We stood our ground to the end; no amount of persuasion, let alone shouting, could convince us otherwise. I wasn’t surprised by what happened; I expected something like this from them.
It’s not that my husband and I never treat ourselves, but our standard of living is quite satisfactory. A major joy for our family was the purchase of a two-bedroom apartment, which we had been trying to save up for, but eventually took out a bank loan, as living in rented housing was no longer feasible. Our ten-year-old daughter, Arina, who had long dreamed of her own room, was the most excited. It seemed that only my husband’s parents were not happy for us, but they were always hard to please.
«Do you realize how many years you’ll have to pay for this apartment?» my mother-in-law scolded us when we invited them over to show them the new place.
«Nina Maximovna, we were almost paying the same amount every month for rent, and eventually, this apartment will be ours,» I tried to convince my mother-in-law of the correctness of our decision.
«If you got involved in this, you could have bought a bigger place,» grumbled Yuri Olegovich.
«Dad, then the monthly payment would have been completely different,» Sasha logically noted.
«See, you shouldn’t have bought anything then, you just got yourself extra problems.»
I was upset that the in-laws didn’t even congratulate us on such an important event; they just walked around the apartment and nitpicked every little thing.
«What kind of odd door is this?» Yuri Olegovich stopped and stared at the doorway. «Everything is crooked, absurd,» he concluded and moved on.
«Dad, what’s wrong?» Sasha also started examining the door.
«Well, if you can’t see it yourself, I have nothing to say to you.»
«Oh, what a strange kitchen,» Nina Maximovna kept up with her husband. «How are you planning to cook here?» she turned to me.
«I’m perfectly fine with it, I see no problems here,» I responded, approaching.
«Oh yes, you don’t cook like I do, then yes,» my mother-in-law dismissively said and moved on. «Lord, is this the children’s room?» Nina Maximovna exclaimed, throwing her hands up.
«What’s wrong with it?» Sasha asked irritably.
«Can’t you see?» the mother-in-law reproachfully asked.
«If I saw, I wouldn’t ask,» the husband retorted.
«The room is dark, uncomfortable, how is it suitable for a child?»
«I like it here,» said Arina, running up to her grandmother.
«You’re too young, you don’t understand,» insisted Nina Maximovna.
«We’ll still be doing renovations here, a lot will change,» Sasha shared our plans.
«Knowing your taste, the situation can only get worse,» the mother-in-law persisted.
Such behavior from the in-laws was commonplace for them, their nitpicking no longer surprised me, but it still irritated me. I felt offended not so much for myself as for my husband, after all, these were his parents. Nina Maximovna and Yuri Olegovich doted on their younger daughter, but they treated Sasha as if he were a stranger. Vika, Sasha’s sister, was not the most responsible person, but the in-laws treated her with great tenderness and love. Vika got married right after finishing school, and a couple of years later, she and her husband had their first child. Sasha told me that their family life was quite miserable, with constant scandals and arguments, but that didn’t stop them from having another child. I don’t know what became of this not-so-happy family, only that Vika divorced her husband and moved in with her parents in a small two-bedroom with her two children.
«Vikusya will now live with us,» Nina Maximovna shared the news with us.
«I knew it was heading this way,» Sasha was not surprised.
«I’m very glad, now she’ll find a worthy man, not that slob,» Nina Maximovna began to scold her former son-in-law.
Indeed, Vika wasted no time and almost immediately began looking for a new life partner. Of course, while she was searching for her love, the children were with the grandparents. I clearly saw that they were not pleased, although they tried their best to pretend everything was fine.
«Vika’s kids are such rascals,» Yuri Olegovich said with a smile, but his eyes clearly showed fatigue.
«And what, are you the only ones looking after the children?» Sasha asked.
«Vika too,» Nina Maximovna hurried to defend her daughter. «She has a lot of things to do; we need to help her.»
«I know what kind of ‘things’ she has,» Sasha said irritably. «She only knows how to chase men.»
«Don’t talk about your sister like that, aren’t you ashamed?» Yuri Olegovich was outraged.
«What, am I not right?»
«Enough, I don’t want to hear this,» the mother-in-law said sternly.
I clearly saw that Sasha hit the nail on the head, but the in-laws didn’t want to show him that he was right. Vika had always been their perfect daughter, only we bought crooked apartments and lived who knows how. Frankly, I didn’t care how the in-laws and Vika with the children lived in one apartment, I had my own problems and had no time to think about others. On one warm spring evening, as I was returning home from work, my phone rang.
«Hello,» I picked up the phone.
«Lenochka, hello, it’s Aunt Galya,» came a quiet, hoarse voice on the line. «I’m calling to tell you some sad news, grandma passed away today.»
«What?» I stopped dead, ignoring the people I blocked on the street.
«She lay down to rest after lunch and didn’t wake up,» Aunt Galya explained, sobbing.
«I’ll come,» I said slowly. «I’ll definitely come on the next train,» I promised.
«Alright, see you soon,» said Aunt Galya and hung up.
I stood in the same spot for a couple of more minutes, trying to come to terms with what I heard. There were no tears in my eyes, I just couldn’t grasp what had happened. When I finally got home, Sasha was already there.
«What happened?» he rushed to me. «You look pale.»
«Grandma passed away,» I replied, and sobs burst out.
Sasha comforted me for a long time, then helped me get ready and drove me to the station. The next few days I remembered poorly, everything happened as if in a fog, and occasionally it seemed to me that I was sleeping and it was all not true. When it was all behind and I returned home, life gradually began to return to its usual course, and the daily routine helped me stay afloat. There was also something else that supported my morale. During another medical examination at work, I found out that Sasha and I were expecting a child.
«Dear, I have important news,» I said excitedly when my husband returned from work.
«I hope it’s good news, because work was horrible today.»
«It’s good, even wonderful,» I smiled in confirmation.
«Well, then spill it,» Sasha sat down next to me and prepared to listen.
«We’re going to be parents again,» I blurted out in one breath.
«Are you serious?!» Sasha exclaimed joyfully.
«Yes,» I nodded.
«Hooray!» my husband hugged me tightly to himself. «It’s just that now it will definitely be crowded in this apartment, Arina won’t forgive us if we take away her separate room,» Sasha said thoughtfully when the first emotions subsided.
«I thought we could sell grandma’s house and buy a bigger apartment,» I said.
«Are you sure you want to sell it?»
«Yes,» I bit my lip. «Of course, I’m very sorry to part with it, but it will be better this way.»
«Then it’s decided,» Sasha suddenly got up from the couch. «We need to urgently deal with this issue, the child should settle into our new apartment,» and he sat down at the computer, intently staring at the screen.
Time flew by quickly, hiding my condition became increasingly difficult, and Sasha and I decided that it was time to tell his parents. The very next weekend we gathered and went to visit them as a family.
«We didn’t come just like that, we have joyful news for you,» Sasha began when we all sat down at the table.
«Decided to sell your ridiculous apartment?» guessed Nina Maximovna.
«No, mom,» Sasha shook his head, disappointed by this question.
«We’re going to have a baby,» I said before the in-laws could blurt out something else.
«A second one? Why do you need it?» Yuri Olegovich asked joylessly.
«Dad, we actually have our own apartment. I remember how the news that Vika was expecting a second one made you happy, even though she was in a worse situation,» Sasha said, as Vika’s children ran screaming down the corridor, and she was once again not at home.
«Well, I don’t know, you have little space,» Nina Maximovna said doubtfully.
«We’re already solving that. A house was left to Lena from her grandmother, we’ll sell it and buy a bigger apartment,» Sasha shared our plans.
«I see you’ve already decided everything,» Yuri Olegovич leaned back in his chair.
«Of course, we decided,» Sasha said, surprised. «We didn’t come to consult with you, but to share the news about the grandson, but as I see, you don’t care.»
«We are happy, just worried about you,» the mother-in-law hurried to assure her son, but I didn’t believe her.
«Well, we need to go, there’s a ton of things we still need to get done,» Sasha clearly wanted to leave his parents quickly, who had responded so coldly to our important event.
«Yes, go ahead,» the in-laws did not hold us back.
«Take care,» I also got up and followed my husband.
«What’s wrong with them?» Sasha wondered as we stepped outside.
«I don’t know what to tell you,» I shrugged. «Arina was riding circles around us on her scooter.»
«If Vika has a third, I’m sure they’ll be jumping for joy,» Sasha said and kicked a stone lying on the road.
«Don’t be upset, the main thing is that we’re happy,» I tried to console my husband.
I too was offended by the in-laws, but their opinion bothered me much less than Sasha. I had gotten used to their dismissive attitude towards our family, so when they showed up at our place with a cake two weeks later, I was very surprised.
«Well, don’t keep us at the door, put the kettle on, let’s celebrate!» the in-laws barged into the apartment, and Nina Maximovna handed me a cake.
«What’s the occasion?» I asked, puzzled.
«What do you mean, what’s the occasion? You’re expecting a child, isn’t that a reason to celebrate?»
«Such a delayed reaction,» Sasha helped his mother take off her coat.
«We were very tired then, don’t be upset,» and we all moved to the kitchen.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was some catch in all this. The in-laws had never behaved like this before, and now there was a cake and so many kind words at once.
«How’s Vika?» I started the conversation.
«Everything’s fine, she says she’s in love,» replied Yuri Olegovich.
«So, everything as usual,» Sasha said, setting the plates.
«In general, yes,» Nina Maximovna diligently stirred sugar in her cup.
Everything was going as well as could be, and I couldn’t understand where the catch was. In the end, when everyone’s cups were empty, the mother-in-law took on a serious look and cleared her throat. Yuri Olegovich, looking at his wife, also stopped smiling.
«Give your apartment to my daughter, and you move in with us,» the in-laws declared.
«It would have been better to just say what this cake would cost us,» Sasha put his spoon aside. «And what is this brilliant plan?»
«Why, I think it’s a great idea,» Nina Maximovna confidently said.
«And why exactly should we give Vika our apartment and live with you?» Sasha asked.
«Well, if you don’t want to live with us, move to the house, there’s fresh air there,» Yuri Olegovich offered another option.
I saw in his eyes that this was their original plan, they brought up moving in with them to not show their interest in my house.
«No, we’re selling the house,» I said firmly.
«Well, you can’t be so selfish, who will help Vika with housing, she can’t live with us forever,» the mother-in-law went on the attack.
«And why do you think we should solve her problems?» Sasha was baffled. «She chose this life herself. Besides, we’re also having a second child, didn’t you think of that?»
«I don’t even understand why you need another one, at your age,» Nina Maximovna looked at me with pity.
«My age is fine, and the doctors say everything is great.»
«I know what doctors you go to,» the mother-in-law dismissed me.
«Well, mom, this is crossing all boundaries,» Sasha looked very angry and irritated.
«What kind of person should I be after your careless attitude towards your sister?»
«And what kind of person should I be after your careless attitude towards me?» Sasha glared at his mother.
«I treat you both the same, but you’re already settled, and your sister needs help.»
«If you want to help your sister, help her,» Sasha tried not to shout. «Leave our family alone, we have our own life.»
«Are you disowning us, son?» Yuri Olegovich didn’t expect such words from Sasha.
«If you don’t change your attitude towards us, then yes,» Sasha nodded.
«Everything’s clear, we’re leaving,» Nina Maximovna abruptly stood up from the table, almost knocking over her cup.
«Yes, you’ve made your choice,» Yuri Olegovich followed his wife.
I felt that after such a scandal, our relations with the in-laws were unlikely to improve. Sasha tried not to talk about his parents, I saw that this topic was unpleasant for him, and I also kept silent. We carried out our plans and bought a spacious apartment where everyone had their personal space. At the end of January, Sasha and I had a baby boy, whose arrival we had been eagerly awaiting. Now our family became even closer, we spent a lot of time together, enjoying every moment together.
