Every morning, Julia woke to the sound of rain hitting the windowsill and saw heavy, gray clouds outside. The weather seemed to reflect her mood – full of anxiety, uncertainty, and hidden suspicions.
For three weeks in a row, her husband, Igor, had been packing his sports bag and announcing:
— My parents aren’t feeling well, I’ll go see them for a few days.
The first time, Julia accepted his words with understanding.
Her mother-in-law, Ludmila Pavlovna, had recently undergone gallbladder surgery. Her father-in-law, Viktor Semionovich, complained of high blood pressure. At sixty-five, health could indeed fail.
— Of course, go — said his wife. — Give them my regards, tell them I’m worried too.
Igor would leave on Friday evening and return Monday morning. He usually came back tired, silent, as if from a heavy duty. When asked about his parents’ health, he gave brief answers:
— They’re better. But still weak.
— What exactly hurts your mother? — Julia asked.
— Everything hurts. Age, — her husband waved his hand.
The same story repeated the following week.
— Again? — Julia asked in surprise.
— Mom fell, got bruised. Dad is worried. I need to go, — explained Igor, putting fresh shirts into his bag.
— Maybe I should come too? I could help.
— No need. It’s already crowded there. Better stay home.
Julia agreed. In her relations with her husband’s parents, she always tried to maintain distance. She didn’t impose herself or give advice. Ludmila Pavlovna was reserved, not very warm. They spoke politely but without deep closeness.
The third trip happened the following weekend.
— What this time? — Julia asked, watching Igor fold jeans and a sweater into his bag.
— Dad is feeling very bad. Blood pressure is spiking. Mom can’t manage alone.
— Didn’t you call a doctor?
— We did. But you know how doctors today are. He prescribed some pills and left.
Igor spoke convincingly, but the tone of his voice slightly worried her. It sounded too practiced, without the real emotions of someone who genuinely worries about sick parents.
— Igor, maybe we should take them to the hospital? If it’s so serious?
— They don’t want to. They’re afraid of hospitals. They say it’s calmer at home.
Her husband closed the bag and kissed Julia on the cheek.
— Don’t get bored. I’ll try to return quickly.
After Igor left, Julia was left alone, immersed in growing anxiety.
She tried to remember the last time she spoke to her mother-in-law on the phone. It turned out to be about a month ago. Ludmila Pavlovna had called to congratulate a friend on her birthday.
Then her mother-in-law had spoken cheerfully, asking about her daughter-in-law’s work, talking about matters at the garden plot. There were no complaints about her health. On the contrary – she boasted about her tomato harvest and plans for winter.
— That’s strange — Julia murmured, standing by the window and looking at the autumn rain. — If Mom feels so bad, why doesn’t she call? She always used to let me know when she was sick.
On Monday, Igor returned even more dejected.
— How are your parents? — his wife asked.
— Dad is better. Mom is still weak.
— And what did the doctor say?
— What doctor? — her husband didn’t understand.
— The primary care doctor. You said you called him.
— Ah, yes. He said to observe. If it gets worse – to the hospital.
Igor quickly changed and sat at the computer. The conversation clearly wasn’t going anywhere.
In the evening, when her husband went to shower, Julia took his phone. She had never checked it before, but something now told her – she needed to see.
There were no calls to his parents. Neither outgoing nor incoming. In the past two weeks – not a single contact with Ludmila Pavlovna or Viktor Semionovich.
— How is that possible? — Julia whispered. — If Igor is there, why wouldn’t he call?
Usually, when her husband left, his parents at least once called Julia to ask how she was or if they needed to tell their son something. This time – silence.
The fourth trip was the following Friday.
— Again your parents? — Julia asked.
— Yes. Mom has a fever. I’m afraid she caught a cold.
— Igor, maybe I should come with you? I’ll help with care.
— Why do you need extra trouble? — her husband replied sharply. — You have enough work.
— It’s not difficult for me. After all, they’re your parents. And maybe mine too…
— Julia, no need. It’s already crowded. You’ll catch something.
Igor spoke convincingly but avoided eye contact. He packed hurriedly, as if late for a train.
— Which train are you taking? — his wife asked.
— The regular one. At seven in the evening.
— Do you want me to see you to the station?
— No need. I can manage.
Igor kissed Julia and left quickly. Julia stayed in the apartment full of ambiguities and strange coincidences.
She spent Saturday morning reflecting. Thoughts tangled in her head, giving her no peace.
On one hand – blaming her husband for lying without evidence would be unfair. On the other – too many strange circumstances had accumulated over the past month.
— Am I really a suspicious wife? — Julia reproached herself. — Maybe the parents really are sick, and I’m inventing problems from nothing?
By lunchtime, she made a decision. If her father-in-law and mother-in-law were indeed ill, they would surely be pleased by their daughter-in-law’s concern. Julia would bake homemade cake, buy fruits, prepare small gifts, and go visit them.
— I’ll surprise them — she decided. — And at the same time, I’ll surprise Igor.
The kitchen was in a pleasant chaos. Julia kneaded the dough – her mother’s signature recipe. While the cake baked in the oven, she went to the store for fruits and juice.
By three in the afternoon, everything was ready. The fragrant cake cooled on the table, the bag with oranges and bananas stood by the door. Julia changed into an elegant dress, put on light makeup, and set off to the station.
On the train, she smiled, imagining surprising her husband with her sudden appearance. Igor would open the door, see his wife with gift bags, blink in confusion, then brighten with a smile.
— Julia? What are you doing here? — her husband would say.
— I decided to visit you — his wife would answer. — To see how you’re feeling.
The trip to her in-laws’ house took an hour and a half. Ludmila Pavlovna and Viktor Semionovich lived in a small town outside Moscow, in a two-story house with a garden. Igor had grown up there, knew every corner.
Julia approached the familiar gate and pressed the bell. After a moment, her mother-in-law opened the door.
— Julia? — Ludmila Pavlovna was surprised. — What are you doing here?
She looked wonderful. Rosy cheeks, bright eyes, no signs of illness. She wore home sportswear, hair neatly tied in a ponytail.
— Good day, Ludmila Pavlovna — Julia greeted awkwardly. — I came to visit. Igor said you’re sick.
— Sick? — her mother-in-law laughed sincerely. — What illness? We’re healthy as fish! Where did you hear that?
Julia felt her face flush. Her heart raced, and the gift bags suddenly became too heavy to carry.
— But Igor… He said he was taking care of you. That you’re unwell.
— Taking care? — Ludmila Pavlovna shook her head. — Julia, we haven’t seen our son for a week! Maybe longer!
From the depths of the house, her father-in-law’s voice called:
— Luda, who’s come?
— Julia came to visit! — the mother-in-law shouted.
Viktor Semionovich appeared in the hallway. A seventy-year-old man, gray-haired but strong, in work pants and a checkered shirt. He had probably been tinkering in the workshop.
— Oh, daughter-in-law! — the father-in-law was delighted. — What a surprise! You rarely visit!
— Viktor Semionovich, where’s Igor? — Julia asked directly.
— How should I know? — he shrugged. — Maybe at work? Or maybe at your place?
— But he said he came to you. He said you were sick and needed care.
Her in-laws looked at each other, surprised.
— Julia, we’re not sick. Igor hasn’t been here for a long time. The last time we saw him… when was it, Luda?
— For St. Peter’s Day — the mother-in-law recalled. — In July, for Dad’s birthday.
— Exactly. Since then he hasn’t even called — Viktor Semionovich confirmed.
Inside, Julia felt everything break. Every explanation from her husband, every trip to the “sick” parents, turned out to be a lie. A pure, direct lie.
— Julia, what happened? — Ludmila Pavlovna worried. — You look pale. Come, let’s have some tea.
— Thank you, but I have to go — the daughter-in-law whispered.
— Go? You just arrived! And you brought a cake, I see! — her mother-in-law insisted.
— Another time — Julia handed over the bags. — These are for you. Enjoy.
— And where is Igor? — her father-in-law didn’t understand. — Why isn’t he with you?
— I don’t know — Julia answered honestly.
Her in-laws accompanied her to the gate, looking incredulous. Julia walked toward the bus stop, her legs numb.
Questions swirled in her head: where had Igor been spending weekends? With whom? Why did he use his parents as a cover? And most importantly – how long had this lie lasted?
The bus to the station took half an hour. Julia looked through the window at the gray September landscape, trying to gather her thoughts. Every trip her husband made to the “sick” parents now seemed like mockery. Every explanation – like cynical manipulation.
— So I worried about his parents for a whole month, and he… — Julia couldn’t finish the thought.
On the train, she took out her phone and wanted to call her husband. Then she changed her mind. What to ask? Where were you? With whom? Why lie?
Better to wait at home. Look him in the eyes when he explains the next false story.
She returned to the apartment at eight in the evening. It was quiet and empty. She sat on the sofa and began to wait.
Igor returned Monday morning, as usual. Keys jingled in the lock, the door opened. Her husband entered tired, slouched, with the same sports bag.
— Hi — he muttered, heading to the bedroom. — How was the weekend?
— Fine — Julia answered calmly. — And you?
— Hard. My parents are feeling very bad.
— Really? — the woman got up from the sofa. — What exactly is wrong with them?
— Mom has a fever, Dad measured blood pressure all night. They’re exhausted.
Igor spoke without raising his eyes. He folded dirty laundry, took medicine out of the bag.
— Igor — his wife called softly. — Look at me.
The man raised his head. A shadow of unease appeared in his eyes.
— Where have you been all these days? — Julia asked directly.
— Where? At my parents’. I told you.
— Your parents are healthy. They haven’t seen you in a week.
Igor froze with a shirt in his hands.
— What are you talking about?
— Yesterday I was at their place. I wanted to help the “sick” ones. Ludmila Pavlovna laughed when I asked about the illness.
Her husband’s face went pale.
— You went to my parents? Why?
— Because I believed you. I thought they were really sick.
— Julia, you don’t understand…
— What don’t I understand? — the wife interrupted. — That you lied to me for a month? That you used your parents as a cover?
— It wasn’t a lie…
— Then what? — Julia stepped closer. — Igor, where were you spending the weekends? With whom?
Her husband turned toward the window.
— I can’t explain now.
— Can’t or won’t?
— Julia, believe me. It’s not what you think.
— And what do I think? — she asked coldly.
— Well… that I have someone. Another woman.
— So no other explanation?
Igor remained silent. The silence lasted a minute, then another. Finally, he sighed heavily.
— There is — he admitted quietly.
Julia nodded. Strange, but there was no anger. Only emptiness and clarity.
— I understand.
— Julia, it’s not serious! It just… happened…
— A month ago it happened?
— No, earlier. But I didn’t know how to tell you.
— That’s why you lied about sick parents?
— I needed to figure myself out. Understand what I need.
— And did you understand?
Igor was silent again.
— Igor, I ask you: did you understand what you need?
— I don’t know — he answered honestly.
— I know — Julia said. — I need a person who doesn’t lie. Who doesn’t use sick parents as a cover for an affair.
— It’s not an affair…
— Call it what you want. The result is the same — you lied to me for a month.
Julia went to the bedroom and reached for a small suitcase.
— What are you doing? — Igor worried.
— I’m leaving — Julia packed the essentials. — To a friend’s place. For now.
— For now?
— You — with your feelings. Me — with the divorce papers.
— And our house? Our family?
— Family is trust — Julia answered. — And the house can be divided by lawyers.
Julia left, closing the door behind her. Silence filled the hallway, only music playing somewhere above.
Outside, a fine drizzle fell. The same as a month ago, when it all began. Julia pulled up her jacket collar and headed toward the metro.
Her phone rang as she descended into the underground passage. The display showed her husband’s name. Julia rejected the call and put her phone in her bag.
The decision was made. She could no longer live with a man who had used supposedly sick parents as a cover for an affair for a month. Trust was broken, family too.
Ahead of her were talks with lawyers, division of property, a new life. But at least an honest life. Without lies about sick parents and secret meetings with another woman.
The metro carried Julia away from the past toward an unknown, but honest, future.
