Olga glanced sideways at her husband, who was carefully carrying a large box with a laptop. Maksim literally glowed with happiness. A smile hadn’t left his face since they left the shopping center. The man kept adjusting the bow on the package as if it were a precious jewel.
“Can you imagine how happy mom will be?” the husband said enthusiastically for the umpteenth time as he took out the apartment keys. “She’s wanted to learn how to use the internet for a long time. And here’s such a gift!”
The woman stayed silent, pressing her lips together. Inside, she was boiling with resentment, but she held herself together with all her strength.
Back in the store, when Maksim confidently headed straight for the most expensive model, she tried to stop him. But no way! He didn’t even listen to her arguments that a simple model would be enough for a beginner.
In the elevator, Maksim kept enthusiastically sharing his plans:
“We’ll download social networks for her, teach her how to use them. Imagine how great that will be? She’ll be able to communicate with her sister in Novosibirsk. And see photos of her grandchildren…”
“Your mom doesn’t have grandchildren,” Olga said dryly.
“Not yet,” the man winked, “but someday she will!”
When the couple entered the apartment, the wife decided not to stay silent and said everything she thought:
“Maksim, please explain to me why your mom needs a 150,000-ruble laptop? Are you out of your mind? She can barely use a smartphone! Remember how long it took you to set up her phone? Three hours of struggling!”
“She’ll learn,” the man replied carelessly, taking off his shoes. “Mom has long dreamed of mastering the computer. Now she’ll be on social media, chatting with friends. Maybe she’ll even start a blog!”
“Wonderful!” Olga threw up her hands. “So, to have your mom ‘on social media’ and running a blog at 55, we threw away a hundred and fifty thousand? When we could have bought a simple laptop for about fifty thousand? Do you even understand how crazy this is?”
The man frowned, and his cheerful mood slightly dimmed:
“I want to give mom a good gift. It’s her anniversary after all — 55 years. It’s an important date. And why are you always so negative about my ideas?”
“Because your ideas hit our budget!” his wife exploded. “Maybe enough wasting our savings already? Three months ago, you bought yourself a computer for crazy money, and now this! By the way, we have big plans. For example, fixing the country house. Forgot? The roof is leaking, floors are rotten, the fence is about to collapse!”
“I didn’t forget,” Maksim replied calmly, heading to the kitchen. “Want some tea?”
The woman watched helplessly as her husband took out cups and brewed tea, whistling a tune. It seemed her words didn’t reach him at all. Like water off a duck’s back.
It was always like this. When it came to his mother, he seemed to turn off common sense.
“I’m serious, Maksim! No more purchases! All remaining money goes only to fixing the country house. Got it? I’m not going to suffer through another season with a leaking roof!”
“Of course, dear,” the husband agreed easily, pouring fragrant tea. “As you say. Hey, how about buying mom a printer too? She could print photos.”
Olga nearly choked:
“Are you kidding me?”
“I’m joking, I’m joking!” the man laughed. “Don’t get worked up. Everything will be fine.”
His wife sank wearily into a chair. She knew this tone well. Maksim agreed just to get rid of her.
She thought sadly about the savings for the repair. They had been putting aside every penny for two years to fix the old country house.
“Want some cookies?” Maksim asked casually, pulling a bowl of her favorite shortbread cookies closer. “I bought your favorite ones especially.”
Olga silently shook her head. She had completely lost her appetite. One thought spun in her mind: “We’ll survive this anniversary, and then straight to the country house!”
Lyudmila Petrovna adjusted the lace tablecloth for the fifth time and scrutinized the festive tables. Familiar voices sounded outside. The first guests were already approaching the restaurant.
Olga watched with surprise as her mother-in-law, as if by magic turned into a hospitable hostess, bustled around, offering hot pies and favorite salads.
“Olenka, dear, sit down comfortably!” chirped the birthday woman. “I’ll treat you to something delicious now, you’ll lick your fingers! I ordered it especially for you, I know how much you like it.”
“What’s gotten into her?” the daughter-in-law wondered, mechanically accepting another treat.
In five years of knowing each other, the mother-in-law had never shown any particular warmth toward her. Yes, there had been no open conflicts, but it was hard to call their relationship close. Usually, all communication boiled down to polite phrases on holidays and rare phone calls once a month.
The celebration turned out truly grand.
Lyudmila Petrovna had gone all out: the table was overloaded with appetizers, champagne flowed like a river, and guests kept arriving.
Each guest found special treats and warm words. The birthday woman fluttered between tables, personally adding salads, pouring wine, and holding several conversations at once.
Maksim proudly sat next to his mother, adjusting his tie and throwing meaningful glances at his wife. His eyes seemed to say: “Well, see what a party it is? And you didn’t want to buy an expensive gift!”
“Lyudochka, you’ve outdone yourself!” admired the birthday woman’s longtime friend. “Such a table, such an atmosphere!”
“Oh, it’s all thanks to the kids,” Lyudmila Petrovna coquettishly waved it off, looking tenderly at her son. “Especially Maksimushka, without him nothing would’ve happened.”
When it was time to give gifts, Olga felt a pang in her stomach. She remembered well at what cost this surprise came and how much it had cost!
“Mommy, this is for you!” Maksim said solemnly, handing over a fancy box. “From me and Olya.”
The mother-in-law carefully unwrapped the package and gasped. Tears welled up in her eyes:
“My son… my daughter… How… such an expensive gift… I don’t even know if I’ll be able to learn…”
“Nothing’s expensive!” the man waved off. “For my beloved mom, nothing is too much! And you’ll learn — we’ll help. Right, Olya?”
The woman barely held back a bitter smile. Meanwhile, the mother-in-law rushed to hug her son, then threw herself at the daughter-in-law:
“Olenka, thank you so much! I know it was you who convinced him! Maksim wouldn’t have thought of it himself… You’re always so sensitive and attentive…”
“If only you knew…” Olga thought, forcing a smile and hugging her mother-in-law in return.
The party lasted late into the night.
The woman counted the minutes until going home. Her head was buzzing from the noise, loud toasts, and endless praise about the gift. It seemed all the guests took turns complimenting the “generous kids.” Especially the downstairs neighbor, who reminded everyone at least ten times during the evening about the cost of such a laptop.
“Did you like the party?” her husband asked when they finally got into a taxi.
“More than,” Olga answered dryly, staring out at the passing streetlights.
“See how great it turned out! Mom’s happy, everyone’s thrilled. And you were worried for nothing.”
The woman remained silent. She no longer wanted to discuss her mother-in-law’s anniversary. Enough! They celebrated and thank God! Now she could get on with her own things. Tomorrow was the start of her vacation, and she could finally go to her beloved country house.
“Tired?” the husband asked sympathetically, trying to take her hand.
“Very,” the woman answered shortly, crossing her arms over her chest.
The couple was silent all the way. Maksim occasionally cast worried glances at his wife but didn’t dare to start a conversation.
Olga thought about how tomorrow she could finally calmly sort everything out. Without prying eyes and unnecessary talk.
The woman stretched out in bed and smiled blissfully. No need to set the alarm today. The first day of vacation!
Outside, the sun was shining brightly, and the clock showed almost ten. How nice it was to lie in bed like this, with no hurry. She had deliberately taken vacation at the end of May — the perfect time for country house repairs. Warm enough but not yet unbearably hot.
A note from her husband lay on the pillow:
“I love you! Have a great vacation!”
Olga smiled. Despite the recent laptop story for her mother-in-law, such touching little things always lifted her mood. And the anger was gradually fading. What’s the point in dwelling on it now? After all, they still had money for the repair. That was the main thing!
She leisurely took a shower, put on her favorite robe, and went to the kitchen. She took out the Turkish coffee pot and her favorite coffee, which she only bought on special occasions. Today she could indulge herself. Big changes lay ahead.
While the coffee brewed, the wife imagined how their old country house would transform. A new roof, freshly painted walls, a cozy terrace… Maybe even a small sauna. Maksim had dreamed of that for a long time.
Olga took out her planner and opened the pre-made to-do list for the repair.
“First, buy construction materials…” she made notes with a pencil, estimating where to start.
A week ago, she had withdrawn 500,000 rubles from their savings account to immediately start the work after the holiday.
“Need to call Sergey, the foreman. He promised to come this week,” Olga reached for the phone — and suddenly froze.
First, she needed to get the money, count it, and allocate it for expenses. She always liked to keep finances in order.
The wife confidently went to the dresser, pulled out a drawer, and took out a box. Without even opening it, she started saying aloud:
“So, about two hundred fifty for materials… One hundred fifty for the crew’s work…”
Suddenly, the lid slid off easily, and Olga froze. The box was empty.
“What the hell?” she muttered, turning the box upside down. “What’s going on?”
The next hour turned into some kind of crazy quest.
The woman methodically searched the apartment, hoping she had just put the money somewhere else. Under the sofa, in the closets, in bags — everywhere was empty. With every passing minute, panic grew stronger, along with a terrible suspicion.
By noon, the apartment looked like a battlefield.
Things were strewn everywhere, closets stood wide open, and Olga sat motionless on the couch. Inside, fierce resentment was slowly boiling.
Five hundred thousand. Half a million rubles.
She clearly remembered putting it in that box after the bank. And now — empty.
The sound of a key turning in the lock brought the wife out of her stupor. Maksim, as usual, came home for lunch.
“Hello, my housekeeper!” he called cheerfully from the doorway. “So, what do we have today…” He stopped short when he saw the mess in the apartment. “What happened? Were we robbed?”
His wife was silent, feeling everything inside trembling with anger. Every cell screamed at the injustice and betrayal.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” the husband asked worriedly. “Did something happen? Why aren’t you answering?”
“Where’s the money, Maksim?” she asked quietly.
“What money?” the man tried to feign ignorance but his gaze betrayed him as it darted away.
“Don’t pretend you don’t understand! Where’s the five hundred thousand I withdrew for the country house repairs? The money we saved for two years!”
Maksim was silent for several seconds, then calmly said:
“I spent it.”
“What?!” Olga gasped at his calmness. “On what?”
“On mom’s banquet, of course! What else?” the husband replied as if nothing was wrong. “The restaurant, musicians, hall decoration. You only turn 55 once in a lifetime. I wanted everything to be perfect. I wanted to organize a real celebration!”
“So the laptop wasn’t the only expense? You spent all the money for repairs in one night? Without telling me? Without a single word?”
“So what?” Maksim shrugged casually. “I didn’t lose it. I spent it on a good cause. Isn’t that right? Mom’s party is more important than fixing your country house. The house can wait. It won’t fall apart!”
“Who decided that?” the wife felt everything boiling with rage inside. “You unilaterally spent our joint money! Didn’t even think to consult me! Is that normal?”
“I decided! And let’s not make a drama. It’s all done now, the party was a success, everyone’s happy. Mom’s delighted, guests are satisfied. Case closed!”
“Everyone’s happy?” Olga smiled bitterly. “Yeah, right. Did you think about your wife? Our family plans? That I haven’t been able to relax at the country house for two years because of the leaking roof?”
“I have to go to work,” her husband cut her off. “And yeah, I’m hungry. So no lunch today, I guess?”
Without waiting for an answer, he turned and slammed the door.
Olga slowly sank onto the couch. Her temples were pounding with powerless rage. She looked at the scattered things, the empty box, and her planner with plans that would never come true.
“Well, dear husband. You wanted this yourself… Let’s see how you sing when I teach you a lesson… You want hostility? You’ll get it.”
The wife methodically packed her husband’s computer. The system unit, two monitors, a backlit keyboard…
Maksim had been saving for this “toy” for six months, working nights to buy exactly this model.
“I’ll start making cool videos, you’ll see!” he said with burning eyes when he finally raised the money.
The woman carefully packed each part into boxes. Her husband’s enthusiastic stories about future projects and becoming a famous video editor played in her head.
Well, dreams remain dreams. Especially when your husband thinks it’s okay to spend family savings on a party for his mom!
Two hours ago, Olga arranged to meet a buyer. The guy, learning the computer’s specs, immediately agreed to meet.
“I’ll take everything, won’t even bargain!” he cheerfully told her on the phone.
Olga checked the time: the buyer was due in half an hour. Maksim would return at six. Plenty of time to handle everything quietly and calmly.
At six in the evening, the lock clicked.
Her husband entered the apartment, mentally preparing for a tense evening. After the lunchtime quarrel, he knew his wife was unlikely to talk to him. Deep inside, he still hoped she’d cool down and forgive his impulsive act.
“Olya, I’m home,” he said quietly, taking off his shoes.
Silence in response.
“Yeah, she’s offended,” he thought, hanging up his jacket. The apartment smelled of coffee, so his wife was home.
Maksim went to the bedroom and froze at the doorway. The place where his computer stood was empty. Two monitors, system unit, backlit keyboard — all gone.
At first, he couldn’t believe his eyes. Maybe it was an illusion? Maybe Olya just moved the equipment?
“Olya…” the man’s voice trembled betraying him. “Where’s my computer?”
“Where it should be!” Olga answered calmly, appearing in the bedroom doorway. She held a cup of coffee, and this everydayness somehow made the moment even more frightening.
“Where. Is. My. Computer?” the husband repeated, feeling cold inside.
“I sold it,” Olga said in the same even tone. “To get back the money that were spent without my knowledge.”
Maksim couldn’t believe his ears.
“You… what did you do?”
“I sold it. Today, in the afternoon. Got a very good buyer. Didn’t even bargain. You know, these models are very in demand.”
“Have you lost your mind? How dare you?” the husband shouted, clenching his fists. Rage washed over him in waves, blurring his vision. “That’s my computer! I worked nights for six months for it! Saved every penny!”
“And how dare you take the money for the country house repairs?” the wife’s voice was steel. “Money we saved for two years! You destroyed my dream of a proper country house without asking! I worked for that too, by the way. Denied myself everything.”
“That’s different!” he furiously kicked a chair. It crashed against the wall. “It was a gift for mom! Her anniversary!”
“And this is justice,” Olga cut him off. “You stole my dream, I took yours. Fair’s fair, tit for tat.”
“Fair?” Maksim laughed hysterically. “You… you…”
“What am I? Go ahead, say it. Villain? Bitch? And who are you after secretly taking all our savings? The noble son who robbed his own family for mom’s party?”
The man collapsed onto the bed, clutching his head. Months of side jobs, sleepless nights, dreams of video editing flashed before his eyes.
“Why did you do this? I… I had so many plans…”
“And I didn’t?” his wife bitterly smiled. “Do you know how many times I imagined us finally fixing the country house? How we’d relax there, host guests? How we’d stop putting basins under the leaking roof every time it rains? And you destroyed everything with one blow. For one evening.”
“And what now?” the man asked hoarsely.
“Now I’ll spend the money from selling your computer on fixing the roof. At least partially fulfill my dream. And you know what? I don’t even feel guilty. Not at all.”
Maksim silently looked down. Rage slowly gave way to emptiness.
For a week, they barely spoke.
The man was angry, stressed, even slept in the living room. Every evening coming home from work, he instinctively went to the computer desk and relived the loss anew.
But gradually the anger gave way to understanding that his wife was right.
He had acted meanly, spending their joint money without agreement. Yes, he wanted to please his mom, but the price was too high. His wife’s trust was worth more than any party.
The first step toward reconciliation was taken by Olga. One evening, she silently placed a cup of his favorite tea in front of Maksim. He looked up and faintly smiled.
Over time, their relationship improved.
This case became an important lesson for both. Since then, they always discussed any serious expenses together. Even buying a new kettle turned into a family council, but no one complained: both understood it was right.
And although Maksim’s computer dream was postponed indefinitely, he never again took the family budget into his own hands.
And Olga… Olga finally repaired the roof at the country house.
Every time she sat on the renovated veranda, she thought that sometimes harsh lessons are the only way to teach a loved one to respect other people’s dreams and plans. Maybe she was harsh, but there was no other way to reach her husband. And seeing how their relationship changed afterward, she knew it was worth it.