“Galina, try to be more tactful. And please show some respect to my husband and me. Just because you no longer live with our son doesn’t mean you should stop communicating with us.”
“Oh, really? Is that what you think?” Galya asked ironically, because this phone call was bringing her no joy at all.
“Yes. Vitaly Olegovich and I miss our grandchildren very much,” her former mother-in-law continued.
She had called Galina early in the morning, just as she used to do when Galina and Maxim were still living together. Her mother-in-law had always had this strange habit of solving every problem first thing in the morning. She herself had suffered from insomnia for years, and she never took into account how the person on the other end of the line might feel about being disturbed so early.
At that moment, it was terribly inconvenient for Galina to talk. She was getting the children ready for kindergarten and school. But she could not simply hang up.
The thing was, her former mother-in-law, Alla Nikolaevna, had always treated her well. Even after Galina and Maxim divorced, she continued to stay in touch and help her former daughter-in-law and the grandchildren.
“I am not refusing to let you see the children, Alla Nikolaevna. It’s just that right now there’s absolutely no time. Maybe during the school holidays we can come visit you,” Galina replied.
“The holidays are good, of course. We’d like to take Masha and Vitya to our place for a week. But Vitaly Olegovich and I need to meet with you sooner. You don’t mind if we come over ourselves, do you? Tomorrow is Saturday, after all, so you’ll be at home. And we finally have some free time too.”
Galina had her own plans for the next day. She was going to take the children to her parents, who also missed their grandchildren. As for herself, she had planned to meet a friend she had not seen in more than a year. Although they lived in the same city, different responsibilities and daily worries had kept them from getting together. And Galina, who had divorced her husband only a few months earlier and was still suffering emotionally because of it, desperately needed that meeting.
“All right, come over then. But only in the first half of the day, so I don’t have to cancel my plans,” the former daughter-in-law answered politely, remembering her mother’s favorite saying, which she often repeated to her:
“Don’t forget, daughter, a gentle calf drinks milk from two cows.”
After the divorce, her in-laws had taken her side and helped financially with the grandchildren. They had not supported Maxim’s decision to fly off to another country, where he had been invited as a talented programmer.
He had asked his wife and children to go with him. But Galina had flatly refused, saying that she had no intention of leaving her country. More than that, she would not even leave her hometown, where her family lived, where she herself had been born, and where her children had been born.
Maxim had always been ambitious. He had studied a lot to become an advanced and in-demand IT specialist. He had sent his résumé everywhere he possibly could. And one day, a miracle happened: he was invited to work in another country and offered very decent money for his skills.
Shortly before Maxim’s departure, he and Galina filed for divorce. She considered his leaving a betrayal. Then, by chance, she found out that her husband was not leaving alone, but with a young and bold woman with whom he had been having an affair for a long time.
Galina took the separation very hard. She had loved Maxim, and she had given birth to their children out of love, believing that feeling to be mutual.
Her in-laws promised that they would not abandon their former daughter-in-law or the children. And so far, at least, they had kept that promise.
Alla Nikolaevna helped her with small sums of money for clothes and other things the children needed, which was very useful for Galina.
Galya had filed for child support. But so far, she had not received a single ruble from her ex-husband. And she had no idea how things would go in that regard in the future.
Alla Nikolaevna and Vitaly Olegovich arrived at nine in the morning, not even allowing Galina and the children to sleep in on a weekend. She had to get up to welcome the guests.
“And what have I brought for our grandchildren? What little presents are waiting for them?” the mother-in-law said in a sweet voice when she saw Masha and Vitya. “Come on, come hug your grandmother and grandfather, my darlings!”
The children joyfully ran toward Maxim’s parents. They were genuinely happy to see them, because their grandmother always brought them treats.
Although Galina did not share her son and daughter’s excitement, she still smiled politely. She understood that sooner or later, the connection between her and her former husband’s parents would weaken and break off. And she also did not know how her children would behave when they grew older and learned about their father’s betrayal.
“Come to the kitchen. I’ll make you some tea. There isn’t anything else yet, we were sleeping,” she invited the guests.
“No, Galina, don’t trouble yourself. We had a proper breakfast already. You know, it’s a very good habit to get up early, with the first rays of the sun, do a little exercise, then take a refreshing shower and eat a healthy breakfast. So we’re full,” her former mother-in-law replied with a smile.
“Well, that’s good,” Galina said, relieved.
She did not want to fuss around the kitchen unnecessarily. She and the children never had breakfast this early on weekends.
“Vitaly and I will spend a little time with the grandchildren now, and then we’ll talk to you. We have a very serious matter to discuss with you, Galochka,” Alla Nikolaevna said strangely, glancing at her husband.
“Yes,” he confirmed, nodding firmly.
“What on earth is this about?” Galina wondered to herself, but she did not show it.
Never before had her in-laws started any serious conversations with her. On the contrary, they had tried to communicate as if nothing had happened, as if there had been no divorce at all. They rarely mentioned their son in her presence and never shared any details about his life abroad. Galina was very grateful to them for that.
But if she had known at that moment what they had come to discuss, she would have thrown both her father-in-law and mother-in-law out before letting them step beyond the hallway.
About half an hour later, Alla Nikolaevna came up to her former daughter-in-law, who was in the kitchen.
“Galina, where can we talk? It would be better if the children didn’t hear this conversation.”
“We can talk here. They’re going to sit in front of the TV now and watch their favorite cartoons anyway.”
The guests settled down in the small kitchen. The hostess still had to pour them tea, and with it she put out a small bowl of cherry jam and some cookies.
“Galina, don’t take this the wrong way, and please try to understand us. Tell us, your father and me, what is going on in your personal life? Have you already found yourself a man?” Alla Nikolaevna began with a serious expression.
“What?” Galya was taken aback. “Don’t you think I shouldn’t have to discuss such things with you? Why are you suddenly asking me questions like that?”
“Don’t be offended. We are not asking out of idle curiosity,” her former mother-in-law said, glancing at her husband for support. “It is important for us to know whether you are planning to marry again. Because if you are, then everything changes fundamentally.”
“What exactly changes? And what does my personal life have to do with anything?” Galina could not restrain herself and reacted too emotionally to her mother-in-law’s question. The pain caused by Maxim, who had betrayed her and the children, was still too fresh.
“Try to understand us correctly. Your father and I are only worried about the interests of our grandchildren. Maxim is their biological father, but he is not here now, and as a parent he cannot protect their interests…”
“Protect them from whom? What are you talking about?” Galina interrupted loudly.
“We don’t know how your chosen man will treat the children. It is still unknown whether they will get along, whether the children will accept him. Conflicts like that are quite common in new families…”
“There is no chosen man! Unlike your dishonorable son, I cannot replace him that quickly. My soul is not like that, and neither is my conscience!” the daughter-in-law said with hurt in her voice.
“Why are you getting so worked up, Galya? In this situation, your father and I are also victims, you could say. And who knows when we’ll get to see our own son again!”
“Let’s not talk about him. I don’t even want to hear it. What do you want from me?” Galina interrupted her guest.
“Yes. Now let’s get to the main point. This apartment where you are now living with the children was bought during the marriage. Your parents and my husband and I all contributed to its purchase. You must admit that Maxim acted according to his conscience. He did not try to divide it, pursuing only one goal: that his children would not suffer. And that eventually this living space would pass to them as their inheritance. I don’t want to look so far ahead, of course, but still…”
“I still don’t understand what you’re getting at,” Galina said in confusion. “Can you be more specific?”
“If you marry a second time, anything could happen to this apartment! Galina, I understand perfectly well that your new husband would not be able to claim it legally. But!” Alla Nikolaevna demonstratively raised one finger. “When a person is in love, she is blinded, and her brain hardly works. And something irreparable could happen…”
“Oh, really? Now this is getting interesting,” Galina said with a strange smile.
“You may fall for the tricks of a beloved man and sell this apartment, then buy a new one and already include your new husband among the owners.”
“Don’t you think you’re talking nonsense? The law protects children’s rights, first of all. And secondly, premarital property can never become the property of a spouse,” the daughter-in-law answered confidently.
“Yes, that is all true. But lately there have been many cases of fraud and deception. And marriage scammers are especially cunning when they want to get what they’re after. You know, they often manage to pull off such schemes,” the father-in-law joined the conversation at that point. “Galina, you simply don’t know what these people are capable of.”
“So you specifically studied this issue?” she asked, surprised again.
“Don’t be ironic! This is no joke. You don’t want to leave your children without a roof over their heads, do you?” Alla Nikolaevna asked dramatically.
“No, I don’t. You’re right about that.”
“Well then! Exactly. Vitaly Olegovich and I are offering you a very reliable solution. A way to preserve this apartment for your children.”
“And what would that be?”
“Since I have already left the apartment where my husband and I live to my older granddaughter from my daughter in my will, and Vitaly has no property of his own, we are suggesting the safest option: transfer this apartment to him as a gift,” her mother-in-law announced, fully convinced of her own righteousness.
“I don’t understand. What did you say?” Galya even shook her head, as if trying to clear away some hallucination. “What exactly are you proposing?”
“You sign a deed of gift transferring the apartment to your children’s grandfather, and then Vitaly Olegovich will write a will leaving it to them. It will come into effect only when our grandchildren become adults. That way, no one will be able to deprive them of their rightful living space.”
“What kind of nonsense is this? Have you lost your minds? I am not going to do that!” Galya shouted. “How did you even come up with something like this? I am not a fool, and I understand perfectly well that tomorrow you could forget about us completely. Especially if I suddenly decide to marry again. Offering me something like that means either you have no brains at all, or you think I am a complete idiot. No. This will never happen. And don’t ever suggest anything like this again if you still want to communicate with my children.”
“How are you speaking to us, Galya?” the mother-in-law exclaimed indignantly. “Do you really think we are capable of deceiving you? This is beyond my understanding. We are on your side. We are only trying to do what is best for you.”
“That’s it. This matter is closed. Forget it. I am not transferring the apartment to anyone. And by the way, I am not planning to get married either. One betrayal in my life was enough. I’ve had more than enough!”
“You should think first before giving in to your emotions. We’re offering you a good option,” her father-in-law decided to support his wife.
“What I don’t understand is why you need our apartment in your old age, Vitaly Olegovich. What, have you taken an example from your son and decided to run away from your wife too? I always considered you a wise and decent man. Apparently, I was mistaken,” Galina said bitterly, tired of this strange and pointless conversation.
“You insolent woman!” her former mother-in-law snapped in anger.
The guests left empty-handed that time. But they brought up the same subject with Galina more than once afterward. Each time, however, with no result.
Gradually, their meetings with the grandchildren became less frequent. A couple of years later, they forgot about them entirely, just as their former daughter-in-law had expected.
Two children were born in their son’s new marriage, and the former in-laws shifted their attention to the new grandchildren, deciding that Galina’s children were no longer worth maintaining a relationship with.