Nina inserted the key into the lock and turned it. Her palm slipped, and the key clinked against the metal door handle. She was so tired that even opening the door was difficult. The twelve-hour shift at the clinic where she worked as a nurse had drained all her strength. She wanted only one thing: to collapse on the couch and not move. But at home, her son was waiting, needing to be fed, and her husband Viktor. And she still had to heat up dinner — though what for was a big question.
Nina entered the apartment, bent down with difficulty to take off her shoes, and grimaced. Her legs were buzzing as if she had stood all day on hot coals. Recently, management had introduced a new schedule that stretched shifts to the limit.
“Hi, are you home?” Nina called, walking inside.
From the room came the muffled sound of the TV and Viktor’s voice:
“Yes, Tema and I are watching cartoons.”
Nina threw her bag on the hallway table and went to the kitchen. The first thing she did was open the fridge. Inside was bleak: a bag of buckwheat, three eggs, and a piece of bread already as hard as a rock. In the vegetable drawer lay two lonely carrots and half a cabbage. The freezer was completely empty, not even frost to cling to.
“Again, pasta with eggs,” Nina said bitterly, closing the fridge door.
Viktor appeared at the kitchen doorway. He was wearing a home T-shirt and sweatpants. It was obvious he had spent the day completely relaxed.
“When do you get your paycheck?” Viktor asked, leaning against the door frame.
“In two days,” Nina replied, turning on the kettle. “And you?”
“Well, I told you they’re delaying mine; the project is taking longer than planned.”
Viktor worked as a freelance programmer. The money came irregularly but usually in large sums. That was why all the fixed expenses — rent, mortgage, kindergarten for Artem — fell on Nina’s shoulders. The nurse’s salary wasn’t large but was steady.
“Tema, come eat,” Nina called to her son.
Artem, a five-year-old bundle of energy, ran into the kitchen.
“Mom, what’s for dinner? I want cutlets!”
Nina sighed, opening the cupboard with grains.
“Today we have pasta with eggs, sweetie.”
“Again?” Artem said disappointedly.
“Yes, again,” Nina answered a little more sharply than she wanted. “If you eat well, you’ll grow big and strong.”
While Nina prepared the simple dinner, her phone vibrated in the pocket of her robe. A message from the bank. “What now?” Nina wondered, wiping her hands on a towel.
Opening the message, she froze. “60,345 rubles withdrawn from the account. Recipient: LLC ‘Tour-Voyage.’”
“Vitya,” Nina said slowly, feeling blood rush to her cheeks. “What is this?”
Viktor looked up from his phone at his wife, puzzled.
“What are you talking about?”
“This,” Nina showed the screen of her phone. “Sixty thousand! Where from? Where to? Why?”
Viktor looked away, furrowing his brow slightly as if caught doing something he hoped to hide.
“Oh, that… I paid for Mom’s trip. The doctor recommended she go to the sea, her blood pressure is up.”
“Mom?!” Nina’s hands began to shake. “You paid for your mother’s trip from our account? Without a single word to me?”
“Well, what’s wrong with that?” Viktor shrugged. “She’s my mother.”
“And what about us?!” Nina burst out, unable to hold back. “We’ve been without meat for a month while you pay for your mom’s vacation?!”
“Don’t start,” Viktor frowned. “Mom is sick. She has high blood pressure.”
“My blood pressure is about to rise too!” Nina tried to speak quietly so Artem wouldn’t hear. “We’re drowning in debts. Mortgage, rent, kindergarten… I’m working myself to the bone, and you…”
“Quiet,” Viktor interrupted her. “Not in front of the child. Why are you yelling? We’re fine with money.”
“Fine?!” Nina gestured toward the fridge. “Look inside! Two weeks of buckwheat and pasta. Artem doesn’t see meat; fruit is a holiday treat. And you just took sixty thousand and transferred it!”
Viktor crossed his arms.
“My mom needs to maintain her health. Is that a crime? I don’t want to be a bad son.”
“And a husband? What kind of husband do you want to be?” Nina felt anger turn to despair. “What trip, Vitya? We have a nineteen-thousand-ruble mortgage monthly, eight thousand utilities, twelve for kindergarten. What are we going to live on?”
Viktor looked toward the room where Artem was sitting in front of the TV again.
“Well, we’ll endure a bit. The project will pay me soon. Big money.”
“Like last time? And the time before that?” Nina asked wearily. “When you gave your mom money for a new phone because she didn’t like the old one? And then for a fur coat because ‘winter will be cold’?”
“Don’t twist my words,” Viktor snapped. “I help my family; what’s wrong with that?”
“And us?” Nina gestured around the kitchen. “Artem and I — aren’t we your family?”
Viktor sighed heavily and stepped toward the kitchen exit.
“I’m not going to discuss this. You’re just upsetting yourself again.”
Nina felt everything inside tremble with helplessness. They had come back to this conversation more than once, always with the same result — nothing changed. Viktor continued giving money to his mother, and their family tightened their belts.
“You know,” Nina said quietly, looking into her husband’s eyes, “I’m tired. Tired of working two jobs to feed the family. Tired of saving on everything, even food for the child. Tired that your mother is more important to you than we are.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” Viktor waved irritably. “I’m not choosing anyone. Mom just needs support and money right now. Why can’t you understand that?”
“Why can’t you understand that we need money too?” Nina crossed her arms. “How old is your mother? Sixty-three? She’s retired, gets a good pension, plus works part-time at a tailor’s. She has her own apartment with no payments. And with all that, she can’t pay for a vacation herself?”
Viktor pressed his lips together.
“Mom worked for me her whole life. She raised me alone after the divorce. I owe her.”
“And what about me? What do I owe you?” Nina felt tears welling but held them back by force of will. “And Artem?”
Viktor was silent, looking past Nina.
“Mom, I’m hungry!” Artem’s voice came from the room.
“I’m coming, sunshine,” Nina replied and turned to the stove to plate the pasta.
The next day started as usual — Nina woke at five, got ready for work, made breakfast for Artem, and woke Viktor to take their son to kindergarten. All day at the clinic she thought about the situation at home. About how money slipped through their fingers. About how Viktor didn’t see a problem with his mother Galina Petrovna vacationing at a five-star hotel while their own family economized even on food.
In the evening, Nina came home earlier than usual. She went to the store and bought the cheapest vegetables — carrots, onions, cabbage. For dinner, she decided to make vegetable soup. There was no money for meat, and she didn’t want to buy it on principle — let Viktor see what his spending had led to.
In the kitchen, Nina slowly chopped vegetables, watching the broth made from a single onion and a couple of carrots turn a pale yellow. Thin, almost transparent. The picture was completed by a few strips of cabbage floating on the surface.
When Viktor came home with Artem, three bowls of soup were already on the table.
“Mom, what are we eating today?” Artem asked, climbing into his chair.
“Vegetable soup,” Nina answered.
“Will there be meat?” the boy asked hopefully.
“No, Tema, no meat,” Nina shot a quick glance at Viktor. “There’s no money for meat.”
Viktor frowned but said nothing, sitting down. He tasted the soup and grimaced.
“Did you forget to add salt?”
“No, I didn’t,” Nina replied. “We just ran out of salt, and I can’t buy more. All the money went to pay for your mom’s trip.”
Viktor put down his spoon.
“Here you go again…”
“I’m not starting,” Nina answered calmly. “I’m stating a fact.”
A heavy, awkward silence fell over the table. Only the clinking of spoons against bowls and Artem’s occasional sighs as he tried to eat the tasteless soup.
“Can I not finish it?” the boy asked quietly. “I don’t want this soup.”
“You can, sunshine,” Nina stroked her son’s head. “Go play.”
Artem got down from the chair and ran to his room. Viktor stared at his bowl without looking up.
“Are you doing this on purpose?” Viktor asked.
“What exactly?” Nina raised an eyebrow. “Cooking food from what I can afford? Yes, on purpose. Because I have no other choice.”
Viktor sighed.
“Listen, I understand you’re upset…”
“I’m not upset, Vitya,” Nina interrupted. “I’ve made a decision.”
“What decision?” Viktor frowned.
“I’ve blocked your access to our joint account,” Nina said calmly. “And changed the passwords on the banking app. Now all expenses you want to make have to be discussed with me.”
Viktor stared at Nina incredulously.
“What did you do?”
“What I should have done a long time ago,” Nina stood up and began clearing the table. “I’m tired of our family budget being only my salary, while your money goes somewhere unknown.”
“Not somewhere unknown, but to my mother,” Viktor raised his voice.
“Exactly,” Nina nodded. “To your mother. Who, by the way, called today and invited us to spend the weekend at her place. I said no.”
“Why?” Viktor stood up, his face twisted in surprise and outrage.
“Because I’m no longer going to pretend everything’s okay,” Nina said. “I won’t smile at your mother knowing she’s going on vacation at our expense while we starve here.”
“You’re exaggerating,” Viktor shook his head. “Nobody’s starving.”
“Really?” Nina smiled bitterly. “Look in the fridge. See how your son eats. Remember when we last bought him new clothes or toys.”
Viktor opened his mouth to argue, but Nina raised her hand to stop him.
“It’s not just about money, Vitya. It’s that you don’t see the problem. You think it’s normal that your mother is more important than your wife and son.”
“I don’t think that…”
“You do,” Nina said firmly. “Your actions say so. And you know what? I can’t live like this anymore. Either you start taking responsibility for this family — pay the mortgage, utilities, kindergarten, buy groceries. Or…” Nina hesitated, then continued, “Or we’ll have to think about whether we should live together.”
Viktor looked at Nina as if seeing her for the first time.
“Are you threatening me with divorce?”
“I’m not threatening,” Nina shook her head. “I’m telling you I won’t live in a family where I come second after your mother.”
Viktor clenched his fists, then slowly unclenched them.
“You know what? I’ll go for a walk. I need to think.”
Nina nodded.
“Think.”
That evening Viktor returned home with a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates. He found Nina composing a new family budget — she was sitting at the kitchen table with a calculator and notebook, carefully noting all expenses.
“Nin, let’s talk,” Viktor said, holding out the flowers.
Nina looked up from the papers and at the bouquet.
“Why did you buy these? I haven’t unblocked the credit card yet.”
Viktor put down the flowers.
“Listen, I realized I was wrong…”
“Really?” Nina put down the pen. “In what way?”
“Well…” Viktor hesitated. “I should have consulted you about the money for Mom.”
“And that’s it?” Nina raised an eyebrow.
“What do you want?” Viktor started getting annoyed. “I admitted I was wrong, apologized, even bought flowers!”
“I want you to understand the essence of the problem,” Nina replied. “It’s not that you didn’t consult me. It’s that you live with us, but your priorities are your mother.”
Viktor shook his head.
“Here you go again… Nina, understand, she’s my mother! Of course, I have to help her!”
“And I’m your wife,” Nina said quietly. “And Artem is your son. And we should be first. You don’t see the difference between helping your mother in a hard moment and constantly financing her whims at the expense of your own family’s welfare.”
Viktor put the flowers on the table.
“I can’t say no to Mom.”
“I know,” Nina nodded. “That’s why I made this decision.”
“What decision?” Viktor tensed.
“I’m not going to control your finances or tell you where to spend money anymore,” Nina said calmly. “I just won’t cover our shared expenses with my salary anymore. Every month I’ll set aside money for mortgage, utilities, and kindergarten. The rest — food, clothes, and so on — you’ll pay. And if you decide to give all the money to your mother — fine. But then you’ll have to explain to Artem why he has nothing to eat.”
Viktor looked at Nina in surprise.
“Are you serious?”
“Absolutely,” Nina nodded. “And one more thing. I won’t communicate with your mother anymore. No calls, no meetings. If you want to see her — fine. But neither I nor Artem will be involved.”
“You can’t forbid your son from seeing his grandmother!” Viktor protested.
“I can,” Nina said firmly. “Until your mother understands that she can’t drain the last money from her son knowing he has a family barely making ends meet.”
Viktor was silent for a long time, looking at Nina.
“You know, you’ve changed,” Viktor finally said. “You weren’t this… tough before.”
“I haven’t changed,” Nina shook her head. “I’m just tired of enduring.”
The following days passed in tense silence. Viktor tried to talk, apologize, even brought home groceries — meat, fruit, sweets for Artem. But Nina was adamant. She no longer wanted words or temporary gestures — only real changes in their relationship.
Then Galina Petrovna called. Nina didn’t answer, and her mother-in-law left an angry message accusing her daughter-in-law of turning Viktor against his own mother. When Viktor came home, Nina played the recording without a word.
“So what do you want me to do?” Viktor asked after listening.
“I want you to decide for yourself, Vitya,” Nina replied. “Who’s more important to you — your mother, who thinks only of herself, or your family.”
Viktor was silent for a long time, then said:
“I can’t choose between you.”
“You don’t have to,” Nina said. “Just set priorities. Who is first, who is second. It doesn’t mean you have to give up your mother. It means the well-being of your family should be more important to you.”
But Viktor never managed to do this. A week after their conversation, Nina came home from work and saw her husband’s things were gone. On the table lay a note: “Sorry. I can’t live like this. I’ll stay with Mom for now.”
Nina looked at the note and felt a strange relief. As if the heavy burden she had carried for years suddenly fell off her shoulders. She was no longer responsible for three lives — her own, Artem’s, and Viktor’s. Now only two.
“Mom, where’s Dad?” Artem asked when he returned from kindergarten.
“Daddy will live with grandma,” Nina replied, hugging her son. “For some time. And you and I will be together.”
“Will we have enough money?” Artem asked seriously, looking at his mother with wide eyes.
Nina smiled. At five years old, her son was already worried about finances — a result of a life of constant saving.
“There will be enough, sunshine,” Nina stroked the boy’s head. “Mom has a good job. We’ll manage.”
And indeed, they managed. Without having to support Viktor and his mother, money was enough. Not for luxury, of course, but for a normal life — with meat in the fridge, fruits for Artem, and even small pleasures for herself.
A month later, Nina went to the store for the first time in a long time and bought what she wanted, not just what was discounted. She bought her son a new toy — a robot Artem had long dreamed of. And for herself — a beautiful blouse, the first new thing in two years.
“Mommy, you’re so beautiful!” Artem said when Nina tried on her new blouse.
“Thank you, sunshine,” Nina smiled, looking at her reflection. The eyes no longer held the tiredness or despair of before. Now there was confidence. The confidence of a woman who knows she can handle it on her own.
Viktor called two months later. He said he wanted to come back. That he realized he was wrong. That he couldn’t live without them and Artem.
“And your mother?” Nina asked.
“I talked to her,” Viktor answered. “Explained that I can’t give her so much money anymore. That I have my own family to care for.”
Nina was silent.
“Nin, please,” Viktor’s voice pleaded. “I understand now. Really.”
“I’ll think about it,” Nina answered after a pause. “But if you come back, everything will be different. No more spending without discussing it. No money to your mom without my agreement. And no more ‘my mother is more important.’”
“I agree,” Viktor said quickly. “I agree to everything.”
“Then come,” Nina said. “Artem misses you.”
And though she wasn’t sure Viktor had really changed, Nina was ready to give their family another chance. But now on her terms. She would no longer allow herself and her son to be second best. And if Viktor again failed to set priorities correctly — well, Nina knew she could handle it herself. She had the strength and confidence for that.