— Maxim, look what a beautiful girl! — Hello, I’m Natasha. What’s your name? The blue-eyed little girl with funny curls looked straight at the young twenty-five-year-old man. — I’m Nikolai, and this is my son Maxim. — Nikolai, do you have a wife? Nikolai’s wife, overhearing this, burst out laughing. Coming from a five-year-old … Read more
“Dad, is she pretty?” Alexander smiled. What a relief—it was finally possible to tell his daughter about his intention to marry. He hadn’t dared to bring up the topic for a whole week, even though he knew the bride would move in with them in a month. Sonya was an exceptionally smart child. Sometimes her … Read more
“Oh, Yanochka, how hard it is for me to be alone,” Olga Nikolaevna lamented, pouring tea for her daughter-in-law. “My heart is acting up, my blood pressure is all over the place. Yesterday it hit me so badly, I thought—this is it, the end for me.” Yana silently nodded, trying not to show irritation. It … 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
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