Alright, Katya, sorry for yesterday…” Katerina stood, turned away from the stove, pouring coffee for her husband, and remained silent. “Come on, don’t sulk. You know me. I got carried away.” “Alright,” she turned toward the table, lowered her eyes, placed two cups of coffee on it, and adjusted the terry bathrobe around her neck. … Read more
Kristina, while in the maternity hospital, learned that her mother-in-law had moved in with them. The young parents were quickly pushed aside by the newly-minted grandmother from their son. At home, Kristina noticed that the baby bath and a pack of diapers she had bought were on the balcony. – “How wonderful that you’re having … Read more
I was standing by the stove, stirring tomato sauce, when Dmitry burst into the kitchen. His loud footsteps echoed on the old wooden floors of our rented one-room apartment. In his hands, he had a worn backpack, which he immediately threw on a chair. The smell of gasoline and tobacco smoke followed him—he had obviously … Read more
Alyna, Alyna, it can’t be, is it really you?” – a male voice sounded. She flinched and slowly turned around. Standing before her was Andrei. The same Andrei, her first love, the one who had nearly gotten her stepfather to kill her. Alyna glanced at her husband, who was talking to the doctor at that … Read more
You’re not seriously expecting my Nikita to take care of someone else’s child, are you?” Svetlana Petrovna delicately placed the porcelain cup on its saucer. “The boy is already grown. It’ll do him good to learn independence.” Irina felt the air freeze around her. The perfect silver hair, manicured nails, expensive jewelry—everything about her mother-in-law … Read more
Len, are you out of your mind? We just had our own baby!” — Alexey slammed the cupboard door in irritation. “What adoption are you talking about?” Elena stood by the window, looking at the grey February day. The maternity hospital was on the outskirts of their small town, and the view from the room … Read more
Who is a child without roots? No one. A ghost that accidentally found a physical shell.” “Does that mean you always felt like a ghost?” Mikhail asked as he stirred his coffee in my stylish kitchen. I looked at him—my only friend who knew the whole truth. The man who helped me find her. The … Read more
Alina squeezed into the crowded bus with difficulty. She hadn’t been to these parts in a long time — ever since her grandmother passed away, she’d only visited the village once. After that, it just never worked out — studies, fun, life. Honestly, even that one visit she would rather erase from memory. That was … Read more
The tap water trickled sluggishly—rust‑colored and foul‑smelling. Lyuda set the kettle under the spout. Outside, dusk was falling, the April evening invading the city earlier than usual. She watched the kettle fill and thought, “Eighteen years… Eighteen years I’ve been drinking this stinky water—wish someone would install a filter.” “Lyudka, where have you disappeared to?” … Read more
Nadezhda had always known how to work. At twenty‑two, after earning her degree in economics, she got a job at a small company. Five years later, she was already heading the finance department at a large firm. Her schedule—six days a week, often staying late into the evening—never elicited a single complaint from her. Everyone … Read more