— 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
Kristina carefully arranged the documents on her desk. The whole day had been tense. Negotiations with new clients had stretched into the late evening. But it was worth it — a major contract was signed. At home, she was greeted by silence. Roman was sitting in the kitchen in front of his laptop. His face … Read more
Vika was standing by the sink, washing the dishes after dinner, when Dmitry came home. Her husband looked unusually tense—his eyebrows were furrowed, shoulders slumped. Usually, after work Dmitry joked around, told stories about his colleagues, but today he silently went into the room and plopped down on the couch. “What’s wrong?” Vika wiped her … Read more
Night, thickening over the city, seemed to anticipate a tragedy. Heavy clouds crawled across the sky, as if bearing the weight of unfulfilled hopes and broken fates. The car slid over the wet asphalt like a ghost, leaving behind a trail of headlights and silence pierced by anxiety. Roman sat behind the wheel, gripping it … Read more
“What if we ask your parents for help?” Gennady said thoughtfully, stretching out on the couch after dinner. Irina carefully set her cup of tea on the table and sat down beside him. The news about Svetlana selling her dacha had been on her mind all day. “Can you imagine what an opportunity this is?” … Read more
“Listen, Yan, let’s go to my parents’ place this weekend! There’s a sauna, a river, we can grill some kebabs, relax properly! I’m slowly getting fed up with this city!” Anton suggested to his wife. “What do you think about it?” “Anywhere but your parents’, Antosh. I don’t want to listen to your mother lecturing … Read more
Marina was in the kitchen of a small roadside restaurant, holding a hot cup of tea. Outside the window, the summer morning was gradually gaining strength, and in an hour the restaurant was to open its doors to customers. Marina’s colleagues—waitresses Sveta and Olya, also young girls—were sitting nearby. “Listen, Marinka,” Sveta began, biting a … Read more
The music playing in the club was so loud that it felt like it wasn’t just filling the room but literally pressing against my ears. The bass throbbed in my chest, making my heart beat in time with the rhythm, and it was even hard to think through the deafening noise. I stood in the … Read more
— You bought the wrong buckwheat again! How many times do I have to explain that “Mistral” is money down the drain! — Mom, maybe it’s not worth making a big fuss over some grains? — Don’t you dare talk back to me, Sergey! Your wife needs to learn how to save money! The apartment … Read more
In their family, everyone was used to seeing Grandma Katya as a gentle, conflict-free person who was ready to sacrifice herself for the well-being of her children and grandchildren. Her sons—Lyosha and Yury—had long since started their own families and lived separately, but they regularly sent their children to visit Grandma. No one even doubted … Read more