– “Mom, forgive me, but how do you and Dad plan to dispose of the inheritance?” asked Irina, as she once again visited her parents.
– “What inheritance?” her mother replied in surprise.
– “Well… our apartment. After all, you’re well over seventy. It would be best to settle this matter in advance.”
– “Are you expecting us to die?”
– “Why would you say that? I’m not thinking about that at all,” Irina stammered, “I just don’t want things to get ruined between Sergey and me later. After all, he is my only brother.”
– “How could your relationship get ruined? – her mother responded with noticeable discontent. – A quarter of the apartment already belongs to Sergey, and you just split our share in half. That’s all.”
– “But how did it happen? Why don’t I have any share?”
– “Well, you moved out when you left for your studies. And at that time, they announced privatization. That’s how Sergey became the owner. Didn’t I tell you?”
– “You didn’t.”
– “Then you must have forgotten. So many years have passed.”
– “Mom, but it’s not fair!”
– “Why? It’s all legal. And don’t worry. When the time comes – your brother won’t hurt you.”
– “But what if he does?”
– “How? Legally, half of our share is yours. I know it for sure.”
– “Anything can happen in life, Mom. Look: there are two of us, yet different rights apply to the parental apartment. Who knows how it will all turn out later? It would have been better if you’d drawn up a will…”
– “You don’t trust your brother? I trust my son! And I won’t write any will. You’ll sort it out yourselves. After all, you’re not children – you’re already grey.”
– “Is that your final decision?” It was clear that Irina was very angry.
– “Final.”
– “Then know this: if Sergey does not act according to conscience, I won’t sue him. I will simply erase you from my life. And that will be your fault!”
– “Oh, you scared me!” exclaimed her mother, “You’re burying your living parents and yet you talk about conscience. Aren’t you ashamed?”
For Irina, it was too much. Silently, she stood up, gathered her things, and left without saying goodbye…
It hurt to the point of tears.
… She had left her parents’ house immediately after finishing school – she had enrolled in a university in the capital. And yes: she moved out of the apartment because she had to register in a dormitory.
After her studies, she went by distribution, and there she got married. Her husband had a one-room apartment that he had inherited from his grandmother.
That’s where the family lived until the children – a son and twin daughter – grew up.
The one-room apartment soon became very cramped. That’s when the couple decided to sell the apartment, move to Irina’s hometown, and purchase a bigger place there.
Why there? It was simple: Irina’s mother was constantly complaining about her health, and her father had recently suffered a heart attack. At that time, Irina would spend a whole month taking care of her father. Now she was very upset that she couldn’t visit her parents as often as she would have liked, and her husband, seeing her suffering, agreed to help.
The money for the new apartment came together: they managed to put aside a good sum themselves, saved for many years, and her husband’s parents helped as well.
While searching for a suitable option, they came across an advertisement for the sale of half of a private house.
They visited and looked around. They liked everything very much: the house was solid, spacious, with partial amenities, and a small plot of land – a little help once again. Fresh air. Moreover, the school was very close by and the market not far away.
In short, they decided on this option. And they never regretted it. They lived well, got along wonderfully with the neighbors.
And the matter with her parents was resolved. Now Irina visited them much more often. And in the summer she would even bring them to her place: to sit in the sunshine and boost their immunity with fresh greens.
Her brother, who is seven years younger than Irina, had lived abroad all this time.
He came to visit once a year, sometimes once every two years. And of course, her parents regarded his arrival as a celebration. They waited and dreamed that someday he would return for good and live nearby.
And they dreamed…
The son got divorced and returned to his hometown, leaving his ex-wife and son in the care of a new admirer. He didn’t settle with his parents – he rented an apartment.
Three years later he remarried. His new wife had a daughter from her first marriage, whom Sergey immediately adopted. Now he lived in his wife’s apartment. He rarely visited his parents: he was used to keeping his distance. He communicated with his sister only when he met her at their parents’ house.
That’s how things were…
Until very recently, when a tragedy unfolded in the family of Irina’s closest friend.
The two sisters, who had once been inseparable, could not divide their parents’ apartment.
It seemed clear: the apartment should be split in half. But one of them constantly found reasons why most of the parental home should belong to her.
In the end: the sisters quarreled completely. And not only them. Their children stopped talking to each other. The husbands became enemies. Now they were all devising ways to hurt the opposing side as much as possible, and not only regarding that ill-fated apartment. They even resorted to sharing secrets that the sisters had once entrusted to each other…
That’s when Irina started to worry. If the closest of sisters could become enemies over an inheritance, what could she expect? After all, she and her brother hardly communicate…
And that’s why she decided to talk to her mother about drawing up a will…
And she did.
The conversation ended in a quarrel and led to unpleasant consequences…
The very next day, after having calmed down, Irina called her mother to check on her health, but her mother refused to speak with her. Rather, she snapped:
– “You’ll never get through!” – and then hung up.
Irina went to her parents’ house, but they weren’t home. Then she called her brother, and he replied that Mom and Dad had decided to visit him…
For the first time in several years…
After that, Irina repeatedly called her mother, but she never really spoke to her: she always claimed to be busy.
On March 8, Irina and her family had planned to congratulate her mother and grandmother on the holiday, to sit down for a festive meal (as was her habit, Irina had prepared several holiday dishes at home), but unexpectedly her brother called and said that they should not come.
– “Don’t worry, we’re all here already. We’ll congratulate Mom properly. And you too.”
– “Who all is that?” asked Irina.
– “Me, my wife, our daughter, and her boyfriend. Do you have a problem with that?”
– “No, it’s just strange somehow: why can’t I visit Mom on the holiday? Your daughter and her boyfriend mean nothing to our parents. They have their own grandchildren.”
– “Well, she doesn’t want to see you!” exploded Sergey, “Is that news to you? You went and messed with that inheritance! Who asked you?”
– “I forgot to consult you…”
– “That was very wrong of you. I would have talked you out of it…”
– “Really? Look how close you became after that conversation. Now will you all be united against me?”
– “You’re to blame! By the way, thanks to you, they’re finally planning to draw up a will.”
– “Have they come to their senses?”
Sergey smirked:
– “They want to give me their share in a will… You, after all, have shown them your selfless love…”
– “Wonderful!”
Irina ended the conversation abruptly…
After that, she never called her brother or her parents for a long time. Almost a year. She had no idea how things were developing with them.
Until Sergey informed her that their father had suffered a second heart attack, and that her mother had passed away because of it…
– “They need care, I hope you understand,” said her brother.
– “Then take care of them,” replied Irina, “I went through all that when Dad was sick the first time. Now it’s your turn.”
– “Are you kidding?”
– “Not even in my thoughts, little brother. It’s perfectly normal to take care of one’s parents.”
– “But I work!”
– “So what? You have a wife, and your daughter is grown up. You’ll manage. And if not – hire a caregiver…”
– “And you?! You won’t even visit Dad?!”
– “Why not? I’m going to the hospital today to drop something off…”
– “And Mom?”
– “I’ll stop by Mom’s… Just remember: you’ll be the one to care for and treat them. After all, you are their beloved son, the heir… So do your best. If you don’t have the money – come to me. I’ll help…”
Indeed, Irina visited her father and mother. She spent about ten to fifteen minutes with each of them. It all looked like a routine visit. She understood that, but she couldn’t help herself. The hurt clutched her heart tightly…
And it wasn’t really about the apartment or the money that could be received for her share. It was about fairness. At least, that’s what Irina believed…
A week later, her father was gone… Her mother survived him by only two weeks…
Sergey inherited everything. Alone… Irina did not contest the will.
The brother and sister no longer communicate…
But Irina’s family has a great joy now! The neighbors moved in with the children. They offered them their half of the house – at a quite acceptable price and even on an installment plan…
