— In short, I’m leaving Timur.
There was a pause.
— Are you kidding? — Marianna finally said. — Weren’t you guys going to celebrate your promotion?
— We were, — Evelina chuckled bitterly. — And then his mother showed up with five suitcases and announced she was going to live with us.
— What?!
Evelina briefly recounted the events of the last two days. Marianna listened, periodically gasping and cursing.
— A nightmare! — she summarized. — So what now?
— I’m finishing packing my things now. Tomorrow morning I’ll take the essentials to Timur at the hospital, come back, load everything into a taxi, and move into a rental apartment.
— Wait, you rented an apartment? That quickly?
— Yes. A one-bedroom not far from work.
— But what about your apartment? The mortgage?
— We’ll divide it through the court. I’ve already consulted with a lawyer.
Marianna was silent for a moment.
— Listen, are you sure you’re not rushing things? Maybe you should wait until things calm down? Five years of marriage is no joke!
Evelina looked at the suitcases, at the empty shelves in the closet, at her mother-in-law’s bags by the stairs.
— You know, I’ve never been more certain than I am right now. Timur chose his mother. He didn’t just support her; he lied to the doctors, accused me of something that didn’t happen. The person I trusted more than anyone in the world…
— I’m so sorry, — Marianna’s voice softened. — Maybe you shouldn’t be alone tonight? Come over to my place.
— Thanks, but I need to finish up here. And I have to get up early tomorrow to take things to the hospital.
— Alright. But if you need anything, call anytime. And don’t try to be a hero.
Evelina smiled, sincerely for the first time all day.
— I promise.
After the call, she checked her packed things one more time and went to the bathroom. She needed to pack her cosmetics, toiletries, and towels here too. She was methodically putting everything into a separate bag when she noticed a tube of Timur’s shaving cream on the shelf. Evelina picked it up. She wondered if her mother-in-law had thought of such small details in her extensive list. Probably not. It wouldn’t have even occurred to her that her darling son needed to shave.
She put the shaving cream, toothbrush, toothpaste, and Timur’s deodorant into a separate bag. Then she added clean underwear, a t-shirt, sweatpants, and slippers. For a man who had accused her of violence, this was more than enough. Leaving the bathroom, Evelina noticed an unopened bottle of champagne in the corner of the living room. The very one they were going to open after the restaurant. Moët & Chandon, her favorite. She took the bottle and put it in her bag. Maybe someday she would have a real reason to celebrate.
The clock showed 2:30 AM. Evelina was tired but couldn’t bring herself to lie down in her and Timur’s bed. Instead, she settled on the sofa in the living room, wrapped in a blanket. Sleep wouldn’t come. Thoughts of the future, the upcoming divorce, and work swirled in her head. How strange: just two days ago, she considered her promotion the main event of the year. Now it seemed trivial compared to the collapse of her personal life. Although, maybe work would be her salvation now. New responsibilities, projects, tasks — all this would leave no time for introspection and self-pity.
Outside, the sky began to lighten. Evelina hadn’t closed her eyes all night. She got up, took a shower, did her makeup — more carefully than usual, as if creating a protective mask for the upcoming visit to the hospital. After gathering Timur’s things and the bare minimum of what her mother-in-law had requested — a robe, slippers, and shampoo — she called a taxi. It was time to move on.
The hospital corridor smelled of bleach and hopelessness. Evelina walked towards Timur and Klavdiya Gennadyevna’s room, feeling the internal tension build with each step. What would she say? How would she act? Should she even go in or just hand the things to a nurse? She stopped near the right room, took a deep breath, and knocked.
— Come in, — Timur’s voice sounded.
Evelina opened the door. Timur was sitting on the bed, his nose still bandaged, his arm in a sling. Klavdiya Gennadyevna was half-lying on the adjacent bed, pointedly turned towards the wall.
— I brought your things, — Evelina placed the bags on the nightstand. — Everything you need is here.
— Thanks, — Timur replied dryly, avoiding her gaze.
Klavdiya Gennadyevna slowly turned around.
— Where’s my little gold jar of cream? I asked for it.
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