Anna’s salary was enough only to pay for utilities and the minimum set of groceries. Two weeks before payday felt endless. The one-room apartment, bought before her marriage to Sergey, was small but hers. Anna was proud of this achievement.
Sergey moved in with her even before their wedding. He earned a little, working as a specialist in a service center. Anna worked as an accountant in a small firm. Money was catastrophically insufficient.
The wallpaper in the room had faded, the linoleum cracked, and they could only dream of new furniture. Once a month, the young couple hosted Sergey’s mother, Tamara Ivanovna. Each visit turned into a real test for Anna.
— Sergey, when are you going to leave this poverty? — Tamara Ivanovna would dramatically roll her eyes.
— Mom, we’re managing, — Sergey would lower his eyes, avoiding looking at his wife.
— Managing? — Tamara Ivanovna would snort. — Poverty! When I was your age, I had already bought an apartment, a car, and went to the sea every year.
Anna would stay silent. What was the point of talking to someone who didn’t want to listen? Tamara Ivanovna lived alone in a spacious three-room apartment. She worked as a chief accountant in a large company. She had money, but preferred to spend it only on herself.
— Anna, at least learn to cook borscht properly, — Tamara Ivanovna would disdainfully push her plate aside. — What is this slop? I had leftover chicken in the fridge that tastes better than your soup.
— I tried, Tamara Ivanovna, — Anna’s cheeks would flush.
— Try harder, — her mother-in-law would cut her off. — My Sergey deserves more.
After such visits, Anna wouldn’t speak to her husband for several days. Sergey pretended not to notice the tension. Or maybe he really didn’t notice — Anna could never figure it out.
Tuesday started as usual: burnt eggs, cold tea, and rushing to work. When Anna returned home, she heard a strange sound coming from the bathroom. The hallway floor was wet.
— Sergey? — Anna flung open the bathroom door and froze.
Water was splashing from a pipe under the sink. Sergey was unsuccessfully trying to turn the valve.
— It burst, — he said briefly. — Call the emergency service.
The emergency service arrived an hour later. By that time, the water had flooded not only the bathroom but also the kitchen. Neighbors from below were banging on the door, threatening to call the police.
— We’ll have to replace the whole riser, — said the plumber, assessing the situation. — It will cost five thousand rubles.
— We don’t have that kind of money, — Anna whispered.
— Then keep flooding the neighbors, — the plumber shrugged indifferently. — It’s my job to offer solutions.
Sergey pulled out his phone.
— I’ll call mom, she’ll help.
The conversation was short. Sergey paced the room, explaining the situation, asking for help. Anna saw his shoulders droop further and further.
— What did she say? — Anna asked when her husband hung up.
— She said that everyone should deal with their own problems, — Sergey’s voice trembled. — She has already planned all her money for the month.
Anna closed her eyes. Her phone buzzed in her pocket — a message from her boss. “Anna, there will be a bonus tomorrow. Not much, but well-deserved.”
— Tell the plumber to go ahead, — Anna said firmly. — I know where to get the money.
That night, Anna couldn’t fall asleep for a long time. Sergey snored peacefully beside her. Her mother-in-law’s words spun in her head: “Everyone should deal with their problems themselves.”
— Fine, Tamara Ivanovna, — Anna whispered into the dark. — Since you want it this way, we’ll deal with it ourselves.
Three years passed since the pipe burst. During that time, Anna and Sergey had learned to save on everything. They put away a penny here and there to update their furniture. They did the bathroom renovation themselves, painting the walls mint green. Life was improving, but the visits from Tamara Ivanovna remained an unchanging tradition every month.
— Sergey, why are you still wasting away in this shack? — Tamara Ivanovna would complain during every visit. — Svetlana’s son bought a three-room apartment. And what is this? Not even an apartment, but some kind of mess.
— Mom, stop, — Sergey would beg. — Everything is fine with us.
— Fine? — Tamara Ivanovna would throw her hands up. — You don’t even have a new pot! And these curtains? They were sewn back in Brezhnev’s time!
Anna had long stopped reacting to her mother-in-law’s jabs. She just smiled and mentally counted the minutes until the visit ended.
On Wednesday, Anna received a call from a notary office. Her grandfather had passed away a month ago. He had lived alone in the village, and Anna would visit him every summer, helping with the household. Her grandfather had always been modest, but, as it turned out, also a very prudent man.
— Anna, you are listed as the sole heir, — said the notary, Elena Pavlovna. — Your grandfather left you five million rubles. Please come to finalize the paperwork.
— Five million? — Anna asked, not believing her ears. — Where did my grandfather get this money?
— You know, your grandfather was a very wise man, — Elena Pavlovna smiled. — He saved a little bit every year, and ten years ago, he made a successful investment. That’s how the sum grew.
In the evening, Anna told her husband the news. Sergey first couldn’t believe it, but then he hugged her so tightly that she couldn’t breathe.
— Anna, this is a chance to start a new life! — he said excitedly. — Let’s sell this apartment, add the inheritance, and buy something bigger! Maybe even a new building!
— But we’ll have to spend just as much on repairs there. It’s better to go with a second-hand one but with good renovations, — Anna added. — So we won’t waste time and nerves.
— Of course, we’ll put it in your name, — Sergey said. — After all, it’s your money. I won’t even ask questions.
Anna smiled. Over the years, her husband had become a true support. He worked tirelessly and never complained about the lack of money. He even learned to stand up to his mother when she crossed the line.
Soon, Anna inherited the money. The funds were transferred to their account, and the young couple began looking for a new home. The realtor showed them several options, but none were suitable. The area didn’t feel right, the layout wasn’t good, or the renovations were subpar.
— Sergey, let’s not tell mom about the inheritance yet, — Anna suggested one evening. — Let’s settle the apartment first, and then we’ll tell her.
— Do you think she’ll start giving advice? — Sergey smirked.
— Not just that, — Anna sighed. — I’m afraid she’ll ask for money right away.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t keep the secret for long. Tamara Ivanovna found out about the inheritance from a mutual acquaintance and showed up unannounced.
— My daughter! The heir! — Tamara Ivanovna kissed a stunned Anna on both cheeks. — I was wondering why you hadn’t come over! Turns out, you’re dealing with important things!
— Mom, why are you here so suddenly? — Sergey looked at his mother, confused.
— What’s the matter? I just wanted to congratulate you, — Tamara Ivanovna walked into the room and sat on the couch. — So, tell me, what’s this inheritance all about?
Anna reluctantly told her about her grandfather and his savings. Tamara Ivanovna listened, nodded, and then unexpectedly pulled a folder of documents from her bag.
Her mother-in-law hesitated.
— Anna, here’s the thing. I have a small problem with the bank. I took out a loan for repairs. But now I can’t pay it back.
Sergey frowned.
— What loan? You never mentioned it.
— I didn’t want to bother you, — Tamara Ivanovna shrugged. — I thought I could handle it. But then this blessing came along! Anna, darling, you’ll help your mother-in-law, won’t you?
— How much? — Anna asked curtly.
— Two million, — Tamara Ivanovna smiled apologetically. — Well, maybe a bit more with interest.
— Two million?! — Sergey even stood up. — Mom, have you lost your mind? What kind of repairs cost that much?
— Don’t yell at your mother! — Tamara Ivanovna pressed her lips together. — I ordered a designer project. I wanted the best.
— Tamara Ivanovna, — Anna said slowly. — Sergey and I decided to buy a new apartment. We need all the money.
— Oh, I see! — Tamara Ivanovna’s eyes narrowed. — So, you’re getting a new apartment for yourselves, and your mother can be left to the collectors? You got the inheritance! That means you’re obligated to pay off my loan!
Anna was momentarily taken aback by such impudence. Then, she calmly said:
— Tamara Ivanovna, do you remember when the pipe burst three years ago? Do you remember what you said when we asked you for five thousand?
Her mother-in-law grimaced:
— What does that have to do with anything?
— You said, “Everyone should deal with their problems themselves,” — Anna reminded her. — So, deal with it yourself.
— Oh you… — Tamara Ivanovna jumped off the couch. — Ungrateful! How dare you?!
— Mom, enough, — Sergey stood between his wife and his mother. — Anna is right. You always taught me to be independent. Now, show us how it’s done.
— How dare you?! — Tamara Ivanovna exclaimed. — I raised you, I fed you, I took care of you!
— And you constantly held it over my head, — Sergey said quietly. — You know, mom, I think it’s better if you leave. We’re not paying off your loan. Period.
— Ungrateful children! — Tamara Ivanovna grabbed her bag. — You’ll regret this!
— Leave, Tamara Ivanovna, — Anna opened the door. — And next time, solve your problems on your own.
The front door slammed shut. Sergey collapsed on the couch, exhausted.
— I’m sorry, — he whispered. — I’m so ashamed of her.
— You’re not to blame, — Anna sat beside him. — Let’s think about the future. Our new apartment.
Two months later, they sold the one-room apartment, added the inheritance money, and bought a spacious two-room apartment in a good neighborhood. The apartment was bright, with quality renovations and a new kitchen. They moved in with light hearts, leaving all past grudges and disappointments behind.
With the remaining money, Anna enrolled in financial analyst courses, and Sergey took programming classes. Six months later, both of them found new jobs with salaries twice as high as their previous ones.
Tamara Ivanovna tried calling her son, but Sergey remained firm. Only when his mother acknowledged her wrongdoings did he agree to meet with her. But it was on their terms and at their place.
A new life was just beginning.