Ksenia woke to the sound of water running. Outside, it was barely dawn—March pressed its dull gray light through the curtains. The space beside her in bed was empty; Denis was already up. She stretched, yawned, and got up at an unhurried pace. The shower roared in the bathroom—he was clearly getting ready for work. … Read more
“Put the box down. Right now!” Olya’s voice jumped into a shriek—something she didn’t even expect from herself. Her hands trembled, but she locked her grip around the doorframe, blocking the way to the bedroom. Anna Viktorovna—a bulky woman with a tight chemical perm the color of overripe eggplant—froze with a cardboard box in her … Read more
I dropped the last tomato into the bowl and heard Marya Ivanovna start talking again — in that tone people use when they’re explaining something “obvious” to someone they consider slow. “Seryozha, you really should’ve looked for a better wife. You’re my golden boy.” Sergei sat opposite me, buried in his newspaper. He shrugged. Didn’t … Read more
Maxim—our brand-new head of the sales department, barely thirty—spun a pricey smartphone in his hand as if he were bored, not once looking at the projected slides. “Right here, Marina Pavlovna, I’d ask you to stop,” he said. “The charts are nice, the numbers seem to match, but… how do I put it gently… there’s … Read more
“I’m the one who buys the groceries, and this house is mine—so pack up and get out.” I cut my mother-in-law’s little performance short. Darya lived in a house she owned on the edge of the village—neat yard, a cozy heated porch, everything registered in her name long before she ever married. The house stood … Read more
Oksana bought her apartment long before she ever got married—a two-bedroom place on the second floor of a brick building. She took out a mortgage and paid it for six years. By the time she married Maksim, there wasn’t much left—just one more year until it was fully paid off. Maksim moved in with her … Read more
Elena stepped out of the метро and headed toward home. In her hands she carried a cake box from the bakery she passed every day but had never once gone into. Today was a special occasion. An October evening wrapped the city in cool air; wet leaves whispered under her shoes, but Elena barely noticed … Read more
Lena woke at six in the morning even though her alarm was set for seven. Her heart was racing, as if she weren’t simply preparing for her husband’s birthday, but about to sit an exam that could decide her whole life. Dima was turning thirty. Twenty guests were coming. And among them—Alla Viktorovna, her mother-in-law. … Read more
Alena found out about Sveta’s divorce—Sveta being her husband’s sister—through the family group chat. First came a message from her mother-in-law: “Girls, things are really hard for Svetochka right now. Let’s support her.” Then Sveta called in tears. Her voice trembled, her sentences broke apart mid-word. Andrey had left. Just packed his things and walked … Read more
I knew the day was about to go off the rails when Marina called me at three in the afternoon—four hours before the guests were due to arrive. “Ksyush… listen, don’t lose it, okay?” my sister began, using the exact voice people reserve for minor disasters. “Your mother-in-law found out about tonight.” I froze with … Read more