Unexpected Guest and Family Challenges
Tatiana was busy dusting the dresser in the living room when the familiar jingle of keys turned in the lock. Her husband, Igor, returned home from work an hour earlier than usual—which could only mean one thing: news about his sister Marina.
“Tanechka,” Igor called from the hallway, “we’re expecting someone soon. Marina will arrive the day after tomorrow.”
Tatiana stopped mid-motion, rag still in hand. The last time Marina stayed with them was three years prior, and those two weeks remained etched in her memory as an extremely stressful period for their family.
“For how long?” she quietly inquired.
“Mom asked us to help Marina settle in the city. She’s twenty-seven now and still hasn’t found her path in life. I believe the big city offers her more opportunities.”
Tatiana sighed, recalling Marina—the tall blonde with pouty lips who often treated others like servants. She had never held a job, lived off her mother’s pension and her brother’s financial support in a small town.
“Alright,” Tatiana conceded, realizing resistance was futile, “I’ll prepare a space for her in the living room.”
Arrival and Adjusting to Life Together
Thursday morning saw Marina arrive with two large suitcases and a cosmetics bag. Though striking, her weary eyes hinted at dissatisfaction with provincial life and a yearning for change.
“Igoryok!” she exclaimed, embracing her brother warmly. “How I’ve missed real civilization!”
Watching silently, Tatiana observed the reunion but noticed Marina barely acknowledged her, as if she were part of the furniture.
“Show me my room,” Marina requested. “I’m exhausted from the trip. Is there somewhere I can grab something to eat? I didn’t have breakfast.”
The days that followed established a certain routine: Marina woke late, took prolonged time preparing, then demanded breakfast. Tatiana, working remotely, often had to pause her tasks to prepare meals for their guest.
- “Tanechka, got any better coffee? This one tastes sour,” Marina complained frowning.
- “Can you wash my blouse? I want to go downtown today.”
- “Is there an iron? My dress is all wrinkled.”
Igor noticed Tatiana’s growing fatigue but chose to overlook it. Each day, he handed Marina money—for cabs, café lunches, or shopping sprees.
The Tension Builds
One evening, Tatiana cautiously approached Igor while Marina had gone out to meet new people.
“Igor, don’t you think it’s time she looked for work? She’s been here two weeks and only entertains herself.”
“Let her settle first,” he dismissed her concerns. “She’s always lived in a small town. She needs time to explore our city and figure out what suits her.”
Though silent, Tatiana’s frustration intensified. She watched their savings dwindle, their home turn into a hotel for a pampered girl who couldn’t even say thank you.
Dreams and Demands
After a week, Marina came in high spirits, having met old school friends Alena and Sveta, both comfortably married and well-off.
“Alena married a businessman; they live in an upscale apartment,” Marina excitedly told Igor. “Sveta’s husband owns a private clinic. They vacation overseas yearly—Cyprus, Greece.”
“That’s wonderful,” Igor replied distractedly, scrolling his tablet.
“They invited me to join them in Cyprus! The weather is perfect now, not too hot. We could book a twelve-day trip.”
Igor looked up. The room grew silent.
“Marina, you don’t have the funds for that.”
“Igoryok,” she clung to his hand, voice trembling, “If I tell them I can’t go, everyone will think I’m poor. Rumors will fly in our small town.”
“That trip—plus expenses—will cost a fortune.”
“You’re my brother! I can’t ask others. Mom gave me all her savings to move here. I wanted to start fresh.”
Tatiana overheard this from the kitchen, her hands shaking with indignation, fully aware where this was heading.
“How much?” Igor questioned.
“About one hundred thousand rubles total.”
Tatiana recognized that sum—the exact amount saved for repairing her grandmother’s summer house.
“Alright,” Igor sighed, “I’ll cover it.”
Conflict and Consequences
As Marina happily made calls to friends, Tatiana emerged from the kitchen, her face pale with anger.
“Igor, have you lost your mind? One hundred thousand rubles on your sister’s whims?”
“Tanechka, she needs our help. Saying no will cause a tantrum, and she’ll leave. All we’ve done will be for nothing.”
“What efforts? She didn’t look for work. Our home became her hotel; I became her servant!”
“Don’t overstate it,” Igor frowned. “She just needs time to adjust.”
“Adjust in three weeks? Igor, that money was for the summer house. The roof leaks; the porch crumbles.”
“The summer house can wait. Marina’s chance at a new life might not come again.”
“Igor, do you realize you’d spend all our savings just so she can pretend to be wealthy in front of friends for two weeks?”
“Even if it means selling your summer house, she will go on that vacation!” Igor admitted, then immediately regretted his words.
Tatiana stared at him in disbelief—the husband she knew for five years could utter such things.
“So my summer house is just a bargaining chip for your sister,” she said quietly and walked away. Igor tried to follow, but she closed the bedroom door behind her.
A Plan of Resistance
Tatiana spent a sleepless night, turning over her husband’s readiness to sacrifice their property for his sister’s caprices. The next morning, while Igor left for work and Marina slept, she accessed a classified ads website and posted an immediate sale of Igor’s black Skoda car, priced well below market. She provided his phone number without his knowledge, confident since she knew the phone password.
From dawn, Igor received calls about the supposed sale. Confused and stressed, he denied knowing anything about the ad, but the calls flooded his phone nonstop through the day.
At home, Tatiana calmly prepared dinner, while Marina chatted excitedly about her vacation plans.
“Tanechka, what’s this about selling my car?” Igor asked.
“I posted the ad,” Tatiana replied without looking up.
“Are you mad?”
“Not at all. I’m helping save money for Marina. She’s more important than the car. You can bus to work.”
Marina stopped eating and watched her brother carefully.
“This isn’t a joke, Tanechka,” Igor said.
“Neither am I laughing. Yesterday you said you’d sell my summer house for Marina’s holiday. I thought starting with your car made sense.”
“I didn’t mean it.”
“You did, Igor. You’re willing to sacrifice everything for your sister’s whims. Then sacrifice the car as well.”
Marina sensed the tension and tried to intervene.
“Igoryok, maybe no fighting?”
“No,” Tatiana firmly said. “Your brother thinks your vacation matters more than my property, so he can let go of his car too.”
“Take down the ad. People won’t stop calling.”
“Only when you apologize and abandon the vacation plan.”
“But I promised Marina!”
“And I was promised respect and love. Where was that when you were ready to sell our property?”
Awakening and Resolution
Igor looked between his sister and wife, finally seeing the situation from a new perspective. Marina had indeed become a spoiled dependent focused only on her desires, while his attempts to assist were threatening his marriage.
“Marina, I can’t fund your trip.”
“What? You promised! I told everyone!”
“I’m sorry, but our savings can’t cover it.”
“You’re a traitor!” Marina shouted and stormed off to her room. “I’m leaving tomorrow!”
The slamming door echoed. Tatiana turned off the stove and looked at Igor.
“Forgive me,” he whispered. “I almost let her manipulations destroy us. I’ll remove the ad.”
“I’m already taking it down.”
Departure and New Understanding
The following day, Marina packed her belongings and left without farewells, only giving Igor a cold nod.
“Don’t think I’ll forget this,” she warned. “Mom will know.”
“Tell her I love her and I’ll help family—but reasonably,” Igor replied.
When the taxi disappeared, Tatiana held Igor’s hand.
“No regrets?” she asked.
“None,” he shook his head. “I nearly lost the most important thing to someone who didn’t appreciate it.”
That night, over tea, Igor vowed:
“I will never again let anyone—even relatives—dictate how we manage our money.”
“Family means you and me,” Tatiana quietly said. “Others are relatives, nothing more.”
“Exactly,” Igor agreed. “I swear not to confuse these again.”
A Final Note
A week later, a message arrived from Igor’s mother. She expressed regret for her daughter’s behavior and asked for forgiveness, clarifying she understood Marina’s tendencies and appreciated Tatiana and Igor’s efforts.
- Their savings remained intact.
- They repaired the summer house and now enjoyed comfortable weekends there.
- Rumors suggest Marina found a job and room rental back home, starting to value what she had.
Ultimately, Igor learned that a true family foundation is built on mutual respect between spouses—not on indulging the whims of others, no matter how closely related. This realization reinforced the boundaries he was determined never to cross again.