“We’ve decided we’re coming to your place for New Year’s,” her mother declared, almost ceremonially. “So start preparing. Five days, at the very least.” “Hold on… what? For New Year’s? To our place? But… we agreed with our friends a month ago… We’re all celebrating together.” Veronika was standing at the stove, stirring soup. In … Read more
“First earn your own money—then you can fling it around left and right! Do you think I don’t know who actually brings money into your family? Of course you’re the one who spends it! And my dear Dima is still driving that old heap. You’ve drained him dry!” Zhenya woke up early, with that familiar, … Read more
— “I’m not staying at home. Especially since… I was promoted. I’m the head of the department now.” — “How is that even possible?!” he finally exploded, slamming the words down as if he’d hit the table. “It’s… it’s YOU! Just Sveta. Ordinary Sveta. Our Sveta. Why would they promote you? Huh? Who did you … Read more
“I need to get out to the dacha—urgently. Check how the house made it through the winter,” Irina said, glancing at the calendar and trying to figure out when she could finally escape the city. Spring was already in full bloom, and she still hadn’t managed to make the trip. Work, household chores, constant running … Read more
— Pack your things, Natasha. You have exactly one hour. Igor’s voice was so casual, as if he were ordering pizza—not shattering ten years of our life. He stood in the entryway, carelessly leaning against the doorframe, and didn’t even bother to take off his shoes. Next to him, clutching his elbow, stood HER. Slim, … Read more
“I’ve forgiven you for everything. Come back,” Viktor said, standing beside my new Mazda and stroking the hood as if it were a purebred horse. “Alyosha needs his father. And it’s hard for you alone.” “Hard?” I hitched my bag higher on my shoulder. “It was hard when you threw us out in January. Now? … Read more
— Anyway, get ready, Sveta. Tomorrow morning we’re going to Mom’s dacha, — Andrey said matter-of-factly, hooking a forkful of mashed potatoes and putting it into his mouth. He spoke as if it were something settled long ago—obvious, unquestionable. Svetlana went still. Her fork, with a piece of chicken on it, hung halfway to her … Read more
— “Sveta, come on… why are you blowing up right away? Mom only asked what we were having for dinner,” Denis coaxed, his voice soft and almost pleading. He could already feel the air in their tiny kitchen turning thick and sticky, like jelly setting. Sveta didn’t reply. She kept stirring in silence—slow circles in … Read more
“Kostya, why does the app say ‘passenger validation error’? Are you sure you entered the passport details correctly when I asked you to check?” Arina spoke without lifting her eyes from the laptop, her fingers tapping nervously against the touchpad. The room was filled with that particular restless chaos that always comes before a major … Read more
“Why didn’t you answer your phone for the last three hours?” Sveta’s voice wasn’t loud—just thick and muffled, as if it were coming from inside a barrel. She stood in the hallway, leaning all her weight on her healthy left leg, twisting the right one at an awkward angle to keep pressure off the swollen … Read more