— Mom, I’m hungry! — Olya tugged at Anna’s shirt hem while she was sorting through the empty bags in the kitchen.
Anna stifled a sigh. In the fridge, there was a bag of milk and three yogurts. For three kids.
— We’ll figure something out, honey, — she absentmindedly patted her daughter’s head. — We’ll make sandwiches, okay?
— But you promised macaroni and cheese! — Olya pouted.
As if on cue, Sasha and Liza appeared in the kitchen.
— Mooo-om, when can we eat? — Liza clung to her, wrapping her leg around Anna.
Anna opened the cupboard: half a loaf of bread, butter running low, salt. There’s pasta, but without cheese, the kids wouldn’t even look at it.
The front door slammed. Igor.
— Hi, — he threw the word into the air, his eyes on the floor.
The kids rushed to their father, but he swiftly dodged them and disappeared into the bathroom. He came out only at dinner — with two sandwiches on a plate. He ate silently, drinking water from the tap.
— We need groceries, — Anna handed him the list. — The essentials…
Igor glanced at the paper. His eyes flashed with shame, only to quickly fade.
— Fine, — he muttered and vanished into the bedroom.
Anna stood frozen, holding the list. This had been happening for two weeks.
— Will Dad buy cheese? — Sasha peered into her eyes.
— Of course, — she forced a smile.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket.
— Sweetheart, how are you? — her mother’s worried voice.
Anna stepped into the hallway:
— Mom, I don’t understand… We’re out of everything. And Igor seems like he’s not even here.
— I’m coming over now.
— Don’t, he…
— I’m just passing by. I’ll leave the package at the door.
An hour later, the much-needed package saved the day. In the pocket — an envelope with money.
At night, Anna was awoken by a creak. Igor was sitting in the kitchen — an empty wallet, a dead phone screen.
“Infidelity?” — but it didn’t add up. No trace of perfume, no suspicious calls. Just that emptiness in his eyes.
She remembered how, three months ago, they were choosing hotels by the sea. How he brought candy for the kids and field flowers for her. And then something broke…
Igor’s phone came to life. He flinched, grabbed the phone, but didn’t answer. He just stared at it until the call ended. Then he lowered his head into his hands.
Anna returned to bed. A cold knot of anxiety tightened around her throat. The calls had started. What was happening with her husband? And, most importantly, how was she going to feed the kids tomorrow?
The kitchen filled with the aroma of fresh soup — her mother’s package of groceries had kept the family from going hungry. Anna stirred the pot, watching the kids out of the corner of her eye. Olya was deeply focused on her drawing at the kitchen table, and the younger ones were playing with pillows, building something like a fort.
— Mom, is Dad coming soon? — Olya asked without looking up from her drawing.
— Like always, in the evening, — Anna answered, but the knife in her hand trembled.
Yesterday, she had noticed something strange — her husband’s shoes were unnaturally clean. Completely free of street dirt. As if he… hadn’t been anywhere. But then why leave the house?
— Olya, look after your brother and sister. I’ll quickly run to the store.
Rushing outside, Anna glanced around. Light rain drizzled over the deserted yard. In the distance, a familiar figure flickered. Keeping her distance, she followed her husband.
Igor was walking slowly, sometimes stopping at store windows. Not to the metro, not to the bus stop — just wandering aimlessly.
Twenty minutes later, he turned into a park and wearily sat down on a bench. Anna hid behind a tree. Her husband pulled out his phone, looked at the screen, and sighed heavily.
He sat like that for almost an hour, motionless. Then, just as slowly, he got up and walked on.
Anna returned home with a heavy stone in her chest. Now she was sure — something terrible was happening in their lives.
In the evening, Igor came back “from work.” He ate the soup and unexpectedly complimented it. Played with Sasha. It seemed like the old husband had returned — if not for the dead, empty eyes.
When the children fell asleep, Anna gathered her courage. Her heart was pounding wildly, short of breath.
— Igor, wait… Where do you really go during the day?
He froze in the doorway, not turning around:
— To work. What’s wrong?
— I saw you today. In the park on Lipovaya.
Igor slowly turned. A strange grimace froze on his face — a mix of fear and relief.
— I… didn’t want to upset you, — he suddenly punched the wall with his fist, making Anna flinch. — Damn it! I couldn’t just tell you!
— Tell me what, Igor?! — she took a step forward.
— I’m unemployed! Two months now! — it burst out of him. — They cut all the positions in my department…
Anna felt her legs give way. Two months… An eternity.
— Why did you stay silent?!
— What was I supposed to say? — rage flashed in his eyes. — “Hey, honey, I’m nobody now”? I was looking! Every day! They keep rejecting me!
— But you kept leaving…
— Because I couldn’t watch you open an empty fridge! — his voice cracked into a scream. — I’m ashamed, do you understand? I’m the head of the family, and my children are starving! All the savings went into a failed project…
Anna stepped closer:
— We could have handled it together…
— I thought I’d fix it quickly, — Igor collapsed onto the bed, covering his face with his hands. — They promised to help with employment. They promised! And then… they just stopped answering.
— And the last of the money?
— I tried to invest… I miscalculated. I sent resumes. Went to interviews. But no one wants an economist at my level, and they won’t hire me for a lower position — they’re afraid I’ll run away.
He raised his swollen eyes:
— I couldn’t admit it. I couldn’t say I let you all down.
— And these calls?
— Debt collectors… — his voice trembled. — I borrowed when it all started. Thought it’d be short-term…
The world around Anna swam. They weren’t just broke — they were in debt. All these weeks, he had been playing a role, and they had been starving.
— Why didn’t you trust me? — her lips trembled.
— Because I’m a useless failure, — he exhaled with such bitterness that Anna’s heart clenched. — I promised to protect you all… And I couldn’t.
— We’ll manage, — she whispered automatically.
— HOW?! — Igor jumped up, his eyes burning wildly. — We’re on the edge of the abyss! I can’t feed my own children!
His scream woke Liza. A frightened cry came from the kids’ room.
— Wonderful, — Anna muttered through her teeth, stepping out of the room.
She held the crying Liza to her chest, although inside, everything was turning with rage. When her daughter calmed down, Anna returned to her husband. He was sitting, hunched over, at the edge of the bed.
— We need to talk this through calmly, — she said firmly, sitting down across from him. — No hysteria.
Igor slowly raised his eyes:
— What’s there to talk about? About my uselessness? About the fact that I can’t feed the family?
— About the fact that you don’t trust me, — her voice trembled. — Two months, Igor. Two months you’ve been playing this act while the kids asked if Dad would bring food.
At least her mom helped — no one went hungry.
He flinched as if slapped.
— I’m your wife. We promised to be together in sickness and health. Remember?
— I wanted to protect you, — he whispered.
— From what? From the truth? — Anna shook her head. — You didn’t protect. You made us suffer in the dark. All these days, I thought you had fallen out of love with us, that you had someone else…
— Never! — Igor suddenly leaned forward.
— Now I know. But it would have been easier to hear the truth right away.
Silence. The children’s steady breathing came from the kids’ room.
— What now? — he finally asked.
— Now we solve the problem together, — Anna took his hand. — How much do we owe?
Igor named the amount. Large, but not insurmountable.
— Good. Tomorrow we’ll call my parents. They’ll help with the first payment.
— No! — he pulled his hand away. — I won’t beg your parents.
— But you can beg the collectors? — Anna asked sharply. — Listen, you can keep playing the proud eagle and finish us off. Or admit that sometimes you need to ask for help. Your choice.
Igor looked at her as though seeing her for the first time.
— I don’t want to be a burden.
— A burden is when you give up, — she retorted. — Are you ready to fight?
— Of course! — the spark lit up in his eyes. — I’ll take any job. But no one will take me.
— Any job? — Anna looked at him closely. — Really, any job?
He hesitated:
— Just don’t suggest construction or unloading. My back…
— I remember your back, — she interrupted him. — I’m talking about delivery. Do you remember Viktor, Katya’s brother-in-law? He works in a delivery service. He said they’re always looking for people.
— A courier? — Igor grimaced. — With my education?
— With your education, we’re sitting without a penny and without food, — Anna cut him off. — Choose: either temporary delivery or we keep pretending until they throw us out on the street.
She stood up and left, feeling how anger mixed with hurt. She poured herself some water in the kitchen. Her hands were shaking.
The next days passed in heavy silence. Igor spent the whole day staring at the wall, while Anna was torn between the kids, holding back tears. Her mom’s money was running out. The future seemed bleak and uncertain.
On the fourth day, Igor got up at dawn. Took a shower, put on a clean shirt. Pale but collected:
— I’m going, — he said, standing in the doorway. — I’ll find something.
He kissed Anna on the forehead — for the first time in many weeks. He hugged each child. Olya beamed:
— Daddy’s back with us!
Tears sparkled in his eyes.
Anna didn’t ask where he was going. She just watched as the door closed, feeling a strange mix of hope and fear.
The day dragged on painfully. She played with the kids, cooked with their last supplies, constantly checking her phone. No calls, no messages.
In the evening, when anxiety became unbearable, the lock clicked. Igor stood in the doorway — tired, with dirt stains on his clothes, but his eyes… his eyes were burning.
— They took me for delivery, — he said, pulling out crumpled bills from his pocket. — Not much yet. But it’s a start.
He handed her the money:
— For food.
Igor stood frozen in the hallway, like a guilty schoolboy:
— Forgive me… Please.
Anna was silent for a long time. Inside, hurt, anger, relief, and — yes, love — were raging. Finally, she softly said:
— I love you. But I need time… Let’s try to fix everything, — Anna said quietly.
Igor nodded silently, a tear rolling down his cheek. At that moment, the children poured into the hallway, surrounding their father from all sides.
— Dad, did you bring the macaroni? — Sasha looked into his eyes, full of hope.
— Tomorrow, I’ll definitely bring it, — Igor knelt down. — And a lot of other tasty things.
Liza had already hung on his neck, and Olya was jumping around:
— Will you draw me a princess? Like before?
— I’ll draw, — he smiled. — I promise.
His gaze met Anna’s over the children’s heads. In those eyes, everything was there — regret, gratitude, and a firm resolve to fix his mistakes.
Anna felt a barely noticeable change. The problems hadn’t gone anywhere — the debts hung over them, the job was temporary, trust would take time. But for the first time in many weeks, their home was truly warm again.
Late in the evening, after putting the children to bed, they sat at the kitchen table — not as enemies, but as allies, drafting a rescue plan. They calculated the debts. Drew up a budget. Discussed the possible help from their parents — strictly as a temporary measure, with a clear repayment schedule.
Igor shared his impressions from his first day at work:
— It’s harder than I thought. But you know… — he paused, — they have good people there. One guy, a former financial director, says he’s been getting by like this for six months, but at least his family isn’t starving.
— You’ll manage, — Anna covered his hand with hers. — We’ll manage.
She could see how hard it was for him to adapt to this new role — no longer the successful manager, but just an ordinary courier. How hard it was to set aside his pride. But he was trying.
Igor’s phone buzzed with a new notification — the delivery app was notifying him about orders. A new reality. Temporary — but their shared reality.
— I want you to understand, — Anna said before bed. — For me, the numbers in the wallet don’t matter, it’s that we’re honest with each other. That we’re together. Truly.
That night, they fell asleep without letting go of each other’s hands. Many challenges lay ahead. But the most important thing was that they had become a family again, ready to face anything side by side.