Chapter 13
âHe had some stuff to deal with, so he left early,â Herman said, starting the car. Iâll drop you guys offâ
Herman drove Anastasia and her mom back to their apartment, which was his firstâtime visiting Anastasiaâs place. The apartment was tiny with only one bedroom. The living room had a bed separated by curtains. Despite its small size, it was very tidy Clearly, Anastasia was sleeping on the bed in the living room, leaving the room to her mother. Rent was pretty steep in Riverdale, and the mother and daughterâs income were just enough to scrape by Herman thought about the 50 grand Anastasia had given him for the car. That must have taken her quite a while to save up. To Herman, 50 grand wasnât a big deal, but for Anastasia, it was a result of scrimping and saving for a long time.
Seeing Herman inspecting their apartment, Anastasia felt a bit embarrassed. âWe only have water at home. Care for a drink?â
They didnât even have coffee at home, and she didnât usually drink coffee either.
The apartment was so small that there was no dining room. Anastasia usually ate at the coffee table in the living room. Compared to Hermanâs three bedroom apartment, the difference was huge, and Anastasia naturally felt a bit awkward.
Herman didnât show any sign of dissatisfaction and sat down on the sofa. âSure.â
After Anastasia poured him a glass of water, Salma suddenly said, âAna, Hermanâs off today. Why donât you move in with him? Youâre already married. You canât keep living here.â
Anastasia looked at Salma in surprise. âMom, what about you?â
It was clear from Salmaâs words that she didnât intend to move with them.
Iâve already paid a yearâs rent in advance, it would be such a waste if I move out now. Iâll just stay here Iâm an old lady. I wonât bother you two,â Salma said, looking at Herman with a smile. âHerman, take Ana with you.â
Salma was a sensible person. While Herman was paying the bill, Anastasia told her that Herman wanted her to move in with them too. His intention was enough. Anastasia and Herman had just gotten married and didnât have an emotional foundation yet. It wouldnât be appropriate if she moved in with them. As an elder, she needed to respect the young coupleâs space.
Anastasia quickly said, âMom, thatâs not right. Your health is not good. What if thereâs no one to take care of you?â
Herman understood what Salma meant. âSalma, why donât you move in with us? The environment there is better and it would save some rent. As for the rent youâve already paid, Iâll talk to the landlord to see if we can get a refund. We are worried about your health.â
Herman knew that the mother and daughter were very thrifty. The only way to convince Salma to move was to bring up the rent issue.
Salma shook her head firmly. Iâm used to living here, and itâs not far from your place. If anything happens, I can just call you. Ana, come on. Pack your things and go with Herman.â
Neither Anastasia nor Herman were able to persuade Salma who insisted that Anastasia move out that very day.
Feeling helpless, Anastasia gave in considering that the new place was only a 20âminute drive away. So she packed her clothes and moved into Harmony Meadows with Herman.
Moving was a physically demanding and tedious task. After moving and organizing everything, it was already evening. She chose the bedroom on the left side of the living room, while Herman took the master bedroom on the right.
After finishing, Anastasia sat on the sofa, took a sip of water, and suggested, âIâll go buy some groceries and cook dinner.â
Herman stopped her, âYouâve been busy all afternoon. Letâs go out for dinner tonight, donât tire yourself out.â
Anastasia smiled and replied, âWe already had lunch outside. I donât think we need to go out again tonight. Letâs not waste money. Besides, youâre the one whoâs really been busy. Iâm not tired at all. I saw a grocery store downstairs. Iâll be back soon. Itâs our first meal in our new home, and I want to have it
hereâ
First meal in our new home⦠Something in Hermanâs heart seemed to stir, and he didnât say anything else.