Suddenly, an incoming phone call shattered the morning silence, disturbing the tranquility of the bedroom. Marina, with great effort, forced herself to open her sleep-clumped eyes and reached for the bedside table. The screen displayed the name “Aunt Zina.” Her heart involuntarily tightened – their last conversation had taken place over a year ago during a scandalous scene at her grandmother’s birthday.
— Hello, — she croaked, clearing her throat of the night’s dryness.
— Marina! For heaven’s sake, don’t hang up! — Aunt Zina’s voice sounded uncharacteristically gentle. — I understand that there have been tense moments between us… But Uncle Petya and I are planning to visit Novosibirsk in a week. Would you mind if we stayed at your place for a day or two?
Marina suddenly sat up, shaking her head to fully wake. Images of that old conflict flashed before her eyes.
— When will you finally think about getting married? — Aunt Zina had thundered back then, unreservedly loud. — At your age, I already raised two children! And here you are, still going around alone, only thinking about your career. How selfish you are! Grandmother will never get to see her grandchildren because of you!
— Aunt Zina, I… — Marina began, but then hesitated. — I don’t live in Novosibirsk anymore. I’ve moved.
— Moved? Moved where? — Aunt’s voice regained its commanding tone.
— To Krasnoyarsk. Three months ago.
A long pause hung on the line, filled with silent surprise.
— And you deliberately kept this from your dear aunt? — she fumed. — Does your mother know?
— Of course, she knows, — Marina replied, feeling a wave of anxiety rising inside. — I just needed to start everything anew, with a clean slate.
— Is that so? — Aunt Zina drawled. — Fine, but we’ll still drop by. Uncle Petya has long wanted to see Krasnoyarsk. And Dimka and Nastya, your cousins, also want to see you…
— Aunt Zina, no! — Marina almost screamed. — I’m renovating!
— Renovating? Who cares about that! We can even sleep on the floor, — Aunt Zina dismissed.
— Really, please don’t, — Marina pleaded. — I’m too busy. And the apartment is so small…
But her aunt was no longer listening, continuing to speak to Uncle Petya. The connection was lost.
The next seven days turned into an endless ordeal for Marina. She constantly thought about her aunt’s nature: when she had made up her mind about something, no obstacle could stop her. The phone kept ringing incessantly, but she methodically ignored each call.
And then the worst happened. On Saturday morning, at seven o’clock, a message arrived: “We’re standing under your building. Come down, help with the things.”
Marina was stunned. They must have found her old address in Novosibirsk. Her fingers trembled as she typed a message: “I told you – I’m in Krasnoyarsk!”
A reply came a minute later, followed by an enraged call.
— Where are you roaming off to, you irresponsible one?! We’ve been waiting under your apartment for an hour! — her aunt shouted, apparently already standing at the front door.
A crash was heard from the phone – it seemed her aunt had indeed reached Marina’s old apartment and was now pounding on the door.
— Open immediately! I know perfectly well that you’re home! — a demanding voice boomed from the phone.
Suddenly, all sounds ceased, and Marina heard a stranger’s male voice:
— What audacity is this? What kind of Marina is this? I’ve been living in this apartment for half a year!
— What do you mean, living? — her aunt gasped in disbelief. — And where is Marina?
— I’m hearing about some Marina for the first time. If you don’t stop this noise, I’ll call the police! — the stranger snapped.
The line went dead. Marina instinctively turned off her phone and collapsed onto her bed, feeling numb. She was trembling, her pulse pounding loudly in her temples. In her mind, she pictured the scene: Aunt Zina with huge suitcases standing at someone else’s door, while Uncle Petya tried to calm her down. Dimka and Nastya were probably hiding aside, embarrassed by the situation…
She turned her phone back on only in the evening. Thirty-six missed calls from her aunt, seventeen from her mother, and dozens of messages in messengers. The first thing she did was call her mother.
— What a show you’ve put on, — her mother said wearily. — Aunt Zina is in such a hysterical state right now, insisting that you deliberately deceived them.
— Mom, I warned them not to come, — Marina replied softly. — You understand how she… pressures me.
Her mother sighed deeply:
— I understand. But still, they are family.
— Family shouldn’t hurt, — Marina firmly countered. — I don’t want to hear anymore about how I’m “wrong,” that I need to get married, have children, and forget about my career… I’m different, and that’s okay.
A deep silence fell over the line, so profound that Marina could even hear her mother’s breathing.
— You’re right, — her mother unexpectedly admitted. — I’ve long wanted to tell you this… I’m sorry I never protected you from your aunt’s attacks. It’s just… she’s the elder sister, and I always used to obey her. All my life, it was like this: she commands, and I just nod.
Marina’s throat tightened:
— Thank you, Mom. You have no idea how much this means to me.
— You know, — her mother’s voice trembled, — I once dreamed… I wanted to go to theater school. But Aunt Zina declared that it was “not serious,” that I should think about marriage. And so, I married your father at nineteen…
— Do you regret it?
— No, not at all! You came along – that’s the most important thing that happened in my life. But sometimes I wonder: what if I had insisted on my own path back then? Maybe I would have been on stage and even had you. You don’t have to choose between everything.
Marina smiled through her tears:
— You know, Mom, it’s never too late to try. There are always roles in a folk theater.
— Oh, come on, at my age…
— And remember what you told me as a child? “Never say ‘too late,’ say ‘it’s time.’”
Krasnoyarsk welcomed her with a gentle autumn. Her new job at an IT company completely absorbed her attention – she threw herself into project work with passion and even enrolled in web design courses. In the evenings, she strolled along the Yenisei embankment, discovering a new city that was gradually becoming her home.
At the office, she was considered odd: she didn’t join in on group smoke breaks, didn’t gossip by the coffee machine, and didn’t complain about life. Instead, she worked until late, studying new technologies, or sat in a meeting room with headphones on, taking online courses.
— You’re exactly like a machine, — Svetlana from accounting once remarked. — Just work and nothing else. When will you ever decide to just live?
Marina only shrugged. It was hard for her to explain that, right now, she was beginning to feel truly alive – free from the pressure of others’ expectations.
At the start of the winter season, a new specialist named Gleb joined their department. Tall, somewhat clumsy, yet with a warm gaze and an amazing sense of humor, he never inquired about her marital status or mentioned the need to “settle down.” One day, he simply left a doughnut on her desk:
— You skipped lunch today. And a brain works worse without glucose.
Later, they met at a local supermarket near her home – it turned out they lived in neighboring entrances. Gleb was carrying a huge bag of cat food.
— Three pets, — he confessed with slight awkwardness. — I rescued them from a shelter, couldn’t choose just one.
And to her own surprise, Marina told him everything: the story with Aunt Zina, the move to Krasnoyarsk, the fear of being herself. They spent the night together on a bench in the courtyard, freezing yet filled with joy from the newfound closeness and the realization that one could speak freely and be heard.
Gradually, their weekends became spent together. They strolled through the snow-covered city, prepared silly breakfasts, watched old movies wrapped in a blanket. Gleb taught her how to snowboard, and she taught him how to work in a graphic editor. Both were learning the most important thing – to trust each other.
In the spring, they went to meet Gleb’s parents. Marina was apprehensive – past experiences had taught her to fear others’ judgments. However, Gleb’s mother simply hugged her and said:
— You are so charming. And your eyes are so wise. Gleb is incredibly lucky.
And in the evening, while they were having tea on the veranda, Gleb’s father asked:
— Why did you choose Krasnoyarsk?
Marina tensed, but he continued:
— I once left everything behind and moved too. It was the best decision of my life. Sometimes you have to save yourself, right?
In the summer, they had a wedding. No lavish celebration – just registered their relationship at the registry office and organized a picnic by the Yenisei with close friends. Her mother flew in from Novosibirsk and hugged them both:
— How happy you are…
Of course, Aunt Zina sent a series of outraged messages: “Not even inviting the family to your own wedding! What a disgrace! And at least wear a white dress! Or, as is fashionable nowadays, get married in jeans?”
Marina didn’t reply. She was indeed wearing her favorite jeans with an original embroidery that she had done herself, a white blouse, and a wreath made of wildflowers. And to her, it seemed perfect.
Her mother stayed in Krasnoyarsk for a week. One evening, while sitting on the balcony of their apartment with Gleb, she suddenly announced:
— I’ve signed up for a theater studio.
— What?! — Marina almost knocked over her tea in surprise.
— Yes, for classes in stage speech for now. But you know… it feels like wings are beginning to grow.
They fell silent, watching the sunset over the Yenisei.
— And what about Aunt Zina? — Marina inquired.
— I didn’t mention anything to her, — her mother winked with a mysterious smile. — I’m learning to be free, just like you.
In the fall, Marina was promoted – she became the art director at the company. Now she had her own team, her own projects, her own successes and failures. She learned to say “no” where necessary, and “yes” when her heart demanded it.
Gleb always supported her decisions. Whenever doubt overwhelmed her, he would simply hug her and say:
— You’ll manage. You are incredibly strong.
And she truly did.
In December, a message came from Nastya, her cousin: “You know, you were right to leave. I want to find my own way too. Mom is beside herself – insisting that decent girls don’t choose directing. But I no longer want to be just ‘decent.’ I want to be happy.”
Marina smiled and replied: “Come over. Just keep it a secret from Aunt — you’ll decide everything yourself. By the way, my sofa is free.”
Nastya arrived a week later – with a backpack full of fears and hopes. They talked for hours that night – about dreams, about the right to be oneself, about how family is not just those who raised you, but also those who help you grow.
— You know, — Nastya confessed before sleep, — I used to think you were selfish. But now I understand — you’re simply brave.
In the spring, Marina discovered she was pregnant. It happened naturally, without any definite plans. It was just the right time.
Somehow, Aunt Zina found out the news – probably through mutual acquaintances. She called after two years of silence:
— Finally, you’ve started living correctly! — she declared triumphantly. — And I told you – the main purpose of a woman…
Marina gently interrupted her:
— Aunt Zina, I haven’t “started living correctly.” I’m just living. And I will have a baby not because it’s expected, but because I want to. I will raise my child the way I see fit.
— How dare you… — her aunt began.
— I dare, — Marina answered firmly. — And you know what? I’m grateful to you.
— Grateful? For what? — her aunt was taken aback.
— For showing me what not to be like. Every one of your reproaches made me stronger. Every judgment reinforced my confidence in my own choices. Thank you for that.
And she hung up.
Now, in the evenings, she and Gleb sit on the balcony, sipping tea and making plans. Plans for travels, for a future children’s room, for teaching their child to be true to themselves. Her mother visits them every month – she performs in a folk theater and literally glows with joy. Nastya enrolled in a directing program and creates short films. And Aunt Zina… Well, everyone has their own fate.
Sometimes you have to go far away to understand who you are. Sometimes you have to break old ties to create new, genuine ones. And sometimes you just need to allow yourself to be you, even if it doesn’t please someone else.
Marina often remembers the girl who left her hometown two years ago, avoiding others’ expectations. How scared and lost she was. If she could speak to that girl from the future, she’d say: “Hold on, baby. Everything will be great. Better than you can imagine.”
Then she strokes her noticeably rounder belly and whispers:
— And you, little one, will never be forced to be “right.” I promise.
