Galina woke up before the alarm clock. Dawn was already breaking outside the window, the first rays of the May sun filtering through the sheer curtains.
She silently slipped out from under the blanket, trying not to wake her husband. Stepping on the cool floor, she crept to the kitchen and turned on the kettle, wrapping it in a towel to muffle the sound.
Morning was her only salvation: brief moments of solitude when she could quietly think about her own things, without judgmental looks and constant reminders of «women’s duties.»
The woman approached the window. The small garden in front of the house was already covered in fresh greenery, and on the three modest flower beds that she had so hard-fought from her mother-in-law, the first flowers were blooming.
«All this is frivolous,» Anna Viktorovna grumbled when her daughter-in-law first mentioned flowers. «You should be planting potatoes and carrots, not your… what are they… petunias?»
The daughter-in-law remained silent then. As usual. But the flower beds still appeared.
«Up before dawn again?» came her husband’s hoarse voice. «And why? You’re just going to sit at home all day anyway.»
Nikita stretched and yawned widely. A tall, sturdy man with chestnut hair, he had been her husband for three years. Three long years…
«Good morning,» the wife quietly replied, pouring tea. «I love this time of day. Quiet, peaceful.»
«Never thought I’d marry such a morning lark!» the man laughed. «Well, I’m off early today. Dad’s working out a new route, gotta hustle.»
Galina silently nodded. The Strogov family business — five minibuses in Voronezh — was the only topic that truly excited her husband. He eagerly talked about prospects, how he and his father would soon «take over the whole city.»
«You could at least ask how things are going! It’s family business after all. While your dear husband works hard, you just lounge around these four walls.»
«Sorry. How’s the new route progressing?»
«Better already! Today Dad and I are going to the administration. There’s a guy there…»
The woman listened half-heartedly, nodding automatically. Other thoughts swirled in her mind: What if… No, nonsense.
«Galchonok, have you seen my documents? The ones in the blue folder!» Nikita shouted from the hallway.
«They’re on the nightstand in the corridor.»
«Good girl!»
Her husband ran up to her, kissed her cheek, and before leaving said:
«Mother asked for help with the seedlings. You haven’t forgotten, right?»
Galya nodded. How could she forget? The mother-in-law had reminded her all week.
«And, uh… I’ll give you money for groceries tonight, okay?»
«Okay,» Galina replied softly, watching the door close behind her husband.
Silence. Finally. The woman slowly sat down on a chair and closed her eyes.
Five years ago, after college specializing in “decorative horticulture and floristry,” the future had seemed so bright. She dreamed of opening her own little flower shop. She even had a name picked out — «Blooming Dreams.»
Then Nikita appeared. A handsome, confident guy from a «business family.» He swept her off her feet, took her to the registry office, and… here she was. In the Stroganov house, where men decide, and women obey.
«Why do you need to work?» Nikita was surprised then. «My father and I earn well. Your job is the home and comfort.»
And she agreed. Silently swallowed the hurt when her husband laughed at her «flowers.» Put her diplomas away. Put her dreams on the back burner.
«Galya, you seem thoughtful today,» Anna Viktorovna noticed, handing the daughter-in-law a box of pepper seedlings. «Something wrong?»
The women were working in the mother-in-law’s greenhouse, transplanting young plants. The May sun was hot, the greenhouse stuffy.
«No, it’s fine. Just didn’t sleep well.»
Anna Viktorovna snorted. She was almost sixty but looked younger. An energetic, authoritative woman with a short haircut, she kept the whole house under tight control.
«You know,» the mother-in-law said unexpectedly, «I was once like you too, wanted something… different.»
Galina looked at her relative in surprise:
«In what way?»
«In the way that nothing is hidden from me. I see how you fuss over your flowers! Maybe I’m strict sometimes, but here I understand you like no one else!» The woman carefully transplanted a seedling. «When I was young, I wanted to become an agronomist. Imagine that? I even got into the institute. I loved working with plants, wanted to breed new vegetable varieties. I knew every herb, when to plant, how to feed.»
«What stopped you?» Galina was moved by the mother-in-law’s unexpected candor.
Anna Viktorovna smiled:
«Who stopped me, you want to ask? I married Mikhail Petrovich, dropped out, gave birth to Nikita. And my husband, as you know, is a shrewd man. All about business. ‘What agronomist?,’ he said. ‘Help me instead of fooling around.’ So it went.»
The daughter-in-law felt something tighten in her chest. Suddenly she wanted to share her hopes with her mother-in-law.
«Anna Viktorovna,» Galya began unexpectedly, «I want to tell you something… Remember when my grandmother died six months ago?»
«Of course, I remember. You were so upset! That you don’t forget.»
«The thing is, she left me an inheritance. A cottage in the suburbs with a large plot. I’ve been silent all this time, waiting for the paperwork to finish. Today is exactly six months… and you’re the first I’m telling.»
«And Nikita?»
«Nikita doesn’t know. I don’t even know why I stayed quiet. Probably wanted to understand what to do first.»
The woman fell silent, sifting soil through her fingers. Then, gathering courage, she looked up at her mother-in-law:
«You know, I’m thinking… maybe open a small flower greenhouse there? After all, I have the education. And I really don’t want to give up my dream.»
Anna Viktorovna was silent for a long time, then quietly replied:
«God bless you, Galina. God bless.»
The words the mother-in-law spoke stayed with Galina all day. A strange thing — to say aloud what you’ve kept silent about for so long, like taking the first step into the unknown.
In the evening, she set the table with special care. Today was the right moment to tell the whole family about the inheritance. The time had come, and the cottage officially became her property.
The front door slammed. The men came home. Nikita and father-in-law entered noisily, shouting with joy.
«Galchonok!» shouted her husband from the doorway. «We have great news! Father got the route!»
Mikhail Petrovich walked proudly into the kitchen, putting a bottle of cognac on the table for special occasions.
«Hello, daughter-in-law! Nikita and I were lucky today. The new route was approved!»
Anna Viktorovna, just finishing weeding the beds, came into the kitchen.
«What’s with all the happy shouting? Looks like not only the daughter-in-law has good news today. How nice!»
«You have news too?» Nikita looked at his wife with interest.
«Let’s hear yours first!» the mother-in-law nodded to the men.
«Imagine,» Mikhail Petrovich began enthusiastically, «the route was approved! The one through the new neighborhood. Kolya from the administration helped, of course. We’re the first to go there now.»
«We just need one more vehicle,» Nikita added. «Old ones can’t handle such a schedule.»
«Exactly! We’ll have to take a loan, but no worries! We can manage! We never get lost! Now, daughter-in-law, share your joy. We’re listening.»
Galina felt her heart beat faster.
«The grandmother I lost six months ago left me a suburban cottage with a plot on Lesnaya Proseka. Today I became the rightful owner of the property.»
For a moment, silence hung in the kitchen. Mikhail Petrovich thoughtfully drummed his fingers on the table, as if calculating something in his mind. Nikita looked at his wife with undisguised surprise.
«Lesnaya Proseka, you say? Those plots are golden! My realtor friend sells houses there, they fly off the shelves.»
«Listen, that’s the solution to our problem!» Nikita turned to his father. «Dad, if we sell the cottage, it’ll be enough for a minibus and even a small bus, the one we dreamed of!»
The father-in-law smiled broadly:
«Now that’s a thought! We’ll sell grandmother’s cottage, buy a car for Nikita. Put it in his name! I’ll call Tolya right away; he’ll find a buyer quickly. We’ll be done in a week!»
«Wait! You must have misunderstood me!» Galina said quietly but firmly. «I’m not going to sell the house. I have my own plans for it.»
The men fell silent, staring at her in confusion.
«What do you mean ‘not going to’?» her husband frowned. «Galya, do you realize what an opportunity this is? This is family business development!»
«I won’t sell grandmother’s house,» the woman repeated, trying to keep her voice steady. «I’ll say it again. I have other plans for it.»
Mikhail Petrovich leaned back in his chair:
«And what might those be, if I may ask?»
«I want to open a flower greenhouse there. Grow flowers for sale, use my florist education.»
The father-in-law snorted, and Nikita raised his eyebrows in surprise:
«Flowers? Are you serious, Galya? What about our business? We need a vehicle for the new route!»
«Listen, daughter-in-law,» Mikhail Petrovich said sensibly, like to a child, «your husband works from morning till night so the family lacks nothing. And now, when there’s a chance to expand the business, you think about some flowers?»
«This isn’t ‘some flowers,'» the woman’s voice carried hurt. «This is what I studied and dreamed of. I’ve been putting off my desires for five years.»
«Dreams are for children! Adults think about the future. About money.»
«And what good is money if I’m unhappy?»
«Unhappy?» Nikita even stood up in indignation. «What do you mean ‘unhappy’? You have everything: a home, food, clothes! What more do you want?»
«My own business! The chance to do what brings me joy.»
«You’re my wife! We’re a family! And we have to decide everything together!»
«When have we ever decided anything together?» Galina smiled bitterly. «You’ve always decided everything yourself.»
Mikhail Petrovich grimaced and muttered disapprovingly:
«What nonsense from women! In our time, wives supported their husbands, not argued.»
«I won’t sell this house! For me, it’s a memory of my grandmother, a chance to start something of my own.»
«You must think of the family! If you love me, you’ll support me!»
Galina felt tears welling up.
«Enough!» suddenly Anna Viktorovna said sharply. Everyone turned to her, surprised at this outburst; the mother-in-law rarely raised her voice.
«Do you hear yourselves?» the woman looked at her husband and son. «Galya’s grandmother died, left her an inheritance. It’s her inheritance, her decision what to do with it.»
«Aniut, what are you saying?» the father-in-law was taken aback. «You always said family is everything.»
«Family doesn’t mean ‘do as the men say,'» Anna Viktorovna said surprisingly firmly. «Even I realized that… after thirty years of marriage.»
«What do you mean ‘even you realized that’?» Mikhail Petrovich stared at his wife as if seeing her for the first time. «What are you talking about?»
«That a woman has the right to her own desires. To her own decisions. And is not obliged to obey what the men decide for her.»
«Mom, what are you doing?» Nikita shifted his confused gaze from his mother to his father. «We’re talking about family business! What’s the point of these… flowers? The minibus means real money, stability! Don’t you get it?»
Tense silence hung in the kitchen. Galina looked at her mother-in-law in amazement: she had never said anything like this before. Always agreed with her husband, always went along with his decisions.
«You’re putting pressure on Galya just as they did to me,» Anna Viktorovna continued. «And I don’t want her to repeat my fate.»
«What fate? You live like a queen! You have everything!»
«Everything except what I dreamed of,» the woman answered firmly. «Galya, tell us more about your plan. We all want to hear it. Right, men?»
The daughter-in-law was confused by such support. She took a deep breath and began:
«The grandmother’s plot is big, almost fifteen hundred square meters. We can put up a greenhouse, not very big to start. I’d grow flowers for sale. I still have contacts from college, I know where to get supplies.»
«And how much will you earn from this?» her husband interrupted rudely. «Five thousand a month? Ten? The minibus brings at least two hundred thousand!»
«It’s not just about money. This is what I love, what makes me happy.»
«Enough of this nonsense!» Mikhail Petrovich shouted. «You only think about yourself! We feed you, clothe you, give you a roof over your head!»
«Misha!» Anna Viktorovna raised her voice. «Don’t you dare talk to Galya like that! She owes no one anything!»
«What, are you against me?» the father-in-law stared at his wife angrily and surprised.
«I’m not against you. I’m for Galya. And for myself, finally.»
Galina felt something tighten in her chest. For three years, she had seen her mother-in-law only as a strict woman, but now for the first time she saw a kindred spirit.
«And what do you suggest?» Nikita asked challengingly. «Let Galya grow her flowers while we’re left without a vehicle? Father put so much effort into this route!»
«We can take a loan for the new minibus,» the mother-in-law answered calmly. «Or lease it. Many do that. Besides, you shouted ten minutes ago you’d manage. Or does free stuff look tastier?»
The men looked at Anna Viktorovna with displeasure, not knowing what to say.
«I propose a compromise. Galya doesn’t sell the house but starts her business there with the greenhouse. But part of the income — say, a third of the profits — goes into the family budget to pay off the loan for the new minibus. And to make things easier, I could help Galya with the greenhouse. I have experience, even if it’s amateurish.»
«You really want to help?» the daughter-in-law asked gratefully.
«Not just want to,» Anna Viktorovna smiled. «I’m interested myself. Maybe you’ll teach me your secrets? It’s never too late to learn something new.»
Mikhail Petrovich looked at his wife in amazement, then shifted his gaze to his son:
«Nikit, maybe it’s worth thinking about? If we take a loan and Galya helps a bit with her profits…»
«I… I need to think,» the man finally said, abruptly getting up from the table and leaving the kitchen.
The Sunday morning was summery warm.
Galina was laying out garden tools on her grandmother’s plot, which was now her property.
The old apple trees promised a rich harvest, and in the far corner work was to begin on installing the greenhouse.
«Galchonok, where should I put the bags of soil?» Nikita asked, out of breath.
«Over there, under the canopy,» Galina said, smiling as she watched her husband.
Three weeks had passed since that evening when the truth about the inheritance came out. Nikita resisted for a long time but gave in, especially after his father unexpectedly supported his wife.
«The greenhouse will be here,» the mother-in-law paced with a tape measure. «Six by twelve — a good size. And here are the beds for seedlings… What do you think?»
The woman seemed to have grown younger over these weeks. Her eyes sparkled, she was immersed in planning the greenhouse, even enrolled in a course on greenhouse management.
«Perfect,» nodded the daughter-in-law. «We can expand later.»
Mikhail Petrovich approached the women, wiping sweat from his forehead.
«So, business lady, things moving?»
«Definitely! In a month we’ll be planting the first seedlings.»
«Good! Tomorrow I’ll come with the guys, help put up the greenhouse. By the way, our loan was approved. In a week the minibus will be ours!»
«Congratulations, dear! That’s great news!»
«You know, Galka,» the father-in-law said unexpectedly to his daughter-in-law, «I was against it at first. Thought it was nonsense. But now I see — you’re passionate about this, and my Anuta seems younger. Maybe I wasn’t so right?»
«Misha, are you sunstruck?» Anna Viktorovna joked, but tears glistened in her eyes.
«No, just thinking: if I hadn’t forced you to quit school back then… What would you be now?»
He coughed and hurried back to the barn. Anna Viktorovna watched him with surprise and tenderness.
In the evening, Galina sat on the porch. Inside, Nikita and his father argued about how best to arrange the furniture. The family decided to spend weekends here, helping with the greenhouse.
«Tired?» Nikita sat next to her with a cup of tea.
«A bit. But it’s a pleasant tiredness. It will pass!»
«Gal, I wanted to apologize,» her husband said after a short pause. «For pressuring you. I thought it was right.»
«What changed?»
«Probably, it was the first time I saw your eyes light up when you talked about your plans. And… I never saw Mom this happy. I suddenly realized I deprived you of something important all these years. I thought it was enough just to provide for you.»
The woman smiled contentedly, looking at her husband.
«And also… I was afraid if you had your own business, you’d become independent and… leave.»
«Nonsense!» the wife laughed. «I’m not rushing for freedom. I just want to be myself.»
Three months passed. The greenhouse sparkled in the sun. Inside, flowers of all colors bloomed. Galina was cutting them for the next bouquet.
«You have an order from the bridal salon,» Anna Viktorovna informed her. «Thirty bouquets by Friday.»
«We’ll manage! I think it’s time to expand. Demand is growing.»
«Maybe hire an assistant? By the way, Mikhail said yesterday your profits nearly caught up with the income from one minibus! Can you imagine?»
Galina smiled, looking at her hands. Always in the dirt now, with small scratches. But these were happy hands.
«You know what’s amazing? I never thought my dream could bring us all together. That the family would become stronger.»
Anna Viktorovna hugged her daughter-in-law:
«Every woman has the right to a dream. And every dream has the right to live.»
Outside the greenhouse, the bright sun illuminated Galina’s small family business — a venture she had protected and fought for. A business that had turned from a dream into reality.
