Polina, tomorrow mom is coming over—do a deep clean of the apartment. She’s very picky. — Will she nitpick my apartment? — We’re family—she’s coming to us, not just you. Let’s not fight today; work is stressful enough. Polina put her phone in her purse and trudged home.
She had been planning to clean the house for a whole week, but never got around to it. Either she got held up at work, or a friend needed help, or dinner had to be made. And so the time flew by. It was as if she had only opened her eyes on Monday and now it was already Friday.
On Saturday, they were expecting the mother-in-law as a guest. Polina was going to meet Alexandra Vladimirovna for the first time tomorrow, even though she and Vadim had been married for half a year. The mother-in-law had been living abroad for the last five years.
When Vadim announced that he was getting married, she immediately said she couldn’t come and congratulated him via video call that evening. Polina didn’t mind—it was enough; she’d heard plenty of stories about troublesome mothers-in-law from her colleagues.
Besides, Polina herself had grown up in a family where everyone lived at her paternal grandmother’s house, and that woman was always dissatisfied about something. Moreover, Polina’s own grandmother didn’t really like her—throughout her childhood, the girl did her best to avoid her. “Vera, your daughter is just like you! Such a free spirit! Just wait—she’ll bring you a surprise from Moscow in her petticoat!” her grandmother shouted when Polina was about to go to Moscow for her studies.
Although her mother didn’t consider her daughter promiscuous, the move to Moscow led to a big quarrel between them. Vera Petrovna didn’t want to let her go, believing that the capital would spoil her and that she wouldn’t achieve anything there.
But Polina decided she would prove everyone wrong and manage to make it just as well as all the successful people.
When she met Vadim, her university days were behind her; in four years of working, Polina had firmly established herself. She had even managed to buy an apartment with a mortgage.
Only her personal life wasn’t working out. While she was studying and then building her career, the years passed unnoticed. Now, at 28, she still had no family. She only got to have fun at her friends’ weddings, watching them and imagining herself as happily married in a white dress.
“Pol, are you serious? No wedding?” Marina exclaimed when Polina said that she and Vadim had decided just to register their marriage. “Absolutely. We’ll just stay home after the registry office; I’ll prepare everything in advance.” “But you dreamed of that day. The girls and I thought we’d pick you the most beautiful dress and the best restaurant!” “Well, I’m not as young as I used to be,” Polina said sadly, lowering her eyes. “And Vadim’s mother immediately said she wouldn’t come, and he doesn’t really have any friends either. Mine also declined—why should I try? Only you and Larisa have families.” “For whom should you make the effort? For yourself?”
Of course, Polina still dreamed of a white dress and all that comes with it. But Vadim talked her out of it, and she convinced herself that it was exactly that trait of his she loved.
He never wasted money—always calculating and analyzing everything. While all her former suitors were still partying in clubs on Friday nights and drinking with friends, Vadim worked and saved for the future of their family, as he said.
They lived in Polina’s apartment.
Since leaving her parents’ home, she had always supported herself, and that habit had become her second nature. After the wedding, all financial responsibilities remained with Polina.
“Polina, I’m curious—what exactly does Vadim handle financially in your family?” Marina asked one day when Polina said she couldn’t go to the theater with her friends because her salary wouldn’t come for another two weeks, and she had to pay for the mortgage, utilities, and the credit. “He never asks me for money,” Polina shrugged. “But the mortgage, utilities, and groceries are all on me. The apartment is mine, so it feels awkward to pin these expenses on him.” “But now that you’re a family, why are you also paying for groceries?” Polina herself didn’t know why. Perhaps she was simply used to it and had never even thought about it until Marina asked. Vadim was caring and attentive—what more did she need for the kind of happiness she’d never known before?
Yet now Marina’s questions wouldn’t leave her mind. They did have a family, and Polina dreamed of becoming a mother—youth eventually runs out.
“If there isn’t enough money, it means you’re spending too much!” declared Vadim when Polina decided to discuss their expenses. “I have enough, but there are things that matter to me as a woman. For example, going to the theater with my girlfriends, or buying a birthday present for Marina. And expenses have increased because now there are two of us, yet I’m paying for everything alone.” “Polya, I’ve already told you that my income is our future. To have children, we need a big apartment and a car. With a little one, riding public transport isn’t comfortable. And when you have a family, its future is the main goal—not girlfriends and theaters.” As Vadim spoke, Polina felt ashamed.
Everything seemed right, even perfect, but somehow the prospects for the future didn’t warm her heart at all. Apparently, it’s true when they say that relationships are work, and things aren’t always simple.
So Polina agreed and even started to believe it was the right way. She tried her best to ignore her fatigue. Besides, she had an upcoming meeting with her mother-in-law, so there was at least something to keep her busy.
Alexandra Vladimirovna arrived on Saturday.
It couldn’t really be said that she entered the apartment; rather, she glided in like a massive submarine, swaying from side to side. As she passed by her daughter-in-law, she didn’t even spare her a glance. She didn’t even embrace her son. After placing her handbag on the chest of drawers in the hall, she turned theatrically to her son and daughter-in-law—and only then did she greet them. “The apartment is a bit small, of course,” the mother-in-law remarked as she looked around. “But that’s alright; in tight quarters there’s no ill will, as they say.” “Mom, lunch is ready—come wash your hands and to the table,” babbled Vadim, helping his mother remove her coat. “Excellent! I didn’t even have the taste of poppy seeds on my lips this morning.” Alexandra Vladimirovna silently scrutinized her daughter-in-law over lunch, asking questions about the family, income, and plans for life with her son. Polina felt awkward in her presence, as if she had come to an important dinner and now had to prove that she was a decent person. Strange feelings lingered after that first meeting.
Vadim busied himself with his mother, constantly asking if she needed anything else. But she said she would go rest after her journey, as the long flight had completely worn her out. The week dragged on like rubber. Every morning, Vadim now got up an hour earlier, woke Polina, and asked her to prepare breakfast. Since the previous evening, Alexandra Vladimirovna already knew what she wanted for the next morning and would request a new dish each time. By the following Saturday, Polina felt squeezed like a lemon. “Vadim, on Saturday I plan to sleep in, so I’ll turn off the alarm. Make breakfast for mom yourself. Oh, and she asked for fresh fruits with breakfast—so you’ll have to stop by the store this evening. I’ll be late today; I have things to do,” Polina left him a voice message while looking at the content Marina, with whom they were sitting in a cafe after work. “You’ll see—now your mother-in-law will show her true colors,” her friend declared knowingly. “How do you know that? Your Maria Fyodorovna is the best mother-in-law in the world.” “I do, but I haven’t been living alone for a day—I’ve seen all sorts. I can’t stand seeing you tie Vadim around your neck, and now also his mother. And it suits them; they certainly won’t want to leave on their own!”
Polina got home late; her husband and mother-in-law had already had dinner. Vadim was sitting at his computer, and Alexandra Vladimirovna was watching a movie in the living room. Polina washed her hands, changed clothes, made herself a coffee, and then realized that no one at home was talking to her.
Of course, she noticed the displeased expression on her husband’s face. But when something bothered him, he always told her—tactfully, without scandals or harsh words. And now, suddenly, there was silence. Polina decided to give him time to cool down. It was understandable that he was angry, but she was tired too. They both worked hard, yet the home and all the expenses were hers. And now, on top of that, his mother was on her case. Alexandra Vladimirovna spent entire days trying on her foreign outfits, parading around the apartment in them, and then dictating what should be made for her breakfast and dinner. She preferred to have lunch in a restaurant. She would dress beautifully and go out for lunch while her son and daughter-in-law were at work. From the very beginning, the woman made it clear that she wasn’t going to help out around the house because she was accustomed to a different lifestyle.
“Alexandra Vladimirovna, how do you like Moscow?”—after sleeping in on Saturday, Polina decided it was time to check the situation and find out how much longer her mother-in-law planned to stay. “Not Europe, of course, but it’s livable,” the mother-in-law replied as she poured herself some coffee. “How much longer do you plan to stay with us? I can suggest some places to see and things to do, if you’d like.” “Stay as a guest?” the mother-in-law raised her coal-black eyebrows. “I came to see my son—now I’m going to live with you.” “Sorry, Vadim never mentioned that to me,” Polina thought, as all the words she had prepared for a conversation with her mother-in-law vanished in an instant. Alexandra Vladimirovna silently glided past her daughter-in-law with a cup of coffee toward the living room and didn’t even glance her way. And Polina just stood by the window, feeling her anger boil inside. Marina was right—they were so well-settled with Vadim! How foolish of her! Polina understood that she wouldn’t be able to have a conversation with her mother-in-law and would have to wait until Vadim got home. That evening, she didn’t beat around the bush; she asked her husband to explain to his mother that she couldn’t live with them because there had never been such an arrangement. Besides, they hadn’t even discussed it. To her surprise, Vadim didn’t see anything wrong with it—it was his mother, after all! “Well, why all the noise? My head is about to split,” the mother-in-law suddenly appeared in the kitchen in the midst of their quarrel. “Vadik, you’ve really let your wife go to the dogs if she’s even raising such issues.” “You know what, Alexandra Vladimirovna? That’s enough from me! This apartment is mine—I pay the mortgage too—so I ask you to leave! You’ve been a guest long enough!” “I’m not going anywhere,” she had already said. “I divorced my German husband; now I have nowhere to go. And you can do nothing about it because my son is your lawful husband! And don’t even try to threaten me with the police—family squabbles aren’t their concern.” “Polya, I did not expect that from you!”
Vadim said in his usual calm tone, “I ask you, from now on, to speak respectfully to my mother.” “Then I politely ask you and your mother to leave MY apartment, because I’m no longer willing to support you both.” Vadim smirked, kissed his wife on the forehead, and went to the bedroom without another word. The mother-in-law returned to her movie. They acted as if Polina weren’t even there. Silently, she grabbed her down jacket, got dressed on the fly, and ran off to Marina’s place. There, they decided to call Larisa, and together with their husbands, show up at her home. Larisa’s husband was a lawyer, Marina’s a doctor—both were imposing men—and Polina hoped that neither Vadim nor Alexandra Vladimirovna would argue with them. Of course, her husband and his mother tried to start a scandal, then suggested resolving everything without outsiders present. But Polina’s friends wouldn’t leave until Vadim and his mother had gone. Later came a long divorce and attempts by Vadim to return to his wife.
It turned out that he had no savings for the future, and his position at work had been demoted, so a nice apartment was beyond what he and his mother could afford. And Polina eventually found her own version of feminine happiness a year later—she met a friend of Marina’s husband, who was the complete opposite of Vadim. And now she is truly happy.
