“Mom, may I come in? I need to talk,” Natalia said, standing at the doorway of her parents’ apartment, clutching a large bag tightly to her chest.
“Come in, but be careful taking off your shoes; I just cleaned the floors,” her mother said, stepping aside to let her daughter enter. “Your father is home, reading the newspaper.”
The aroma of fried potatoes and cutlets filled the apartment. Fyodor, the younger brother, was expected to return from his route, and their mother was preparing his favorite meal.
Natalia walked into the room, exhaling deeply, and sank down onto the couch. Her belly protruded noticeably beneath the loose dress.
“Are your legs swollen again?” her father asked, setting aside his newspaper. “Maybe you should see a doctor?”
“It’s fine, Dad. Is it the first time?” Natalia adjusted the cushion behind her back. “Listen, I wanted to talk about something…” she hesitated. “I have an idea regarding the apartment.”
“What apartment?” her mother entered with a cup of tea for Natalia.
“Yours,” Natalia sipped the hot tea. “Look, there’s enough space for you and Fedya: he has one room, you have another. What if you sold the two-room apartment and got a one-bedroom instead…”
“And you’d keep the difference?” a mocking voice came from the doorway. Fyodor leaned against the doorframe, still wearing his work jacket with the transport company logo. “Looks like you don’t waste any time, sis.”
“Fedya, you’re back already?” their mother exclaimed. “I’ll warm up your food…”
“Later,” he waved her off without taking his eyes off Natalia. “First, let’s hear these ideas of yours.”
“Come on, Fedya, don’t start like that,” Natalia frowned. “I’m serious. It really would be okay for you to live in a one-bedroom…”
“Who would it be more convenient for?” he slammed his heavy bag into a corner and stepped into the room. “Me with our parents in a one-bedroom? Or you with all our money?”
“Son, don’t shout,” his father tried to calm him. “Let’s talk this through calmly.”
“What is there to discuss?” Fyodor paced the room impatiently. “Five years ago, we sold the dacha and gave it to her. Now the apartment too? You bought an apartment for the oldest daughter? Then why not go live with her,” he snapped at their parents.
“I’m having my third child!” Natalia raised her voice. “We need more space! It’s already cramped in the three-room!”
“And what about me?” Fyodor spun sharply toward his sister. “I’m thirty-two and still have nowhere of my own because all the family’s money went to your three-room!”
“Well, rightfully so,” Natalia scoffed. “Because I’ve achieved something in life— a good husband, business, children, and an apartment…”
“A good husband?” Fyodor burst out laughing. “One who’s shutting stores down one after another? Everyone knows Pavel is neck-deep in debts.”
Natalia paled. “What nonsense are you talking about?”
“Stop pretending, sis. I’m a trucker, driving all over the region. You know how many rumors are out there? Two stores have already closed in the neighboring city, and three are barely surviving here. Suppliers don’t deliver goods because the old debts aren’t paid. So why do you really need our parents’ money?”
“A heavy silence settled in the room as their mother anxiously shifted her gaze between daughter and son.”
“Natalia, tell me it’s not true. It can’t be,” their mother pleaded.
On the couch, Natalia slumped weakly. “I didn’t want to tell you… Pavel really has serious problems. The stores aren’t profitable; two had to be closed. The suppliers are demanding the debts back. If we don’t find money soon…”
“And you decided to leave our parents homeless?” Fyodor shook his head. “So we have to squeeze into a one-bedroom while you cover your husband’s debts?”
“What else can I do?” Natalia’s eyes reddened. “I’ve got two little ones! The third is coming soon! We might lose everything!”
“Then handle your problems yourself!” Fyodor shouted. “Stop leeching off our parents! They gave you everything— the dacha, the savings! And now you want the last thing they have?”
“You’re just jealous!” Natalia jumped up, nearly tipping her cup. “Jealous I succeeded, married a decent man, unlike you… Who are you? A driver!”
“Yeah, you succeeded,” Fyodor sneered. “Now you want to rob our parents. Maybe you should take them in since they gave you everything — the dacha, money — let them live with you!”
“What?” Natalia recoiled. “No! I have my family, little children…”
“Oh, so you can take from them, but not help? You only know how to drain them?”
“You don’t understand!” Natalia grabbed her bag, hands trembling. “We have such problems… Pavel might lose everything!”
“And we should be left without shelter?” Fyodor stepped closer. “Get out. Stop milking our parents. Fix your problems on your own.”
Natalia rushed out, slamming the door so hard the glass in the cabinet rattled. Their mother collapsed into a chair, covering her face with her hands.
“Why are you so harsh with your sister? She’s pregnant…”
“And what about her?” Fyodor sat opposite, rubbing his neck tiredly from the long trip. “You can see she doesn’t care about you. Only cares about the money.”
“But she really has a difficult situation…”
“And what about ours?” He looked around the old apartment with peeling wallpaper and cracked window paint. “Dad, you retire in a year. Mom, your blood pressure fluctuates. And she wants you to move into a one-bedroom in a new area, far from the clinic…”
“Maybe she’ll come to her senses,” their father whispered.
Yet, Natalia did not change her mind. A week passed with no word from her. Their mother tried calling but was ignored. Then unexpectedly, Pavel arrived.
Fyodor was about to leave for work on a new route when the doorbell rang. At the entrance stood his sister’s husband — gaunt, in a wrinkled suit, eyes lifeless.
“May I come in?” his hoarse voice broke the silence. “I need to talk.”
The mother silently led her son-in-law to the kitchen. Fyodor was about to leave but his father stopped him.
“Sit down, son. This concerns the whole family.”
Pavel sat quietly for a while, fiddling with a cold cup of tea, then spoke:
“I’m here to apologize. For myself and for Natalia. We shouldn’t have involved you in all this.”
“What happened?” their mother asked softly.
“It’s over for the business,” he smiled bitterly. “Yesterday the last store closed. Creditors came, took the goods, equipment, and car. I thought I could manage somehow, kept borrowing. Natalia believed in me, so she came to you, thinking you might sell the apartment…”
“Did you think about the parents? About asking pensioners for their last savings?” Fyodor interrupted.
“You’re right,” Pavel looked up. “Completely right. I overreached, tried to play a big businessman, took out loans. When everything collapsed, I was lost. I’m ashamed to face you now.”
“And Natalia?” their mother worried.
“She cries constantly, says she doesn’t know how to go on. She’s ashamed to come after that argument. You know how proud she is…”
“But are you managing somehow? The kids are young…”
“We’re trying,” Pavel nodded. “I got a job as a delivery driver at a wholesale company. Natalia found work too — she’ll be an administrator at a mall after the baby. We’ll live like everyone else. Just…” he hesitated, ” Please forgive us. We shouldn’t have dragged you into this.”
When Pavel left, the kitchen was heavy with silence. Fyodor stared out at the gray autumn courtyard. His thoughts turned to his sister — how much she had changed over the years, from a cheerful girl to an arrogant, wealthy wife. And now…
“Listen, son,” their father suddenly said, “you were right not to let them sell the apartment. We always spoiled Natalia, forgave everything. And she…”
A month later, Natalia appeared again, thinner now, her belly still pronounced, dressed simply without her usual makeup or jewelry. She sat in the hallway and broke down crying.
“Forgive me. I’m such… You’ve done so much for me, and I…”
The mother rushed to her side.
“Enough now. You’ll get through this somehow.”
Fyodor looked at his sister, unrecognizable — the proud woman was gone. Now she was tearful, bare-faced, wearing worn-out shoes.
“Alright,” he finally said. “Forget it. You’ll live like everyone else, no illusions.”
“Thank you,” Natalia looked up with teary eyes. “For not letting them sell the apartment. You were right — we must live on our own.”
That evening, they sat long in the kitchen. Natalia recounted how everything fell apart — the closing of the first store, then the second, Pavel rushing about trying to find money, and her sleepless nights worrying about their future.
“You know,” she said to her brother, “I truly believed we were above everyone else. That having money made us special. But now… Pavel delivers goods, I’ll go to work at the mall soon. Like normal people.”
“Well, that’s good,” Fyodor nodded. “There’s nothing wrong with that. I drive trucks too, no complaints.”
- The third child was born to Natalia—a boy.
- Pavel continued working as a delivery driver, often away but always returning with groceries.
- Natalia took a remote copywriting job, quickly adapted, and even received a quarterly bonus.
One evening, after a trip, Fyodor stopped by Natalia’s place. She was playing with the children in the kitchen.
“Brother! Come in, I’ll pour you some soup,” she called.
“Just for a minute. These little ones,” he said, pulling a bag of candies and toys from his bag.
The children rushed at him excitedly. Natalia smiled.
“You always spoil them.”
“Why not?” Fyodor tossed the youngest in the air. “You’re raising good kids.”
Later, after the children ran to their room, Natalia poured him some tea.
“I wanted to ask you about the company ‘Transoil.’ Pavel’s been offered a job there; the salary is better.”
“It’s a decent company,” Fyodor nodded. “I work with them often. They pay on time.”
“That’s what I told him — to accept. But he’s afraid of change after his business.”
“Understandable. But the pay there is good.”
Natalia paused briefly, then said, “I walked past our old stores recently. Some pharmacy chain is there now. Weirdly, I don’t feel sad. Like it was another life.”
“That’s right,” Fyodor took a sip of tea. “You’re living well. You both have jobs and the kids are growing.”
The following day, Fyodor visited their parents. Their father was reading the newspaper; mother tended to seedlings on the windowsill.
“Fedya, come sit,” their father said, setting the paper down. “Your mother and I discussed something…”
“Cut the foreword, Dad,” Fyodor replied.
“We decided to give you some money for a down payment on a mortgage. We’ve saved a bit.”
“You’re kidding?” Fyodor stood up. “You should keep it for yourselves…”
“Don’t argue with your father,” their mother interrupted. “We see how hard you work, and with your pension increased…”
“No, thanks,” Fyodor shook his head. “I’ll manage on my own. You keep the money.”
“We know how well you manage,” their father grumbled. “You take extra trips, working to exhaustion. Take it. Don’t argue. You’ve always been our support.”
Reluctantly, Fyodor accepted the help, realizing how tiring it was to rent forever.
Two weeks later, he found a suitable one-bedroom apartment, not downtown but close to work. The parents helped with the initial payment; the rest went on a mortgage.
“Now you have your own place,” their mother said, helping with the move. “No more renting.”
“It’s fine, Mom. I handled it.”
Natalia arrived with curtains and pots.
“This is from Pavel and me. For the new home.”
“I have everything I need.”
“Take it,” she started unpacking dishes. “You know, I thought… You were right to yell at me then. I was out of line, always demanding.”
“Forgotten,” Fyodor waved his hand. “The important thing is you understood.”
That night, after everyone left, Fyodor sat in his new apartment’s kitchen. Outside, the city buzzed; the kettle whistled on the stove. He smiled quietly — he’d managed it all. Bought an apartment, reconciled with his sister, and most importantly, their parents stayed comfortably in their two-room home.
Key Insight: This story highlights the trials and transformations within a family facing financial hardship, the challenges of pride and resentment, and ultimately, the power of understanding and mutual support.
Over time, despite the tensions, the family found a way to reconcile and create a more stable and supportive environment for everyone involved.