— Listen to me carefully: this apartment must be registered only in our names! Do you understand, you loafer? Only then will you be able to keep your stubborn wife under control and prevent her from getting out of your grasp!” the mother-in-law grumbled irritably.
Not long before that…
“— Oh, it’s so cold! It seems winter is almost here,” Kristina shrugged.
I should have at least thrown on a jacket, instead of stepping out onto the balcony in my home clothes. But never mind, I’ll quickly hang up the laundry and return to warmth, she thought.
However, when Kristina finished and opened the balcony door to go back into the room, her husband’s voice stopped her. Pavel, who by all rights should have been at work, was at home.
Her sudden presence at home turned out to be merely accidental as well. A call from Natalia reached Kristina just as she was about to leave the house:
“— They’ve finally decided! We’re so tired of having to remind the management about this issue. Otherwise, soon those creatures will completely occupy the office. In short, today everyone’s off. Stay home.”
Kristina happily received the news. Work had been piling up, and even on weekends she couldn’t get everything done. She wanted to spend the day doing something for herself instead of only cooking, doing laundry, and cleaning.
When she heard Pavel’s voice, she was taken aback.
“Could it be that they’re poisoning insects too?” a thought flashed through her mind.
“— Mom, are you serious? How do you even imagine that? Kristina isn’t stupid enough to agree to such a thing!” Pavel exclaimed loudly.
“How interesting… What is he whispering about with his mother? I’ll wait a bit and listen!” Kristina decided, covering the balcony door.
“— That’s a great idea!” continued Pavel. “I even support it. If everything works out, it will be just wonderful!”
He took off his jacket, carefully hung it in the closet, and headed toward the kitchen. Kristina watched him through the closed door and curtains.
“I can hardly hear… I’ll step out quietly and get closer. If he really is hungry, he’ll stay in the kitchen for a while,” she decided.
Cautiously, like a mouse, Kristina left the balcony without making a sound, closed the door, and silently slipped toward the kitchen.
Fortunately, Pavel had enabled speakerphone since his hands were busy.
He turned on the kettle, took out some sausage and cheese, cut them into large pieces, and generously spread mayonnaise on a baguette.
“— Pavlik, are you even listening to me? What on earth are you doing? We need to solve the issue before your wife comes back,” grumbled Antonina Petrovna over the phone.
“— Yes, I hear you, Mom. I just decided to have a snack.”
“— My goodness, I’m talking about important matters and you’re eating! When will it end? Have you found buyers for Kristina’s apartment?”
“— Yes, we have. The deal will close in a week. They’re having some money troubles,” Pavel replied calmly.
“— The sale of Kristina’s apartment is just the first step. Then you have to find buyers for this one, and after that, you’ll purchase a new, big apartment. But you still haven’t figured out how to convince your wife!” Antonina Petrovna protested.
“— I’ll manage, Mom, don’t worry. We need to sell both apartments first, then buy a new one. This isn’t done in one day. There’s still plenty of time. It’s too early to panic,” replied Pavel, chewing his sandwich.
“— It’s a whole strategy, you might say a political game that needs to start right now. Gradually lead her to the idea that it is her decision. Come up with arguments, convince her that your plan is the right one. She will never agree if you tell her everything at once!” the mother-in-law continued scolding.
“— What do you mean ‘she won’t agree’? Why? We’re a family, and the apartment will remain in the family anyway,” Pavel wondered.
“— Because you’re the only one so naive. Everyone else is cunning and calculating. Your Kristina isn’t as simple as she appears. I see people through and through!”
“Well, she does have a point. I really am not simple. And now I’ll understand what she’s planning,” thought Kristina.
Eight years of marriage. Seven for the daughter. She had inherited a one-room apartment from her parents, where they lived for the first two years until they bought that two-bedroom on credit. She used to rent out the one-room apartment, and the money went toward paying off the loans.
Later, as her daughter grew up, the one-room apartment began to cause more problems than income—repairs, broken furniture. The couple decided it was time to expand. And Pavel had long been hinting at having a second child.
“— Can we really leave Rita alone? Without a sister or a brother. I feel sorry for her. I grew up in a large family; there were three of us. And you didn’t grow up alone either. Why should we deprive our daughter of that joy? It’s a support for life.”
Kristina herself wanted a second child but was hesitant. After deciding to sell both apartments and buy one spacious apartment, she began to dream of having a son.
“What is this cunning woman planning?” Kristina whispered quietly.
“— I’ll try to convince her,” Pavel replied confidently. “But if she resists, it’s no big deal.”
“— No big deal? You don’t understand what this will lead to! Kristina will leave you and claim two-thirds of the new apartment. After all, money from the sale of the inherited apartment will have been invested in it.”
“— And where did you get that idea that she’d leave me?” Pavel asked, surprised, pausing his chewing.
He set his sandwich aside and glared at the phone in an offended manner.
“— Facts! Only facts, son! First of all, you’re lazy and too easily manipulated. No arguing!” continued Antonina Petrovna upon hearing her son’s objections. “Secondly, she said that your marriage is on the rocks. Why isn’t she having a second child? Rita is already seven, yet she has no plans to—” the mother-in-law insisted.
“When did I ever tell her that?” Kristina wondered.
“— You think she’s going to leave me?” Pavel asked. “It seems to me that you’re mistaken, Mom. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have agreed to the sales and purchases. And we did talk about the child. She’s not against it. We’re young; we still have time!”
“— She might say whatever she wants! But the facts speak for themselves. Don’t argue! A mother knows best. Your new apartment should be registered in equal shares between you and me. I will never betray you. I am your mother. And she might— I’ve lived longer and I know life. Women are cunning. Today she says she loves you, and tomorrow you’ll be a divorced man with no home.”
“— Aha, so that’s it. Our apartments give you no peace. How come—Pavel and Kristina have two, and Lyovushka has none!” Kristina whispered. “— Isn’t it that the mother-in-law wants to transfer her share to the younger son? Cunning! She planned everything. I wonder what arguments Pavel will use to convince me of such nonsense? You can only persuade me if I lose my mind!” Kristina thought.
She decided to act proactively.
In the evening, calling her mother-in-law, Kristina thwarted her plans.
“— Hello, Antonina Petrovna! How are you? Is everything alright? I’m glad. I wanted to let you know: we are selling my apartment. Buyers have already been found. Happy? I am too. And our two-bedroom as well. My colleague is buying it—she liked the apartment. Yes, quickly, we’re all in shock!”
“— And have you already found one for the new apartment?” Antonina Petrovna asked hesitantly, clearly not expecting such news.
“— Of course! We found one that suits us. We’ll finalize the purchase this week. As soon as the money is transferred, we’ll sign the contract.”
“— That fast?” the tone in Antonina Petrovna’s voice betrayed her emotions and disappointment.
“— Yes, everything turned out so well!” Kristina continued joyfully. “Do you want to know in whose name we’ll register the new apartment?”
“— Yes, I’m interested. Did you discuss it with Pavel? What did he say?”
“— Nothing. I didn’t ask him. If he doesn’t agree, I’ll kick him out. After all, our marriage is falling apart! You know, I already told you about that.”
“— Kristina, what are you…?”
“— Wait, I’m not finished,” the daughter-in-law interrupted. “I want to surprise you. I’ll register the apartment solely in my name. Because I have more shares than Pavel. You do understand. The parental apartment, half of our two-bedroom. And he agreed!”
“— What do you mean, ‘he agreed’?!” Antonina Petrovna was stunned. “— Pavel?”
“— Yes, he did! I convinced him that it was the right thing to do. We have a daughter; we must think about her. And a second child might be born. What if my husband cheats—and then you wouldn’t even say his name. And we, the women, would be left with nothing. Instead, everything is perfect. Pavel will be with us, knowing that the apartment is mine, and he’ll live in it as long as I want.”
After finishing the conversation, Kristina turned off the phone with relief, delightfully imagining how her mother-in-law would digest this “wonderful” piece of news.
Let her now ponder over this “wonderful” turn of events!
That will be fair and serve as retribution!