– Arina, where are you? Tolya let me in, and he went off to work!” – the voice of the future sister-in-law echoed through the apartment.
Arina sighed tiredly. She forced a smile and invited Olga to the table. Her life was falling apart.
Stability. Arina had dreamed of it for as long as she could remember. Probably since that very day when her father closed the door behind him. The window slammed loudly, and her mother silently sat in the kitchen, staring at one spot.
That was when Arina realized that one could only rely on oneself. She was only fourteen, yet she already got up earlier than everyone else to catch the bus – to distribute flyers before classes began. And after school, she did homework for her classmates. Not for free, of course. A few pennies here and there, but still money. She dreamed of the moment when she wouldn’t have to count spare change in her pockets and wonder if it was enough for the fare.
Years passed. Arina finished school, but there wasn’t enough money for full-time education. Her mother supported her as best as she could, but their finances never improved. Arina chose a correspondence course. By day she worked at the cash register in a supermarket, perpetually yawning, and by evening she studied. She mastered programming, tackled complex problems, and watched webinars at night—anything to seize the chance to escape the endless cycle of poverty.
Seven years of struggle, sleepless nights, and exhaustion. But it was all worth it. Now Arina had her own mortgage apartment—albeit with a loan, but it was hers. A car, bought with her hard-earned money. And savings for a rainy day. Everything had finally turned out as she had dreamed. Ahead lay a wedding with Tolya. She loved him deeply. They understood each other with a glance, living as if on the same wavelength.
There was, however, one thorn. Tolya’s sister—Olga. Ten years his senior, already divorced and raising her sixteen-year-old son Maksim on her own. And it was she who constantly disrupted their true happiness.
Olga’s voice snapped Arina out of her reverie.
— Arina, dear, you do realize that you’re running out of time, don’t you? — Olga squinted as if drilling through Arina. — You need to have a baby right after the wedding. Don’t delay. The years are slipping away.
Arina clenched the spoon in her fingers, holding back a sigh. She knew exactly how this conversation would end, just like all the previous ones.
— We’ll see, Olga… Tolya and I haven’t decided yet, — she managed, trying to smile.
— Decide what? — Olga persisted. — A woman is obligated to become a mother. What kind of family is it without children? Are you putting your career before everything?
Arina gritted her teeth.
— For now, we’re fine, — she said, setting her cup aside. — We’ll see later.
Olga grimaced but quickly changed the subject.
— And besides, in a family the man should manage the money. Tolya is your man, the head of the family. He knows best what to spend it on.
— Tolya and I share a budget, — Arina replied calmly. — We decide together.
— For now! — Olga sneered. — Look how it was with us. I too thought I knew better… And where is my ex now? Money is more important than emotions, Arina. Listen to a smart woman.
Arina said nothing. She simply exhaled. She knew it was pointless to argue.
The wedding had been lovely. Truly heartfelt. Guests, toasts, laughter. And Olga had been wandering between the tables the entire time.
— So, who gave what? — she whispered to Arina as the latter gathered the cards containing money.
— Olga, let’s talk later… — Arina said wearily.
— Ah, later. What if someone gave too little? You need to know who behaves how. It might come in handy later.
Half a year passed. Arina found herself feeling as if she might climb the walls. Olga’s visits became regular. Unannounced. Without a call. Without warning. Olga would barge into the apartment as if it were her own home.
— We’re just here for a minute, — Olga would say.
And behind her, Maksim would enter. He would silently sit down at Tolya’s laptop, launch his games, while helpfully taking from the refrigerator whatever wasn’t properly stored. Yogurts, sausages, and once Arina caught him with a box of chocolates meant as a gift for colleagues.
— Arina, you wouldn’t believe how hard it is with just me and the boy, — Olga would begin at the doorway. — You’re lucky, you have Tolya. And I’m all alone. I’d love your stability… Can you lend me five thousand until Wednesday? For Maksim’s uniform. Or ten… You have a good salary, right? You wouldn’t say no to a single mother?
— Olga, I can’t, — Arina said quietly but firmly as she placed the cups in the sink. — Tolya and I have our own expenses. The mortgage, the car, repairs…
— Well, the mortgage is joint, not just yours, — Olga interjected, rolling her eyes. — Besides, you earn well. Or is Tolya fibbing?
Arina pressed her lips together.
— He isn’t fibbing. We just have different priorities. And… why don’t you ask for help from Maksim’s father? After all, he’s his son too.
Olga snorted and demonstratively shifted in her chair.
— Are you kidding? He would never give a penny in his life! He never helps us. It’s all on me. I’m a mother! And Tolya is my brother. So now it’s your family’s responsibility. And you should help.
A wave of irritation rose in Arina’s chest. But she held her tongue. She just wiped her hands on a towel and left the kitchen.
In the evening, after Maksim and Olga finally left, Arina closed the door. She waited for her husband to come home. And from the doorway she said:
— We need to talk.
Tolya wearily took off his jacket and tossed his keys into a bowl on the shelf.
— About what again?
— I don’t like that Olga is constantly asking for money. This isn’t one-time help—it’s become a habit. I really don’t want it, — she said calmly, though her voice trembled.
— Oh, come on, — Tolya waved it off. — Everything’s fine. She’s my sister; she’s my concern.
— But it’s not just your concern, — Arina said, clenching her fists. — She’s interfering with our budget, and I’m tired of it.
— Arina, don’t start. We’re adults; we’ll figure it out, — Tolya turned away, signaling that the conversation was over.
A week later, the doorbell rang. Standing at the threshold was her mother-in-law with a bag.
— I baked a cherry pie; Tolya loves it, — she said. — Will you make some tea?
Arina nodded, concealing her irritation. At the table, her mother-in-law interrogated her about work and plans, and then, after setting her cup aside, sighed.
— It’s tough for single mothers nowadays, — she began, looking Arina straight in the eyes. — Especially with teenagers. Olga is doing the best she can. And Maksim, that kid, he needs attention, clothes… You understand, don’t you?
Arina lowered her gaze to the table. She already knew where this was heading.
— If a family member asks for help, — her mother-in-law continued forcefully, — you must help. Not make excuses. We are family, Arina. Or do you think differently?
Her cheeks flushed with heat. Silently, she cleared the cups, struggling to hold back tears. She had been painted almost as an enemy of the family.
That evening, she initiated another conversation with Tolya.
— I’m upset that your mother shamed me, — she said quietly. — I’m not going to apologize for thinking about us rather than your sister.
— How long will this go on? — Tolya suddenly barked. — Mother is right! Olga is our family. You wouldn’t understand; you don’t have a sister!
Arina fell silent. Her heart pounded dully in her ears. She only nodded and retreated to the bedroom, not waiting for him to follow.
For three days, they didn’t speak. Complete silence. Even in the morning, over coffee, Tolya only scrolled on his phone as if she weren’t even there. And for the first time, Arina regretted that it had all started.
At work, Arina barely spoke. She only nodded briefly to colleagues who addressed her, then buried herself in her monitor again. Her fingers flew over the keys so fast it seemed they might break the keyboard. The code came out as neatly as if measured by a ruler. Even her boss once snorted as he passed by:
— Arina, are you just pounding on the keys or actually programming?
She didn’t reply. She simply kept working, clenching her teeth so hard that by the evening her jaw ached.
Three days passed in that tense silence. Then something changed. They closed a long and difficult project on which she had been toiling for months. And the next day, exactly at noon, her phone buzzed with a notification of a deposit. Arina opened her banking app and froze. Salary and bonus—almost six hundred thousand rubles. For the first time in a long while, she smiled. A warmth spread through her chest.
— That’s enough fighting, — she told herself. — Enough with the silence and playing the victim. It’s time to reconcile.
On her way home, she stopped at a store. She bought Tolya’s favorite salad, his favorite cold cuts, and a big chocolate cake with strawberries. She already imagined them sitting at the table, him embracing her, saying that all of this was nonsense, and that they could start anew.
She opened the door with her own key. In the hall, there were already women’s boots and old sneakers. Arina frowned. Her heart sank like a stone. Voices came from the kitchen, loud as always when Olga was there.
— Of course, Tolya, what else is there to do? His son is about to start college. And he definitely won’t qualify for a state-funded spot. He takes after his father, — Olga laughed.
Arina gritted her teeth. Slowly, she removed her coat, dropped the bags on the floor, and went to the kitchen.
— Hi, — she said dryly, placing the groceries on the table. She washed her hands.
— Hi, Arina, — Olga replied as if nothing had happened, settling down comfortably. — Oh, what treats? A celebration?
Arina sighed.
— I got a bonus, — she blurted out without thinking.
Tolya immediately put down his phone.
— How much?
She answered honestly. She was simply not used to lying:
— Five hundred eighty-four thousand.
The room fell silent. Then Tolya suddenly slammed his hand on the table, making the glasses jump.
— It’s decided. Your bonus will now go towards paying for my nephew’s education, — he said so calmly as if it were about buying bread.
Arina froze. Her chest filled with heaviness. Her breathing became rapid and shallow. She slowly stood up from the table.
— No. That won’t happen.
Olga jumped up, her voice ringing out.
— Arina! How can you talk to your husband like that? You must obey him! He is the head of the family! It has always been so and always will be! A woman must support her man, not contradict him!
— A husband who doesn’t listen to me and doesn’t respect me? — Arina looked directly into Tolya’s eyes, her voice trembling, but she did not back down. — I don’t need such a husband. I’m filing for divorce. Enough is enough. Enough with these extortions, this endless aid. I’m not obliged to support all of you!
Olga turned pale, then flared up and shouted:
— That’s unfair! You’re obliged! We are family! Helping family is sacred!
Tolya lowered his gaze. He looked confused, as if he had just realized that the conversation had gone too far.
— Arina, wait… I didn’t think you’d… — he began, but she had already opened the door.
— Out. Both of you, — she said hoarsely.
Tolya and Olga exchanged glances, but Arina stood firm, pointing toward the exit. Olga was the first to rush into the hall, grumbling something under her breath. Tolya hesitated, but eventually left without another word.
The door closed. The lock clicked. Arina leaned against it, her head lowered. She stood like that for about ten minutes, listening to the pounding of her own heart.
Later that night, she silently packed Tolya’s things. Every shirt was folded neatly and placed in a suitcase. Socks and ties—everything went in there.
The apartment emptied quickly.
Inside, she felt bitter, numb, and her eyes burned with fatigue. But somewhere deep inside, there was a strange feeling—a warmth that said she had made the right choice. And she had no regrets.
Six months after the divorce, Arina’s life gradually improved. She continued to work as before, but now all the money she earned remained with her. In that time, she managed to save enough for another apartment—a bright, new one in a good neighborhood. She moved her mother in.
Arina often visited her for tea, and both felt at peace. No more unnecessary talk of debts and obligations. And for the first time in a long while, Arina realized: she was perfectly fine on her own. Calm. Secure. She no longer rushed to find a man—not until she wanted to. She simply lived—as she had always dreamed.”