Alena switched on the kettle and began bringing out the cups. Today, Nina Petrovna—her mother-in-law—was visiting. Usually, these visits were calm, though never without a slight tension in the air.
“What a cozy kitchen you have,” Nina Petrovna remarked, glancing around. “There’s something special about having your own apartment.”
“Thank you,” Alena nodded. “I saved up for a long time to get it.”
Carefully, Nina Petrovna placed a box of pastries on the table.
“How’s Sasha? Does he treat you well?” she asked with a warm smile.
“Everything’s fine,” Alena returned the smile. “We’ve been living happily together for a year now.”
Their conversation flowed slowly until Nina Petrovna shifted the topic to her younger daughter.
“My Nastya’s grown up so much,” she sighed. “Graduation’s this year, and then university.”
“She’s a smart girl,” Alena responded politely. “Where does she plan to apply?”
“She’s aiming for law school,” Nina Petrovna’s eyes sparkled. “Such a clever one. But I worry.”
“Why?” Alena poured the tea.
“Nastya’s growing up. It’s time for her to live on her own, learn independence,” the mother-in-law stirred her sugar thoughtfully. “She can’t live forever under her mother’s wing. And commuting from the suburbs to the city is hard.”
Alena nodded in understanding.
“You’re right. I lived in a dorm when I was a student — cramped, but so free!”
Nina Petrovna gave her daughter-in-law a strange look but stayed silent. Alena paid it no mind — everyone has their moments of thoughtfulness.
A week later, Nina Petrovna returned, this time accompanied by Sasha. Her husband, tired from work, quickly went to shower.
“Nastya’s been looking at universities,” Nina Petrovna fiddled nervously with the tablecloth. “She wants to study downtown.”
“That’s smart,” Alena agreed. “There are more opportunities there.”
“But there’s no room in the dorms,” the mother-in-law sighed. “And renting is so expensive!”
Alena shook her head sympathetically.
“Yeah, rents these days are harsh.”
Lowering her voice, Nina Petrovna confided,
“I keep thinking… she needs her own place. Somewhere no one’s telling her what to do.”
“Having your own home is a dream many share,” Alena shrugged. “But it’s tough nowadays.”
“I never managed to save,” Nina Petrovna sighed sadly. “I gave everything to the kids. Got my apartment back in Soviet times. That’s it.”
That evening, at dinner, Sasha surprised Alena with a question.
“How do you feel about Nastya?”
“Fine,” Alena shrugged. “Why do you ask?”
“Just curious,” Sasha looked away.
On the next visit, Nina Petrovna brought a photo album.
“Look, this is Nastya at her ninth-grade graduation,” she flipped through the pages fondly. “And here we are at the seaside.”
“She’s a beautiful girl,” Alena said sincerely.
“All in our blood,” the mother-in-law nodded proudly. “You know, I sometimes can’t sleep at night.”
“What’s wrong?” Alena asked with concern.
“I worry about her housing situation,” Nina Petrovna pursed her lips. “She can’t get far without a place of her own.”
“She’s still very young,” Alena gently reminded her. “She has time.”
“She’s young, yes,” Nina Petrovna agreed. “But time flies. Before you know it, she’ll be thirty.”
Alena nodded again, though the insistence made her uneasy.
A month later, at a family dinner, Nina Petrovna brought up the topic again.
“Prices for one-bedroom apartments in our area have skyrocketed,” she sighed, filling Sasha’s plate. “Nastya just can’t afford it.”
“Maybe a mortgage?” Sasha suggested. “The down payment isn’t that bad these days.”
“What mortgage!” Nina Petrovna threw her hands up. “She’s still studying. Where will she get money for payments?”
“That’s true,” Alena agreed.
The mother-in-law shot her a sharp glance.
“If only she had an apartment like yours… she wouldn’t have to worry about a thing.”
Alena froze, fork halfway to her mouth. Something in her mother-in-law’s tone unsettled her.
“Our apartment’s not that big,” she said cautiously.
“For one person, it’s just right,” Nina Petrovna said firmly. “You two could find something bigger.”
Sasha cleared his throat.
“Mom, let’s not talk about this.”
“What else is there to discuss?” Nina Petrovna wiped her lips with a napkin. “The weather?”
After the visitors left, Alena looked at her husband.
“Sasha, don’t you think your mother’s hinting at something?”
“You’re imagining things,” he replied too quickly. “She’s just worried about Nastya.”
Alena nodded, but the uneasy feeling remained. Something told her the talk about housing for Nastya was no coincidence.
May arrived, bringing exam stress. Nina Petrovna called nearly every day, her voice trembling with worry.
“Sasha, can you believe it? Nastya barely sleeps! She studies until three in the morning!”
Sasha rubbed his forehead, sighing heavily.
“Mom worries like she’s taking the exams herself,” he complained to Alena.
“That’s normal,” Alena comforted him, stroking his shoulder. “A mother’s heart always worries.”
“I know, but she’s stressing out Nastya too much,” Sasha slumped onto the couch. “Maybe we should visit them this weekend? Show some support?”
“Of course,” Alena smiled. “I’ll bake that carrot cake Nastya loves.”
The visit went better than expected. Nastya looked exhausted, but the cake brought a smile.
“Thank you, Alena,” Nastya said gratefully. “It’s delicious!”
“Just don’t overwork yourself,” Alena advised. “Even intense studying needs breaks.”
“What breaks?” Nina Petrovna exclaimed. “There’s no time! If she doesn’t get in, she’ll lose a year!”
“Mom, don’t stress,” Sasha pleaded. “Nastya will manage.”
“Easy for you to say!” Nina Petrovna waved her hands. “You have your own apartment! Where would Nastya go if she fails? How will she build her life?”
Alena exchanged a quick glance with Sasha. That conversation again.
The end of May and start of June flew by under constant tension. Sasha was visibly anxious, worried for his sister. Alena tried to support him, cooking his favorite meals, ignoring the increasing number of calls from her mother-in-law.
Finally, the day came — Nastya finished her last exam.
“I thought my heart would stop when she left school!” Nina Petrovna cried over the phone. “She looked so pale, barely able to walk…”
“But it’s over now,” Sasha soothed. “Time to relax and wait for the results.”
Nastya scored enough to enroll on a budget place. The family celebrated with a festive dinner.
“To my clever girl!” Nina Petrovna toasted. “To our future lawyer!”
“To Nastya!” everyone echoed.
Nastya beamed with joy. Alena felt truly happy for her. Maybe now the housing talk would quiet down, and her mother-in-law would calm.
But hopes were dashed. After her third glass of wine, Nina Petrovna returned to the topic.
“Now we have to think about how she’ll settle in the city,” she sighed. “Dorms are so inconvenient… No kitchen, too noisy…”
“Mom, not tonight,” Sasha begged. “Tonight is a celebration.”
“I am celebrating!” Nina Petrovna insisted. “But we must plan ahead!”
August came quietly. On the fifteenth, a bright warm morning, Alena slept soundly after a cinema outing the night before, until a persistent knock woke her.
“Sash, open up,” she murmured, turning over.
Then she remembered Sasha had said he was going to the store. Half-asleep, she mumbled a reply and drifted off.
Sighing, Alena got up, wrapped in her robe, and shuffled to the door. There stood Nina Petrovna and Nastya, suitcases behind them.
“Good morning!” Nina Petrovna chirped too brightly, pushing Nastya inside without waiting for an invitation. “Help me with these, Nastya!”
“What’s going on?” Alena watched in confusion as suitcases and boxes were carried into her home.
“What do you mean?” Nina Petrovna stood tall, shooting Alena a commanding glance. “Nastya’s moving in. September is near; she needs to settle in.”
“Moving in? Where?” Alena asked.
“Here, of course,” the mother-in-law said as if explaining to a child. “The apartment is spacious and close to the university.”
“And me?” Alena’s voice cracked.
“You’re moving out,” Nina Petrovna answered calmly.
Alena grabbed the doorframe.
“Why should I move out? This is my home!” she blurted.
“Don’t shout,” the mother-in-law frowned. “You have a husband and a job. Rent a place together. Nastya needs stability.”
“Stability?” Alena struggled to keep her voice steady. “Where would I live then? Out in the suburbs?”
Nina Petrovna laughed like she’d heard a good joke.
“Nonsense! Rent an apartment; you both earn well. Nastya’s still a student and needs help.”
Nastya stood with her head down, clearly uncomfortable. Alena wanted to say something, but just then the door flew open.
“I brought your favorite croissants,” Sasha said cheerfully, carrying bags. “And also…”
He froze, taking in his mother, sister, and suitcases. His eyes darted to his wife’s pale face.
“What’s happening here?” he asked slowly.
“Nastya’s moving in,” Nina Petrovna announced. “I told you last week.”
“You never told me!” Sasha’s face hardened. “And no one’s moving in here.”
“How can you say that? We talked about Nastya needing a place!” the mother-in-law protested.
“We talked, but I never agreed to my wife moving out!” Sasha’s voice cracked with anger.
“You’d choose her over your own sister?” Nina Petrovna squinted. “I didn’t raise you that way!”
“How did you raise me?” Sasha set down the bags. “To take what’s not yours? To kick your wife out of her own home?”
Nina Petrovna raised her voice.
“Don’t speak to your mother like that! I gave you my whole life!”
Sasha shook his head.
“And now you think you can control our lives? No, Mom. Pack your things and go.”
“Sasha!” Nastya cried. “I didn’t want this… Mom said…”
“I know, Nastya,” Sasha softened. “But this is Alena’s apartment. She bought it before we married.”
“Ungrateful!” Nina Petrovna spat. “After all I’ve done for you!”
“Enough, Mom,” Sasha said wearily. “Pack your things and leave.”
After half an hour of shouting and reproaches, Nina Petrovna and Nastya finally left. Alena sank slowly onto the sofa. Sasha sat beside her and took her hand.
“Sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t know she’d do this.”
“Did she talk to you about Nastya’s housing?” Alena lifted her moist eyes to him.
“She did, but only about renting or buying, never about you moving out,” Sasha shook his head.
Alena leaned into her husband. She needed time to process everything.
“I love you,” Sasha whispered. “And no one will ever come between us.”
They overcame the crisis, but relations with Nina Petrovna were hopelessly damaged. At every family gathering, the mother-in-law found ways to needle Alena.
“Some daughters-in-law are so selfish,” she sighed loudly. “Can’t even help their husband’s own sister.”
But Sasha always defended his wife. Nastya moved into a dormitory and often visited her brother, where Alena treated her to home-cooked meals. Only Nina Petrovna remained unhappy. Everyone else was happy.