Anya simply couldn’t understand why they needed this man in their house. She had always hoped her mom would find happiness through marriage, but not with him. The girl sat on the couch, pretending to read a book, but her eyes were on Arthur. He had just woken up and was casually wandering through the house, ignoring her while constantly talking on the phone. And as Anya gathered, he was definitely not talking to another man. Apparently, he thought she was too young to pay attention, speaking freely into the phone: “Mil, what are you saying? I’ve got a wedding in two weeks, and you want to seduce a nearly married man?” He laughed, then continued talking. Anya was disgusted, not only by hearing his words but also by the fact that this man, whom her mom loved so much, was deceiving her.
Anya slammed her book shut. Arthur turned, glanced at her for a moment, and then retreated to the bedroom, firmly closing the door behind him. Anya decided to consult with her best friend. She slipped out of the house and hurried down the road to the nearby barracks, hidden from view by tall thuja trees that seemed to separate the elite neighborhood from the surrounding slums.
If Alla Olegovna knew her daughter had gone there, she would probably have had a heart attack. Anya checked her surroundings to make sure no one was watching. She put two fingers in her mouth and let out a sharp whistle. Almost immediately, a shaggy head appeared at the window.
“Anya, come in, my folks are at grandma’s.”
She jumped over the windowsill—who needed doors?—and asked, “Why didn’t you go?”
Petka, Anya’s friend, scratched the back of his head. “I got a D in English, so I’m cramming. If I don’t, my dad promised to belt me.”
Anya smiled. Petka’s dad was a big, bearded man who was surprisingly kind. All the kids in the neighborhood loved him, though he occasionally threatened to belt Petka, but he had never followed through.
“So, what’s up, Anya? We only agreed to meet tomorrow night.”
Anya didn’t hesitate. “Petka, I need your advice.”
Petka, two years older than Anya, was already fourteen, which made him a real authority figure in her eyes. They had been friends for a long time, ever since he had helped her home after she fell off her bike when she was eight.
“Yeah?” Petka set his textbook aside. He knew that Anya’s family situation was changing, and it didn’t take long for him to realize that this was what she had come to talk about. Anya explained everything about Arthur’s behavior and how her mom hadn’t noticed a thing.
“Petka, I don’t know how to tell her, how can I make her believe me?”
“I don’t see why you’re worried,” Petka said. “You and your mom have a good relationship. Just sit her down and tell her everything. She’ll listen to you. Or at least, she’ll take you seriously.”
Anya thought for a moment. That was true. They had always been close, but lately, things were different. They no longer spent evenings watching movies or talking like they used to. Now, her mom did all of that with Arthur.
“You’re right, Petka. I’ll do that. Thanks for the advice.”
Petka blushed. “No need to thank me, it’s no big deal.”
“Well, thanks for being there,” Anya said.
Later that evening, Arthur began getting ready to go out. Alla, who had just returned from work, looked at him in surprise.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
He kissed her and replied casually, “Oh, just going to have a drink with a friend. I’m about to be a married man, won’t have time for this later. Plus, it’s been a while since we caught up. Don’t worry, I won’t be long.”
Alla smiled. “Go ahead, of course. I’m always at work, and you’re always home alone. Don’t rush, relax, have a good time.”
“Thanks, darling. You’re the best.”
Just as he hesitated to leave, Alla quickly added, “Oh, I didn’t even think of it. Here, take this.” She handed him some money. He kissed her again and left.
Alla watched him for a moment, then turned to Anya as if remembering her presence. “Well, how about a girls’ night in?”
“Sure, mom,” Anya said, and they prepared dinner together. Anya had long forgotten the last time they had done this. They ate, laughed, and after the dishes were cleaned, Anya sat down in front of her mom.
“Mom, I need to talk to you.”
Alla sighed. “Anya, I know you don’t like Arthur. I know he’s younger than me, but don’t you want your mom to be happy?”
“He can’t make you happy. While you’re at work, he talks to other women, and I’m sure he took your money to the bar to meet someone else, not just his friend.”
Alla slammed her hand on the table. “Enough! It hurts to hear that I raised such a selfish girl. I don’t want to hear any more. And you’re too young to discuss these things. Go to your room.”
Anya huffed, offended, and left without saying another word. It was hopeless. Her mom wasn’t listening to her. It seemed Anya would have to accept the fact that Arthur was using her mom—and her money. That night, she woke up to loud voices. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was half-past three. Arthur had just returned, clearly in a bad mood. Her mom was scolding him, but he yelled back, “Listen, Alla, why do you treat me like a kid? Stop nagging me.”
The bedroom door slammed, followed by the sound of it being slammed again. Anya could hear her mom’s apologetic voice. It was so disgusting that Anya pulled a pillow over her ears.
The next day, Anya and Petka sat together in an empty lot.
“Yeah, something needs to be done,” Petka said.
Anya sighed. “What can we do? You see, Mom only listens to him. She doesn’t notice anything.”
“When’s the wedding?” Petka asked.
“Petya, the tenth,” she replied.
Petka smiled. “I’ve got a plan. I don’t know if you’ll like it, but it seems like the only way for your mom to hear you and understand.”
Anya’s eyes lit up. “Tell me, Petka!”
As Petka outlined his plan, Anya hesitated. “But how are we going to do this? We’re in school, and this needs…”
“Wait, I’ve figured it all out,” he interrupted.
The tenth was fast approaching. Arthur had even stopped arguing with her mom. Yes, he was gone most evenings, but Alla kept silent. Maybe she was still remembering the fight when Arthur compared her to a grandma. Anya knew Arthur was ten years younger than her mom, but that wasn’t the problem. The problem was, Arthur didn’t love her mom. And her investigation, along with Petka’s, confirmed it.
Anya was in her room when she overheard Arthur’s conversation on the phone:
“Mil, I’ve arranged with Kolya. Come as his girlfriend. Don’t worry, no one knows you. Just look at what awaits us. Life’s good. Don’t get drunk though, I know you.”
Anya clenched her fists. “What a jerk. Shameless.”
That evening at dinner, Arthur casually said, “Alla, I remembered my friend. I’d like him and his girlfriend to come to the wedding. You’ll call the restaurant?”
“Of course, which friend?” Alla asked.
“You haven’t met him yet, Kolya. We were friends as kids. He just moved back into town and called me.”
“That’s great. So many of your friends at the wedding. It’ll be fun.”
Anya stood up, silently leaving the room. She couldn’t bear to hear any more of this. She couldn’t watch how foolish her mom looked. Of course, she thought Arthur loved her, but Anya saw the truth. He never loved her. And only her mom remained oblivious.
So much money had been spent on the wedding, enough that an ordinary person could live on it for a lifetime. But Alla didn’t mind. She spared no expense for her beloved. She thought it was all worth it—to organize such a celebration, to form a family full of love.
Except for her daughter. Each time, Alla promised herself that after the wedding, she would give Anya more attention, the attention Arthur had taken away. She remembered their evenings together and longed to return to that time. But now, the evenings were just for Arthur.
The wedding took place in an extravagant restaurant. Anya couldn’t focus on greeting the guests or responding to their pleasantries. She hadn’t even noticed how beautiful the hall was. She was nervous—she didn’t know what would happen after her congratulations. What if their plan didn’t work? What if her mom got angry with her?
As Anya walked to the stage to give her speech, the host introduced her.
“Now, a word from Anya, the bride’s daughter.”
Anya paused, straightened up, and began: “Mommy, before you see what I want to show you, I want you to know that I love you very much. More than anything in the world, I want you to be happy.”
Then the host played a video—a video Anya had given him before the wedding. On the screen, Arthur was passionately kissing a woman who was now sitting just a few tables away.