“Where are you going? We can manage without sour cream!” her mother-in-law tried to stop her.
“I’ll get there in fifteen minutes on my bike!” Dasha was already wheeling her trusty steed onto the porch. “Who eats borscht without sour cream, anyway?”
Anna Vasilievna smiled, shaking her head as she watched her daughter-in-law go.
“She’s such a live wire, your wife. Has she always been like this? You’re a lucky man, Egorka.”
“Yeah, that’s for sure…,” answered her son.
Dasha and Egor got married a few years ago. It all happened quickly, but even Egor’s mom didn’t mind. She liked Dasha straight away. Bright and energetic, she instantly filled their lives with excitement and emotion.
“Hey, how about we go boating together this weekend?” she suggested to Egor.
“Go ahead, have some fun,” Anna Vasilievna nodded.
“No! You didn’t get it, you’re both coming too! No sitting around at home! Once you have grandkids you’ll get plenty of downtime.” Daria insisted.
Daria grinned mischievously and winked at Egor, who just shrugged.
Actually, whenever the topic of kids came up, her husband would always steer the conversation elsewhere. Dasha understood he wasn’t ready yet, so she gave him time, hinting lightly but never pushing too hard.
But the clock was ticking, and she found herself coming back to this thought again and again.
Surprisingly, Dasha had grown quite close with her mother-in-law, Anna Vasilievna. She often asked her advice and genuinely enjoyed spending free time together.
Sometimes Egor would come home from work to find them sitting together in the kitchen, having tea and laughing.
This time, the couple went to visit Anna Vasilievna at her dacha. Dasha loved their country house. It was always so beautiful—fruit trees, flowers, and rock gardens created such a lovely atmosphere.
Dasha also loved cooking with her mother-in-law. You could find lots of russulas right in the garden and fry them up with potatoes on the spot.
Or you could gather fresh beets and cabbage and make borscht, topping it generously with sour cream and fresh green onions.
But when the meal was ready, they realized there was no sour cream in the fridge, and Dasha volunteered to quickly bike to the local shop for it.
“Don’t you dare start lunch without me—I’ll be right back!” Dasha called as she left.
“Come on inside, son, I’ll slice up some lard for the borscht,” Anna Vasilievna said, calling to her son. “Our neighbor gave me some—it’s so tender, it practically melts in your mouth.”
When they got back to the kitchen and Anna Vasilievna brought out the lard, Egor blurted out:
“Mom, I need to talk to you.”
“I can see you haven’t been yourself all day. What’s going on?”
“There’s something I’ve been hiding from Dasha. It’s been very hard living with this secret,” he admitted.
“What is it? Do I know about it?”
“No, Mom. I’ve kept it from everyone. But I can’t go on like this. You see, Dasha keeps asking why we don’t get our own apartment.”
“I’ve thought it was odd, too, that you two are still renting. I even offered to help with your debt repayments,” his mother said, surprised.
“And she brings up having kids more and more often.”
“Well, what’s strange about that? Of course it’s time for you to have children. You two make a beautiful couple.”
“I already have children,” Egor said quietly.
“What?! What are you saying, son?”
“Well, one child, actually. A little girl.”
— And why am I only finding out about this now?
— It just happened by accident. I was away on a business trip. In the evening, I went to a local bar, met a girl… well, you can guess the rest. — Egor buried his face in his hands.
— So what happened next? Why didn’t you marry her?
— It was a one-time thing, we’re completely different people! But later she called me and told me she was pregnant. She doesn’t want anything from me, but she’s keeping the baby, and I have to provide. The girl’s about to turn three now.
— So this happened after you were with Dasha?! — Anna Vasilievna sat down, clutching a towel in her hands.
— Yes, Mom. It happened while I was with Dasha. I just lost my head.
— And she doesn’t know?
— Of course she doesn’t know! Why would I sabotage myself? But every month I send a part of my salary over there. Dasha doesn’t even know what my true salary is.
— Well, how about that…
Dasha had been standing silently in the hallway, her hands over her mouth. She’d come back home almost immediately after leaving, because she’d forgotten her phone, and her bank card was in the case. When she walked into the hallway, she heard Egor say her name and got curious. After that, she just couldn’t stop listening.
Dasha didn’t know how to react to the news. At first, she wanted to storm into the kitchen and slap Egor. But then she realized that making a scene wouldn’t help the situation.
But what should she do now? Because of her husband’s recklessness, they now neither have children nor an apartment… Until the child from his one-night affair turns eighteen, they won’t be able to buy an apartment. Only if both of them switch to higher-paying jobs could that change. But during a crisis like this, that’s impossible.
But aside from the financial questions, what really hurt Dasha was that all this happened after she and Egor were already married.
If it had happened before her, she could have handled it better. Who hasn’t made mistakes? Everyone slips up sometimes. She was human, she could understand. But the fact that he got involved with another woman after their wedding… Dasha decided it must be her fault. Otherwise, why would Egor look for something on the side? Slowly, her hurt and anger faded to a cold, clear calmness. Dasha quietly left the hallway and gently closed the door behind her.
— Here I am! — Dasha came in, parking her bike. She had a bag with sour cream hanging from the handlebars, — I grabbed two containers just in case, and I got some bread too. — She handed the bag to her mother-in-law.
Anna Vasilievna looked straight into her eyes.
— What? Did something happen? — her daughter-in-law asked.
— I saw your bike. Do you know everything, my dear?
Daria’s smile vanished instantly. She wanted so badly to cry, but she held back with all her might.
— Yes. I know.
— And what are you going to do?
— I don’t know… — and then she burst into tears, resting her head on her mother-in-law’s shoulder.
— There, there. No need for him to know… at least not yet, — Anna Vasilievna tried to comfort her.
— Know what? — Egor appeared on the porch.
— Know that Dasha spent all the money on her card and didn’t have enough left for bread. — Anna Vasilievna hugged a black plastic bag to her stomach.
— Well, what can you do? Girls will be girls. — Egor smiled.
— No, Anna Vasilievna, I’m not going to lie. I overheard your conversation, Egor. — Dasha said seriously.
— What?!
— Yes, I know about your child.
There was an awkward silence. Egor, Anna Vasilievna, and Dasha didn’t know what to say next.
Darya was the first to break the silence.
“Listen. I’ve had some time to pull myself together and think everything through. I believe you should try to build a relationship with the mother of your child. You didn’t just get a pet cat—you brought a person into this world! That means you both should share responsibility for that.”
While Darya spoke, Anna Vasilievna felt proud of her. She had made such a wise decision, and Anna felt even more ashamed of her son’s behavior.
“There’s nothing left between us. We have nothing to divide, so go in peace,” Dasha finished.
“Dasha, do you have to be so harsh right away?” Egor tried to interject.
“My mind’s made up. I’m leaving you. As for the mother of your child—those are just my recommendations. Do what you think is best.”
“You can stay with me until you get settled!” Anna Vasilievna offered.
“I’d love to, if you don’t mind,” Dasha agreed right away.
Six months later.
Egor managed to create a family with his daughter’s mother. Maybe it wasn’t epic love, but for the sake of their child, they tried to be good parents—and they succeeded. Over time, respect and even some affection grew between them.
Living with Anna Vasilievna, Dasha met her neighbor across the hall. Soon, they started a relationship. The young programmer, though just renting an apartment in their building, made a good living, and Dasha soon moved in with him, glad she could stay close to her former mother-in-law.
As for Anna Vasilievna, she was simply happy that all her children and granddaughter were doing well.
