Welcome back to Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday, weekly Sunday hops where writers share 8–10 sentences from a book or WIP. This week’s snippet comes right after last week’s, when Ivan Konev came home at 11:00 at night on his first anniversary with his wife Lyuba, whom he waited fifteen and a half years to marry since falling in love with her at age nine. He’s tried to placate her by showing her a bag of anniversary presents, and baptismal anniversary gifts for their kids.
“Both children are asleep. You’re not going to wake them so late just to give them presents. Did you know I made a special meal, assuming you’d actually be home on time on our anniversary? Goat meat, stuffed peppers, tomato soup with croutons, pelmeni stuffed with mushrooms and cheese, chocolate cake with cherry frosting and real cherries, and coffeecake with apricot filling and chocolate drizzle. The leftovers are in the refrigerator. Say what you want about your father’s job, but it’s thanks to him we were able to afford a real refrigerator and get rid of that stupid outdated icebox. We’ve got a real washing machine and modern kitchen and cooking implements thanks to him too. Why don’t you work for your father so you can finally bring in real money?”
Ivan’s father has a secret liquor store, and wants Ivan to help him with bootlegging his supply of alcohol. Lyuba worked for him briefly in the past, but Ivan put a stop to it after an incident with Russian–American mobsters.
Mr. Konev is also a former alcoholic who beat Ivan black and blue every day for years, till he got too big to push around, and raped Lyuba about ten times, always in conjunction with her own abusive father. Over the course of this book, both spouses come to regret forgiving him for committing such vile sins against them.
Welcome to My Magick Theatre 
I understand why she’s angry, but the words she flung at the end are definitely a low blow considering the history with him you mentioned.
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At this time, both spouses have genuinely forgiven Mr. Konev and established a friendly relationship, though their relationship with him will eventually begin unravelling. They wanted to turn over a new leaf in America, and were convinced he was contrite and fully reformed.
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Oh DEAR, a wildly complicated situation then…I love your food descriptions, on a lighter note. Interesting excerpt!
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What a muddled mess this family is in. Yes the money is nice, but where does it come from? That matters, too.
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Your description of the food always makes me hungry and eager to try the dishes. I think they need to think long and hard about what is going to be best for the family if Ivan is going to be able to spend time with them.
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No wonder she’s angry. She put in a lot of effort, and he gave her none back.
That last paragraph, though… o.O I can’t believe they’re forgiving that behavior!
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