— Andryusha, sweetheart, could you buy me some pomegranate juice?” Lyudmila Sergeyevna’s voice dripped with a sugary, suffering sweetness. “The doctor said it’s very good for hemoglobin. But not the boxed kind—those are full of chemicals. Fresh-squeezed. They say they make a good one in that shop three blocks away.” Olga, standing at the stove … Read more
“Irisha, the guys and I are going fishing for the whole weekend! You’ll watch Nastyukha, yeah?” Valera’s voice—loud, carrying the bracing street-cold and a clean, undiluted selfishness—burst into the apartment’s cozy stillness. Irina didn’t turn around at once. She sat at her desk in a soft set of loungewear, moving the mouse with focused precision … Read more
— “Anya, Dima needs help. You understand—I can’t manage it on my own.” Larisa Mikhailovna’s voice was soft and wrapping, like warm honey they used to give for a cough in childhood—cloyingly sweet, and nauseating. With carefully practiced nonchalance, she slid a glossy brochure across the lacquered kitchen table. Expensive, with embossed gold lettering and … Read more
Yana opened the door to her apartment and paused on the threshold, as she had gotten used to doing in recent years. A spacious living room with high ceilings, large windows letting in sunlight, parquet floors her parents had laid with their own hands. A three-room apartment in the city center—an inheritance she received after … Read more
Morning was like any other morning: a gray mug with half-finished coffee, a plate with a lonely piece of bread, and car keys tossed onto the table so the keychain gave a plaintive jingle. Tatyana sat on the edge of a stool, holding her cup with both hands as if it weren’t coffee at all, … Read more
Arina came home from work late in the evening, tired and hungry. The day had been rough—reports, meetings, and sorting out a conflict with suppliers. She worked as a procurement manager for a major retail chain; her schedule was flexible, and sometimes she had to stay until eight at night. Today was exactly one of … Read more
We’re up to our ears in debt, collectors are already ringing the doorbell, and you’re thinking about going to the sea?” the mother-in-law shrieked, clutching the left side of her chest. “You’ve got no conscience, Irka! Hand over your vacation pay if you’re so rich!” Lyudmila Arkadyevna collapsed theatrically onto a worn kitchen stool, her … Read more
Lena stood in front of the hallway mirror, studying her reflection. A gray turtleneck, old jeans, hair pulled into a careless ponytail. When was the last time she bought herself something new? Six months ago? A year? She ran a hand over her face, noticing the new little wrinkles near her eyes. Thirty-two, yet she … Read more
Mom didn’t open the door right away. First the chain slid, then her face appeared—older now, deep lines gathered around her mouth. I was holding a basket of fruit, my fingers gripping the handle so hard my knuckles turned white. Palm Sunday. Aunt Elena had talked me into trying. “Mom, I wanted to…” She looked … Read more
Marina had always been proud of her apartment. A two-room place on the fourth floor of a prefabricated panel building—not luxury, of course, but her own. She’d saved for the down payment for four years, working as a manager at a trading company, denying herself trips and new clothes. When she finally got the keys, … Read more