— Where do you think you’re going? We can manage without sour cream!” the mother-in-law tried to stop her.
“Come on, I’ll be back in fifteen minutes on my bike!” Dasha was already rolling her iron horse out onto the porch. “Who eats borscht without sour cream anyway?”
Anna Vasilyevna smiled, shaking her head after her daughter-in-law.
“She’s a lively one, always has been! Eh, lucky you, Egorka.”
“Yeah, something like that…” replied her son.
Dasha and Egor had gotten married a few years ago. It all happened very quickly, but even Egor’s mother hadn’t been against it. She liked Dasha immediately. Bright and energetic, she instantly filled their lives with events and emotions.
“Let’s go boating this weekend, yeah?” Dasha suggested to Egor.
“Go ahead, have fun,” Anna Vasilyevna nodded.
“No! You don’t understand, you’re coming too!” Dasha insisted. “There’s no reason to just sit at home! Once you have grandchildren, you’ll sit plenty.”
Dasha smiled slyly and winked at Egor, who shrugged.
Actually, Egor was used to steering conversations about children onto other topics. Dasha understood he wasn’t ready yet and gave him time, trying to hint without pushing too hard.
But the clock was ticking, and the thought kept returning to her again and again.
Strangely enough, Dasha had formed quite warm relations with her mother-in-law, Anna Vasilyevna. She consulted with her and gladly spent free time with her.
Sometimes Egor would come home from work, and they would be sitting in the kitchen, having tea, laughing.
This time, the couple went to Anna Vasilyevna’s dacha. Dasha loved their dacha. It was always very beautiful there. Fruit trees, flowers, alpine rock gardens — everything pleased the eye.
And Dasha loved cooking with her mother-in-law. Right on the property, you could find a decent amount of russula mushrooms and immediately fry them with potatoes.
Or pick fresh beets and cabbage and cook borscht, generously garnished with sour cream and young green onions.
But when the dish was ready, it turned out there was no sour cream in the fridge, and Dasha volunteered to run to the local village store for some.
“All right, don’t start eating without me, I’ll be back in a flash!” Dasha shouted as she left.
“Come on in, son, I’ll grate some salo for the borscht,” Anna Vasilyevna called, “The neighbor gave it to me. So tender, it melts in your mouth.”
When they returned to the kitchen and Anna Vasilyevna brought out the salo, Egor blurted out:
“Mom, I need to talk to you.”
“I can see you’ve been out of sorts all day. What happened?”
“The thing is, there’s a part of my life I’ve been hiding from Dasha. It’s very hard for me to live with it.”
“What is it? Does she know about it?”
“No, Mom. I’ve hidden it from everyone. But I can’t live like this anymore. You see, Dasha keeps asking why we don’t buy an apartment.”
“Yeah, it’s strange to me too that you’re still renting. I even offered help with paying off the debt,” the mother said surprised.
“And she talks more and more about having children.”
“Well, what’s strange about that? Of course, it’s time for you to have kids. You two make such a beautiful couple.”
“I already have children,” Egor said quietly.
“What?! What are you saying, son?”
“More precisely, one child. A girl.”
“Why don’t I know about this?”
“It was an accident. I went on a business trip. In the evening, I went to a local bar, met a girl… well, you understand the rest.” Egor clasped his head in his hands.
“And then what? Why didn’t you marry her?”
“It was a one-time thing, we’re completely different people! But later she called me and said she was pregnant. She doesn’t want anything from me, but she’s going to have the baby, and I have to support the child. The girl is already almost three years old.”
“So this happened while you were with Dasha?!” Anna Vasilyevna sank into a chair with a towel in her hands.
“Yes, Mom. While I was with Dasha. Damn it.”
“And she doesn’t know?”
“Of course not! Am I my own enemy or what? But I transfer part of my salary to her every month. And Dasha doesn’t even know what my real salary is.”
“Well, look at that…”
Dasha had been standing in the hallway all this time, covering her mouth with her hands. She came home right away because she forgot her phone, and her bank card was in its case. When she entered the hallway, she heard Egor say her name and became curious. After that, she couldn’t tear herself away.
Dasha didn’t know how to react to the news. At first, she wanted to storm into the kitchen and slap Egor across the face. Then she realized that scandal and hysteria wouldn’t fix the situation.
But what to do? Because of her husband’s carelessness, they now had neither children nor an apartment… Until the child of his one-night stand reaches adulthood, they won’t be able to buy a place. Only if they both change jobs to better-paying ones. But right now, during the crisis, that’s impossible.
Besides the material concerns, Dasha was simply hurt to tears that this whole story happened after their marriage.
If it had been before her, she would have taken it more easily. Who hasn’t made mistakes? Everyone does. She’s human too and would understand everything. But the fact that he got involved with another woman after the wedding… Dasha decided it was her own fault. Otherwise, Egor wouldn’t have sought entertainment on the side. But gradually, the hurt and anger gave way to cold calm. Dasha quietly left the hallway and carefully closed the door behind her.
“Here I am!” Dasha got off her bike. A bag with sour cream hung on the handlebar. “I got two jars just in case and some bread too,” she handed the bag to her mother-in-law.
Anna Vasilyevna looked carefully into her eyes.
“What? Did something happen?” the daughter-in-law asked.
“I saw your bike. You know everything, my girl?”
The smile instantly disappeared from Dasha’s face. She wanted to cry but held back with all her might.
“Yes. I know.”
“And what did you decide to do?”
“I don’t know…” Then she burst into tears and laid her head on her mother-in-law’s shoulder.
“Shh, shh. Not yet. He doesn’t need to know now…” Anna Vasilyevna soothed her.
“Know what?” Egor came out onto the porch.
“That Dasha spent all the money on the card and now didn’t have enough for bread.” Anna Vasilyevna pressed the black bag to her stomach.
“Well, what can you do? Girls will be girls,” Egor smiled.
“No, Anna Vasilyevna, I won’t lie. I overheard your conversation, Egor,” Dasha said seriously.
“What?!”
“Yes, I know about your child.”
There was a pause. Neither Egor, nor Anna Vasilyevna, nor Dasha knew what to say next.
Dasha broke the silence first.
“Listen. I’ve had time to come to terms with and think over the situation. I believe you should try to build a relationship with the mother of your child. You didn’t just get a cat — you had a human! So you have to share responsibility for that.”
While Dasha spoke, Anna Vasilyevna felt proud of her. She had made such a wise decision that it made her feel even more ashamed of her son’s behavior.
“And we have nothing in common. We have nothing to share, so just go in peace,” the daughter-in-law finished.
“Dasha, why so harsh?” Egor tried to intervene.
“It’s already decided. I’m leaving you. And about the child’s mother — that’s just my advice. Do as you see fit.”
“You can stay with me until you get settled!” Anna Vasilyevna offered.
“I’d be glad to if you don’t mind.” Dasha agreed immediately.
Six months passed.
Egor managed to create a family with the mother of his daughter. Maybe it wasn’t great love, but for the child’s sake, they tried to be good parents, and they succeeded. Over time, respect grew between them, and even some affection.
Dasha, living at Anna Vasilyevna’s place, met her neighbor in the stairwell. Soon they started a relationship. Although the young programmer rented an apartment in their building, he earned well, and soon Dasha moved in with him, happy to stay close to her former mother-in-law.
And Anna Vasilyevna was just glad that all her children and granddaughter were doing well.