The crystal glasses rang cheerfully, the guests were smiling, and Maria couldn’t take her eyes off her husband. Dmitry, now officially her husband, was beaming with happiness. The wedding was a great success — a cozy restaurant decorated with fresh flowers, beloved people around, and most importantly — they were together, no matter what.
“Here’s to the newlyweds!” the toastmaster proclaimed once again, and the guests raised their glasses in unison.
Everyone except Galina Petrovna. Dmitry’s mother sat opposite the newlyweds with a face as if she had swallowed a whole lemon. Her thin lips pressed into a tight line, her gaze throwing invisible daggers. Maria tried not to pay attention. Three years of being with Dima had accustomed her to his mother’s coldness.
“Marinochka, sunshine, I wish you happiness!” Dmitry’s aunt, Irina, hugged the bride. “Take care of each other.”
“Thank you, Irina Vladimirovna,” Maria smiled.
“What kind of Irina Vladimirovna? Ira! We’re family now!”
Galina Petrovna snorted so loudly several guests turned around.
“Is something wrong, Mom?” Dmitry asked.
“Everything is fine,” Galina said through gritted teeth. “A wonderful wedding. Economical.”
Maria felt Dima tense. His hand on her waist became firm.
“Mom, we discussed this.”
“Of course, we discussed! — Galina suddenly shouted, standing up. — We discussed a lot of things! But who listened to me?”
The room fell silent. The music kept playing, but conversations stopped. All eyes turned to the groom’s mother.
“Galya, sit down,” Irina said quietly. “Not now.”
“When then?” Galina’s voice trembled. “When my son is already drowning in debt because of this… this…”
“Mom!” Dmitry stood up.
“What ‘mom’? Don’t you think I don’t see? She chose you because you’re kind! Because you’re manageable! Because you have an apartment downtown!”
Maria felt a lump rise in her throat. Her cheeks burned with shame and hurt.
“Do you even know that her mother called me and asked what your income is?” Galina looked around at the shocked guests. “Straight up asking if Dima can support her precious daughter!”
“That’s not true!” Maria’s mother jumped up from her seat. “I never…”
“Why are you all sitting here smiling?” Galina didn’t listen. “This isn’t a wedding, it’s a farce! My son deserves better! Not this…”
A crystal glass shattered on the floor. A little girl, Dmitry’s niece, cried out frightened.
“Mom, stop right now!” Dmitry slammed his fist on the table, making the cutlery jump. “Enough!”
“I’ll stop when you finally see clearly! Look at her family — they’re just waiting for you to start supporting them!”
Maria’s father, usually calm and reasonable, slowly stood up.
“Galina Petrovna, I understand your worries about your son. But I won’t allow insults to my family.”
“What a bold statement!” Galina threw her hands up theatrically. “And who’s going to buy my son a new car? Or do you think I didn’t hear your talks with your wife?”
Maria felt tears welling up. The festive day she had dreamed of turned into a nightmare.
“Mommy, why are you like this,” Dmitry whispered quietly. “Why are you ruining everything?”
“I’m ruining it? I’m trying to save you!” Galina grabbed her handbag. “And you… you ungrateful! I raised you, didn’t sleep nights, did everything for you.”
Aunt Irina sharply stood and approached Galina.
“That’s enough, Galya, stop the drama. You’ve crossed the line.”
“And you too?” Galina turned to her. “Of course, everyone is against me!”
“No one is against you,” Dmitry said tiredly. “We just want to be happy.”
“With her?” Galina pointed at Maria. “She’ll nag you in a month! They all do!”
Maria couldn’t hold back. Years of suppressed emotions, trying to please, bending over backwards — it all burst out.
“You know what, Galina Petrovna?” Her voice was surprisingly firm. “I tolerated your barbs for three years. Tried to find a way to you. And do you know what I realized? You don’t want a daughter-in-law. You want property.”
The room fell completely silent. Even the music seemed to pause.
“Dima is not a thing,” Maria continued. “He’s an adult who made his choice. And if you really love him, you should respect that choice.”
“How dare you tell me what to do?” Galina turned red. “Who do you think you are?”
“She’s my wife, Mom,” Dmitry said firmly. “And if you can’t respect her, it’s better for you to leave.”
Galina looked at her son stunned, then glanced at the frozen guests.
“So that’s how it is? You choose her?”
“I choose us, Mom. Our family. And I really want you to be a part of it. But not under these conditions.”
Galina pressed her lips, abruptly turned, and headed for the exit. At the door, she looked back.
“You’ll remember my words,” she threw and left, slamming the door loudly.
The silence lasted what seemed like an eternity. Then Maria’s mother started crying, Irina approached and hugged her shoulders. Someone in the crowd awkwardly coughed.
“Sorry,” Dmitry addressed everyone. “I didn’t expect it to turn out like this.”
“Dima, it’s not your fault,” Maria squeezed his hand. “No one’s to blame.”
The toastmaster quickly took control:
“Now, dear guests, let’s dance! Musicians, play!”
Music erupted, but the festive mood was gone forever. Some guests went to the dance floor, others gathered in groups whispering, casting sympathetic glances at the newlyweds. Maria tried to smile but felt her heart tighten with hurt.
“Let’s go outside,” Dmitry whispered, and they quietly slipped onto the restaurant terrace.
The evening air cooled their burning cheeks. Maria took a deep breath.
“Forgive me,” Dmitry hugged her. “I should have foreseen this.”
“Stop. Can you ever predict something like this?”
“Yes. I know my mother.”
They looked at the city lights, embracing.
“What will happen now?” Maria asked.
“I don’t know. But I won’t let her interfere in our lives.”
The terrace door creaked, and Irina came out to them.
“How are you, guys?”
“Could be better,” Dmitry smiled crookedly.
“Listen,” Irina put her hands on their shoulders. “Galya… she’s a complicated person. When your father left, Dima, she was alone with a small child. She gave you her whole life.”
“That doesn’t justify…”
“Of course not,” Irina interrupted. “I’m not defending her. Just explaining. She’s scared, you see? Afraid of being completely alone.”
“And I’m not scared?” Dmitry’s voice trembled. “Not scared to choose between mother and wife?”
Maria flinched. For the first time, Dima spoke openly about his feelings.
“I’ll talk to her,” Irina said. “You go to the guests. It’s your day, don’t let it get ruined.”
When they returned to the hall, Maria’s father approached them.
“Kids, I wanted to say…” He hesitated. “My wife and I are very happy that you became part of the family, Dima. And we never… thought of you as a wallet.”
“I know, Sergey Ivanovich,” Dmitry nodded. “Don’t worry.”
“And also,” Maria’s father straightened his shoulders. “If you need any help — anytime — we are here. You’re not alone.”
Maria hugged her father, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Thank you, Dad.”
The evening continued. The guests gradually relaxed, and even the newlyweds forgot the scandal for a while. They danced, listened to congratulations, cut the cake. But something was broken inside, and Maria understood: this day would be remembered not only as the beginning of their family life but also as a moment of painful choice.
Later, in the car on the way home, Dmitry received a message from Irina: “Galya is home. I took her there. Don’t worry, rest. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
“What do you feel?” Maria asked, looking at her husband.
“Emptiness,” he didn’t lie. “And you?”
“Hurt. Disappointment. Fear.”
“Fear?”
“Yes. That it’s only just beginning.”
The three days after the wedding blurred into a fog. Dmitry didn’t call his mother, she was silent too. Maria saw how her husband was tormented by inner conflict but didn’t rush him.
On Wednesday evening, they were having dinner in the kitchen. Suddenly, Dima’s phone rang. He looked at the screen and froze.
“Mom,” he whispered.
Maria nodded and left the kitchen. She didn’t want to influence her husband’s decision by being present.
“Hello,” his voice came from the corridor. “Yes… No, everything’s fine…”
Maria turned on the water in the bathroom to not hear the conversation. When she returned, she saw Dmitry with a confused face.
“What happened?” she asked, sitting down next to him.
“Mom was crying,” he rubbed his eyes. “Says no one visits her. Aunt Ira ignores her, Uncle Kolya too. Everyone turned away from her.”
“And what did you say?”
“That I need to think.”
Maria hugged her husband. She didn’t know what to advise. On one hand, she felt sorry for her mother-in-law — loneliness is nobody’s wish. On the other — the image of the wedding scandal was still fresh.
“You know,” Dmitry suddenly said, “I never heard Mom ask for forgiveness. Not once in my life.”
“And now?”
“Now she did. Wants to meet. With both of us.”
Maria tensed. Meeting Galina Petrovna now seemed torture.
“What do you think?” Dmitry asked. “I’ll understand if you don’t want to go.”
“No,” Maria shook her head. “We have to. Otherwise, it’ll only get worse.”
They met at a café. Galina Petrovna looked worn out. Maria greeted her first.
“Thank you for coming,” the mother-in-law said.
They sat down. The waitress took their order and left. No one dared to start the conversation.
“I…” Galina and Dmitry spoke simultaneously, then both fell silent.
“Speak, Mom,” Dmitry nodded.
“I want to apologize,” Galina smoothed the napkin on the table. “To both of you. What I did at the wedding… it’s unforgivable.”
“Why, Mom?” Dmitry’s voice was full of pain. “Why did you do it?”
Galina lifted her tear-filled eyes.
“I was afraid of losing you,” her voice trembled. “That you would leave me. Forget me. And instead of letting you go with love, I ruined everything.”
“You won’t lose Dima,” Maria said. “He loves you.”
“And I tried so hard to push you away,” Galina bitterly smiled. “You know, these three days I thought a lot. About myself, my son, my life. And I realized a terrible thing — I turned motherly love into chains.”
“Mom…”
“No, let me finish,” Galina wiped a tear. “When your father left, I decided I wouldn’t let anyone hurt me again. I held onto you so tightly I almost strangled you. Forgive me. And you, Maria, forgive me. I treated you unfairly.”
Maria didn’t expect such honesty. She thought Galina would make excuses or even blame them. But the mother-in-law spoke like someone who truly realized her mistake.
“Galina Petrovna, I…”
“Galya,” interrupted her mother-in-law. “Just call me Galya. No patronymic. If you want, of course.”
“Galya,” the name sounded strange. “I also want to apologize. I saw how much you suffer but couldn’t find a way to you.”
“No, dear, it’s not your fault.”
Dmitry looked at both of them with amazement and hope.
“You know, Mom,” he said, “I was so afraid of this conversation. Thought it would only get worse.”
“And?”
“Much better,” he smiled. “I think we can start over. The three of us.”
“I would like that,” Galina looked at Maria uncertainly. “If you don’t mind.”
“Of course not,” Maria nodded. “Only one condition.”
“What?”
“Trust and respect. From both sides.”
“Agreed,” Galina reached across the table and Maria shook her hand.
They sat in the café for almost three hours. They talked about everything. The wedding, the future. Dmitry and Maria’s work. Galina told funny stories from her son’s childhood. Maria shared her fears and dreams.
When they said goodbye, Galina suddenly hugged her daughter-in-law.
“Thank you for not pushing me away,” she whispered. “Not everyone could do that.”
“We’re family,” Maria simply answered. “Families argue but then make up.”
On the way home, Dmitry tightly held Maria’s hand.
“Do you know what happened today?” he asked.
“What?”
“We became a real family. With all the problems, fights, and reconciliations.”
Maria smiled. Three days ago, she thought their marriage started with a disaster. Now she understood — it was just a test. And they passed it.
“By the way,” Dmitry stopped. “Mom asked if she could come to dinner on Sunday.”
“What did you say?”
“That we’ll think about it,” he looked at his wife. “So?”
“Tell her we’ll be waiting,” Maria smiled. “And that I’ll make her favorite apple pie.”
Dmitry raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“How do you know about apple pie?”
“Irina told me, back at the wedding. I remembered.”
Dmitry shook his head and laughed.
“That’s why I love you. You know how to forgive.”
“No,” Maria said seriously. “I just know the value of family. And I’m ready to fight for it.”
They walked on, holding hands, toward their new, complicated but real family life.