“Am I supposed to greet the guests myself? You mean, you’re going to go on vacation for a week?!”

tolerating criticism about dust, food, and comparisons to other wives. Lena left messes, her son broke things, and Lyuba was always expected to smile and say it was fine. Tolia worked, then relaxed at the table she set.

“You never even ask me,” she said. “You just announce they’re coming.”

They argued. He called her unfair; she called him blind. Finally continue reading …