Larisa wiped the sweat from her forehead and set the bucket of water aside. The August heat made working in the vegetable garden especially exhausting, but the tomatoes needed watering. The house, inherited from her parents, stood on the outskirts of town, and the plot of land beside it made it possible to grow vegetables for the winter.
Her husband, Nikolai, was sitting in the shade on the veranda with his phone in his hands. He worked as an engineer at a factory, but on Saturdays he could afford to rest. Larisa envied him — her husband had a desk job in an air-conditioned office, while Larisa worked as a nurse at a clinic where the old windows did almost nothing to protect anyone from the summer heat.
“Kolia, help me fill the watering cans,” Larisa asked as she walked past the veranda.
“I’ll finish watching the news and come,” Nikolai replied without lifting his head.
Larisa shook her head and went to get the water herself. In seven years of marriage, she had grown used to relying only on herself. Nikolai was not a bad husband, but he always left the household chores to his wife.
Inside the house, Larisa went into the bedroom and opened the chest of drawers. In the far corner of the drawer lay a thick envelope. Over the course of a year, she had managed to save a decent amount for repairing the roof. Every month, Larisa set aside part of her salary, saved on small things, and denied herself new clothes.
The roof needed serious work. Last autumn, during the rains, two rooms had leaked, and they had had to place basins and buckets around the house. The roofers said the covering had to be replaced completely, otherwise the problems would only get worse in winter.
Larisa put the envelope back and returned to the garden. Nikolai was still sitting with his phone. Without saying a word, his wife picked up the watering can and headed to the water pump in the yard.
That evening, Artem, Nikolai’s younger brother, came to visit. The guy was five years younger than Nikolai and worked as a loader, but money never stayed in Artem’s hands. Either he was fixing his car, paying off debts, or simply spending everything on entertainment.
“Hi, Larisa!” Artem greeted her cheerfully as he entered the house. “How are you? You look good!”
“Hello,” Larisa replied dryly, without looking up from preparing dinner.
The brothers sat down in the kitchen and began discussing a football match. Larisa listened to their conversation with half an ear, focusing on frying cutlets. Artem always appeared unexpectedly, and such visits usually ended with him asking for money.
“Listen, brother,” Artem finally got to the point. “I’ve got a bit of a problem. Could you lend me some money until payday?”
Nikolai looked at his wife, who deliberately turned her back to the stove.
“What happened?” Nikolai asked cautiously.
“My car broke down. The gearbox is shot. Without a car, I can’t get to work — buses hardly run to our district. The mechanic says the repair will be expensive.”
Larisa placed the frying pan on the table louder than usual. This was already the third time in six months that Artem had asked for money to repair the same car. First he needed money for the engine, then for the brakes, and now for the gearbox.
“How much do you need?” Nikolai asked.
“Twenty thousand should be enough. I’ll pay it back quickly, as soon as I get my salary.”
Larisa turned sharply.
“Artem, you’ve already borrowed money from us several times. When have you ever paid back even a little of it?”
“Larisa, why are you attacking me right away?” Artem said in a conciliatory tone. “I’m not asking forever. It’s just a difficult situation right now.”
“You always have a difficult situation,” Larisa said, sitting down across from her brother-in-law. “In March you borrowed ten thousand for the engine. In May, another fifteen for the brakes. Where is that money?”
Artem hesitated.
“I work, but my salary isn’t big. I pay rent, spend money on food…”
“Then live within your means,” Larisa cut him off. “Nikolai and I aren’t exactly swimming in money either.”
“Larisa, don’t be so cruel,” Nikolai intervened. “Artem is family.”
“Family should answer for their words,” Larisa stood up from the table. “He promised to pay back the March debt — he didn’t. He promised in May — he lied again. And now he’s asking again.”
Artem sat there, red with embarrassment. Nikolai shifted awkwardly in his chair.
“Fine, forget it,” his brother-in-law finally said. “I’ll manage somehow.”
After dinner, Artem left, and Larisa explained her position to her husband.
“Kolia, I’m no longer willing to feed someone else’s debts. We have our own plans — the roof needs fixing, and the house has needed repairs for a long time.”
“I understand,” Nikolai nodded. “I just feel sorry for my brother.”
“Feel sorry for the family budget instead,” Larisa said as she cleared the dishes from the table. “Artem is a grown man. Let him solve his own problems.”
The next day, Larisa left for the clinic earlier than usual — she had to cover for a colleague. Sunday shifts were usually calm, with few patients, and Larisa expected to finish by lunchtime.
Nikolai stayed home alone. He planned to watch television and read technical literature. But around eleven in the morning, Artem called him.
“Brother, things are really bad,” his voice sounded desperate. “I have to take the car in for repairs tomorrow, and I have no money. My boss said if I don’t show up for work, he’ll fire me.”
“Artem, we talked about this yesterday…”
“Kolia, I understand Larisa is against it. But maybe you can decide for yourself? I’ll really pay it back as soon as I get my salary. Without work, I’ll be completely finished.”
Nikolai paced around the room with the phone in his hand. He felt sorry for his brother, but he did not want to break his promise to his wife.
“I don’t know, Artem. Larisa made her position very clear.”
“Listen, what if she doesn’t find out?” his brother suggested carefully. “I’ll return everything in a week. Larisa won’t even notice.”
Nikolai fell silent. He knew his wife kept money in an envelope. He had seen Larisa periodically counting the bills. There was a decent amount there, and if he took part of it and quickly replaced it, Larisa really might not notice.
“I can’t take my wife’s money without permission,” Nikolai said, but his voice sounded uncertain.
“Kolia, please! I’m not some stranger! And I’ll definitely pay it back! Without work, things will be really bad for me.”
His brother spoke in such a pitiful tone that Nikolai gave in.
“How much exactly do you need?” he asked.
“Twenty thousand will be enough. Kolia, you’ll save me!”
Nikolai looked at the clock. Larisa would not return before two in the afternoon. If he gave the money to Artem now and put it back in the envelope a week later, his wife would never know.
“All right,” Nikolai decided. “Come over, but quickly. And remember — in one week, all the money must be back in its place.”
“Thank you, brother! You’re a real friend! I’m already on my way!”
Nikolai hung up and went into the bedroom. The envelope lay in the same place where Larisa always hid it. He took out the stack of money. The amount really was impressive — Larisa had been saving for more than a year.
Nikolai counted out twenty thousand and put the envelope back. He stuffed the money into his pocket and returned to the living room. Ten minutes later, Artem’s car stopped in the yard.
His brother got out of the car with a joyful smile on his face.
“Kolia, you’re a lifesaver! I’m so grateful to you!”
“Just remember your promise,” Nikolai said sternly, handing him the bills. “Exactly one week from now, I expect the money back.”
“Of course, of course! I’ll even try to return it earlier!”
Artem got into the car and drove away. Nikolai returned to the house, feeling uneasy. Deceiving his wife was unpleasant, but he also felt sorry for his brother-in-law. The main thing was that Artem really returned the money on time.
Larisa came home around three in the afternoon. Her shift had gone calmly, and she was in a good mood. Her husband was sitting at the computer, studying work projects.
“How are things?” Larisa asked, changing into her house clothes.
“Fine. I stayed home and read.”
“Did Artem call again?”
“No,” Nikolai lied, without looking away from the screen.
Larisa went to the kitchen to make lunch. Her husband stayed at the computer, but he could not concentrate on his work. His thoughts kept returning to the money he had taken and his brother-in-law’s promise to pay it back.
The next day, Nikolai was on edge all day. He kept thinking about the money and waiting for Artem to return it. His brother had promised to pay back the debt in a week, but Nikolai hoped it would happen sooner.
On Tuesday, Artem did not call. On Wednesday, he was silent too. On Thursday, Nikolai called his brother himself.
“Artem, how are things? Did you fix the car?”
“Yes, everything is fine! Thank you so much! I’m driving to work, and the boss is pleased.”
“And when will you return the money?”
“Soon, soon! They should pay my salary on Friday, then we’ll settle up.”
“All right, I’m waiting.”
On Friday, Artem again did not show up. Nikolai called him that evening.
“Did you get paid?”
“I did, but not all of it. They said they’d give the rest next week. Kolia, be patient a little longer.”
“Artem, I told you — exactly one week! I need to put the money back!”
“I understand, brother. But what can I do? That’s what management decided.”
Nikolai hung up in irritation. A week had passed, and there was still no money. He understood that he would not be able to hide the missing money for long.
On Saturday morning, Larisa was getting ready to go grocery shopping. They had run out of grains the day before, and she needed to replenish supplies. Larisa took a bag and left the house.
Nikolai stayed alone and decided to call Artem again. His brother did not answer for a long time, and when he finally picked up, his voice sounded sleepy.
“Artem, I urgently need the money!” Nikolai got straight to the point.
“Kolia, why are you calling so early? It’s Saturday.”
“I don’t care what day it is! Where are my twenty thousand?”
“Listen, maybe you should explain it to Larisa? Tell her your brother was in a difficult situation and you helped…”
“Are you out of your mind?” Nikolai shouted. “I promised to return it in a week! The week is over!”
“Well, wait a little longer. I haven’t disappeared. I’ll find the money and return it.”
Nikolai hung up and grabbed his head. The situation was becoming critical. Larisa still did not suspect that something was wrong with the money, and Artem clearly did not intend to return the debt quickly.
Nikolai sat on the bed, trying to think of what to do next. Confessing to his wife meant a scandal and the loss of trust. But continuing to hide it was becoming impossible.
Half an hour later, Larisa returned. She brought in bags of groceries and went to the kitchen to put everything away. Nikolai stayed in the bedroom, not knowing how to behave.
“Kolia, help me unpack the bags!” Larisa called from the kitchen.
Her husband reluctantly left the bedroom. Larisa was standing by the table, taking out grains, canned food, and cleaning products from the bags.
“You’re acting strange today,” his wife noticed. “Did something happen?”
“Everything’s fine,” Nikolai lied, avoiding her eyes.
Larisa finished with the groceries and went into the bedroom to change. Nikolai remained in the kitchen, waiting in horror for what was about to happen.
A minute later, an outraged cry came from the bedroom:
“Nikolai! Come here immediately!”
Her husband slowly went into the bedroom. Larisa was standing by the chest of drawers with the envelope in her hands. Her face was red with anger.
“Explain to me where my money went!” Larisa demanded threateningly.
Nikolai stood in the doorway, not knowing what to say. The lie had been exposed, and now he would have to tell the truth.
“Where is the money, Nikolai?” Larisa repeated, holding the almost empty envelope in her hands.
“Larisa, I can explain…”
“Then explain! And quickly!”
Her husband entered the room and sank heavily onto the bed.
“Artem called on Tuesday. He said he would be fired from work without the money. I… took twenty thousand from your envelope.”
Larisa silently stared at her husband. Blood rushed to her face, betraying barely restrained fury.
“You took MY money? Without permission?” his wife’s voice became quieter, which always meant real anger.
“I thought I’d return it quickly! Artem promised to give it back in a week!”
“And where is the money?”
“Artem says they didn’t pay his full salary. He’s asking to wait a little longer.”
Larisa closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, her gaze was icy.
“So you stole my savings, which I had been putting aside for a year, to give them to your irresponsible brother?”
“I didn’t steal! I wanted to help a relative!”
“With MY money! Without MY consent!” Larisa pronounced every word clearly and loudly.
Nikolai tried to stand, but his wife stopped him with a gesture.
“Sit down! I’m not finished yet! You knew perfectly well how I felt about lending money to Artem! I clearly said — not another kopeck!”
“But my brother asked…”
“And your wife forbade it!” Larisa interrupted him. “Who is more important to you? Your brother, who has already deceived us several times, or your wife, who spent a year saving every penny?”
Nikolai stayed silent, understanding that any answer would be wrong.
“Do you remember what that money was being saved for?” Larisa continued. “For the roof! The one that leaks every time it rains! I denied myself new clothes, didn’t buy expensive cosmetics, saved on everything!”
“Larisa, forgive me…”
“And now what? Artem spent the money, as always, and we’re left without funds for the repairs?”
His wife walked around the room, trying to calm down.
“How much does he already owe us from previous loans?” Larisa asked.
“Twenty-five thousand,” Nikolai answered quietly.
“Twenty-five plus twenty — forty-five thousand!” Larisa stopped in front of her husband. “Almost half of our roof savings!”
“Artem will pay it back…”
“When?!” Larisa shouted. “When will he return the March debt? The May one? Do you believe these fairy tales?”
Nikolai lowered his head. His wife was right — his brother had already promised several times to return the previous debts, but he had never given the money back.
“Fine,” Larisa said in a cold tone. “Now listen carefully. You call Artem right now and demand the money. If the money isn’t here within an hour, you’ll find it yourself.”
“Where am I supposed to get twenty thousand?” Nikolai asked, confused.
“Not my problem! Sell something, borrow from colleagues, take out a loan! But the money must be back in the envelope today!”
Larisa left the bedroom, slamming the door. Nikolai remained sitting on the bed, trying to process what had happened. His wife had every right to be angry — he had truly acted dishonorably.
Nikolai took out his phone and dialed his brother’s number.
“Artem, I urgently need the money! Right now!”
“Kolia, what happened? Why are you shouting like that?”
“Larisa found out! She demands the money immediately!”
“Oh… And what did you tell her?”
“The truth! That I gave you money from her savings!”
Artem was silent for a moment.
“Listen, maybe you can somehow handle it yourself? I really don’t have any money.”
“Artem! You promised to return it in a week! A week has passed!”
“Well, that’s how it turned out! I didn’t do it on purpose!”
“I don’t care! Find the money! Sell something!”
“What can I sell? The car? Without it, I can’t get to work!”
Nikolai realized that his brother was not going to repay the debt anytime soon. He had become used to receiving money and not giving it back.
“Artem, if the money isn’t here within an hour, I will never help you again!”
“Don’t freak out like that! I’ll find the money, I just need time!”
“There is no time!” Nikolai ended the call and threw the phone onto the bed.
Her husband went into the living room. Larisa was sitting at the table drinking tea. She looked gloomy.
“Well?” Larisa asked.
“He says he has no money. He’s asking for time.”
“Time is up,” his wife cut him off. “Now it’s your turn to look for the money.”
Nikolai sat down across from her.
“Larisa, I understand that I acted wrongly…”
“You don’t understand!” his wife interrupted. “You STOLE my money! This was not a mistake. This was theft!”
“I wanted to help my brother…”
“At MY expense! If you want to help, spend your own money!”
Nikolai tried to take his wife’s hand, but Larisa pulled her palm away.
“Don’t you dare touch me! Go look for the money!”
Her husband understood that talking was useless. Larisa would not forgive him until the money was back in the envelope.
Nikolai left the house and got into the car. He urgently needed to find twenty thousand rubles. Borrowing from colleagues was awkward — people did not just hand out such sums. A bank loan would take several days to arrange.
Then he remembered that there were car parts lying in the garage, bought a year ago. Back then, he had planned to do some repairs himself, but he never got around to it. The parts were expensive; he could try to sell them.
Nikolai drove to the auto market. The parts dealers offered fifteen thousand for the whole set. It was little, but he had no other choice.
When he returned home, Nikolai placed the money on the table in front of his wife.
“Fifteen thousand. I’ll find the remaining five tomorrow.”
Larisa counted the bills.
“Not enough. It needs to be twenty.”
“Larisa, I sold everything I could! There’s simply nothing else!”
His wife got up and went into the bedroom. She returned with the envelope and placed the fifteen thousand inside it.
“I expect the remaining five thousand tomorrow. And all the rest that Artem owes.”
“Where am I supposed to get that kind of money?”
“That is your problem! You gave away the money without asking — you answer for it!”
Nikolai sat at the table, realizing the scale of the disaster. He needed to find another twenty-five thousand rubles, and he had no sources of money.
That evening, Artem’s car pulled up to the house. He honked for a long time, calling his brother out. Nikolai wanted to go outside, but Larisa stopped him.
“Sit down! I’ll talk to him myself!”
His wife left the house and walked toward the car. Artem rolled down the window.
“Larisa, hi! Where’s Kolia?”
“Kolia is sitting at home thinking about where to get the money you owe.”
“Listen, I really am having difficulties right now…”
“I’m not interested!” Larisa interrupted. “You’ll get nothing instead of money! Neither you nor your brother will receive another kopeck!”
Artem tried to say something, but Larisa continued:
“You owe us forty-five thousand! Artem, you are a grown man! Stop living at someone else’s expense!”
“But I work! My salary is just small!”
“Then find a better job! Or learn to live within your means! But don’t touch my money anymore!”
Larisa turned and went back toward the house.
“Larisa, wait!” Artem shouted.
“I have nothing more to say to you!” his wife replied without turning around.
Artem sat in the car for several minutes, then started the engine and drove away.
Larisa returned to the house. Nikolai was sitting in the kitchen with a guilty expression.
“I hope you heard everything?” his wife asked.
“I heard,” Nikolai nodded.
“Remember this once and for all — I will not give money to any of your relatives again! If you want to help each other, do it at your own expense!”
Nikolai stayed silent. He understood that his wife was right, but he still felt sorry for his brother.
“And one more thing,” Larisa added. “If you ever take my money without permission again, I’ll divorce you. The house is mine. I inherited it from my parents. You’ll end up on the street.”
“Larisa, I’ll never again…”
“You’d better keep that promise!” his wife cut him off.
The next day, Nikolai borrowed five thousand from a friend and gave it to Larisa. His wife silently put the money into the envelope. She almost stopped talking to her husband, answering only in short phrases.
Artem did not call for several days. Then he finally dialed Nikolai’s number.
“Kolia, maybe we can meet? Talk normally?”
“What is there to talk about? Where is the money?”
“Listen, I got a second job. I’ll work evenings as a loader. In a month, I’ll save up and pay it back.”
“In a month? And what, will the roof fix itself?”
“What can I do? I have no money!”
“Artem, do you understand that because of you, I’m having problems with my wife?”
“I understand, but I didn’t do it on purpose!”
Nikolai hung up. Talking to his brother was useless — he did not understand the seriousness of the situation.
For a week, Larisa barely spoke to her husband. Nikolai walked around gloomy, feeling guilty for ruining their relationship. He could not concentrate at work, and at home the atmosphere was tense.
Two weeks later, Artem brought five thousand rubles.
“Kolia, here’s part of the debt! I’ll gradually return the rest!”
“Five thousand out of forty-five?” Nikolai asked in surprise.
“Well, at least it’s something! I’m showing good faith!”
Nikolai took the money and gave it to Larisa. His wife counted the bills.
“How much does he still owe?” Larisa asked.
“Forty thousand.”
“When will he pay it back?”
“He promises gradually.”
“Gradually means for years,” his wife sighed. “Remember — not another kopeck to Artem! Enough feeding a grown parasite!”
Larisa put the money into the envelope and locked it in a small safe, which she had bought the day after the theft.
“From now on, the money will stay here. Only I know the code.”
Nikolai nodded. He understood that he had lost his wife’s trust for a long time.
Artem came by several more times, but Larisa did not let him into the house. Her brother-in-law tried to make arrangements with his brother, but Nikolai explained that his wife’s decision was final.
Gradually, Artem stopped calling regularly. He understood that he would no longer get anything for free. His visits became rare, only on major holidays.
Nikolai spent several more days gloomy, but he never brought up the subject of money for his brother again. He understood that his family was more important than obligations to an irresponsible relative.
His relationship with his wife recovered slowly. Larisa forgave her husband only a month later, once she was convinced that he was no longer helping Artem with money.
“The family budget is a shared responsibility,” his wife explained. “All decisions about major expenses are made together. Neither of us has the right to spend shared money without the other’s consent.”
Nikolai agreed with the rule. The lesson had been harsh but useful — now he understood the value of family savings and the importance of mutual trust.
Artem continued working two jobs, but he paid back the debt slowly. In six months, he returned only half. Larisa did not hurry her brother-in-law, but she categorically refused to give any new loans.
“Let him learn to live within his means,” his wife told her husband. “A grown person must answer for his own debts.”
By autumn, there was enough savings for the roof repair. The workers replaced the old covering, and the house stopped leaking. Larisa was pleased — a year of saving had not been in vain.
Nikolai never again took family money without his wife’s permission. And Artem learned to solve his financial problems on his own, realizing that relatives were not obliged to pay for someone else’s irresponsibility.