Where are you?! I’m standing at your door with the kids! Mom said you have to let us in!
— Where are you?! I’m standing at your door with the kids! Mom said you have to let us in!
— We’re out of town, — Yegor replied firmly. — We won’t be in the city for seven days.
— How could you?! — Kristina shrieked. — Mom can’t watch the kids, she has high blood pressure! You HAVE to come back!
Yulia had always been a friendly, open young woman. For a year now, she’d been happily married to Yegor, and things would have been just perfect if not for the weekly Sunday gatherings at her mother-in-law Lyudmila Ivanovna’s place.
Lyudmila loved setting a big table, inviting her son and daughter-in-law, and her daughter Kristina along with the kids. Kristina, after her divorce, lived alone with her two children — her ex-husband was unreliable, and aside from child support, nobody expected any other help from him.
That evening, as usual, the table was packed with food and bottles of wine emptied quickly. For the first time, Yulia refused to drink.
— I don’t feel like it, — she smiled, pushing away her glass. — I have to get up early tomorrow.
Her mother-in-law snorted, Kristina pursed her lips in disapproval, and Yegor just shrugged and let it go. He tried to make a joke about it once, but after Yulia gave him a sharp look, he didn’t push it again.
While the adults discussed neighbors, politics, and reminisced about “how good things used to be,” Yulia quietly started interacting with the kids. Four-year-old Nikita and six-year-old Dasha sat in the corner, glued to their mother’s phone.
— Want me to teach you how to make origami frogs? — Yulia offered.
The kids looked up, surprised. It was clear they weren’t used to anyone playing with them or suggesting activities they could do together. In half an hour, the table was covered with paper swans, frogs, and Nikita was drawing an earnest “Aunt Yulia portrait” with a pencil. Noticing the kids’ excitement, Kristina nodded approvingly.
— Wow, you’re really good with them! Dasha usually won’t let anyone near her.
— They’re wonderful, — Yulia replied sincerely.
But she had no idea this innocent evening would spark a new “tradition.”
The week went by uneventfully. On Wednesday night, as Yulia and Yegor finished dinner, she cautiously suggested:
— Maybe this Sunday we could go to the movies? Instead of the usual gathering at your folks’ place.
Yegor raised his eyebrows in surprise.
— The movies? But what about Mom? She’ll be upset.
— You said yourself you’re tired of these mandatory evenings, — Yulia reminded him gently. — Let’s just do something for ourselves, for once.
Her husband frowned, scratched his head, but promised to think it over. Yulia didn’t push and gave him time.
On Friday morning over breakfast, Yegor unexpectedly smiled.
— I was thinking about the movie. Let’s go to an evening show. I’ll call my mom today and let her know.
Yulia was excited, but her joy didn’t last long.
During his lunch break, Yegor went outside to make the call.
— Mom, I wanted to talk to you about Sunday, — he began carefully.
— Oh, good thing you called, son. I was just going to phone you! Kristina is leaving for the whole weekend and leaving the kids with me. So, no Sunday get-together, like usual.
— That’s fine, Yulia and I were planning to… — Yegor started, but his mom interrupted;
— Perfect! That means you and Yulia can come over and babysit the kids. I’m so exhausted with them, and really, it’s nothing for you to help out your own sister, is it, Yegorushka?
— Mom, I wasn’t finished…
— What more is there? — Lyudmila’s voice grew cold. — What has that troublemaker Yulia come up with now?
— Why do you call her that? We just wanted to go to the movies together.
— Is that so?! You only care about entertainment. Aren’t you a bit old for that now?
— Old? Why, are we supposed to be pensioners already? — Yegor asked directly.
— No! But it’s time you thought about children instead of going to the movies! — his mother snapped. — Anyway, I expect you here Sunday morning! — and she hung up.
Yegor stared at his phone. He was torn, as always, between not upsetting his mother and feeling exhausted from these endless obligations. He didn’t know how to tell his wife that they’d spend another Sunday at his parents’.
Yulia anxiously anticipated the end of the workweek. Her paycheck was due Friday, and that evening she and Yegor had planned a long-awaited movie night. She’d downloaded the e-tickets in advance and even tried on a new dress for her date — her very own with her husband.
When the doorbell rang, she rushed to open it, but froze upon seeing Yegor: he looked more like a storm cloud than a man.
— What happened? — Yulia could sense trouble.
Yegor walked into the kitchen without a word, tossed his phone on the table, and finally exhaled:
— Mom said Kristina left. The kids are with them. So she needs our help with Dasha and Nikita on Sunday.
He explained everything, repeating the call word for word. With every sentence, Yulia was growing angrier. By the time he finished, her fingers were nervously drumming the countertop.
— Here’s what we’re going to do, — she said sharply. — We’ll go to your mom’s in the morning, help with the kids. But at five o’clock sharp, we’re leaving. We’ll make it to the six o’clock movie just fine.
Yegor looked up at her in surprise. He had expected a meltdown, a tantrum, maybe tears — but not this cold, calculated calm.
— So you’re not mad? — Yegor asked.
— No. The kids aren’t to blame, — Yulia said coolly. — But this is the first and last time. Next time, you say “no” to your mother immediately — or you go alone.
She started to leave, but Yegor jumped up, hugged her from behind, and kissed her neck.
But on Sunday, nothing went according to plan.
Lyudmila Ivanovna greeted them at the door with an air of triumph:
— Finally! I’m so worn out. They’re exhausting me. I can’t keep up with the mess!
The kids were really a handful. Dasha cried because her mom left her again, and Nikita ran wild around the apartment. Yulia gritted her teeth, took charge — brought out colored paper and clay, put kids’ songs on her phone and made a light soup with meatballs for the kids.
By 4 o’clock, everyone had calmed down, when Lyudmila suddenly announced:
— My head hurts. I think I need to lie down…
— Want me to pick up something from the pharmacy before we go? — Yegor offered.
— What do you mean, leave? Can’t you see how bad I’m feeling? — the woman dramatically pressed a hand to her forehead. — I think my blood pressure’s up… Continued just below in the first comment
— Where are you?! I’m standing with the kids at your door! Mom said you’re supposed to let us in!
— We’re out of town, — Egor replied firmly. — We’ll be gone for seven days.
— How could you?! — Kristina screamed. — Mom can’t look after the kids, her blood pressure is high! You have to come back!
Yulia had always been a friendly and open young woman. She’d been happily married to Egor for a year now, and everything would be perfect—if it weren’t for those weekly Sunday get-togethers at her mother-in-law Lyudmila Ivanovna’s house.
Lyudmila loved setting the table full of food, inviting her son and daughter-in-law, and her daughter Kristina with her kids. Kristina, after her divorce, lived alone with her two children—her ex-husband, as it turned out, was unreliable, and aside from child support, he wasn’t expected to help.
That evening, as usual, the table was covered with food, and bottles of wine emptied quickly. For the first time ever, Yulia refused to drink. She had work the next day and knew she’d lose sleep again.
— I don’t really feel like it, — she smiled, pushing the glass away. — I’ve got to get up early tomorrow.
Her mother-in-law scoffed, Kristina pressed her lips in disapproval, but Egor only shrugged and didn’t insist. He tried to joke about it once, but Yulia shot him a look—and he didn’t dare again.
While the adults discussed neighbors, politics, and reminisced about the old days, Yulia quietly turned her attention to the kids. Four-year-old Nikita and six-year-old Dasha sat in a corner, absorbed in their mother’s phone.
— Want me to show you how to make paper frogs? — Yulia offered.
The kids looked up in surprise. It was clear they rarely had anyone play with them, let alone suggest activities. In half an hour, the table was covered with paper swans and frogs, and Nikita was carefully sketching a ‘portrait of Aunt Yulia.’ Kristina, noticing the activity, nodded approvingly:
— Wow, you’re so good with them! Dasha usually wouldn’t let anyone near her.
— They’re wonderful, — Yulia replied sincerely.
But she had no idea that this innocent evening would be the start of a new “tradition.”
The week went by peacefully. On Wednesday evening, while Yulia and Egor were finishing dinner, she gently suggested:
— How about we go to the movies this Sunday? Instead of spending time at your parents’?
Egor raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised by the idea:
— The movies? What about Mom? She’ll be upset.
— You said yourself you’re tired of these obligatory evenings, — Yulia reminded him gently. — Let’s do something for ourselves just this once.
Her husband frowned, scratched his head, but promised to think about it. Yulia didn’t push and gave him time.
On Friday morning, over breakfast, Egor suddenly smiled:
— I’ve been thinking about the movies. Let’s go to a late show. I’ll call Mom today and let her know.
Yulia was delighted, but her happiness was short-lived.
During lunch break, Egor stepped outside to make the call.
— Mom, I wanted to talk about Sunday, — he began carefully.
— I’m glad you called, son. I was about to call you too. Kristina is leaving for the weekend and will leave the kids with me. So we can’t get together this Sunday like usual.
“Well, that’s just perfect! Yulia and I were actually planning to—” Egor began, but his mother cut him off right away:
“Perfect! That means you’ll come over and watch the kids for me. I get so tired with them, and Egorushka, it can’t be that hard for you to help your own sister, can it?”
“Mom, I wasn’t finished…”
“What now?” Ludmila Ivanovna’s voice turned icy. “What has that schemer come up with this time?”
“Why do you immediately assume she’s a schemer? We just wanted to go to the movies together.”
“Oh, really? All you ever think about is having fun. You’re not so young anymore!”
“And what are we supposed to be, old folks already?” Egor asked bluntly.
“No! But it’s about time you start thinking about kids instead of going to the movies!” she barked. “That’s it, I expect you here Sunday morning!” she added and hung up the phone.
Egor stared at his phone. On his face you could see that familiar struggle—between not wanting to upset his mother and his exhaustion from always having to help. He couldn’t figure out how to tell his wife that they’d be spending all of Sunday at his parents’ place.
Yulia couldn’t wait for the week to end. Her paycheck was set to hit her card by Friday, and that evening she and Egor had long-awaited movie night plans. She’d already downloaded their e-tickets and even tried on a new dress she wanted to wear for a date with her own husband.
When the doorbell rang, she rushed over happily, but froze when she saw Egor. He was standing there looking as dark as a storm cloud.
“What happened?” Yulia could tell something was wrong.
Egor walked straight into the kitchen, tossed his phone onto the table, and finally sighed:
“Mom said Kristina left. The kids are with them. So she needs our help with Dasha and Nikita on Sunday.”
He laid it all out, repeating the entire conversation word for word. With every sentence, Yulia grew more irritated. By the time Egor finished, her fingers were drumming nervously on the kitchen counter.
“Alright then,” Yulia stood up abruptly. “We’ll go to your mom’s in the morning and help out with your niece and nephew. But at exactly five in the evening, we’re leaving. That way, we’ll make it to the six o’clock movie.”
Egor looked up in surprise. He’d expected drama, tears, and a fight—but not this cold, calculated calm.
“So… you’re not angry?” Egor asked.
“No. The kids aren’t to blame,” Yulia replied calmly. “But this is the first and last time. Next time, you either say ‘no’ to your mom right away, or you go by yourself.”
She turned to leave, but suddenly Egor jumped up and hugged her from behind, pressing his lips to her neck.
And on Sunday, nothing went as planned.
Ludmila Ivanovna met them at the door looking triumphant:
“Finally! I’m so tired. They’ve worn me out! I can’t keep up with them!”
The kids really were a handful. Dasha was crying that her mom had left her again, while Nikita was running all over the apartment like a madman. Gritting her teeth, Yulia took control—pulling out colored paper and modeling clay, putting on kids’ songs on her phone, and cooking a simple meatball soup for the children.
It was four o’clock by the time everything finally calmed down, and then, out of nowhere, Ludmila Ivanovna announced:
“I have a headache. I think I’ll go lie down…”
“Let me run to the pharmacy before we leave?” Egor suggested.
“What do you mean leave? Can’t you see how terrible I feel?” the woman dramatically pressed her hand to her forehead. “I think my blood pressure is acting up…”
Yulia glanced at the clock and then at her husband.
“Let me check your blood pressure right now.”
She quickly darted into the bedroom and brought out the blood pressure monitor.
With a few swift moves, Yulia began carefully watching the numbers as they appeared on the display.
“130 over 90,” she said calmly. “You’re fine, but it might be a good idea to lie down until we head out.”
Ludmila Ivanovna flushed with embarrassment as her daughter-in-law so easily exposed her plan. Some time passed.
“Egor,” Yulia said quietly. “We need to go, or we’ll be late.”
But as they got ready to leave, Ludmila Ivanovna practically grabbed hold of her son:
“Where are you going?! The kids will be left alone?!”
“They’re not alone, they’re staying here with you and Dad,” Egor answered firmly for the first time that evening.
“But I’m sick! You saw it yourself!” she yelled.
Without a word, Yulia took Dasha’s hand, led her to the sofa where the “sick” grandmother reclined, and said:
“Grandma isn’t feeling well. Be quiet and watch some cartoons until mom comes back.”
Then she turned to Egor:
“We’re leaving.”
Outside, Egor took a deep breath for the first time in ages.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I…”
“Not now,” Yulia cut him off. “We’re going to be late for the movie.”
They hurried down the street almost like teenagers sneaking out from their parents’ house. In the dark movie theater, Yulia suddenly felt Egor take her hand.
The movie turned out to be surprisingly good. Yulia laughed at the jokes, Egor squeezed her hand during the touching moments, and as the lights dimmed before the show started, he unexpectedly kissed her on the forehead—just like on their very first date.
After the movie, they stopped by a cozy little cafe across the street. Yulia ordered a cappuccino, Egor picked an iced latte. They chatted about the movie and their upcoming vacation. It felt like, after so many days of routine, they’d finally remembered they were still young. And now, at last, they truly felt it.
“You know,” Egor smiled suddenly, “today I realized that…”
Right at that moment, his phone buzzed. A message from Kristina popped up on the screen.
“Hey, little brother. I just left Mom—she was in tears. You and Yulia are the ultimate selfish ones. The kids cried when you ditched them, and I was counting on you to stay with them ALL day, just like we AGREED. Thanks for letting me down!”
Egor frowned and showed his phone to Yulia. She read the message, shrugged, and took a sip of her coffee.
“We never discussed anything with Kristina,” Yulia said calmly. “She didn’t ask either of us directly for anything.”
“But…” Egor looked at his wife, clearly rattled.
“No,” Yulia put her hand on his. “I’m not going to make excuses for spending time together with you. You saw how your mother suddenly ‘got sick.’ She just didn’t want us to leave.”
“Yeah… you’re right, but it still feels awkward.”
“Isn’t it awkward to be the awkward one?” Yulia asked directly and smirked. Egor stayed silent.
Ludmila Ivanovna didn’t call her son at all the entire next week. That was unusual—she would usually call him at least every other day to check how he was doing, ask what he ate for lunch, and even find out what he was wearing.
Yulia even asked her husband several times:
“Are you sure your mom is okay? Maybe you should give her a call?”
“If something happened, someone would have already told me,” Egor would brush off the question, but there was a trace of doubt in his voice.
It was their last week of work before their long-awaited vacation. They hadn’t told anyone, but they’d rented a cozy cottage by the river—a small wooden house with a veranda, a sauna, and its own dock. It was a dream come true. Just one week of no calls or obligations, only nature.
On Friday, Yulia got out of work early. She rushed home, kicked off her shoes, and immediately started packing. The suitcases were wide open on the bed, fresh tea was steaming in the kitchen, and light music was playing from the speakers.
“Swimsuit, sunscreen, that book I still haven’t finished…” she muttered to herself, packing her things.
Egor was supposed to get home from work by eight. They were leaving at ten the next morning. Just a two-hour trip, and they’d be there. Yulia already imagined the two of them sitting on the veranda, drinking morning coffee, listening to the sound of the waves.
Egor got home a little later than expected. Yulia had written him a list of groceries to pick up in the evening, and he made sure to do his part in getting ready for their holiday.
Egor and Yulia woke to their alarm at eight in the morning. The sun was already shining, but the city was still asleep. They had a calm breakfast—Yulia cooked an omelet with ham and Egor made coffee.
“Today marks the start of our first vacation week,” Yulia smiled as she finished her coffee.
Egor nodded, but worry was clear in his eyes. As they stood at the door with their suitcases, he suddenly felt tense.
“Is something wrong?” Yulia asked, frowning.
“None of my family knows we’re going away,” he said quietly. “Maybe I should call Mom when we get there? So she doesn’t worry…”
Yulia agreed.
“That’s a good idea, I definitely think you should call her.”
They stepped out of the house and loaded their things into the car. Egor started the engine, and they set off on their journey.
The road was empty—on Saturday mornings, hardly anyone was up that early. Yulia turned on her favorite playlist, rolled down the window to feel the fresh air, and Egor kept glancing at his phone to stay on the right route.
They had already passed the halfway point when suddenly Egor’s phone lit up. Kristina was calling.
“Don’t pick up. You’re driving, and we’re almost there,” Yulia said softly.
Egor nodded. The call stopped, but a minute later the phone rang again. And then again.
“She’s not going to give up,” Egor muttered.
And then the screen showed: “Mom.”
Egor swerved to the roadside and brought the car to a stop.
“I have to answer this.”
Yulia nodded silently.
Egor picked up, but he didn’t even get a chance to say hello before a shout burst through the speaker:
“Have you totally lost your mind?! Why won’t you let Kristina in with the kids?! They’ve been waiting outside your apartment for fifteen minutes! Shame on you!”
“Mom, we…” Egor tried to say something, but Lyudmila Ivanovna wouldn’t let him get a word in.
“She’s standing outside your door with two kids! And where are you?! Sleeping, I guess? Lazybones!”
“We left,” Egor finally managed to say.
“WHERE?!” The shout was so loud that Yulia flinched.
“To the dacha, for a week.”
There was dead silence on the other end. Then a click—Lyudmila Ivanovna had hung up.
Egor set the phone in his lap and took a deep breath.
“Call your sister,” Yulia said quietly. “We should’ve told them our vacation plans right away…”
Egor dialed Kristina’s number. She picked up immediately, her shrill voice filling the car:
“Where are you?! I’m standing at your door with the kids! Mom said you have to let us in!”
“We left,” Egor repeated firmly. “We’ll be out of town for seven days.”
“How could you?!” Kristina shrieked. “Mom can’t watch the kids, her blood pressure’s up! You HAVE to come back!”
“We don’t have to. And the house is already paid for,” Egor said.
“You… you…” Kristina was choking with rage. “Hope you rot! Hope your vacation is ruined! May it rain the whole time!”
She hung up.
Silence filled the car. Even the music had stopped—Yulia had turned it off at the start of the call with Lyudmila Ivanovna.
Egor started the engine again, and they drove on.
“Are you okay?” Yulia asked after a few kilometers.
Egor was silent. Then he nodded.
“Yeah. It’s just… I’ve never done that before. Now both of them will be mad at me. And I’ve always done everything for them… everything… I’ve even forgotten how to really relax.”
Yulia reached out and covered his hand with hers.
“I get it… We’re almost there.”
Ahead, around the bend, they could already see the river. The car turned onto a dirt road leading to the dacha. Sunlight danced on the river’s surface, and the air was full of the scent of pines and freshly cut grass. When they pulled up to the small wooden house with its blue porch, Yulia couldn’t help but smile.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered.
Egor turned off the engine and closed his eyes for a moment. For the first time in ages, his shoulders seemed relaxed.
After unpacking, they wandered silently around the property. The dacha was even cozier than in the photos: a neat garden with raspberry bushes, a hammock strung between two pines, a small dock with a boat.
“Shall we go for a swim?” Yulia suggested, already pulling out towels.
They spent the whole day on the river—swimming, sunbathing, laughing at Egor’s failed attempts to catch a fish. In the evening, they lit the grill and had dinner to the sound of crackling firewood and singing crickets.
“You know what I’ve realized?” Yulia leaned back in her wicker chair. “We could do this every weekend.”
He nodded. There was no more doubt in his eyes—only determination.
The phone was in the suitcase, turned off. For the first time in their entire marriage, that was a conscious choice.
The next morning, as the first rays of sun slipped through the curtains, Yulia woke up feeling someone was watching her. Egor was sitting on the bed, looking at her and smiling.
“What?” She stretched.
“Just… thank you. For this trip. For making me remember that we have our own life.”
Yulia leaned in and kissed him.
“This is just the beginning.”
Outside the window, the river was roaring, and for the first time in a long while, they felt truly free.