“Did you seriously think I’d agree to live with your mommy?” I sneered. “Pack your things and get out.”
“Did you seriously think I’d agree to live with your mother?” Lilia smirked, crossing her arms over her chest and pointedly nodding toward the three enormous plaid suitcases.
Sharp irritation and overwhelming exhaustion had finally driven out any last traces of understanding. For three days straight, Oleg had been walking around the house with a guilty look on his face, carefully avoiding her gaze and constantly sighing. And this evening, Lilia came home from work and found her mother-in-law sitting on her only sofa. Raisa Ilyinichna sat with unnaturally straight posture, her whole appearance suggesting she was ready to settle into her new domestic life.
“Lilia, have some conscience!” Oleg protested, stepping forward and trying to shield his mother with his broad shoulders. “We’ve run into unforeseen circumstances. A close relative has nowhere to go. We’re a family — we have to stick together and help each other in hard times.”
“Nowhere to go?” Lilia raised an eyebrow mockingly. She had no intention of giving in to her husband’s cheap manipulation. “And what suddenly happened to Raisa Ilyinichna’s spacious two-room apartment? Just last week, nobody was about to end up on the street.”
They both fell silent guiltily. Oleg rubbed the back of his neck nervously and lowered his eyes, suddenly becoming very interested in the pattern on the laminate floor. His mother pursed her thin lips in displeasure and turned toward the window. Their shared unwillingness to tell the truth only irritated Lilia even more.
“I’m waiting for a clear answer, Oleg,” Lilia said firmly, without moving from her spot. “You dragged your mother and all her bags into my one-room apartment. I have every right to know on what grounds my living space has suddenly turned into a free hostel.”
“Mom sold her property,” her husband finally forced out, still staring at the floor. “We wanted to improve our financial situation significantly. I found a very profitable investment scheme. They promised unbelievable returns in just a few days. I persuaded Mom to help me with the startup capital.”
“And where is that capital?” Lilia asked, already knowing the bitter answer. Oleg had always loved easy money, avoided hard work, and believed in fairy-tale opportunities.
“The partners turned out to be dishonest people,” Oleg’s voice broke into an aggressive tone. He tried to shift the blame onto others. “I was blatantly deceived! The money is gone, the contacts disappeared. We were left with nothing. So Mom will stay with us. We’ll put up a thick divider screen in the corner, and nobody will get in anyone’s way. It’ll be cramped, but no hard feelings.”
“Did you seriously think I’d agree to live with your mother?” Lilia scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest and pointedly nodding toward the three enormous plaid suitcases.
Sharp irritation and crushing exhaustion had completely driven out whatever scraps of understanding she had left. For three days straight, Oleg had been walking around the apartment with a guilty expression, carefully avoiding her gaze and constantly sighing. And that evening, Lilia came home from work to find her mother-in-law sitting on her only couch. Raisa Ilyinichna sat with unnaturally straight posture, her entire appearance radiating readiness to settle into a new way of life.
“Lilia, have a little conscience!” Oleg burst out, stepping forward and trying to shield his mother with his broad shoulders. “We’ve had unforeseen circumstances. A close relative has nowhere to go. We’re family — we’re supposed to stick together and help each other in difficult times.”
“Nowhere to go?” Lilia raised an eyebrow mockingly. She had no intention of giving in to her husband’s cheap manipulation. “And where did Raisa Ilyinichna’s spacious two-room apartment suddenly disappear to? Just last week, nobody was about to end up out on the street.”
Both of them fell silent, looking guilty. Oleg nervously rubbed the back of his neck and lowered his eyes, suddenly finding the pattern on the laminate floor fascinating. His mother pressed her thin lips together in displeasure and turned toward the window. Their shared unwillingness to tell the truth only irritated Lilia even more.
“I’m waiting for a clear answer, Oleg,” Lilia said firmly, without moving from where she stood. “You dragged your mother and all her bags into my one-room apartment. I have every right to know on what grounds my living space has suddenly turned into a free hostel.”
“Mom sold her property,” her husband finally forced out, still staring at the floor. “We wanted to significantly improve our financial situation. I found a very profitable investment scheme. They promised unbelievable returns in just a few days. I convinced Mom to help me with the starting capital.”
“And where is that capital?” Lilia asked, already knowing the bitter answer. Oleg had always loved easy money, avoided hard work, and believed in fairy-tale prospects.
“The partners turned out to be dishonest people,” Oleg’s voice broke into an aggressive tone. He tried to shift the blame onto others. “I was blatantly scammed! The money is gone, the contacts disappeared. We were left with nothing. So Mom will stay with us. We’ll put up a thick divider screen in the corner — no one will get in anyone’s way. It may be cramped, but no hard feelings.”
