Alla Sergeyevna arrived at her daughter’s place at the crack of dawn. She was in such a rush that she forgot about calling and began pounding on the door with her fist:
– Lena! Open up! I’m telling you!
– Mom, what’s wrong? – a sleepy Lena looked at her mother with surprise. – Let me in, – Alla Sergeyevna literally pushed her daughter aside and confidently entered the apartment, – tell me, is it true?
– What exactly? – Lena knew her mother’s character and decided to speak as calmly as possible. – Well, is it true what Dasha and Masha told me?
– What did they tell you?
– Don’t pretend! The girls came to me in tears last night! Do you realize they’re in shock?!
– What are they shocked about?
– Lena! Enough! Is it true that you’re pregnant?
– It’s true.
– And you talk about it so calmly?
– And how should I? – Lena smiled.
– Are you kidding me? The girls are teenagers – they understand that this is abnormal!
– Abnormal? I’m married, after all. And, sorry, children happen. And the girls… They’re just a bit foolish, Mom. What can they understand when one is twelve and the other fourteen?
– Exactly! They’re practically grown up! Why did you even tell them?
– Why? They’re going to have a brother or sister, and I have to hide it?
– Hold on… Are you planning to give birth?
– Of course.
– Are you out of your mind? You’re almost forty!
– Mom, so what if I’m forty?
– What do you mean, “so what”?
– First of all, giving birth at this age is dangerous, secondly – why? Thirdly – I know for sure that your Vadik doesn’t want children. He’s said it a hundred times. He was happy that your girls were already older and you didn’t have to fuss with diapers.
– That’s for now… he just doesn’t know what having your own child means, – Lena smiled again, – he’ll hold the baby and eventually warm up…
– No, you are absolutely abnormal! Does he even know that you plan on making him the father?
– I haven’t told him yet. Unless Dasha and Masha…
– Perfect! And by the way, where is he? It’s morning and he’s not home…
– Vadik’s on the night shift. He’ll be back soon.
– Wonderful. Then we’ll discuss it.
– Discuss what, Mom? I’m not planning on discussing anything.
– Are you aware what your daughters have declared?
– They haven’t declared anything to me.
– Of course not! You didn’t even listen to them! Thank God they have a grandmother! So here’s the deal: they said that if you have the baby, they will leave home! Do you understand what that means?!
– They’re not going anywhere. They’re just expressing their protest for now. Time will pass, everything will be fine.
– And if not?!
– And if not, then I must have raised my daughters poorly.
– Yeah… Life isn’t teaching you anything…
– Don’t start, Mom…
– Why not? I thought that after your first divorce you’d become a bit wiser. Remember…
– I remember everything! – Lena suddenly exploded, not letting her mother finish, – you remind me of it so often! Yes, you helped me once. Thank you for that! Now I don’t need help; rather, I can help you. And about the baby… Understand, I can’t just get rid of it… It’s already alive… How can I? It’s just like Dasha or Masha… No… I can’t… and I don’t want to. Since it happened, let it be…
– And Vadik? What if he leaves you?!
– Then he’ll leave…
– And you’ll be left alone with three kids, struggling?
– Struggling? I earn well, I have an apartment. We’ll manage…
– Well, as you say! But I’m warning you one more time: don’t count on me! And in general: I hope nothing works out for you!
– What are you talking about now?
– I’m talking about the fact… you need to carry the baby, give birth… Anything can happen…
– Thank you, Mom. For the support, for the well wishes… Isn’t it time for you to go home? – Lena asked, barely holding back tears.
– Kicking me out?! – Alla Sergeyevna shrieked, – Kicking your own mother out?!
Lena said nothing. She got up and walked into another room, making it clear that she did not intend to continue the conversation.
Alla Sergeyevna left, slamming the door loudly. As she was leaving the building, she ran into her son-in-law. Seeing that his mother-in-law was in an uproar, he sympathetically asked:
– Alla Sergeyevna, did something happen? You look awful!
– Ask that of your wife! Let’s see what face you’ll have then!
Saying that, Alla Sergeyevna quickly walked away…
– Lena, what’s with my dear mother-in-law? – Vadim looked at his wife attentively, – she stormed out of the building like a fury…
– We had a fight…
– That’s new to me. For the first time, huh?
– She said something to me…
– Oh, come on, make up. Don’t worry. And are the girls still sleeping?
– They’re at their mom’s…
– I don’t get it. They’re with her, so she’s here. And you – you’re red in the face. What happened?
Lena remained silent. She had lived with Vadik for nearly ten years, but never before had she felt as insecure next to him as she did now.
She feared that the news she was about to tell her husband would destroy their marriage. After all, he had indeed said he didn’t want children. And now… When she was – almost forty, and he – forty-three. When no one had expected it, let alone planned it…
“Come what may,” Lena thought, and quietly, almost in a whisper, said:
– Vadik, I’m sorry…
– What’s wrong?! – her husband was already losing his patience.
– I’m pregnant…
– What?
– We’re going to have a baby, – Lena repeated, inwardly tensing, awaiting a scandal.
– A baby? With us? – Vadik was bewildered, – it can’t be… Are you sure?
– I’ve already registered with the clinic… So if you’re against it then…
– I’m against it?! What are you saying? – Vadik jumped up, scooped his wife into his arms, – I’m happy! If you’re not joking, of course…
– This isn’t a joke, – Lena couldn’t understand her husband’s behavior, – please put me down…
– Not a chance! – Vadik spun Lena around the room, – now I’ll carry you in my arms all the time!
– So, you’re happy?
– Of course! I’ve dreamed of this all my life!
– But you said you didn’t want children.
– And what was I supposed to say if it didn’t work out? So I came up with an excuse…
– Thank God, – Lena said as she pressed herself to her husband, and then bitterly remembered:
– And the girls are against it. And Mom too…
– Well, so be it. Don’t worry about it. From now on you need only positive emotions. Don’t fret. Everything will be fine. I’ll talk to them myself…
Lena gave birth to a son on time. He turned out to be a very delightful little boy! He walks around proudly, just like his dad Vadik, who is absolutely overjoyed. And rightly so – he became a father for the first time!
Dasha and Masha, who had said they wouldn’t even come near the baby, now wouldn’t take their eyes off him… And they call him nothing other than “Pashenka”…
And as for the grandmother – she doesn’t come… Something’s keeping her back…