Uncategorized

You could at least park farther from the curb. A gust of wind will blow it away and you won’t even notice,” Kirill was standing, leaning against the kitchen doorframe, watching Svetlana unpack the groceries from the bag. “It won’t blow away, I’m sitting in it. Heavy,” she threw over her shoulder without turning around. … Read more

  “Ilya’s mom and Lenka are coming on Friday. I’ve already bought their tickets,” Igor mentioned offhandedly, without taking his eyes off his phone as he lazily scrolled some feed. He was sitting at the kitchen table in a relaxed pose, one of those evenings when the world feels simple and predictable. Veronika, who was … Read more

“Oh, I’m really not feeling well today… and the apartment is all dusty again, it’s awful. You’re not busy tomorrow, are you? You’ll come and help me tidy up a bit, right?” “Sorry, but tomorrow is my birthday…” “But you’re free in the morning! Come to me around seven, you’ll be done by eleven at … Read more

Today Masha’s husband upset her badly. And not for the first time. Anything that had to do with his mother had now become unpleasant to Masha. It plunged her into a state of gloom and made her feel unwell. She wanted to run away from this whole family as far as possible, and the only … Read more

living-room window, watching Lena get out of her car. Lena waved, smiling broadly, and headed for the porch. The third time in two weeks already. “Ol-ya!” Lena burst into the entryway with a bouquet of roses and a bag with wine. “How could I say no? Sergey insisted so much that I come for the … Read more

Sveta,” drawled her colleague and best friend Natalya, “are you by any chance pregnant?” Sveta came back from the ladies’ room, pale as a sheet. During lunch at the café next to the office she had suddenly felt unwell and, apologizing, had hurried off, leaving half her meal untouched. “Only if it’s by accident,” Svetlana … Read more

— How can this be, San Sanych? Pashka’s been your favorite grandson his whole life! And now this kind of twist at your age? Has something snapped? — fumed Pashka’s father and, at the same time, San Sanych’s son-in-law, Sergei Ivanych. — And what exactly doesn’t suit you, Seryozha? — San Sanych looked over the … Read more

Galina stood by the window and watched Viktor stride toward the neighboring entrance. Again. For the third time that week. He had some kind of little toolbox in his hands. “Where are you off to?” she shouted from the balcony. “To Alina’s! Her outlet’s acting up!” he waved and disappeared into the stairwell. An outlet. … Read more

Three days Maria scrubbed every corner of the house, as if her enemy weren’t dust but time itself—the time that had separated her from her son. She woke before dawn, even though the bus wouldn’t arrive in the village until after lunch. She still couldn’t sleep. Andrei was coming home after five years in Germany. … Read more

  — Inga, I’ve been thinking… Basically, I’ve got an idea how we can get our life on track, — Stas’s voice, full of self-satisfaction and expecting praise, caught her in the kitchen. She was slicing vegetables for a salad, the sharp knife gliding confidently through the firm cucumber, leaving behind perfectly even, fresh-smelling rounds. … Read more