Galina parked the car by the entrance and turned off the engine. It had been a hard day; she just wanted to sit with Nadya and have tea with cookies. Her sister always knew how to lift her spirits.
“Nadka’s probably already putting on the samovar,” she muttered under her breath.
But then her gaze fell on a familiar blue Skoda by the neighboring entrance. Her heart skipped a beat. Valera’s plate—definitely his. What was he doing here? In the morning he’d said he’d be stuck at work until nine.
“How strange…”
Galina took out her phone and dialed her husband. Long rings. He wasn’t picking up. She tried again—the same. Her hands trembled slightly as she put the phone back in her bag.
“Maybe I’m mistaken?” she whispered, but the number was definitely Valera’s.
She climbed the stairs slowly, every step thudding in her temples. On the fourth floor she stopped in front of her sister’s door. Silence. She pressed her ear to it—there were voices inside. A man’s voice… Valera? It was him!
“How can this be?” Galina clenched her fists.
A woman’s laugh—Nadya’s. Then the man’s voice again, but she couldn’t make out the words. What were they talking about in there? Why hadn’t he told her he was going to see Nadya?
“Gal, what are you doing loitering on the landing?” Aunt Klava popped her head out of her apartment. “Come to see Nadya?”
“Yeah… just…” Galina nodded, flustered.
“She’s got company. Some man came about two hours ago.”
“Two hours?!” It burst out louder than she intended.
Aunt Klava eyed her with curiosity and disappeared behind her door. Galina listened again. Now the voices had quieted down. Maybe they’d gone into the kitchen?
“What on earth is going on?” she whispered, her thoughts tangling. “Valerka said he was at work, and he…”
She pulled out her phone and called Nadya. No answer either. Her heart was pounding harder and harder. Thirty years of marriage, and her husband… what? Cheating? With her own sister?
“That can’t be,” she shook her head. “It can’t…”
But the car was down there! And the voices behind the door! And neither of them was answering! It all added up! And she—fool that she was—had suspected nothing. Valerka was always so calm, so even-tempered. And Nadya… after her husband’s death, she had fallen apart, always asking for help.
“My God, what if they… for a long time already?” Galina felt faint.
She remembered how her husband had been staying late lately. He’d said—work, projects, the boss. And she’d believed him! Cooked dinner, waited. Old fool!
“And Nadya… my own sister!” Her fists clenched until they hurt.
She remembered how Nadya had dropped by recently, all dressed up. New haircut, manicure. Said she was going to visit a friend. What friend? Valera, maybe?
A muffled conversation came from behind the door. Galina pressed her ear closer. Valera’s voice:
“…didn’t think it would turn out like this…”
“…the main thing is that Galka doesn’t…” Nadya’s whisper.
“What?!” Galina recoiled from the door.
Her world collapsed. It just up and collapsed! Thirty years of marriage—down the drain! And her sister… Judas! A traitor!
“How could you?” Tears rose to her throat.
Her hands shook as she pulled out her phone again. She dialed Valera—busy. Nadya—the same. They were deliberately not picking up! Cowards!
“So what am I supposed to do now?” Galina leaned against the wall.
Go home? Pretend she didn’t know anything? Or burst in and make a scene? Or maybe hire a private detective? Gather evidence?
“No,” she shook her head. “I’ll get to the bottom of this myself.”
Galina drew a deep breath and listened at the door again. The voices had fallen completely silent. What were they doing in there? Maybe they’d noticed her on the landing? Aunt Klava had been jangling her keys…
“They definitely heard,” she whispered. “That’s why they went quiet.”
She took a compact mirror out of her bag and smoothed her disheveled hair. She had to pull herself together. She couldn’t show she knew anything. First, reconnoiter.
“Gal, what are you doing standing here?” a familiar voice sounded behind her.
She turned—Valera was coming up the stairs with a grocery bag. Galina stared at him, stunned.
“B—but you…” she stammered. “Your car is downstairs…”
“What car?” Valera frowned. “I came by bus. The car’s in the shop, remember? I dropped it off this morning.”
“But I saw… a blue Skoda…” Galina pointed uncertainly toward the window.
“Gal, half the city drives those.” Valera set the bag on the floor and put an arm around her shoulders. “You’re awfully pale. Are you feeling sick?”
Footsteps sounded from the apartment, the door flew open.
“Oh, Galka’s here!” Nadya peered out in a bathrobe, hair tousled. “Come in, both of you—why are you lingering on the landing?”
“Both of us?” Galina looked at her sister in confusion. “Who’s your guest?”
“No one,” Nadya yawned. “I was asleep, the TV was on. What are you so frightened about?”
“I heard voices,” Galina insisted. “There was definitely a man’s voice!”
“I was watching a cop show,” Nadya waved it off. “I had ‘The Cops’ on. The men are always yelling at each other.”
Valera glanced at his wife, worried.
“Gal, maybe we should go home? It’s been a tough day—you must be tired.”
“No!” Galina snapped. “I definitely heard a conversation! They were talking about me!”
“About you?” Nadya raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Why would they?”
“They said, ‘The main thing is that Galka doesn’t…’” Galina fixed her eyes on her sister.
Nadya hesitated for a second, then laughed.
“That’s from the show! The gangsters were discussing how to hide evidence from a detective named Galina. Were you eavesdropping at my door?”
“Not eavesdropping, I just happened to hear!” Galina blushed. “And Valera’s car is downstairs!”
“The one that’s in the shop,” her husband reminded her calmly. “Gal, let’s go look at this car.”
They went down to the yard. The blue Skoda was in the same spot, but the plates were completely different.
“See?” Valera pointed at the plate. “Not ours.”
Galina felt her cheeks burn with shame. What an idiot she was! She’d worked herself up over nothing. Thirty years married, behaving like a teenager!
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “I must have imagined it…”
“It’s okay,” Valera hugged her. “Happens. Everyone’s nerves are frayed these days.”
“Exactly,” Nadya chimed in. “Come on, let’s have tea. I baked an apple pie yesterday.”
But Galina still felt awkward. How could she have thought such a thing about the people closest to her? Valera had never deceived her. And Nadya… what was she thinking?
“Maybe we really should go home?” she suggested to her husband.
“As you like,” Valera shrugged.
Nadya looked at her sister, crestfallen.
“Gal, why are you so suspicious lately? We’re family.”
“I know,” Galina nodded. “It’s just… I’m very tired.”
“Okay, let’s drop in for a little while,” Galina agreed.
They went back up to the apartment. Nadya fussed in the kitchen, Valera settled into an armchair in front of the TV. Galina sat next to her husband, but she couldn’t calm down. Something still gnawed at her.
“Val, why are you home so early from work?” she asked. “You said you’d be there till nine.”
“The project was canceled,” he answered without taking his eyes off the screen. “The client changed his mind. The bosses sent everyone home.”
“And why the bus? Why did you take the car to the shop?”
Valera turned to her, frowning.
“Gal, are you interrogating me? There was a knocking sound under the hood. I decided to have it checked.”
“What kind of knocking?” Galina wouldn’t let up. “It was running fine this morning.”
“It started on the way to work,” Valera was getting irritated. “Why are you on my case?”
Nadya came in with a tray, set the teapot and plates of pie on the table.
“What are you two arguing about?” she asked, pouring the tea.
“Gal is grilling me,” Valera grumbled. “She doesn’t like the car, doesn’t like the time.”
“I’m not grilling you, I’m asking,” Galina defended herself. “I’m your wife, I have a right to know where my husband’s been hanging around.”
“Hanging around?” Valera raised his voice. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Take it how you want!”
Nadya looked at them anxiously.
“Oh, why are you fighting? Over what?”
“Over the fact that your sister doesn’t trust me,” Valera stood up from the armchair. “Thirty years together, and she’s spinning suspicions.”
“What suspicions?” Nadya looked from one to the other, confused.
“As if you don’t know!” Galina flared up. “I stood by your door for half an hour, listening to voices!”
“I told you—I was watching a show!”
“What show?!” Galina jumped up. “You said you were asleep!”
Nadya blinked, rattled.
“Well… I dozed off with the TV on. It happens.”
“You’re lying!” Galina jabbed a finger at her sister. “First you were asleep, then you were watching a show! You’re getting your story mixed up!”
“What story?” Nadya pouted, hurt. “Gal, what are you doing?”
“What am I doing?” Galina thumped her chest. “What are you two doing here?”
Valera sighed heavily and sat back down.
“Gal, calm down. No one’s doing anything.”
“Oh really?” Galina’s anger swelled. “Then why didn’t you answer the phone? Both of you!”
“I was in the shower,” Nadya said defensively. “Didn’t hear it.”
“And you?” Galina turned to her husband. “Were you in the shower on the bus, too?”
“The battery died,” Valera answered curtly.
“How convenient!” Galina clapped her hands. “One’s battery, the other’s shower!”
“Gal, stop,” her husband asked wearily. “You’ve worked yourself up over nothing.”
“Nothing?” Galina’s voice broke. “I’ve been married thirty years—do you think I’m a fool?”
“I don’t think so. But you’re acting strange.”
Nadya timidly offered her sister a cup of tea.
“Galka, have some tea. You’ll cool down a bit.”
“I don’t need your tea!” Galina waved her off. “I need the truth!”
“What truth?” Panic crept into Nadya’s voice. “What are you talking about?”
“You know very well what!” Galina stared her down. “And he knows!”
Valera rubbed his forehead with his palm.
“God, what a circus…”
“A circus?” Galina shot back. “I’m the one making a circus?”
“You are,” her husband said firmly. “And stop it, now.”
Valera got up heavily from the armchair and walked over to Galina.
“Fine,” he said tiredly. “You want the truth? You’ll get the truth.”
Galina froze. Her heart pounded so hard it felt like it would leap out of her chest.
“Val, don’t,” Nadya pleaded quietly.
“I have to,” he replied firmly. “Since Galka’s decided we’re plotting against her.”
“Say it already,” Galina whispered.
“I really do come to see Nadya. Regularly. For the past six months.”
Galina’s knees buckled. She sank onto a chair.
“I help her with paperwork,” Valera went on. “After Sergei died, such a mess started… inheritance, debts, banks. She couldn’t handle it alone.”
“What paperwork?” Galina asked faintly.
“Mortgage, insurance,” Nadya said, eyes downcast. “Sergei had taken out loans. I didn’t know. After the funeral, the banks started demanding repayment.”
“And you didn’t tell me?”
“I didn’t want to upset you,” Nadya sniffled. “You were already grieving over my loss.”
Valera sat beside his wife and took her hands in his.
“And I didn’t tell you because you’d immediately try to take it all on yourself. Give money, pawn the apartment… I know you.”
Galina was silent, processing what she’d heard.
“Nadya was embarrassed to ask for help,” her husband continued. “She said she’d hung on us her whole life as it was. And I thought—we’ll sort it out quietly, without making a fuss.”
“How much money is needed?” Galina asked.
“No longer needed,” Nadya smiled through tears. “Valera helped sort it out. The insurance covered the debts, and we were able to keep the apartment.”
“Good,” Valera shrugged. “Case closed.”
Galina felt shame rising in her throat. What had she done! She’d suspected her own family of betrayal!
“Forgive me,” she whispered. “I was such a fool…”
“Come on,” Nadya hugged her. “I would’ve thought all sorts of nonsense, too.”
“And I’m to blame for hiding it,” Valera admitted. “I should have told you right away.”
“You should have,” Galina agreed. “We’re family. Why keep secrets from each other?”
“We won’t anymore,” her husband promised.
“Definitely not,” Nadya nodded. “Now drink your tea before it gets cold.”
Galina took a cup and sipped. The hot, sweet tea was soothing. It was good that things weren’t as terrible as she’d imagined. Good that her loved ones had only wanted to protect each other, not betray.
“And the pie really is delicious,” she said, taking a bite.
“New recipe,” Nadya brightened. “Found it online.”
“Will you share it?”
“Of course!”
Valera drank his tea in silence, watching his wife. Galina caught his gaze.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Thirty years together. And we still haven’t learned to trust each other,” he said with a sad smile.
“It’s never too late,” Galya replied.
“That’s right,” Nadya agreed. “What matters is the will to do it.”
Galina looked at the dearest people in her life. How could she have thought ill of them? Valera—so dependable, always ready to help. Nadya—kind, responsive, never hurt anyone.
“You know what?” she said decisively. “Let’s make a pact. No more secrets. Whatever happens—we tell each other the truth.”
“Deal,” Valera nodded.
“And I agree,” Nadya smiled.
They finished their tea and the pie. Then Galina and her husband went home. They rode in silence, each lost in thought. Only at their building did Valera say:
“I’m sorry I didn’t trust you right away.”
“And I’m sorry,” Galina answered. “For doubting you.”
They hugged tightly—like in their youth, when they had just married. Back then there had been quarrels and reconciliations, too. But love had proven stronger than all suspicions and hurts.