Andrei was turning this way and that in front of the large mirror in the hallway. The dark navy fabric of his expensive suit fit him perfectly. Nadya stood a little farther away. She adjusted the collar of her simple pistachio-colored dress. “They look fine, Andrei.” “In my business, people judge you by your appearance.” … Read more
Sveta, you understand that Mom has a hard time living on her own. So we’ll sell your country house, and that’s it—the problem is solved.” Andrei stood by the kitchen window with a cup of tea and said it so calmly, as though he were suggesting they take out the trash. Not, “Let’s discuss it,” … Read more
Let’s be realistic, he absolutely doesn’t need all-wheel drive in the city. It’s just paying extra for nothing.” Nelli Kondratyevna sat at the dining table, methodically running an expensive fountain pen over a glossy brochure from a car dealership. “Mom, our winters are pretty snowy,” Oleg tried to object. He leaned one shoulder against the … Read more
Kick me out? Fine. But first explain whose apartment this is,” I said, placing the envelope on the table. Darina Iosifovna fell silent. Not because she was frightened. She simply hadn’t expected it. She was used to me keeping quiet. Nodding. Leaving the room whenever she raised her voice. That was exactly what I had … Read more
My husband had already told his sister the amount she was counting on, even though I had never promised anything. On Sunday, they sat me down at the table so we could “decide as a family” how much of my father’s money I should be allowed to keep for myself. “You’re going to account to … Read more
Pavel and I had been married for eight years. We lived separately from his parents, both of us worked, and we visited his parents quite peacefully, without any particular tension. Their country house was nothing special: a small house, a veranda, a few garden beds, and a greenhouse. In summer, practically every weekend the whole … Read more
Marina knew perfectly well how much her mother had been looking forward to her sixtieth birthday. Lyudmila Pavlovna had started making a list back in winter of everyone she absolutely wanted to see at the celebration: her sister and brother-in-law, several former colleagues, her neighbor Tamara, and two old university friends. In the end, the … Read more
Olga found out about everything in April, when, as usual, she called her mother to coordinate the dates of their summer visit. It happened the same way every year: in spring, she would ask when it would be better for the family to come—June or the first days of July. But this time, her mother … Read more
Sveta, just don’t get angry right away, okay?” Andrei said over the phone in a tone that immediately told Svetlana something had gone wrong at home again. She was walking down the stairs of the business center, handbag in one hand and phone in the other. Her workday had ended almost two hours earlier than … Read more
Ksenia placed the phone on her desk with the same precision she used when putting away a work tool. Her office fan hummed beside the monitor, where an unfinished safety inspection report for the Ferris wheel in Zarechye was still open. Aunt Zoya had spoken so quickly that most of her words blurred together, but … Read more