Elena ran her palm over the dusty surface of the old dresser, leaving a light streak on the dark wood. Grandma Klavdiya’s little house seemed frozen in time — the same faded wallpaper with a small floral pattern, the same heavy furniture covered with white sheets.
“Can you imagine, Andrey, how cozy it could be here?” Elena threw open the window, letting in the fresh sea breeze. “These walls remember so many stories. Grandma did so much here with her own hands.”
Andrey nodded, carefully inspecting the ceiling for leaks. He looked at the house more practically.
“The roof definitely needs to be redone. See those stains? And the wiring should be completely replaced; it’s old. But overall, the foundation is strong, and the walls are holding up well.”
“Just imagine how we’ll set this place up!” Elena was already mentally arranging the furniture. “We’ll expand the kitchen, put a fireplace in the living room. And on the veranda, we’ll set up a table to drink tea in the evenings and watch the sunset. And it’ll be a great place to raise the kids. The sea air will always be nearby!”
“We’ll need quite a bit of money for all that,” Andrey sat down on the old sofa, kicking up a cloud of dust. “But we’ll manage gradually. The main thing is, finally, we have our own home.”
A sharp ring of the phone interrupted their plans. Andrey glanced at the screen and grimaced.
“Mom’s calling.”
Andrey answered and put the call on speaker.
“Andryusha, my son!” Valentina Grigorievna’s voice filled the room so loudly that Elena involuntarily stepped back. “How are you? How’s the new house? I was thinking — sea air is so good, especially at my age. My blood pressure’s been acting up; the doctor recommended a change of scenery.”
Andrey exchanged a confused glance with his wife.
“Mom, well, we haven’t really settled in yet…”
“Nonsense! You’re young; you’ll figure it out. I already bought tickets; I’m coming the day after tomorrow. Maybe for two or three weeks, maybe a month — we’ll see how my health is.”
Elena opened her mouth in astonishment. Andrey frantically searched for words.
“Mom, maybe later? The house isn’t ready yet…”
“What are you saying! I’m not some spoiled princess; I’ll manage. See you soon, kids!”
The brief beeps on the line sounded like a verdict.
“She’s gone crazy!” Elena looked around the cluttered rooms. “It’s impossible to live here! Dust everywhere, the furniture is falling apart, mold in the bathroom!”
“Lenka, what can we do now?” Andrey threw up his hands. “Mom already bought the tickets.”
“Couldn’t she ask first? Warn us?” Elena ripped the sheet off the armchair, sending up another cloud of dust. “Well, we’ve got two days. We’ll get the main things in order.”
The next forty-eight hours turned into a marathon. Elena scrubbed, washed, and cleaned herself to exhaustion. Andrey fixed the faucet, changed light bulbs, and nailed back loose boards. By the evening of the second day, the house was at least livable.
Valentina Grigorievna appeared at the doorstep with three suitcases and a displeased look on her face.
“What a welcome!” The woman cast a critical eye over the entryway. “No flowers, the table isn’t set. I traveled so many hours, and not even offered tea.”
“Welcome, Valentina Grigorievna,” Elena wiped her hands on her apron. “Come in, make yourself comfortable.”
“Why does it smell like this? Dampness or something. And dust on the shelves! Elena, you’re the hostess — how can you keep the house like this?”
“We didn’t invite anyone,” Elena replied calmly. “We came of our own free will; now you’re making complaints.”
Valentina Grigorievna waved her hands indignantly.
“How rude! Andrey, do you hear how your wife talks to me?”
“Mom, well, Lena’s right. We just moved in; haven’t had time yet…”
“Haven’t had time! So what were you doing here for two days?” The mother-in-law began inspecting the rooms. “The curtains are crooked, the furniture is old, there’s cobwebs in the corners. It’s shameful to have guests in a place like this!”
“If something doesn’t suit you,” Elena pointed toward the door, “the way out is right there. Nobody is holding you by force.”
Valentina Grigorievna pressed her lips into a thin line.
“Andrey! Will you let this woman talk to me like that?”
Andrey stood between the two women, clearly trying to defuse the situation.
“Mom, Lena didn’t mean to offend you. We really just moved in…”
“I know perfectly well who’s in charge here,” the mother-in-law said coldly. “But since I came, you’ll have to put up with these conditions.”
The next week was a trial for Elena. Valentina Grigorievna constantly muttered complaints under her breath, criticizing every little thing. The coffee wasn’t strong enough, breakfast was late, there was a draft in the room. Elena tried to ignore it, fully absorbed in her work. Working remotely as a programmer allowed her to spend most of the day at the computer, avoiding constant complaints.
Finally, the mother-in-law left. The house seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
“Thank God,” Elena exhaled, leaning back on the sofa. “I thought it would never end.”
“Well, Mom meant well,” Andrey muttered uncertainly.
The next two months became the happiest in years. The couple threw themselves into the renovation. Where they could manage themselves, they did it by hand; where specialists were needed, they hired crews. Elena arranged the flower garden, planted roses, peonies, even small apple trees along the fence.
“Look how beautiful it’s turning out!” Elena admired the blossoming buds. “Soon the whole yard will be covered in flowers.”
The house transformed day by day. New windows, fresh paint on the walls, modern plumbing — everything pleased the eye.
One July day, Elena was holding an online meeting with the company management. They discussed a new project, deadlines, and technical specifications.
“Elena Viktorovna, the deadline for the first module is the end of August,” the manager’s voice came clearly from the speakers. “Will you manage?”
“Of course, Petr Ivanovich. I’ll send a detailed work plan tomorrow.”
“Excellent. Goodbye.”
As soon as Elena closed the program, joyful shouts came from behind the fence:
“Lenochka, open up, we’re here!”
Her heart skipped a beat. Elena quickly threw on a light jacket, slipped into slippers, and ran into the yard. At the gate stood Svetlana, Andrey’s sister, with her husband Igor and three children. Their car trunk was stuffed with suitcases.
“Sveta? Where did you come from?” Elena asked confusedly, opening the gate.
“We came to visit you!” Svetlana exclaimed happily, squeezing through the yard. “It’s summer after all, the kids need to relax; sea air is healthy!”
The children immediately scattered around the yard, trampling the flower beds. Igor silently carried the bags.
“But Sveta, you didn’t warn us…” Elena began.
“Oh, come on! We’re family!” Svetlana waved it off, looking around the house. “Wow, how beautiful it’s gotten here! Like a resort!”
Elena grabbed her phone and dialed her husband’s number.
“Andrey, your sister has arrived. With her family. They want to stay.”
“So what?” her husband was surprised. “Let them stay a little; the house is big.”
“A little — how long?”
“Well, a week or two. The kids really need to be by the sea.”
Elena swallowed her objections. A week turned into two, two into a month. Svetlana and Igor behaved like rightful owners. They emptied the fridge, scattered their things, the children broke two vases, several cups, lost chargers. Elena bought groceries, cooked, and cleaned after the guests. Her beloved roses were trampled by the kids playing soccer.
But the guests finally left. Then Andrey’s phone rang. Valentina Grigorievna shouted so loudly that Elena heard every word.
“What an ungrateful daughter-in-law! Relatives came to visit her, and she couldn’t even host them properly! Your daughter complains that you fed them badly!”
“My home is not a dormitory,” Elena replied calmly, taking the phone from her husband.
But the lesson was not learned. Two weeks later, Mikhail, Andrey’s brother, appeared with his family. They demanded three meals a day, constantly held noisy gatherings, and occupied the living room with the TV. Elena rushed between work and serving freeloaders.
Mikhail left; Valentina Grigorievna came back — for a whole month. Complaints, remarks, advice on housekeeping poured out like a horn of plenty.
No sooner had the mother-in-law left than Svetlana returned with her family. And again for a month. By the end of that term, cars appeared in the yard — Mikhail with his wife and children, and Valentina Grigorievna.
“We decided to throw a big family party!” Svetlana announced. “Lenka, you’ll cook for everyone, right? You’ll set the table?”
Elena looked over the gathered crowd. There were eight adults and five children. Suitcases stood by the porch.
“You’ve been coming to my home to relax for three months now. Maybe that’s enough?” Elena said quietly.
“What are you saying!” Valentina Grigorievna was outraged. “You must host your husband’s family!”
“Must?” Elena’s voice grew firmer. “Who decided that?”
“We are family!” the relatives shouted in unison.
Something inside Elena snapped. Like a spring compressed to the limit.
“Enough!” she shouted. “Everyone out of my house! Immediately!”
“You can’t kick us out!” Mikhail tried to object.
“Oh, yes, I can!” Elena headed for the gate. “Everyone leave! Right now!”
The relatives, stunned by her determination, reluctantly started heading for the exit. Andrey looked at his wife in confusion.
“Lena, what are you doing…”
“You too!” Elena slammed the gate and turned the key in the lock. “Tomorrow morning your things will be by the gate! Those people will never set foot here again!”
Indignant shouts came from behind the fence, but Elena no longer listened.
A month passed. Elena sat on the veranda with a cup of coffee, admiring the restored roses. The phone was silent — she had changed her number. Andrey came a few times, stood by the gate, apologized. But you can’t step into the same river twice.
“Finally, silence,” she whispered, inhaling the sea breeze. The house was once again just her home.