Family and How We Unthinkingly Break It
I have a Russian cousin, Tatiana. More accurately she is my Russian wife's cousin, about 50 now while I am at 55 and the wife at 47. Sofia Butusova, Suicided at 11 Tatiana, or more simply, Tanya, hasn't had a fair shake in life. Divorced long ago. Later made pregnant by a man most married. He to another lady with two children. Imagine the surprise. That was 11 years back. Sofia was born. Brunette, shy, knows who her father is but can never really spend time with him. Instead she has mother Tanya, by Russian law an invalid due to her ongoing leukemia or blood cancer. She also has a grandmother who with weak recollection struck me as something of a bitch. Never liked her. Tanya and I get along well enough. Being an invalid in Russia isn't great. Monthly compensation from 12,000 to 21,000 rubles a month or US$200 to US$320. Not much to living in Russian poverty though they own their own home, a gift from father. ...