, sci-fi and the sea, and Marina also sometimes writes stories of time travelers, which interests me, and some of them have even been published.

After dinner I took her to the bank of the river, where the setting sun revealed a magnificent view of the frozen water surface, in which the reflection of the rays falling on the ice floes shimmered like sparks. The most interesting thing, which I found out quite recently, was that this place was where the light pollution from the city was minimal, and as soon as the sun went down, a scattering of very large stars appeared in the sky, which are not visible in the city.

We stood in silence for quite a long time until we finally froze, after which we went to the car. All the way back Marina was silent, and she said already near her house:

"I didn't think you were such a romantic, but I love it," and we kissed for the first time. That kiss was remembered for a long time, because it was the beginning of our life together.

From that day on we met almost daily, except for the days when Marina had evening duty, or when I had to travel on company business.

Our dates became more and more personal, we enjoyed kissing often, and after about a month and a half we ended up in bed. However, this term cannot convey all that we felt during our intimacy. Marina turned out to be a very sensual girl, and I hoped I hadn't let her down. At least I didn't disappoint her, and I was fascinated by her head over heels.

From that moment on we strove to meet closely as often as possible, and a month later I proposed to her.

As I remember it now, it was in the park, where we were taking our usual walks. Nature had not yet awakened from its winter sleep, but raindrops had already appeared in some places. My heart was beating so fast and strong that it seemed to get stuck in my throat as I offered her the ring, opening the case, and said in a breaking voice:

"Would you marry me?"

I saw her eyes flash, but she didn't say anything, just hugged and kissed me so tightly that we both almost fainted, suffocating. I realized that this was the answer, and exactly the one I needed...

The wedding was three months later, a small one, just immediate relatives and friends. We decided together that it would be better to spend the money we had saved on our honeymoon vacation, which we spent in Crete at the hotel, or should I say a holiday hotel, called 'Creta-Star'.

The hotel was right on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, our accommodation option provided "all inclusive", and the hotel had an excellent animation team working on a regular basis, so, the time flew by unnoticed.

We swam and sunbathed a lot. A couple of times we went out to the nearby town of Rethymnon, where we walked along the embankment in the bay past the beautiful yachts, reaching the breakwater, and walking along it, admiring the sea perspective, where yachts argued with seagulls to fill the entire field of vision, buying souvenirs made of olive wood, plaids with Greek ornaments and the like.

Back home, we almost immediately moved into a small studio apartment almost in the center of city, taking on a mortgage. Our parents helped us pay the first installment and I had some savings as well.

The apartment was very conveniently located, because it was no more than a fifteen-minute walk to work for both of us, although we had to go in different directions.

Marina's work starts earlier but also ends earlier, so it so happened that I came back home with dinner already waiting but washing dishes and cleaning the apartment are part of my duties.

On weekends we'd go to the theater, to the cinema, visit my and her friends, or just go for a walk in the park when the weather allowed.

We enjoyed each other's company to the full.

***

Marina

During the four years I have been with Sergey I can't get enough of my man. We seem to understand each other from one glance. I just melt in his arms, and the sex is such that I have 'butterflies in the stomach'. In the last year, however, things have somehow gone downhill. Sergey complains of fatigue, began incomprehensible nosebleeds, and most importantly, he does not want to go to the doctor, saying it's all because of hard work in the company. They were just concluding new contracts for equipment, and he often had to stay late at the office, and therefore had to go to bed rather late. So, the kind of nights in bed that we had at the beginning of our family life could now be counted on the fingers. And nothing works with kids.

I tried several times to talk to him seriously, but he kept turning everything into a joke. Sometimes during these arguments, he even found the strength to show me that it wasn't that bad. Nevertheless, I talked to Professor Dmitry Anatolievich Kramskoy in our clinic, who promised me that during the next routine check-up he would be thoroughly examined by all doctors, citing the new regulations for such examinations.

Our clinic in general has a wonderful team, everyone treats me well, however, because I look too young, few people call me the full name, many doctors, especially at an age, call me affectionate diminutive Marinochka. However, I like it, not feeling myself aged. But I do not allow the patients familiarity so as not to lower the prestige of the medical institution.

Dmitry Anatolievich, besides being a deputy Chief Physician, is also an amazing diagnostician, so I was sure that the examination would be all-embracing. And so it turned out. According to the results of the first tests, Dmitry Anatolievich convinced Sergey to undergo a full examination, saying that there was something he did not like, but what it was, he could not say, and will only say after a week Sergey spent in the clinic, where, he would receive a supportive therapy, able to cope with his stress and increased fatigue.

At the end of this period the doctor invited me into his office.

"Thank you, Dmitry Anatolievich", I rushed to him as soon as I entered the office. "Sergey feels much better."

But he somehow did not hurry to support me in joy, and asked me to sit down. "We need to have a serious conversation," he said. My heart ached, and I fell into a chair across from him. He hesitated for a while, and finally made up his mind.

"Marinochka," the gray-haired doctor began, "I must tell you that your husband has a very rare disease, which usually manifests itself in earlier stages, more often in childhood. I will be very frank now, but don't be frightened right away. In principle, it can be cured, but because of the rarity of the disease, the cost of treatment is just off the charts. You see, a huge amount of money has gone into researching treatments and developing medications, and to get it back it takes either a large number of patients, or... Well, you know."

It was like a blow to the head, and I was horrified to ask:

"What happens if you don't treat it?"

"Unfortunately, the situation will only get worse. In about thirty percent of cases, the disease becomes fatal. Even without that, it severely limits the quality of life. Most importantly, the sooner treatment is started, the better the prognosis. Right now, at the earliest stage it is possible to completely stop the consequences, and what will be, let's say, six months, no one can say for certain. In general, it is better not to drag it out. Our clinic has partners in Germany, and they are ready to provide such treatment. I have already contacted them."

"H...how much?" I mumbled with unruly lips.

"Ah, unfortunately, just the first course will cost a hundred thousand, and we need at least two more. The entire course of treatment will take about four months, and all the time the patient must be in the clinic."

"One hundred thousand rubles?" I perked up, feverishly thinking how soon we would be able to sell our apartment.

"Unfortunately, dollars. And that's just the first course. The entire treatment and rehabilitation could cost at least half a million."

I felt like the sky fell on me, everything went dark.

"Are you okay?" the doctor looked at me, alarmed. My face must have frightened him, and he placed a half-filled glass of water in my hand, with a distinctive smell of a well-known sedative.

"Here, drink this."

"Our apartment doesn't cost that much," I muttered, barely moving my lips, and drained the glass in one gulp, not feeling a taste

"Well, you can still try to get a loan or ask people for help. But time is running out. I'm afraid that in two or three months the prognosis will not be so comforting, not to mention the cost of treatment."

"I understand everything, thank you. But please don't tell Sergey, and I'll try to think of something."

I pulled myself together, trying not to cry, and left the doctor's office.

Still unable to keep the terrible news in my head, I staggered down the street of the sun-drenched city, full of people who, rejoicing in the warmth of late fall, enjoyed the weather. The only thought in my head was, "What do I do?" I couldn't imagine where to find such money. Our small apartment, especially if we sell it quickly, is unlikely to be sufficient for even one course of treatment, and we need the whole three. Borrowing from friends? Not an option. None of them had anywhere near that amount of money. And how were we supposed to pay them back?

My first thought was to go to the regional administration. After all, there are some funds, including charity, something else. Well, it's impossible to imagine that no one there can help!

For a whole week I was running around in different organizations, starting with the regional administration and ending with various charitable organizations, and everywhere I was met with sympathy, but they just couldn't find the money... Or they didn't want to give any, focusing on the fact that they don't have enough money even for children, so they had to beg for it on TV. By the way, as an option, they offered to apply to TV to raise money, but they explained that the main thing for TVs now was the children, who were obviously not to blame for anything, and they would give money for them more willingly.

Sergey knew nothing, was happy about the improvement of his health and was making plans for a vacation, suggesting a trip to Cyprus in the spring and heatedly discussing the details. I tried my best to support these discussions, but, unfortunately, I could not give out positive emotions on such a level, and Sergey began to suspect something and ask questions. I had to come up with a story that we had a severely ill patient whose life was in question, and that lately I was very tired from the operations.

"We'll have rest, and everything will be Ok," I exclaimed cheerfully, and Sergey believed, coming back into a good mood. Well, I could not put on my sick husband's shoulders an unbearable burden, but gradually my resolve was melting...

***

After another trip to the officials' offices, I sat in a café waiting for my order; nothing special, just coffee and croissant as a late breakfast, and my thoughts were gloomier than a storm cloud.

"Marina Viktorovna! May I have a sit?"

Raising my head, I saw Mikhail.

I met Mikhail four years ago, the day when he just came into the clinic for another checkup and immediately tried to hit on me. It was him that I came down the stairs with when Sergey first came to my work. I knew that he was the owner of the Itera holding company to which our clinic was allocated.

Handsome, suave, but I always thought that the oligarchs, and Mikhail certainly can be classified as such, do not look for a serious relationship with the staff, and becoming a rich man's toy is not in my rules. That is why I politely but firmly rejected his advances, and then I met Sergey, and everything else faded into the background.

Moreover, he did not have much time for courting, his work schedule was quite busy, requiring frequent long absences for business of his holding company. Not so long ago his name was included in Forbes' list of Russia's richest people, though far from being on the very first lines.