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<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Natasha tensed up inside when she saw her husband\u2019s niece, Oleska.<\/p>\n
The girl, avoiding eye contact and sniffing, handed over a folded square sheet of paper and quickly ran away.<\/p>\n
Natasha unfolded the paper, she internally expected something like this, so the written content didn\u2019t shock her.<\/p>\n
\u201cNatasha, I\u2019m leaving, forgive me.<\/p>\n
Yes, I\u2019m acting like a coward, but I\u2019m exhausted, I can\u2019t do it anymore, forgive me, I won\u2019t abandon the children, but I can\u2019t live with you. I\u2019ve sold the house, here\u2019s your share. Go to your mother\u2019s. It should be enough for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n
Natasha indifferently dropped her arms and stood quietly swaying, looking indifferently at the scattered papers.<\/p>\n
\u201cNatashenka\u2026 what is it?\u201d Grandma Vera whispered, looking into Natasha\u2019s eyes, \u201cA telegram?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all good\u2026 go have some tea, I need to get the cookies out before they burn.\u201d<\/p>\n
The room filled with the smell of vanillin and burnt dough.<\/p>\n
She expected something like this; the house was Victor\u2019s, inherited from his grandmother. Lately, he had been coming home less at night, claiming he was delayed at his brother\u2019s place, where they were building a pigsty.<\/p>\n
He said it needed to be done before the frost. Natasha heard vague rumors; Victor\u2019s wife, Svetlana with darting eyes, tried to tell her something, hinted at things, but Natasha either couldn\u2019t hear or didn\u2019t want to.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom,\u201d ten-year-old Vanyushka peeked from the street, \u201cMom, Uncle Petya, our neighbor, is asking for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGrandma, watch over Katyusha, I\u2019ll be right back,\u201d she said, throwing on her coat and stepping outside.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, Natalya, hello, I just came to check, you know\u2026 How is it\u2026 that thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs this about the house?\u201d<\/p>\n
He nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t freak out, if not me, then someone else would. And you know\u2026 live here as long as you need, until my Ksenka grows up, I\u2019m doing this for her\u2026 you know, neighborly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGive me three days, and I\u2019ll move out,\u201d she said dryly and went back inside.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere would you go\u2026 Natasha\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
She quietly slammed the door.<\/p>\n
A blushing Vanyushka followed.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all good, son.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMom, where\u2019s dad?\u201d<\/p>\n
She pulled him close, hugged his thin little body, kissed his sweaty forehead, inhaled his familiar scent, and\u2026 cried quietly, wiping away tears.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom, he left, didn\u2019t he? He left?\u201d<\/p>\n
She nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll kill him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, son, don\u2019t, we are strong, we\u2019ll manage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Katyushka cried; she calmed her down and seated the children for dinner. She went into Grandma Vera\u2019s room. She was sitting by the window, quietly shivering with thin shoulders.<\/p>\n
\u201cNatasha, help me get into a nursing home.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? Are you out of your mind?\u201d<\/p>\n
Grandma Vera was the sister of her late grandmother Vali. Grandma Vera had two daughters, both quite well-off. The small village where Grandma Vera lived was disbanded; some elderly were taken by their children, others to nursing homes.<\/p>\n
Grandma Vera was left without a place; one daughter lived far across the Urals in a city, another in a small town not far from where Natasha lived with her husband and children.<\/p>\n
The second daughter asked Natasha to temporarily shelter Grandma Vera, saying, \u201cYou have a big house, she\u2019ll get some fresh air, and she can help you with the child.\u201d<\/p>\n
As soon as the prospect of taking her mother arose, the first daughter cut off all contact, so Grandma Vera stayed with Natasha, and it had been six years for Katyushka.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t be silly, come with us.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere to, Natashenka?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t know yet, we\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n
Natasha never thought Victor was a scoundrel for leaving her without a home with children; she always knew the house wasn\u2019t hers, dreamed of building their own home with Victor and the children, it wasn\u2019t meant to be.<\/p>\n
She called her mother.<\/p>\n
She was outraged, threatened to sue her son-in-law, and sympathized deeply.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat will you do? Go, go to that scoundrel, let him leave the house to you and the kids, throw those rotten money in his face.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d she said and turned off the phone.<\/p>\n
She understood her mother; she had another family, children. Her stepfather barely tolerated her until she finished school and then kicked her out.<\/p>\n
She met Victor, they dated for a year, then got married. She was happy he was such a good man\u2026<\/p>\n
Her mother called again.<\/p>\n
\u201cNatasha something cut off, where will you put Grandma Vera?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, definitely not bringing her to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are you like this?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s it, I\u2019m busy.\u201d<\/p>\n
She took an old notebook, found a number. Went outside, dialed.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello, Aunt Natasha,\u201d she said to the one named in her honor, \u201cI\u2019ve split with Victor, I\u2019ll bring Grandma Vera to you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, what are you, I have high blood pressure. Sit there, what are you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s your mother, you have three rooms.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo what? I have high blood pressure, my grandchildren come over\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUnderstood.\u201d<\/p>\n
They were traveling in a third-class train car.<\/p>\n
A thin young woman, just a girl, with big sad eyes, a quiet and serious boy, a lively-eyed girl, and a frail old woman quietly wiping tears.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello, dad.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNatasha\u2026 the kids? Oh, Grandma Valya?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cVera\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Grandma Vera.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCome in, come in.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDad, we\u2019re not coming in, please give me the keys to my apartment, it\u2019s still alive, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho, daughter?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy apartment, which Grandma Masha, your mother, willed to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAh, yes, of course, but come in, Lyuda, Lusya\u2026 such happiness, daughter here with the grandkids\u2026 Lusya and with Grandma Vera, come on in, come in.\u201d<\/p>\n
You see, people live there.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, we\u2019ll go to a hotel, dad, while people find new housing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat hotel,\u201d Lyudmila smiled, \u201care we strangers\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Three days later, Natasha heard Lyudmila whispering about when the guests would leave.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad, what about the people? When will they move out?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lyudmila dropped her spoon, and father choked on the soup Natasha made.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou see, daughter\u2026 there\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, you don\u2019t have any apartment, look at you getting all cheeky, father paid you alimony until you were eighteen\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUntil sixteen.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m saying until sixteen, remember I came to visit you, and you dragged me to write off the alimony?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lyudmila pursed her lips.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo what, dad? We need to decide, tired of living like this.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSay something, tell her. There\u2019s no apartment anymore, none.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow come, dad?\u201d<\/p>\n
Doesn\u2019t look her in the eyes.<\/p>\n
Your mother and I\u2026 we sold it, split the money\u2026 right away.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow? It was supposed to be mine\u2026 Grandma Masha to me\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd what? He\u2019s a son, be thankful you got some money\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2026 give me three days\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDaughter\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThree days.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMommy, where will we go?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll live here, son, we\u2019re strong, we\u2019ll manage. This is my homeland. We can\u2019t give up, we have Grandma Vera and Katyushka.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes! Will I go to school here after the holidays?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry, we don\u2019t rent to families with children.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you really able to pay?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI need three months\u2019 rent in advance.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan we make a deal? No man, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, such a room, but at least it has a toilet, others go outside. Water in the pipes is hot in winter, cold available, shower at the neighbor\u2019s, you\u2019ll meet her, she\u2019s also single\u2026 Pay two months upfront.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you have experience?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t hire without experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSmall children?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry, you\u2019re not suitable\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo experience? Well, you\u2019ll have to learn. My name\u2019s Boris, this is our friendly team. Young, you\u2019ll learn quickly. Girls, take her in\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNewbie, three days of training and then off to work. Lots of apartments for rent, seems like sales are good, you\u2019ll sit on a lease, learn and start closing deals\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Three days again, Natasha thought.<\/p>\n
Grandma, kids, we\u2019re moving.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d Vanyushka looked scared.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll see!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWow! We\u2019re going to live here?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes. This is your and Katya\u2019s room, and Grandma and I will be in another.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the third one, mom?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe third one is for guests!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWow, that\u2019s something\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Grandma Vera cried.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a burden to you, kid, you\u2019ve been alone for three years, is this normal? If it wasn\u2019t for me, maybe you\u2019d find yourself a man, look at you, such a capable girl, just put me\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you saying? We\u2019re a family, understand! Family. We\u2019re only needed by the children, thank you for looking after them, for all the household chores being on you, you\u2019re my helper, what would I do without you? Who am I without you?\u201d<\/p>\n
I wanted to ask, for advice. Boris Arkadyevich offers to go study, he needs a good lawyer, the firm is growing.<\/p>\n
\u201cGo, go, my dear, I\u2019ll help however I can, go my sweet.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMom, is it true that we\u2019re buying an apartment?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, Katya overhear?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, grandma told me secretly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, son, just as soon as I divorce your father.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vanya, already a teenager, talked about his father for the first time. The help he promised\u2026 and there was none\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cWow, mom, is this ours? All ours? So huge? And Vanya and I will have our own rooms?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, and grandma, and me!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWow, and we\u2019ll host guests here?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHere\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHello, Natasha, it\u2019s mom\u2019s birthday today.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSeriously?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d with a discontented tone, \u201cdidn\u2019t you know? June seventh.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, only it\u2019s July.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah. It\u2019s been two years since grandma\u2019s been with us, we\u2019ve been orphaned\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? Are you a scoundrel? You hid from me that my mom\u2019s gone?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI hid? I bombarded you with texts and calls, you hid from me, then your daughter told me to leave you alone, I did. Your sister knows by the way, asked me to send mom\u2019s savings to her, she needs it more.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat savings?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t know, you\u2019d know better. You probably thought she lived with me, carefully saving her pension for her beloved daughters.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo there are no savings?\u201d<\/p>\n
Natasha turned off the phone. Counted to three. Phew. Grandma\u2019s memorial day, she\u2019s just at her place. Told how Vanya graduated, found a good girl, Katerina finished school, and it seems changes in her life were looming.<\/p>\n
\u201cBa, remember Sergey,\u201d Natasha whispers, \u201cremember you convinced me he\u2019s good\u2026 I might listen to you\u2026 He gave me three days to think, said he waited too long.\u201d<\/p>\n
So don\u2019t worry, I\u2019m not alone.<\/p>\n
The sun peeked from behind a cloud and gently embraced Natasha with its rays.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s Grandma Vera, she thought.<\/p>\n
Good day, my dears!<\/p>\n
I hug you tightly! We need each other now more than ever.<\/p>\n
God is with us!<\/p>\n
I hug you tightly.<\/p>\n
Sending you my kindness and positivity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Natasha tensed up inside when she saw her husband\u2019s niece, Oleska. The girl, avoiding eye contact and sniffing, handed over a folded square sheet of paper and… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21797,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21796","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n