— Mariya, hello! It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other. How are you?
— Hello! Emma?
Marina didn’t recognize her cousin’s voice right away. The last time they visited was about five years ago with Aunt Zoya.
They rarely called, only when they needed something. That’s why the unexpected call made Marina wary. — But that doesn’t give them the right to go through my cabinets and touch my things. — Marina complained, trying to control herself to avoid upsetting her mother.
A few things still had to be given away. Her mother then bought them gifts, expensive candies, treats. And their departure was a great relief for the family.
That’s why Marina now made a firm decision not to let uninvited guests into her apartment.
Marina got married two years ago. Aunt Zoya was very upset that they weren’t invited to the wedding. And her mother was making excuses to her sister.
— The young couple decided. They didn’t want a lavish wedding, only close friends and parents. Emma also got married, we’re not upset that you didn’t even tell us.
Her husband picked Marina up from work, and on the way home, she told him the news.
— Can you believe it, she called, warned about the visit. Get ready. She didn’t even ask if we could meet them or if we were free this weekend. Well, no. I barely survived their last visit, but now they shouldn’t count on my hospitality.
Marina and Igor had been living in a new, spacious apartment near the center for six months, and Marina firmly decided not to let relatives stay with her. She didn’t even understand who would come, Emma with her husband or with her mother.
— What did you tell them?
— I didn’t get a chance to answer. I didn’t recognize her voice right away. New phone number, I don’t have it.
Igor always supported his wife in everything, especially since he had no desire to deal with relatives on the weekend. They would start asking to be shown around the city, its attractions, museums.
— You shouldn’t get nervous in your condition. Get it out of your head. Strange, they didn’t even ask permission to come? Everyone has their own plans for the weekend, it’s natural. Tomorrow morning I need to go to the office, fix an error in the contract with partners.
I’ll be free after twelve. And Sasha and Vika invited us to their cottage to relax and enjoy nature. Said I would call back in the evening. What about you, shall we go?
— It will be hard for mom. They will come to her. She’s not ready for their visit.
— And no need to worry Tatyana Dmitrievna in advance, it’s her own sister and niece. They’ll take a taxi from the station, they’ll manage, they’re not little. And we’ll visit them during the week. Especially since your room is free, there will be a place to stay. Don’t worry.
On Saturday morning, Marina’s phone rang.
— Are you sleeping or what? You sound sleepy. We’re at the station. Why aren’t you meeting us?
— Good morning! Yes, I was still asleep. Igor went to work by car, and I’m leaving now, so you’ll have to take a taxi.
Marina really wanted to continue: take a taxi to the hotel, but she held back.
— And Tatyana and Viktor? Where are they?
— I don’t know, we didn’t call our parents yesterday. Probably resting.
— You didn’t tell them we were coming?
— Was I supposed to? You’re the ones coming, you should have called.
— But I called you, warned you about the visit. And you didn’t even meet us. We didn’t expect this from you.
After the conversation, Marina took a deep breath, then exhaled deeply. She repeated the exercise several times to calm down. Her sister didn’t know her address, and Marina switched to preparing for the trip to the cottage with friends.
Zoya Dmitrievna called her sister, she was outraged.
— We’re at the station. Nobody met us.
— Why didn’t you warn us, Tatyana Dmitrievna was flustered. Viktor went to get bread, he’ll be back soon and will come for you. Wait, or take a taxi, it will be faster. You must be tired from the journey.
Emma called Marina, said that we were coming, but she didn’t even think to meet us. We didn’t expect this.
Tatyana Dmitrievna immediately called her husband, said to buy some more.
— And hurry home, Zoya and Emma are waiting at the station.
And she called her daughter.
— Did you know? Why didn’t you warn us, we would have met them.
— Mom, I’m begging you. Don’t jump in front of them, or they’ll sit on your neck. They should have called you. Let them wait and think.
Tatyana had quickly set the table, without any special delicacies, but managed to bake a pie.
— Well, welcome the guests, come in, don’t be shy. Sorry, it turned out this way. You should have informed us.
Emma and her husband appeared at the doorstep with dissatisfied Zoya Dmitrievna.
— We decided to visit for once, to see the cultural capital. Emma and Vadim had such a hard time getting leave. We came without warning, wanted to make a pleasant surprise. And what did we get? Waited at the station for two hours. So much for relatives.
Tatyana bustled before the guests, trying to make up for the guilt.
— Come in, make yourselves comfortable. Marina is pregnant, gets tired, hasn’t quit her job, that’s probably why she overslept.
— Your Marina has become arrogant. She’s rich now, doesn’t need her poor relatives. New apartment, close to the city center, never invited us to visit. Couldn’t meet her own aunt and sister. I’m ashamed of such relatives.
After the meal, the guests relaxed, lay down to rest.
— It’s a bit cramped here. Emma and Vadim could have stayed with the young ones, it would be more fun for them, and I’ll stay here with you, the old folks.
Marina called her parents in the evening.
— Mom, how are you? Don’t overexert yourself. Take care of yourself. How long are they staying? Don’t give them my address, I’ll come to you during the week.
Her father was more relaxed about the guests, so she wasn’t worried about him.
On Monday after work, Marina and her husband went to see their relatives.
— Mariya, hello! You beauty! — as if nothing had happened, Aunt Zoya babbled. — When will you invite us to your place, I want to see your apartment, how you live. I want to introduce you to Vadim, and meet your husband too.
Igor answered for Marina.
— We’ll invite you, of course. But not this week, Marina works a lot, and she needs to rest, so come on Sunday morning, so that my wife can rest in the evening too.
Tatyana Dmitrievna looked tired. She tried to please everyone. Many eaters, but no helpers. Only her husband could go to the store, and sometimes help wash dishes. Emma and Vadim went to museums and exhibitions, returned hungry, Zoya Dmitrievna sometimes stayed home just to rest, not «bothering» her sister in the kitchen.
On Sunday, Marina and Igor met the guests in their home, at a well-set table. And in the evening, they politely saw them off to their parents’ apartment. The guests weren’t planning to leave for their own home.
— We need to hint to them somehow. Mom is already tired. Maybe buy sanatorium tickets for the parents? I know Aunt Zoya’s behavior, it’s very hard with her.
— The parents will leave, and the guests will stay. — Igor laughed. — It’s better to send the parents to rest in autumn, and now we just need to hint to the guests that it’s time to leave. I can do that.
But then her father called.
— Marina, come over, mom is not feeling well.
Marina and her husband arrived immediately. An ambulance was parked outside the house. The doctor handed Marina a prescription:
— Nothing serious, just exhaustion. Blood pressure spiked. Rest, peace, vitamins. At her age, she needs to take care of herself.
Igor addressed Zoya Dmitrievna and Emma.
— Dear guests, haven’t the hosts tired you out?
Marina interrupted him.
— Mom is tired and needs rest, so let’s have your passports, and we’ll buy you tickets right now on the website.
— But we haven’t seen everything yet. We still have theater tickets for the day after tomorrow.
— Then you can move to a hotel.
The guests clearly didn’t intend to leave.
— Tatyana needs care, and I will take care of her — said Zoya Dmitrievna.
— She has a husband, and we are nearby. Don’t worry, she will be taken care of. But you need to leave, free up the apartment. Mom needs peace. Home or hotel, it’s your choice.
Vadim felt awkward, Emma found a solution.
— We can stay with you. We’re not strangers, there’s enough space, and mom can really help her sister. And the doctor said nothing serious, just needs to rest.
The persistence of the relatives infuriated, but Marina didn’t give up. She managed to send the audacious relatives packing, hearing many unpleasant things in her direction. Of course, they didn’t go to the hotel — too expensive.
Right on the website, they bought tickets. Indeed, at their own expense, they paid for the theater tickets, and the next day they saw them off on the train. Advising: never come again without an invitation. — Yes, everything’s fine, everyone’s alive — healthy.
— We’re coming to visit you. Meet us tomorrow morning. The train arrives at seven twenty.
And then the line went dead. Marina didn’t even have time to respond. She called back – busy. Frustrated, just what we needed, more guests now.
Marina remembered the last visit of Aunt Zoya with her daughter, their audacious behavior. Back then, Marina still lived with her parents, their apartment had three rooms, but one was a pass-through.
Aunt Zoya took up that room, and Emma stayed in one room with Marina. And it was very unpleasant. She poked her nose everywhere. Rudely looked into cabinets and drawers, used cosmetics, tried on clothes.
— What, are you stingy? I’m just looking, I’ll return it.
— Can I wear this suit of yours today, look how good it looks on me.
Although the suit didn’t fit her very well, Emma thought she was beautiful, and loved new things. She even believed that some of her clothes Marina could give to her.
— They don’t look good on you, look how well they suit me. You can buy yourself something more suitable.
This all greatly annoyed Marina, but Emma paid no attention, and Aunt Zoya defended her daughter.
— Really, Mariya! Why do you need so many things, you should share, after all, you’re sisters.
Tatyana Dmitrievna looked at her daughter guiltily, sympathetically, and asked her not to quarrel with her sister.
— Mariya, she’s my own sister, they don’t have such wealth, and we need to help them.
But that doesn’t give them the right to behave that way, to rummage through my cabinets and touch my things,» Marina complained, restraining herself to avoid upsetting her mother.
Several items still had to be given away. Then, her mother bought them gifts, expensive candies, treats. And their departure was a great happiness for the family.
That’s why Marina had firmly decided that she would not let uninvited guests into her apartment.
Marina got married two years ago. Aunt Zoya was very offended that they were not invited to the wedding. And her mother made excuses to her sister.
«It was the young couple’s decision. They didn’t want a lavish wedding, there were only close friends and parents. Emma also got married, and we aren’t offended that you didn’t even tell us.»
Her husband picked Marina up from work, and on the way home, she told him the news.
«Imagine, she called, warned about the visit. Meet them. She didn’t even ask if we could meet them, or if we were free this weekend. Well, no. I barely survived their last visit, but now they shouldn’t count on my hospitality.»
Marina and Igor had been living in a new spacious apartment near the center for six months, and Marina had firmly decided not to let relatives stay with her. She didn’t even know who was coming, Emma with her husband or with her mother.
«What did you tell them?»
«I didn’t get to say anything. I didn’t even recognize her voice right away. It’s a new phone number, I don’t have it.»
Igor always supported his wife in everything, especially since he had no desire to deal with relatives on the weekends. They would start asking to be shown around the city, its attractions, museums.
«In your condition, you shouldn’t get nervous. Get it out of your mind. Strange that they didn’t even ask permission to come? Everyone has their own plans for the weekend, naturally. Tomorrow morning I need to go to the office to correct a mistake in a contract with partners.
I’ll be free after twelve. And Sasha and Vika invited us to their country house to relax and enjoy nature. Said I’d call back in the evening. What about you, shall we go?»
«It will be hard for mom. They will come to her. They know her address. She’s not ready to meet them.»
«And there’s no need to upset Tatyana Dmitrievna in advance, she’s their aunt and cousin. They can take a taxi from the station, they’re not little. And we’ll visit them during the week. Especially since your room is free, there will be a place to stay. Don’t worry.»
On Saturday morning, Marina’s phone rang.
«Are you sleeping or what? Your voice is sleepy. We’re at the station. Why aren’t you meeting us?»
«Good morning! Yes, I was still sleeping. Igor drove off to work in the car, I’m also leaving now, so you’ll have to take a taxi.»
Marina really wanted to continue the sentence: on a taxi to a hotel, but she restrained herself.
«And Tatyana and Viktor? Where are they?»
«I don’t know, we didn’t call our parents yesterday. Probably resting.»
«Didn’t you tell them we’re coming?»
«Should I have? You’re the ones coming, you should have called.»
«But I called you, warned about the visit. And you didn’t even meet us. We didn’t expect such a thing from you.»
After the conversation, Marina took a deep breath, then exhaled. She repeated the exercise several times to calm down. Her sister didn’t know her address, and Marina switched to preparing for the trip to the country house with friends.
Zoya Dmitrievna called her sister, she was outraged.
«We’re at the station. No one met us.»
«Why didn’t you warn us,» Tatyana Dmitrievna was flustered. «Viktor went for bread, he’ll come soon and will come for you. Wait, or take a taxi, it’ll be faster. You must be tired from the journey.»
Emma called Marina, said that we are coming, but she didn’t even think to meet us. We didn’t expect that.
Tatyana Dmitrievna immediately called her husband, said to buy more.
«And hurry home, Zoya and Emma are waiting at the station.»
And she called her daughter.
«Did you know? Why didn’t you warn us, we would have met them.»
«Mom, I’m begging you. Don’t jump to the front, otherwise they’ll sit on your neck. They should have called you themselves. Let them wait and think.»
Tatyana quickly set the table, without any special delicacies, but she managed to bake a pie.
«Well, meet the mother of guests, come in, don’t be shy. Sorry, it turned out like this. Should have informed.»
Emma and her husband appeared at the door with displeased Zoya Dmitrievna.
«We decided to come for once, to see the cultural capital. Emma and Vadim took so much trouble to get leave. They came specially without warning, wanted to make a nice surprise. And what did we get? Waited at the station for two hours. So much for relatives.»
Tatyana fussed in front of the guests, trying to make amends.
«Come in, make yourself comfortable, settle down. Marina is pregnant, gets tired, doesn’t quit work, that’s probably why she overslept.»
«Your Marina has become arrogant. Became rich, doesn’t need her poor relatives. New apartment, close to the city center, never invited us to visit. Couldn’t meet her own aunt and sister. I’m ashamed of such relatives.»
After the feast, the guests relaxed, calmed down, and lay down to rest.
«It’s cramped here. Emma and Vadim could have stayed with the young ones, it would be more fun for them there, and I’ll stay here with you, with the old folks.»
Marina called her parents in the evening.
«Mom, how are you? Don’t strain yourself too much. Take care of yourself. How long are they staying? Don’t tell them my address, I’ll come to you during the week.»
Her father was more relaxed about the guests, so the daughter didn’t worry about him.
On Monday after work, Marina and her husband stopped by to see their relatives.
«Hello, Marina! Beauty!» Aunt Zoya chatted as if nothing had happened. «When will you invite us to see your apartment, to see how you live. I want to introduce you to Vadim, and to meet your husband.»
Igor answered for Marina.
«We’ll invite you, of course. But it won’t be possible during the week, Marina works a lot, and she needs to rest, so come on Sunday morning, so that in the evening the wife still has time to rest.»
Tatyana Dmitrievna looked tired. She tried to please everyone. There were many eaters, but no helpers. Only her husband could go to the store, and sometimes help wash the dishes. Emma and Vadim went to museums and exhibitions, came back hungry, Zoya Dmitrievna sometimes stayed at home just to rest, not to «bother» her sister in the kitchen.
On Sunday, Marina and Igor’s entire family welcomed guests at their home, at a well-set table. And in the evening, they politely sent them home, rather, to their parents’ apartment. The guests had no plans to go back to their own home.
«We have to hint somehow. Mom is already tired. Maybe buy the parents tickets to a sanatorium? I know Aunt Zoya’s behavior, it’s very difficult with her.»
«The parents will leave, and the guests will stay,» Igor laughed. «It’s better to send the parents to rest in the autumn, but now we just need to hint to the guests that it’s time to leave. I can do that.»
But then her father called.
«Marina, come over, mom is feeling bad.»
Marina and her husband arrived immediately. An ambulance was parked near the house. The doctor handed Marina a prescription:
«Nothing serious, just fatigue. Blood pressure spiked. Rest, peace, vitamins. At such an age, one must take care of oneself.»
Igor addressed Zoya Dmitrievna and Emma.
«Dear guests, haven’t the hosts tired you out?»
Marina interrupted him.
«Mom is tired and she needs rest, so give us your passports, and we’ll buy you tickets right now on the website.»
«But we haven’t seen everything yet. We still have theater tickets for the day after tomorrow.»
«Then you can move to a hotel.»
The guests clearly didn’t plan to leave.
«Tatyana needs care, and I will take care of her,» said Zoya Dmitrievna.
«She has a husband and we are nearby. Don’t worry, someone will take care of her. But you need to leave, free up the apartment. Mom needs peace. Home or hotel, it’s your choice.»
Vadim felt awkward, Emma found a solution.
«We can stay with you. We’re not strangers, there’s enough space, and mom can indeed help her sister. And the doctor said it’s nothing serious, just needs to rest.»
The persistence of the relatives was infuriating, but Marina didn’t give up. She managed to kick out the cheeky relatives, hearing a lot of unpleasant things about herself. They, of course, didn’t go to a hotel—it was expensive.
Tickets were bought for them directly on the website. True, at their own expense, they refunded the money for the theater tickets, and the next day they saw them off on the train. Advising: never come again without an invitation.
