Irina was standing by the stove, stirring borscht, when the phone rang. She didn’t even bother to answer—it was obvious who was calling. Her mother always managed to call at the worst possible moment, as if she had a radar for when her daughter was busy or tired.
“Hello, Irochka!” came the familiar voice as the answering machine picked up. “Why aren’t you answering? I’m worried about you! Listen, Zoya Petrovna just told me something…”
Irina turned off the stove and sighed heavily. Her son’s wedding was tomorrow, and her mother was coming up with something again. In thirty years of marriage to her late husband, Anna Ivanovna had never learned to keep quiet, and ever since he passed away, she was even more outspoken.
“Mom, what happened?” Irina asked as she picked up the phone, trying to keep her voice calm.
“Ira, can you imagine, your daughter-in-law… What’s her name again, Svetka…”
“It’s Sveta, Mom. Her name is Sveta.”
“What’s the difference! Anyway, turns out she was married before! She has a child from her first marriage! Zoya Petrovna saw her in the store with some little boy—they were buying candy, and she called him her son!”
Irina felt the ground slip from under her feet. Not because she learned something shocking about her future daughter-in-law—she had known for a long time about Sveta’s son Maksim. It was just the thought of what was about to unfold.
“Mom, I know about Maksim. Sveta is twenty-eight; she has every right to her own life.”
“You know?! And you didn’t say anything?!” her mother’s voice rose to a squeak. “What if Andryusha doesn’t know? How can you deceive the groom like this? I’m calling him right now!”
“Mom, don’t you dare!” Irina said sharply. “Andrey knows everything. They’ve lived together for six months—of course, he knows about the child.”
“They live together?” Anna Ivanovna gasped. “Irina! How could you let that happen? What kind of example are you setting? What will people say?”
Irina closed her eyes. Here we go again. Her mother had a talent for ruining any family event with her ‘discoveries’ and lectures. When Andrey got into college, she told everyone it was only because of connections, even though he was a straight-A student. When he graduated with honors, she complained to the neighbors that he spent too much time studying and wasn’t thinking about starting a family.
“Mom, can we not do this today, please? The wedding is tomorrow and I’m trying to get ready…”
“Exactly!” Anna Ivanovna wouldn’t stop. “The wedding! And you’re silent, like a partisan! Ira, I’ll be embarrassed in front of the guests! What do I say when they find out the truth?”
“The truth about what, Mom? That Sveta has a son? She’s not hiding him.”
“Then why didn’t I see him at the bachelorette party?”
“Because the bachelorette party is for adults, and Maksim is only five. He was with his grandma.”
Irina remembered that bachelorette party well. She had organized it herself, invited Sveta’s friends, and set the table. Her mother spent the entire evening criticizing the food, asking the guests about their private lives, and even managed to get into an argument with Sveta’s mother about which flowers to order for the wedding.
Her mother had ruined everything again
“Ira, what if this little boy ruins the celebration? Kids are unpredictable! What if he cries during the ceremony? Or worse—what if he calls Andrey ‘dad’ in front of everyone!”
“Mom, Maksim is a well-mannered boy. And besides, he will be at the wedding—this is non-negotiable.”
“At the wedding?” her mother shrieked. “Ira, think about what you’re doing! People will whisper, they’ll count the months between the wedding and the child’s birth! Do you want to embarrass our family?”
Irina stepped away from the stove and sat down at the table, exhausted. She was so tired of her mother’s constant complaints and worries. Ever since her father’s death, Anna Ivanovna seemed determined to make up for years of silence—now she had an opinion on everything, and she demanded that everyone listen.
“Mom, listen to me carefully. Tomorrow is my son’s wedding. He’s marrying a girl he loves. She has a child from a previous relationship. Andrey has accepted that child as his own. This whole situation is perfectly normal and modern. If you can’t understand that…”
“What? Are you kicking me out of the celebration? Your very own mother?”
“I’m just asking you to behave properly and not ruin the kids’ special day.”
“How dare you!” Anna Ivanovna’s voice trembled with outrage. “I poured my whole life into you! I nursed your father when he was sick, raised you, looked after your grandson while you worked! And now I’m unwanted!”
Irina remembered how, after Andrey was born, her mother really did help her. But every bit of help came with endless lectures. “You’re feeding him wrong,” “you’re swaddling him wrong,” “you’re putting him to bed wrong.” Her husband used to joke that they had two mothers-in-law in their house—his own and Anna Ivanovna.
“Mom, you’re not unwanted. We need you. But you have to understand—times have changed. What seemed unacceptable thirty years ago is completely normal now.”
“Nothing has changed!” her mother snapped. “Decency is still decency! And you’ve just lost all sense of it. You let your son live in sin, and now you’re bringing someone else’s child into the family!”
“Maksim isn’t someone else’s. He will be my grandson.”
“Grandson?” Anna Ivanovna said the word like Irina had announced she was adopting an alien. “He already has a real grandfather! What, are you planning to replace him?”
“Mom, a child can have lots of people who love him. That’s only a good thing.”
“Ira, you’ve lost your mind!” her mother exploded. “Tomorrow I’m going to tell everyone the truth! Let them all see what our family has become!”
Irina felt a chill inside. Her mother was definitely capable of that. At her niece’s wedding, she’d told everyone the groom was really a loader at the warehouse, not a manager as he claimed. At a neighbor’s birthday party, she’d loudly announced that the hostess dyed her gray hair. And when Andrey was defending his thesis, she had even asked his advisor in front of everyone whether her grandson had plagiarized.
“If you say a single word against Sveta or Maksim, I’ll stop talking to you,” Irina said quietly but firmly.
“Threatening your own mother now?” Anna Ivanovna’s voice turned sly. “Fine. So that girl’s already made you take her side against me. I see how it is. She’s just afraid I’ll tell people the truth about her past.”
“What truth, mom? That she’s divorced? Or that she’s raising a child? There’s nothing shameful about that.”
— But what if she’s still hiding something? What if she’s in debt? Or even worse…
— Mom, enough! — Irina stood up and began pacing the kitchen. — You don’t know Sveta. She’s a good girl, hardworking, and she loves Andrei. And Maxim is a smart, well-mannered boy.
— How would you know? You barely even speak to them!
That wasn’t true. Irina often saw her son with his fiancée, Sveta would come to her for wedding advice, and Maxim already called her Grandma Ira. But she never told her own mother any of this—she knew she’d just find yet another reason to complain.
— Mom, I’m tired of this talk. I have a house full of guests coming tomorrow and I need to get ready.
— Of course you’re tired! Tired of your own mother! But that… what’s her name… Svetka doesn’t tire you out, huh!
— Her name is Sveta, — Irina replied patiently. — And yes, she doesn’t tire me, because she doesn’t criticize my every move.
— But you criticize me! Your own mother! — Anna Ivanovna sobbed. — Fine, I won’t go to your wedding! Go enjoy yourselves with your new family!
— Mom, please don’t make a scene. Come tomorrow, behave yourself, and everything will be fine.
— What if I can’t keep quiet? What if someone asks me about… about Sveta?
— Just say she’s a good girl and you’re happy that Andrei picked her.
— So you want me to lie?
— Try to get to know her before you judge.
After her mother hung up, Irina sat at the table for a long time. Her borscht had gone cold, and all she could think about was tomorrow. Andrei was happy, Sveta was glowing with joy, and little Maxim was excitedly telling everyone that he’d soon have a new dad. And yet her mother threatened to ruin everything again.
The phone rang. Irina jumped—could her mother have changed her mind and decided to continue the argument? But her son’s name appeared on the screen.
— Hi Mom! How are you? Are you nervous?
— A little, — Irina admitted. — What about you?
— I’m doing great! Sveta looks absolutely gorgeous in her dress! We just got back from the seamstress, it was the final fitting. Mom, is Grandma coming tomorrow?
Irina paused. How could she explain to her son that his grandma thought he was making a mistake?
— She’ll be there, of course.
— Awesome! She hasn’t really gotten to know Maxim yet, they’ll get to spend some time together tomorrow. He’s such a cool kid, Mom! Yesterday we played soccer, and he’s already pretty good with the ball.
— Andrei, are you worried at all that Sveta has a child?
— Why would I be? — her son replied, surprised. — Mom, I’m not a teenager. I’m thirty years old. Of course I understand that a woman my age might have a past. Besides, I get an instant family! And Max has accepted me, that’s what matters most.
— But what if people talk?
— What people? Mom, what are you getting at? — Andrei’s voice grew wary. — Did Grandma say something?
Irina realized she’d gone too far. Her son shouldn’t know about her mother’s criticism on the eve of his wedding.
— No, I’m just thinking about everything at once. I’m just nervous.
— Mom, everything’s going to be perfect! Tomorrow is the happiest day of my life. I’ll have a wife I adore, and a son I’ve always wished for. What else could I want?
After talking with her son, Irina felt much better. Andrey was a grown man now, and he had chosen his own path in life. It was her place to support him, not to dampen the celebration with motherly worries.
On the morning of the wedding, Irina was up by six o’clock. She had to make salads, decorate the house, and get ready to welcome the guests. At half past six, her mother called.
“Ira, what should I wear? The only decent dress I have is that old blue one.”
“Mom, you have that beautiful burgundy dress.”
“Oh, that one? Isn’t it too fancy? People will think I’m showing off.”
“It’s a wedding, Mom. You can be as fancy as you want.”
“Alright. Did you order the flowers?”
“I did. White roses and lilies.”
“Why not red ones? Red flowers look more festive!”
Irina took a deep breath. The day had only just begun, and her mother had already found her first reason to complain.
“Sveta wanted white. It’s her wedding day, Mom.”
“Right, it’s hers. So I guess we’re just regular guests then.”
At one o’clock, the guests started to arrive. The first to come were Sveta’s parents—modest, cultured people. Sveta’s mother, Elena Vasilievna, brought a homemade cake and apologized for not helping with the preparations as she’d worked late the evening before.
“Oh, don’t worry at all! I made everything myself, I enjoy it,” Irina assured her.
“Sveta told me how welcoming you are,” Elena Vasilievna smiled. “Maksim absolutely adores you. Yesterday he couldn’t stop talking about how you made dumplings together.”
Irina recalled that day. Andrey had brought Sveta and her son over to visit, and while the young couple went shopping, Irina stayed with the boy. Maksim turned out to be a curious and affectionate child. They made lunch together, he helped set the table, and told her all about his friends at kindergarten.
“And where are the bride and groom?” Sveta’s father asked.
“They’ll be here soon. They’re at the registry office right now.”
At two o’clock, a car pulled up with the newlyweds. Andrey looked dashing in his new suit, while Sveta was stunning in her white dress. Standing beside them was Maksim, wearing a tiny suit and holding a bouquet of flowers.
“Grandma Ira!” the boy shouted, running up to Irina. “Look at my tie! Just like Papa Andrey’s!”
“It’s very handsome,” Irina smiled, giving the boy a big hug.
At that moment, Anna Ivanovna stepped out of the house. She was dressed up and had her hair done, but her face looked displeased.
“Congratulations, Andrey,” she said stiffly. “Sveta… um, congratulations to you too.”
“Thank you, Grandma!” Sveta walked over and kissed her mother-in-law on the cheek. “And this is Maksim. Maksim, meet Grandma Anya.”
The boy politely offered his hand, but Anna Ivanovna only nodded in response.
“Maksim, did you know you have a new dad now?” she asked loudly.
“I know!” the boy replied cheerfully. “Papa Andrey is going to teach me to play hockey!”
“And where is your real dad?”
An awkward silence fell. Sveta turned pale, and Andrey frowned.
“Mom,” Irina said quietly.
“What? I’m just asking!”
“My dad lives far away,” Maksim said calmly. “But Papa Andrey lives with us. He reads me books and puts on cartoons for me.”
“I see,” Anna Ivanovna said coldly.
The rest of the day was tense. Anna Ivanovna didn’t join in the group conversations, kept criticizing everything, and very clearly ignored Maxim. When the boy accidentally spilled his juice, she loudly commented that children just get in the way at adult celebrations.
By the evening, Irina felt completely drained. Sveta tried to hide her disappointment, but it was obvious her mother’s behavior hurt her. Andrey made several attempts to talk to his grandmother, but she only replied with short answers.
After the guests left, Anna Ivanovna helped clear the table.
“So, are you happy now?” she asked her daughter.
“Happy about what?”
“The wedding. Everything went the way you wanted.”
“Yes, Mom. The kids are happy.”
“The kids…” Anna Ivanovna put the plates in the sink. “Ira, have you thought about what will happen when they have their own kids? How will this… Maxim… treat them? He’ll get jealous.”
“Mom, how do you know that?”
“I know life! Someone else’s child always stays someone else’s. Things might seem fine now, but problems will start later.”
Irina silently washed the dishes. She was too tired to explain, too tired to argue.
“You know what, Mom? Maybe you could just give them a chance? Try getting to know Sveta and Maxim before judging them?”
“Why should I get to know them? They’re not really our family.”
“What do you mean they’re not? Andrey married Sveta. Maxim is his son now. That makes him our grandson.”
“Adopted grandson,” her mother corrected.
“Grandson,” Irina replied firmly. “And if you can’t accept that, maybe it’s best if we see each other less often.”
Anna Ivanovna pouted with hurt feelings.
“Fine. So I’m not wanted. I get it.”
She left the room, slamming the door loudly. Irina was left alone in the kitchen with a pile of dirty dishes and a heavy feeling in her chest. Once again, her mother had ruined everything. Instead of feeling happy for her son, she was left with a sour taste from her mother’s behavior.
The next day, Andrey called.
“Mom, how are you? We didn’t really get a chance to talk yesterday.”
“I’m fine, sweetheart. How’s the honeymoon?”
“We’re still at home for now. We’ll go on vacation in a week. Mom, what was up with Grandma yesterday? She seemed a bit odd.”
Irina didn’t know what to say.
“She’s just worried. She’s adjusting to all the changes.”
“Does she not accept Sveta?”
“Give her time, Andrey. Grandma is old-fashioned, it’s hard for her to understand modern relationships.”
“Mom, I don’t want Grandma to cause problems in our family. Sveta was upset last night, even though she tried not to show it.”
“I’ll talk to her.”
“Thanks. And also… Maxim was asking why Grandma Anya wouldn’t talk to him. He just wants everyone to love him.”
After talking with her son, Irina thought for a long time. Then she made up her mind and called her mother.
“Mom, we need to talk.”
“About what?”
“About family. About what matters and what doesn’t.”
“Ira, I’m tired of your lectures.”
“And I’m tired of your behavior. Mom, you ruined the kids’ celebration yesterday.”
“I didn’t ruin anything! I just wasn’t pretending or acting fake!”
“You hurt a small child. He did nothing wrong.”
“So am I supposed to adopt him?”
“You’re supposed to act like a decent person. Mom, Maxim is five. He doesn’t understand your attitude. To him, it just feels like cruelty.”
A long pause.
“I’m not cruel,” Anna Ivanovna said softly. “I’m just afraid.”
“What are you afraid of?”
“That I’ll be replaced. That I won’t be needed anymore. They have a new family now, new relatives…”
Irina understood. Her mother was afraid of losing her only grandson, afraid that other people would take her place.
“Mom, no one can ever replace you. You’re Andrei’s grandma, and that’s forever. But you can also become a grandma to Maksim. A child can never have too many people who love them.”
“But what if he doesn’t accept me?”
“Just try. Kids are so open-hearted. Maksim is a good boy, he’ll be happy to have your attention.”
“I don’t know… I feel awkward after what happened yesterday.”
“Mom, it’s never too late to correct a mistake.”
A week later, Anna Ivanovna called herself.
“Ira, can I come visit Andrei? I baked a pie…”
“Of course, Mom. They’ll be happy to see you.”
“And… will Maksim be home?”
“Yes, he’ll be home.”
“Alright. I’ll come by after lunch.”
That evening, a happy Andrei called Irina.
“Mom, you won’t believe it! Grandma came over with pie and toys for Maks! They played checkers together all evening! Now he calls her Grandma Anya!”
“Really?”
“Yes! Sveta was almost in tears from happiness. And Grandma said Maksim is a very smart and well-mannered boy.”
Irina smiled. For once, her mother hadn’t ruined things, but actually made them better.