When Sasha zipped up his beach bag with sunglasses and sunscreen, he flashed Lika a grin.
\n\u201cCome on, I need a break too,\u201d he said, casually brushing past her swollen belly.<\/p>\n
\u201cA break?\u201d Lika raised an eyebrow. \u201cI\u2019m six months pregnant, and you\u2019re sending me to your mother\u2019s to dig potatoes?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFresh air will be good for you. And Mom could use the help,\u201d he said dismissively, already halfway out the door.<\/p>\n
Lika didn\u2019t argue. Sasha rarely listened to anyone but himself.<\/p>\n
By the time she arrived in the countryside, her mother-in-law handed her a rusty shovel with a scoff.
\n\u201cBet you wore him out. Now you\u2019re my problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, Aunt Nina. It was my choice,\u201d Lika replied, though her voice betrayed her exhaustion.<\/p>\n
Under the relentless sun, Lika worked the fields, sweat dripping into the soil. Her back screamed in protest, her ankles puffed like dough. She would pause only to rest her hand on her belly and whisper, \u201cWe\u2019ll get through this, baby. Just a little longer.\u201d<\/p>\n
At night, she overheard the same voice she heard all day.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s soft,\u201d her mother-in-law told the neighbor. \u201cBack in my day, we gave birth in a field and kept working.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lika said nothing. What was the point?<\/p>\n
The Homecoming<\/p>\n
Sasha strolled in a week later, tanned and carefree. He tossed his suitcase on the couch like nothing had changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cLika! You should\u2019ve seen the water\u2014pure turquoise! We\u2019ll go together next time, yeah?\u201d he grinned.<\/p>\n
She looked at him blankly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m leaving, Sasha.\u201d<\/p>\n
He blinked. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI said\u2014I\u2019m leaving.\u201d<\/p>\n
He laughed. \u201cDon\u2019t be dramatic. You won\u2019t last a week without me.\u201d<\/p>\n
But she just gave him a small, quiet smile.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n
She walked out with nothing but her purse and her pride.<\/p>\n
Rebuilding<\/p>\n
She had no real plan. Just a little cash she\u2019d saved and a heart full of resolve. Her suitcase with baby clothes was still in their apartment, but she had no intention of going back for it.<\/p>\n
When her old friend Oksana heard what happened, she didn\u2019t hesitate.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re staying with me. Don\u2019t argue.\u201d<\/p>\n
And for the first time in months, Lika slept without fear or shame.<\/p>\n
Sasha\u2019s Panic<\/p>\n
At first, Sasha was sure she\u2019d come crawling back. He called. Texted. Waited outside Oksana\u2019s building.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe doesn\u2019t belong to you anymore,\u201d Oksana said sharply, slamming the door in his face.<\/p>\n
Eventually, Lika answered one of his calls.<\/p>\n
\u201cLika, I\u2019m sorry,\u201d he pleaded. \u201cI miss you. Please\u2026 for the baby.\u201d<\/p>\n
She was quiet.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you miss me\u2026 or just your old life?\u201d<\/p>\n
Silence.<\/p>\n
\u201cI loved you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I forgot how to love myself while I was with you,\u201d she said softly. Then she hung up.<\/p>\n
New Beginnings<\/p>\n
Childbirth was hard, but when Lika held her son in her arms for the first time, the pain didn\u2019t matter.<\/p>\n
She got back on her feet. Slowly. Friends helped. Oksana became family. She found part-time work and kept moving forward.<\/p>\n
Sasha returned once more\u2014with gifts and empty promises.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve changed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lika didn\u2019t flinch. \u201cYou can be in your son\u2019s life. But I\u2019m not coming back.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked at her\u2014really looked\u2014for the first time in years. Then he nodded and left.<\/p>\n
She closed the door behind him and breathed.<\/p>\n
Ahead of her was something she hadn\u2019t felt in a long time: freedom.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When Sasha zipped up his beach bag with sunglasses and sunscreen, he flashed Lika a grin. \u201cCome on, I need a break too,\u201d he said, casually brushing… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":47820,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n