Yana hurriedly walked down the stairs, skipping steps. The day had started completely normally – the morning hustle, getting ready for work, a kiss from her husband. Only when she reached the door did she remember the forgotten wallet. “Always in a rush!” she thought as she returned to the apartment. The key turned silently in the lock.
In the hallway, Yana froze. Muffled voices were coming from the bedroom – her husband and mother-in-law.
“Back again, so early in the morning,” a frustrated thought flashed through her mind. But the next phrase made her blood run cold.
– Son, you can see it yourself – she doesn’t love you. She uses you like a wallet! And the girl… – her mother-in-law lowered her voice to a whisper, – I’m sure she’s not yours.
Yana leaned against the wall, feeling her legs go weak. Her heart pounded in her throat. She waited for her husband to be outraged, to defend her and their daughter… But instead, she heard only an uncertain:
– Mom, stop…
– What do you mean “stop”? I’m a mother, I can see! Look at the little one – not a single feature of yours! And her character – she’s a perfect copy of her mother. Stubborn, willful…
Yana couldn’t listen any longer. She tiptoed to the front door and quietly closed it. Then she slammed it loudly and called out:
– Darling, I forgot my wallet!
The bedroom immediately fell silent. When Yana entered, the scene was almost idyllic: her mother-in-law “had just dropped by” to visit her son, and he was supposedly getting ready for work.
– Oh, Yanochka! – chirped Ludmila Petrovna. – I just came to check how you are…
“Fine,” Yana thought, forcing a smile. “I’ll give you a paternity test. One that will be more than enough.”
The day at work dragged on endlessly. Yana sat at her computer, mechanically replying to emails, but her thoughts were far away. The morning scene replayed in her mind, her mother-in-law’s sly voice still echoed in her ears. “Twenty years together,” Yana thought, “and she still won’t let it go.”
At lunch, she locked herself in the bathroom and burst into tears. Not from sorrow – but from anger.
She remembered giving birth to Mashenka, how her husband held her hand, how he cried when he saw their daughter. And now what? Letting his mother plant doubts?
– No, – Yana whispered, looking at her reflection in the mirror. – I won’t give up that easily.
That evening, she intentionally stayed late at work. She waited until her mother-in-law left – she always came after six to “visit her granddaughter.” At home, Yana was unusually silent. Her husband cast worried glances at her but didn’t dare speak.
– Are you tired? – he finally asked.
– A little, – Yana replied. – You know, I was thinking… maybe we should renovate the kids’ room? Mashenka is growing, she needs more space for studying.
– Now’s not the best time for spending, – her husband began, but fell silent under her gaze.
– Yes, of course. Your mother is right – I only think about how to spend your money.
He turned pale.
– What do you mean?
– Nothing, darling. Absolutely nothing.
At night, when her husband had fallen asleep, Yana took out an old box of documents. It contained everything: their marriage certificate, their daughter’s birth certificate, medical records… And there it was – the paternity acknowledgment with his own signature.
“We’ll see,” she thought, photographing the document. “Who will outplay whom?”
The next day, Yana took a day off. She visited the notary, had copies of documents notarized, and then went to the bank. The account statement showed all her contributions to the family budget over the past five years. Quite substantial contributions, it must be said.
That evening, she called her mother-in-law.
– Ludmila Petrovna, come over for dinner tomorrow. We need to discuss something. As a family.
The next day, Yana prepared for dinner as though it were a decisive battle. She made her mother-in-law’s favorite borscht – let her choke on it. She baked an apple pie – a special recipe that her mother-in-law could never replicate. She set the table with the formal dinnerware – a wedding gift from Ludmila Petrovna.
Mashenka hovered nearby, helping to set the table.
– Mom, why is grandma coming today? It’s not her birthday.
– Sometimes, sweetie, adults need to talk.
– Are you going to fight again? – her daughter sighed.
Yana hugged her.
– No, darling. We’re just going to put all the cards on the table.
At six in the evening, the doorbell rang. Her mother-in-law arrived in full regalia – in a new suit and with a superior smile on her face.
– Yanochka, it smells wonderful! – she chirped, heading for the kitchen. – I hope it’s not store-bought ready meals? You’re always so busy…
– What do you mean, Mom, it’s all homemade. Just like you taught me.
Her husband was the last to arrive. He looked tense, as though he sensed something was wrong. Yana noticed his hand tremble as he poured himself some water.
– Daughter, – she turned to Mashenka, – go play in your room. We really need to have an adult conversation.
When the door to the room closed behind her daughter, Yana took out the folder of documents and placed it in front of her. Her mother-in-law instantly tensed up.
– What’s this? – she asked in an overly cheery tone.
– Oh, this? Just some papers. You know, Ludmila Petrovna, I’ve been thinking – you’re right. Let’s really settle the question of paternity.
– What do you mean by “settle”? – her mother-in-law paled but quickly composed herself. – I’ve always said you should get a test…
Yana slowly opened the folder.
– Why would we need a test, Ludmila Petrovna? We have something far more interesting.
She pulled out the first document – the notarized copy of the paternity acknowledgment.
– Here, – Yana pointed to the signature, – your son personally recognized Mashenka as his daughter. In the hospital, on the very first day. Without any coercion.
– That doesn’t mean anything! – her mother-in-law flared up. – He was young, confused…
– Mom, – her husband suddenly spoke up. – Stop.
– What do you mean “stop”? I’m trying to open your eyes! This woman…
– This woman, – he interrupted, – is my wife. And the mother of my child.
Yana pulled out the next document.
– And here’s a bank statement. Every month, I contribute just as much to the family as your son. So, you can stop with the talk of me “living off you.”
Her mother-in-law turned red.
– How dare you! I…
– No, how dare YOU! – Yana finally unleashed her anger. – For twenty years you’ve been trying to tear our family apart. For twenty years you’ve sown doubts, manipulated, lied!
– Son, do you hear how she’s speaking to me?
– I hear, Mom. And I agree with every word.
A heavy silence hung in the room. Her mother-in-law looked at her son as if she were seeing him for the first time.
– You… you’re betraying your own mother? – her voice trembled with indignation.
– No, Mom. I’m stopping betraying my family.
He stood up and walked over to Yana, placing his hand on her shoulder.
– I should have done this a long time ago. I’m sorry, Yana.
Ludmila Petrovna jumped up from her chair.
– So that’s how it is? She’s turned you against me! She…
– Enough! – his voice was unexpectedly firm. – You’re the one who tried to turn me against my wife and daughter. You’ve poisoned our relationship with your insinuations and suspicions. And I… I was too weak to stop you.
– How could you… – her mother-in-law began, but stopped when she saw the look on his face.
– I can and I must. Leave, Mom. And until you learn to respect my family, it’s better if we don’t see each other.
At that moment, the door to the children’s room creaked open, and Mashenka peeked out. Her eyes were full of tears.
– Dad, are you really never going to talk to grandma again?
Yana felt her heart tighten. Despite all the flaws in her mother-in-law, her daughter loved her grandmother.
– Come here, sweetheart, – she called her daughter. – Grandma’s just a little tired. She needs time to think about her behavior.
Ludmila Petrovna slowly sank back into her chair. For the first time in all these years, Yana saw the mask of superiority slip from her mother-in-law’s face, revealing confusion and fear.
– Mashenka, darling, – she mumbled, extending her arms to her granddaughter.
The little girl walked up to her grandmother and hugged her.
– Don’t cry, grandma. Everything will be fine, really?
Yana exchanged glances with her husband. In his eyes, she saw the same thought: maybe not everything is lost?
– Mom, – he said gently, – we don’t want to sever our relationship. We want to change it. Do you understand?
Her mother-in-law held her granddaughter close and said nothing. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
– Ludmila Petrovna, – Yana stepped closer, – let’s start over. For Mashenka’s sake. For all our sakes.
– I… – her mother-in-law faltered. – I was just afraid of losing my son. When you got married, I thought…
– You didn’t lose him, – Yana interrupted. – You gained a daughter and a granddaughter. If only you allowed yourself to see that.
Silence fell over the room again, but this time it was different – not hostile, but thoughtful.
– Maybe… – her mother-in-law wiped her eyes. – Maybe we should try having dinner? The borscht smells wonderful.
Yana smiled.
– Of course. Mashenka, help Mommy set the table.
Six months later.
Yana stood by the window, watching Ludmila Petrovna teach Mashenka how to make pies in the summer kitchen. Her mother-in-law was enthusiastically explaining something, and her granddaughter was carefully copying her movements.
– Admiring? – her husband hugged her from behind.
– Who would have thought things would change like this? – Yana smiled.
Indeed, the changes were striking. After that memorable evening, her mother-in-law seemed to have been reborn. It wasn’t easy at first – old habits reared their head. But she tried, really tried.
Now she called before visiting. She asked her daughter-in-law’s advice on gifts for her granddaughter. She even made an appointment with a psychologist to work through her feelings.
– You know, – her husband said, – I’m proud of you. You could have just cut ties, but you gave her a chance.
– I did it for all of us. And especially for Mashenka.
Laughter echoed outside the window – grandma and granddaughter had gotten flour all over themselves and were now laughing as they dusted each other off.
– Mom, Dad! – Mashenka called. – Come out! Grandma’s going to teach us how to make special pies!
Yana exchanged glances with her husband.
– Shall we go?
– Of course, – he smiled. – Now we’re a real family.
As they walked outside, Yana thought that sometimes you just need to gather the courage to speak the truth. And then, even the most difficult relationships can be fixed.