Today, my salary of 36,000 was transferred to my card. Anna was walking home in a good mood:
“Usually it comes out to be less, but this month—with the advance—it’s over forty. The boss even issued a 5,000 bonus. That’s why at the end of the month I worked two shifts in two days,” she said, involuntarily glancing at her hands. “What awful hands! They’re so stained with iron that they can’t be cleaned. Every woman in her forties has a proper manicure on her fingers, but I have cuts. I’m going to work as a drilling machine operator my whole life. What can you do? I have to raise my daughter. She’s already finished her first year at college. She’ll take a different path in life. She’ll work in an office. She’ll get married. I’ve lived my whole life without a husband. At least let my daughter be happy.”
Having bought groceries at the store, she returned home. Her daughter was preparing something in the kitchen.
“Today they transferred the money to our card!” the mother announced joyfully.
“Okay,” the daughter grumbled in response. “Vasilisa, why are you so gloomy?” “Nothing. Sit down and eat!” “Here—slice the ham and cheese! Let’s at least eat properly,” Anna said as she began taking the groceries out of the bags.
When they sat at the table, the mother asked again: “So, why are you so gloomy?” “Yesterday, Maxim introduced me to his parents.” “Maxim— which one?” “You don’t know him,” the daughter replied with a crooked smile and a touch of arrogance. “He once drove me home in his car.” “He has his own car?” “Yes, he has his own car, his own apartment, and wealthy parents.” “Oh, daughter, don’t choose someone like that! He’s no match for you.” “But I want exactly someone like that,” the daughter’s voice turned angry. “I want to live like normal people, not from paycheck to paycheck like you.” “Vasilisa, what’s wrong? Are you missing something? You dress nicely; you have a smartphone.” “Everyone dresses nicely, and everyone has smartphones.” “So, what did you talk about with his parents?” Anna tried to change the subject. “What, what? They were all so…,” the daughter gestured vaguely, trying to express her thought. “His father is such a presentable man. His mother is a gorgeous, well-groomed woman with a beautiful manicure.” “And what did you say?” “They asked who my parents are,” the daughter said through gritted teeth. “I almost burned with shame. What could I say? I don’t have a father, and my mother works in a factory—on a machine.” “Daughter, not everyone lives in a cottage and drives expensive cars. Someone has to work on machines.” “Let someone work, but I want to live well,” the daughter burst into tears and ran to her room.
Anna sat at the table for a long time with her head bowed. How hurtful! After all, she had done everything in her power for her daughter.
The next day, in the evening, the daughter arrived excitedly and with an enigmatic smile on her face:
“Mom, tomorrow is Saturday. I’ve invited Maxim over.” “Oh!” Anna clutched her cheeks and immediately asked, “What time is he coming?” “In the evening.” “We need to buy groceries. In the morning, cook something tasty.” “I’ll cook everything myself. Mom, get yourself together!” “What do you mean?” the mother asked, confused. “Hairstyle, makeup.” “What’s wrong?” Anna looked at herself in the mirror. “Am I already old?” “Mom, why does your age matter? You must look beautiful.” “Well, I’ll go to the hairdresser!” A smile appeared on her face. “And makeup…” “Alright, I’ll do your makeup myself,” Vasilisa said as she took her mother’s hands. “But your hands… Mom, they need to be tidied up and manicured.” “Daughter, what manicure? I work on drilling machines.” “Your nails are awful, and your hands are dirty.” “It’s just that the dust has set in,” Anna observed her hands as if seeing them for the first time. “Alright, I’ll try to wash them off.” “Wash them! I’ll call now and arrange it. Tomorrow morning they’ll do your hairstyle and manicure.” “Make the arrangements!” Anna said decisively. “Mom, tomorrow we’ll turn you into a beauty.” “Alright, I’m off to buy groceries for now.”
Anna left the building, and interesting thoughts crept into her mind: “Does my daughter really think I’m old? I’m only 41…” Then she ran into a neighbor. He nodded indifferently and walked by. “Even Fedka doesn’t pay any attention to me. He’s almost fifty already. He used to be handsome. In the nineties, he was renowned as such—until he got arrested. Now the man has neither a wife nor children…” she sighed heavily. “And even he doesn’t look at me.” She bought the groceries. As soon as she returned to her apartment, her daughter immediately said: “Mom, get ready! I’ve arranged your manicure. They’re expecting you—in half an hour,” she noted while checking her watch. “How can that be… I…” “Get ready! I’ll go with you,” Vasilisa said as she took the bags from her mother’s hands. “I’ll unpack the groceries.”
Anna was on edge all day. And rightfully so, for her potential future son-in-law was about to arrive.
And then they came.
“Hello, Anna Stepanovna!” the young man said in a straightforward manner and immediately introduced himself. “My name is Maxim.” “Nice to meet you,” Anna said sincerely, mentally assessing her daughter’s friend. “A good guy—not arrogant and not particularly handsome. I always thought my Vasilisa only had eyes for tall, handsome men.” “Maxim, come in!” her daughter interrupted her thoughts.
They sat at the table and talked. Maxim told them about the business he runs with his father—how he earned enough for a one-room apartment and a car. More and more, Anna found herself thinking that this was exactly the kind of son-in-law she had dreamed of, and she couldn’t imagine her Vasilisa with any other guy.
“My daughter’s only dream is to have it all at once. She liked Maxim simply because he has an apartment and a car. Surely, she envisions a future with him in a huge, beautiful, luxurious house.” And she had the feeling that the young man was fully aware of this—he not only suspected it, but he knew it well. Anna decided to confirm her suspicions, though not directly, so as not to offend him.
“Maxim, what are your plans for the future?” “I’ll work for my father. I also want to find a job that your daughter likes. I know she’s studying at the institute. I, myself, am enrolled in the evening division.” “Maxim, how old are you?” “Twenty-three. I served a year in the army. Now I’m in my third year at the institute. I work at my father’s enterprise; he pays me 100,000 a month. One can live on that.” Anna couldn’t understand, couldn’t believe that her daughter—sitting right there—accepted his words as if they were self-evident. No, what he was saying was wonderful. She just couldn’t fathom that there would be any place for Vasilisa in his plans. “My father started almost from scratch,” Maxim continued. “After the army, he also studied part-time and worked as a drilling machine operator at a factory.” “As what?” Anna couldn’t believe it. “As a drilling machine operator on a radial drilling machine.” “I work as a drilling machine operator too,” Anna said with a hint of pride, but then she caught her daughter’s disapproving look. “My father has a small factory,” the young man went on, “where we manufacture metal products. I’ve even managed to work on all the machines. My father says that I am his heir and must learn everything from the ground up. Your daughter is studying in the faculty of logistics. For now, she’ll work as a dispatcher at our factory.” Anna listened in disbelief. For some reason, she was sure that her daughter and the idea of working in a factory were incompatible. And yet, Maxim spoke of it with such certainty.
After the daughter and her friend left, Anna began clearing the table, but the conversation kept nagging at her: “I have the feeling that until today, Maxim and my Vasilisa haven’t really talked to each other. He speaks as if the matter is already settled. My daughter hasn’t even mentioned it to me.” Anna thought about this all evening, while her daughter seemed to deliberately delay coming home. Finally, Vasilisa returned.
“Sit down and eat!” the mother said as calmly as she could. Vasilisa sat down, staring thoughtfully at her plate, as if troubled by similar thoughts. “Mom, did you like Maxim?” Vasilisa asked first. “Very much!” replied the mother, and then countered, “And you?” “I don’t know,” the daughter confessed honestly. “What don’t you like?” the mother asked with a smile. “If we ever get married, everything will be fine, but he’ll be the head of the family. In his view, that issue shouldn’t even be discussed.” “Do you have a different opinion?” “I don’t know,” the daughter repeated. “Perhaps I was the same in my youth,” Anna said nostalgically. “But now, who would propose such a thing…?” “Mom, my vacation has started. I’ve studied for ten months at the institute, and he’s offering me a two‑month job as a dispatcher at his factory. Don’t I have the right to rest?” “So he’s offering you to work those two months for free?” “Why free?” the daughter shrugged. “He promises 40,000 a month.” “40,000 a month?! At our factory, experienced dispatchers work for 20,000 a month.” “Mom, I want something different…” “Do you want to spend your whole life living off him?” Anna implored, hoping her daughter would understand that dreams and reality are two very different things. “Well, why do you think that?” “Vasilisa, then answer me a simple question: why do you need him?” “I’m beautiful,” the daughter said proudly. “Sure, there are plenty of beautiful women.” “I love him.” “You love his money.” “No, his—” “Then you might as well love the janitor. Look, our young janitor is sweeping the courtyard. He’s definitely not married.” “Oh, you don’t say!” “So, why Maxim?” the mother asked again. “He needs a wife, not a mistress.” “Mom, you have such old-fashioned ideas.”
That night, neither mother nor daughter could sleep for a long time.
The daughter pondered her mother’s words: “Really, I want everything at once. Maxim understands that perfectly well and isn’t in any hurry to propose. Maybe he won’t propose at all. Then why did he introduce me to his parents and get to know my mom? Mom is right in many ways. Maxim is a man who never loses his cool and always gets what he wants. And what does he want? As Mom rightly said—a wife. That’s why he’s trying to re-educate me… reshape me.” All night, such thoughts crept into their minds, forcing them to rethink their lives. Anna, too, couldn’t sleep for long. Just before going to bed, she looked in the mirror and… for a moment didn’t recognize herself. Looking closer, she thought: “After all, I am a pretty woman. And I’m only 41. So why have I buried myself as if I were already a has-been? My daughter won’t get married tomorrow. And what about me? Will I be left alone?”
In the morning, the daughter left to meet her friend—thoughtful and resolute. Anna slowly tidied up the apartment and began getting ready to go to the store.
She approached the mirror and then her eyes fell on her daughter’s cosmetics. If she ever used makeup, it was very rarely—only on special occasions. It’s hard to picture a drilling machine operator with makeup on at her work station. But after all, it was Sunday, and she recalled the master class her daughter had given yesterday. Her hand involuntarily reached for the makeup bag.
Stepping out of the building, she saw Fyodor. He turned his head as if to nod and walk by as usual, but suddenly, as if he’d run into a pole, he stopped. For a minute he just stared at her, then asked: “Anya, is that you?” “It seems, after forty years, you’re seeing me for the first time?” the woman laughed. “You’re so beautiful!” “Thank you!” “Come on, I’ll walk you to the store,” Fyodor said decisively. “Well, let’s go!” she replied with a smile.
That evening, Anna returned home—her daughter still wasn’t there, and for the first time in years her thoughts weren’t solely about her daughter: “Fedka is actually a decent man. He’s aged, of course, but still has that youthful spark. We barely got to the store together before he invited me for a walk. It’s almost comical! As if we’re not over forty but only about twenty. And he has money. We even sat in a restaurant—someplace I’ve never been.” She began preparing dinner, yet thoughts of her neighbor kept intruding: “I asked him what he does. He said he’s in business,” she smiled, “and he assured me it’s legitimate.” Her daughter returned, looking thoughtful. She glanced at her mother’s face and asked: “Mom, why are you so radiant?” “I’m not sure,” Anna replied, still smiling, then quickly asked to change the subject, “And why are you so busy?” “Starting tomorrow, I’m going to work for Maxim at his factory.” “Well done, dear! When you earn your own money, you feel confident. And Maxim will treat you completely differently—and he’s a good guy.” “I know.” “Then hold on to him.” “Mom, thank you! You’ve opened my eyes a little bit to life.” Vasilisa looked at her mother attentively once again and unexpectedly asked: “Mom, have you fallen in love?” A mug clattered to the floor. Anna stood for a moment with her mouth slightly agape, then, putting on an indifferent expression, asked: “What makes you ask that?” “I see a mysterious smile on your lips and traces of my makeup on your face,” Vasilisa added, stifling a joyful laugh. “And anyway, you are a very beautiful woman!” “Thank you! You’ve opened my eyes to that, too.”
October. In Russia, it’s wedding season. At Pokrov, Maxim and Vasilisa celebrated a lavish and cheerful wedding. And three weeks later, Anna married Fyodor.
