What is wrong with you again?! How much longer can this go on?! I am completely fed up with it all! the womans voice echoing from behind the door of one apartment fills the entire stairwell.
Right now Zuzanna and Mateusz are climbing the stairs. They stop dead as though they have walked into an invisible barrier. For a moment their eyes meet, and in that brief glance no words are necessary. Both understand without a sound that it is better to leave at once. Sighing together they turn and walk quietly away from the building. Today they clearly have no plan to return to their own apartment.
Who would choose to spend the evening listening to never-ending parental fights? Certainly not them! The pair stride confidently toward the neighboring stairwell, where their grandmother Katarzyna lives. Lately her place has turned into their real haven. Where they once visited only on weekends, they now seek shelter there almost every night.
The atmosphere at their parents home has become utterly unbearable. The adults, as if oblivious to everything else, shout at each other without pause. Worst of all, they increasingly try to pull the children into the arguments.
Sometimes the mother wheels toward her daughter and demands sharply:
Tell me, am I right? You agree with me, dont you?
Sometimes the father, not waiting for an answer, turns to his son:
No, I am right here! Back me up!
Zuzanna and Mateusz stay silent. They refuse to pick sides or become part of the endless conflict. They simply want quiet, calm, and warmth everything they find at grandmothers.
Scenes like this repeat day after day, like a scratched record nobody dares to stop. The children have learned to read the faint signals that trouble is coming. A certain tone, a sudden sharpness in movements, the way the parents glance at each other all serve as warnings to leave. What child enjoys constant tension when any conversation can explode into a loud quarrel in seconds?
The twins cannot understand what started this catastrophe. Their family was never perfect like the ones in advertisements, yet the parents used to reach agreements. Arguments happened, of course they always do but they ended in calm talks rather than shouts. Mother might frown, father might raise his voice slightly, yet half an hour later everything was settled. Everyone sat at the table again, drank tea, and planned the weekend.
Roughly two years ago everything shifted. It feels as though someone quietly swapped the old parents for new ones who now find reasons to argue over the smallest things. A dirty mug left on the table? An excuse for a long speech about carelessness and disrespect. A shirt hung on the wrong hook? Cause for sarcastic comments about order in the home. A teaspoon forgotten in the sink? Practically a crime worth minutes of interrogation!
One evening Zuzanna sits in the kitchen at grandmothers, stirring her tea without thinking. She stays quiet for a long time, watching the amber swirls in the cup, then suddenly asks with bitterness:
How can things be like this, grandma? Everything changed after their holiday together. What happened there?
Katarzyna pauses, sets her cup on the saucer, and gently touches Zuzannas arm. She herself only guesses at the reasons for the family rift, and those guesses bring her no joy.
Adults will work it out themselves, she answers softly, keeping her voice steady. Sometimes people need time to decide what is best.
Zuzanna nods, yet doubt remains in her eyes. She knows grandmother is holding something back, but she does not press. What would be the point? While they still see her as a child, nothing serious will be shared.
We cannot stand these shouts anymore! Mateusz cries out in despair. We cannot do homework or read a book in peace! I cannot even remember the last time we all sat at the table together. If they find it so hard to live together, they should divorce it would be easier for everyone!
The words tumble out, yet they contain the full truth of recent months. Mateusz speaks for both of them he knows his sister feels exactly the same. Peace has been missing from their home for ages: either mother snaps or father answers irritably, and another quarrel starts with nowhere to hide.
Mateusz grandmother says, flustered. She sets her knitting aside, studies her grandson, and slowly shakes her head. Have you thought about what happens if they divorce? You would have to be split up. Are you ready to live apart from Zuzanna?
We will live with you! Zuzanna says at once, her eyes pleading. We are already here nearly all the time! You do not mind, do you?
Katarzyna stays still. She understands the grandchildrens feelings she sees how difficult life has become for them and how weary they are of constant arguments. On one side the children would be safe here, in a calm and friendly space where homework can be done without shouting and books read in silence. She loves them deeply and is ready to wrap them in care.
On the other side, what about their parents? How to explain that the children no longer wish to live at home? Would the adults accept such an arrangement? If they did, how would it affect their bond with the children? Might the outcome be a complete break with the parents?
Let us not rush, the woman says after a deep breath. I am always glad to have you here, you know that. But first let us try talking with your mother and father. Perhaps together we can find a way to mend things.
Do not worry, we will speak with them ourselves, Zuzanna declares with a confident smile. Grandmother has nearly agreed, and that is what matters most! Just do not refuse us, please! We truly cannot stay there any longer! It will be better for them if they live apart otherwise one day they might actually hurt each other! I saw father raise his hand at mother yesterday He did not strike her, honestly! But he came close.
Zuzanna falls silent, remembering that frightening moment. She had gone to the kitchen for water and stopped in the doorway: father stood half-turned toward mother, his hand suddenly lifted, while mother instinctively ducked. A second later he lowered it, yet that second stretched into forever for Zuzanna.
Grandma, please agree! Mateusz adds, stepping closer and taking her hand as though afraid she might still refuse. We will help you with everything in the house. Just do not send us back. They pay no attention to us at all! Yesterday I told father there would be a parent meeting. You know what he said? Go ask your mother! So I did. Guess what she answered?
Go ask your father? Katarzyna asks quietly, already knowing.
Exactly! Mateusz gives a bitter laugh. Then they argued for two more hours over who would attend. They sat in separate rooms shouting across the hallway while I just stood there listening.
I asked them to sign permission for a museum trip, Zuzanna adds, eyes lowered. Her fingers twist the edge of her sleeve. Now I am the only one in class who cannot go. Neither of them signed the form. Instead they started fighting again mother shouted it was fathers duty, and father insisted mother should handle school matters.
Katarzyna watches her grandchildren and sees how deeply tired they are. Their eyes hold a weariness no child should carry the kind built over months when every day mirrors the last, when family warmth is replaced by constant quarrels and support by indifference.
It is always the same, Mateusz sighs, shoulders drooping. His voice sounds exhausted, as though he has said this hundreds of times. Any request from us becomes fuel for another fight. We do not even want to come home. A few days ago we returned at eleven and do you think they scolded us? No! They simply sent us to bed without asking where we had been. Later they spent ages blaming each other for poor upbringing.
The teenagers sigh together once more. In recent months they have seriously considered divorce as the only escape. Yet the thought of being separated from each other terrifies them, since that would surely follow. One would stay with mother, the other with father, and their closeness would shrink to occasional weekend visits.
They weigh options, whispering late at night when alone in their room. Once Mateusz joked about running away simply packing bags and heading wherever their feet took them. He smiled while saying it, hoping to ease the tension, but Zuzanna took the idea seriously. Her eyes lit up for a second before she murmured, What if we really left? Even for a couple of days In that instant both understood the home situation had grown so unbearable that even escape no longer felt completely mad.
Then the idea struck them: grandmother! Why not move in with her? The thought appeared in both minds at once, as though they were thinking in unison. Zuzanna spoke first: Let us ask grandmother if we can live here? She will never shout or argue. We would not have to hear these endless fights Mateusz immediately added, Yes! She is kind and always supports us. Her apartment is large enough for all of us.
They begin picturing the new life: peaceful breakfasts, quiet homework sessions, evenings playing board games with grandmother. No shouting, no accusations, no need to hide in their room to avoid a raised hand. For the first time in ages hope flickers in their hearts. Let the parents sort their own problems; the twins will finally find peace that is what Zuzanna and Mateusz imagine while planning life at grandmothers
*************************
Mother, father, we need to talk seriously, the twins say firmly, standing before their parents. They waited until evening when both were home and walked resolutely into the living room. Zuzanna grips Mateuszs hand tightly it helps her stay steady. But first promise to hear us out completely before giving your opinions.
Michał looks up from his phone in surprise. Anna, arranging items on the sofa, straightens abruptly. Her face shows the children have said something unthinkable.
This is all your doing! she snorts, folding her arms. The children are already giving us ultimatums! As though we must answer to them!
Look who is talking! the man snaps at once, setting his phone aside. I am always working to support the family. You were home with them all the time! What did you teach them? Why are they ordering us around now?
The twins glance at each other. They expected this the talk sliding straight into the usual exchange of blame. Yet they cannot retreat.
Enough! Zuzanna cries, her voice nearly breaking. She steps forward, forcing her words to stay clear and calm even as everything inside trembles. Mateusz and I have decided you should divorce.
The room falls silent at once. Anna freezes with her mouth open, and Michał rises slowly from the sofa.
That is news! the mothers voice turns threatening. Zuzanna, you are still too young to tell adults how to live their lives! And what else have you decided? Perhaps you will also divide the apartment for us?
If you refuse to divorce, we will contact child welfare services, Mateusz says, squeezing his sisters hand for strength. His voice stays firm although he hardly believes he is saying it aloud. Then, father, you could lose your job. Your company dislikes scandals, correct? You yourself said reputation matters above all.
And you, mother, Zuzanna continues, meeting her mothers eyes directly, neighbors will stop respecting you. They will not even speak to you! Everyone already knows how loudly you argue, and we can add more details!
They are threatening us! Just look at them! Anna finally manages, glancing from one child to the other. These are our own children! How can you speak to us this way?
We are not threatening, Mateusz replies quietly yet steadily. We simply want you to see that this way of living cannot continue. We are exhausted! Tired of the shouting, of you not listening, of every small request turning into a fight.
You will divorce and move apart, and we will live with grandmother, the twins finish together as they rehearsed. It will be better for everyone: peace for us, fewer conflicts for you. We no longer wish to stand between you like between two fires.
The parents remain motionless. For the first time in ages they have no reply. Usually they would begin arguing at once, interrupting and blaming, yet now both seem struck dumb.
Their thirteen-year-old children are acting in a way no one expected! Zuzanna and Mateusz stand side by side, hands linked, facing their parents with steady gazes and no trace of usual shyness. They speak of serious matters the adults themselves have avoided.
The couple has considered divorce more than once. They always stop at the same question: with whom would the children live? Separating the twins feels impossible they are so close, always together, always supporting one another. The parents cannot picture forcing them into separate homes and meeting only on weekends.
They never considered grandmothers place before. The idea simply never arose, perhaps because both were too wrapped in grievances and demands. Now, hearing the childrens proposal, Michał and Anna cannot help wondering whether this might be the solution. Grandmother loves the twins, her apartment is spacious, she is always glad to see them Perhaps this could ease at least some of the strain?
I will call mother, Michał says at last through clenched teeth. His voice comes out thick, as though each word costs effort. If she agrees
He does not finish. Anna cuts in sharply, and her tone carries a weariness that surprises even her:
Then we will finally stop tormenting each other. Call her. I will be glad not to see your face every day.
Her words hang in the air. She had not meant to sound so harsh, yet years of stored hurt and disappointment pushed the words out.
And I will be just as glad! Michał answers, trying to mask with irony the pain her words caused.
No anger colors his tone, only a bitter smile at what their marriage has become. He takes out his phone and slowly dials his mothers number. While the ringing continues, both spouses look away from each other. They do not yet know where the call will lead, but they sense the point of no return may already have been crossed
**************************
That day the Wronowski family reaches a decisive turning point. Everything begins with a long talk between Michał and his mother. Grandmother Katarzyna listens without interrupting, asking only occasional questions for clarity.
When Michał finishes laying out the whole situation, a silence falls. Grandmother draws a deep breath and says:
If you both believe this is best for the children, I agree. They will be safe here and I will look after them.
By evening the couple meets in the kitchen for the first time in ages without shouting or mutual accusations. They sit facing each other and begin discussing details. Step by step they reach the same conclusion: divorce is the only sensible solution. The children will move to grandmothers, and the parents will send monthly support for their upkeep.
Neither intends to abandon the children. Both promise to visit on weekends, though on different days to limit contact between themselves.
I will come Saturday morning and take them out, and you will come Sunday, the man says wearily, and his wife nods. This will keep things simpler. The important thing is that the children do not feel abandoned.
Their goal is to reduce contact and prevent fresh conflicts. They agree not to speak badly of each other in front of the children, not to pull them into sides, and not to argue in their presence.
We remain their parents, Michał says. And we must continue to act as parents even if we are no longer spouses.
Time proves the decision sound. The children finally relax and begin living like ordinary teenagers. Zuzanna joins a drawing club she has long wanted to attend but could never manage amid constant worry. Mateusz starts football practice and makes new friends on the team. They spend time together again: walking through Warsaw, going to the cinema, discussing school without fear of sudden quarrels.
Stability returns to their studies too. They now have a quiet space for work, free from shouting and arguments. Homework gets done calmly, and grades improve at once. Teachers notice: You two have become so focused! Keep it up!
Life gradually settles into a new, calmer pattern not perfect, yet steady and predictable. The children no longer hide in their room, no longer start at loud voices, no longer worry about every step. They simply live as teenagers should when they have found support amid hardship
************************
Five years on, life for the Wronowski family moves steadily and calmly. Zuzanna and Mateusz have grown used to the new rhythm: classes, clubs, time with friends, warm evenings at grandmothers. Parents still arrive on alternate days, each bringing gifts and attention yet without old complaints. Over the years they have learned to speak with restraint and courtesy, free of former anger.
The first direct meeting between the former spouses occurs at the childrens graduation ball. The school holds a formal evening, and both parents attend. They keep apart at first, sitting in different parts of the hall, but the distance slowly closes.
When dancing begins, Michał approaches Anna unexpectedly:
Would you like to dance? For old times sake.
She hesitates, then nods.
After the evening they sit for a long while in the school courtyard, watching graduates celebrate by the fountain. Conversation flows naturally first about the children, then about the past.
They talk late into the night, recalling happy times from their marriage and behaving with dignity. They speak not of old hurts but of what once connected them. Watching from a distance, the twins feel relief. It had pained them to see two people they love treat each other almost as enemies.
Yet trouble arrives without warning. The next day Michał and Anna invite the children to a café. Over tea they glance at each other, join hands, and Michał smiles broadly:
Children, your mother and I have decided to marry again. In these years we have realized our feelings never disappeared! We still love each other and want to be a family once more.
His voice carries joy, as though sharing the best news possible. Anna beams, clearly expecting delight.
The twins look at each other, faces darkening at once. Disbelief crosses Zuzannas eyes; Mateusz tightens his fists beneath the table. The same mistake again! What are their parents thinking? Can they live together without fighting?
Are you serious? Zuzanna manages to say.
Completely, Michał answers with certainty. We have both changed. We have learned to listen. We want to give our family another chance.
The children stay silent. Conflicting feelings surge: they want to believe real change is possible, yet they fear repeating past pain.
Still, Zuzanna and Mateusz do not argue against the plan. They offer no comment, which deeply hurts their parents. Anna looks at them in confusion:
You are not happy? We thought you would be pleased for us.
The twins only exchange glances and shrug. What could they say? Do not do this! You will ruin everything again? Words stay stuck. They do not wish to seem cold, yet they cannot pretend all is well.
The rest of the meeting passes awkwardly. Parents describe plans; children nod politely while their thoughts drift. On the way home Zuzanna says quietly to her brother:
I hope they know what they are doing.
Mateusz only sighs
****************************
So we are heading to Warsaw? Zuzanna opens her laptop and begins searching university sites. Far from this chaos. I can already picture how this circus will end!
Of course we are, Mateusz replies firmly, weariness beyond his years in his voice. He runs a hand through his hair as though shedding the weight of recent months. They will manage a month of peace, maybe two at most. Then everything restarts: shouting, slamming doors, accusations I refuse to remain a hostage to their relationship. I do not want to wonder every morning what mood they woke in or which of us will face the next wave of complaints.
He rises and paces the room, gathering scattered textbooks without thinking. One thought loops in his mind: why do adults, meant to model wisdom and steadiness, act like unbalanced teenagers? Why do they keep stepping into the same trap instead of solving problems?
We need to leave, he repeats, pausing at the window. Twilight settles outside, tinting the city soft orange. Mateusz gazes into the distance as though searching for his future there. Far enough that their arguments cannot reach us. Let them handle their own mess. We are no longer their counselors, mediators, or targets. We have our own lives and dreams, and I will not let another round of parental chaos destroy them.
When do we send the applications? Zuzanna asks calmly.
Tomorrow, Mateusz answers without pause. So we cannot change our minds.
The girl nods silently, eyes on the screen. Warsaw university pages scroll by she has spent a week reviewing programs, dormitory options, and job prospects after graduation. Lists in her notebook beside the laptop keep growing: advantages and drawbacks of each choice, required documents, deadlines, admissions contacts.
The main thing is to study without their fights interrupting, she says quietly, as if concluding her thoughts. It is good we will be far away.
Exactly, Mateusz agrees, sitting beside her. He leans in to read the screen. When they start blaming each other again we will not even hear. Let them call, complain, try to summon us for a family meeting we are no longer part of it. Their wish to give the relationship another chance he smiles wryly is their decision, not ours.
*************************
Anna and Michał do hold a second wedding. This time they choose a modest ceremony at the civil registry office and a small dinner with only closest family and a few friends. No grand celebration they want no extra expense or attention and feel no need for spectacle.
In the photos from that day they look genuinely happy. They smile, hold hands, and exchange tender glances. Intertwined fingers and soft looks fill the frames. It seems all old hurts are forgotten, the years apart have helped, and they now know exactly what they want with only a bright future ahead. Looking at the pictures, the twins cannot help wondering whether this time might truly be different.
Yet it is not. The first weeks after the wedding pass surprisingly peacefully. The couple tries to be more attentive, says thank you more often, and overlooks small things. Gradually old habits return. After a month raised voices echo again in their apartment. At first the reproaches stay quiet but sharp: You left your things out again?, Why did you not say you would be late?, You could help since you are home.
Then open fights erupt. Arguments flare over nothing: wet towels left in the bathroom, forgotten bread, the television turned up too loud Words grow harsher, voices louder, gaps between quarrels shorter.
Two months later, just as Mateusz predicted, the situation reaches breaking point. One evening an argument over who should buy groceries turns explosive. Michał, losing control, hurls a cup against the wall. It shatters loudly, shards scattering across the kitchen. Anna, equally furious, seizes a plate and smashes it on the floor. The sound of breaking china rings through the rooms.
After such outbursts the parents always call the children. Each time the call begins the same way: one of them dials while still breathless from the fight and pours out accumulated grievances.
Can you imagine what he said today? Anna sobs when Zuzanna answers. He does not even try to understand me!
Son, you must understand me, she has no self-control, Michał tells Mateusz agitatedly. I am trying, truly trying, but she seems to look for reasons!
Zuzanna and Mateusz have learned to cut these monologues short with gentle firmness. They no longer enter long discussions or decide who is right or wrong. Their replies stay brief and steady.
Mother, I am in class now, I will call later, Zuzanna says calmly, checking the clock: twenty minutes remain until her lecture, yet she has no wish to hear another outburst.
Father, I have urgent work, we can discuss this at the weekend, Mateusz answers without looking up from his screen. He knows that letting a parent vent will stretch the call for an hour and then require calming them afterward.
Later and at the weekend keep being postponed. The children offer excuses studies, part-time work, time with friends and calls from the parents grow rarer. Zuzanna and Mateusz feel no guilt; they are simply guarding their own peace and time, aware they cannot fix what happens between their mother and father.
The twins now lead their own rich and purposeful lives far from parental dramas. Each day consists of their own concerns, interests, and plans rather than waiting for the next quarrel behind the wall.
Zuzanna has thrown herself into psychology studies. She enjoys exploring how the human mind works, why people behave as they do, and how to help those in difficult situations. In her third year she begins volunteering at a center supporting teenagers from troubled homes. She runs group sessions, helps young people voice their feelings and find ways forward. In these teenagers she sees echoes of her own past and tries to offer the attention and support she once lacked.
Mateusz has found his place in IT. From his first year he became absorbed in programming, fascinated by the logic of code, the ability to build working systems, and the challenge of solving complex technical problems. He spends hours at the computer, learns new languages, and joins student hackathons. In his fourth year his team places third in a regional mobile-app competition, boosting his confidence and confirming his direction. He takes a part-time role at a small IT firm where he quickly proves reliable and capable. Working on real projects teaches him to collaborate, manage time, and solve unexpected issues.
The twins now plan their future without reference to parental fights. Zuzanna dreams of opening her own practice to help families communicate better. Mateusz considers starting his own business. They discuss ideas over tea in cafés, draw plans, and note thoughts in notebooks. In these moments they feel steady ground beneath them a path and a life that belongs only to them.
When Anna and Michał once more try to pull them into their troubles calling in tears and describing how badly things are going the twins answer calmly and firmly. They agreed beforehand how to handle the call without slipping back into their old role as mediators.
Enough, dear parents, sort it out yourselves, Zuzanna states firmly. You have your life, we have ours.
But you are our children! Anna cries. You must support us!
If you behaved like adults instead of children, we would support you, Mateusz replies at once. You made a mistake remarrying and you keep hurting each other. You cannot live together peacefully, so why keep tormenting one another? Divorce and separate already.
The words may sound harsh, yet brother and sister simply wish to live in peace.
