Raisa, where are you already? I’m hungry,” whined the mother-in-law. Raisa sighed. Why did she have to deal with all this? She barely managed with the twins, and now her mother-in-law was also a burden. Of course, she had to show herself as a good daughter-in-law. What did Igor tell her?
It wasn’t her mother-in-law’s fault that her apartment was old. And it was easier for her to move into their four-bedroom apartment than to fix her own. Wasn’t it? Igor wasn’t concerned that his mother would now be oppressing Raisa.
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” shouted Raisa, wiping her hands on a towel. The twins, as if on cue, decided to put on a concert by request. They shouted over each other and ran around. “If only I could have a minute of silence,” Raisa thought. Silence with two children was something out of fantasy. Raisa warmed up some soup for Marina Viktorovna. Couldn’t she have done this herself? The mother-in-law scrunched her nose disdainfully.
“Your soup again? I used to cook varied dishes at home.” Of course, as she did at home. But here, she hadn’t lifted a finger. She had been living off ready-made meals for six months.
“Mom, I barely manage with the children. Sorry that I can’t cook like a restaurant all the time,” Raisa replied tiredly. “Eat what’s there.”
Igor would only return in the evening. And she still needed to feed the twins, do the laundry, iron…
They met Igor in a banal way — at the store. She was picking diapers for her niece, and he was choosing baby food. Also for a niece. They stood next to each other. Igor fiddled with a jar in his hands and asked:
“Does this last long?”
Raisa smiled.
“Depends on the child’s appetite.” They started talking. They went home together, and Raisa didn’t notice how an hour flew by. They exchanged contacts. Then there were dates, movies, cafes… Igor seemed like the perfect man to her. Always opened doors for her, gave her flowers…
And he was so touchingly attentive to his mother. Always called her, inquired about her affairs, helped around the house. Who knew that this “mother’s love” would backfire…
After the wedding, the first warning signs began. The mother-in-law constantly called Igor, complained about her health, her loneliness. Igor, of course, was worried, visited her every day. Then the hints started:
“Look, my apartment is old, the pipes are leaking, it needs repairs… And you have four rooms, plenty of space…”
Igor, without much thought, suggested his mother move in with them. Raisa was against it, but Igor convinced her it was temporary. They would help the mother with repairs, and she would return to her apartment.
“But mom isn’t to blame for her apartment being old.”
And now the mother-in-law had been living with them for six months. The repair in her apartment hadn’t even started. And Raisa had turned into a free housemaid and nanny. And all under the sweet sauce of “mom is old, she needs help.”
Marina Viktorovna reluctantly swallowed a few spoons of soup and began her usual refrain:
“Why is everything with you always this way, that way.”
Raisa clenched her teeth. How much longer? Every day the same.
“Mom, if you don’t like it, I can give you the address of the nearest restaurant,” she hissed through her teeth.
“What are you talking about!” the mother-in-law began, but Raisa interrupted her:
“Sorry, I need to feed the children.”
Raisa sighed and started making porridge. While busy at the stove, Marina Viktorovna continued to grumble, but quieter now. Raisa tried to ignore it. Then she finally put the twins to sleep and collapsed on the sofa. Absolutely no strength left. At that moment, the phone rang.
“Hello, love, how are you?”
“Fine,” Raisa replied lifelessly.
“How’s mom?” Igor immediately asked.
Raisa closed her eyes. Of course, mom.
“Mom is wonderful. Eats, sleeps, complains,” she replied sarcastically.
“Raya, don’t start,” Igor sighed tiredly, “she’s an elderly person.”
“And who am I, a cyborg?” Raisa flared up. “I’m spinning like a squirrel in a wheel with two children. And your mom just criticizes!”
“Raya, bear with it,” Igor said almost pleadingly. “We’ll start the repairs soon…”
“Soon?” Raisa asked. “Your mom has been living with us for six months! And you’ve been talking about repairs for six months!”
“Well… we need to collect money, buy materials…” Igor began to justify.
“Ah, and meanwhile, I’m a free housemaid,” Raisa sharply replied. “I can’t take this anymore!”
“Raya, you understand…”
“No, Igor, I don’t understand!” Raisa shouted. “When will your mom move back?”
There was silence on the line. Raisa already regretted yelling at Igor, but she couldn’t keep it inside any longer.
“I don’t know,” her husband finally replied.
Raisa closed her eyes. She felt utterly lonely and helpless. She hung up the phone. She got up from the sofa and walked to the window. It was already dark outside. What should she do? How to get out of this situation?
Questions swirled in her head, but there were no answers. And how to explain this to Igor? He still lived in his illusory world. And mom— a helpless old lady, and the wife— an indefatigable robot, capable of enduring everything.
Well, there was hardly any time to rest. She needed to tidy up the apartment a bit after the twin’s hurricane. With great difficulty, Raisa got up and shuffled into Marina Viktorovna’s room. The closet in the mother-in-law’s room was open, several items were on the floor. “Probably the kids were playing,” Raisa thought.
In the closet, there was a box of documents. Raisa wasn’t planning to rummage through someone else’s things. But when she was putting things back, a company name on one of the folders caught her attention. She knew the company. It was a real estate agency.
Marina Viktorovna, at the beginning of their marriage, sold her second apartment through them. They needed help with the initial payment for the apartment. And all these years, the mother-in-law did not fail to mention that Igor and Raisa owed her.
Raisa took out the folder. It turned out to be a lease agreement. Raisa froze. Lease agreement, payment receipts… The amounts were significant.
So, Marina Viktorovna here pretends to be in a desperate situation. But she has a stable income! About which no one knows.
So, Raisa spins like a squirrel with two babies, exhausting herself. Endures constant nitpicking, while this… this actress plays out a drama!
Raisa sat on the bed, trying to calm down. Tell Igor? But how would he react? He’s so attached to his mother… He would surely find her an excuse. Say that Raisa misunderstood everything. That mom has her reasons… Raisa bitterly smiled. She knew Igor too well. He was always on his mother’s side. Even when she was wrong.
Raisa photographed the documents. She decided to act tomorrow. There was no strength left today for clarifications.
In the morning, Raisa prepared breakfast. The twins were peacefully playing in their room. When the mother-in-law came out of her room, Raisa was already sitting at the table with a cup of coffee.
“Good morning, Marina Viktorovna,” said Raisa.
“Morning,” grumbled the mother-in-law. “What’s for breakfast?”
“Pancakes,” Raisa replied. She poured her mother-in-law some tea and placed a plate in front of her.
Marina Viktorovna started eating with a displeased look.
“Marina Viktorovna, I have a question for you.”
“What question?” Marina Viktorovna asked suspiciously.
“I found documents in your room.”
Marina Viktorovna turned pale.
“Did you rummage through my closet?”
“It doesn’t matter anymore. So, you didn’t sell that second apartment. You rent it out and receive a good income. And you tell us stories about being in a desperate situation!”
Then Igor entered the kitchen.
“What happened?”
“Ask your mommy,” Raisa said and showed him the photo of the documents.
Igor started reading. His face changed with each line. He looked at his mother, then at his wife.
“Mom, what is this?” he asked.
Marina Viktorovna was silent.
“Why did you lie to us?”
“I…,” Marina Viktorovna couldn’t find the words.
“Igor, your mom is perfectly settled. She gets money from renting the apartment, and she lives here on everything ready-made.”
“Mom, I thought you needed help. And you…”
“Sonny, I wanted the best! I thought I’d be closer to you, to the grandchildren…”
“Pack your things, mom.”
“Igor!” exclaimed Marina Viktorovna. “Are you kicking me out? Where will I go?”
“To your own home,” Igor said firmly. “You have an apartment. Even two.”
Marina Viktorovna realized things were bad. Her son spoke to her in such a tone for the first time.
The mother-in-law lamented a bit, but began packing her things. A couple of hours later, Igor drove her away.
Life gradually returned to its course. Igor began to trust Raisa more and appreciate her efforts. And Raisa, finally, could breathe freely.
She thought, maybe deep down the mother-in-law was just afraid of loneliness. And she chose the worst way to combat it. But, as they say, everything happens for the best. Now their relationship with the mother-in-law improved.