A sudden phone ring shattered the morning silence, disrupting the peace of the bedroom. Marina, with great difficulty, forced herself to open her sticky eyes and reached for the nightstand. The name «Aunt Zina» lit up on the screen. Her heart involuntarily tightened – their last conversation had taken place more than a year ago, during a scandalous scene at grandma’s birthday.
«Hello,» she croaked, clearing her throat of the night’s dryness.
«Marinochka! For heaven’s sake, don’t hang up!» Aunt Zina’s voice carried an unusual softness. «I understand there were tense moments between us… But Uncle Petya and I are planning to visit Novosibirsk next week. Do you mind if we stay with you for a couple of days?»
Marina abruptly sat up, shaking her head to fully awaken. Images of that long-ago conflict flashed before her eyes.
«When will you finally think about marriage?» Aunt Zina had thundered back then, unashamed of her volume. «At your age, I had already raised two children! And you’re still single, only thinking about your career. How selfish you are! Grandma will never see grandchildren because of you!»
«Aunt Zin, I…» Marina started but then hesitated. «I no longer live in Novosibirsk. I moved.»
«What do you mean moved? Where?» Aunt’s voice again took on a commanding tone.
«To Krasnoyarsk. Three months ago.»
A long pause filled with silent astonishment hung on the other end of the line.
«And you intentionally hid this from your own aunt?» she exclaimed. «Does your mother know?»
«Of course, she knows,» Marina replied, feeling a wave of anxiety rising within her. «I just needed to start over, from scratch.»
«Is that so?» Aunt Zina drew out. «Well, we’ll still drop by. Uncle Petya has long wanted to see Krasnoyarsk. And Dimka and Nastya, your cousins, also want to see you…»
«Aunt Zina, no!» Marina almost shouted. «I’m in the middle of renovations!»
«Renovations, schmenovations! We can even sleep on the floor,» Aunt dismissed.
«Really, no need,» Marina pleaded. «I’m too busy. And the apartment is really small…»
But Aunt no longer listened, continuing to talk to Uncle Petya. The connection broke off.
The next seven days turned into an endless ordeal for Marina. She constantly thought about her aunt’s character: if she decided something, no obstacles could stop her. The phone didn’t stop ringing, but she methodically dropped each call.
Then the worst happened. On Saturday morning at seven o’clock, a message arrived: «We’re standing under your entrance. Come down, help with the bags.»
Marina froze. They must have found her old address in Novosibirsk. Her fingers trembled as she typed: «I told you—I’m in Krasnoyarsk!»
A reply came a minute later, followed by an angry call.
«Where are you roaming, irresponsible?! We’ve been waiting under your apartment for an hour!» Aunt shouted, apparently standing by the front door.
A bang sounded through the phone – apparently, Aunt Zina had indeed reached Marina’s old apartment and was now pounding on the door.
«Open up immediately! I know for sure you’re home!» a demanding voice came through the phone.
Suddenly all sounds ceased, and Marina heard a stranger’s male voice:
«What insolence? Who’s Marina? I’ve been living in this apartment for six months!»
«How are you living there?» Aunt Zina gasped. «And where’s Marina?»
«I’ve never heard of any Marina. If you don’t stop this noise, I’ll call the police!» the stranger snapped.
The call ended. Marina instinctively turned off her phone and collapsed onto the bed, trembling, her pulse loudly pounding in her temples. She envisioned the scene: Aunt Zina with huge suitcases standing at a stranger’s door, and Uncle Petya trying to calm her down. Dimka and Nastya, most likely, hiding to the side, embarrassed by the scene…
She only turned her phone back on in the evening. Thirty-six missed calls from her aunt, seventeen from her mother, and dozens of messages in messengers. She first called her mom.
«What a spectacle you’ve staged,» her mother said tiredly. «Aunt Zina is now in such a frenzy, assuring everyone that you deliberately deceived them.»
«Mom, I warned them not to come,» Marina responded softly. «You know how she… pressures me.»
Her mother sighed heavily:
«I understand. But they’re still relatives.»
«Relatives shouldn’t cause pain,» Marina firmly retorted. «I no longer want to hear how ‘wrong’ I am, that it’s time for me to get married, have children, forget about my career… I’m different, and that’s okay.»
There was such a deep silence on the line that Marina could even hear her mother’s breathing.
«You’re right,» her mother unexpectedly confessed. «I’ve wanted to tell you this for a long time… I’m sorry I didn’t protect you from Auntie’s attacks. Just… she’s the older sister, and I’ve always been used to obeying her. It’s been like that all my life: she commands, and I nod.»
Marina’s throat tightened:
«Thank you, mom. You don’t know how important this is for me.»
«You know,» her mother’s voice trembled, «I once dreamed too… I wanted to go to drama school. But Aunt Zina declared it ‘frivolous,’ that I needed to think about marriage. And I married your father at nineteen…»
«Do you regret it?»
«No, of course not! You came into being—that’s the most important thing that happened in my life. But sometimes I wonder: what if I had insisted on my own? Maybe I would have played on stage, and still had you. It’s not necessary to choose between all this.»
Marina smiled through tears:
«You know, mom, it’s never too late to try. They always need actors in the community theater.»
«Really, at my age…»
«Remember what you told me as a child? ‘Never say ‘too late,’ say ‘it’s time.'»
Krasnoyarsk welcomed her with a gentle autumn. Her new job at an IT company fully absorbed her attention—she eagerly threw herself into work on projects, signed up for web design courses. In the evenings, she walked along the Yenisei embankment, discovering a new city that gradually became her home.
At the office, they considered her odd: she didn’t participate in collective smoke breaks, didn’t gossip at the coffee machine, didn’t complain about life. Instead, she worked hours late into the night, studying new technologies, or sat in the conference room with headphones, taking online courses.
«You’re like a robot,» once noted Svetlana from accounting. «Only work and nothing more. When will you decide to just live?»
Marina just shrugged her shoulders. It was difficult to explain that right now, she was beginning to feel truly alive—without the pressure of others’ demands.
In the early winter season, a new specialist, Gleb, joined their department. Tall, somewhat clumsy, but with a warm gaze and a tremendous sense of humor. He never inquired about her marital status, didn’t mention the need to «settle down.» One day, he just left a doughnut on her desk:
«You missed lunch today. And the brain works worse than usual without glucose.»
Later, they met at a local supermarket near their home—it turned out they lived in neighboring buildings. Gleb was holding a huge bag of cat food.
«Three pets,» he admitted with slight awkwardness. «Took them from the shelter, couldn’t choose just one.»
And Marina, to her own surprise, told him everything: the story with Aunt Zina, moving to Krasnoyarsk, the fear of being herself. They spent until late at night on a bench in the yard, frozen, but filled with joy from newly found closeness, from the realization that one could speak freely and be heard.
Gradually, their weekends became shared. They walked through the snow-covered city, cooked funny breakfasts, watched old movies, wrapped in a blanket. Gleb taught her snowboarding, and she taught him graphic design. Both learned the most important thing—to trust each other.
In the spring, they went to meet Gleb’s parents. Marina was apprehensive—past experiences had taught her to fear others’ judgments. However, Gleb’s mother simply hugged her and said:
«How charming you are. And such smart eyes. Glebushka is incredibly lucky.»
And in the evening, as they drank tea on the veranda, Gleb’s father asked:
«Why did you choose Krasnoyarsk?»
Marina tensed up, but he continued:
«I also once dropped everything and moved. It was the best decision of my life. Sometimes you need to save yourself, right?»
They had a wedding in the summer. No lavish celebrations—just registered their relationship at the registry office and organized a picnic on the banks of the Yenisei with close friends. Her mother flew in from Novosibirsk, hugging them both:
«How happy you both are…»
Aunt Zina, of course, sent a series of outraged messages: «Didn’t even invite relatives to your own wedding! Completely lost all shame! Was the dress at least white? Or, as is fashionable now, did you get married in jeans?»
Marina did not respond. She was indeed wearing her favorite jeans with custom embroidery that she had done herself, a white blouse, and a wreath of wildflowers. And it seemed perfect to her.
Her mother stayed in Krasnoyarsk for a week. One evening, settled on the balcony of her and Gleb’s apartment, she unexpectedly announced:
«I signed up for a theater studio.»
«What?!» Marina almost knocked over her tea in surprise.
«Yes, just for now, it’s classes in stage speech. But you know… it feels like wings are starting to grow.»
They fell silent, watching the sunset over the Yenisei.
«And what about Aunt Zina?» Marina asked.
«I haven’t told her,» her mother winked with a mysterious smile. «I’m learning to be free, like you.»
In the autumn, Marina was promoted—she became the art director at the company. Now she had her own team, her own projects, her successes and failures. She learned to say «no» where necessary, and to say «yes» where her heart demanded it.
Gleb always supported her decisions. When doubts overwhelmed her, he simply hugged her and said:
«You’ll manage. You’re incredibly strong.»
And she indeed managed.
In December, a message came from Nastya, her cousin: «You know, you were right to leave. I also want to find my path. Mom is beside herself—assures that decent girls don’t choose directing. But I no longer want to be just ‘decent.’ I want to be happy.»
Marina smiled and replied: «Come over. Just keep it a secret from Auntie—you’ll decide everything yourself. By the way, my couch is free.»
Nastya arrived a week later—with a backpack filled with fears and hopes. They talked long into the night—about dreams, about the right to be oneself, about what family truly means—not just those who raised you, but also those who help you grow.
«You know,» Nastya confessed before sleep, «I used to think you were selfish. Now I understand—you’re just brave.»
In the spring, Marina learned about her pregnancy. It happened naturally, without clear plans. Simply, the time had come.
Aunt Zina somehow found out—probably through mutual acquaintances. She called after two years of silence:
«Finally started living right!» she declared triumphantly. «And I always warned you—the main meaning of a woman…»
Marina gently interrupted her:
«Aunt Zina, I haven’t started ‘living right.’ I’m just living. And I will give birth not because it’s expected, but because I want to. I will raise my child the way I think is right.»
«How dare you…» Aunt Zina began.
«I dare,» Marina firmly replied. «And you know what? I’m grateful to you.»
«For what?» Aunt Zina was taken aback.
«For showing an example of what not to be. Each of your reproaches made me stronger. Each judgment solidified my confidence in my own choices. Thank you for that.»
And she ended the call.
Now, in the evenings, she and Gleb sit on the balcony, sipping tea and making plans. About travels, about the future nursery, about how they will teach their child to be themselves. Her mother visits them every month—she plays in a community theater and literally glows with joy. Nastya got accepted into a directing program and is making short films. And Aunt Zina… Well, everyone has their own fate.
Sometimes you need to go far to understand who you are. Sometimes you need to break old ties to create new, real ones. And sometimes you just need to allow yourself to be yourself, even if someone doesn’t like it.
Marina often thinks of the girl who left her hometown two years ago, avoiding others’ expectations. How scared, how lost she was. If she could speak to her from the future, she would say: «Hang in there, little one. Everything will be fine. Better than you can imagine.»
And then she strokes her noticeably rounded belly and whispers:
«And you, little one, will never be forced to be ‘right.’ I promise.»
