— There’s dust on the shelves again. — Valentina Petrovna ran her finger over the dresser and grimaced with disgust. I stood frozen by the sink, towel in hand. This was already the third day in a row she had burst into our home without warning, as if inspecting a candidate for the perfect daughter-in-law, … Read more
Lena stood on the porch of the crooked summer house, examining the peeling boards and the glass yellowed by time. Meanwhile, Andrey kicked the wobbly step of the porch, grimacing at the creak of the rotten wood. “Well, Lenka,” he sighed, looking around at the warped window frames, “your Aunt Galya was right. It’s all … Read more
Karina carefully took the electronic scales out of the box and started setting them up. The new gadget, with many features, was not cheap, but the woman was sure it was worth it. The summer season was approaching, so it was time to seriously focus on her figure. Pressing the button, she placed the scales … Read more
Lena took the baking sheet with the fish pie out of the oven, and a fishy aroma wafted through the kitchen. Everything was just the way her husband, Viktor, liked it. There was fresh borscht on the stove, and the fish pie was on the baking sheet. All that was left was to finish boiling … Read more
Hello, darling! I have a big surprise for you! Prepare your signature dish for dinner tonight!” “What happened?” Svetlana asked, worried. “Everything’s fine! I’ll tell you later!” The call ended, and the woman looked out the window with doubt. It was a chilly October. Her husband’s call didn’t lift her spirits; after twenty-five years of … Read more
Andrey, a young chef with great talent and even greater ambitions, always dreamed of freedom. He wanted to create, try new things, and break rules. However, working in a prestigious restaurant, where at first glance everything was provided: a good salary, a famous name, and an audience willing to pay any amount for dinner, turned … Read more
Two years. Exactly two years since he’s no longer with us. Sveta stood by the window, gazing at the gray industrial landscape. The factory pipes released plumes of smoke into the sky, just like they did that day — the day everything collapsed. When the world turned upside down and split into “before” and “after.” … Read more
Is it that hard for you?” asked her husband. “It’s not hard!” Svetka replied. “Are you afraid of spending money?” “No, I’m not!” “Then what’s the problem?” “I don’t want to!” the girl replied, quoting the beloved professor Preobrazhensky when he was asked to donate magazines for the children of Germany. But they turned to … Read more
Spring was confidently taking hold. Outside the window, the sun shone brightly, filling the air with a sense of freshness and warmth. Yet inside the old train station waiting hall, everything remained the same — heavy, musty, as if time had frozen there many years ago. The walls, covered with peeling paint, wooden benches, and … Read more
The end of summer was unusually hot. The sun blazed mercilessly, as if trying to scorch everything alive. At the crossroads by the roadside, grandmothers had set up with handmade baskets. Inside were homemade apples smelling of orchards, fresh greens, juicy parsley and dill, cucumbers twisted like old cloves, and tomatoes—juicy, fragrant, freshly picked from … Read more