Sergey was in a state of complete confusion, not knowing what to do. At that moment his life could change drastically—something he desired the least. And Lariska was quite capable of stirring up such a commotion.
Mother had been right when she insisted that Olga was not his life partner. But then he showed some backbone. He didn’t entirely understand why himself. Perhaps it was out of spite toward his despotic mother or maybe because he truly had feelings for Olga. Although, most likely, the root of the problem lay in his relationship with his mother.
The split between his parents occurred when Sergey turned ten. His father didn’t leave for another woman—he simply exhausted his patience due to his wife’s difficult temperament. Veronika was marked by pathological jealousy and a tendency to boss others around. No matter how much he tried to restrain himself, one day he packed his things and left home.
The father’s attempts to maintain a connection with his son were met with a barrier erected by Veronika. The most that Sergey would agree to was to accept gifts from his father—and nothing more.
As he grew up, he began to understand his father’s motives. So, upon entering university, he immediately gained independence—fortunately, he had somewhere to live. His father had long since bought him an apartment, which Veronika Pavlovna was renting out.
His mother raged madly! She screamed, stomped, but the son held his ground. He reconciled with his father, received financial support from him, and completely broke away from his mother’s influence.
In his final year at college, fate brought him together with Olya. It all began with a bet: he wagered with his friends that he could win the favor of the first girl to step into the lecture hall. And that turned out to be her.
Olya avoided student parties, preferring solitude.
“Such a tough nut isn’t for you,” teased his friend Ivan.
“Let’s see,” Sergey smirked in response.
His relentless pursuit of Olya dragged on. More than once he wanted to abandon the endeavor, but his excitement prevailed. Sergey wasn’t one to lose and certainly didn’t like it.
Three months later, they were strolling through the park, discussing the future. That evening, Sergey planned to end the relationship once his goal—intimacy—was achieved.
Then his mother appeared. Noticing her son with Olya, she froze in place. A quick glance at the girl’s wardrobe revealed to her the social background of her son’s companion.
“Sergey! How can you!” her voice echoed throughout the park.
“Mom, stop this spectacle,” her son replied irritably.
“A spectacle? Do you even understand where she came from? All she needs is your money and a city registration!”
“Shut up!”
But the flood of indignation could not be stopped.
Olya jerked her hand away and ran off.
“Do you see what you’ve done?”
“Big deal! You got off easy. You’ll thank me later.”
“I won’t. I’m going to marry her, and you won’t stand in my way!” he retorted and left.
He knew her favorite spot—a cozy corner by the embankment among the willows. It was exactly there that he found her.
“Go away!” she sobbed, wiping her tears.
But he stayed. He held her close, comforting her.
“Olechka, she means nothing to me. All her words are empty noise. You know my mother.”
“But why is she treating me like this? Yes, I’m from the countryside. But I got in on my own, and I’ll soon graduate with honors. Fashion isn’t the most important thing in life.”
She wept, and he comforted her as best he could. That evening, they ended up at his place. In the morning, he was in no hurry to part ways, as he had planned the previous night. Thoughts of marriage and his mother’s mocking smile came to mind.
So they began living together. They prepared for his diploma defense. Friends teased him, saying that he had “won.” Olya’s acquaintances warned her about the real Sergey, predicting a breakup. She waved them off, nurturing genuine feelings for him and ignoring his past.
And as for Sergey…
This life suited him. Cleanliness, coziness, the delicious aromas wafting from the kitchen. He no longer went to parties anyway—his father had promised him a great job if he passed his exams and defended his diploma successfully.
On the occasion of his graduation, his father planned to gift Sergey a car. The young man himself had no idea about it. Sitting in the living room, he was pondering how to tell Olya about their impending breakup. On one hand, he was tormented by vague feelings and felt sorry for the girl. On the other, his career loomed ahead, which meant the possibility of choosing from many candidates for a life partner. You can’t go out in society with Olya, and besides… But if he broke up, his mother would definitely claim she was right.
Lost in these thoughts, he sat on the couch while Olya hummed in the kitchen, preparing dinner. She, too, intended to share important news with him, but didn’t know how.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. They weren’t expecting any guests. His mother had long ceased visiting them—she declared that she wouldn’t set foot in the house as long as “that mess” lived there. And that was the mildest way she referred to Olya.
Reluctantly, Sergey got up from the couch. He was surprised to find his father standing at the door. They usually communicated by phone, and his father hadn’t warned him of the visit.
“Well, son, will you let him in or are you just going to stand there?”
“Sorry, Dad. I just didn’t expect you.”
“And what is that delicious smell?”
Upon entering, his father discovered Olya. Sergey had never mentioned that he was living with a girlfriend.
“Allow me to introduce—my father, Pavel Sergeyevich. And this is Olya.”
Olya greeted him with a friendly smile.
“Sergey, why didn’t you say there would be guests? I could have prepared.”
“Olechka, he didn’t know himself. He decided to surprise us and personally congratulate his son on graduating.”
The men went into the room, while Olya remained in the kitchen, wondering how to now deliver her news—whether in the presence of her father-in-law or later in private.
At the festive table, it turned out that Sergey’s father was a very simple man. Upon learning of Olya’s background, he merely inquired about how things were going with fishing.
Olya could talk endlessly about her village—about the picturesque nature, the river, the fields, the forests rich in mushrooms and berries. The only thing that marred the picture was the mass exodus of residents. Now, it was mostly inhabited by pensioners, like her beloved grandmother who had raised her granddaughter from the age of ten after her parents tragically died in a car accident.
“I see, your grandmother raised you excellently,” noted Pavel Sergeyevich.
Olya burst into tears at the compliment.
“By the way, young people, when are you planning to go to the village?”
“Dad, we need to first settle on a job.”
“And what is there to decide? Your place is already ready, and we’ll help Olya too.”
“Thank you. But I want to try on my own. There are several options. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll gladly accept help. And I was planning to go to the village in a few days. I just need to buy the tickets.”
“What tickets?”
“For a train. First by train, then by bus.”
“And why such complications? It’s easier by car.”
“Dad, on what car? We haven’t…”
“On this one!” Pavel Sergeyevich exclaimed cheerfully, pulling out the keys. “I see, my gift is just in time. And may I join you?”
Sergey had no choice. A week later, the three of them set off to meet Olya’s grandmother. The girl decided to deliver her news right there.
The village indeed turned out to be remote. The cell signal worked only from the high ground, and on the second day Sergey grew unbearably bored. He tried to hint at returning, but the others did not support the idea.
One evening, they were sitting in the yard. More precisely, Olya was enjoying the nature while Sergey’s mind was already in the city. He didn’t immediately catch the girl’s words. When she repeated louder that she would soon become a mother, he nearly screamed. He wanted to say that it wasn’t the right time and they didn’t need a child at all. But then his father’s voice rang out:
“Now that’s news! I’m going to be a grandfather! Oh, Sergei, I’m proud of you! Right, right… Let’s immediately plan a wedding! And you, Olechka, forget about work. Relax. You’ll have time to work later.”
Despite having promised to bring her by car, the grandmother refused to come to the wedding. Sergey’s mother limited herself to a brief message: “I don’t congratulate you. I don’t wish you happiness.”
The wedding went splendidly. Then everyday life resumed. Sergey began working, while Olya stayed at home. As he had anticipated, there turned out to be many interesting women around, but since the office was managed by his father’s friend, office romances were out of the question.
Later, a daughter named Katenka was born. At first, Sergey was completely indifferent to the child, but over time he became attached to the little one. He loved it when she ran to him shouting “Daddy,” hugged him, and laughed when he tossed her high into the air.
They formed a truly model family. But six months ago, a friend of his father retired, and Larisa started working there. All the men practically devoured her with their eyes, yet she chose Sergey. He couldn’t resist the temptation, and an affair began.
Olya began to notice changes in her husband, but she tried not to entertain the thought of infidelity. Over time, his coldness even extended to Katenka.
Meanwhile, Larisa continued to press:
“Darling, when will you finally break up with her?”
“I can’t. My father will simply hate me.”
“You’re already an adult. What does your father have to do with it?”
“Directly. I’d lose my job immediately.”
“You’re capable. You’ll find another job. We could even move.”
“I said no. If something doesn’t suit you…”
Larisa interrupted him, realizing the futility of the conversation.
That day, for the first time, Sergey did not spend the night at home. In the morning, he texted his wife that he had stayed late at the office, although in reality he had been with his mistress. It was there that the idea of a vacation came to him, and now he was racking his brains on how to explain it to Olya.
But when he returned, his worried wife greeted him:
“Grandma is seriously ill. We need to urgently go to the village. Can you take a couple of days and drive us with Katenka?”
Sergey couldn’t believe his luck—there would be no need to concoct any explanations. In the remote village where Olya was, there wouldn’t be normal cell service, and he would peacefully spend time with Larisa somewhere by the sea.
After quickly resolving work matters and buying the necessary supplies, they headed to the village. He did not plan on staying long and, after spending the night, left immediately. In a couple of days, his vacation was to begin—he and his mistress were planning a resort trip.
But instead of stopping by home, he went straight to Larisa’s. They discussed the upcoming trip and the shopping list, yet his thoughts were entirely occupied by something else.
“I’ll go home to sleep,” Sergey suddenly declared.
“Why? Your wife isn’t there.”
“I forgot some important documents there. I don’t want to make a detour tomorrow.” That was the truth—he truly felt tired after the drive.
The night turned out sleepless. Thoughts of his wife and daughter wouldn’t let him rest. He saw how badly his mother-in-law was feeling, and he reproached himself for his inappropriate thoughts.
At work, everything was falling apart.
“What’s wrong with you, Sergei?” the director asked.
“My wife’s grandmother is sick… I drove them to the village…” he blurted out before he even realized.
“So, the vacation will start earlier. Hand over your work and go to your family.”
To the family… those words echoed in his head.
When Larisa called to check on the trip, he was just at a gas station.
“Forget about me. I sent the tickets to your email. The hotel is paid. We will never see each other again. And if you try to harm my family in any way— blame yourself.”
He raced to his loved ones. With him were his father and his good friend, a doctor by profession.
Their appearance in the yard was a complete surprise to Olya and Katenka. The little girl was crying—grandma was refusing to go to the hospital.
They managed to get grandma back on her feet. She lived another ten happy years, even got to nanny a great-grandchild, and helped Pavel Sergeyevich find happiness by introducing him to a lonely woman from the village. The village transformed—a large farm opened there, and people began to return. And Sergey and Olya’s family spent all their vacations there, for true rest and happiness don’t require exotic beaches—it’s enough to be close to loved ones.
