Yana stood in the middle of the empty apartment where her grandmother’s furniture had stood just yesterday, feeling a strange mix of sadness and excitement. The sales contract lay on the windowsill, and the new buyers would pick up the keys tomorrow. One and a half million rubles. Not much by Moscow standards, but enough to make a dream come true.
“Pavel, I’ve decided,” Yana said to her husband when he came home from work. “I’m selling Grandma’s apartment and buying a house.”
Pavel raised his eyebrows and put down his phone.
“A house? Seriously? Where?”
“In the Moscow region. An hour from the center. The lot is small, but the house is solid. Two stories, three bedrooms, kitchen-living room. Imagine, finally living not in this stuffy box?”
Yana gestured around their two-room apartment. Pavel nodded, but there was something vague in his eyes.
“Okay, if that’s what you want. But will the money from selling the apartment be enough?”
“Not quite. I’ll have to take a mortgage for the missing amount. I’m short by 1.2 million.”
“A mortgage…” Pavel rubbed his forehead. “That’s a loan for twenty years.”
“But it will be our own house. We’ll manage.”
Yana came up to him and put her hand on his shoulder. Pavel covered her hand with his.
“If that’s what you want, let’s do it. I support you.”
The words sounded right, but Yana noticed Pavel avoiding eye contact. Men always react like that to big expenses. He’ll get used to it.
A month later, the deal was done. Yana signed the last document at the bank, got the keys, and exhaled. The house was hers. Or rather, theirs, but registered in her name because she initiated the purchase and made the down payment.
“Congratulations,” Pavel said as they stood on the doorstep of their new home. “Now you’re a homeowner.”
“We are,” Yana corrected. “We’re homeowners.”
Pavel smiled, but again that sideways glance. Yana decided to ignore it. Moving was stressful for everyone.
The next day, Pavel went to work, and Yana stayed to unpack boxes. The house felt huge compared to their cramped apartment. Every sound echoed, but it was wonderful. Freedom, space, the chance to finally breathe deeply.
In the evening, Pavel came home earlier than usual.
“How’s the setup going?”
“Slowly. The furniture arrives tomorrow.” Yana wiped dust from her hands. “By the way, Mom called. She wants to come see the house.”
“Good. Let her come.”
Yana nodded and went to the kitchen to cook dinner. Pavel took out his phone and dialed.
“Mom, it’s me. Yes, we moved. The house is good, spacious. Three bedrooms, big kitchen… No, no, it’s our house. We’re family… Yes, of course, come visit. There’s plenty of room.”
Yana listened to her husband’s conversation. Something in his tone was unsettling. Too cheerful, too friendly.
“Tell Lena too. Let her come with the kids, there’s room for everyone.”
Yana frowned. Lena was Pavel’s sister-in-law, his sister. The kids were nephews, two boys aged seven and nine. Energetic, loud, loving to run and shout.
“Pavel,” Yana called after he finished the call, “did you tell Mom something about the house being ‘shared’?”
“Well, yes. So what?”
“How is it shared? I bought the house. The mortgage is in my name.”
“But we’re husband and wife. Our family lives in the house, so it’s a family house.”
Yana put a pot on the stove and turned to her husband.
“Pavel, I invested my grandmother’s inheritance in this house. Plus the mortgage is under my name. Legally, the house is mine.”
“So what? We’re not getting divorced, are we?” Pavel laughed. “Why bother with such formalities?”
“It’s not about divorce. It’s about not wanting to turn our home into a communal apartment for all your relatives.”
Pavel’s expression changed.
“My relatives are your relatives too. Or did you forget?”
“I didn’t forget. But that doesn’t mean I’m ready to support them all.”
“No one said you had to support them. Just guests sometimes.”
“Sometimes — how often?”
Pavel shrugged.
“I don’t know. Depending on the circumstances.”
Yana felt the tension grow in her chest. These talks hadn’t happened before because a two-room apartment doesn’t really accommodate a crowd of guests. But now, with more space, Pavel clearly saw possibilities that Yana did not plan for.
The next day, when Pavel left for work, Yana received a call from her mother-in-law.
“Yanechka, how are things in the new house?”
“Thanks, Galina Petrovna, everything’s fine. We’re settling in slowly.”
“Pavel said you have three bedrooms there. Lots of space.”
“Yes, the house is spacious.”
“That’s good. The apartment was cramped, nowhere to host guests. Now you can even stay longer if needed.”
Yana clenched the receiver tighter.
“Stay longer?”
“Well, if someone in the family has housing problems or just wants to visit for a week or two. The house is big, there’s room for everyone.”
“Galina Petrovna, I bought the house. With my money.”
“Of course, dear. But Pavel is my son. Where the son is, there’s a place for the mother.”
Yana closed her eyes. The conversation was taking a dangerous turn.
“Galina Petrovna, we’re always happy to see relatives as guests. But as guests, not on a permanent basis.”
“Oh, who says permanent? Just knowing there’s somewhere to come if needed. Family after all.”
After the call, Yana sat on the couch trying to organize her thoughts. Clearly, there was a gulf between her understanding of the situation and that of Pavel’s family. Pavel spoke of the house as shared family property. Her mother-in-law was already planning visits with an eye toward long stays.
In the evening, when Pavel returned, Yana decided to have a frank talk.
“My mother-in-law called today. She talked about the family staying with us if necessary.”
“And what’s wrong with that?”
“Pavel, I’m not going to turn our house into a dormitory.”
“You won’t turn it into a dorm. Sometimes relatives might visit.”
“Sometimes is good. But your mother talked about staying for a week or two.”
Pavel waved his hand.
“Mom likes to talk. Don’t take it so seriously.”
“I take seriously what concerns my house.”
“Our house,” Pavel corrected.
“My house,” Yana said firmly. “I bought it. I pay the mortgage. I decide who can live here and for how long.”
Pavel frowned.
“You know, Yana, I don’t like how you put it. We’re family. Everything should be shared.”
“Fine. Then let’s put half the mortgage in your name. And you pay half the payments.”
“I already spend money on the family.”
“That’s not the same. Either you contribute to the loan, or you don’t have a say in the house decisions.”
Pavel got up and paced the room.
“I don’t understand why you’re so against my family.”
“I’m not against your family. I’m against our house becoming a thoroughfare.”
“Your house, your house…” Pavel stopped and looked at his wife. “Aren’t we husband and wife?”
“Husband and wife. But that doesn’t mean I have to give up ownership of what I bought myself.”
The conversation reached a dead end. Pavel went to watch TV, and Yana stayed to wash dishes and reflect on how quickly the situation had changed. Only a week in the new house, and problems had already arisen that hadn’t before.
The next day, Yana decided to go to the garden center for plants for the yard. Gardening always calmed her, helping to clear her mind. When she returned with her purchases, she saw a familiar car in the yard.
“Lena’s here,” Pavel said as he came out of the house. “With the kids.”
Yana nodded and took bags with seedlings from the car. Her sister-in-law appeared on the porch holding the younger son’s hand.
“Yana, hi! Finally came to see your house.”
“Hi, Lena. How are things?”
“All good. The house is beautiful, spacious. You’re lucky.”
“Thanks.”
Yana entered the house and saw the older nephew exploring the second floor. The sound of his footsteps echoed throughout the house.
“Tim, don’t run in the house!” Lena shouted, but not very strictly.
“Let him run,” Pavel said. “There’s plenty of room.”
During tea, Lena talked about her life while the kids ran around, exploring every corner. Yana listened half-heartedly, watching the boys feel at home.
“You have three bedrooms, right?” Lena asked.
“Yes, three.”
“Wow. We have two rooms in our apartment, it’s cramped with kids. But here, so much space.”
“Yes, enough room,” Pavel agreed.
“It’s good to have somewhere to come if needed,” Lena continued. “If we start renovations or something else. We can move in for a while.”
Yana put her cup down a little harder than planned.
“Lena, this isn’t a hotel. Visiting is one thing, living here is another.”
“I’m not talking about living permanently. Just if circumstances force it. Family should help each other.”
“Of course, it should,” Pavel supported her. “The house is big, there’s room for everyone.”
Yana looked at her husband. Again that phrase about room for everyone. It was clear Pavel had already told the relatives: the house was open to them anytime.
“Mom’s also thrilled with your house,” Lena continued. “She says there’s finally a place where she can see the grandchildren longer.”
“Longer?”
“Yes. It used to be impossible to accommodate them in the apartment. Now they can come for a week or two. The kids will love it.”
Yana felt her heart beat faster. The picture was becoming clear. Pavel had told the family about the house so that relatives saw it as shared property available to all.
After Lena and the kids left, Yana decided to talk to Pavel again.
“What did you tell them about the house?”
“What did I say?”
“Lena spoke as if she could move in any time. Your mother hinted at long visits too.”
“I just said we have a big house now. Plenty of room.”
“And that the house is shared?”
“Yes. Isn’t that so?”
Yana stood and went to the window. Outside the glass was a small garden she planned to arrange. Now she was thinking about how to protect her house from intrusion.
“Pavel, I bought the house. I pay the mortgage. I make the decisions about the house.”
“Yana, we talked about this…”
“We didn’t talk. You just decided you could dispose of my property.”
“My property?” Pavel turned to his wife. “Are we husband and wife, or am I missing something?”
“You understand. But that doesn’t give you the right to invite relatives to live in my house without my consent.”
“I didn’t invite anyone to live. I just said that if needed, they can count on our support.”
“Our support is to help with money, find a solution. Not to turn our house into a communal apartment.”
Pavel was silent. Yana saw that the conversation irritated him, but she wasn’t going to back down. Too much had been invested in this house to let anyone control it without her consent.
“All right,” Pavel finally said. “But if something happens to my family, I won’t be able to refuse them.”
“If something happens, we’ll discuss the situation. Together. And make a decision. Together.”
“Agreed.”
Yana nodded but felt the problem was not resolved. Pavel agreed too easily. Which meant he either didn’t take her words seriously or already had a plan to bypass the agreement.
A few more days passed. Yana gradually settled the house, planted flowers, got used to the new life. But the calm was deceptive. Pavel kept communicating with the family, and from the fragments of conversations Yana overheard, it became clear relatives thought the house was available to them.
Then the thing Yana feared most happened. On Friday evening, as the couple sat at dinner, there was a knock on the door. Yana opened it and saw her mother-in-law standing there with two suitcases.
“Hello, dear. I came to visit.”
Galina Petrovna walked into the house without waiting for an invitation. Pavel jumped up from the table and hugged his mother.
“Mom, we didn’t know you were coming.”
“I decided suddenly. Missed the family. Also wanted to see how you settled.”
The mother-in-law looked around, as if assessing the property.
“You have it good here. Spacious. Will this room do?” She nodded toward the guest bedroom.
“Of course, Mom. Make yourself comfortable.”
Yana stood in the doorway and watched as her mother-in-law unpacked the suitcases. There were many things. Clearly not for just one day.
“Galina Petrovna, how many days are you staying?”
“Maybe two or three weeks. Maybe longer. We’ll see.”
Yana felt tension rising from her stomach to her throat. Two or three weeks would turn into months, and then her mother-in-law would just stay here.
“Mom, what happened? Why so suddenly?” Pavel asked.
“The neighbors started renovations. Noise from morning till night. I decided to move in for a while. It’s quiet here, peaceful.”
Yana exchanged a glance with her husband. The neighbor’s renovations were a convenient excuse. But even if true, no one asked the homeowner’s permission.
The next day, the situation worsened. Around noon, Lena’s car appeared in the yard. The sister-in-law got out with the younger son and a bag.
“Hi everyone!” Lena shouted as she entered. “We’re staying a couple of days.”
“What happened?” Yana asked.
“Our pipe burst. The apartment is flooded. While dealing with the neighbors and insurance, we need somewhere to live.”
“Of course, stay,” Pavel said. “There’s room for everyone.”
Yana closed her eyes. Again that phrase about room for everyone. The house was turning into a branch of a communal apartment.
“Where’s the older son?” the mother-in-law asked.
“Tim stayed with his father. Alexander said he could handle one child. It’s easier for me with Denis.”
Seven-year-old Denis was already running around the house exploring. The voices grew louder, the noise increased.
“Lena, how many days?” Yana asked cautiously.
“Who knows? Maybe a week, maybe two. Until we fix the apartment.”
By evening, the house was full of strange voices, strange things, strange habits. Galina Petrovna took over the TV in the living room, Lena settled in the kitchen with her son, Pavel rushed between everyone trying to please them all.
“Yana, do you have baby food?” Lena asked.
“No. We’re not planning to have children yet.”
“We’ll need to buy some. And toys too. Denis misses his toys.”
“Yana, dear, can you turn the TV volume up?” called the mother-in-law from the living room. “I can’t hear well.”
“Yana, where’s the vacuum cleaner?” shouted Lena. “Denis spilled cookies.”
Yana stood in the middle of her house and felt it stop being her home. Every item, every corner demanded her attention—not to arrange a life for herself and her husband, but to serve the needs of strangers.
On the third day, Yana woke up to a child’s crying. Denis was fussy, demanding his mother’s attention. Lena was calming her son, but the sounds echoed throughout the house.
“Quiet, Denis, Aunt Yana is still sleeping,” Lena whispered, but the whisper was loud.
Yana went down to the kitchen and saw the scene: her mother-in-law cooking breakfast using all the dishes, Lena feeding the child and scattering crumbs over the table, Pavel reading the newspaper as if nothing was happening.
“Good morning,” Yana said.
“Good morning, dear. I made porridge. Want some?” Galina Petrovna offered.
“Thanks, I’ll have breakfast myself.”
Yana opened the fridge and found half the groceries gone. The milk she bought yesterday was finished. The bread too.
“Galina Petrovna, where are the groceries?”
“We ate breakfast. I thought you wouldn’t mind.”
“Of course not. Just you should have told me. I would have bought more.”
“Oh, don’t worry. Pavel will go to the store to buy more.”
Yana looked at her husband. Pavel nodded without lifting his eyes from the newspaper.
“I’ll go after work.”
“Pavel, you see there’s no food. Go now.”
“I’ll be late for work.”
“Should I go shopping instead of you? These are your relatives eating our food.”
“Ours,” Pavel corrected. “We’re family.”
“Family living in my house, bought with my money.”
Silence fell in the kitchen. Galina Petrovna and Lena exchanged glances.
“Yana, what’s wrong with you?” the mother-in-law asked. “You weren’t like this before.”
“I didn’t have my own house before, which they’re turning into a dormitory.”
“We’re not forever,” Lena said. “Just while we solve problems.”
“Your problems shouldn’t become mine.”
Yana left the kitchen and went upstairs to the bedroom. She needed to collect her thoughts. The situation was spiraling out of control. The house she bought as a quiet place to live with her husband was becoming a thoroughfare for all comers.
In the evening, when everyone gathered for dinner, Yana decided to speak directly.
“I have something to say to everyone here.”
“What happened?” Pavel asked.
“I bought this house for us. I spent my grandmother’s inheritance, took out a mortgage. This is my house.”
“Yana, what’s that got to do with anything?” Galina Petrovna began.
“That I didn’t buy a dormitory. I bought a house for a family of two.”
“But we’re relatives,” Lena said. “Can’t relatives expect support?”
“Support is giving advice, money, finding solutions. Not moving into someone else’s home.”
“Someone else’s?” Galina Petrovna raised her eyebrows. “But my son lives here.”
“Your son lives in my house because I brought him here. The house belongs to me, I pay for it, I make the decisions.”
“Yana, you’re being too harsh,” Pavel intervened.
“Pavel, I’m telling the truth everyone seems to have forgotten.”
Yana stood from the table and looked at everyone present.
“I’m giving everyone three days to solve their housing problems. In three days, I want to see only my husband in my house.”
“Yana!” the mother-in-law objected. “You can’t throw out family!”
“I can. Because this is my house. I bought it alone — and we’ll live here. Without your mother, sister-in-law, and niece.”
“Nephew,” Lena corrected. “Denis is a boy.”
“Without the nephew too.”
Yana left the table and went upstairs. Her heart was pounding, but the decision was final. No more concessions, no compromises.
An hour later, Pavel came to the bedroom.
“Yana, open the door.”
“The door isn’t locked.”
Pavel entered and sat on the bed.
“Are you serious?”
“Absolutely serious.”
“This is my family.”
“This is my family too. But the house is mine. And I set the rules here.”
“Yana, we discussed this…”
“We discussed guests. Not permanent residents.”
“They’re not permanent.”
“Galina Petrovna came for two or three weeks, maybe longer. Lena for a week or two. They’re not guests, they’re tenants.”
Pavel was silent. Yana saw he was trying to find arguments but knew there were none.
“All right,” Pavel finally said. “But how do I tell them?”
“Tell the truth. That your wife bought the house, and she decided enough of turning it into a dormitory.”
“They’ll be offended.”
“Let them be offended. I’m also offended that my house was taken over without my consent.”
The next day, the atmosphere in the house became tense. Galina Petrovna and Lena whispered, casting meaningful looks at Yana. Pavel avoided looking at his wife.
“Yana, maybe we should think again?” Lena asked at lunch. “I really have nowhere to go.”
“Lena, you have a husband, your own apartment. Even if there are problems there, they can be solved.”
“But this is family. Shouldn’t family support each other?”
“Support, yes. But support is not taking over someone else’s house.”
“Then I guess it’s time for me to go,” Galina Petrovna said. “It’s clear I’m not needed here.”
“You’re not unwanted. But you can’t live here permanently.”
“Understood. I’ll know now that my son’s wife is more important than his mother.”
“The mother is important. But my house is my house.”
On the evening of the third day, Yana went down to the living room where the whole family gathered.
“Time’s up,” Yana said. “I expect everyone on the road tomorrow morning.”
“Yana, this isn’t right,” Pavel began.
“It’s right. I bought the house for us, not for your whole family.”
“But where can we go?” Lena asked.
“To your apartment. To your husband. To your parents. To friends. There are many options.”
“And what if I don’t leave?” Galina Petrovna asked.
Yana went to the nightstand and took the house keys.
“Then tomorrow morning I’ll change the locks. The keys stay with me. I make decisions about the house.”
“Yana!” Pavel objected.
“Pavel, you can stay or go with them. Your choice. But the house stays mine.”
Galina Petrovna stood up and silently began packing. Lena followed her mother-in-law. Pavel sat on the couch, staring at the floor.
“Are you really ready to break up the family over a house?” the husband asked.
“I’m ready to defend what I bought with my own money. You’re breaking up the family by turning my house into a dormitory.”
The next morning, two cars stood in the yard. Galina Petrovna and Lena were loading belongings. Denis cried, not understanding why he had to leave the big house.
“Pavel, are you coming with us or staying?” the mother asked.
Pavel looked at his wife, then at his mother.
“I’m staying. But it’s wrong, Yana.”
“It’s right,” Yana replied. “I bought the house alone — and we’ll live here. Without your mother, sister-in-law, and nephew.”
The cars drove away. Yana stood on her porch and finally felt the house was hers again. Silence, peace, her own space. What she bought the house for.
Pavel passed by without a word. The relationship with her husband would have to be rebuilt. But the house remained her house. And that was the main thing.
