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He walked into the bathroom just as I was standing in a robe, rubbing cream on my legs. Without knocking, just like he used to. Only now, his face didn’t have that confident “man of the house” smirk, but an expression as if he had just entered a mall restroom where the lights were out. … Read more

— I’m not going to eat this slop,” Darina pushed away the plate of mashed potatoes with thick meat gravy. “Rostislav, we had an agreement. I’m on a strict regimen, I’m calibrating my receptors.” My son gave me a guilty look, then looked at his wife. He reminded me of an old rope being tugged … Read more

“Mom is moving in tomorrow,” Kirill said, eagerly putting a piece of roasted chicken into his mouth. He said it as casually as if reporting tomorrow’s weather forecast. There was not a hint of doubt or question in his voice, only the statement of a fact wrapped in the smug complacency of someone who had … Read more

Mom, wait! I asked you not to touch my documents!” — Marina burst into the study, but it was already too late. Galina Petrovna was standing by the open safe, holding a folder, her face frozen in shock. In her trembling fingers, she gripped a notarized document — the will of Marina’s late grandmother, which … Read more

“Mom, wait! I told you not to touch my documents!” Marina burst into the office, but it was already too late. Galina Petrovna stood by the open safe with a folder in her hands, her face frozen in shock. Clutched in her trembling fingers was a document sealed by a notary—the will of Marina’s late … Read more

— I’ve decided—I’m going to my mom’s on Saturday. Probably for about three months. The words fell on the table between the plate of fried potatoes and the salad. They fell lightly, mundanely, like breadcrumbs. Artyom said them without breaking from his food, carefully spearing a browned piece of chicken on his fork. To him, … Read more

The first phone call from Sveta caught Irina off guard. Her sister-in-law never called just like that — usually, their communication was limited to holiday greetings and rare meetings at family gatherings. But that June evening, when Irina was washing dishes after dinner and Andrey was watching the news, the phone rang insistently. “Hey Andryusha,” … Read more

Once again, Rudolf came home from work and literally did not recognize his wife: he hadn’t seen anything like this since he was a child. Svetka, his neighbor in the village where little Rudik used to visit in summer, had bees. And one bee had stung Svetka on her lower lip, causing it to swell … Read more

“He’s with Liza now. And I’ll tell you a secret: she suits Vitya very well. Beautiful, well-groomed, and ambitious. And you… well, you understand—just a schoolmarm, in a word. You’re not what my son needs. So it’s time for you to pack your things and move out of the apartment. That’s what’s right,” the mother-in-law … Read more

The July heat was melting the asphalt in the courtyard of the nine-story building. From the seventh floor balcony, clothes were flying down — lace lingerie, jeans, dresses. They drifted like autumn leaves, settling on the scorching asphalt in a patchwork carpet. “There won’t be a wedding!” Igor’s voice carried across the entire courtyard. “I … Read more