On Saturdays, Ksenia hated having to get up early. She longed to spend a well-deserved rest after an exhausting work week, wrapped in a warm blanket and enjoying some peace. However, the phone vibrated relentlessly on the bedside table, yanking her from the embrace of sweet sleep.
— What now? — she mumbled, groping along the table in search of her mobile phone.
A message from her mother-in-law made Ksenia sit up straight in bed:
“Ksyushenka, Vitalina is coming to stay with you for a week along with Artem and the children. Prepare something tasty. And buy some fruits. The grandchildren adore strawberries. Kisses.”
Ksenia read the text three times. Vitalina was the biological sister of her mother-in-law, Raisa Petrovna. A complete stranger to her, the woman was coming with her husband and two teenage twins to stay for an entire week—and no one had even bothered to ask for their permission.
“Anton, wake up,” Ksenia gently shook her husband’s shoulder. “Your mother has decided everything again.”
Anton half-opened one eye.
— What happened?
— Vitalina and her family are coming to stay for a week. Your mom already arranged for me to welcome and feed them.
Anton sat on the bed, rubbing his face with his palms.
— That’s just what we needed. I warned you that we decide for ourselves whom to invite.
Ksenia gave a bitter snort. In three years of marriage, she had gotten used to the fact that her husband’s relatives treated their apartment as a sort of free hotel with full service. Anton’s cousins would show up unannounced. His aunt, Zinaida Petrovna, would “pop in for a minute” and stay until the evening, demanding lunch and dinner. His niece, Svetochka, would regularly spend the night there when her parents went out for fun.
And every time Ksenia would obediently cook, wash, clean, and smile. And Anton would simply shrug his shoulders—as if to say, “they’re family; nothing can be done about it.”
— I need to go to the store, — Ksenia sighed as she got out of bed.
Anton pulled his wife towards him.
— Listen, maybe it’s time to put an end to this mess? Let’s just say we’re having repairs or that we had a flood.
Ksenia smiled sadly. Anton often said the right things, but nothing ever happened beyond words. When uninvited guests appeared, he was always the first to run to hug the relatives and offer them tea.
— Are they arriving this evening?
— Mom didn’t specify. I need to find out.
Ksenia silently headed to the bathroom. Under the warm streams of water, thoughts swirled in her head about the coming week. Cooking for six instead of two. Constant noise. A complete lack of personal space. And all this in their rented two-room apartment, for which they were barely keeping up with the rent.
After the shower, Ksenia decided to check the family budget. Opening the expense spreadsheet on her laptop, she was horrified to discover that the grocery expenses had almost doubled over the past three months.
— Anton, you won’t believe this. — Ksenia turned the screen towards her husband, who had just entered the kitchen. — In the last quarter, we spent more on food than on rent!
Anton whistled as he looked at the figures.
— It can’t be.
— Oh, it can. And you know why? Because we’re feeding all of your relatives. Remember when your brother Leshka came over with his friends to watch football? Three pizzas, two kilograms of shashlik. And all on our dime.
Anton lowered his gaze.
— Well, it was awkward to ask them for money.
— And Aunt Zina comes by for lunch every week. And always “accidentally” at the time when I’m cooking. — Ksenia closed the laptop. — You know what? I’ve had enough.
— What do you propose? — Anton asked cautiously.
— Nothing special. Just stop being a free cafeteria. If your relatives want to stay with us—fine. But let them take care of themselves.
Anton shook his head uncertainly.
— I don’t know, Ksyusha. It feels awkward…
— And is it convenient for me to work two jobs to feed your relatives?
Anton’s phone suddenly rang. Raisa Petrovna announced that Vitalina and her family would arrive today by six in the evening. And Ksenia must prepare borscht—Artem loves it.
— Of course, Mom, — Anton cast a guilty look at his wife and ended the call.
— I’m not going to cook anything, — Ksenia said firmly, folding her arms across her chest. — Enough. Let them take care of themselves.
— Ksyush…
— No, Anton. Either you’re on my side, or I’m spending the week at my parents’, and you entertain your guests yourself.
By six o’clock, Ksenia had deliberately settled into the bedroom with a book. Not a single appetizing aroma wafted from the kitchen. The refrigerator was empty—Ksenia had deliberately not gone to the store. Anton paced nervously in the hallway, occasionally glancing at his watch.
The doorbell rang precisely at six. Ksenia heard her husband open the door, suitcases thumping in the hallway, and unfamiliar voices emerging. Reluctantly, she left the bedroom.
In the corridor stood four people: a plump woman of about fifty with dyed red hair, a balding man roughly the same age, and two teenagers—a boy and a girl of about fifteen.
— And here’s our hostess! — the woman beamed. — Ksyushenka, dear! I’m Vitalina, this is my husband Artem, and our kids—Kirill and Karina. We haven’t seen each other in ages; you probably won’t even recognize us.
Ksenia forced a strained smile and shook the offered hand.
— Come in.
— We’re starving from the road! — Vitalina headed straight for the kitchen. — Raechka said you cook wonderfully. Especially borscht.
Anton cast a frightened look at his wife. Ksenia merely shrugged silently.
A minute later, an indignant cry echoed from the kitchen. Vitalina was standing in front of an open refrigerator that held only a lonely pack of butter, a bag of milk, and a few eggs.
— Isn’t this a bit too meager? Where’s the meat, where’s the caviar? — Vitalina turned to Ksenia in genuine perplexity. — Dear hosts, we didn’t expect such a welcome!
Ksenia shrugged indifferently and went into the living room. She calmly sank onto the sofa, grabbed the remote, and turned on the TV. On the screen flickered scenes from a new series she had long wanted to watch.
Vitalina stood with her mouth agape. The teenagers exchanged glances. Artem frowned.
— Ksyusha, what are you doing? — Anton nervously shifted his weight in the doorway.
— I’m watching a series, — Ksenia replied coolly, not taking her eyes off the screen.
— And what about dinner? — Vitalina exclaimed, throwing her hands up. — The kids are hungry! We traveled five hours!
— There’s a 24-hour store around the corner, — Ksenia replied, turning up the volume on the TV.
Vitalina clutched her chest.
— Anton! Can you see how your wife is treating us? What kind of attitude is this towards family?
Anton helplessly spread his hands.
— Ksyusha, maybe you should at least cook something? People need to eat…
— Order a delivery, — Ksenia snapped.
— This is simply unbelievable! — Vitalina grabbed her phone. — I’m calling Raechka immediately!
The teenagers silently observed the scene. Artem came over to Anton and patted him on the shoulder.
— Listen, maybe we should go buy something for dinner?
— Honestly, I’m in shock at my wife’s behavior. I thought she’d come to her senses, — Anton threw an irritated glance at Ksenia. — I don’t understand what got into her.
— Raechka, can you believe this! — Vitalina’s voice rang with indignation. — We arrived and no one even thinks of feeding us! There’s nothing in the fridge! Your daughter-in-law has collapsed in front of the TV, and we’re left hungry! Yes, yes, come quickly!
Ksenia remained unmoved. She knew a real scandal was about to erupt, but she had decided to see it through.
— Ksyusha, this is going too far! — Anton approached the sofa. — Stop behaving like a spoiled girl!
Ksenia slowly turned her head.
— Me? Spoiled? — there was a metallic edge in her voice. — And what would you call the behavior of your relatives who treat my home like a free hotel with a restaurant?
— But they’re family! — Anton blurted out.
— Then take care of your family yourself, — Ksenia snapped.
Vitalina stepped up to the sofa and leaned over Ksenia.
— I always told Raechka that you don’t love her family! Now I see I was right. What a heartless, unfeeling woman! Anton, how can you live with such an egoist?
Karina and Kirill shifted awkwardly in the corridor.
— Mom, maybe we could go to a café? — the girl timidly suggested.
— We’re not going anywhere! — Vitalina snapped. — Let this… hostess show some elementary respect!
After thirty minutes of unceasing complaints, the doorbell rang again. On the threshold stood Raisa Petrovna. Her usually friendly face was twisted with anger.
— What is going on here? — the mother-in-law began from the doorway. — Anton! Ksenia! How can you treat your own relatives like this?
— Raisa! — Vitalina rushed to embrace her sister. — You have no idea how humiliated we are!
Raisa Petrovna looked sternly at Ksenia.
— What happened to you, Ksyusha? We always thought you were a kind, caring girl. And you…
Ksenia silently stood up and went into the kitchen. A minute later, she returned holding a folder.
— Here, — she tossed a stack of printed documents onto the coffee table. — Take a look.
Raisa Petrovna took the top sheet with bewilderment.
— What are these papers?
— A detailed summary of all expenses for your relatives over the past three months, — Ksenia stated confidently. — Thirty-eight thousand six hundred rubles spent only on food, not including utility payments.
A heavy silence fell over the room. Raisa Petrovna slowly flipped through pages that detailed purchases and amounts.
— These funds could have been used for truly important needs, — Ksenia continued. — For example, dental treatment or buying new winter clothes. But instead, we’re feeding people who don’t even show the slightest gratitude.
— How mercenary! — Raisa Petrovna was the first to break the silence. — Counting money within the family! Don’t you feel any shame, Ksenia?
— Me? — Ksenia’s eyebrows rose in surprise. — And aren’t you ashamed of sending all your relatives to our place? Why don’t you take care of them yourselves—provide for them and entertain them?
— Do you think we live at your expense? — Vitalina’s face flushed with anger.
— I’m not thinking, I’m stating it outright, — Ksenia retorted.
— Ksyusha! — Anton grabbed her hand. — Stop! You’re humiliating my family!
Ksenia abruptly freed her hand.
— And who’s humiliating me? Who made me the free cook and housekeeper? You’ve been complaining all the time that they visit too often! Why are you silent now?
She cast a look first at her husband, then at her mother-in-law.
— You know what? Enough. I’m no longer going to tolerate this treatment.
Ksenia decisively headed toward the bedroom. Raisa Petrovna and Vitalina exchanged bewildered looks. Anton ran after his wife.
— Ksyusha, what are you doing?
Ksenia pulled a suitcase out of the closet.
— I’m leaving. You’ve already made your choice, Anton.
— What choice?
— Between me and your family. And you chose them.
Ksenia hurriedly packed her things into the suitcase, completely disregarding order.
— Wait, let’s talk about this, — Anton tried to stop her.
— We’ve been having these conversations for three years, — Ksenia slammed the suitcase shut. — You always agreed with me in words but, in practice, indulged them. I’m tired of being convenient for everyone.
Raisa Petrovna appeared in the doorway of the bedroom.
— Ksyushenka, calm down, — her tone suddenly became ingratiating. — We understand. You’re just exhausted. We can move to a hotel…
— Don’t worry about it, — Ksenia brushed her mother-in-law off and stepped into the corridor with her suitcase.
Everyone watched silently as she put on her coat and shoes.
— And what about the apartment? — Raisa Petrovna blurted out. — Who will pay the rent?
— Let Anton decide that, — Ksenia tossed the keys onto the entryway table. — Without my income, he won’t be able to manage the rent or your appetites.
The door slammed shut. A gloomy silence filled the apartment.
Anton did not run after her. He didn’t even try to stop her. It was the end.
Ksenia reached her friend Masha’s place in tears. She couldn’t believe she had taken such a step.
— I suffered for three years, — Ksenia sobbed, sitting in Masha’s kitchen. — Three years of being good and convenient for everyone.
Masha comforted her, stroking her shoulder.
— You did the right thing. You can’t let others take advantage of you.
All night, Ksenia couldn’t close her eyes. The phone rang incessantly with calls from Anton, but she ignored them.
In the morning, she made a decision. Gathering her courage, Ksenia called a lawyer.
— Hello. I’d like to get a consultation regarding a divorce.
The first step had been taken.
