Zoya had dedicated her life to teaching, but now, with only a modest pension, she found herself selling vegetables at the market. Her family dynamics had shifted too—her son-in-law had remarried and moved in with his new wife, while her daughter and grandchild had come back to live with her. Despite the challenges, Zoya did … Read more
«I never thought that a simple request from a neighbor could turn my life upside down. Work had me held up; I stayed in the office until 9 PM. – Anton! Anton, wait! I turned around at the entrance. Larisa from the fifth apartment was running towards me, holding onto her bag. Her chestnut hair … Read more
In the classroom, silence prevailed. The students diligently wrote their tests. Albina Romanovna walked back and forth near the board, watching the kids. Suddenly, her attention was distracted by someone knocking at the door. The teacher left the classroom. «Hey, Tarasov! So, did the bums chip in for your tux for the prom?» Genka Rodkin … Read more
Svetlana sat on the bench. She had just been discharged from the maternity hospital, feeling the burden of a grave mistake. Perhaps she should have left the baby there for the state to take care of him. But Svetlana had no choice—she had nowhere else to go. As soon as her boyfriend learned of the … Read more
Yevgeny Mikhailovich was known as a thoughtful, consistent, and attentive person. He achieved everything on his own, without the help of influential relatives or connections. He always brushed off life’s setbacks, as he could coolly look at situations from the outside and think through his own actions to solve problems. Some thought he just … Read more
When asked a question by his nine-year-old daughter Arishka, her father was at a loss. He didn’t have an answer… He wasn’t a priest to discourse about God. Vasiliy was known in the district as a skilled stove setter, dexterous and always ready to work. Building a stove was his expertise, but answering such complex … Read more
In the toy store, there was everything you could imagine! From colorful Lego sets to huge bears sitting importantly along the display window. Anya had brought her son here, who was almost a second grader, and she herself was overwhelmed by the choices. ‘Vladik, choose, what would you like?’ she asked, spreading her arms and … Read more
A fragile girl with soft eyes stood at the train station holding a large bag of food. She came here almost every day to feed the homeless dogs. These places were a sanctuary for dozens of animals, and Alena knew them all as if they were her old friends. «Come here, buddy,» she called gently … Read more
Oksana was preparing dinner and humming to herself, finally ready to delight Nikita. They had been living together for ten years. Initially, they didn’t rush to have a child, enjoying their time together. Oksana wanted to work and gain experience. She was eager to land a job at a prestigious company and had promised that … Read more
Why did Herman Pavlovich name his pawnshop ‘Almaz’ (Diamond)?» Many thought the reason was because the pawnshop specialized in receiving jewelry. Herman didn’t feel the need to explain that it was quite different. The real reason was deeply personal and much more tragic. Five years ago, Herman had a daughter. His only princess—Mashenka. He loved … Read more