The Encounter That Changed Everything

Dima had always dreamed of becoming a doctor, but life seemed determined to challenge him at every turn. First, he lost his father unexpectedly — a blow that shook his foundation. Then his mother fell ill: the stress and exhaustion of juggling two jobs took a toll on her health. Unsurprisingly, Dima failed his entrance exams for medical school. Now, for the second consecutive year, he worked as an orderly at the regional hospital, still holding on to hope that one day he’d wear a white coat.

That afternoon, after lunch, he was unexpectedly summoned by the head of the therapy department, Dr. Andrey Pavlovich.

“Dima, there’s a delicate situation,” said the doctor. “We have a patient, Lidiya Semyonovna. She’s very sick. She has a grandson named Dima — your namesake. The thing is… he hasn’t visited her in years, and she deeply wishes to see him at least once before she passes. We were thinking… maybe you could pretend to be him. Just to bring her some comfort.”

Dima froze. A lie? A roleplay?

“Andrey Pavlovich… I’m not sure. It doesn’t feel right,” he replied.

“Sometimes, a lie can be an act of kindness,” the doctor said gently. “This could be her final comfort. You’d simply be helping someone find peace in her last days.”

Dima hesitated. But the image of the lonely old woman touched something inside him. He agreed. The nurses quickly briefed him about the real grandson — his hobbies, childhood, interests. And so, a strange one-man play began, with only one audience member.

That night, exhausted, Dima went to the store to buy bread and milk for his mother. On the way, he ran into Marina — a neighbor he had quietly admired for some time.

“Hi, Dima! Where have you been hiding?” she smiled.

They chatted casually, laughing about random things. Then, on impulse, Dima invited her to the movies. To his surprise, she accepted.

“Saturday — sounds perfect!” she said.

As he walked home, Dima smiled. Maybe, just maybe, a new chapter in life was beginning.

The next day, after his shift, he changed into street clothes and entered Lidiya Semyonovna’s room. She was small, frail, but had bright eyes. She looked at him intently and smiled softly:

“Dimochka… you came, my dear…”

A weight lifted from his heart. She believed him.

From that day on, he visited her daily. He brought her water, fluffed her pillows, sat silently beside her. One day, she asked if he had a girlfriend. Dima thought of Marina and blushed.

“Tell me later how your date goes. I still enjoy hearing love stories,” she said, smiling knowingly.

But Saturday didn’t go as Dima had imagined. After the movie, they strolled through the park, and suddenly, Marina became serious.

“Dima, you’re a great guy. Really. But we’re just… different. I want to travel, explore, build a career. And you… you’re an orderly. It’s important work, of course, but… it’s not for me.”

She didn’t finish the sentence, but Dima understood everything.

He walked her home in silence. Back at his apartment, his mother asked how it went.

“Nothing came of it,” he said simply.

“Dima, I know you want to help others… but don’t carry the weight of other people’s dreams and expectations. You have your own limits too.”

He stayed silent.

The next day, Dima visited Lidiya again. He tried to look cheerful, but she immediately noticed something was wrong.

“What happened, my boy? Did the girl hurt you?”

He opened up and told her everything.

“Love, Dimochka, isn’t about who shines the brightest. It’s about who warms your heart,” she said.

Then, she reached into her nightstand and pulled out an old photo album.

“Take this. These are photos of my son, Alexey… your father. Look at them. Keep the memories. I don’t need them anymore.”

That evening, at home, Dima opened the album. Alexey — the man he only knew through vague stories. Suddenly, one picture stopped him in his tracks: a group photo from college. Among the people, he recognized a smiling young woman. It was his mother.

His heart skipped a beat. Questions flooded his mind. He had to know the truth — now.

He rushed home and showed the photo to his mother.

“Mom, who is this? Who is Alexey really?!”

His mother went pale. She sat down, staring at the image.

Alexey had been her first and only love. When she became pregnant, he had stepped away to protect her from his family’s pressure. But tragedy struck — Alexey died in an accident before Dima turned one. Left with no resources, she was forced to temporarily place her child in an orphanage until she could rebuild her life.

Listening to her story, Dima realized the truth: Lidiya Semyonovna was his real grandmother. And now she was in danger — for the sake of an inheritance.

“Mom, we have to help her!” he said firmly.

Late that night, when the hospital was quiet, Dima and his mother snuck into Lidiya’s room.

“Dimochka… who’s that with you?” she whispered.

“Lidiya Semyonovna… It’s me… Katya…” his mother said gently.

“Do you remember me? I loved your Alyosha… And this… this is your grandson. Your real grandson — Dima.”

They told her everything — the past, the danger, the plot against her life.

“My dear boy… And you’re here too, Katya…”

“Grandma, we have to go. Right now!” urged Dima.

They packed a few things, helped her up carefully, and guided her through the service exit to a waiting taxi.

That night was chaotic — but also the happiest in their lives.

Months passed.

Lidiya slowly regained strength. In the small apartment of Dima and his mother, she rediscovered something she hadn’t felt in years — love, warmth, family.

In the evenings, she would tell stories about Alexey, show childhood photos. That’s how Dima finally saw the face of the father who had only existed in legends.

One afternoon, the phone rang. It was Marina.

“Hi, Dima. I was thinking… Maybe we could meet up sometime?”

Dima smirked slightly.

“Sorry, Marinachka. I’m busy. I have a different life now.”

He had found not only new love but also someone who truly understood him — Katya, a student from nursing school.

He wasn’t a doctor yet. The white coat still hung in the closet, waiting. But now, he understood something clearly:

True purpose isn’t about a career. It’s about the people who love you.

And finally, Dima had found his way — the way of family, faith, and truth.