A man returns home after two years abroad — but upon witnessing how his wife treats their daughter, he takes a shocking action that changes everything

at him for a long moment. She looked at his mother, who offered nothing. She looked at Masha, who looked at the floor. She looked back at Aleksei.

She went to the bedroom and she packed.

Part Six: The Hug

Aleksei’s mother had made tea.

This was what she did in difficult moments — she made tea, because tea was something that could be done and that created continue reading …