Vera flinched at Oleg’s harsh voice. She was carefully putting away the ironed clothes in the closet, trying not to disturb her husband, who was sprawled on the couch in front of the television.
«Olezhek, I’m purposely avoiding your way so as not to block the screen,» she said in an apologetic tone.
Despite the fact that she didn’t even walk between him and the television, he frowned discontentedly.
«What’s the difference? Whether you’re in front of me or beside me—you’re still a distraction!» grumbled Oleg, shifting on the couch. «Maybe it’s time for a change? I’m tired of living like this. Let’s go somewhere to relax?»
Vera looked at him frightened:
«What do you mean ‘tired’? You’re not tired of me at all!»
Oleg got up and began to pace around the small apartment.
«Do you ever take an interest in anything besides household chores? Do you even know who’s trending in showbiz right now?» he asked.
«When do I have time…» Vera began to justify herself. «I rush home from work, and then there’s laundry, cooking…»
Oleg waved his hand dismissively:
«With such a salary, it’s embarrassing even to show up in a store.»
Vera remained silent—her husband’s earnings barely exceeded her own.
«I don’t understand what you’re getting at,» she said cautiously.
«Hear me out first!» Oleg continued. «I saw a show saying that stars regularly take breaks from each other to refresh their feelings. Maybe we should try that too?»
Vera gasped:
«Are you saying you want a divorce?»
Her husband paused, then shook his head:
«Don’t dramatize. I’m just suggesting we separate for a little while. We’ll miss each other—and then be like newlyweds again. Only I can’t take a vacation, too much work. But you could go somewhere.»
Vera sighed. Something was clearly not right.
«I have a job. And where would I go? I have no friends, no money. We just finished paying off the car loan.»
«Again with this car?» Oleg grumbled. «It’s not my problem that the road workers don’t clean the roads properly.»
In reality, everything happened differently. Six months ago, they had bought a used car, which they had managed to save for. One winter day, Oleg was driving on a slippery road, ignoring his wife’s warnings.
«Olezhek, be careful!» Vera couldn’t hold back.
«You doubt my skills?» he challenged her.
«I don’t doubt them, but watch the road!»
Instead, he laughed and made a sharp turn. The car skidded, and they crashed into a parked foreign car. Bursting outside, Oleg immediately lashed out at his wife:
«Why did you say that?! It’s all because of you!»
It turned out he had no insurance—such a professional driver doesn’t need it. They had to borrow money to compensate the owner of the damaged car.
Vera knew: Oleg would never admit his fault. There would always be other reasons—weather, wife, fate. Now, he was again blaming everything on her: that she was tiring him, that their family life had hit a dead end. He wanted adventures like celebrities, although he did nothing to change his reality. At 38, he worked as a simple clerk and lived in a cramped studio apartment, but always blamed it on bad luck.
Vera hoped that her husband would forget his ideas overnight. But Oleg tossed and turned, clearly not because of a short nap in front of the TV. His thoughts were troubled by how to save his family and start a new chapter in life.
Two days later, he was silent, but Vera saw: his plan had not disappeared. In the evenings, he sat in the kitchen, studied advertisements, highlighted, and wrote things down.
On the third day, he met her at the door:
«Verunchik, I’ve thought it all through! It’s simply perfect. We’ll rest from each other, and earn some money.»
She just slumped into a chair, exhausted:
«Talk.»
«I found you a great job for the summer. You’ll be outdoors and away from the city hustle!»
Vera dropped the knife she was using to cut bread:
«Oleg, I don’t want to go anywhere.»
«So you don’t care about our family? About our relationship?»
Vera sighed. Why did she have to sigh so often lately? Maybe Oleg was right? Perhaps they really needed a break?
Seeing that his wife had given in, Oleg continued enthusiastically. Apparently, someone had bought a house with land in a village, decided to start a farm, and was looking for an assistant. The salary was decent, plus accommodation and meals included.
«And with the money earned, maybe we’ll buy a new car in the autumn,» Oleg added enthusiastically. Vera was about to protest: what madness—to toil for another of her husband’s whims? But she immediately lowered her eyes. She already knew how it would turn out. Oleg had so convincingly described all the «pros» of the upcoming summer that he even omitted one important detail: the man he was sending her to had recently been released from prison after a long incarceration. He decided to move away from the city, as if wishing to fence himself off from the world or simply disillusioned with people. Oleg preferred not to spread this.
When Vera got off the bus and slung her heavy bag over her shoulder, she asked herself again a question that had long plagued her: when would she learn to say «no»? As always, no answer followed. She walked along the path toward the village, holding in her hands the plan Oleg had drawn, indicating the way to the needed house.
The house was impressive, albeit old, but still sturdy. Building materials lay around in the yard, and the owner was busy with drawings on a sheet of paper. He was dressed only in shorts, and his muscular tanned body involuntarily embarrassed Vera. After many years of marriage, she was used to her husband’s slender physique—thin arms, slightly sunken chest, budding belly.
«Hello,» she said softly. The man looked up. His short graying hair and wrinkles around his eyes betrayed someone who had spent a lot of time in the sun.
«Hello. Are you for me?» he asked. «Are you Viktor? My name is Vera.» He looked at her attentively: «Yes, I’m Viktor. Are you Oleg’s wife?» «Yes, Oleg called you. Is something wrong?»
Viktor was clearly surprised. The Oleg who had called him had described his wife quite differently: unattractive, talentless, neither fish nor fowl. And he outright said that he had long wanted to get rid of her. Viktor had not expected such a representation of his wife. In front of him stood a pleasant-looking woman with fluffy eyelashes, a neat braid, an elegant figure, and charming shapes.
«All is well,» he finally replied. «Did Oleg explain to you why you are here?» «Yes, he said you needed help with the household and the land.»
«Absolutely right. Come in, I’ll show you your room. Then we’ll have lunch, and I’ll tell you about the business.»
Vera got her own room with a separate entrance. Simple, but clean and cozy. Viktor offered her to settle in, while he started cooking. However, ten minutes later, Vera came out and took the knife and plates from him:
«Come in fifteen minutes.»
Fifteen minutes later, Viktor returned and whistled: the table boasted an omelet, an appetizing salad, ideally sized bacon, and cold appetizers. He took a piece of bacon and looked at it attentively:
«How do you manage this? My pieces turn out so hard you can’t bite into them!»
«Sometimes you need to sharpen the knives,» she showed him the sharpener by the sink with a smile.
«Do you think that’s the only reason?» he asked skeptically.
«Try it,» she laughed.
Viktor involuntarily smiled. Her simplicity and kindness were unusual for him. Especially strange was the fact that she refused to take extra payment for cooking, although Oleg had already taken the money from him for the first month of his wife’s work. He decided it was better to keep this a secret.
After lunch, they went out to the plot. Vera was amazed: behind the house stretched long beds of strawberries, then young bushes with berries, beehives, and greenhouses.
«Did you do all this yourself?» she wondered.
«Of course, I enjoy it. Not all by hand, of course. There are machines and automatic watering, but a helper is still needed. I can’t stand weeding and cooking.»
Vera laughed, noting that she smiled more that day than in recent months. She eagerly got to work.
By evening, the house was sparkling clean, laundry dried on lines, and aromatic borscht bubbled on the stove. Viktor peeked into the house several times, shook his head, and left, sniffing the delicious smells. When everything was ready, Vera went out into the yard. To her surprise, Viktor was sitting on a stump and looking into the distance.
«Viktor, dinner is ready,» she called.
He turned slowly, and unusual tones appeared in his voice:
«Yes, thank you. I’ll be right there.»
At dinner, Viktor took out a bottle of wine and filled the glasses.
«Vera, let’s agree right away: there should be no misunderstandings between us. Your husband, it seems, did not tell you the whole truth about me. I spent eight years in prison. After that, I sold everything and moved here, to the village.»
Vera listened attentively.
«I had a family… A wife and a daughter. We often came to another village. She cooked, the daughter helped, while I worked in the yard. One winter evening, they were returning from training…»
«And there were drug addicts who needed a fix. My wife and daughter never made it home. The police searched, but to no avail. Then I took matters into my own hands. I found those three and… punished them. The world became cleaner. And I still don’t regret it. You have the right to leave, it’s your choice, and I’ll understand.»
He rose from the table and disappeared into his room, not even touching his food. The next morning, Vera met him in the kitchen.
«Viktor, the coffee is ready. By the way, your coffee is excellent,» she noted.
He looked at her in surprise:
«Why did you stay?»
«Why would I leave?» she calmly replied.
«But I was in prison…»
«If I were a judge, I would probably have acquitted you. Drink your coffee, and then we’ll take care of the strawberries.»
Oleg soon realized that he had made a mistake by sending his wife to work for the whole summer. His apartment had grown dirty and disordered in a month. But no matter, he had already received the money for the first month of her work, so he could take Vera back, coming up with a suitable excuse. For example, plans had changed.
He deftly pulled up in his «Logan» at the gates and got out of the car.
«Wow, a real farm has sprung up here!» Oleg whistled as he entered the yard. «Hey, boss!»
Viktor came out of the house. He was in shorts, and at the sight of his muscular torso, Oleg involuntarily stepped back.
«I’m here for my wife,» he muttered.
«For your wife?» Viktor raised his eyebrows in surprise, then smirked maliciously. «You must be Oleg?»
«Yes, that’s me. I came for Vera. Plans changed.»
Vera appeared on the porch. Seeing her, Oleg froze—how she had transformed! Shining eyes, a healthy blush on her cheeks. But why was she standing so close to this Viktor?
«Verka, enough resting! Pack your things, let’s go home,» he commanded.
«Kolenka, my plans have also changed,» Vera calmly said.
«What does that mean?!»
«It means just that. Now my home is here.»
And she placed her hand on Viktor’s shoulder, who in response embraced her by the waist.
«What?! How could you… I… » Oleg hissed.
Viktor gently nudged Vera towards the house:
«Go, dear, I’ll be quick.»
She looked at him, and he smiled:
«Don’t worry, everything will be fine.»
As soon as she disappeared into the house, Viktor’s gaze turned icy.
«Listen carefully, Oleg. Now you’ll get in your little car and get out of here. I don’t want to see you again. You fool, to have lost such a woman.»
And six months later, Viktor and Vera had a quiet wedding. They found each other where they least expected, starting a new chapter in their lives.
