This apartment must be legally ours! Do you understand, weakling? Only ours! And only in this case can you dictate your terms to your stubborn wife. And keep her on a leash!” the mother-in-law shouted.
A few minutes earlier…
“Oh, it’s so cold! Winter is coming soon,” Polina shivered.
She should have worn a jacket, but out of habit, she stepped onto the balcony in her home clothes. She quickly hung the laundry from the washer and headed back in.
But as she opened the door from the balcony to the room, Polina heard her husband’s voice, who was supposed to be at work in the office.
By the way, she herself ended up at home by chance today. Lenka called her when Polina was already leaving the house, saying that their office had scheduled pest control for cockroaches today.
“Finally, we waited. They ate up the boss’s brain until he made up his mind. Otherwise, these creatures could have carried us out of the building. So, an unexpected day off for everyone. Stay home, girlfriend.”
And Polina was happy to stay at home. There was a lot of work accumulated, as she hadn’t managed to get much done over Saturday and Sunday. She wanted to spend the deserved weekend beneficially for her soul and body, not just cleaning, washing, and cooking, tongue out.
Polina was surprised to find that her husband, who always left before her, had also come home.
“Is everyone exterminating cockroaches today?” she smirked to herself.
“How do you imagine that, mom? Polina is not a complete fool to agree to such a thing!” Arkadiy spoke loudly.
“That’s right! What is my husband discussing with his mommy? Very curious to pry!” Polina thought and did not come out from the balcony, just closed the door, holding it with her hand.
“No, the idea itself is not bad!” her husband continued. “And I even agree to implement it. And if everything works out, it will be just wonderful!”
He took off his jacket, hung it in the closet, and walked into the kitchen. Polina watched him from behind the partially closed door and curtains, which now conveniently shielded her from her husband.
Arkadiy headed to the kitchen, and Polina realized that now she could hardly hear what he was saying.
“I’ll go out and slowly approach the kitchen. He’ll be there for a while. He got hungry,” the woman thought.
She did just that. Like a mouse, she quietly slipped from the balcony, trying not to make noise, closed the balcony door, and crept closer to the kitchen.
To her luck, her husband had put the phone on speaker because his hands were now occupied with a very important task.
Arkadiy boiled the kettle, took sausage and cheese from the fridge. He cut all this into big pieces and placed them on slices of bread, generously spreading mayonnaise first.
“Arkasha, can you hear me? What are you busy with? We need to resolve the issue as soon as possible, and you’re still fussing around,” the phone spoke in the voice of the mother-in-law, displeased.
“Yes, mom, I’m listening to you. I just decided to have a snack.”
“Lord, I’m talking to him about important things while his wife isn’t home, and he’s eating again! How much can you? Have you already found buyers for Polina’s apartment?”
“Yes, we found them. The deal is in a week. The buyers asked to wait, they have some problem with money,” Arkadiy willingly shared their family matters with his mother.
“Well, there. You’ll sell Polina’s apartment, that’s the first step. Then you’ll find buyers for this one, and from there it’s not far to buying a new one. And you still haven’t figured out how to convince your wife to do it your way,” Lydia Iosifovna scolded her son.
“Oh, I still have time, what are you! We need to sell both apartments, then buy a new, larger one, as Polina and I planned. It doesn’t happen in a week. There’s still plenty of time. So you’ve worried too soon, mom,” Arkadiy replied, devouring the sandwich with appetite.
“But it’s a very delicate process, even a kind of political game that needs to be started today. Gradually lead your wife to what you want. Convince her, bring irrefutable arguments and proof that only your decision is the right one. She won’t agree to what we’ve planned if you tell her straight away!” the mother-in-law continued indignantly.
“You think she won’t agree? Why? We’re a family, and the apartment will stay in the family anyway,” Arkadiy was puzzled.
“Because only you are such a simpleton. Everyone else is very cunning and mercenary. By the way, your Polina is not as stupid and simple as she tries to show us. I understand people!”
“Well, you’re absolutely right about that, mother-in-law. I’m neither simple nor stupid. And now I’ll try to understand what kind of adventure you’ve concocted,” Polina thought.
They had been living together with Arkadiy for ten years. Their daughter was nine. Polina inherited a one-bedroom apartment from her parents, where the couple lived for the first two years of marriage, until they bought this two-bedroom on credit. Polina rented out her own apartment. The rent money went towards paying off the loans.
Then, as their daughter grew older, the one-bedroom started bringing more problems than profits—urgent repairs after careless tenants, broken furniture or appliances. The couple decided it was time to expand. And Arkadiy had long been telling Polina that they needed a second child.
“What, just Rita growing up? No sister or brother for her. I actually feel sorry for her. I grew up in a family of three. And you weren’t alone either. So why are we depriving our daughter of this joy? It will be for her whole life—a help and support from a native person.”
Polina wanted this too. But she kept thinking and doubting. After the couple finally decided to sell both apartments and buy one spacious one, she now dreamed of a son.
“So what has my cunning mother-in-law plotted?” Polina whispered.
“I will try to convince her,” Arkadiy confidently replied to his mother. “But even if she kicks up a fuss, I don’t think it will be scary.”
“How can it not be scary! Don’t you understand what this might lead to? Polina will leave you one fine day and chop off two-thirds of the new apartment for herself. Because it will have funds from the sale of the inherited apartment invested in it.”
“Why do you think she’ll leave me?” Arkadiy wondered, even stopping chewing.
He set aside his third sandwich in a row and stared at the phone offended.
“Because! Facts! Facts, my dear son! First, you’re a lout and a dope who can be easily led by the nose. Yes, yes, don’t argue!” hearing her son’s displeased snort, she continued. “Secondly, she once told me that your marriage has cracked. Do you think why Polina doesn’t bear you a second child? Huh? Haven’t you thought about it? Rita is already nine, and she isn’t even thinking about a second child,” the mother-in-law argued.
“When did I ever tell her that?” Polina was surprised, standing in her ambush and even shaking her head in surprise.
“Do you think Polina is planning to leave me?” Arkadiy asked. “I think you’re wrong, mom. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have agreed to all these sales and purchases. And we talked about the child. She’s not against it. We’re still young, we’ll manage, what are you!”
“She might tell you anything she wants! But facts speak for themselves. Don’t argue! Your mother knows better how to do it. You need to do as I teach you. Your new apartment should be registered in equal shares for you and me. Do you understand? For you and me. I will never betray you. I’m your mother. But she might. She might, sonny, as much as you deny it. I’ve lived longer than you and know life better. Women are cunning. Today she tells you she loves you, and tomorrow you’re a divorced man without a home and prospects.”
“Ah, that’s what? Our apartments don’t let you rest. How come Arkadiy and Polina have two, and Lёvushka has none!” Polina whispered. “Is the mother-in-law dreaming of transferring her share to her younger son later? Oh, she could! Such a sly old woman! She’s already thought everything through, taken care of everything. It’s just interesting, what could Arkadiy say to convince me of such nonsense. To persuade me to agree to what the husband and mother-in-law have planned, it’s only possible if I lose my mind!” Polina thought.
She decided to act on her own, so to speak, proactively.
Calling her mother-in-law in the evening, Polina stripped her of all her ambitious plans. Completely! Set everything straight.
“Hello, Lydia Iosifovna! How are you, health? All good? Well, I’m glad. I want to inform you that we are already selling my apartment. Found buyers, yes. Happy? I am too, you know. And we’ve already found buyers for our two-bedroom. Can you imagine? My colleague is buying our apartment; she really liked it. Yes, so quickly, we ourselves are shocked!
“Have you not looked at a new one yet?” the mother-in-law asked, bewildered, not expecting such rapid events in her son’s family.
“Why not! Already! Found one that suited us. This week we’ll finalize the purchase. As soon as the buyers transfer the money, we’ll immediately sign the purchase agreement for the new housing.”
“What? So quickly?” the mother-in-law couldn’t contain her emotions and disappointment anymore.
“Yes, imagine how everything turned out so well!” Polina continued joyfully. “You’re probably very curious about who we’ll register our new apartment to, right?”
“Yes, curious. Have you discussed this with Arkasha? What did he say?”
“Nothing. I didn’t ask for his opinion. The only thing I said was that if he didn’t agree with me, I would kick him out. After all, our marriage is cracking at the seams! Well, you know what I’m telling you.
“Polina, what are you…”
“Wait, I’m not finished,” the daughter-in-law interrupted. “I want to surprise you. I will register the apartment in my name alone. Because there are far more of my shares than Arkasha’s. You understand that. Parental apartment, half in this two-bedroom. And you know, he agreed. Yes!”
“How is that—agreed!” the mother-in-law was stunned. “Arkadiy?”
“Yes, him! I convinced him that it’s the right thing to do. We have a daughter; we have to think about her first. And a second child might be born. And the husband might turn tail, and we’ll be left with nothing. But this way—everything’s fine. Arkadiy will be by our side, knowing that the apartment is mine, and he lives in it as long as I want.”
Polina finished her speech and happily hung up because she could well imagine the mother-in-law’s reaction.
Let her now live through this wonderful news. Alone.
That’s better that way!