"Another Faith" by Maria Metlitskaya, summary Automatic translate

This novel, written in 2019, tells the story of a woman who journeyed from the romantic illusions of youth and poverty to prosperity and quiet family happiness. This book is a profound exploration of human memory, the painful attachment to the past, and the ability to appreciate the present, where the protagonist is constantly forced to juxtapose two completely different lives. This work is part of the "Women’s Fates: The Cozy Prose of Maria Metlitskaya" series.

Ideal life on the estate

The action begins in the present day. Vera Andreyevna Streltsova is a wealthy woman in her fifties, living in a luxurious country house. She built the estate with her second husband, Gennady Pavlovich. Her husband adores Vera, provides her with the highest level of comfort, and protects her from any worries. Their marriage is filled with mutual respect and tenderness. Gennady has embraced Vera’s son from her first marriage, Vadim, as his own, giving him an excellent education and a job at his company.

The family is currently preparing for a special occasion — Vadim’s wedding. Her son’s chosen bride is Lydia, an independent woman from the provinces. Vera secretly disapproves of this choice. She feels that Lydia is too pragmatic, cold, and unwilling to bond with her future in-laws. Reluctantly, Vera takes on the task of organizing the lavish country celebration, hiding her disappointment from her son and husband.

Preparations for the celebration force the heroine to constantly immerse herself in memories of her youth.

Childhood and first love

Vera Bozhenko once lived in Malakhovka, near Moscow. She had a perfectly happy childhood in a large house with her grandfather David, grandmother Lara, and parents. The house always smelled of jam, baked goods, and phlox. That idyll was shattered in an instant — her parents died in a car accident. Her grandfather soon died of a heart attack. Vera was left alone with her stern, domineering grandmother.

During her student years, Vera fell madly in love. Robert Krasovsky seemed intellectual and romantic to her. He despised the Soviet way of life, quoted poetry, and stood out from the crowd. Grandmother Lara immediately recognized him as an egotist and a slacker and categorically refused to accept him. Despite his protests, Vera married Robert and soon gave birth to a son, Vadim.

The marriage turned into a disaster. They had to live in a horrible student dorm with cockroaches and the perpetual smell of burnt margarine. The family survived on pennies. Vera was torn between her infant child, her bedridden grandmother, and her indifferent husband. Robert was unwilling to work, avoided responsibility, and hung out with questionable company. Even contracting a venereal disease from her husband’s casual relationships didn’t immediately make Vera take off her rose-colored glasses.

After Lara’s death, Robert persuaded his wife to trade their beloved grandfather’s house in Malakhovka for a cramped Moscow apartment. Vera agreed, hoping to start anew. However, in Moscow, her husband continued his idle lifestyle. One day, Vera caught him with another woman. This was the last straw. She kicked him out, leaving her alone with their son. Robert later emigrated abroad through a sham marriage.

Faithful friends and helpers

Vera’s school friend Tamara, a resourceful and practical consignment shop assistant, helped her survive the hardest times. Tamara sourced scarce food products, helped with medications, and provided a nanny for Vadik. Years later, their paths diverged: Vera became wealthy, while Tamara lost her business and began drinking. But when her friend was diagnosed with cancer, it was the Streltsovs who paid for her expensive treatment in Israel.

Another close friend in the Streltsov household was the cook, Evgesha. A refugee from Baku, she survived the terrible pogroms of 1990. She was forced to abandon everything and flee to Moscow. Her Azerbaijani ex-husband refused to give her their young son. Evgesha spent her entire life working in other people’s homes, longing for her child. She found peace at Vera’s estate, becoming her confidant.

Gennady’s difficult path

Gennady Pavlovich also didn’t find family happiness right away. He grew up motherless, raised by his grandfather, Professor Nekridov. After his wife’s death, his father, Pavel, became an alcoholic, and his grandfather refused to see his grandson. Gennady had to work his way up from the very bottom, earning a living through hard work.

His youth was full of mistakes. At eighteen, he fell desperately in love with a hairdresser named Inga, a woman of Roma descent. He married her, but the union lasted only a few months — Inga kicked him out. His second marriage was a foolish mistake. His unremarkable colleague, Tanya, became pregnant after a casual encounter at a party. Gennady, an honest man, went to the registry office. Life with a woman he didn’t love in her in-laws’ cramped apartment turned out to be hell. He fled, leaving Tanya with their little daughter, Natasha. He never experienced fatherly feelings for the girl, limiting himself to paying child support.

Having met Vera, Gennady realized he had found his one true love. He did everything to ensure this fragile, troubled woman would want for nothing.

Vadim’s wedding

The day of the celebration is unseasonably hot. An upscale country restaurant is hosting elegantly dressed guests. The groom’s mother is tense: Vadim insisted on his biological father’s presence, even though he had once paid alimony with his new wife’s cheap gold earrings. Robert Krasovsky, who has returned to Russia after an unsuccessful emigration, appears at the celebration.

The former spouses meet on the open terrace. Robert, aged and rumpled, tries to flirt, reminisce, and apologize. The woman looks at him with absolute indifference and slight disdain. She realizes that this man no longer has any power over her.

Krasovsky’s appearance troubles the heroine because of a shameful secret. Six years before their wedding, Robert fell seriously ill and called her, asking for medicine. Vera, whose family was away, took pity on her ex-husband and brought him groceries. Finding herself in his squalid apartment, succumbing to a strange obsession and pity, she had sex with him. Upon awakening, she fled in horror, cursing herself for her moment of weakness. This episode weighed heavily on her. Now, looking at Robert, she feels only liberation.

Long-awaited news

The celebration ends. The heroine delivers a touching speech, and Gennady supports her in her moment of confusion. The tired couple returns to their estate. That night, a severe thunderstorm begins. As the thunder rumbles, Vera gives vent to her pent-up tears. Gennady comes into the bedroom, opens the window, letting in the scent of the wet garden, and tenderly reassures his wife.

Vera wakes up refreshed in the morning. The rain has washed away all the heaviness of the past days. She goes down to the kitchen to make coffee. A message arrives on her phone from the newlyweds, who have just flown off on their honeymoon. The children thank her for the celebration, and then send a photo of their ultrasound. The woman realizes she will soon become a grandmother.

Gennady calls his wife from the second floor. She answers and, holding back tears of joy, realizes that everything in her life is truly good now.