Against the backdrop of the spring sky, heavy clouds were gathering. Vitalina, quietly creaking the old rusted gate, entered the village cemetery. Firmly holding a small bouquet of snowdrops in her hands blue from the cold, she hurried noticeably, passing row after row of gloomy graves with wooden, iron, and marble crosses. Finally, she stopped. From the marble slab, a beautiful young woman smiled at her. It seemed that even on this cold slab, her eyes were filled with warmth, and her smile radiated joy and tenderness. – Hello, Mommy! – said Vitalina and bent down to kiss the woman …

It was already time to prepare for Easter, but spring was still lingering. The ice on the river hadn’t broken yet, though it had darkened. And there was nothing surprising about it—frosts came at night, and there was no real warmth even during the day. Clutching her lower back with one hand, pregnant Olivia waddled toward the riverbank. Walking was hard; her tired legs ached. At least Michael had helped carry the basket of laundry. Childbirth wasn’t far off, and her husband never left her side. He took care of her and tried to help. “Definitely another boy,” all the …

Twists of fate can be utterly unpredictable. I could never have imagined that I’d feel grateful to the woman who shattered my family. Before, life with my husband seemed perfectly content. But now, looking back, I realize just how flawed that short-lived marriage truly was. I first met my future husband at a friend’s wedding. It wasn’t love at first sight. He was just an ordinary guy, nothing striking about him. We were both in our twenties, and I didn’t pay much attention to guys my age back then. I was drawn to older men—they seemed more intriguing and mature. …

In the mid-1980s, I was studying at a teacher training college in a small town called Brookfield. Along with three other girls from my group, I rented an apartment from a former teacher named Margaret Johnson. She was a very sociable woman, and in the evenings, she would come to our room, and we would stay up late at the table, having heartfelt conversations. Margaret Johnson treated her tenants like a mother would. She guided us, gave us advice, and shared life lessons, trying to protect us from troubles and mistakes. After all, we were just young girls—17 or 18 …

As New Year’s approached, Emily spent an hour wandering through the mall in search of festive gifts. For her mother, she bought a beautiful handbag, as the old one was worn out. For her little son, she picked out a toy “Fire Station” set—Tommy had been dreaming of it for ages. For her dear husband, she chose a cozy light blue sweater, perfect for his striking gray eyes. Emily didn’t forget her close friends and colleagues either, buying plenty of fun souvenirs for them. In the end, she had two heavy bags filled with gifts. Crowds of shoppers buzzed around …