Lyudmila, a self-assured woman just over forty, accidentally learned of her husband’s plans. It turned out he had invited his parents, his sister Tatyana, her husband, and children over for March 8th—and he did so without her consent. Lyudmila was shocked and outraged. What hurt her most was how deftly Gennady had managed her time and their shared home.
“No way, dear, this won’t do,” she thought. “I too know how to be cunning. You’re not going to delight your dear mother and sister at my expense!”
Most likely, her husband simply didn’t want to spend money on gifts, so he came up with this “beneficial” alternative.
“Oh, you sly Gennady! But I’m even craftier,” mused Lyudmila.
She had always treated her mother-in-law calmly, never clashing with her, knowing that quarrels never lead to anything good. However, she was well aware that her husband’s mother didn’t like her, considering her arrogant and overly proud. Her relationship with her sister-in-law Tatyana was also frosty. Tatyana envied Lyudmila—for her career, her looks, and her ability to always appear impeccable.
“Tanya, don’t be envious. Instead, focus on yourself—cut out sweets and fatty foods, add some exercise, and you’ll be happy,” Lyudmila usually replied to her sister-in-law’s barbs.
And now, instead of spending the holiday for her own benefit, Lyudmila, according to her husband, was supposed to be standing by the stove all day and then serving his relatives—playing the role of a gracious hostess—to the point where her cheeks would later ache from strained smiles.
“It will be different,” decided Lyudmila.
Returning from work last night, Lyuda heard that Gennady was already home, talking loudly on the phone. Listening in, she realized he was conversing with his mother. Her mother-in-law loved to call her son in the evenings to complain about her “hard” life.
“Oh, don’t worry so much, Mom. Everything will be fine. A plumber will come and fix the pipe. I understand it’s inconvenient. Without water, things are really impossible,” Gennady said, even laughing.
It seemed that his mother’s problem hadn’t affected him much—perhaps he was just trying to lift her spirits with a few jokes.
“Well, go over to Tanya’s place with Dad. You can freshen up for a couple of days,” he suggested, referring to his sister.
Meanwhile, Lyudmila took off her shoes and headed to the kitchen to put the groceries away in the refrigerator while Gennady continued his loud conversation.
“Yes, Mom, I remember that tomorrow is the holiday. What, is Tanya in a bad mood? And what does it matter to you? She’s always in a bad mood. Her husband annoys her, and her kids drive her crazy. So what—should we pay attention to her whims now? She’s been like that since childhood!” Gennady said.
Lyudmila listened intently.
“There, you found the problem! If Tanya doesn’t set the table, so what? Huh? The holiday? Well, the holiday… Then, everyone, come over to our place,” Gennady skillfully steered the conversation. Lyudmila shuddered with surprise.
“That’s great. It’s settled. We’ll all sit together—us (myself and you), you with Dad, and Tanya with Dimka.”
“What nerve!” Lyudmila murmured quietly, careful not to distract her husband, so she could listen to the conversation until the end.
“What, Mom? Lyudmila? No, she doesn’t know yet. Well, I think she won’t mind. And I’ll persuade her if need be,” Gennady’s mother assured him.
After he hung up, Lyudmila entered the room with an expression of utter astonishment.
“Look at that! They married me without me being there! How can that be, dear?” she asked.
“Oh, Lyuda, you’re already home? Did you hear everything? Great. So you know that there’s a leak in my parents’ apartment and the water’s been turned off. Can you imagine? The plumber might come any time now. Mom is upset, and Tanya is constantly sorrowful. That’s why I decided to gather everyone at our place for your ladies’ celebration. We’ll sit, chat, have tea with cake,” Gennady naively explained.
“Seriously? Tea with cake? And nothing more? Will you at least buy a cake?” Lyudmila asked sarcastically, well aware of how her mother-in-law and sister-in-law loved to eat—especially at someone else’s expense.
“Well, I’m exaggerating, of course. We’ll whip up something. It’s not hard for us, is it? You always set such rich and delicious tables, Lyudochka. Mom is always delighted.”
“Yes, that’s undeniable. But I hadn’t planned to set the table today, Gena,” Lyudmila replied calmly, not wanting to start a scene. She knew that arguing would lead nowhere.
A plan quickly formed in her mind. She decided to teach her husband a lesson for his amateurish behavior—and at the same time, show her mother-in-law and sister-in-law how to respect someone else’s space.
That evening, Lyudmila didn’t bring up the subject again, and Gennady, to avoid conflict, chose to remain silent.
The morning of March 8th began for Lyudmila as usual: an early rise, some exercise, and a contrast shower. Then she went to the kitchen to prepare herself a light breakfast—coffee, an omelette, and toast—while Gennady still slept.
Over breakfast, Lyudmila pondered how predictable and boring her husband was. She longed for even a small surprise—flowers, a festive breakfast, or even a card—but nothing of the sort happened.
Gennady finally woke up around ten. Stretching and rubbing his stomach, he left the bedroom and lazily asked what needed to be bought for the festive table.
“And what time are they supposed to arrive?” asked Lyudmila.
“Around two o’clock.”
“Then I’ll have time to do everything. Don’t worry,” she answered calmly. “And there’s no need to buy anything. I prepared everything in advance.”
Lyudmila barely contained her emotions. Her apparent calm was hard-earned.
Neither her husband, nor her father-in-law, nor Dmitry (her sister-in-law’s husband) congratulated her on the holiday—not even a simple message. Only her son Zhenya, who was studying in another city, called, congratulated her, and even ordered a flower delivery.
Her mother-in-law remained silent too, as if she had forgotten her daughter-in-law existed. This especially hurt Lyudmila.
“To barge in with a whole crowd without warning! Not a word of thanks, not an apology. As if this were their home!” she thought, growing ever more convinced of the correctness of her decision.
A couple of hours before the guests were due to arrive, Gennady began to get nervous.
“Lyudochka, are you sure you’ll make it in time? There’s little time, and you still haven’t prepared anything! They’ll all come hungry. They know how delicious your cooking is, and surely they’ll save their appetite,” he complained.
“Gena, instead of worrying, go pick up your parents. They won’t all fit in Dimka’s car. On the way, stop by the store, buy a cake. You mentioned tea with cake, and we don’t have one. After the store, pick up your parents and your sister with her family.”
“Alright, I’m off. But which cake should I buy?” Gennady asked.
“Choose for yourself. In this matter, you can show at least a bit of initiative!”
“Alright, I’m off. Just hurry with setting the table,” Gennady added, watching his wife as she pulled something out of a cupboard. “Your calm is unsettling me.”
“Don’t worry, everything will be just fine.”
As soon as her husband left, Lyudmila called her friend Alla. They had long agreed to meet outside the city for a skiing trip. The snow was still on the ground, and the weather delighted with sunshine and a light frost.
“Alla, I’m ready! Shall we go? The ski resort is waiting!” Lyudmila cheerfully announced into the phone.
Twenty minutes later, dressed in a ski suit and with a thermos of tea in hand, she waited for her friend at the entrance.
“Lyudochka, we’ve arrived—come meet the guests!” shouted Gennady as he opened the door.
But his call was met with silence.
“What’s going on? Did she run out to the store or something?” he wondered. “Come on in, get changed. I’ll find out what’s happening.”
The guests, laughing and chatting noisily, began undressing in the cramped entryway. Everyone was clearly anticipating a lavish feast.
“Oh, how hungry we are!” exclaimed Tatyana. “Kids, are you ready to try the delights from Aunt Lyuda?”
“Yes, yes!” the children cheered.
“Strange, where is the smell of food?” her mother-in-law wondered as she peeked into the kitchen. “Gena, what’s happening? This place is empty! The table isn’t set! What kind of stunt is this?”
“Empty? Really… I don’t understand anything… Let me call Lyudochka now. I’ll find out what happened. Maybe she ordered a restaurant delivery or something like that… That’s in vogue these days,” Gennady hurried after his mother.
“Well, a surprise is a surprise!” his mother-in-law remarked sarcastically.
“And where is Lyuda anyway? And what are we going to eat?” Tatyana asked as she followed the others into the kitchen.
“Lyuda, where are you?” Gennady shouted into the phone. “At the ski resort? Why? Are you skiing?” he explained, confused. “But what about the table? I can’t hear you, Lyuda!”
“What a mess! Thank your wife for that! She has put us all in a bind!” his mother-in-law fumed. “What sheer audacity! Invited us over and then disappeared somewhere!”
“And now what do we do?” Tatyana asked as she opened the refrigerator to find it empty.
“Lyuda said—have tea with cake. I bought a cake,” mumbled Gennady, lowering his eyes. “Would you like some?”
“Tea with cake?! She’s mocking us! Offering this instead of a festive table! We deliberately ate nothing today, preparing for a feast! The kids are hungry! Have you conspired with her to make fun of us?” Tatyana shouted in outrage.
“Enough of the noise. Maybe we should go to a cafe?” suggested Dmitry.
“A cafe? Are you rich or something? Do you know how much it will cost to feed all of us? Exactly!”
“Alright, I’ll figure something out if you don’t like the cake. Should I order pizza? Or sushi rolls?” Gennady asked hopefully.
“What sushi rolls? We need shashlik!” Dmitry interjected.
“Let’s have at least something. Our stomachs are already rumbling, and we’re out of energy. And let the father and Dimka run to the store. We need to celebrate March 8th. And you don’t even have any alcohol! That’s how you host guests! We’ll remember this holiday for a long time!” his mother-in-law continued to rail.
“You’ll remember it for a long time, without a doubt!” thought Lyudmila as she effortlessly glided on skis across the snowy plain.
She also decided that she wouldn’t return home until Gennady had cleaned up the apartment after his guests. That’s exactly what she would tell him when he called again.
