The phone rang at half-past two in the night. Matvey, having just dozed off after a long shift, reached for the phone. It was his mother. Her voice trembled, unusually frantic.
— Matvey… I need to talk. It’s urgent.
— Mom, it’s three in the morning! What’s wrong?
— I… I can’t sleep. You remember the deadline, don’t you? The money…?
Matvey froze. His mother had been calling constantly, reminding him about the debt. Three million was a huge amount—savings they had set aside for a home, but she’d convinced him it was for his brother’s surgery.
— I promised, I’ll pay it back in two days.
— What if… what if I can’t? The bank… they said they’d start the foreclosure process.
Matvey’s heart raced. Something didn’t feel right.
— Mom, what bank? You said it was for Kostya’s surgery.
There was a long pause.
— I need to talk to you. Not on the phone. Please come.
Matvey hung up and stared at the dark screen. His mother’s words were unnerving. He stepped quietly to the kitchen, pulled out a cigarette, and stared out the window, trying to make sense of it all.
The next morning, Matvey and his brother Kostya met at their mother’s apartment. Kostya was smoking nervously, waiting outside. Inside, Aunt Galya led them to the kitchen where their mother sat, pale and shaken.
— Mom, what’s going on? What’s the urgency?
Aglaya Dmitrievna’s voice cracked.
— I lied to you. There was no surgery for Kostya.
Matvey and Kostya exchanged confused glances.
— After Dad passed away, I discovered we were in deep debt. Loans, borrowings… Dad tried to cover up the losses with more loans. I didn’t tell anyone… I was afraid to disgrace his memory.
Their mother pulled out bank statements and continued.
— Viktor Stepanovich, my boss, offered help. He promised I’d triple the amount I invested in a month… I believed him. Took out more loans. Mortgaged the apartment. And then… I lost everything. He was a fraud.
— Wait, what does that have to do with my surgery?— Kostya asked.
— I made it up. The bank threatened to take the apartment. I thought I could pay you back in time…
Matvey stood up, shaking with anger.
— We gave our last savings, Mom!
— I know… I’m so sorry. Forgive me.
Aunt Galya, who had been silent, spoke up.
— I work in financial consulting. I heard about the situation and found a way out. Viktor’s been arrested. We’ll figure this out. We can restructure the debt or declare bankruptcy.
Just then, the doorbell rang. It was Lena, Matvey’s wife, looking worried. She joined the family council, and everyone began to examine the debt situation.
— The total debt is seven million, including the three million from you, two from the bank, and two from microloans, — Aunt Galya calculated.
Lena, always practical, asked,
— What about Dad’s apartment in the suburbs? It’s not sold yet, right?
Everyone looked at her.
— Yes, but… it’s a memory of Dad, — Aglaya Dmitrievna hesitated.
— Mom, Dad would want us to sell it and save the family, — Matvey said gently.
Lena suddenly looked pale, clutching her stomach.
— The baby’s kicking, don’t worry, — she smiled weakly.
Aglaya Dmitrievna wiped away a tear, looking at her daughter-in-law.
— You wanted to use that money for a home for the baby…
— Let’s sell the apartment, — Aunt Galya suggested. — That’ll cover most of the debt. The rest can be restructured.
Kostya, suddenly inspired, added,
— What about Dad’s garage? I could reopen the workshop, like he taught me.
Aglaya Dmitrievna looked hopeful.
— You’d do that?
— Absolutely. I’ve been wanting out of the office for a while, and it’ll be a steady income.
Lena chimed in,
— And we can stay at my parents’ place for a while. They want to help with the baby.
Aunt Galya quickly ran some numbers.
— If all goes well, you’ll be debt-free in a year and a half.
— Then we can live honestly, — Aglaya Dmitrievna smiled through her tears.
Later, they sat down to a meal together, a rare moment of peace. The family had begun healing, facing the future as a united front.
Three months later, things had improved. Kostya’s workshop was thriving, thanks to returning clients, and the apartment sold for more than they’d expected. Aglaya Dmitrievna had started taking financial planning courses, and Lena was preparing to go back to work.
— We’ve paid off the microloans, and the bank has agreed to restructure the rest, — Aunt Galya reported.
— I’ll help with the paperwork, — Aglaya Dmitrievna offered. — I want to be useful.
Matvey hugged his mother.
— I’m proud of you, Mom.
— Thank you, son.
Life continued to improve. The family had found balance, and their unity had transformed their financial struggles into a new beginning. They were even preparing for the arrival of their baby.
As Matvey returned home from the clinic that evening, he found Lena rocking their son in the nursery.
— Imagine, Mom helped me set up the nursery today, even pulled out the cradle from the attic, — Lena said.
— And? — Matvey smiled.
— She cried. Realized that no amount of money was worth family happiness.
Aglaya Dmitrievna had also found peace.
— Now, I count smiles and hugs, not debts. This is real wealth.
Sunday lunches had become a tradition, with everyone gathering in the workshop kitchen. The future felt bright, not because of wealth, but because of love and honesty.
— To family! — Aunt Galya raised a toast.
The Volkovs had learned the greatest lesson: true wealth isn’t measured in money, but in the bonds of family.