“To my beloved son, the only person who supports me! To Rodion!” Faina Egorovna declared loudly, raising her crystal wine glass filled with deep ruby wine high in the air.
The relatives seated around the long festive table responded with a chorus of approval. Chairs scraped across the floor as guests leaned in towards one another, eager to clink their glasses together.
Only Veronika remained absolutely still. Her fingers rested calmly on the thick fabric napkin.
Such blatant confidence from her mother-in-law took Veronika’s breath away for a moment. A heavy pulse throbbed in her temples, but she slowly inhaled, steadied herself, and sat up straight.
Faina Egorovna stood tall at the head of the banquet hall. She wore a turquoise sweater adorned with pearly iridescent buttons. The birthday girl’s face shone with heat, the indulgence of the feast, and the sheer joy she felt from all the attention.
“This is the kind of real man I raised!” Her deep, resonant voice filled the ornate, decorated ceiling of the room.
“Another son would’ve given me some marshmallows just to get it over with. But my Rodion spared no expense, renting out the entire hall for the celebration!”
And what a hall it is! Just look around: mirrors, pillars, sparkling crystal accents! He achieved all this by himself, earning every penny with his own hands!
The family at the table broke into enthusiastic applause. Maya, Rodion’s sister who sat across from Veronika, nodded eagerly and pressed her hand to her chest.
“Mom, you’re a real queen tonight!” Maya exclaimed brightly.
“And our Rodion is a true treasure! What a lavish celebration he’s organized!”
Rodion stretched his broad shoulders with a look of satisfaction. He had left the top button of his fancy shirt unbuttoned, revealing his strong, thick neck.
He nodded approvingly at his relatives, nostrils flaring with overflowing pride. From an outsider’s perspective, it might have seemed like he had single-handedly built the restaurant and was now generously showering everyone with untold riches.
Veronika slowly surveyed the festive table with a heavy gaze. On a large oval platter rested baked sturgeon; nearby were juicy meat medallions. Baskets overflowed with peaches and grape clusters, and countless plates were filled with expensive meat delicacies.
She remembered the restaurant’s bill perfectly. Not just an estimate—she recalled every single line item listed on it.
Every single expense.
After all, just two months ago, Faina Egorovna wasn’t even considering such a grand event. She planned to celebrate her milestone birthday modestly: invite two neighbors to her small, old apartment, boil some fluffy potatoes, and bring up a jar of homemade pickles from the cellar.
But everything changed after Veronika received a generous bonus at work. The money came as a reward for successfully completing a challenging city improvement project during the last quarter.
Ever since that moment, their apartment had been filled with endless conversations about the upcoming anniversary.
Rodion wouldn’t give his wife a moment’s peace. He followed her from the kitchen to the hallway and back again, always bringing up the same topic with persistent determination.
“Nika, just think about it—my mother’s turning sixty-five!” he reminded her every evening, trying to catch her eye.
“She spent forty years working honestly in the technical control department at the factory. Aren’t you a bit embarrassed to seat everyone on stools in our small apartment in front of all the relatives? Let’s just rent a banquet hall at ‘Staraia Usadba’ instead?”
“But we planned to renovate the loggia, get the windows installed, and insulate it,” Veronika reminded him.
“The window frames are already reserved, and the handyman is waiting for his deposit. Plus, the price of building materials goes up almost every week.”
“Nothing’s going to happen to your loggia!” Rodion waved her off irritably.
“It can wait until the fall, you won’t freeze in the meantime. But my mother only turns sixty-five once. Besides, you’ve already received your bonus.”
“I’ll pay you back exactly half the costs the moment I finish the countryside project and hand it over. Am I a man or not? I promise, I’ll pay you back to the last penny!”
In the end, Veronika agreed. Her husband’s passionate chest-beating and his promises to keep his word and honesty had convinced her.
After her next shift at work, she personally went to the restaurant.
She negotiated every dish’s price with the manager, pushed for a revision of the menu costs, and removed inflated charges for fruit drinks and unnecessary appetizers.
Veronika was the one to put down a sizable deposit, exactly half of the preliminary banquet cost. She sensibly kept the official receipt stamped by the restaurant as proof of payment.
But a little while later, Rodion returned to the venue on his own, without saying a word to his wife.
He ordered more dishes for the festive menu, added sturgeon, vintage cognac, and tripled the meat platter. He wanted to impress the relatives and show off his generosity.
Now, the sound of clinking crystal glasses filled the entire hall.
“And a special thank you to my beloved daughter, Mayechka!” Faina Egorovna continued sweetly, beaming with pleasure.
“Thank you for your kind heart and for the handkerchief as a keepsake! Thanks to my cousin for the touching card! To my nephew, thank you for your kind wishes! I haven’t forgotten anyone, and I love every single one of you! You are all the greatest joy of my old age!”
The mother-in-law slowly looked over the guests, who fell silent for a moment. Her eyes lingered on Veronika for just a moment, but there was not a hint of warmth in that gaze. She looked at her daughter-in-law with cold indifference, as if she were just an empty chair.
Then the birthday woman deliberately turned away and addressed her son once again:
“Drink up every last drop, dear! To your big, generous heart!”
“Our birthday girl doesn’t feel the love among her family!” called out the already tipsy in-law from the opposite end of the table, his voice resonating across the room.
“Fill everyone’s glasses to the brim!”
Veronika kept sitting still, her fingers tightly woven together, hands resting on her lap. Not a single word of thanks was directed her way the entire evening. She didn’t even get a nod—not to mention the usual, “thanks to the daughter-in-law for helping with the celebration.”
At this celebration, it felt like she’d turned invisible. As if it hadn’t been her who paid the restaurant deposit. As if she hadn’t negotiated with the manager to lower the service costs.
Veronika gently touched her husband’s elbow.
“Rodion,” she called to him quietly.
Her husband turned toward her with clear reluctance, his face flushed.
“Now what?” he grumbled irritably.
“There are so many people around, please don’t start your conversations again.”
“Your mom even found words of appreciation for those who just sent a card by phone,” Veronika said in a low voice.
“So what?” Rodion frowned, his mouth twisting with annoyance.
“Are you jealous or something? I’m the one who organized this for my mom, I’m in charge here. Try to look pleasant and don’t make me look bad in front of everyone.”
With that, he abruptly turned away from his wife and loudly addressed the rest of the room:
“So, who else wants a little more cognac? Don’t be shy, everything’s already paid for!”
Slowly, the celebration was winding down. The restaurant staff brought out the festive cake, its top sparkling with bright sparklers. Lively from all the drinks, guests chatted noisily, got up from their seats, and began calling cars to take them home.
Meanwhile, Maya—Rodion’s sister—was busy near the table. She gathered the remaining untouched cold cuts, slices of roast pork, and fruit, packing it all into a large bag.
“No point letting all this good food go to waste,” she murmured, skillfully tying the handles of the bag.
“Mom will have enough food for a whole week, and I’ll have a little something for tea myself.”
Faina Yegorovna was already by the coat check, wearing her coat with a firm hold on a thick green envelope under her arm. Throughout the evening, that’s where all the cards and envelopes with cash gifts ended up.
Only three people remained at the now empty banquet table, cluttered with used dishes: Veronika, her husband, and a young restaurant worker in a black vest.
The waiter quietly approached Rodion and placed a small wooden box in front of him, which contained the bill.
“This is the final payment for your event. The deposit you left earlier has already been subtracted from the total amount.”
With an air of nonchalance, Rodion lifted the lid and glanced at the bill—and in an instant, all his previous smug composure vanished.
The man’s eyes widened in shock, pale spots instantly appearing on his cheeks. The final bill for all the fancy drinks and pricey dishes turned out to be unbelievably high. To earn that much, it would normally take him two whole months of work.
Rodion swallowed nervously, then pushed the small wooden check box right next to his wife’s plate.
“You pay,” he said gruffly, not taking his eyes off the ceiling molding.
Veronika looked first at the bill he presented, then turned her gaze to her husband.
“And what is that supposed to mean?”
Rodion leaned closer to the table, speaking with a grumpy whisper:
“Exactly what you heard! Take out your bank card and don’t drag it out. The waiter is just standing there, waiting.”
“Rodion, I already paid the deposit with the bonus I received. That was half of the initial banquet cost. You told me yourself you’d cover the rest after you got paid for finishing the cottage construction.”
Her husband shifted his shoulders nervously.
“Yeah, well, I might have promised that, but the client still hasn’t made the payment and the project papers aren’t signed yet.”
“But you have a steady job, regular paychecks, and you actually have the money. Just use your credit card, and we’ll talk about it later at home! Don’t embarrass me in front of the whole restaurant.”
Just then, Faina Yegorovna slowly approached them. Her well-fed face clearly showed she was very annoyed.
“Why are you still sitting here?” she demanded impatiently.
“The car’s been waiting by the entrance for five minutes now, engine running! The taxi meter is ticking, you know!”
“Well, Mom, Nika just decided to be stubborn,” Rodion immediately shifted the blame to his wife.
“She doesn’t want to take out her bank card.”
Faina Yegorovna gave her daughter-in-law a haughty, disdainful look.
“Veronika, do you even have a conscience? My son has been running himself ragged all evening organizing this celebration for his mother—he’s exhausted himself.”
“Do you really begrudge your own family the money? You’re always sitting there with that dissatisfied look on your face, like everyone owes you something. Pay right now and stop humiliating my son in front of strangers!”
Veronika slowly stood up from the table. For a moment, she felt the heaviness of all her pent-up fatigue settle on her shoulders. But at the same time, a surprising clarity filled her mind. Every doubt she once had seemed to suddenly vanish.
The young waiter shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, carefully avoiding eye contact with the feuding family.
“So it was Rodion who organized today’s banquet?” Veronika asked in a perfectly steady voice.
“Who else would it be?” her mother-in-law retorted, raising her head proudly.
“Of course, my son! Our one and only breadwinner!”
“Wonderful,” Veronika nodded calmly.
She opened her purse, pulled out her wallet, took out two bills, and placed them right on top of the check box.
“This covers the fish I ate and the carafe of mineral water. I’ve also included a tip for the service.”
Rodion stared at the money in front of him, utterly stunned, unable to process what was happening.
— Have you completely lost your mind?! And who do you think is going to pay for everything else?!
— You are, Rodion. After all, you were named the guest of honor today, Veronika replied calmly.
— Your mother spent a good half hour telling everyone how generous and successful her son is. So now, open your own wallet. Show your generosity with actions, not just nice words.
— There’s nothing in my bank account, and you know that perfectly well! her husband hissed, spitting with frustration.
— I’m telling you, pay up! We’ll settle it between ourselves later!
— You won’t get another single penny out of me.
Veronika turned her head to the waiter.
— Young man, I’ve paid cash for the dishes I ordered. But this gentleman is the organizer of the whole banquet, so please direct the rest of the bill to him.
Faina Egorovna instantly turned crimson. Her hands began to visibly tremble with indignation.
— How dare you do this?! You want to humiliate your own husband in front of strangers?! You snake!
— You put him in this situation yourself, Faina Egorovna, Veronika replied without raising her voice in the slightest.
— All evening you thanked family for their cheap greeting cards and kept pretending as if I wasn’t even here among the guests.
Since you publicly announced that your son paid for this celebration all by himself, let him pay for it himself now. With those very hands that, according to you, earned him everything.
Rodion abruptly lunged toward his wife and tried to grab her coat sleeve.
— Nika, wait! I won’t let you leave!
Veronika briskly freed her sleeve from his fingers.
— Take your hands off me. We’ll finish this conversation at home—once you’ve sorted out your entitled behavior and paid for the grand event you orchestrated.
Veronika buttoned up her coat and headed toward the doors of the banquet hall.
The cool evening air felt pleasant against her flushed cheeks, slowly easing the tension. She took out her phone and ordered a taxi.
Through the huge glass windows, the restaurant hall was almost entirely in view.
Rodion was frantically running before the manager, wildly gesturing and trying to explain things with a panicked voice. Faina Egorovna hugged the green envelope of gifted cash to her chest, while Maya carefully edged sideways toward the exit, dragging a heavy bag of leftover delicacies behind her.
But the senior manager firmly blocked their way, standing right in front of them. By the transparent entrance doors, a sturdy security guard stood motionless.
A minute later, Faina Egorovna had to admit defeat—there was no way around paying the bill.
The guest of honor sank onto a soft bench near the cloakroom. Her fingers shook visibly as she opened the thick green envelope and pulled money from the greeting cards. With a look of utter misery, she shook out crumpled banknotes while the manager watched the whole process closely.
Meanwhile, Veronika settled into the back seat of the car that had just pulled up, and gave the driver the address she needed.
Rodion didn’t return to the apartment until well past midnight.
He literally burst into the hallway—his hair disheveled, his clothes rumpled, and his face twisted with anger. He flung his jacket onto the shoe rack with force.
“Well, are you happy now?!” he shouted hoarsely, stopping in the doorway of the room.
“You embarrassed me in front of the entire restaurant! My mother got so worked up her blood pressure shot up, we almost had to call the doctors!”
Veronika sat at the table, scrolling through different double-glazed window options on her phone.
“All of the money people gave my mother for her birthday—you took every last bit!” Rodion kept yelling as he moved closer to her.
“And even that wasn’t enough! I had to pawn Grandpa’s watch, and then take out an emergency loan online with crazy high interest rates! Do you even realize what you’ve put us through?!”
“I haven’t put anyone through anything,” Veronika replied calmly, placing her phone on the edge of the table.
“All I did was refuse to pay for your desire to show off in front of your relatives.”
“Show off? What are you talking about?! We were celebrating my mother’s birthday!”
“Exactly. Only you decided to appear to all your relatives as a wealthy man and an incredibly generous son. And you expected me to pay for this display of luxury? With the bonus money from my project that we planned to use for the balcony remodel?”
“I couldn’t care less about your balcony! My mother and her family matter so much more!”
“Then go stay with your mother. And take all your generosity with you.”
Rodion suddenly fell silent. He took a noisy breath through his nose and stared at his wife in complete shock.
“What does that even mean? What are you talking about?”
“Exactly what you heard. Tomorrow you pack your things and leave. I’m not going to keep living with you in the same apartment.”
Her husband blinked in confusion several times.
“Are you out of your mind? You’re destroying our family over a restaurant bill?! I’m not going anywhere! For your information, this apartment is mine too!”
“You’re mistaken, Rodion. You have nothing to do with the ownership of this apartment. I bought this two-bedroom place four years before we met—paid for it with my own money, with some help from my parents.”
“When you moved in here, everything you owned fit into one suitcase and a box of screwdrivers.”
“Who gave you the right to kick me out?!” the man flared up again.
“I’ve lived here for five whole years! I installed a shelf with my own hands, I fixed the door lock!”
“Thank you for installing the shelf,” Veronika interrupted him.
“Now go pack up your things and stop making a spectacle of yourself.”
Rodion kept trying to raise his voice, threatening her. He declared that he wouldn’t pay another cent towards utility bills, and insisted he’d have his mother tell Veronika exactly what she thought of her.
But his wife looked at him so openly, tiredly, and indifferently that his fighting spirit gradually disappeared.
For a while, the man hovered uncertainly by the doorway, then muttered a curse under his breath and went to spend the night in the small room.
The next morning, without saying a word, Rodion stuffed his clothes into a large travel bag, took the box of construction tools down from the top shelf, and left to go live with Faina Yegorovna.
Exactly one month passed.
Outside, the steady spring sounds of a city slowly coming back to life after winter filled the air.
Veronika was on her recently renovated balcony. In front of her stood two technicians whose work she was currently inspecting.
The old warped window frames had been replaced with sturdy, modern glass panes. The floor was neatly covered with pale wooden boards, filling the air with the pleasant scent of freshly cut timber.
The remaining bonus money turned out to be enough to buy high-quality window profiles and install a spacious built-in wardrobe near the far wall of the balcony.
The workers packed up their tools, signed the receipt, and politely said goodbye to the owner before leaving.
Veronika carefully closed the plastic window and checked several times to make sure the handle turned smoothly.
A few days earlier, mutual friends had told her how life was now going in Faina Yegorovna’s small apartment.
It turned out that the joyful mood after the lavish birthday celebration had vanished there the very next morning.
A large, urgent loan debt weighed heavily on Rodion. New construction jobs had stopped coming in, while interest on the loan accumulated daily, swallowing up almost all the money he managed to earn from time to time.
Now it was Faina Yegorovna herself who spent her days endlessly reproaching her beloved son in the cramped kitchen.
She constantly reminded Rodion that, because of his silly desire to show off to others, all the money given by his former factory coworkers and relatives had disappeared without a trace. Now, they had to count every expense, even for bread and the cheapest tea.
Rodion would just snap irritably in response, retreat to his room, and curse that ill-fated festive evening in every possible way.
Veronika took a deep breath of the pleasant resinous scent of the new wooden paneling, glanced out at the sunny yard, and gave a barely noticeable smile.
She thought that refusing to pay the remaining restaurant bill had ultimately been the most successful and profitable decision of her entire life.