Stop bothering me with your talks about the sea!” Yegor suddenly exclaimed, tossing the remote control onto the sofa. “Inna is arriving tomorrow with her family, and we are not going anywhere!”
Those sharp words hit the living room like a sudden cold shower. Vera froze in place, standing amid the room, gripping a tourist brochure displaying shimmering blue seas that trembled slightly in her hands.
“What do you mean by ‘bothering me’?” she asked quietly.
Gradually, she set the brochure down on the coffee table. Meanwhile, Yegor reclined in his armchair, flipping through TV channels. The screen’s glow painted his face with a detached, indifferent expression.
“Did you say something?” Vera’s voice was calm but carried a hint of menace.
“I said exactly what I meant.” He didn’t take his eyes off the screen. “Inna is coming with Andrey and the kids. For an entire month. So forget about your sea and stop pestering me.”
The word “month” hung heavily in the air, unbearable and dense. Vera felt a tightening sensation in her chest.
“Yegor, we planned this vacation since winter. I already paid for the trip.” She spoke slowly, as if addressing a child. “I have been waiting for an entire year…”
“I said, drop it!” He slammed his palm onto the table. “Family matters more than your whims!”
Whims? Vera’s cheeks flushed as memories flashed through her mind: sleepless nights calculating every penny, sacrificing a new jacket just to save for the trip, envisioning the sea’s breeze every morning on her way to work.
“Whims, Yegor?” She stepped closer to him, a strange determination evident in her movements. “I work tirelessly, both at home and at my job. When was the last time I rested?”
“Don’t start complaining.” He raised the volume to drown her out. “Inna is my sister. She rarely visits. That’s final.”
Rarely? Vera snorted. Each summer, Inna stormed into their home like an inevitable cyclone, bringing her three children and husband Andrey, a man with a robust appetite who seemed able to devour a refrigerator and still ask for more. Every time, Vera found herself reduced to a housekeeper.
“Yegor, listen to me.” Vera sat at the edge of the sofa in front of him. “I understand family is crucial, but I have my own needs and dreams…”
“What dreams?” He sneered. “Lying on the beach? Swimming in the sea? What are you, a scared child?”
Scared? Vera looked at her husband—the man she had shared fifteen years with. When did he become like this? When did his eyes harden so coldly?
“Yes, I want to go to the sea.” She stood up. “I want to wake up to the sound of waves, walk barefoot on the sand. I want to be just Vera—not a cook, cleaner, or nanny for other people’s children.”
Other people’s children? Yegor sprang from the chair. “They are my sister’s children!”
“Who will ruin the house on the first day!” Vera lost control. “Who will scream, break things, demand things! And Inna will lie on the sofa, complaining about life!”
“How dare you!” Yegor’s face darkened. “Inna is a wonderful mother!”
“A wonderful mother doesn’t raise monsters!” The words tumbled out like stones rolling off a cliff. “Do you remember what they did last year? They broke grandma’s vase, colored the walls with markers, and the little one almost set the kitchen on fire!”
“Children are children…”
“And what about me? Am I not a person?” Vera felt a warm, uncontrollable fire growing deep inside. “Must I endure this nightmare just because ‘children are children’?”
Yegor stared at her as if seeing his wife for the first time: disheveled, her eyes burning, ready for a battle.
“Inna arrives tomorrow,” he said quietly. “This is decided.”
“Then you welcome them yourself.” Vera headed for the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To the bedroom.” She glanced back at the threshold. “To think.”
To contemplate living with someone who only sees her as a housekeeper.
The bedroom door slammed shut, and a heavy, tense silence blanketed the house—the calm before the storm.
Vera lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The crumpled travel brochure was still clutched tightly in her hand. The sea… she had imagined that holiday so vividly: morning walks along the shore, salty air, freedom from endless chores. Now, instead, she faced a month serving spoiled children and indifferent parents.
What can I do?
She fell asleep holding on to that final fragment of her dream.
Outside, the trees whispered with a sound akin to a distant sea’s murmur—the ocean Vera would not hear this summer.
Or would she?
The next morning greeted Vera with gray rain and the rumble of a car approaching. Standing by the bedroom window, sipping coffee, she watched a family unload from a black SUV.
The first to step out was Inna—tall, bleached blonde, wearing a bright pink tracksuit. Even from afar, she waved her arms, shouting something at her husband.
“Andrey, be careful with the suitcase! Those are my new shoes!” a sharp voice reached Vera’s window.
Andrey, a burly man with a receding hairline, silently took bags from the trunk, his lips tightly sealed, seemingly resigned.
Key Insight: Family dynamics during vacations can reveal deep-seated frustrations and challenges. These moments demand understanding and communication to navigate complex relationships amid shared spaces and expectations.
In summary, the story highlights the complexities and emotional challenges that surface when family priorities collide, especially around vacation plans. Vera and Yegor’s clash exposes underlying feelings of being undervalued and overlooked. The tale serves as a reminder that balancing individual desires with family obligations requires open dialogue, empathy, and respect for each person’s needs.