— Denis… — Vika looked at her husband in bewilderment and extended some kind of stick to him.
— What is this? — Denis twirled the object in his hands, then examined it closely, noticing two stripes, and looked up at Vika. — Is this what I think it is?
She nodded.
— I’m pregnant, Den, — the girl nearly burst into tears.
— Damn, Vika, we agreed, — Denis, also bewildered, said, — not before we get on our feet and buy an apartment. It’s only been a year since the wedding! What were you thinking?
— In the end, I’m not solely to blame for this, — the wife declared hurtfully, — can you imagine, you were involved in this too!
— Alright, sorry, — Denis realized he’d lashed out at his wife unnecessarily. — Well, if it’s happened this way, we’ll have the baby.
— Really? And how will we live? — Vika’s heart lightened a bit. She was very afraid that her husband would force her to abort the unplanned child.
— Let’s tackle problems as they arise, — Denis embraced his wife, trying to calm her down. — Right now, the main thing is for the baby to be born healthy.
Vika’s pregnancy was difficult. She began suffering from toxicosis from the very first month. She barely left the bathroom, leaving behind the little that she could eat. She felt nauseous from morning until night. Neither pickled cucumbers nor lemons helped. In addition to the toxicosis, Vika started swelling. She couldn’t wear any shoes except for her slippers at home. Seeing her thick, sausage-like ankles horrified her, and she cried constantly.
To preserve the baby, Vika became a frequent patient in the gynecology ward, staying there from one to two weeks at a time. At work, they hinted that no one would take over her responsibilities, and she had to quit her job.
— Vika, — Denis, unsure of how to start the conversation after another discharge from the hospital, said, — listen, I’m now the sole breadwinner in the family. You understand that I can’t manage everything: paying for the apartment, your medicines, your special diet. And then, when the baby is born — imagine how much money will be needed.
— Then just say what you want to propose, — the wife couldn’t stand such a long introduction.
— Maybe we should move in with my parents? — Denis finally decided. — There you wouldn’t have to pay rent, and my mom will always help with the baby. My parents don’t mind. And I’ll keep working for now, earning money for our own place.
— Alright, — Vika agreed. She understood that it was hard for Denis to shoulder the entire financial burden alone.
Her in-laws welcomed the young couple warmly into their home.
— Vika, — declared Polina Ilyinichna, Vika’s mother-in-law, — you shouldn’t lift anything heavier than a spoon. We need a healthy grandson! Relax, get some fresh air, and eat well. I’ll take care of everything, mind you.
— Alright, Polina Ilyinichna, — Vika responded happily. And indeed, her mother-in-law did not allow the expectant mother to overexert herself. She always prepared something fresh for Vika. There were always fruits at home. She would personally take Vika out for walks and even accompany her to the hospital when it was time for another round of care.
When the time came, Vika gave birth to a healthy girl. The baby was absolutely adorable. They named her Sasha.
— Oh, my princess, — cooed her mother-in-law. She immediately assumed care of the baby, insisting that Vika needed to rest and recover after childbirth.
— You’ll still manage to nurse her, — Polina Ilyinichna told Vika while rocking the baby in her arms, — when you move out, everything will be yours.
Vika did not object. On one hand, her mother-in-law was a great help, and Vika recovered quickly after the birth.
— Polina Ilyinichna, I can already take care of Sasha myself, — Vika wanted to remove the baby from her mother-in-law’s room, but her mother-in-law stopped her:
— Vika, dear, you’d better go to the store and bring back some groceries. Your father works late, your husband works, and I’m watching Sasha. You have nothing to do. Take my card; I’ll write you a list.
Vika wasn’t pleased with this turn of events, but she had no choice. Dragging herself from the store like a workhorse, she longed for a little rest and some time to play with her daughter.
— Vika, dear, — her mother-in-law wouldn’t let her sit, — dinner needs to be prepared. The men will come home hungry from work, and the house will be a mess! You bought those groceries for a reason, not just for nothing.
Vika sighed and went to cook dinner for the whole family. And so it went: “Vika, wash the dishes — the men need to rest,” “Vika, the house is so dirty; it’s scary to let the baby play on the floor — you should mop the floors,” or “Vika, dear, why are you just sitting around? The laundry will dry out soon. You need to iron it while it’s still damp.” And Vika washed, scrubbed, did the laundry, and ironed. In short, she turned into an unpaid, powerless servant.
When she tried—not so much to complain to Denis, but just to share her feelings—he immediately cut her off:
— And what did you expect? You’re living on everything that’s already provided. You don’t work, you don’t bring money home, there’s no need to pay for the apartment. And your mother takes care of the daughter. You should at least do something around here!
Vika had no choice but to agree.
Sasha turned one when Vika decided to take care of herself. After all, getting a job was just around the corner. She needed to get herself in order.
— Denis, I could use a little money, — Vika stuttered to her husband one day.
— And for what? — Denis frowned. — You already have everything. What are you lacking?
— I wanted to go to the hairdresser, get a haircut. And also have a manicure. Because after all this housework, my hands look terrible. My nails look like those of a cleaning lady.
— No, Vika. I can cut your hair myself. I’ll borrow a trimmer from a friend at work; he even trims his poodle with it… — Denis began, but Vika interrupted him:
— Are you joking? Am I your poodle?
— You didn’t let me finish, — her husband shook his head. — He uses the same trimmer on all his family members, and you know, it turns out pretty well. And trimming your hair is even easier?!
— Maybe you can do my manicure too? — the wife replied sarcastically with a smirk. — Perhaps your friend has a dog nail trimmer? Why fuss over details? Give me the full dog grooming package.
— Vika, what are you doing?! I’m working hard for us, saving money. I’m working like crazy to earn us an apartment. There’s only a little left, — Denis said, hurt. Vika felt awkward—indeed, while her husband was working, she was at home. Well, it might go on with these nails and hair. But then, there will be our own apartment. It’s better to be the mistress of your own home, in your little apartment, than a cleaning lady in a huge one.
And finally, the jubilant husband burst into his parents’ apartment and shouted at the top of his lungs:
— Wife! Hooray! Dance! I bought us an apartment!
— Denis, is it true? — Vika slumped down. — Do I really have to manage a home by myself now? And do I have to take care of Sasha alone?! I thought I’d never get to this day!
— Of course it’s true! Who jokes about such things? — Denis held up a bunch of keys.
Overjoyed, Vika cleaned the apartment for the second time, washed the windows and mirrors in the entire house, and prepared dessert for dinner. She fluttered like a butterfly and was ready to clean three more apartments just as quickly.
— Wife, save some energy for your own place, — Denis laughed, watching Vika’s efforts.
— I still can’t believe it! I’d wash anything that comes my way just to move into my own apartment sooner.
— By the way, I registered the apartment in my mother’s name, — Denis stated to his wife, squinting his eyes.
— What? — Vika didn’t understand. She thought she had misheard. — What did you do?
— Well, I registered the apartment in my mother’s name, — Denis repeated more firmly. — I need to cover my bases somehow. I’ve been working like a dog to earn us an apartment, and you didn’t even receive any maternity benefits. What if we get divorced and you start claiming it?
— Denis, are you even listening to yourself? — Vika looked at him in horror, shocked. — We’ve just begun our life together, Sasha is growing up, and you’re already thinking about divorce? Divorce, division! And what about all the work I’ve done here? As a cleaner, cook, laundress, courier! Yes, I wasn’t paid for it, but that doesn’t mean I did nothing. And you know why I had to quit my job.
— Vika, you’re exaggerating, — Denis dismissed her.
Vika was in complete shock. She could not imagine ending up in such a situation. It was so bitter and unpleasant—even disgusting—to realize that her beloved husband was so selfish and cynical. How could he act so dishonorably towards her and their daughter!
Vika hoped that Denis would change his mind or say he was joking, but nothing of that sort happened.
— Mom, can Sasha and I stay with you for a little while? — Vika decided at one fine moment and called her mother. — I’ll tell you everything at home.
Vika’s parents didn’t object, especially since they rarely saw their granddaughter because of the overprotectiveness of her mother-in-law. After waiting until Denis’s place was empty, Vika gathered her things and her daughter’s things, called a taxi, and left without leaving even a note.
That evening, her mother-in-law and son cut off her phone, so much so that she had to disconnect it until morning. After telling her parents about her husband’s deed, Vika assured them that she wouldn’t be a burden and that she would get a job.
— Daughter, are you out of your mind? — Vika’s father frowned. — When have you ever been a burden to us? Live as long as you need. I’m retired, and so is your mother. What are we, two people for one child? Besides, the granddaughter is almost two — you can easily put her in kindergarten.
Vika was very grateful to her parents. While they took care of her granddaughter, Vika found a job, even better than her previous one. She enrolled Sasha in a kindergarten near her parents’ home. But first, she filed for divorce.
The judge tried to reconcile them, postponing the court session for a month twice. Denis also tried to win back his wife and daughter.
— Vika, don’t be foolish! This is my child too! And anyway, how do you expect to raise Sasha on your own? — Denis was convinced he had strong arguments.
— I’m not forbidding you from seeing your daughter, — Vika shrugged as they left the courtroom for the first time. — But I won’t return to you. Why would I want a husband who thinks about divorce and about how his own wife and child might cheat him? No, live in your apartment, or rather—in your mother’s. It would be great if she sold it and went off on a vacation somewhere by the sea. After all, it’s now her apartment!