Tanya drove the car away from the house, turned off the engine and just sat there, staring into space. The warning signs had started appearing a long time ago, but today everything became crystal clear. And this clarity made something inside ache.
The first years of marriage were a fairy tale. Dmitry courted Tanya as if every day was the first date. Flowers for no reason, calls in the middle of the day just to say he missed her. Dinners together, when the husband cooked himself. A real partnership.
When Misha was born, everything changed. Gradually, almost imperceptibly. First, Dmitry started staying late at work. Then there were strange calls, during which the husband went into another room. Sudden business trips, which had never happened before. Dmitry was changing – his gaze no longer lingered on Tanya, touches became rare, conversations became formal.
Tanya noticed everything. When Dmitry took a shower and his phone was left in his jacket pocket, she saw messages from a certain “Katya” several times. Seemingly harmless phrases, which, however, were clearly not working.
“Good morning! How are you today?” “I miss you. I can’t wait…” “Yesterday was wonderful. Thank you for the evening.”
Tanya didn’t open these messages completely. She didn’t dig through her husband’s phone. The remnants of her pride wouldn’t allow it.
She and Dmitry met ten years ago in the company of mutual friends. He won her over with his confidence and some kind of inner strength. Tanya felt protected next to Dmitry. It was with him that she decided to take out a mortgage – it was scary, but together it seemed that they could cope with any difficulties.
And there were difficulties. First, the renovation, when there wasn’t enough money even for food. Then a complicated pregnancy, when Tanya spent two months in the hospital. Misha’s birth, sleepless nights, colic, first teeth. They went through all of this together. At least, that’s how it seemed to Tanya.
And now their life had turned into parallel lives under one roof. Dmitry would come home late, when Misha was already asleep. He would turn on the TV, hang out on the phone. Tanya took care of the child, the house, and worked remotely in the evenings to somehow help with finances. The mortgage ate up half of the salary.
Several times Tanya tried to talk about the problems:
– Dim, maybe we should go somewhere together? Mom agreed to babysit Misha.
“Sorry, my project is burning. Another time,” Dmitry answered, not looking up from his phone screen.
Tanya saw that the phone had a non-work correspondence open. But she didn’t say a word.
Why? This is a question Tanya often asked herself, lying awake. Why is she silent? Why doesn’t she throw a tantrum, demand an explanation?
The answer was simple and complex at the same time. Misha. The five-year-old son adored his father. Those rare moments when Dmitry paid attention to the child became a real holiday for Misha. The boy glowed with happiness when his dad took him to football on weekends or taught him to ride a bike.
“Our dad is the best!” said Misha, refusing to go to bed until he got home from work.
And Tanya was silent. For the sake of her son. For the sake of the fragile balance of their life. For the sake of the mortgage, which she alone could not afford.
Tanya didn’t share it with her friends. Too embarrassed. It seemed like a successful family, beautiful photos on social networks, the envy of acquaintances. But in reality – emptiness and lies.
In the last month, Dmitry’s “business trips” became more frequent. He could leave for three or four days, hardly communicating with his family. He brought expensive toys for Misha – as if he was paying for his absence. Sometimes he gave Tanya perfume or jewelry. But he looked through her, as if she were transparent.
Tanya learned to live with pain. To weave it into everyday life, like an extra thread in knitting. To get up in the morning, make breakfast, take Misha to kindergarten, work, pick up her son, play with him, read books at night. To survive. To function.
——————————————
She hoped that this was a temporary clouding of the mind. That Dmitry would come to his senses, understand that he was destroying the family. That this “Katya” was a fleeting infatuation, not worth ten years of life together. Tanya believed – despite logic, despite the obvious signs.
And today. Tanya forgot her car keys and came home. She quietly opened the door with her key – Dmitry was supposed to be at work, and Misha was in kindergarten. She heard a voice from the kitchen – her husband was talking to someone on the phone.
– Yes, of course. I’ve thought it all through. I just need a little time, – Dmitry said.
Tanya froze in the corridor, not breathing.
– Katya, I told you – I’ll decide everything soon. No scandals, no division. I’ll just leave – and we’ll start from scratch.
Tanya leaned against the wall. Her knees weakened, and it became difficult to breathe. One thought pounded in her head: “He’s leaving. He’s really leaving.”
Dmitry said goodbye and turned off the phone. Tanya didn’t know what to do – leave unnoticed or go in and start a conversation? While she was hesitating, footsteps were heard. Dmitry went out into the hallway and saw his wife. An expression of fear flashed across his face, then changed to feigned calm.
“What are you doing at home?” asked Dmitry, putting his phone in his pocket.
“I forgot my keys,” Tanya answered quietly.
– Ah, I see, – the husband nodded. – Well, I’m going to work. See you in the evening.
Tanya looked at his face – so familiar and so alien. Suddenly she wondered: how many times had he smiled at her so calmly, planning his escape? How many days had he pretended that everything was fine?
“Anything else?” Dmitry asked, noticing Tanya’s gaze.
“No. Everything’s fine,” Tanya answered. “Go ahead.”
Dmitry nodded, kissed her on the cheek – mechanically, out of habit – and left.
It was at that moment that something inside Tanya broke. Or, on the contrary, grew together. All the pieces of the puzzle finally fell into place. She understood what was happening in its entirety. And she realized that she could no longer simply remain silent and endure.
Tanya pulled out her laptop and opened their family bank account. The joint account from which they paid the mortgage and the kindergarten. She saw a recent transfer – a large sum to an unfamiliar account. Why? To start a new life? For a “clean slate”?
Tanya opened the messenger on her phone. Found a chat with Dmitry. She wrote: “We need to talk. Today. Without Misha.”
Dmitry answered almost immediately: “Did something happen?”
“Yes,” Tanya wrote and turned off the phone.
Then she went to the kindergarten. She agreed with the teacher that today Misha would stay for after-school care until eight in the evening. She went to the bank. Then to the real estate agency. And finally, home to clean up.
Dmitry arrived earlier than usual. He looked worried.
“What’s going on? Where’s Misha?” he asked from the doorway.
“In the kindergarten. We have time to talk,” Tanya answered calmly.
Dmitry went into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Tanya remained standing, looking down at her husband.
“I heard you talking this morning,” Tanya said. “About a ‘clean slate.’”
Dmitry’s face changed. Then he tried to pull himself together.
– You misunderstood…
– I understood everything correctly, – interrupted Tanya. – And I know about Katya. I’ve known for a long time. I didn’t want scandals, I believed that it would pass. But, apparently, it didn’t.
– Tanya, listen…
– No, now listen, – Tanya put a folder with documents on the table. – I was at the bank today. I found out about all your transfers over the last three months. Two hundred thousand to an unknown account. Is this your “start-up capital” for a new life?
Dmitry was silent, looking at the table.
– You wanted to leave without scandals? Without dividing up? Just run away, leaving me with a child and a mortgage? – Tanya spoke quietly but firmly. – It was a beautiful idea. But it won’t work.
“You think you’ll leave gracefully? I’ll fleece you!” Tanya said, looking him straight in the eye.
Dmitry’s face stretched in surprise. Ten years of marriage, and the husband had never heard such a tone from his wife. Tanya had always been quiet, docile, patient. She solved any problems silently, meekly took on household chores, caring for Misha, even some of the financial issues. And suddenly – this hard, determined look.
“You’re exaggerating,” Dmitry tried to keep his cool. “Yes, I communicate with Katya, but that doesn’t mean I was going to leave you.”
– And these two hundred thousand transferred to an unknown account? – Tanya put a printout with the movement of funds in front of her husband. – Is that also an exaggeration?
Dmitry opened his mouth, but did not answer.
The next morning, when her husband left for work, Tanya took Misha to kindergarten and called work:
– Anastasia Yuryevna, good afternoon. I need an unscheduled day off due to family circumstances.
Having received permission, Tanya opened her laptop and typed into the search engine: “Legal consultation on family matters.” She wrote down the address of the nearest office and an hour later she was already sitting in front of an elderly lawyer, Vasily Petrovich.
“So, you suspect your husband of infidelity and are preparing for divorce?” Vasily Petrovich asked after listening to Tanya’s story.
“I don’t suspect anymore, I know for sure,” Tanya shook her head. “And I want to be prepared for the fact that my husband will try to leave, leaving us with our son high and dry.”
“A wise approach,” the lawyer nodded. “Let’s start with the documents…”
The next three days flew by in bustle. Tanya collected all the papers on the apartment, car, valuable purchases made during the marriage. She received a bank statement. She made a property register indicating the approximate value. On the advice of a lawyer, she insured the apartment and car against damage and theft.
“Anything can happen in life,” Vasily Petrovich explained. “Offended husbands sometimes behave unpredictably.”
After visiting a notary, Tanya drew up a ban on the sale of the apartment without her consent. And then she went to the bank and closed the joint account – she transferred the remaining funds to a separate card opened in her name.
Dmitry did not yet show that he noticed his wife’s activity. He left early and returned late. But there was tension in the air – both understood that their previous life would no longer be.
At home, Tanya quietly recorded her husband’s behavior: when he came home, how much time he spent with Misha, where he went on weekends. Previously, it would never have occurred to her to spy on Dmitry. Now this information became her shield, her weapon in case of trial.
A week later, when Misha fell asleep, Tanya cooked dinner and called her husband into the kitchen.
“We need to talk,” she said calmly, pouring tea.
Dmitry sat down at the table warily.
“You want to leave? Go ahead. But it won’t be pretty,” Tanya said without preamble.
“Listen, let’s resolve this like adults,” Dmitry tried to smile. “No scandals, no complaints.”
– What do you mean, “like adults”? – Tanya tapped her fingers on the table. – You’ll live with your mistress, and Misha and I will be left with a mortgage and your promises to help?
“I didn’t intend to abandon you,” Dmitry said through clenched teeth.
– Really? And I heard your phrase about “starting with a clean slate,” Tanya retorted. – You know, I’ve had an idea for a long time. I just kept quiet – for Misha’s sake, for the sake of the family. But I won’t keep quiet anymore.
– Maybe peacefully? What are you saying… without sharing… – Dmitry’s eyes darted around, betraying his nervousness.
Tanya chuckled:
– Do you think you’ll leave gracefully? I’ll fleece you blind. I’ll get everything – an apartment, a car, alimony. And without pity.
“You can’t,” Dmitry said threateningly. “You’re always afraid of conflicts, you hide behind my back.”
“That was before,” Tanya answered firmly. “Now I have someone to fight for. I have a son. And I won’t let you just leave and start a new life while we’re still surviving.”
Something like respect flashed across Dmitry’s face – the husband clearly did not expect such fortitude from the “quiet” Tanya. Over the past ten years, he had become accustomed to her silent submission, to the fact that she would swallow any insult for the sake of preserving the family.
The next two weeks were filled with a strange calm in the house. Dmitry would try to negotiate favorable terms for himself, then resort to threats, then bring expensive gifts, trying to appease his wife. And Tanya continued to prepare for the worst – consulted with a lawyer, collected evidence, made plans.
Misha felt that something was going on. The five-year-old boy became more anxious, often asking if his dad would leave, as had happened with his friend Kostya’s father. Tanya calmed her son, but internally prepared him – and herself – for the inevitable.
At the end of the month, Dmitry himself started the conversation:
“I agree to your terms,” he said, looking away. “The apartment is yours, I’ll pay alimony. But leave the car to me.”
Tanya thought about it. The car was registered to Dmitry, and Tanya didn’t particularly like driving – it was more convenient to travel around the city by metro.
– Okay, take the car. But the rest of the conditions remain in force.
“When should I pack my things?” Dmitry asked in a muffled voice.
“Until the end of the week,” Tanya answered. “And one more thing: you will see your son regularly. No ‘forgot’, ‘was busy’ or anything like that. Misha shouldn’t feel like his father abandoned him.”
Dmitry nodded and silently left the kitchen.
The packing didn’t take long. Strangely, Dmitry’s belongings fit into two suitcases and several boxes of books and equipment. Tanya looked at these preparations and thought: how easy it is, it turns out, to cross out a whole chunk of life. Ten years of marriage, for which she had endured so much, forgiven so much.
It was harder with Misha. Tanya didn’t lie to her son – she explained that his dad would live separately, but they would still see each other. The boy listened to the news in silence, and then said something that made Tanya’s heart stop:
– Will dad now live with Aunt Katya?
“Why did you decide that?” Tanya asked cautiously.
“I heard dad talking to her on the phone,” Misha shrugged. “He called her ‘baby’ and said they’d be together soon.”
On the day of departure, Dmitry said goodbye to his son for a long time. And then he went up to Tanya.
“You know, I didn’t think you were capable of this,” he said, nervously twirling the keys in his hands. “I always thought you were weak.”
“It wasn’t weakness,” Tanya shook her head. “It was trust. I believed that you would never betray the family. But I was wrong.
When the door closed behind Dmitry, Tanya felt not bitterness or sadness, but a strange relief. As if a heavy burden had slipped off her shoulders – the burden of a false life, the endless pretense that everything was fine.
In the evening, after putting Misha to bed, Tanya sat down at the computer. She opened a new file and called it “Future Plan.” This plan had room for many things: early repayment of the mortgage, a new job, advanced training courses. And, of course, rest – the very thing Misha had dreamed of for years.
“We’ll go to the sea, Mishka,” Tanya whispered, opening the travel agency’s website. “Just you and me. And it will be the best summer of our lives.”
The first transfer from Dmitry has already arrived on the new bank card – faithfully fulfilling the terms of the agreement, the ex-husband transferred money for the child. Tanya decided to spend these funds on a trip – let Misha finally see the sea, which he dreamed about so much.
The phone rang briefly – a message from Dmitry: “How are you?”
Tanya didn’t answer. Instead, she opened the sea photos on her laptop screen and smiled. Life went on. And in this new life, Tanya was no longer going to remain silent or retreat.
