Well, son? Have you and Milana made a decision?” asked Alla Mikhailovna as she made a shopping list for the New Year’s table.
“We will celebrate with you,” Roma replied. “Milana agreed.”
“Excellent. Then we won’t change our tradition. We’ll welcome the New Year with the whole family,” Alla Mikhailovna rejoiced.
“Are Yura and Lera coming too?”
“They promised. If you don’t mind, I’ll invite Aunt Anya. She complained that she has no one to celebrate with…”
“We don’t mind, of course,” Roman smiled. He was looking forward to the holiday, especially since this time his fiancée would be with him. Milana was visiting his future mother-in-law in exactly that capacity.
The young couple had been dating for just three months, but Roma was in love and immediately understood that his feelings were genuine. Therefore, he decided to propose quite quickly.
Alla Mikhailovna was not opposed, though she was surprised that her son had made the decision in such a short time.
“Maybe you should take more time to get to know each other?” she gently asked.
“There’s no better girl to be found. Milana is very beautiful, well-groomed, and feminine. She’s perfect!” when the son talked about his fiancée, his eyes lit up. Alla Mikhailovna thought that if Roma was so happy with her, then it should be as he wished. She hoped that the young beauty would find not only the shortest and easiest path to her son’s heart but also a more mature one—that of skillfully creating and maintaining a family hearth. At least that’s what happened with the older daughter-in-law, Lera.
She was young and knew almost nothing when she married Alla Mikhailovna’s older son, Yura. But her love and desire to make her husband happy, as well as her mother-in-law’s help, allowed Lera to master the challenging role of the perfect wife.
And Milana, in Alla Mikhailovna’s opinion, could eventually “evolve” into a better version of a woman, and her beauty would certainly not diminish.
Milana was not worried. She was confident that Roma’s relatives would like her. She specifically bought a silk dress that favorably emphasized her figure and a fancy set to surprise her fiancé after the official part of the banquet.
“Honey, I’m choosing shoes. I need to know what suit you’ll wear,” she asked.
“I won’t be in a suit. I’ll wear a warm sweater with deer and sports pants. We’re keeping it casual.”
“And how am I supposed to choose shoes?”
“What shoes? Just take slippers.”
Milana laughed. She thought Roma was joking and bought sandals that matched her dress best. The happy bride knew that her fiancé’s family was wealthy, owned an apartment in the center… and assumed they would be celebrating New Year’s with “oysters and black caviar.”
But when Roma picked her up on December 31 in a sports jacket and ski hat, Milana was surprised.
Roman was very surprised when Milana got into the car in a thin faux fur coat and heels.
“Why aren’t you wearing a hat?”
“I don’t want to ruin my hairstyle. And you look like you just came from the forest.”
“I’m not from the forest, I’m going to the forest.”
Milana laughed again. She knew Roman as a joker. He loved pranks and often joked with their mutual friends.
“Are you sure you don’t need something warmer? We’re staying overnight, you need some change of clothes?”
“You know I prefer to sleep without extra clothes,” Milana smiled seductively at Roman, and he, shrugging, drove on.
“It seems we’re leaving the center… did you want to stop somewhere?” Milana got anxious.
“Didn’t I say? My brother asked me to pick them and his wife up.”
“Oh… okay.”
Milana chatted while Roman drove. After about thirty minutes, they indeed met Yura and Lera. Roman helped load the bags. Unlike his younger brother, the older one had bought groceries, and his wife had prepared several salads for the festive table.
“How are you?” Yura asked.
“Great,” Roma smiled.
“Hello, Milana. Aren’t you dressed a bit lightly? They’re forecasting frosts…” Lera noted the future bride. In turn, Milana noted that Lera was prepared to celebrate New Year’s in ski pants and a hat.
“It seems after the wedding all women relax. No hairstyle, no makeup… and then they wonder why their husbands wander from such wives,” Milana thought. But she didn’t say it out loud.
“I decided to dress up. It’s New Year’s after all,” she replied. “Is Alla Mikhailovna’s house cold?”
“It’s warm. Mom said she adjusted the boiler.”
“Then there won’t be a problem.”
Milana remembered that she hadn’t posted a photo on social media and focused on her phone for a while. When she looked up and saw the window, she noticed that the car was leaving the usual road.
“Are we picking someone else up?” she frowned.
“No…”
“Then where are you taking us?! We’ve been driving for a long time…”
“That’s right. It’s about a 2-hour drive,” Roman showed the navigator’s screen to Milana, and she gasped.
“I don’t understand… aren’t we going to your mother’s?”
“To her, yes.”
“Her apartment was in the center. Or am I missing something?”
“Milan, we’re celebrating New Year’s outside the city. In our house. Roman, you didn’t tell your girlfriend?” Yura whistled.
“I told you…” Roman was confused.
“No,” Milana insisted.
“Perhaps you misunderstood.”
“Of course, I always misunderstand everything.” Milana was irritated. “And where is this house of yours?”
“In the pine forest. It’s a beautiful place, I told you.”
“That’s why you all dressed so strangely?”
“Milan, don’t be offended, but in this case, you’re the one dressed strangely. We dressed for the weather,” Yura replied, but Roman looked at him and he fell silent.
“Don’t worry, it’s a good, warm, and cozy house,” Lera reassured her.
“We wanted to celebrate New Year’s in the family circle,” Roma took her hand.
“I understand, but you should have warned me.”
“Alright, sorry,” Roman found it easier to admit his “guilt” rather than argue with Milana. He distinctly remembered telling her about the family tradition, the beautiful forest, and the skates they usually skated on right on the lake at the house. It seemed to him that Milana was listening, but, most likely, the girl was busy with her phone at that moment. Milana often daydreamed, and it seemed that her main task during the day was to take as many pictures as possible and share them on social media.
And now, Milana was making the millionth frame of her face. She liked to photograph herself in Roman’s foreign car interior.
“Alright, if the house is warm and I can walk around in heels, then I agree. For you, Roman,” Milana smiled again at her fiancé and came to herself.
They drove in silence for the rest of the journey.
Alla Mikhailovna was already waiting for her sons.
“I’ll grab the shovel,” said Yura. They usually cleared the garden paths together so it was comfortable to walk. But this time Milana didn’t let Roma go.
“What will I do without you?! Let’s go inside.”
“Maybe mom needs help…” Roma hinted, but Milana didn’t get the hint. Unlike Lera, who immediately went to the kitchen, Milana grabbed Roma and made him photograph the bride in all “locations.” At the fireplace, the decorated tree, and even the old chair.
“It’s not great, of course… but it’ll do.”
“You don’t like it here?” Roman was upset.
“I just didn’t think a wealthy family would have such a modest cottage.”
“Firstly, we’re not that wealthy,” Roman chuckled, “and secondly, this house was built by dad. We deliberately don’t change anything here. The furniture is chosen with love. New furniture wouldn’t have as much soul.”
Milana shrugged. The house was solid, but it didn’t look like a cottage from a picture, which disappointed the girl.
She took a few more pictures and decided to post them on social media, but she discovered that her mobile internet wasn’t working.
“Do you have Wi-Fi?”
“There was a strong storm last week, and there was an accident. The village has only recently restored power, but there’s no network,” Lera said as she ran by.
“Is this a joke?! How am I supposed to post anything?”
“Remember our conversation about spending more time in the real world? I even called it ‘digital detox,'” Roman tried to reassure his fiancée, but Milana was beside herself.
“Not only did you bring me to this wilderness, but you also left me without a connection!”
“Rom, mom is asking for help with the slicing,” Lera ran back and said.
“Alright, now…” he glanced at Milana.
“I’m not doing anything! I have fresh manicure,” Milana raised her hand, stopping Roman.
“Alright, just sit next to me. I’ll help mom.”
They went to the kitchen, and Milana made a contented face for a while. She didn’t want to ruin her image. She sat in a chair and beautifully fluttered her eyelashes while the other ladies prepared treats. Soon everything was ready.
“And now we’re going to freshen up. You take care of the table decoration. Can you lay the tablecloth?” Alla Mikhailovna asked Milana.
“I don’t know…”
“I’ll help,” Roma didn’t leave his fiancée. He laid out the tablecloth, arranged the plates, and set the glasses…
“Don’t you have martini glasses?”
“Um…” Roman hesitated.
“The glasses are in the drawer. Did you bring the drink?”
Roman shook his head. He had completely forgotten that Milana was selective about drinks.
“What? You mean there’s nothing to pour?” Milana looked at her fiancé displeased. “And pineapple juice?! Just don’t tell me you didn’t bring that either?”
“We brought orange, cherry, and tomato juice. We chose to our taste,” Lera replied.
“And what am I supposed to drink in that case?”
“Rom, maybe there’s something in the store?”
“Our little shop at 9:00 PM on December 31st is definitely closed.”
“Go and check!” Milana insisted. Roman had to run to the other end of the village, but of course, it was closed.
In the end, he returned empty-handed. Milana could no longer contain her displeasure.
“Let’s go to a normal store. I don’t want to sit at the table with an empty glass! Not only do they have mayonnaise salads here, but I can’t even have a drink!”
“Dear, the nearest big store is only a thirty-minute drive away. The road is snowed in; we might not make it back in time for the celebration.”
“I’m not having any celebration anyway! I was expecting something entirely different! We were supposed to celebrate downtown, and then go to a club!”
“We decided we’d go to the club on the night from the first to the second.”
“On the first night!” Milana argued.
“Guys, don’t fight. It’s New Year’s. It only happens once a year. Clubs are always open,” Yura tried to persuade Milana, but she wouldn’t listen.
“In the city, there are fireworks, a party, music… and what’s here? A blue light on TV?”
“We have sparklers. We don’t buy fireworks after dad’s death.”
“Take me to the city,” she finally snapped.
“Where?!” Roman asked again.
“To the city. I’ve changed my mind about celebrating New Year’s here.”
Milana put on her fur coat and went outside, expecting Roman to follow her. But the young man didn’t move.
In the end, Milana froze and was forced to return.
“What happened? Why aren’t you at the table?” Alla Mikhailovna frowned. She expected a friendly holiday atmosphere in the living room. But only Yura was sitting at the table. Lera had gone for salads, and Roma was looking out the window, arms crossed. “What’s going on?!”
“In this wilderness, you can’t even call a taxi! Roman! Do something!” Milana said, focused on her anger and not hearing her potential mother-in-law’s question.
“I can share the internet. I have a good connection. Roma, please, call Milana a taxi. And if you want, you can go with her,” said Alla Mikhailovna.
“No, mom. I’ll stay. I won’t break the tradition.” Roma said.
“And what about me?! Are old stupid traditions more important than me?!”
“It’s easier to find another girl than to change family traditions,” Roma said. He actually called a taxi and right at the stroke of midnight, he sent Milana out the door.
They never spoke again. The next year, Roman brought another, more accommodating girl, whom he soon married.