While sorting through things in the linen closet, Larisa shuddered when the door to her room opened, and her enraged mother-in-law stood frozen on the threshold like a stone statue. Galina Vasilyevna at that moment resembled a real fury. Even the woman’s hair had come loose in places from its tight bun and was sticking out in different directions.
– Don’t you have anything better to do than rummage around in the closet all day? – the mother-in-law flared up. – Have you thought about looking for a normal job? You sit at your computer almost 24/7, and there’s no point in it.
Larisa tensed up. She didn’t like her mother-in-law’s tone at all. Why shout like that so early in the morning? Besides, how could she know whether her daughter-in-law’s work was useful or not? Larisa didn’t even report to her husband.
– Galina Vasilievna, did someone ruin your mood this morning? Did you really sleep through an episode of your favorite TV series? – Larisa asked without malice in her voice.
– Talk to me like that! How can you be rude to me? And what does the series have to do with it? You’re busy doing God knows what while my son is missing at work. And your granny, the parasite, does nothing. She just sits in her room with books all day long and shakes over the flower beds in the garden. She’s no use at all.
Larisa suddenly felt indignation flare up inside her. It wasn’t hard to tolerate the insult directed at her, but she simply couldn’t listen to her grandmother being accused.
– Galina Vasilievna, you are going too far. Don’t you think so? You live in my grandmother’s house! How can you speak ill of her?
Galina Vasilievna clenched her teeth and looked at her daughter-in-law with disgust. It seemed that she had been storing poison inside herself for a long time, and now it was ready to spill out and poison everything around. Larisa had never made any remarks to her mother-in-law before. What had come over this girl now? She still dared to reproach her for living in their house?
– I live! Because I rent out my apartment and contribute every penny to the common budget! You said it yourself that this is a good option. And your granny doesn’t give anything. Is she saving up money? What is she saving up for? That’s it. Let your granny give us her pension! And it doesn’t matter that we live in her house! That doesn’t mean she should eat at our expense! – demanded the mother-in-law.
Larisa stood up and looked at the angry woman. She wanted to shut her up right then and there. Inside, everything was seething with unspoken indignation. How could she make such demands? And most importantly, what was her mother-in-law counting on? Larisa wondered: would her husband take her side? Would he support her? He often shared his mother’s position and said that she was very wise, which meant that she should listen to every piece of advice, but now her mother-in-law was crossing all boundaries.
– Are you… Are you serious? Grandma worked tirelessly all her life. She raised me on my feet alone! And now, in my old age, I have to give away my entire pension at your whim?! Are you out of your mind?! – Larisa could hardly hold back her scream.
– What’s wrong with that? We’re a family! Everything should be shared! – Galina Vasilievna put her hands on her hips. – Your husband thinks so too, by the way! Why should he work hard, while your granny pines over her savings like Tsar Koschei? That’s also unfair! She won’t take the money to the grave, but it will be useful to us. Maybe I want to buy myself some new things?
At that moment, the sound of a lock opening was heard in the hallway. It was Andrey, Larisa’s husband, returning from work. His mother immediately cheered up. She was probably ready to rub her palms in anticipation, because now her husband would also shout at his daughter-in-law not to dare to say anything against her. Two against one is always a winning tactic. Larisa will not go anywhere and will give in under pressure.
“What’s going on here? What’s all that screaming?” the man asked in surprise as he entered the room.
Galina Vasilievna rushed to her son, hoping to find support in his eyes. More often than not, this is what happened: Andrei took his mother’s side and told his wife that she should listen to the wise advice that she received absolutely free of charge. Considering that his mother had more life experience, Andrei did everything as Galina Vasilievna said.
– Andryushenka, just listen to what your wife is telling me here! I give her a word, and she gives me ten! And anyway, she thinks that I live here for nothing! And I won’t even mention her granny! She saves money, but doesn’t give us anything! Why should we provide for a parasite? Even though we live in her house. What does this mean? Should we provide for her completely now? Maybe she’ll order us to bow at her feet? To wash them, and drink water? Forgive me, but this is going beyond all bounds. And she even dares to raise her voice at me. Am I the last person in her life, so that she doesn’t listen to my opinion and behaves as she pleases? By the way, I have pride too! And I’m offended that some girl dares to speak to me in such a tone.
Andrey frowned, looked at Larisa and, without thinking, said:
– Laris, what nonsense is this? Mom is right, we are a family! Grandma lives with us, uses everything. Why shouldn’t she give her pension to the general budget? Talk to her. I don’t think she’ll be offended. After all, your granny sometimes eats up more than me.
Larisa was stunned, unable to believe her own ears. Had her husband really said all this? She looked at Andrey with undisguised disappointment. She herself did not understand what she had been counting on? She knew that he always took his mother’s side.
– Andrey, you… Are you serious? Do you really think that we should take away grandma’s pension? It’s her money, earned with sweat and blood! She has the right to spend it as she wants! We live in her house for free. And she never said that we have to pay anything… Besides, she even agreed to take in your mother because she wanted to live in the fresh air.
——————————–
– Laris, don’t overdo it, – Andrey snapped in an icy tone. – Mom is right: grandma should help the family. What else can she do with this pension?
It seemed that Andrey did not notice at all how his wife’s face grew paler with each passing second. How she became disappointed in her husband, who was supposed to be her support and support.
Everything inside Larisa broke down. She realized that her husband was supporting his mother again, without even understanding the situation, and she became scared. She had always felt her mother-in-law’s influence, but she had not thought that it was so strong. And now she was only convinced that no matter what the scandal turned out to be, no matter who was right in reality, Andrey would in any case take his mother’s side and blame his wife for being wrong due to her lack of life experience.
“So you think so too?” Larisa asked quietly, looking Andrey straight in the eyes. She wanted to make sure that it was true, that her husband really thought so.
Deep in his soul there was a glimmer of hope that now he would think about it and understand how wrong he was. Grandma had already offered to give away her pension, but Larisa had flatly refused. She promised that when she grew up, she would provide Granny with everything she needed, and let her spend her pension on various little things that would bring her joy. After all, Granny bought a lot of books and spent money on gardening – these were her hobbies, and it must be said that they are quite expensive in our time.
– Yes, I think so. We are a family and we must support each other, – Andrey answered confidently. – Your grandmother is no exception. The fact that she is the mistress of the house does not affect the need to invest every penny for the good of the family.
“Okay,” Larisa whispered, feeling tears gathering in her eyes. “Then listen to me carefully. I won’t let you hurt my grandmother! This is her home, and she has the right to live in it peacefully! And since you think she owes you something, then…” Larisa took a deep breath and said in a firm voice, “Then you don’t belong here. Pack your things and leave.”
Andrey and Galina Vasilyevna exchanged shocked glances. They had not expected such a turn of events. Larisa had never said a word against it. What had happened to her? The mother-in-law was, of course, the most surprised, since Larisa had previously tried not to quarrel with her. Andrey, however, knew deep down that his wife was not made of iron and might not withstand the pressure at some point. However, he did not think that she was right. The man wanted to convey this to her, but his mother interrupted him, stepping forward.
– Are you… Are you crazy? How can you say that? – Galina Vasilievna babbled, this time without the previous confidence in her voice.
– No, you’re the one who’s crazy! – Larisa retorted. – And I won’t let you live in my house and insult my loved ones anymore. Andrey, I love you, but I can’t live with a person who doesn’t respect my family. Choose: either me and grandma, or your mom and her greed. I’m tired of dancing to your tune and doing what your mom tells you to do. I don’t understand how you don’t notice it, but Galina Vasilyevna only harms our family. And all her advice is an attempt to seek her own benefit. Although she keeps saying that she puts all the money from renting the apartment into the general budget, neither you nor I have ever seen it.
Andrey was silent, his head hanging low. It was obvious that he was confused and did not know what to say. Galina Vasilievna blushed: she clearly had something to say. She was preparing to splash her poison all around, but it no longer had much significance. Larisa made a decision and planned to stick to it. If a husband chose his mother, then there was no point in holding on to such a relationship. Now the mother-in-law influenced their lives, and then she would take up raising the children on her own? No! Larisa simply could not allow this. The love in her heart was covered in ashes from burns that had caused pain over and over again, and now they had finally burned everything to the ground.
– I’ve said it all, pack your things. And please, go away. I don’t want to see you anymore.
She left the room, leaving her mother-in-law and husband standing there in complete stupor. Larisa knew that her life would change forever. But she was sure of one thing: she had done the right thing by protecting her grandmother and her dignity. It hurt, but she knew she could handle it. After all, she had the love and support of the most precious person in the world – her grandmother.
Galina Vasilievna proudly packed her things, even helped her son, trying to grab someone else’s property, but Larisa controlled and did not allow them to take what belonged to her or her grandmother. The mother-in-law said that her daughter-in-law would bitterly regret the decision she had made, would definitely bite her elbows and curse herself for doing so.
– You will come crawling to us on your knees and beg for forgiveness, but we know our worth! We will think a hundred times before we decide whether to forgive you or not! – the mother-in-law threatened.
“Time will tell,” Larisa answered dryly.
When the door slammed behind her husband and mother-in-law, the woman entered her grandmother’s room. Anna Mikhailovna heard the quarrel, but did not want to interfere, so as not to reproach herself later.
– You did the right thing, granddaughter. Such a mother would not have allowed you and Andrey to live. Since your husband does not have his own opinion, you would have had to endure a lot of grief, that is why I did not interfere and stop you. Thank you for standing up for me…
– Granny, you are the most precious person in the whole wide world to me. How could I remain silent? I was silent enough when they didn’t value me. You and I will cope with everything, and let them live as their conscience allows them.
Larisa filed for divorce. They had no common property to divide, but her mother-in-law still demanded that they split the costs of buying a dishwasher and a new refrigerator for the house. The woman’s pettiness was astounding, but Larisa agreed to compensate her husband for the “damage.” She did not want to have anything else to do with such people.
The woman’s life began with a new leaf. It is impossible to correct the past, but in the present it is necessary to take into account all the mistakes, so as not to step on the same rake twice. Larisa decided to devote time to self-development and her granny. She was in no hurry to look for a new relationship, because first it was necessary to take a break from the old one, and finally come to her senses.
Six months later, the woman learned that her ex-husband had married a second time. His new wife turned out to be a completely different person and was very different from Larisa: now it was not the mother-in-law who was harassing her daughter-in-law, but the daughter-in-law who was telling her what and how her husband and his mother should do. Everyone found what they deserved. Larisa enjoyed life, met a customer for whom she was doing a graphic order… and now she was ready to give herself a second chance… to try to build a new relationship where she would no longer allow someone to control her and insult her or her granny.
