We will rent out your new house, and you will live in a rental. I need the money,» declared the mother-in-law.

ANIMALS

My mother-in-law had a big appetite. And I’m not talking about a food appetite, but an appetite for money and other people’s achievements. There was no limit to my mother-in-law’s audacity, but I did not let her destroy everything.

It all started from the moment I married Vadim. We were young and naive. There wasn’t much money, but that didn’t matter to us at the time. Our romance was based on walks in parks, visiting free events and exhibitions, and flowers from the garden or someone else’s flowerbed.

I didn’t really interact with Vadim’s mother because our relationship didn’t work out. Elena Vladimirovna was a strict, somewhat rough, and occasionally annoying woman. I tried to time our conversations so they would not last more than ten minutes, because after that, I would get bored and uncomfortable.

«Ludochka, when will you give me a granddaughter?» the mother-in-law would always ask.

«Elena Vladimirovna, it’s still early,» I would answer. «Vadim and I don’t even have our own apartment yet.»

«So what? Does that prevent anything?»

«Of course! I don’t feel like raising a child while moving from one rented apartment to another. When we have our own place, at least we can know it’s forever, not until the landlord stops renting it out.»

«What an excuse. The main thing is to have a roof over your head, everything else is unimportant. As they say, God gives a bunny, God gives a meadow.»

I completely disagreed with my mother-in-law, so I just ignored her constant hints about grandchildren. Vadim and I didn’t earn much, but it was enough for rent. Until Pasha was born a year later.

When I got pregnant, I didn’t know how we would cope with the situation, considering we didn’t have our own housing. However, Vadim assured me that everything would be fine. Diapers, baby toys, clothes—this was now my life.

«You finally gave birth to a grandson for me!» the mother-in-law rejoiced. «Now there will be some benefit from you.»

I rolled my eyes, indicating that I was not in the mood to argue or fall for my mother-in-law’s provocations.

«Are you feeding him yourself?» asked Elena Vladimirovna.

«No.»

«How come?! The baby needs breast milk, not all this chemistry.»

«There’s no chemistry, Elena Vladimirovna. I don’t have milk.»

«What kind of youth are you? You are all so lazy and weak as if. In the past, everyone coped, and now everyone has some kind of problem.»

The mother-in-law often annoyed me with her unsolicited advice and moralizing. Whether I was taking care of the child incorrectly, cooking poorly, or just sitting at home doing nothing. Of course, this irritated me, and I often pretended to have a cold so that the mother-in-law would leave me alone, but even then she always managed to say something.

In addition to all this, Elena Vladimirovna was draining money from my husband. Every time she visited us, she left with some amount of money.

«Sonny, give me a couple of thousand, I need to buy groceries for home.»

«Vadimushka, transfer me some money, I need to pay for the internet and phone.»

«Son, send me seven thousand now, I need to buy winter boots.»

It always bothered me that the mother-in-law constantly asked for money. And it wasn’t that she had a small pension. No, she worked as a secretary in some company and earned good money. I was always amazed at how she could not have enough salary to beg for money from her son practically every day.

«Vadim, maybe you should talk to your mother?» I insisted. «She asks you for money too often.»

«Katya, she said she has a small salary, barely enough for anything.»

«I understand, but she shouldn’t ask so often! We have a child for whom we spend a good part of our income. We will never save for our own apartment, we’ll be wandering half our lives through others’.»

«Why do you think so? It’s not that bad.»

«Vadim, you are too naive. At least three times a week your mother calls you and demands money. Imagine how much you sent her from our joint budget?»

«Well…»

«Half of your salary goes only to her, and your mom, by the way, works. And I very much doubt that she lacks so much money because I’ve noticed her wearing expensive jewelry that you can’t buy just on your salary.»

«I understand you, Katya. I somehow didn’t even notice how much money goes away.»

«Well, I notice. Please, talk to your mother. I hope she understands that you need to provide for your own family, not a capable mother.»

After a couple of months, I noticed that the mother-in-law was no longer asking for money transfers so often. Either Vadim finally talked to her, or I just didn’t know if he gave her something. At least our finances were fine.

One day I found out that my grandfather had passed away. I grieved a lot because I had a very good relationship with my grandfather. I always communicated with him with special warmth and felt how he rejoiced every time I visited him. For example, when I came to the country house, he always gathered a bucket of raspberries for me, even though he never ate the berries himself.

«I gather these especially for you, it’s my hobby. You love raspberries, and I don’t like them. But I want to please my granddaughter,» my grandfather always said.

I always appreciated these gestures. My grandfather’s kindness and love influenced my upbringing, and I was very sorry that I would never see him again. But then every time I saw or ate raspberries, I remembered him.

As it turned out, my grandfather left me a private house in the suburbs. I did not expect such a gift, but I was infinitely grateful to my grandfather for such an opportunity. He still cared for me.

This news gave me an idea. Now my family will have its own home, where they can live peacefully and easily.

«Pashka will now have his own room! He will no longer have to sleep with us in the same room,» I rejoiced. «We won’t have to constantly wander through rented apartments, we have a whole house for the three of us.»

«Grandpa really took good care of you,» my husband said.

«Shall we move there? I know it will be a struggle to find a job and a new kindergarten for our son, but what an opportunity!»

«Of course, dear, it’s a wonderful idea. Just in time.»

I was inspired by the upcoming event. It was as if a stone had been lifted from my shoulders, because we could now calmly live together in our own home. No more paying for someone else’s, and I will always find time for the garden, as it was my grandfather’s creation.

However, the news that we had housing reached the mother-in-law. I thought she was a somewhat reasonable woman, but that was not the case.

«We will rent out your new house, and you will live in a rental. I need the money,» declared the mother-in-law.

I was speechless at such a statement from Elena Vladimirovna.

«What do you have to do with it, Elena Vladimirovna?» I asked.

«What do you mean what do I have to do with it? I am your mother-in-law, you are obliged to help me just as my son does.»

«Really?»

«You live well enough in your rented apartments. How many times have you told me that you couldn’t live like that with a child. And yet, you managed! You don’t need this house. You will rent it out, and the money will be transferred to me. And I will clean there and personally handle the renting for those interested.»

«I see you have thought of everything?»

«Of course! I already know what kind of renovation to do, where to place the advertisement. I have experience dealing with clients. And since I will be cleaning there, I deserve to receive the revenue from the rent.»

«All this time my mouth hung open in astonishment at the audacity of the mother-in-law.

«So, you, Elena Vladimirovna, think that I will adjust my grandfather’s house to your needs?»

«Yes, Katya, you understand correctly.»

«Aren’t you bothered that the house was given to me, not your son? I owe you nothing, especially giving away my grandfather’s house. I’m not going to rent it out, because Vadim, Pasha, and I will move there to live.»

«Why bother with all this hassle? Going to a completely different place, changing jobs. Do you really need this? You still have time to save for your own apartment, you’re still young. But I’ve already worked my share, I want to finally relax. And I don’t have that much money, but the revenue from this house will be good.»

«You didn’t understand me, Elena Vladimirovna. I’m not going to adjust to you. We will move into my grandfather’s house in the near future, so you can forget about your plans.»

«You decided to disobey me, daughter-in-law? I offer you an excellent idea, and you are cold?»

«Mom, you are overestimating your appetite,» Vadim intervened. «This house belongs to Kate, and only she can decide what to do with it.»

«Am I deciding anything? I’m just suggesting. And by the way, son, you are obliged to help me. And since Katya is your wife, she owes me too.»

«I owe you nothing. I’m not going to fulfill your whims. We couldn’t save for our own housing for a long time because of you, as you shamelessly extract money from your son.»

«What? I extract money from my son? Do you even understand what you are saying?» the mother-in-law snapped.

«What are you doing? You call Vadim several times a week. Not to ask how he is, but to ask for money. Can you tell us where you spend it?»

«Don’t poke your nose into other people’s pockets, girl! It’s none of your business!»

«It very much is my business, since you’re taking not only Vadim’s money but mine too. Our joint budget has suffered enough from your endless requests and desires. Vadim owes you nothing.»

«You think you’re the smartest? The fact that my son sends me money is only our concern! You have no business interfering.»

«But I want to. Instead of rejoicing for us, you’ve already concocted the perfect plan to make your life even better. Isn’t your salary and your son’s money enough? You want to take my house too?»

«How dare you talk to me like that?! Vadim, control your wife.»

«Actually, I agree with her.»

«What do you mean?!»

«I calculated the total amount I send you every month. Mom, you’re taking half my salary.»

«So what? That’s how it should be! I’m your mother!»

«I can help you, but I can’t fully support you. You always come up with different excuses or reasons just to get money from me. You say you have nothing to eat, but in reality, your fridge is full, you go for manicures and eyelashes, you buy yourself clothes and jewelry. And I sponsor all this. So forget what you said, we reject your offer.»

«You wimp! Hiding under your wife’s skirt!» Elena Vladimirovna yelled at Vadim. «I never thought I raised such a selfish and greedy son!»

«It’s not greed or selfishness, mom,» my husband confidently answered. «You’re overdoing it with your desires, which we can’t and don’t want to fulfill. You know very well how cramped we live together in a one-room apartment and how long we’ve been trying to save for our own housing. Here, we’ve received it. And you’re only thinking about yourself, wanting to take the house from us. More precisely, from my wife.»

«The way you twist my words amazes me! Are you not thinking about your mother at all? Am I nobody to you? You don’t care about your mother?»

«I care about you. But you’ve raised your desires too high. We’re not going to rent the house, you won’t get any money,» Vadim declared.

«Then live in your decrepit house! And you can even stop contacting me, you’re no longer my son after this!»

The mother-in-law stormed out of our apartment with a scandal. Even the neighbors came out to the stairwell because Elena Vladimirovna could be heard on several floors. I was frankly dumbfounded by her statement and such behavior. It felt like she only wanted money from her son. She couldn’t genuinely rejoice for him.

Nevertheless, a month and a half later, we finally moved into our house. Vadim was transferred to a branch of his company, and I switched to remote work to take care of the child and the garden. Finally, we could relax and not worry about an uncertain future.

The mother-in-law no longer communicated with us. Not only that, but she even stopped communicating with her own grandson. Little Pasha asked when grandma would visit, but Elena Vladimirovna didn’t care. She wanted to spite both Vadim and me. This shocked me, but didn’t surprise me. Anything could be expected from this woman.

However, I myself was glad about the outcome. No one bothered me with their senseless advice, no one pointed out every mistake, no one turned a positive atmosphere into a tense and uncomfortable one. My husband, son, and I were starting a new life, where there was no room for greed and avarice.