Lera always tried to keep her composure when it came to Valentina Mikhailovna. Her mother-in-law would come to their apartment two or three times a week, and every visit turned into a trial. The September days were getting shorter, and Lera’s mood was growing worse. Valentina Mikhailovna adored throwing feasts. She would arrive with bags … Read more
Every morning, Yulia woke to the sound of raindrops tapping on the windowsill and saw gray clouds outside the window. The weather seemed to mirror her mood—anxious, uncertain, full of vague suspicions. For the third week in a row, her husband Igor packed a gym bag and announced: “My parents aren’t feeling well. I’m going … Read more
My son Paulo had been married to Mira for only a week. Their wedding in Batangas was simple—no grand hotel, no crystal chandeliers—just our church, plastic chairs under a tarp, pots of pancit and kaldereta steaming on long tables. Yet it was perfect: laughter loud enough to rattle the windows, tears that tasted of hope, … Read more
Five years after losing my wife, my daughter and I went to my best friend’s wedding. My world caved in the instant he lifted the bride’s veil. As Alma whispered, “Daddy, why are you crying?” the bride met my eyes—and everything shattered. I hadn’t planned to set foot at that party. My coworker Marcos practically … Read more
“Mom, we’ve been thinking,” my son Oleg began cautiously the moment he stepped over the threshold. His wife Anya, standing behind him, nodded energetically, performing universal agreement. She brought into the hallway the scent of expensive perfume—and a cloying kind of anxiety. “This always ends badly,” I said as I closed the door behind them. … Read more
I was sitting at my laptop when Andrey came back from work. Hearing the click of the front door, I quickly minimized the tab with the bank statement and opened the translation text. My husband peeked into the study and planted a casual kiss on the top of my head. “Good evening, worker bee. How’s … Read more
Alexey was sorting through documents when Svetlana walked into the kitchen and tossed medical certificates onto the table. “The doctors said surgery is inevitable. Six hundred thousand rubles,” she sank onto a chair, massaging her lower back. “We’re selling the dacha.” “What dacha?” Alexey looked up from the papers. “Don’t pretend. Your father died ten … Read more
September had brought a chill to the evenings, and Irina had just finished making dinner when the doorbell rang. Alexei opened it, and his relatives swept into the apartment as a noisy crowd: his mother, Valentina Mikhailovna; his sister, Lena, with her two children—seven-year-old Masha and five-year-old Denis; and right behind them, his brother Viktor. … Read more
Lilia was putting the child’s clothes away in the dresser when the front door slammed with unusual force. Five-year-old Maksim was already asleep in his bed, and the woman tried not to make any noise. The autumn evening outside was quiet; only occasionally did fallen leaves rustle under the feet of the rare passersby. Her … Read more
Natalia opened the door to her two-room apartment and headed straight for the kitchen. The October evening had turned out rainy, and after a hard day at the design agency she wanted to quickly cook something warm and hearty. Sergei was due back from work in half an hour, and Natalia planned to greet her … Read more