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«Tatiana, what’s going on?» Olga Stepanovna looked around the empty living room in confusion. «Where’s the table, where is everything?»
«Excuse me?» Tatiana looked up from her laptop, clearly absorbed in her work as her mother-in-law walked in. «Olga Stepanovna, I don’t understand what you’re talking about. What do you mean?»
Olga Stepanovna frowned at her daughter-in-law, displeased.
«Why is nothing ready yet?» The woman’s surprise was quickly turning into annoyance. «Didn’t I tell you about this in advance?»
«But I told you right away that I had other plans!» Tatiana countered. «But you never listen to anyone except yourself.»
«Tanya, people are supposed to be here in two hours!» Olga Stepanovna was no longer trying to control herself. «What kind of position are you putting me in, you little brat?»
«Don’t you dare insult me!» Tatiana stood up from the table and faced Olga Stepanovna. «And why have you shown up again without an invitation?»
«What do you mean, invitation? Are you out of your mind?» The woman seethed with indignation. «This is my son’s house! Ilya and I agreed on everything…»
«This house is half mine too, in case you’ve forgotten!» Tatiana obviously wasn’t backing down. «So I get to make decisions here as well. You should have checked with me first, before making any plans.»
The argument between the two women was interrupted when Ilya came home from work and stopped in the doorway.
«What’s going on here again?»
Olga Stepanovna rushed to Ilya like he was her savior.
«Ilyusha, finally!» The fierce woman Olga Stepanovna had been just moments ago had completely vanished.
Now she looked like a heartbroken, offended woman, ready to burst into tears at any moment.
«Mom, what happened?»
«Ilyusha, your wife made me look bad in front of the family!» Olga Stepanovna finally let her tears flow. «I don’t know what to do now.»
Ilya turned to his wife with a questioning look. Tatiana crossed her arms and watched everything unfold, defiant.
«Tanya…»
«What about Tanya?» The young woman struggled to keep her voice calm. «I told you I had a lot of work! My project deadline is coming up.»
Ilya gestured to his wife that the argument would have to continue later. Meanwhile, Olga Stepanovna kept sobbing.
«Oh God, what an embarrassment…»
«Mom, call all your guests and tell them the party is postponed until tomorrow,» Ilya said. «I’ll arrange something with the nearby restaurant. I know the manager—he can pull off a banquet with a day’s notice.»
«Thank you, son,» Olga Stepanovna hugged Ilya, casting a furious look at her daughter-in-law before heading to the door. Ilya walked with her to see her out. Tatiana sat back down at her laptop, trying to get back to work, but her mind was clearly elsewhere. She knew that when Ilya came home, another confrontation would be waiting for them. And she was right.
«Tanya, was it really so hard for you to meet Mom halfway?» Ilya tried to keep his tone gentle, but it was obvious he was reproaching her.
«How many times, Ilya? Why do I always have to scrap my plans for her sake?»
Tatyana looked at her husband coldly, unable to understand why he couldn’t grasp something so simple.
«It’s not like Mom asks for favors that often,» Ilya replied, sounding uncertain but unwilling to back down.
«At least once a month, every holiday, and definitely on her birthday,» Tatyana reminded him. «And if I didn’t push back, this circus would be happening every single weekend.»
«That’s just how Mom is,» said Ilya. «She loves having guests over.»
«That’s fine, but let her do it at her own place!» Tatyana snapped. «Why don’t my parents barge in here just to satisfy their whims? They just wait patiently for an invitation from us.»
Deep down, Ilya knew Tatyana might be right. Still, he felt, like many men do, that his own parents should somehow take priority over the in-laws.
It was as if Tatyana could read his mind.
«You can think whatever you want, but half of this house is mine,» Tatyana stated pointedly. «Not just because I’m your wife, either. I worked just as hard for it as you did!»
Ilya had nothing to say to that.
Actually, Olga Stepanovna only started getting overly involved in their lives after they finally got their much-coveted house.
They spent nearly ten years building it, jumping from one cheap rental to another and saving every last penny. Both of them worked day and night for that dream. They hadn’t even considered children yet—they wanted to make sure everything was just right first. Neither Tatyana nor Ilya wanted their kids to grow up in the cramped conditions that they did. They loved their parents, and they knew their parents loved them too. But Tatyana and Ilya belonged to a new generation and wanted to live their lives differently.
Both of them had grown up in tiny one-room apartments, sharing space with their families. Neither Tatyana nor Ilya had even a corner to call their own in those crowded homes. Their bond was built not only on love and similar backgrounds but also on a shared vision for the future. The big house wasn’t just a dream—it was a goal they achieved together.
Three years ago, they finally had their housewarming party, inviting friends and both their families. Back then, Ilya’s dad, Pavel Viktorovich, was still alive. Along with his congratulations for the new homeowners, he couldn’t help but lament that he hadn’t been able to give his own family the same kind of home.
«Come on, Dad, things were just different back then,» Ilya reassured him.
That was the first and last celebration at Ilya and Tatyana’s house attended by Pavel Viktorovich. The man was already seriously ill and passed away soon after. Even though his death was expected, both Ilya and Olga Stepanovna took it very hard. To make sure his mother wasn’t left alone, Ilya even took her into their home for a while. Tatyana didn’t object at the time. They thought she’d stay until the 40th day after his passing, or maybe a bit longer if needed.
But the grieving widow got quite comfortable in the couple’s home and stayed for six months. Tatyana hinted to her husband more than once that he should talk to his mother and let her know it was time to move on. But Ilya couldn’t bring himself to do it, so when Tatyana spoke to her mother-in-law herself, Olga Stepanovna used every excuse she could to remain. First she played on their sympathy, then tried to convince her daughter-in-law that her presence would actually benefit the family.
“You both work, and I can take care of all the housework,” said Olga Stepanovna. “I’m not bothering you at all.”
“No, Olga Stepanovna, I want to be the only mistress of this house,” Tatyana insisted.
Eventually, they managed to move the mother-in-law out, but it took a major scandal. Tatyana and Ilya had a serious argument then. It seemed like even Ilya didn’t really understand why his mother couldn’t stay with them.
“Ilya, maybe I should move my parents in too,” Tatyana said. “Why not? We can live here like one big camp.”
“Tanya, what do your parents have to do with this?” Ilya tried to argue uncertainly. “This is different…”
“Oh, really?” Tatyana was indignant. “Why are my parents any worse?”
That time, they managed to defuse the situation. Olga Stepanovna was deeply offended and didn’t speak to them for a long time. Eventually, she reappeared, asking if she could celebrate her birthday at the couple’s home.
“You understand that in my little place I can’t possibly host guests properly,” she explained her request.
After discussing it, Tatyana and Ilya agreed to help Olga Stepanovna and even pitched in to organize the celebration. Everything turned out perfectly. Then they all celebrated New Year’s together. Tatyana understood: it would be unfair for someone to be alone on a night like that. Afterwards, Olga Stepanovna suggested a barbecue for the May holidays.
“Then I’ll invite my parents too,” Tatyana said.
“Why?” Olga Stepanovna was surprised. “My relatives will be coming, and your parents don’t know them at all. They’d be uncomfortable here.”
Tatyana and Ilya argued again. Tatyana demonstratively went to her room, acting totally uninterested in the whole event—but it still happened. Ilya had to cover all the food and drink expenses himself.
“I think this should become a weekly tradition!” proclaimed Olga Stepanovna, but Tatyana put her foot down.
“Absolutely not,” she said firmly. “I’m not letting your guests in this house! If they try, I’ll call the police.”
“Ilya, talk to your wife,” Olga Stepanovna said coldly to her son as she left.
«Ilya, talk some sense into your mother,» Tatiana repeated from the other side. «I don’t want to get into a fight. But if she keeps pushing her luck, I can’t promise I’ll hold back!»
Aside from the inconvenience and the principle of the matter, Olga Stepanovna’s frequent banquets were also hitting Ilya’s wallet hard. He started turning to his wife for money, and Tatiana often had to cover all the family expenses herself. Of course, Olga Stepanovna had no intention of paying for her own guests.
Apparently, the conversation between mother and son never happened, because a week later, Olga Stepanovna called Tatiana.
«On Saturday, I’ve invited my relatives over to celebrate the anniversary of my marriage to Pasha,» she announced. «Set the table for 7 p.m.»
Tatiana suppressed the urge to tell her mother-in-law exactly what she thought of her. Instead, she decided to just let it go.
After Olga Stepanovna left, Tatiana and Ilya had another serious conversation as a couple.
«Ilya, from now on, you’re going to give me a fixed percentage of your salary for our joint budget—to pay for the house, groceries, and utilities,» Tatiana said. «You can use the rest to keep feeding your mom and relatives. But I’m not giving you another cent! So forget about lunches at work, new tires for the car—forget about everything! Otherwise, I’ll file for divorce and divide up what we own. Maybe I’ll lose my dream home and have to live in a regular apartment again, but at least it will be truly mine! And believe me, I’m not kidding!»
Only after that talk did Ilya finally have a serious conversation with his mother. Tatiana didn’t know the details; she could only guess, since Ilya came home in a terrible mood. Gradually, their relationship improved. From that day on, Olga Stepanovna showed up at their house only when the couple themselves organized a celebration and invited both sets of parents.
