— Mom, can I come in? I need to talk, — Natalia stood in the doorway of her parents’ apartment, clutching a large bag to her chest.
— Come in, just take your shoes off carefully, I’ve washed the floors, — her mother stepped aside to let her in. — Dad’s home, he’s reading the paper.
The apartment smelled of fried potatoes and meat patties. Fedor, the younger brother, was due back from a run, and their mother always cooked his favorites.
Natalia walked into the room, catching her breath, and sank onto the couch. Her belly was already showing beneath the loose dress.
— Are your legs swelling again? — her father asked, setting aside the newspaper. — Maybe you should see a doctor?
— I’m fine, Dad. It’s not my first time, — Natalia adjusted the pillow behind her back. — Listen, here’s what I wanted to discuss… — she hesitated. — I’ve had an idea. About the apartment.
— What apartment? — her mother had just come in with a cup of tea for her daughter.
— Yours, — Natalia took a sip of the hot tea. — Look, there’s enough space here for you and Fedya, right? One room for him, one for you. If you sold the two-room place and got yourselves a one-room…
— And give you the difference? — came a mocking voice from the doorway. Fedor was leaning against the jamb, still in his work jacket with the transport company’s logo. — I see you’re not wasting time, sis.
— Fedya, you’re back already? — their mother fussed. — I’ll heat things up…
— Later, — he waved her off, not taking his eyes off his sister. — First let’s hear what ideas we’ve got here.
— Fedya, why do you start in like that right away? — Natalia winced. — I’m being practical. You really would be fine in a one-room…
— Fine for whom? — he walked into the room and threw his long-haul bag into the corner with a thud. — Me and our parents in a one-room apartment? Or you with our money?
— Son, don’t shout like that, — their father tried to calm him. — Let’s talk this through calmly.
— What is there to talk about? — Fedor began pacing the room. — Five years ago we sold the dacha and gave it to her. Now what, the apartment too? You know what? You bought the older daughter an apartment? Then go live with her, — Fedor declared to their parents.
— I’m about to have a third child! — Natalia raised her voice too. — We need more space! Even the three-room is cramped now!
— And what am I supposed to do? — Fedor spun toward his sister. — I’m thirty-two and still don’t have a place of my own because all the family money went to you! For your three-room!
— That’s right, — Natalia snorted. — Because I actually achieved something in life. I’ve got a decent husband, a business, kids, an apartment…
— A decent husband? — Fedor burst out laughing. — The one who’s shutting down stores one after another? The whole city already knows your Pavel is up to his ears in debt.
Natalia turned pale:
— What are you even talking about?
— Oh, don’t play dumb, sis. I’m a long-haul driver, I’m all over the region. You know how many rumors are going around? In the next town two stores have already closed, here three more are barely breathing. Suppliers won’t deliver because he hasn’t paid for the old stock. So that’s what you really need the parents’ money for?
A heavy silence fell in the room. Their mother looked from daughter to son in alarm.
— Natasha, tell me that isn’t true. It isn’t, is it?
Natalia slumped on the couch:
— I didn’t want to tell you… Pavel really does have problems. Serious ones. The stores aren’t profitable, two already had to close. The suppliers are demanding their money back. If we don’t find the money fast…
— And you decided to leave our parents without a home? — Fedor shook his head. — So that we’d squeeze into a one-room while you plug your husband’s debts?
— What am I supposed to do? — Natalia flared up, her eyes reddening. — I’ve got two little ones! The third’s on the way! We could lose everything!
— Then solve your problems yourself! — Fedor barked. — Stop living off our parents! They’ve given you everything your whole life — sold the dacha, handed over all their savings! And now you want to take the last thing they have!
— You’re just jealous! — Natalia jumped up, nearly knocking over the cup. — Jealous that I made it, that I married a decent man, not like you… What are you, anyway? A driver!
— Oh sure, you “made it,” — Fedor snorted. — So much that now you want to strip our parents. Tell you what — why don’t you take them in? Since they gave you everything — the dacha, the money — let them live with you!
— What? — Natalia recoiled. — No! I have my own family, small children…
— Oh, so you can take from them, but you can’t help them? All you know how to do is pull and pull?
— You don’t understand anything! — Natalia grabbed her bag, her hands shaking. — We’re in such trouble… Pavel could lose everything!
— And we’re supposed to end up without a roof over our heads? — Fedor took a step toward his sister. — Get out. Stop milking our parents. Solve your problems yourself.
Natalia ran out, slamming the door so hard the china-cabinet glass rattled. Their mother sank into a chair and covered her face with her hands:
— Why did you have to talk to your sister like that? She’s pregnant…
— How else am I supposed to talk to her? — Fedor sat across from her and rubbed his neck wearily. His whole body ached from the long haul. — You can see it — she doesn’t care about you. All she wants is to squeeze money out of you.
— But she really is in a tough situation…
— And we aren’t? — he looked around the old apartment with its peeling wallpaper in places and cracked window paint. — Dad’s retiring in a year. Mom, your blood pressure is up and down. And she wants you to move into a one-room in a new district, far from the clinic…
— Maybe she’ll come to her senses, — their father said quietly.
But Natalia didn’t. A week went by without a word from her. Their mother tried calling — her daughter declined the calls. And then something unexpected happened — Pavel came.
Fedor was just getting ready for work — he was starting a new run. The doorbell rang. In the doorway stood his sister’s husband — gaunt, in a rumpled suit, his eyes empty.
— May I come in? — his voice was hoarse and tired. — I need to talk.
Their mother led her son-in-law to the kitchen without a word. Fedor was about to leave, but his father stopped him:
— Sit down, son. Listen. This concerns the whole family.
Pavel was silent for a long time, turning a cup of cold tea in his hands. Then he spoke:
— I came to apologize. For myself, for Natalia. We shouldn’t have dragged you into all this.
— What happened? — his mother asked quietly.
— That’s it. The business is done for, — he gave a bleak smile. — Yesterday we closed the last store. The creditors came and took the stock, the equipment, the car. I thought I’d manage somehow. I borrowed and re-borrowed… Natasha believed in me, that’s why she came to you. Thought if you sold the apartment…
— Did you think about the parents? About asking pensioners for their last thing? — Fedor couldn’t hold back.
— You’re right, — Pavel looked up. — Absolutely right. I got carried away. Decided to play big businessman and piled up loans. And when it all started to crumble, I couldn’t think straight. I’m ashamed to look you in the eye now.
— And how’s Natasha? — their mother asked anxiously.
— She cries all the time. Says she doesn’t know how to go on. She’s too ashamed to come to you after that conversation. You know how proud she is…
— But are you at least coping somehow? The kids are little…
— We’re trying, — Pavel nodded. — I’ve gotten a job as an expediter, at a wholesale company. Natalia found work too — she’ll go be an administrator at a mall once she’s out from maternity leave. We’ll live like everyone else. Just… — he faltered, — forgive us, really. We shouldn’t have dragged you into this.
When Pavel left, a heavy silence settled over the kitchen. Fedor sat staring out the window at the gray autumn courtyard. Thoughts of his sister kept circling in his head. How she’d changed over the years — from a cheerful girl into a stuck-up rich wife. And now…
— You know, son, — their father said suddenly. — You did the right thing not letting us sell the apartment. We’ve spoiled Natasha all along, forgiven her everything. And she…
A month later Natalia appeared on the doorstep again. Thinner, her belly jutting sharply, in a simple dress, without her usual jewelry or makeup. She sat right down in the hallway and burst into tears:
— Forgive me. I’m such a… You’ve done so much for me, and I…
Their mother rushed to her:
— That’s enough now. You’ll pull through somehow.
Fedor looked at his sister and didn’t recognize her — where had the proud woman gone? Here she was, tear-stained, without makeup, in worn-down shoes.
— All right, — he said at last. — Let’s let it go. From now on you live like everyone else, without putting on airs.
— Thank you, — Natalia lifted her tearful eyes. — For not letting us sell the apartment then. You were right — we have to fix things ourselves.
That evening they sat in the kitchen for a long time. Natalia told how everything had collapsed — first one store closed, then the second. How Pavel ran all over the city trying to find money. How she lay awake nights, wondering what to do next.
— You know, — she said to her brother. — I really did think we were better than everyone. That if we had money, we were somehow special. And now… Pavel delivers freight, and I’m about to go work at a mall. Like normal people.
— Good, — Fedor nodded. — There’s nothing wrong with that. I’m out there turning the wheel too — and I don’t complain.
A year passed. Natalia had her third — a boy. Pavel worked as an expediter, gone all day, but he always came home with groceries. Natalia got a remote job as a copywriter, picked it up quickly, and even got a bonus for the first quarter.
One evening Fedor stopped by his sister’s place after a run. Natalia was fussing with the kids in the kitchen:
— Oh, little brother! Come in, I’ll ladle you some soup.
— I’m just for a minute. For the little ones — he pulled a bag of candy and toys from his duffel.
The older kids squealed and rushed to their uncle. Natalia smiled:
— You’re always spoiling them.
— Why not? — Fedor tossed his nephew in the air. — Your boys are growing up just fine.
Later, when the kids ran off to their room, Natalia poured her brother some tea:
— Listen, I’ve been meaning to ask. You know that company, TransOil? They’re offering Pavel a move there, the pay is higher.
— Solid outfit, — Fedor nodded. — I work with them a lot. They pay on time.
— That’s what I tell him — take it. But he’s afraid to change anything.
— After having his own business? Makes sense. But they really do pay well there.
Natalia was quiet for a moment, then said:
— You know, I walked past our old stores recently. There’s a pharmacy chain there now. And you know — I didn’t even feel sad. As if that was all in another life.
— That’s right, — Fedor took a sip of tea. — You’re living fine now. You’ve got work, the kids are growing.
The next day Fedor stopped by his parents’. His father was reading the paper, his mother was fussing with seedlings on the windowsill.
— Fedya, have a seat, — his father set the paper aside. — Your mother and I talked it over…
— Let’s skip the preamble, Dad.
— In short, we’ve decided to give you some money. For a down payment on a mortgage. We’ve saved up a bit.
— What? — Fedor practically jumped up. — What money? You need it yourselves…
— Don’t argue with your father, — his mother cut in. — We see how long you’ve been saving. And they’ve just raised our pension…
— No way, — Fedor shook his head. — I’ll manage on my own. You keep that money.
— We know how you “manage,” — his father grumbled. — You take extra runs and work yourself ragged. Take it, don’t argue. You’ve always been our rock.
Fedor wanted to refuse, but then he thought — really, how long could he keep bouncing between rentals? And he agreed.
Two weeks later he found a suitable one-room place. Not downtown, of course, but close to work. His parents helped with the down payment; the rest was a mortgage.
— Well, now you’ve got a place of your own, — his mother said, helping him move. — No more hopping from rental to rental…
— It’s all good, Mom. I managed.
Natalia came to help too. She brought curtains and pots:
— This is from me and Pavel. It’s a housewarming, after all.
— I’ve got everything I need.
— Take it, take it, — she started putting the dishes into the cupboards. — You know, I’ve been thinking… You were right to yell at me back then. I really had gotten entitled. Always demanding and demanding…
— It’s forgotten, — Fedor waved it off. — The important thing is you understand now.
That evening, after everyone had left, he sat in the kitchen of his new apartment. The city murmured outside the window, the kettle whistled on the stove. Fedor smiled — imagine that, it all worked out after all. He bought an apartment, made up with his sister. And most importantly — his parents kept their two-room place.
He visited his parents on weekends now — brought groceries, helped around the house. His mother was always trying to send him off with meat patties:
— Take them, son. I know you don’t cook for yourself.
— I eat just fine, Mom.
— Take them, take them, — she pressed a container into his hands. — You’re my one and only.
What more do parents need? The children are close. Things worked out with Natalia, and Fedor got a place of his own. Life was slowly getting back on track