Kira often found herself drifting back into childhood, especially as she started to fall asleep. The age she always returned to was five, a time when her father was still around, and her mother smiled genuinely. But why five? Kira never quite understood that. Perhaps it was because that’s when she started noticing changes: her father began staying late at work, her mother’s smile became strained, and heated, yet muffled arguments echoed from the bedroom at night.

Now, lying next to her husband, Slava, Kira felt herself slipping into that sleep-memory. She remembered her father’s steady, warm voice as he held her in his arms while they strolled through the park, collecting leaves. He would point out the names of trees, explaining why the leaves changed color. His calm presence, free from weariness or disinterest, was a comfort she missed dearly.

"My girl, you are the most precious thing I have," he used to say. He never said “you and your mother” but always just “you.” It would only be many years later that Kira would understand why.

“Kirush, wake up,” Slava’s voice brought her back to the present. “Your phone’s blowing up.”

Kira opened her eyes reluctantly. The sunlight had already crept in, and her phone screen displayed “Mother.”

“I’m not answering,” Kira muttered, turning over.

Slava, understanding as always, left her alone, knowing well about Kira’s complicated relationship with her mother. Kira had always been clear about it when they first started dating: "I don’t talk about my mother much. It's complicated. So, let’s just leave it at that.”

The phone rang again a minute later.

“Great,” Kira sighed, picking it up. “Hello.”

“Finally!” her mother’s voice bubbled with an energy that Kira knew too well. “I thought you lost your phone.”

“No, I was just sleeping. What’s going on?”

“Can’t a mother call her daughter just to check in?” her mother answered sweetly.

In the last five years, her mother had only reached out twice — once to announce her remarriage and demand Kira move out of the apartment, and then when Slava insisted that Kira invite her to the wedding.

“Let’s skip the niceties. What do you really want?” Kira asked bluntly.

“Why so harsh, Kirochka? I just wanted to check on you and Slava. Maybe we could drop by with Igor, have some tea?”

Igor? Tea? Kira could hardly believe it. Her mother had never shown any interest in simply “catching up” in the past five years.

“Let’s get to the point. What’s your real reason for visiting?”

Her mother sighed heavily, the tone shifting.

“You’ve always been suspicious, like your father,” she began. “Igor and I heard you’re planning a trip to the sea. We wanted to discuss…”

“Wait, how did you know about that?” Kira cut in.

“Your mother-in-law told us,” came the reply.

Of course, Natalia Sergeevna — ever the trusting soul. Kira's mother had smiled once at the wedding, and immediately, the mother-in-law thought they were best friends.

“Are you asking us to look after the apartment?” Kira’s voice grew sharper.

“What? Daughter!” her mother interrupted quickly. “We just miss you. Igor and I wanted to visit. We’ll be there in an hour.”

Before Kira could respond, her mother had already hung up.

Slava walked in and immediately noticed Kira's mood. “What happened?”

“My mom and Igor are coming over,” Kira said with an exaggerated sigh. “’We miss you,’” she added, using air quotes.

Slava chuckled. “Are you going to tell them the truth?”

“I’ll have to tell them something. But I don’t even want to think about what comes next.”

An hour and a half later, just as Kira and Slava were finishing breakfast, the doorbell rang. Standing there was Nina Pavlovna, still impeccable with her makeup and styled hair, and Igor Semenovich, her stout stepfather.

“Kirochka, darling!” her mother greeted, holding her arms open.

Kira froze, stiffly allowing her mother’s embrace. Her mother’s perfume, while familiar, made Kira uneasy, not comforting.

“Hello, Nina Pavlovna, Igor Semenovich,” Slava greeted them politely, ushering them inside. “Tea’s ready.”

They settled in the living room, Kira silently poured the tea while her mother inspected the modest apartment.

“It’s cozy here,” her mother commented, her voice dipped in a strange sweetness. “Of course, owning a place of your own is a whole different matter.”

Kira fought the urge to roll her eyes. “Mom, you said you wanted to discuss something.”

“Oh, you’re always so impatient!” Nina Pavlovna laughed. “Well, alright. I’ve been thinking a lot about how I wasn’t the most attentive mother.”

Kira struggled to keep her composure. She wasn’t in the mood for her mother’s false repentance.

“I want to make it right, Kirochka. Be closer to you. Start over.”

Her mother reached for Kira’s hand, but Kira instinctively pulled away. “How do you plan to do that?”

Her mother smiled triumphantly and exchanged a look with Igor. “We’re coming to the sea with you!”

Kira blinked in shock. “What?”

Igor Semenovich smiled and chimed in, “We could use a little family time together. You’re going for two whole weeks, after all. Think of how much we could catch up on!”

Their long-awaited vacation, carefully planned, suddenly hijacked.

“No, we’re going with friends,” Kira said firmly. “This is not a family trip.”

“Oh, what’s the problem?” Igor Semenovich asked. “Friends or not! I love company too. It’ll be more fun!”

Kira’s patience began to wear thin. “We’ve already booked for four people. And we have our own plans.”

“Plans can be changed,” her mother waved off. “Don’t worry about the booking, Igor will handle it.”

Kira stood her ground. “We’re not changing plans for you.”

Her mother’s tone softened, “I’ve raised you all these years… Can’t you do this for me?”

Kira’s anger surged. “You didn’t raise me. Dad did. You were hardly there.”

“You’ve always been ungrateful!” Nina Pavlovna snapped. “Igor, do you hear how she talks to me?”

Before Igor could respond, Slava interjected.

“I think it’s best if you leave,” Slava said calmly but firmly. “We won’t be taking you with us, nor paying for your trip.”

Nina Pavlovna exploded. “She’s my daughter! Who are you to tell me what to do?”

Kira stood up, her voice steady. “I haven’t been your daughter since Dad passed. And honestly? I’m glad I don’t have a mother like you anymore.”

Her mother went pale with rage. “If you treat me like this, you won’t have a mother at all!”

“That’s exactly what I said,” Kira replied coldly.

With that, Slava pulled Kira into an embrace as her mother stormed out. It was finally over.

The next day, Kira and Slava left for the sea. Her phone blew up with calls from her mother. Kira ignored them.

On the third day, Slava handed her his phone. “Your mother’s calling again.”

Kira sighed and answered, knowing full well what was coming.

“We need help,” her mother’s voice was pleading. “Igor’s having financial problems. Can we stay with you for a bit?”

“No,” Kira replied firmly. “Don’t call again.”

Back home, Kira received a threatening message from Igor. But it only solidified her resolve.

The court battle over the property was long, but in the end, Kira won. The apartment was sold, and she used her share for a down payment on a new home with Slava. A place where they could build a life without the ghosts of the past.

Months later, they discovered they were expecting a baby girl. Kira knew that with Slava by her side, her daughter would never have to experience the same heartache.

Her new family was everything she had longed for, and more.