Tonya was startled when her ex-husband Vasily unexpectedly called. Since their divorce, she had avoided contact with him, unable to forgive his behavior. Initially, he paid child support, but eventually quit his job and stopped any financial aid. Suddenly, at half past nine one evening, his call broke the silence.
Though tempted to hang up, curiosity prevailed. “Hello?” she answered, her voice tinged with apprehension.
“Hi Tonya. Don’t make plans for Saturday. You need to come to my wife Valentina’s anniversary. Bring the children too, and come yourself,” Vasily requested.
Tonya was taken aback. “Why the sudden invitation?”
“Well… she wants to show the guests we get along well and maintain a good reputation. She’s opening a new store,” Vasily explained, his voice strained as if concealing tension.
Two years earlier, Vasily had left Tonya and their two children for another woman. Now, as if nothing had happened, he was pleading for a favor: “Ask for whatever you want, just come.” Tonya fell silent, recollecting all the past grievances.
Life After Separation
That evening, Tonya returned home exhausted from work but maintained her usual smile. She understood that despite fatigue, her children awaited her arrival, and her husband expected dinner. Her weariness was personal, and she kept family troubles out of the home, a rule she had faithfully followed for years as the devoted mother and wife.
Vasily seemed unfamiliar with such conduct.
“Look,” he announced as soon as he entered. “Here are the receipts. I bought a new faucet and paid the plumber.”
“Good job,” Tonya shrugged. “There are some pies on the shelf from Saturday. If you want, I can bake more this weekend.”
“Enough with the pies! I’m carrying the household alone while you sit idle and smile,” Vasily grumbled.
Calmly, she replied, “Should I cry because you can’t even fix a faucet yourself?”
“I wasn’t born to mess with pipes. Instead of chatting, you could get a part-time job to contribute.”
“I do contribute, Vasily. Not with money,” she answered.
“And with what, then?”
“With love and care,” Tonya said.
“Love doesn’t put food on the table!” he snapped irritated.
“But butter made from fresh cream my mother sent from the village does—spread it on the bread I baked myself, following grandma’s recipe, especially since you don’t eat ordinary bread,” she replied.
“It’d be better if you brought money instead of butter and bread! Then I could eat grouse with pineapple, not just bread and butter,” Vasily shouted. Tonya, stung by his words, took out her purse, counted half the faucet receipt amount, and handed him the cash from her recent salary.
“Here. For grouse and pineapples. Bon appétit,” she said and walked away.
Key Insight: Despite years of marriage, Vasily failed to appreciate Tonya’s role as the family’s caregiver, often accusing her of being a freeloader and a burden due to her choice to stay home.
Conflicts and Changing Roles
“I didn’t hang the children on your neck, Vasily. You chose to have them,” Tonya reminded him calmly.
“You could find a decent job or even take bribes like everyone else. But no—you’re too righteous,” he mocked.
“I am honest and love my job. I can’t bring myself to exploit poor grandmothers,” she answered firmly.
“You’re just a weakling, Tonya. Comfortable sitting in the clinic for pennies and saying nothing. I’m done staying silent. I need a woman who’s a partner, someone interesting, ambitious, and willing to earn,” Vasily declared.
“Oh? And what exactly do you mean?” Tonya gasped.
“I’m leaving,” Vasily said plainly.
“Where?” Tonya’s face grew pale.
“To a happy future with Valentina. She runs her own flower business. With her money and mine combined, I’ll have holidays in the Maldives and a luxury foreign car. Instead of a run-down country house and a worn-out car,” he explained.
“You’re abandoning your family? What about the kids?” Tonya struggled with the thought of raising two children alone.
“The kids will get child support, but that’s all. Think it over,” Vasily said, closing the conversation.
New Life and New Challenges
Indeed, Vasily left. He gave minimal child support and moved in with Valentina, a businesswoman and sister of his friend. Their meeting was coincidental, but Vasily was captivated by her. Valentina, being over forty and desperate for marriage, finally found a partner with financial means and ambition.
“Car, fur coat, apartment, business… everything’s there, but no one wants to marry me,” she lamented.
She turned out exactly as Vasily wanted: confident and assertive with her own opinions and business. However, the reality was different. Valentina’s sharp tongue and temper discouraged Vasily, especially when he didn’t demonstrate affection. Evaluating the gains and setbacks, she urged him to quit his job and dedicate himself to what mattered most—her family.
Ironically, Vasily quickly learned to fix faucets, cook, clean, and do household chores. Although he barely saw his own children, he took care of Valentina’s son, accompanying him to school and helping with homework. For minor misbehavior, he faced her scoldings but accepted it all without protest. Everything he mocked Tonya for, he now practiced himself.
Tonya’s Transformation and Renewal
Left alone, Tonya recovered her strength and did not despair. A colleague offered her a chance to work a second shift as a cosmetologist at a nearby clinic.
- “You can do it, Tonya. You have the education and skills. We’ll teach you the rest,” the colleague encouraged.
- She started administering beauty injections, gaining satisfied clients who tipped generously.
- Tonya retrained from nurse to cosmetologist and began earning more than Vasily could imagine.
Then, Vasily’s call came out of the blue.
“Tonya, my wife’s anniversary is coming up. She wants you and the children to come. It’s important for her image. I beg you, please come. If not, she’ll be furious. Ask for anything in return! No gifts needed, just your presence,” he pleaded.
Curious about her ex-husband and the woman he adored, Tonya agreed to attend.
The Anniversary and Realizations
Tonya arrived wearing a lovely dress, appearing radiant. Valentina was visibly uneasy, concerned that Tonya looked better than the birthday girl. The children were well-dressed, equipped with trendy gadgets. During the event, Valentina accused Vasily of secretly paying child support despite quitting his job, implying he was stealing from her.
Tonya overheard Valentina’s dismissive tone toward Vasily, who boasted about a single trip to the Maldives. On a later occasion, Valentina and her son left him behind as if he were a dog guarding the house. The anniversary revealed that Vasily had lost choosing Valentina—a dominant woman who regarded him as a good-for-nothing, while he tried to appear important and content.
Near the gathering’s end, Vasily approached Tonya.
“Thank you for coming. I owe you one,” he said modestly.
Tonya smiled in response. “Divorce Valentina,” she advised.
“What? That’s too much to ask!” Vasily exclaimed.
“It’s not about me, Vasily. It’s about you. You’d be doing yourself a favor leaving her. But the choice is yours. You always wanted to switch roles with me. Now you’re the one stuck,” Tonya replied.
“I’m happy! Don’t decide for me!” Vasily shouted, blushing.
“Then live happily. If you ever need money for socks, my kitchen faucet is leaking. You can come fix it for some extra cash,” Tonya joked.
Suddenly, Valentina called out sharply, ordering Vasily to bring her fur coat to her mother. He flinched, resembling a frightened puppy. Tonya watched, amused, wondering if he left any trace behind.
Her youngest daughter impatiently tugged her hand.
“Mom, let’s go. We still need to pack. We fly to Cuba on Monday!”
Tonya walked away with a smile, looking forward to a palm-tree vacation she earned for herself and her children.
Reflecting on Choices and Growth
She genuinely felt sorry for her ex-husband, but he had made his own decisions. His choices shaped her into a stronger, more determined, and successful woman. Ultimately, his departure freed her from a toxic relationship, allowing both of them to live separate lives. Only Vasily seemed stuck, despite his attempts to project otherwise.
“Sometimes, losing someone is the beginning of finding yourself and a happier path forward.”
Tonya’s story reminds us that new opportunities arise from endings and that embracing change can lead to personal victories.