“Watery,” Polina Grigoryevna pushed her plate away and tapped the edge with her spoon. “I told you, beets should be grated, not chopped. And you added too much bay leaf.” The borscht steamed in a large pot on the stove. Five hours earlier, I had gotten up before dawn to make it to the market … Read more
Anton was trying to persuade his wife, Marina, to take in his recently divorced brother, Igor. “You understand, don’t you? He’s in a really… difficult situation right now,” he said. “I understand. He got divorced. He didn’t die,” Marina replied sharply. “Do you even realize what you’re asking me?” Anton tried to pressure her with … Read more
Olga was sitting in the kitchen while her husband, Sergey, rushed around the apartment looking for the documents for the apartment. His mother, Galina Petrovna, sat in an armchair with the expression of a judge. Sergey was hurrying to get everything ready for the sale so they could buy a house outside the city, but … Read more
Elena Pavlovna appeared in the kitchen as if she were about to save the motherland. A cabinet door slammed, dishes clinked. “Have you completely lost your nerve? Shampoo for eight hundred rubles?! What is it, golden soap? Do you understand how much money that is? If you want luxury, buy it with your own salary!” … Read more
“Either you take him today, or I’ll just tie him up by the highway,” the man in the expensive jacket said irritably, pushing the leash across the counter. Vera looked up from the intake log and clenched her teeth. At the other end of the leash sat a large black dog with intelligent eyes. He … Read more
“Have you completely lost your mind? What is this exhibition you’ve got here for strangers to see?!” Oksana froze in the hallway, not even having time to take off her boots. Her mother-in-law’s voice rang out from the bedroom so loudly, as if she hadn’t been rummaging through someone else’s wardrobe but conducting an inspection … Read more
Dad, I don’t understand… Is this some kind of mistake?” Artyom’s voice trembled as he ran his finger across the cold tablet screen, where the will file was open. His name had been neatly crossed out. With a blue pen. In firm, decisive lines. I watched him from behind the desk, trying to remain calm. … Read more
“The sea is canceled,” Leonid said without looking up from his phone. “My mother is coming to stay with us.” I was standing in the middle of the bedroom with an open suitcase. In my hands was a swimsuit. New, with the tag still on it. My first one in seven years. “What do you … Read more
— Sign it! The bank is waiting! Don’t you understand? We’ll be thrown out onto the street! Andrey was shouting so loudly that the upstairs neighbor seemed to stop stomping around. On the kitchen table lay a sale-and-purchase agreement for my apartment. Next to it was a pen. Behind my husband stood an unfamiliar man … Read more
Nina, are you going through my papers again?” Gennady entered the room so quietly that I flinched. “I’m looking for my glasses,” I said, without lifting my eyes from the desk. “Your glasses are in the bedroom. I saw them this morning. Go.” His voice was even. I knew that voice well — it appeared … Read more