Vera was sitting on the edge of the bed, sorting through the children’s clothes that she had recently dumped out of the closet. It was time to update her daughter’s wardrobe. She was growing so fast, and most of her clothes were already too small. Time flew like sand slipping through one’s fingers… too quickly and imperceptibly. It slipped away, leaving behind only memories. Sometimes they were unpleasant, but they remained part of our lives.
“Verusik, are you here? Need help?” her husband asked, crouching beside her.
“No, I’ve got it. While Lesya is with her grandma, I decided to sort through her wardrobe and tidy up the room.”
“I can help. And then we can spend some time together.”
“If you want to spend time together, just say so. I can postpone the cleaning. After all, how would you sort the necessary things from the unnecessary? You’re the one who gets confused,” Vera laughed.
Oleg blushed slightly.
“What’s there, what’s there. You’re such a clever woman. I don’t even know what I’d do without you.”
Two years ago, Vera had run away from her first husband with their three-year-old child. She was tired of the endless drinking and tantrums that the man threw at her, each time getting so drunk that he lost all sense. Attempts to reason with him never led to anything good. Fearing that her husband might completely lose control and start laying a hand on her or their daughter, Vera left. She took a one-way ticket and hoped for the best. Almost immediately, she managed to rent an apartment, enroll her daughter in kindergarten, and find a good job. It was there that Vera met Oleg. She told herself that she would never again wear a wedding ring, but Oleg turned out to be persistent. He didn’t rush his beloved, yet he never refused his intent to charm her. Lesya grew accustomed to him and, from time to time, began calling him “daddy.” Six months ago, Vera finally agreed to become his wife. And she hasn’t regretted it once. Even though Oleg’s parents were against his marriage to a woman who had already been married and had a child, he didn’t ask for permission and made it clear to everyone that he wouldn’t let anyone control his life. Oleg didn’t allow anyone to speak ill of his beloved, quickly setting everything in its place. Her mother-in-law couldn’t sway his decision to marry.
Putting off the cleaning for later, Vera agreed to go for a walk with her husband. They didn’t spend much time together, but today was a day off, and the weather outside practically sang that it was time to seize the moment and go out.
“By the way, my parents have invited us to my father’s birthday celebration. They’ve decided to celebrate at a restaurant. They’ve booked a separate area with entertainers for the children. A lot of relatives will be there. Shall we go?”
Even though her mother-in-law didn’t really like her daughter-in-law, Vera tried to befriend the woman. She believed that in time Valentina Stepanovna would come to terms with it, see that her son was happy, and stop nagging him. If they were invited to a family celebration, that could be taken as a step toward establishing a relationship.
“But it’s your father! How could I refuse? Besides, he seems to treat Lesya well.”
Her father-in-law indeed welcomed his son’s choice and treated her daughter kindly. He said that it was Oleg’s life with Vera, and if he was happy, then he would be happy for his son.
“Well, that’s great! Then in a week we’ll go. And if you need a new dress, just say the word.”
“Where would I get new dresses? Let the money accumulate. What if we suddenly need to buy a stroller for the baby, children’s furniture… you know how many expenses come with a small child. With Lesya, it’s already a lot, and the second baby will demand even more at first.”
Oleg smiled. He loved Lesya like his own daughter, yet he was comforted by the thought that he and Vera might have a child together. Sometimes doubts crept in—would he end up loving his own child more? But he quickly dismissed them. Besides, how can one divide the love for children?
The week flew by. Vera had already picked up her daughter from her mother’s. Olesya was happy to return home to her beloved toys.
“Mom, do we really have to go somewhere?” Lesya frowned as Vera braided her long hair, getting ready to go to the restaurant.
“Grandpa Gena’s birthday. We need to go and congratulate him. Besides, Oleg said there would be other children and entertainers there. Don’t you want to have some fun?”
Lesya merely shrugged. Her reluctance was evident. Children are such sensitive beings, so Vera understood that her daughter also found it difficult to interact with a stepmother. Valentina Stepanovna had immediately forbidden the girl from calling her “grandma,” insisting that she be addressed by her first name and patronymic. This wasn’t a problem, of course, but the child didn’t understand why she was being pushed aside.
After getting ready, Vera hoped that everything would go well. If her husband’s parents had invited them, they should behave appropriately. She wanted to believe that everything would end without a scandal, but… inside there was still a sense of anxiety. Her intuition rarely failed her, so Vera tried to keep her finger on the pulse whenever that sinking feeling appeared.
Her mother-in-law cast a disdainful look at Vera and Lesya as soon as they approached to congratulate the celebrant, and spoke to her daughter-in-law in a strict tone:
“Let’s step aside for a moment so we can talk.”
Vera and Oleg exchanged glances. Oleg squeezed Lesya’s little hand and smiled. The mother promised that she would try to behave well and apologize to his wife. Oleg hoped that would indeed happen. He nodded to Vera, signaling that she shouldn’t worry.
“Are you trying to humiliate me?” Valentina Stepanovna demanded as soon as they stepped aside.
“Humiliate? Why do you say that? I didn’t mean to do anything wrong. If you don’t like the way we’re dressed…”
“Why should I care how you’re dressed? Your daughter doesn’t belong at a family celebration! She’s a stranger to us! Why did you bring her along? I invited you and my son, not this… daughter of an alcoholic.”
Vera felt her hand begin to itch. She wanted to smack her mother-in-law and force an apology for her carelessly thrown words, but the woman swallowed her pride. If a scandal broke out, everyone would condemn her. In the end, her words carried no real weight. It became clear—befriending her was impossible. The woman would never stop insisting that her son had chosen an unworthy wife. No matter how hard Vera tried, she would never be seen as good in the eyes of someone who had already judged her solely on the fact that she had a child.
“You know, I’ve endured your insults for a long time, always hoping that something in your stone heart would soften. Lesya is just a small child. She doesn’t understand why you hate her so much. For Oleg’s sake, I tried to build a relationship with you, but everything has its limits. I’m tired of crawling on my hands and knees before you, of enduring your sidelong glances at me and my daughter. Knowing that Oleg will support me and could even cut you off, I endured, but now I’m tired. I see that no matter how hard I try, I can never be good in your eyes, so I won’t tolerate it any longer. Valentina Stepanovna, know that if your son stops speaking to you, it won’t be my fault.”
Vera wanted to leave, but her mother-in-law grabbed her hand, squeezing her wrist so tightly that the skin ached with pain.
“Are you threatening me? How dare you utter such words? A son will never abandon his mother. Soon he’ll understand that such cheapness isn’t worthy of being his wife, and he’ll leave you! Didn’t you think that one day he’d get fed up and leave you? There are so many young and innocent girls around! Why would he need a wife with someone else’s child? He can marry someone who will bear him his own child! And then he won’t have to spend money on someone else’s child.”
“That’s not for you to decide.”
Perhaps Valentina Stepanovna thought her words would hurt Vera, but Vera trusted her husband. She hadn’t become his wife for nothing. She was confident in Oleg, as much as in herself, and knew he didn’t make empty promises. Her husband loved her and his daughter. The mother-in-law didn’t see how, in the evenings, Oleg would read fairy tales to Lesya, how he would cover the girl with a blanket and kiss her on the forehead. He treated his daughter better than her biological father ever did. He had become a true father for Lesya. And Vera never doubted this sensitive, understanding man. Because of her mother-in-law, she didn’t want to quarrel with her husband, but she could only smile through her disdain. She had already done enough trying to please her mother-in-law, yet the woman didn’t appreciate it. It was time to put an end to it, if an ellipsis had turned out to be the wrong punctuation mark.
Vera left, not allowing her mother-in-law to say any more hurtful words. Getting closer to her husband and daughter, she apologized to Gennady Dmitrievich, citing poor health—even though everyone clearly understood the real reason—and hurried away with her family from that stifling place.
Only when Lesya had fallen asleep did Oleg approach his wife and squeeze her hand. He had hoped that his mother would keep her promise and apologize to his wife, but he had trusted in vain.
“Did she say something bad again?”
“Why pretend that everything is fine if it isn’t? I don’t want to turn you against your mother, but you have to understand my feelings. Valentina Stepanovna hates my daughter. That won’t change. Every time she says she can’t stand Lesya, that she doesn’t belong at family events. Olezhka, I love you, but I can’t keep trying to mend things with your mother. What’s the point if with every attempt she lets out more barbs? It’s better to leave it as it is and stop trying. You can keep in touch with your parents—I don’t mind at all—but I’d rather not. It’s too hard. I tried not to take it to heart, but when you’re hurt more and more each time, it’s hard to hold on.”
Oleg just nodded and pulled his wife close. He understood perfectly and was disappointed by his mother’s behavior. The man couldn’t accept her nasty behavior. Deciding that there was no point in talking to his mother any longer, Oleg began to distance himself from the family.
One evening, Valentina Stepanovna met Vera as she was returning from work. The woman tried to provoke a scandal, but the daughter-in-law did not respond to the provocations. She simply ignored her words and remarks, pretending not to notice them at all. Oleg kept in touch with his father, but he rarely called his mother, and even less often answered her calls. When Valentina Stepanovna asked what was wrong, the son plainly stated that he wouldn’t allow anyone to insult his wife and daughter, and if his mother had any issues, she could permanently cut him out of her life.
A year later, Vera shared joyful news with her husband—she was pregnant. Oleg took on preparing Lesya for school so that his wife could rest more. However, his mother decided that she wouldn’t accept a grandchild… even if it was his own, since the child was to be born to the woman who had ruined her relationship with her son. Valentina Stepanovna still bore a grudge against Vera and refused to communicate with her. Deep down, she hoped that one day her son would realize everything, take his child, and divorce her, even though she understood that would never happen. Oleg loved his family too much, and his mother could not influence his life, for the chick had long since flown from the nest.
