Valeria stood by the door of her parents’ apartment, examining a bunch of keys, one of which, darkened by time with a deep scratch on its side, she recognized immediately. Once, her mother had tied a red ribbon to it so it wouldn’t get mixed up with the others. The ribbon had long since frayed … Read more
— What are you doing? Put it down immediately! — Tatiana exclaimed, standing in the doorway, clearly upset by what she saw. — I just wanted to see what apps you have installed, — Olga, the future sister-in-law, answered innocently. — So what’s wrong with that? Tatiana was holding the edge of her open blue … Read more
Little Timofey cried again at three in the morning. Anna opened her eyes and realized that her husband didn’t even stir — Oleg was sleeping the deep sleep of exhaustion after a hard day at work. She got up, went to the crib, and took her son in her arms. The tiny body was hot, … Read more
— Anya, hi. I feel really awkward asking, but could you possibly lend me a couple thousand? Even through the phone, Anya could feel how ashamed Alena was. This wasn’t the first time she borrowed money. And although Anya always said it was no big deal, Alena still felt uncomfortable. — Of course, no problem. … Read more
Tatiana woke up exactly at 6:45. The daily alarm clock ringing cut through the early morning silence every time — loud, sudden, merciless. She didn’t jump up or plunge immediately into the day’s reality. She simply opened her eyes and lay there for a while, staring at the ceiling, gray from age and constant dampness. … Read more
Nika hadn’t been herself lately. Serious cracks had appeared in her relationship with her husband, and she didn’t know how to handle this painful situation. It all started with small things — as it usually does. After work, Tolya began to notice her with venomous remarks. His jokes were full of anger, every word hurt … Read more
Elena stood by the window, watching as Mikhail opened the taxi door and helped unload the suitcases. His sister Inna was the first to get out of the car, looking around like someone appraising real estate. Behind her came her husband Viktor and their teenage son Artyom. The traditional annual visit had begun. “Well, we’ve … Read more
— What’s this? — Ira was sorting through some documents; she needed her husband’s passport, which she was searching for in his bag. But the passport “caught” something else as well. — I thought you wouldn’t find this… — muttered Andrey, blushing. That morning, Irina woke up alone. Andrey had left early — the usual … Read more
Katya moved into her new apartment a week ago. And for almost the entire week, she didn’t go outside. But how could she, with so much to do? She bought the apartment she could afford. Her grandmother, a kind soul, left her an old dacha and a room in a communal apartment as inheritance. Katya … Read more
Marish, how good it is that you’re already on vacation. There’s something I need to tell you… Her husband hesitated slightly. He always acted like this when he wanted to ask his wife for something. He knew her difficult character well. So he didn’t always have the courage to explain the whole request right away. … Read more