— And you paid almost five hundred thousand for this, Nastya? — her mother exclaimed in surprise when she came to visit her daughter to see the renovation that she and her husband had just finished.
— Yes, mom! And the five hundred is just for the kitchen set! Everything else cost a pretty penny too!
— Well, the main thing for me is that I bought you the apartment, and you did the renovation yourselves! Well done! Although your taste is kind of strange! But you’ve always had unconventional thinking! — Galina Semyonovna smiled at her daughter.
— Well, to each their own taste and color! — Nastya smiled back, spreading her arms as if to say there was nothing to be done about it.
— And how did Oleg take all this design, daughter? — her mother suddenly asked with interest.
— How is he supposed to take it? Fine! He knew who he was marrying! And it would cost him dearly to try to change me!
— Yes, you take after me in that! I always told your father, and still say, ‘If you don’t like something, I won’t hold you back!’ He protested for the first ten years of our marriage, while you and Igor were still little, but then he got used to it!
— You know, mom, sometimes I think the character you gave me is useful in many ways, but sometimes you have to be softer, though I can’t do it for long! I just understand that if I want something, no one is going to bring it to me on a silver platter! And then everything starts piling up, and that’s how I got the nickname ‘Iron Lady’ at work! — Nastya smiled sadly.
— But at least you can always rely on yourself. If someone lets you down, all the more reason! We can only be fully confident in ourselves, dear! Others will betray us without blinking an eye!
— Yes, but Oleg…
— My girl, the fact that you love him and trust him completely — that’s simply wonderful! But you have to always be prepared for anything! Did your grandmother ever tell you how her grandfather nearly killed her? And all because? Because she gave him money from her salary not on the very same day she got it! But the love they had! Wow! All the romances, books, and movies pale in comparison! — Galina Semyonovna told her daughter. — And it all happened right before my eyes! Luckily, I managed to hit him on the head with a poker, otherwise he would have finished with your grandmother and come after me! No one knows what will happen in a given moment!
— Yes, I remember, of course… But I still don’t want to think about that…
— That’s your choice, dear! As a mother, I just have to warn you about everything, but beyond that, it’s up to you and no one else!
That same day, Galina Semyonovna was supposed to be picked up by her husband, Nastya’s father, but it turned out he got into an accident on the way to pick up his wife. Nastya and her mother did not find out about it immediately. At first, Galina Semyonovna began calling her husband two hours after he had called her and said he had left home. But in those two hours, no one arrived. Driving to her daughter’s house usually took about an hour, sometimes more because of traffic jams in the city. But Andrey Viktorovich left at a time when there usually are no traffic jams, so a delay of a whole hour was unjustified. So his wife started calling him, but he didn’t answer at first, then some stranger answered the phone. She was told her husband was in the hospital after an accident, but he was alive, only unconscious at the moment while being examined.
Nastya and her mother immediately rushed to the hospital. When they made sure that Andrey Viktorovich was alive—not quite healthy, of course, but alive—they relaxed somewhat. More precisely, Nastya relaxed, but her mother looked like the ground had been knocked out from under her feet.
— Mom, what’s wrong? Dad’s fine! — Nastya hugged her mother. — Yes, he will be in the hospital for a week or two, but the main thing is he will recover and everything will be okay! — the daughter reassured her.
— Yes, yes, dear, I know! I’ve already realized that… It’s just the news of the accident itself, and the fact that he’s lying here… alone…
— Mom, don’t worry so much! The doctor said Dad got off lightly, he will be back on his feet soon!
— Yes, dear! But I’ve never stayed home at night without him… He was always nearby…
— Mom, are you the only one afraid to stay home alone?
Galina Semyonovna shrugged, showing her daughter she didn’t know herself yet, but had such fears.
— Okay! Got it! So today and until Dad is in the hospital, you’re living with me! Got it? — Nastya tried to make her mother understand.
— And Oleg won’t mind?
— Mind? Mom! You and Dad bought us this apartment, if he minds you staying with us for some time, then…
— I just don’t want any problems to start because of me, Nastya…
— Believe me, if they do start, it definitely won’t be because of you! So let’s go, we’ll drop by your place, you’ll take what you need and come to us! And I’ll call my husband, explain everything and keep him informed!
After an emotionally difficult evening, Nastya first made a bed for her mother in the spare room, just in case. In the future, it was supposed to be a child’s room, but until she and her husband received confirmation that it was time to redo the room, it was a guest room. While the daughter was busy, Oleg—Galina Semyonovna’s son-in-law—was taking care of his mother-in-law in the kitchen. Comforting her if needed, encouraging her.
And as soon as Nastya finished, her mother went to sleep, saying she was very tired from the day, especially the evening. No one objected; everyone understood perfectly. But Oleg, left alone with his wife, asked:
— And for how long is this?
— What do you mean, ‘this’? — Nastya didn’t understand.
— Your mother moved in with us! — he said displeased.
— What do you mean ‘moved in’, Oleg? I told you on the phone today that Mom will stay with us until Dad is discharged! What are you dragging your feet for?
— It’s just uncomfortable for me when strangers are in our home, Nastya! You know that!
— I didn’t say a word when your parents stayed with us for two weeks and we were still renting an apartment!
— That’s you, and that’s me! Please don’t compare! And my parents can’t be strangers to me! For you, apparently, neither, judging by how you behave with them!
— Well spotted, that’s you, not me! And this is MY mother who bought us this apartment! And if you don’t like something now, that’s just outright rudeness on your part! Got it? — Nastya got angry at her husband.
— You didn’t understand me, Nastya! It’s just all so unexpected, if she had at least warned us a couple of weeks before coming, like my parents do—that would be different, but this way…
— Unexpected? Seriously, Oleg? How can you even plan something like that? What, my father should have called a week ago and said, ‘Oleg, so and so, some lunatic is about to cut me off with his car on this or that day, and I’ll get into an accident because of it, and my wife will stay with you while I’m in the hospital!’ Is that how you imagine it? — Nastya said louder than she wanted.
— Why do you exaggerate everything? I didn’t mean that!
— By your words, that’s exactly what you meant!
— Nastya, I just feel like a guest in OUR home when I’m here, how am I supposed to like it?
— You’ll endure it for a week!
— Only a week? Really?
— Maybe less, maybe more! Until Dad is discharged! What answer do you expect from me?
— Listen, why are you acting like this? Mom went to her room, she’s not even showing up here now, and believe me, she won’t poke her nose into our affairs—you have enough of your own!
— Yeah, I won’t even be able to walk around the house in my underwear! — he grumbled unhappily.
— Maybe you should remember where your home shorts are? You wore them around your parents!
— You know how much I hate that!
— Enough, leave me alone! You’re just making up nonsense! If you want to kick my mom out, then fix Dad, and if you can’t—then just be patient!
She said that and went to the bathroom to take a shower and go to bed, as it was already late and she had to work tomorrow.
In the morning, before leaving for work, Oleg carefully peeked into his mother-in-law’s room. She was already awake but didn’t notice he was watching her. Galina Semyonovna was changing clothes and, not wanting to stay home alone, decided to go home, asking her daughter to drive her there for breakfast if it wasn’t difficult. Nastya didn’t mind; her work was in the same direction anyway. Galina Semyonovna could only stay home alone at night; the rest of the time, it was fine. But she didn’t plan to stay home long anyway—she wanted to collect some of her husband’s things and take them to the hospital, then, when Nastya went home, she would pick her mother up from the hospital and go straight to her father.
But Oleg, looking at his mother-in-law, was boiling with rage inside. He didn’t like that some woman, who was basically a stranger to him, was living in their apartment. It felt like mockery to him. When he realized Galina Semyonovna was about to turn toward him, he quietly closed the door and was about to leave when he heard his wife’s voice:
— Are you even normal? — she asked quietly but angrily. — Were you peeping in there?
— Nothing! — he replied brazenly and went to put on his shoes.
— Seriously, Oleg! Why were you spying on Mom? Are you a pervert?
— Are you crazy? What pervert am I?
— Judging by what I just saw, the real one!
— I just wanted to check that everything was in its place! — he said, bending down to tie his shoelaces.
— In its place? You think Mom is stealing something?
— Anything can happen! How should I know?
— You’re seriously nuts! — Nastya said indignantly. — Our parents bought us this apartment, and you think my mom is robbing us now!
— I told you I feel uncomfortable here! — he barked at his wife.
— Nastya, what’s all the noise? — Galina Semyonovna came to her daughter frightened.
— Nothing! Your daughter makes me carry a backpack, and I tell her I don’t like it! — Oleg said to his mother-in-law, looking angrily at his wife.
— Why a backpack? — she didn’t understand.
— For the laptop, Mom… Don’t mind it… — Nastya made an excuse.
— Ah! So that’s how it is!
Oleg took advantage of the moment to make his wife look away and quickly left without saying goodbye.
— I’m ready, when do we leave, daughter? — said the mother.
— Just grabbing my bag.
Nastya naturally didn’t say anything to her mother. She hadn’t recognized her since last night anyway. The woman who had always been her role model—strong-willed, strong, with character—was now so meek and vulnerable that Nastya’s heart clenched. She understood that her mother was worried about her father and didn’t want to add to her worries.
The next couple of days, Oleg tried to hold it together. Though he was angry at his wife and mother-in-law, he constantly smiled at Galina Semyonovna and was overly kind. Nastya saw it all but didn’t want to start the same conversation with him again. Besides, her mother almost immediately went to her room and spent most evenings there, trying not to disturb the young family. But she began to sense some bad energy in her daughter’s home.
On the fourth evening, Oleg came home very angry from work. Nastya knew it was better not to bother him, let him cool down first, and then he would tell her calmly what happened.
But that evening his irritation touched Nastya’s mother. Galina Semyonovna went to the bathroom to wash her hands because the kitchen faucet was busy, Nastya was cooking dinner. And her son-in-law yelled at her:
— You’re already getting on my nerves!!! When will you finally leave and stop poisoning my life?!
— Oleg… I don’t understand… — the mother-in-law was scared.
— I don’t get it, did you get a new life that you’ve become so rude?! — Nastya asked her husband angrily, coming out of the kitchen. — Mom, please go to your room! — she asked her mother without looking away from her husband.
— Nastya…
— Mom, go!
As soon as the door closed behind her mother, she asked Oleg again:
— How is my mother poisoning your life? Maybe you…
— With her presence in our home! I want to come home from work and live the way I want! Behave the way I want, but it turns out I’m on edge at work and at home too! Is this a life? — he shouted.
— Then don’t be on edge, Dad will be discharged the day after tomorrow, and Mom will go home!
— I want her out of here right now! Right now!!! Otherwise, I’ll just throw her out of the house! How much more can you test my patience? Huh?
— I’ll throw you out, not my mother, Oleg, if you even touch her!
— Just try! This is my house!
— Yeah, right! This house was bought by MY parents, so she has far more right to live here than both of us combined! Got it?
— That means nothing!
— Oh, it means a lot! So you will go apologize to Mom right now, or…
— Screw you! I’m not apologizing to anyone! She’s nobody to me! And I’m in my house! I say what I want, to whom I want! If I want, I’ll shoot her between the eyes!
Nastya didn’t want to prolong this empty conversation, especially with such threats. She hoped a little when she left the kitchen after her husband’s shouting that he would really apologize and everything would be fine, smoothed over, of course, but fine. But he decided to take a stance and kept insulting everyone further, which she didn’t like. She came out of the kitchen holding a frying pan with freshly fried vegetables that she hadn’t had time to put on the table. At her husband’s last phrase, she suddenly poured the hot vegetables on Oleg, and while he was still recovering from the heat of the oil in the pan, she hit him on the head with the only object she had in her hand.
Oleg immediately fell silent and collapsed on the floor, joining the vegetables.
Carefully nudging her husband with her foot to check if he was really unconscious, she checked his pulse — everything was fine. Without cleaning up, she went for her phone, called the police and ambulance, explained what had happened at home, and started waiting for them. But immediately after the call, she took tape and tied Oleg’s hands in case he woke up before the police arrived.
— Nastya… — quietly called Galina Semyonovna, her mother.
— What is it?
— Did Oleg leave?
— No! He’s lying near the bathroom, tied up and unconscious! — Nastya said almost without emotion.
— What? — her mother was scared.
— Just that! He had no right to insult you and threaten you! Tomorrow I’m filing for divorce! I don’t need these surprises!
— Daughter, forgive me, please! It’s all my fault…
— Mom! You’re not to blame, this would have happened sooner or later anyway, just your presence here these days revealed a big mistake in our relationship and acted as a trigger! And imagine if we had children and he started to attack them or really hit you or me? Better now! — she concluded.
— Still, I feel like this…
— Mom, it’s okay! I’ll get over it, and he’ll be out of the picture or go back to his parents! How are you yourself? — Nastya asked.
— I don’t know… I probably need to go home… I just…
— No! You’re staying here until Dad is discharged, and that’s not up for discussion, about this… — Nastya waved her hand at Oleg lying in the hallway. — Don’t even think about it! He asked for it himself, it’s his fault! Especially since he won’t live here anymore starting tomorrow!
Right after this phrase, the intercom rang. Nastya understood Oleg was being picked up and left her mother in the kitchen.
She explained everything to the officers. Said it was her mother’s apartment, that her husband came home angry from work and started attacking and got hit back. A couple of minutes later the ambulance rang the intercom. After smelling salts, Oleg quickly came to and began attacking his wife in front of the police officers. They quickly restrained him and took him away.
The next day Nastya filed for divorce, asked her mother to stay home today and wait for the locksmith to come and change the locks. In the evening, she gathered all her husband’s things and took them to his best friend.
Naturally, she felt lonely and somewhat crushed, but only when she was alone, after her father was finally discharged from the hospital. And she never… NEVER showed this to anyone again in her life…