I will go to the doctor with you!» Olga Konstantinovna declared decisively, «I think you are lying!
You’re probably infertile! You’ve been living with my son for 4 years, and I still have no grandchildren! You’re probably lying about getting treatment.
We’ll go to the clinic tomorrow, let the doctor examine you in front of me and comment on every step.
I will expose you! My son may trust you, but you won’t fool me!
Sveta and Makar were happy. She really married for love and was sure that the feelings were mutual. Makar had beautifully wooed her, winning over her parents right away, and they approved of their daughter’s choice. They lived separately at first, but then Matvey suggested to Sveta: «Let’s move in with my mom? She lives in the suburbs. There’s plenty of room for all of us in her eight-room house. My mom has a serious surgery coming up; she will need our help. I don’t know the details; mom hardly tells me anything. It’s awkward for me to ask. I only know it’s something to do with women’s issues.» Sveta, who had never had conflicts with her mother-in-law, Olga Konstantinovna, saw some advantages in her husband’s proposal: «If that’s the case, let’s move. We can rent out our apartment, the extra money won’t hurt.» Sveta immediately felt that Olga Konstantinovna was not thrilled about their moving in. No, she didn’t mistreat her daughter-in-law, nor did she engage in open conflicts; she just treated her son’s wife coolly and somewhat warily. At first, everything was relatively fine, but the situation changed after Olga Konstantinovna was discharged. Makar’s mother, returning from the hospital, suddenly became mean and irritable. Apparently, the surgical intervention had affected her behavior. After it, she no longer felt like a woman: «And who needs me like this? They removed everything, completely! I could still have had a child. Women become mothers at 50, and I’m only 46!» complained Olga Konstantinovna to her friends, «Who will now take an interest in me?» Sveta saw that her mother-in-law was struggling with acceptance, so she tried to avoid Olga Konstantinovna as much as possible. The daughter-in-law took on all the household chores – returning from work, Sveta first ran to water the garden and weed the beds, then she tidied up the house, cooked dinner, and loaded the washing machine, if necessary. Olga Konstantinovna recovered quickly and felt good. But her attitude towards her daughter-in-law changed—Sveta felt that her mother-in-law was now jealous of her relationship with Makar. «Where are you going?» Olga Konstantinovna would ask, seeing how Sveta dressed up in front of the mirror, «Going to the city again? You seem to visit the cinema and cafes often. Got money to waste? You should have built a greenhouse on the plot! How many times have I asked you, Matvey? You could plant the seedlings in the greenhouse in early March, but I have to wait until May, so the harvest ripens late. Stay at home, there’s no need to wander around entertainment venues! You’ll save more money!»
Olga Konstantinovna also picked on Sveta over household issues. After being discharged from the hospital, the woman suddenly disliked her daughter-in-law’s cooking: «Did you wash the vegetables poorly? I feel sand crunching on my teeth!» «Come on, Olga Konstantinovna? I washed everything well, thoroughly. I even sorted the rice. Makar, is there sand in the soup?» «Mom, you’re imagining it,» said Makar, «I don’t feel anything like that.» «Of course,» Olga Konstantinovna immediately got angry, «I must have made it up! Have dinner yourself, I’m not in the mood!» The mother-in-law aggressively reacted to any gifts Makar gave his wife. It didn’t matter whether it was a gold chain or a chocolate bar. It got to the point where the man secretly handed presents to his wife in the bedroom, behind closed doors, asking: «Sveta, just don’t show it to mom! She’ll start accusing me of being wasteful again. I don’t know what happened to her. She used to be normal!» Sveta understood the reason for the hatred but kept silent. She didn’t want to describe her mother-in-law’s psychological state to Makar in detail. Olga Konstantinovna suddenly craved grandchildren. Every morning now started the same in the house: «Sveta, I don’t understand, why aren’t you giving birth? Do you have some health problems? You and Makar have been living together for so many years, and I’m still not a grandmother! Why are you silent? I believe I asked a question!» «Olga Konstantinovna, we decided to live a little for ourselves,» Sveta explained for the hundredth time, not going into details, «I’m only 22 years old, I want to realize myself in life not only as a wife and mother, but also as a specialist. I have room to grow! My boss hints at a promotion, so I need to try hard. I think I still have a couple of years. We still have time to have a baby with Makar.» «Look at you, career woman,» Olga Konstantinovna sneered, «have the child and give him to me! I’ll raise him myself. You know very well that I can never get pregnant again, but I want a child. I’ve been dreaming of a baby for the last 10 years. I regret that I didn’t have anyone after Makar!» Sveta was tired of her mother-in-law; she asked her husband many times to move out, but as soon as Makar brought up the topic of moving, Olga Konstantinovna started sobbing: «Now even you are abandoning me! Nobody needs me now, not even my own son. Go ahead, Makar! God be your judge, son!» Makar felt ashamed in front of his mother and began pleading with his wife to stay a little longer. Sveta agreed to endure «a little more» for the sake of her beloved husband.
After a year, Sveta finally got a promotion and brought up the topic of children with Makar: «Maybe it’s time? Your mom and my parents keep talking about grandchildren. We’re earning well now, we have our own place. Maybe we should have a baby?» «Let’s do it,» agreed Makar, «I’m not opposed. Only Sveta, let’s, if all goes well, live here at least until the birth? Mom needs our support.» Sveta went to the doctor, discussed the situation with him, and stopped taking the medication, but somehow the pregnancy did not occur. Sveta decided to undergo a full examination: «There are some minor issues with your reproductive system, but they are solvable,» the specialist reassured the woman, «undergo treatment and you will conceive. The chances are high!» At dinner, Sveta relayed to her husband and mother-in-law the conversation with the doctor. Olga Konstantinovna smirked: «I’ve heard somewhere that problems with childbearing often occur in women who have had many partners in their lives. Tell me, please, Sveta, have you had any interruptions? Infertility often develops after abortions.» Makar choked, and Sveta was taken aback: was Olga Konstantinovna trying to tarnish her in front of her husband? Making an effort and composing herself, Sveta smiled: «No, Olga Konstantinovna, nothing like that happened to me. Of course, you wouldn’t know such details of our personal life with Makar… But he’s my first in every sense! Don’t worry, mom, the problem is easily solvable. I’ll take a course of medications and everything will be fine!»
Four months later, Sveta saw the coveted two lines. Contrary to her expectations, her mother-in-law’s attitude only worsened. Sveta often felt that Olga Konstantinovna was deliberately tormenting her. The pregnant daughter-in-law’s responsibilities increased—Sveta now did all the heavy work. Olga Konstantinovna made her carry soil in buckets, cover the beds with polyethylene, and spread fertilizer for the winter. Makar helped his wife only when he was home; Olga Konstantinovna didn’t bother Sveta much in Makar’s presence, behaving decently then. Sveta initially tried to appease her mother-in-law; she even showed Olga Konstantinovna the first ultrasound image. Makar’s mother grimaced: «And why do I need that? Put it away! Did I ask you to show it to me?» Every day, the mother-in-law repeated like a mantra: «Pregnancy is not a disease! Don’t pretend to be weak, get up. There’s so much work to do, and you’re lying in bed at noon. Get up, Sveta! I know you’re not sleeping!» Sveta’s desire to escape as far from her mother-in-law and the village where she lived grew stronger every day. When Sveta was five months pregnant, Olga Konstantinovna demanded that her daughter-in-law carry jars from the cellar to the veranda, receiving an unexpected refusal: «Olga Konstantinovna, I won’t go down to the cellar! It’s winter, it’s slippery! What if I fall down the stairs? Sorry, but the jars are not a necessity; Makar will bring everything you need when he comes home from work. Please wait a couple of hours.» «I need it now!» shouted Olga Konstantinovna, «right now, this minute! Get up and do as you’re told! I see, Sveta, you’ve become brazen lately! You live here with everything ready, you do nothing, always trying to lie down to sleep. Makar is the only one working, exhausting himself. And you can’t fulfill a simple request of mine? Have you forgotten who is the mistress in this house? I’ll kick you out to the devil’s mother and all! Roll back to your parents, let them indulge you!» Sveta did not argue with her mother-in-law; she simply packed her things and called a taxi. She left for her parents’ house with a firm intention to never return to her mother-in-law’s house again. Makar came to his in-laws that same evening. After hearing his wife’s story, he initially didn’t believe her: «It can’t be true! My mom couldn’t have exposed you and our child to such danger. She’s not crazy!» Sveta showed her husband the messages Olga Konstantinovna had written right after her departure. Makar went to see his mother, returned a few hours later. The couple moved back into their own apartment, and tenants had to be evicted. Sveta and Makar had a son, Olga Konstantinovna was not present at the discharge. She no longer communicates with her son—the traitor who left her for a skirt.
