04/25/2025
— I already told you, and I’m not going to repeat myself! Your sister and her boyfriend are not staying with us for a week! — Olesya turned away from her husband and kept arranging stuffed toys on the shelf in the nursery.
— Lesya, why are you acting like a stone wall? — Anton leaned against the doorframe, watching his wife struggle to bend over her huge belly to create the perfect order. — They just need a place to crash for a couple of days. The landlord lost it, is only giving them time to pack their stuff.
— A week, a couple of days… — Olesya scoffed, stroking her belly. — Remember last time? “Bro, just a week, two tops.” And then it turned into three months! Three! Months! I came home every day to dirty mugs, clutter everywhere, and your sister… she didn’t lift a finger around the house.
Anton looked down, guilt washing over him. He remembered, of course he did. The arguments, the tension, the moment Olesya finally gave him an ultimatum — either Kristina leaves, or they both do.
— This time will be different, — Anton said softly. — Kristina promised...
— It. Will. Be. Different, — Olesya repeated sharply, turning to face her husband. — Because Kristina won’t be here. Anton, look at me. — She placed her hands on her belly. — Two weeks until the due date. Two. We live in a tiny apartment. The nursery is ready. I can barely walk. I need peace and rest, not your endless late-night chats with Kristina in the kitchen, not her music from the room, not her boyfriend walking around in just his underwear like last time.
Anton averted his eyes, trying not to recall that awkward moment when Denis, just starting to date Kristina, walked out of the shower half-naked and ran into Olesya in the hallway.
— Lesya, but she’s my sister. She’s in trouble...
— I’m in trouble too, Anton! — Olesya’s voice rose. — The trouble is that my husband promises his sister she can stay with us and only tells me after! Did you even once ask what I thought about it? Did you even once think how I’d feel sharing our tiny apartment with two more people in this condition?
— I… — Anton stumbled over his words. — Yes, I’m at fault. But understand, she was crying, I just couldn’t say no. Kristina promised she and Denis would actively look for a place. She even wanted to apologize for last time.
— Apologize? — Olesya shook her head in disbelief. — For what? For eating our food for three months and never chipping in? For inviting her loud friends over when we were at work? For making me do her laundry because she “didn’t know how to use the washing machine”? For borrowing my clothes for her parties?
Anton said nothing. He couldn’t defend his sister — Olesya was right about all of it. Kristina, his younger sister, had always been spoiled. Their parents gave her everything, and after they died in a car accident five years ago, Anton took on the role of her guardian, even though Kristina was already eighteen.
— I’ll talk to her, — he finally said. — I’ll explain that it’s not possible right now.
— You already promised her, didn’t you? — Olesya stared at him.
— Well… — Anton hesitated.
— Oh my God, Anton! — Olesya threw her hands up. — You already told her she could come! Without even discussing it with me!
— I thought you’d understand…
— I understand one thing, — Olesya stepped right up to him. — Either you call your sister right now and tell her you jumped the gun, or... — she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself — or I don’t know what happens next. But I won’t tolerate her entitlement and laziness, not now, not when I’m about to give birth.
Anton looked at her — at her tired face, the dark circles under her eyes from constant fatigue, the way her hands instinctively rested on her belly like she was protecting their unborn child — and he suddenly felt ashamed. He hadn’t thought about her, her state, or how important peace and stability were right now.
— Okay, — he said quietly. — I’ll call her.
But inside, his heart sank at the thought of letting down his little sister — the one he had always promised to protect.
The door slammed so hard a stack of books in the hallway shook. Olesya slowly sank onto the couch, feeling the baby kick sharply from the stress. She placed her hand on her belly, trying to calm both the child and herself.
Anton had left. Just grabbed his keys, his phone, and walked out after a failed attempt to call Kristina turned into yet another fight. “I can’t just say no to her like that,” he had said. “But you could say nothing to me?” Olesya shot back.
It was around ten in the evening. Olesya knew he wouldn’t be back — most likely, he’d gone to his friend Pasha’s again, where he’d stayed a couple of times after previous blowups. The thought only made her feel worse.
Her phone buzzed — a message. “I’m tired of all this, Lesya. You’re always overreacting, always unhappy. I’ll stay at Pasha’s tonight. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
Olesya didn’t reply. What could she say? That she wasn’t overreacting, just defending their tiny family of two? That she had no strength left to host Kristina, who treated their place like a hotel with free service?
Her phone buzzed again — a call this time. Olesya glanced at the screen and pressed her lips together. Kristina. Apparently, Anton had already told her what was going on.
— Hello, — Olesya’s voice was flat.
— Hey, Lesya! — Kristina’s voice was overly cheerful and friendly. — How are you? How’s the baby?
— Fine, — Olesya answered curtly, not wanting to get into fake small talk.
Kristina paused for a moment, then got to the point:
— Anton said you’re against us staying with you for a few days. I was really surprised. I mean, we’re family, after all.
Olesya chuckled. Sure, “family” — whenever Kristina needed something. Never “family” when Olesya asked her to at least wash a dish.
— Kristina, I’m giving birth in two weeks. I need peace.
— We won’t even bother you! — Kristina exclaimed. — Denis works all day, I’ll be looking for a place, helping you out...
— Like last time? — Olesya cut her off. — When I had to wake up at six for work while you and Denis watched movies until three in the morning? Or when you promised to make dinner but decided ordering pizza counted as “cooking”?... Continued in the comments👇