The day passed as usual. Christina was about to finish work when her phone rang — it was her worried husband:
Where are you? How much longer? Come on, hurry up, I’m waiting for you.
Without giving any explanations, Nikita hung up. Christina began to worry and called a taxi to get home faster. At the doorstep, her husband met her with suitcases — What happened? — the girl asked in confusion.
— I should be asking what happened. When did you become so mercenary? — I don’t understand…
— We agreed on how we would manage the household, spend our common funds, and so on, remember?
— Suppose. But everyone must adhere to the conditions, Nikit, — the wife replied more firmly.
— Unlike you, I hid nothing. Today at lunch I met an acquaintance. His wife works in your department, and I found out how much you really earn. Your deceit has been exposed. I’m not going to support you and your parents. We are breaking up, — the husband said calmly.
Christina looked into the room and saw the doors of an entirely empty wardrobe. Nikita had taken care in advance and packed all the things. Two years of married life fit easily into a suitcase and a couple of bags.
— I packed all your things that you brought from your mother to our rented apartment. The rest, sorry, — Nikita clarified matter-of-factly.
The wife sighed heavily. She had previously thought about her husband’s excessive stinginess, but the girl tried to dismiss these thoughts. After all, she loved Nikita very much.
— Here, you’ll pay for it. I promised the landlady that tomorrow you will bring everything to her at work, — Nikita pulled out receipts for the apartment payment and handed them to his wife.
— Why should I pay for utilities? I need to rent a new apartment, it takes time and money. You put me in front of a done deal, — Christina got nervous.
— Yes, it was convenient on my neck, wasn’t it? — the husband smirked.
— Not true, I also bought groceries and things. And about the apartment, we had an agreement. You pay the bills, — Christina pointed at her husband.
— I found a report from your card that you hid. You lived at my expense, and you spared yourself nothing. And you made a gift for your mommy. I am not your cash cow! Let’s go our separate ways before we have kids!
— I don’t remember such a deal that I had to give you all my salary, and still report to you!
— I just thought I had found a kindred soul, but you ruined everything! You’ll be biting your elbows and going back to your village to your mother! — Nikita yelled, but his wife had already left the threshold.
Christina didn’t think about how to live further, she only thought about how to get to her mother in the village. Well, anyway, a normal town. Yes, small, not the capital, but still well-kept, and they build new houses. Nikita crossed the line today everywhere he could.
The girl decided not to waste even more nerves and called a taxi again. The husband, seeing from the window how his wife got into the car, became even more confident in his decision: «What a spendthrift! And she left me the bills to pay.»
That same evening, Nikita decided to pack his things and go to his mother. Ekaterina Alekseevna was a woman who was used to solving everything herself and did not tolerate detours, so she immediately asked bluntly why they broke up. She saw no other more suitable match for her son, a bit infantile and naive Christina suited Nikita perfectly.
— I found the receipts she was hiding. Moreover, I’ll tell you, my wife spent all her bonus on herself, which is not a small amount — twenty thousand. I suspected something was wrong when she went to the beauty salon for the second time in a month. Twice a month is too much, — the son complained about his wayward wife.
— But on the other hand, it’s her earned bonus, — the mother shook her head. — Why did you indulge her whims?
— That’s the thing, she didn’t ask me for anything. Christina began to hide her income from me. Yes, she bought groceries and things for the house, but she did not forget about herself. I travel to the office by transport, but she looks like a doll, buying new things for herself. And I didn’t understand right away where the money came from. I thought she found someone on the side, — Nikita continued.
— It would have been worse if you had paid for all of it. And you kicked her out, foolish. I personally liked Christina very much. And now what are you going to do? You’ll have to look for someone else. I can’t shelter you, — the mother cut him off.
— I’m noticeable, handsome, I definitely won’t be without attention. I already have one girl in mind, — the son boasted, glowing with pride.
Angelina from accounting — a beautiful girl, a couple of years older than Nikita, but that didn’t bother him. She had a car, an apartment, and a good salary. Isn’t she the ideal wife?
— Nikit, are we going to some special restaurant tonight? — asked Angelina when the young man delighted her that he was divorcing and wanted to invite her on a date.
— In a restaurant? No. We can eat at home. You have your own apartment, — Nikita was surprised.
— But… you also rented a place, didn’t you? — Angelina shrugged her shoulders.
— Yes, I now moved to my mother’s. I thought we’d go to your place.
— Home is very boring. First, we need to go out to eat and have some fun, after all, it’s Friday. And I hardly cook. I don’t like it, and it doesn’t turn out well?
— So how do you eat?
— At mom’s, in a cafe or a little restaurant, — she batted her eyelashes, and Nikita was already counting the upcoming expenses. Interest and the desire to get back at his ex-wife took over.
They went to a new cafe near their office. Lina agreed, and for the first time in his life, he came on a date with flowers. His ex-wife used to say she didn’t like flowers, but now he had to spend money for such an occasion.
— Such a simple bouquet… — scoffed Alina.
— What do you mean simple? Do you know how much it costs? — Nikita was outraged.
Nikita turned out to be a very stingy man. Angelina understood everything right away and tried to leave the date as quickly as possible. The same happened with two other girls whom the young man met after breaking up with Christina. Nikita had already thoroughly enjoyed his freedom and was not in a hurry to file for divorce. In turn, Christina healed her emotional wounds and worked a lot hoping to rent her own housing soon and move away from her mother.
Almost a month had passed since the husband kicked Christina out. There was no time to miss or be sad, work did not let go. To rest from bad thoughts, Christina and her sister went to a local restaurant, where the girl met a guy. Well, as met… She knew Kostya from the school bench, so nothing serious was planned, but yesterday’s boy had grown up and become a noticeable man, showing interest in the girl himself.
Almost simultaneously with this event, Nikita, having gathered courage, came to Christina to clarify everything and take her back. But the girl approached her mother’s house not alone. Kostya drove her in a new car. Nikita almost burst at the seams, noticing some strange man next to his wife.
— What is this? What kind of clown brought you here?
— Why did you come? We already decided everything, — Christina was stunned.
— I thought about it and decided to give you a second chance, — Nikita answered business-like.
— Too late! I don’t need it anymore. Find yourself another fool, — the wife cut him off.
Later, the mother-in-law called Christina several times about the divorce. She tried to persuade her that, look, you rushed, where else will you find such a husband. The ex-husband and mother-in-law completely tired her with their calls, so the girl also decided to change her phone number. They got the divorce finalized successfully, and as for a new marriage, Christina is now not in a hurry to enter into one.
