Hey, in a month we have a class reunion. You must go with me. — Vadik said, looking at his live-in partner.
«— Really? And what role am I supposed to play? As a friend? A colleague? Or maybe as a roommate?»
«— Oh, here we go again. If you need that notorious stamp in your passport so badly, I’m ready to go and sign right now. But I’m not planning to waste money on frivolities like a wedding, a banquet, and other nonsense.»
«— And what are you willing to spend money on?»
«— On food… on a car… on sports, on…»
«— …on your mom?» Anna continued. In matters of helping her mother, her beloved was inflexible and generous. Just the other day, he had paid for a vacation at the best resort in Kislovodsk for Anna’s potential mother-in-law. And for New Year, he had gifted her mom a membership to a fitness club. Apparently, Vadik was referring to this sport. He himself preferred only watching football on TV when it came to sports.»
«— Of course, on her too! She’s my only one, I owe her! In any case, buy yourself an expensive dress, go see a cosmetologist to get rid of the dark circles under your eyes. My mom told me that now there are magical injections that can turn women into girls.»
«— And why doesn’t your mom get them?»
«— Well… It’s not cheap. And besides, why would she? She’s beautiful as she is.» Vadik blushed. Anna hadn’t known that he had given his mom almost his entire salary the other day, because in Kislovodsk, as it turned out, only the air is free. Bathtubs, mud treatments, and massages all cost extra.
«— And me? Am I supposed to look worse than your mom?» Anna raised her eyebrows. The conversation was taking an unpleasant turn.
«— No, but you’re younger than her! Notice, twice as young! And you’re older than me, but I told my friends that you’re younger. They must not find out under any circumstances! Otherwise, they’ll tease me.»
Anna pursed her lips. The question of age did not trouble her—she knew she looked younger than her years—but the extra mention that she was no longer 18 wasn’t flattering.
«— So, do you understand the assignment?»
«— Understood,» Anna nodded. She wasn’t planning to go to the cosmetologist or have super expensive procedures done. But buying a dress was especially pleasant, considering she had long wanted to go shopping.
She preferred doing her own manicure and pedicure. Not that she was saving money, but after one technician once inadvertently caused her an unpleasant nail infection, she no longer trusted salons. Yes, doing elaborate nail designs was problematic, but she could manage a basic manicure on her own.
On the eve of the celebration, Anna had gone for a hairstyling session, but nail polish was left for later. Realizing she wouldn’t finish in time, she sat at the kitchen table and chose a neutral, semi-transparent nail polish that would dry faster. However, Anna hadn’t expected that Vadik would see this and begin expressing his discontent.
«— I don’t get it, you’re painting your nails yourself?!» he gasped.
«— Well, yes. Want to help me?» Anna joked.
«— I want my woman to go to a salon. And have her nails done and everything else there!»
«— Fine. Next time, I’ll do just that.»
«— No, I’m serious! Go now! Get yourself a modern design done! Long, beautiful nails. Gel polish, or whatever they call it.»
«— Vadik, appointments at salons are booked several days in advance. And manicures aren’t done quickly. We simply won’t make it for your reunion.»
«— About the reunion. The guys just sent a message; half of them won’t be able to come.»
«— So what? Is it all cancelled?»
«— No. They decided to arrange two reunions. One now, and another in the summer.»
«— And we have to go to both?»
«— Yes. Those who come today might not come in the summer. And I want to see everyone,» Vadik said, straightening his tie. «So, what about your nails?»
«— Almost done.»
Vadik came over and wrinkled his nose.
«— What is that? It doesn’t even look like there’s polish on! That won’t do.»
«— Vadik, it’s a noble, semi-transparent shade.»
«— I don’t like it. Do you want to embarrass me?»
«— You know what? If you don’t like it, I won’t go. Go by yourself.»
Vadik shuddered. He hadn’t expected that.
«— Alright then. For today I forgive you. But next time, approach the mission of accompanying me more responsibly.»
Anna put down the bottle of polish and looked at Vadim. Sometimes he seemed a bit strange to her. However, there was no time to ponder over his preferences in manicures. And she knew that Vadim would forget about this conversation tomorrow. For some reason, he paid too much attention to the class reunion. In everyday life, he never cared about Anna’s nails. Nor did he care which salon she went to.
«Did you get a haircut? Excellent. I thought you just fixed your hair. Did you dye it? I thought that was your natural color.»
The class reunion turned out to be boring. Only five people came, and they all sat with bored expressions. Vadik came alone. He tried with all his might to talk about himself—about where he worked, how much he earned, that he had recently bought a new car, and that he was living in a state of bliss.
«— Aren’t you planning to get married, have children?» one of the women at the reunion asked.
«— Of course we are,» Vadik laughed. «But not everyone can have a baby at 18; we’re planning, not acting on impulse like some.» He hinted that one of the classmates had had a baby too early. But no one appreciated his joke. His friends started discussing something else, and no one paid attention to Vadik again. This infuriated him. He repeatedly tried to steer the conversation back to himself, but he was blatantly ignored. No one cared about what type of roses his mom had in her garden or how much the rims on his new car cost. Some lived more modestly, while others, on the contrary, didn’t consider Vadik’s achievements noteworthy enough to mention.
Eventually, Vadik became so upset that, in the middle of the evening, he took Anna by the arm and, saying that it was time to go, led her away.
In the taxi he sat as dark as a cloud.
«— What?» Anna was surprised.
«— What, what? They don’t take me seriously!»
«— Well… They’re all the same. No one stood out particularly.» Anna almost blurted out «except you,» but bit her tongue just in time.
«— It’s not that! It’s… about you!» he thundered. «You were dressed too simply; you didn’t match my image of a successful man!»
Anna thought it was a joke and laughed.
«— What’s so funny?»
«— Everything’s funny! Especially the fact that you decided to assert yourself at my expense.»
«— Nonsense. I just want you to be matched by my appearance. That manicure of yours is awful, your dress is from a mass-market store! Did you see what Matveeva was wearing? And her nails?»
«— Matveeva? Is that ‘Silicon Valley’?» Anna mimed circles with her fingers, indicating the exaggerated size of the lips and other unnatural features of that very lady.
«— Yes.»
«— What can I say? Her nails, like her lips, are artificial. And everything else is done too. I think it’s vulgar, unfashionable, and just plain horrible.»
«— You’re just jealous of her. That’s all.»
«— If only there were something to be jealous of…»
«— You don’t understand! Men look at appearance!»
«— What, have you decided to set me up with someone? Why do you need to show me off? I’m not a horse in a circus!» The humorous tone vanished.
«— Oh, come on. In short, next time, you must be picture-perfect. And tomorrow, go get yourself a proper manicure!»
«— Alright.»
That day, Anna booked an appointment at one of the best salons and went to get her nails done first thing in the morning.
In the evening, when Vadik came home, he was surprised. Anna was lying on the sofa, scrolling through her social media feed.
«— Didn’t you understand? Why aren’t you meeting me? Where’s the apron? Where’s the hot dinner? There’s no smell… nothing at home?!»
«— Yes. For dinner we have sausages tonight. Will you boil them?»
«— I don’t want sausages. I need meat! I’m a man, Anna! Not some sausage fairy!»
«— Then get the chicken from the freezer, thaw it, cut it up, and fry it. You know where the frying pan is, right?»
«— Is this a joke?»
«— No.»
«— Why didn’t you cook anything?»
«— First of all, I was working.»
«— So? You worked before too.»
«— And secondly, I was at the salon. There. Satisfied?» Anna deliberately showed off her bright, designer manicure.
«— Well… better than before.»
«— There. Just so you know: when you’re doing your nails, you can’t be cooking or washing dishes.»
«— And another thing! All women do that, say nothing. Just put them on, and everything will be fine!» Vadik pulled out a pair of household gloves from a drawer.
«— I don’t know about others, but I’m not going to ruin a fresh manicure. And by the way,» she said, handing him a receipt.
«— What’s that?»
«— It’s your share. For my manicure.»
«— Didn’t get it?»
«— I don’t earn enough to go to such an expensive salon. And since it’s your wish, please, kindly pay for my nails. By the way, I’ve booked an appointment for a rejuvenation procedure, a massage, a drainage… They told me that to get myself in shape by summer, I need to start with three procedures a week,» Anna listed the services and, at the end, wrote a sum on a sheet that made Vadik’s eyes widen. «The card number is tied to my phone; transfer the money right now. I’m waiting.»
«— But why should I spend money on you?»
«— Because it’s important to you that I look the part.»
«— Other women…»
«— I’m not like other women. I am who I am! Want nails? Here you go! Pay up! Want me to always have perfect skin and long lashes? That can be arranged too. And besides, if I have a perfect manicure and baby-smooth skin, I won’t need gloves,» Anna demonstrated by theatrically approaching and throwing a pack into the trash, «or a dishwasher. Even better, let’s hire a cleaning lady.»
«— You’ve really lost it! You’re going to cost me too much!»
«— And who said that a beautiful woman comes for free?»
«— My friends talked about their wives, and I have girlfriends who pay for their own cosmetologists…»
«— Stop telling me about your imaginary friends! I talked to your ‘girlfriends’ in the ladies’ room at the reunion! They told me everything about you.»
«— What did they say?»
«— That you had plain gray ones and that the ones your mom set you up with! No woman would fall for you! Why do you even bother with her if you can’t even pay for a manicure? You spend all your money on your mom and your silly football whims! Zero effort in running the household, and your marital life is so-so! I only live with you out of habit! And because I didn’t have any other option!» Anna was so angry that she was ready to say everything she had been holding back.
«— Don’t you dare talk about my mom. She’s a smart woman!» Vadik was insulted.
«— Of course, smart. She only thinks about herself in her old age. Not about your marital happiness. Otherwise, you would have married me long ago instead of secretly sending her money! Although… what do I know about this supposed happiness? Men like you are happy under their mom’s wing!»
Anna looked at Vadik with sympathy and began packing her bag. If before she had thought he was a decent option, now she understood everything. It was time to put a big, firm period on it.
«— Didn’t you get it? What? Are you saying we’re breaking up?!»
«— Exactly.»
«— And what about the class reunion? I already said I’d come as a pair! There will be such important people there; I need to show that I’m not just anyone!»
«— Take your mom,» Vadik said, as Anna walked away to pack the rest of her things into a big suitcase. She felt no regret.»
