— And how many years have I been telling you about the sea? — Lidia raised her voice. — How many times have we postponed because of the mortgage?
Sergiu wasn’t listening. He was pacing the room like an animal caught in a trap:
— You have to return the tickets! Otherwise, my mother will drive me crazy! The faucets are leaking at her place, the tiles are falling!
— And my soul is falling! — Lidia shouted. — Because for seven years, I lived for this day!
— Don’t exaggerate! — Sergiu yelled. — The bathroom is more important than your whims!
At that moment, Lidia felt something tear in her chest. Not just a thin thread, but a heavy rope that had kept her tied for so many years of patience, compromises, and silence.
It was no longer about money. It was no longer about the mortgage or the vacation. It was about dignity.
The house smelled of reheated soup and discontent. Sergiu was nervously clapping his hands together, as if trying to chase away his thoughts. Lidia sat down on a chair, rested her forehead in her palms, and whispered:
— I can’t anymore, Sergiu.
He stopped abruptly, but not out of concern, rather out of confusion.
— What do you mean?
Lidia looked up. Her eyes sparkled with tears, but her voice was firm:
— I mean I will no longer accept living your mother’s life. I have my own life. For seven years, I paid this debt with sacrifices. I brought soups to work in jars, I gave up new clothes, I turned a blind eye to all pleasures. And now, when we should be breathing, you want to put me back in the same cage.
He waved his hand, annoyed:
— You’re talking nonsense. It’s just a lousy vacation.
— No, Sergiu, — she said with a trembling but strong voice. — It’s my freedom. And I won’t give it to anyone.
Silence fell. Only the ticking of the clock sounded like a sentence. Lidia stood up, took the envelope with the tickets, and put it in the drawer.
— I’m leaving in two weeks. With you or without you.
Her words hung in the air like a cold echo. Sergiu was speechless. Between them, for the first time, a wall had risen that neither jokes, nor familiarity, nor the fear of “what will people say” could break down.
In the following days, Lidia began to live differently. She went to the market and, instead of looking for the cheapest apples, she allowed herself to choose ripe peaches, even though they were expensive. On her way to work, she bought a coffee from the corner, not from a thermos. She even bought a new red dress, something she hadn’t worn in years.
The neighbors looked at her in amazement:
— Oh, Lidia, you look like you’ve rejuvenated!
But she knew that it wasn’t the dress or the peaches that had changed her appearance. It was the decision and the courage.
When her mother-in-law called again, complaining about the bathroom and asking for money, Lidia calmly replied:
— I can’t help anymore, Nina. I have other plans.
On the other end of the line, there was a long silence, followed by an outburst of reproaches. But Lidia hung up the phone and went outside. The air smelled of freshly cut grass, and somewhere in the distance, a rooster crowed hoarsely. She felt like crying for the longing of her childhood when life was simple, and vacation meant going to her grandparents, sleeping on a mat, and eating tomatoes with cheese.
“Why do we have to forget what is simple, just because we are always asked to give to others?” — she thought.
On the day of her departure, Lidia packed her bag slowly. She put in two summer dresses, a book, a swimsuit, and a photo of her parents, who smiled at her from an old frame.
Sergiu stood in the doorway, gloomy. He hadn’t made up his mind. Between his mother and his wife, he still couldn’t choose. But the train of life wasn’t waiting for him.
When the taxi honked, Lidia took her suitcase and looked at him for the last time.
— If you want to come, come now. If not, stay.
He remained silent.
Then Lidia went down the stairs with her heart pounding. For the first time in many years, she felt she was stepping towards her own freedom.
And when the plane took off, and she saw the vast sea beneath the white clouds, she understood that dreams cannot be postponed indefinitely. They are lived.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It wasn’t just her vacation. It was the beginning of a new life.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or to real events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher do not assume responsibility for the accuracy of events or for the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretations. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed belong to the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
