She’s not my son’s wife! Just a dame with money, nothing more!” I heard that as I eavesdropped on my mother-in-law’s conversation.

Sofya set a vase of flowers on the table and critically examined the result. Everything was perfect. A pristine white tablecloth, crystal glasses, expensive champagne in a silver bucket with ice. In the kitchen, a duck with apples was baking in the oven, and in the refrigerator sat desserts from the city’s best patisserie. And … Read more

What dinner?” the wife asked. “Did you give me any money for it?” “No! So what do you expect from me?”

— And what, now I’m supposed to walk around hungry?” Leo exclaimed in indignation, feeling his anger boiling inside him. “— Of course not,” Anna replied calmly. “You can go to the store, buy some groceries, and make yourself a dinner. Or order delivery. You do have money.” “— Is this some kind of strike?” … Read more

They had carefully hidden the newly bought summer house from the relatives. Everything had to be set in order right away. Grab the shovels and start digging in the garden. They’re not coming anymore.

A phone call shattered the morning silence so unexpectedly that Natasha jumped. The screen displayed the name: “Aunt Lyuba.” — “Natashenka!” an excited voice came from the other end of the line. “Can you imagine, we’re coming to your country house!”   Her cup of coffee froze mid-air. Aunt Lyuba was the very one who … Read more

Mother-in-Law Didn’t Expect That Breaking Up Her Son’s Family Would Boomerang Back on Her

Ludmila sat at the kitchen table, nervously tapping a spoon on the rim of a cup of cooling tea. Her eyes, narrowed from perpetual dissatisfaction, followed as Marina loaded boxes into the car outside. “That’s it,” she thought, “finally this upstart has been removed from my boy’s life.”   Alexey stood by the car with … Read more

“I’m not a restaurant, and this is not a buffet,” the hostess gave a stern reply to the guests.

Anna rearranged the figurines on the shelf, wiping the dust off with her sleeve. Every Friday, she performed her ritual of a deep cleaning—whether guests were coming or not. Cleanliness had become a habit, one that turned into an obsession. At fifty-eight, she felt that control over her home was the last thing that truly … Read more

Your sister’s family now eats here for a fee,” her wife blurted out, “borscht is 400 rubles.

— Tanya, where is your granulated sugar? — Nastya rummaged again through her kitchen drawers, — Why do you keep moving it around? Tanya was thoroughly fed up with these sudden visits from Sasha’s sister. And it wasn’t just her—if it were only her, it might have been forgivable. No, she dragged along her entire … Read more

A homeless girl found a phone and wanted to return it, but heard a familiar tune on the line.

Sveta watched with mild envy as parents picked up their children to go home. “Misha, don’t cry, we will come back here tomorrow,” one of the moms reassured. “Kolenka, dad is waiting for us at home. Let’s go quickly,” another hurried. “Katyusha, the sand won’t disappear. We’ll play again tomorrow and then we’ll bake some … Read more