“That’s it, Nastya. What’s between us is over. I want a real family. I want children. You can’t give me that. I waited, I was patient, I kept hoping. I need a son. I’ve already filed for divorce. You have three days to pack your things. Call me when you’re gone. I’ll stay with my mother for now. Hurry up—I need to get the apartment ready for the baby and his mother. And yes, don’t look so surprised—my future wife is already expecting. Three days. Not a minute more.”
Nastya said nothing. There was nothing left to say.
It was true—she had never managed to get pregnant. Mikhail had waited for five years. In that time, they had gone through three painful losses.
She had seen countless doctors, but every one of them said the same thing: she was healthy. Then why had nothing worked?
Nastya took care of herself, lived carefully, watched her health. But the last time, she had suddenly felt unwell at work. Someone called an ambulance, and everything happened too fast…
…The front door slammed, and Nastya sank weakly onto the sofa.
She had no strength to pack. No desire, either. And she had nowhere to go. Before the marriage, she had lived with her aunt. Her aunt was gone now, and her cousin had sold the apartment. Should she return to the village, to her grandmother’s old house? Rent somewhere? What about work?
Dozens of questions spun through her head, each one demanding an answer.
The next morning, her mother-in-law walked into the apartment.
“Not sleeping? Good. I came to make sure you don’t take anything that isn’t yours.”
“I definitely don’t need your son’s old underwear. Are you planning to inspect my things too?”
“Well, look at that. Such rudeness. You used to be quiet and polite… Now everything makes sense. I told Misha after the first time—you’d never be able to give him a child.”
“Did you come here just to say that? Then maybe stay silent and watch.”
“Where do you think you’re taking that china set?”
“It’s mine. It belonged to my aunt. It’s all I have left of her.”
“The place will look empty without it!”
“That’s not my concern. At least now you’ll have your grandchild.”
“Take only what belongs to you.”
“My laptop is mine. The coffee machine and microwave were gifts from my coworkers. I bought the car before I got married. Your son already has his own.”
“You have everything except the one thing that matters—you can’t give birth.”
“That is none of your business. There’s nothing wrong with me. Maybe life simply chose otherwise.”
“Listen to you—not even sorry. Maybe you ruined it all on purpose.”
“You’re talking nonsense. It hurts enough just to think about it.”
Nastya looked around the apartment. Hardly any of her belongings were left. A hairbrush. Some makeup. Slippers.
Then suddenly she remembered something important—the cat figurine. There was a hidden compartment inside it, where she kept a pair of earrings and a ring. They weren’t expensive, but they were priceless to her because they had belonged to her grandmother. Mikhail always called it junk. Had he thrown it away?
He usually dumped unwanted things on the balcony.
Nastya opened the balcony door.
“Did you forget something else? If you’re packed, then leave already!” her mother-in-law shouted from the other room. “Saying goodbye? Then say goodbye. You’ll never have a life like this again.”
Luckily, the cat figurine was there. Everything inside was untouched.
“Here are the keys. Goodbye. I hope we never see each other again.”
Nastya stopped by the office. Technically, she was still on medical leave, but she decided to arrange some vacation time.
“We feel awful for you, but it’s hard without you… Will three weeks be enough? Just please stay reachable. Half the projects will stall without you.”
“All right. I need to get away from everything. Thank you.”
“Do you need any help?”
“No.”
“I’ll make sure your vacation pay and bonus are processed.”
“Thank you. That really helps right now.”
Instead of looking for a place to stay, Nastya drove to the village.
No one was waiting for her there. Her grandmother had passed away three years earlier. She had never known her mother—she died giving birth. And now Nastya herself couldn’t become a mother…
An hour later, she reached the house. The apple tree. The flowerbeds with tulips…
The last time she and Mikhail had been there was in autumn. They had grilled шашлык, relaxed, and spent the weekend together.
Nastya pulled into the yard. The key to the garage was inside the house.
She unlocked the door and stepped in. Silence. Dirty dishes were sitting on the table.
But she had cleaned before leaving. So someone had been there.
Two mugs. Plates. Empty juice cartons. A bottle of Mikhail’s favorite champagne… all of it fresh.
So he had come. And not alone.
Still, it didn’t matter anymore.
She was the only one who had a key. Apparently, he had made a copy. That meant the locks had to be changed.
A new life. First, cleaning. Then a hot bath.
Nastya wanted to wash everything off herself—the pain, the past, the bitterness.
She was about to get out when someone knocked on the door, then on the window.
“Who is it?”
“Is everything all right in there?”
“Yes…” she answered, surprised.
“Sorry for disturbing you.”
Nastya stepped outside. A man she had never seen before was standing in the yard.
“I’m sorry, I probably scared you. I’m your neighbor. I noticed smoke coming from the chimney and then didn’t see anyone, so I thought maybe something had happened.”
“Thank you, but everything’s fine.”
“Are you related to Mikhail? He was here recently with a woman… Are you his sister?”
“No. I’m almost his ex-wife.”
“I see… So the house is yours?”
“Yes. Mine.”
“I’m staying next door for a while. Going through a divorce too… Tomorrow I’ll officially be a free man. Sorry. If you need help with anything, just ask. My name is Igor.”
“Nastya. Wait… could you change the lock?”
“Of course. Whenever you want.”
“As soon as possible. I’ll buy a new one tomorrow.”
“I can take a look and buy it myself. I’m driving into town anyway.”
“All right.”
Two weeks passed. She had one more week of vacation left before she had to go back. Nastya had already grown used to the quiet and didn’t want to leave at all.
Mikhail never called. He only sent a message with the date of the divorce hearing.
And that was for the best. She had no wish to see him.
On Saturday, Igor invited her to walk with him to the lake.
Nastya was not looking to start anything new, but a walk was just a walk.
They spent the day pleasantly and returned home in the evening.
Mikhail’s car was parked by the gate. He had just arrived. He got out first, then helped a pregnant woman out of the passenger seat.
Nastya and Igor walked up to the gate. Mikhail was trying to unlock the door, but he couldn’t.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“And what exactly are you doing here? Why are you trying to break into someone else’s house?” Nastya replied calmly.
Mikhail froze.
“This is our house!” his companion snapped.
“Oh really? And who told you that? Misha? This house belongs to me. Please leave my property.”
“Misha, who is this?! Your ex?! Throw her out!” the woman screamed hysterically.
Nastya and Igor exchanged a glance and almost laughed.
Without saying a word, Mikhail put the woman back in the car and drove away.
“What a cheerful future he’s got ahead of him,” Igor remarked dryly.
“At least he’ll have a child. I couldn’t… three times… sorry…”
“My marriage ended because my wife didn’t want children.”
Four years passed.
By chance, Nastya ran into her former mother-in-law in a supermarket.
“Nastya? I almost didn’t recognize you… I kept staring, wondering if it was really you. Are you… pregnant?”
“Yes,” Nastya said with a smile, gently touching her belly.
“Misha’s life turned out badly… My grandson was born weak, some kind of problem passed down through the male side of the family… His wife ran away and left the child with us. And you… did you decide to have a baby on your own?”
“No. I’m not alone. I have a family now. Excuse me, I have to go—they’re waiting for me.”
“I see… Forgive me. For everything…”
“I wish you patience.”
Her former mother-in-law stood there watching Nastya walk away. Igor was beside her, holding her hand, and on the other side walked a little girl who looked astonishingly like her mother.