Sorry for coming so late, but we have nowhere else to go. -This is your home now too,» said his wife’s best friend, blushing, holding her son in her arms, and confidently stepping in. The husband shamefully lowered his eyes.
Svetlana was holding her little son, dragging a big suitcase into the hallway.
«Of course, come in,» Nastya opened the front door wider. Sergey stood silently, his head bowed.
«Can you believe it, the landlady kicked us out without any warning, in the middle of the night?!»
The best friend, with tears in her eyes, told them about her misfortunes.
«We always pay on time, I don’t know what got into her.»
«What’s her reason?» Nastya asked. «You can’t just kick people out like that!»
«She says some relatives are coming, and she needs the apartment freed up urgently. What can I do? We had nothing in writing.»
«Well, don’t worry, you can stay with us until you find another place. We’ll make room.»
Svetlana was the best friend, Nastya had been friends with her since childhood. She was a bridesmaid at the wedding and the godmother of their daughter. When Svetlana herself had a baby, Nastya was surprised, as she hadn’t seen any young men around her, but she didn’t question her friend.
Svetlana lived in a rented apartment. Who supported them while she was on maternity leave, Nastya didn’t know, but she suspected it was the baby’s father. Svetlana didn’t share such information.
The two-bedroom apartment where Nastya lived with her husband and little daughter was inherited from her grandmother. It was, of course, cramped for two families, but there was nothing to be done, friends must help each other.
A week later, coming home earlier than usual, Nastya froze at the door. Loud voices were heard from the apartment; the husband and the best friend were arguing. The woman quietly opened the door and entered. Not that she intended to eavesdrop, but the speakers were yelling so loud that they wouldn’t have heard her anyway.
«Why did you even arrange all this?!» shouted Sergey. «Wasn’t I giving you enough money?»
«You should have given it! Otherwise, Nastya would have found out three years ago!» retorted Svetlana.
«Explain to me, what are you trying to achieve? Why did you leave the apartment? I found this place with such difficulty at a reasonable price! And now what? Search again?»
«Don’t you understand? I’m tired of being nobody! My child should have a father and a normal life!»
«I have a family, you knew that from the start. You agreed to my terms when you decided to keep this child. What’s changed?»
«I’ve already said, the child needs a father!»
«But I’m married, and I have a daughter, I can’t be torn apart!»
«I don’t care. I’m tired of hiding. Now this is our home, and we will live here.»
«And how are you going to explain all this to Nastya?»
«That’s your problem, you explain it!»
Nastya put her hand to her mouth to keep from screaming. It was clear: her husband and best friend had betrayed her. And this had been going on for a long time and continued to this day. And the living witness to it was the little son of her friend Antoshka.
Not knowing yet what she would do next, the woman quietly returned to the corridor and loudly slammed the door, as if she had just entered.
«Sergey, I’m home!» the wife tried not to betray her agitation and spoke artificially cheerfully.
«Is Antosha still at kindergarten? Let’s pick up the kids and go to the park, the weather is wonderful today?»
She needed to calm down, immerse herself in domestic cares, to put her thoughts in order.
During the walk, the husband and the friend did not give themselves away, interacting with exaggerated politeness. But Nastya saw the angry looks they stealthily threw at each other.
The woman didn’t understand how best to act in such a situation, all she could do was cry into her pillow at night, and during the day pretend that nothing was happening. After a week, she decided she needed to share her grief with someone, someone who would listen and help.
A friend and coworker, Karina, noticed that something was happening with Nastya and offered to talk over a cup of coffee.
«Yes, it’s an ugly situation,» Karina acknowledged when her friend laid out all her grievances.
«I can’t take it anymore, Kari! I have to stay in the same house with them, and I can’t even look at them.»
Nastya had no more tears left, and she just stared blankly into space.
«Why don’t you talk to them?»
«I don’t know how. They’ll deny everything, make up something, and I don’t have the strength to watch this circus.»
«What do you actually want? Kick her out? Or him?»
«I want to kick them both out! But not just throw them out so they can live happily ever after. I want them both to regret what they’ve done. I want them to have no life together after this!»
«Well, if your hubby doesn’t particularly value marriage vows, then it’s quite easy to arrange,» the friend smirked. «And whose apartment is it anyway? Otherwise, we kick out the philandering husband, and he takes the living space with him, leaving you at a loss.»
«It’s my apartment. That’s the thing, they’re living on my territory, under my nose…» the woman sobbed.
«Alright, don’t cry, my friend, here’s what we’ll do…»
The next day, Karina sat in a car next to Sergey’s office. The workday had ended, and employees were leaving the building one by one and in groups, chatting animatedly. Sergey came out alone and headed to the parking lot. Karina quickly got out of the car, opened the hood, and leaned over thoughtfully.
The trick was old as the world, but no less effective. To make sure the trick worked, the woman had prepared: she wore a form-fitting suit and high-heeled shoes, her makeup was attractive, and the scent of her perfume was enticing.
«Miss, can I help you?»
The trap snapped shut.
«Why are you so gloomy?» Svetlana nagged at her friend. «Or did you eat something? You really look ill.»
They sat in the kitchen, drinking tea. Sergey had not yet returned from work, and the kids were in kindergarten. For the planned scheme, Nastya’s look was quite fitting; she didn’t even have to pretend.
«I think, Svet, that Sergey is cheating on me,» Nastya sighed, secretly observing her best friend.
She tensed, but her voice remained unchanged.
«What? That can’t be. And why would he, he’s got a whole harem here,» Svetlana laughed at her own ambiguous joke.
«I don’t know, but he comes home late from work, and he smells of other women’s perfume, haven’t you noticed?»
«I haven’t noticed anything, I don’t sniff your husband,» the friend snorted nervously.
But Nastya saw a spark of suspicion flicker in her eyes.
«Well, yes, you’re right, it seems unnoticeable from the outside. But I feel something’s not right…»
A week later, the friends sat again over a cup of coffee, relaxing after work.
«How are you, Nast? I see you’re looking better,» Karina stirred the fiery liquid in her cup.
«Fine, Kari, I’ve calmed down and know exactly what I’m doing. How about you?»
«Everything’s fine, our Don Juan got tangled up to his sideburns,» the woman smiled, covering her mouth with her hand. «Brought flowers yesterday, such a romantic!»
They both burst out laughing.
«And you? Started treating the target?» Karina asked cheerily.
«The treatment is in process, the target is in doubts and reflections, eats poorly, sleeps restlessly,» Nastya reported jokingly and saluted her friend.
They laughed again.
Now, having made her decision, Nastya felt much lighter. She no longer cried about her bitter fate but coldly avenged the betrayal. But the last and main act of this drama was still ahead.
«So, can we finish?» Karina concluded. «When shall we do it?»
«I think on Friday, not too late, while the kids are at kindergarten.»
«Are you sure you’ve decided, Nast? Maybe just kick out the cheeky woman and forgive your husband?» the friend clarified just in case.
«No, Karina, I can’t forgive either him or her. Let my daughter be without a father rather than with such a traitor.»
«Well then, it’s decided…»
«Svet, let’s go have coffee, get some fresh air? There’s a nice café nearby, let’s sit there until we need to pick up the kids. Sergey won’t be home from work until late anyway.»
«Let’s do it. After all, we really haven’t been anywhere alone for a long time. It seems like we’re always together, but no time to relax and chat,» Svetlana perked up.
Arriving at the café, the women ordered and sat at a table from where they could see everything happening in the hall.
«How’s the apartment search going?» Nastya asked.
«Well, not at all, I just started working, you know,» replied the best friend.
«What, are you kicking us out, tired of us?» the woman smiled, but Nastya noticed her tension.
«No, stay as long as you need. I just thought you don’t need our squabbles with Sergey, and they will likely happen.»
«Did you find out something?» Svetlana braced herself to listen to the details.
«No, I haven’t figured out anything for sure, but small details indicate that he’s cheating.»
Svetlana thought, it was clear that such a scenario was not in her plans.
At that moment, the doors opened, and a couple entered the café. The woman laughed joyfully, throwing her head back, the man held her by the arm, and a huge bouquet of white roses, which the woman held with both hands, loomed in the foreground.
The newcomers immediately caught the attention of the patrons. Some smiled, some looked on with interest. Nastya watched Svetlana, who first frowned, recognizing, and then turned pale with anger.
«Ah you…» began the friend but didn’t finish.
The woman with the bouquet, who was Karina, confidently approached their table.
«Oh, Nastya, hello!» she leaned in and gave Nastya a friendly kiss on the cheek. «Long time no see!»
«Hello,» the woman responded as if nothing was wrong.
«Your boyfriend?» she asked, nodding at Sergey.
He seemed petrified and couldn’t move.
«Yes, this is Sergey, my boyfriend,» Karina introduced her companion to his own wife and secret friend.
«And who are you with?»
«And this is Svetlana, my best friend,» Nastya introduced her companion.
«And she’s sure that Sergey is her boyfriend,» she finished cheerily.
Svetlana choked with anger and couldn’t say anything coherent, just some unintelligible hissing. Sergey stood like a statue.
«Well, why don’t you? Sit down, join us,» Nastya invited.
Karina nudged Sergey, and he sat down, the woman laid the bouquet on his lap.
«What does this mean?» Svetlana finally managed to say. «What is this circus?»
She spoke quietly, but her face betrayed her fury.
«Is this a circus?» Karina wondered. «It’s fun in a circus, but it’s not very here. So I guess I’ll go.»
She shook Nastya’s hand, encouraging her friend and walked to the exit. The trio remained sitting at the table.
«Will someone explain to me what’s happening?» Sergey asked in a half-fainting voice.
«What do you think, Sergey?» the wife asked cheerily, but her eyes were serious.
The husband was utterly disheartened.
«Wasn’t a wife and … a friend enough, you decided to get another girlfriend? What was the plan, Sergey? Live with four people?»
«Why are you even talking to him?!» suddenly flared up Svetlana. «He betrayed you, you should be driving him out, not talking!»
«And you? You didn’t betray me when you started a relationship behind my back with my husband? Antosha is his son, isn’t he?»
«What are you…» began the friend.
«No need,» Nastya dismissed. «I knew everything from the moment you moved in with us, heard your conversation.»
«Nastya, you misunderstood,» the husband found the strength to say.
«Maybe that was true before, but now everything is absolutely clear to me. You, Sergey, are unlikely to ever change, any pretty face can easily hook you. Svetlana is probably not the only one.»
She turned to her friend.
«Did you want my husband to leave me and marry you? Well then, congratulations, you got what you wanted. I’m giving him to you. He’s really not a fresh groom, and he’s unlikely to be faithful to you, but… dreams must come true! So…»
Nastya got up from the table.
«My daughter and I will go to the country for the weekend, my friend Karina has a country house. Meanwhile, you pack your things and leave my apartment, so that there’s no trace of you by the time I return.»
And she walked to the exit without looking back. On the table between the husband and the best friend, a pink bouquet wilted.
When Nastya returned, there was neither husband nor friend in the apartment. Half a year later, she learned that they tried to live together but couldn’t. Now each of them resents Nastya for «ruining their lives.
