Lena was standing by the hallway mirror, adjusting her new haircut, when she heard a familiar clearing of the throat behind her. Sergey appeared in the doorway wearing the expression she had learned to recognize without fail — a mix of reproach and barely concealed indignation.
“How much did that cost?” he asked bluntly, nodding toward her head.
“Good morning to you too, dear,” Lena replied dryly without turning around. “Three thousand.”
Sergey whistled as if she had just confessed to stealing from the church collection plate.
“Three thousand for a haircut! Do you have golden hair or something? I could’ve shaved it at home with clippers in five minutes.”
“You could have,” Lena agreed, finally turning to face him. “But the result would have been appropriate.”
“What’s wrong with the result? Hair is hair. At your age, no haircut is going to help much.”
That phrase hung in the air like a whip crack. Lena felt something tighten inside. She was thirty-four and still considered herself an attractive woman. Or at least tried to believe so.
“Got it,” she said, passing by him into the kitchen.
At breakfast, Sergey continued his favorite topic — the family budget. He spread out printouts of her card statements before him like an investigator laying out evidence.
“What’s this?” he poked a finger at one of the lines. “‘Golden Rose,’ seven thousand. What kind of store is that?”
“A shoe store,” Lena answered wearily, stirring her coffee.
“Seven thousand for shoes? How many pairs of shoes do you have at home? Twenty pairs?”
“Fourteen. And that’s for all seasons.”
“How many feet do you have? Two! So two pairs would be enough — one for work, the other for home.”
Lena looked up at him. Sometimes she felt like she was looking at a complete stranger. Where was the Sergey who three years ago gave her flowers for no reason, took her to restaurants, and told her she was the most beautiful? When had he turned into this nitpicking auditor who counts every kopek she spends?
“And what’s this?” he wouldn’t give up. “‘L’Etoile,’ four thousand. Cosmetics again!”
“I need good cosmetics for work.”
“Why? You’re not a model. Clients come to you for consultation, not to admire your beauty.”
At that moment, Galina Petrovna, Sergey’s mother, floated into the kitchen. She had been living with them for six months — after her husband died, she was left alone, and Sergey insisted she move in. Since then, Lena felt like she was walking through a minefield in her own apartment.
“Good morning,” the mother-in-law said, casting an appraising look at Lena. “What’s with your hair?”
“Got a haircut.”
“Oh, I thought you looked like you hadn’t slept well.” Galina Petrovna sat down at the table next to her son and immediately joined the conversation. “Sergey’s right, dear. Why such expenses? I’ve dyed my own hair all my life — and the men chased after me.”
Lena remembered photos of the young Galina Petrovna and said nothing. Arguing was pointless — her mother-in-law would always find a way to needle her.
“Mom’s right,” Sergey chimed in. “We’re living beyond our means. We need to save.”
“Save on what?” Lena couldn’t hold back. “I don’t buy half-million coats, don’t go to salons every weekend. Shoes, haircut, cosmetics — these are necessary expenses.”
“Necessary!” snorted Galina Petrovna. “In my day, women could keep men without all that frippery.”
“And in your day, women cooked borscht every day,” Lena couldn’t resist.
A tense silence fell. Sergey raised an eyebrow — the hint was clear. Galina Petrovna really expected Lena to cook special meals for her, wash her clothes, and care for her like she was ill — though she was perfectly healthy and quite energetic when it came to criticizing her daughter-in-law.
“I don’t understand why you react so aggressively,” Sergey said. “We’re just discussing the family budget.”
“My budget,” Lena corrected. “It’s my salary.”
“Our family, our budget,” he cut her off.
After breakfast, Lena locked herself in the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror for a long time. When they married, Sergey earned more than her. But in the last two years, her income had grown — she had become a leading consultant at a law firm, while he remained a mid-level manager. And the more she earned, the more he controlled her spending. As if trying to hold onto power by any means.
Several days passed in tense silence. Lena worked late, trying to spend as little time at home as possible. At home, she was met with meaningful glances from her mother-in-law and new complaints from her husband.
On Thursday evening, as they sat in front of the TV, Lena gathered courage.
“Sergey,” she began cautiously, “maybe we should go somewhere for a vacation? We haven’t gone anywhere together for a long time.”
Sergey looked up from his phone, scrolling through the news.
“Vacation? And where will the money come from?”
“I have a bonus. We could fly to Turkey, a nice hotel. All inclusive.”
“How much will that cost?”
“Well, for two… a hundred to two hundred thousand, probably.”
Sergey whistled.
“Too much. But not a bad idea. Only this — you’re the one suggesting it, so you pay.”
Lena felt something break inside her. She was suggesting a joint vacation to try to fix their relationship, and he was only thinking about money again.
“Okay,” she said quietly. “I’ll pay.”
“Deal!” Sergey cheered. “Mom!” he called toward the kitchen. “We’re going to Turkey!”
Galina Petrovna appeared in the doorway with a towel in her hands.
“To Turkey? How wonderful! I’ve long dreamed of seeing their sights.”
“We’re going,” Lena corrected. “Sergey and I.”
“Oh dear, what about me? You’ll leave me alone at home?” Galina Petrovna made such a pitiful face that Lena realized the battle was lost in advance.
“Mom, come on…” Sergey started, but his mother interrupted him.
“Sergey, I understand, young people want to be alone sometimes. But I’m so lonely since Dad died… And besides, it’ll be more fun with three!”
Lena watched the scene like a bad play. Galina Petrovna was not upset — she was calculating. She perfectly understood that Lena couldn’t say “no” outright without looking like a cruel daughter-in-law.
“Of course, Galina Petrovna,” Lena said. “Let’s go as three.”
The next day she visited her friend Irina, who worked at a travel agency.
“Listen,” Ira said, scrolling through catalogs, “there’s a great option. Five-star hotel in Antalya, all inclusive, pools, animation. But it’s expensive — three hundred fifty thousand for three.”
“Show me something cheaper,” Lena asked.
“Here’s an interesting option,” Ira pointed at the screen. “Four-star hotel, but good reviews.”
Lena nodded, but inside another plan was forming. At home, an unpleasant conversation awaited her.
“Lena,” Sergey said when she came home from work. “Mom and I talked…”
“And what did you decide?” she asked, though she already guessed.
“Well, you said it was expensive for three. Mom and I thought — maybe you should stay home? We need a rest, and you spend a lot of money anyway. You won’t be offended?”
Lena slowly took off her jacket and hung it on the hanger. She felt like she was standing at the edge of an abyss.
“So I pay for the vacation, and you go without me?”
“Well, we’re saving!” Galina Petrovna cut in. “Instead of three trips, we buy two. And dear, it’s better for you to stay home, in a calm environment. You get tired at work, no need to exhaust yourself on vacation…”
“Got it,” Lena said.
That night she didn’t sleep. She lay beside her snoring husband, thinking about how unnoticed she had become the family’s cash cow. She earned the money, they spent it. She suggested a joint vacation, they excluded her from the trip. And they even managed to make it seem like they were doing her a favor.
In the morning Lena went back to Irina.
“I want to change the booking,” she said.
“Is something wrong with the hotel?”
“The hotel is great. But change it to something… simpler. And cheaper.”
Ira raised her eyebrows in surprise.
“How much simpler?”
“As simple as possible. Some hostel. Preferably student, noisy, no comforts. And remove the transfer — let them get there themselves.”
“Lena, are you serious? That will be terrible.”
“That’s exactly what I need,” Lena replied.
A week later, Sergey and Galina Petrovna happily packed their suitcases. They were sure they were going to a luxury hotel and made plans to sunbathe by the pool and eat shrimp.
“Thank you, dear,” Galina Petrovna said. “You’re so kind, so generous. We’ll definitely bring you souvenirs.”
“Yes,” Sergey nodded. “We’ll rest well and come back full of energy.”
Lena saw them off at the airport and even waved goodbye. Then she went home and for the first time in six months felt free in her own apartment.
The first call came a day after their arrival.
“Lena!” Sergey shouted into the phone, and she heard unimaginable noise behind him. “What the hell did you book for us?!”
“I don’t understand what you mean,” she replied calmly, sipping coffee in her clean kitchen.
“This isn’t a hotel! It’s some kind of barn! Students live here, music blares until morning, there’s mold in the shower!”
“And where’s the transfer?” Galina Petrovna’s voice yelled somewhere in the background. “The taxi driver cheated us and ripped us off!”
“Strange,” Lena said. “The agency told me this place is very popular with young people.”
“What young people?! I’m forty-three!” Sergey screamed. “Book us a proper hotel!”
“I can’t. The money’s already spent.”
“Then come here! Sort it out in person!”
“I won’t come,” Lena said calmly.
“How won’t you come?! You booked it, you deal with it!”
“You wanted a vacation at my expense; I’m not rescuing you from there!” Lena said and hung up.
The phone rang several more times, but she didn’t answer. Then the calls stopped.
Lena lived like in paradise for a week. She went to the theater, met friends, slept until noon on weekends. The apartment was clean and quiet; no one criticized her breakfast or counted her expenses.
Sergey and Galina Petrovna returned on schedule. They looked tired and angry.
“You did this on purpose!” Sergey accused as soon as he crossed the threshold. “You deliberately sent us there!”
“Where?” Lena asked innocently.
“To that damned hostel! We had to find a Russian-speaking guide, pay extra for a normal hotel! We spent a ton of money!”
“I thought you wanted to save,” Lena said.
“We spent twice as much!” Galina Petrovna screamed. “This is outrageous!”
“Greed usually leads to this outcome,” Lena remarked philosophically.
Sergey looked at her as if seeing her for the first time.
“You’ve changed,” he finally said.
“Yes,” Lena agreed. “Changed.”
“I’m filing for divorce,” he declared.
“Good,” she replied. “The papers are on the bedroom table. I’ve already arranged everything.”
Both Sergey and Galina Petrovna were surprised this time.
“What do you mean, arranged everything?” he asked, confused.
“As usual. Filed the application, divided the property. The apartment stays with me — it was bought before the marriage. The car is yours — it’s registered to you. We have no joint debts or children, so it’s simple.”
“And where will I live?” Galina Petrovna asked, confused for the first time.
“That’s not my problem,” Lena answered. “You have your own apartment.”
“But it’s rented out! There are tenants!”
“Then you’ll have to negotiate with the tenants.”
Lena grabbed her bag and headed for the door.
“Where are you going?” Sergey was taken aback.
“To a friend’s. While you pack. I think a week will be enough.”
At the door, she turned around.
“And yes,” she said. “Thanks for the vacation. I had a wonderful rest.”
The door closed behind her with a quiet click. For the first time in a very long time, Lena smiled.
