-Ida, can you imagine, I went to my mother’s house, and Henry wouldn’t let me in! And he scolded me,” Lucy’s sister spoke into the phone, “and his wife was yelling at me behind his back!
Ida realized that tonight, for sure, her evening was ruined…
-What do you mean you didn’t let me in?
-He says I have nothing to do there! Can you imagine, he even changed the keys to the door!
-What do you mean, nothing to do? When my mother was weak, there was no one to look after her, they were not even close, and as soon as she was gone, he was the owner? Not only did they leave us without inheritance, but they don’t even let us in the house?
They were indignant for a long time, and putting the phone on the table, Ida sat for a long time, looking at one point… She cried quietly from resentment
She was the eldest daughter in the family, Lucy two years younger, and Henry, born five years after Lucy.
Parents were constantly on the road and when she turned sixteen, all the care of the younger ones was transferred to her. And she wholeheartedly, even with pleasure, took on the duty of the elder in the house.
Wash clothes, iron, cook lunch, help the younger ones with their lessons! She coped with everything! And every time I was happy to meet my parents after their next trip for goods to China or Turkey.
My parents developed their business quite well: first one clothing store, then another, then another… The family had very good money!
But the children grew up on their own… And it was she, Ida, who was always on the rise, she was the one who rejoiced at the success of the younger ones. Lucy immediately after school went to the capital’s university on a budget, and five years later Henry went there as well.
But she had no time to study. Despite the fact that she graduated from school with almost excellent marks, the family council decided to postpone admission to the institute for the time being. But “for now” lasted for a very long time, and then there was no desire…
And for many years the girl has been working at the plant.
Parents bought all three of them an apartment, rightly judging that no one should be singled out: all equally!
However, it was she, Ida, who was always on the receiving end of her parents’ support. She spent all weekends in her parents’ house, helping with the housework.
Her parents, having retired, were actively engaged in breeding all kinds of animals, grew crops, which they willingly shared with their children.
Ida is already forty, and no one has ever asked her to marry.
Of course, there were proposals, but none of the candidates for various reasons did not suit her, and she, still an interesting, stately girl with bright blue eyes, delicate white skin and fine features, stopped dreaming of marriage.
Lucy is much luckier. She has a husband, two children. They have a good job, even afford to go on vacation somewhere abroad. And, when they go, their nephews are gladly taken by their beloved aunt Ida.
Henry is also married. Somehow it happened that he grew up a little spoiled, of course, but he turned out to be a good family man. He also has two children, whom Ida never stopped pampering and giving not only gifts but also her love.
But his wife, Margaret, could not stand her husband’s family. After every family meeting, which the parents organized in their new suburban cottage, she managed to arrange quarrels, shouting that this was the last time she went to this village…
She said she was tired… Although it was difficult to understand what she was tired of: Ida usually took care of everything, and Lucy never ran away from the kitchen, cleaning the house, or the household.
The house was big, there was enough space for everyone. Parents always dreamed of such meetings, of such a large and friendly family.
Meetings were held joyfully, cheerfully, with songs, jokes, with gatherings either in the kitchen or in the gazebo in the huge yard.
Children played, ran after each other, and then, tired, could not get enough and went to bed, falling asleep on the move.
And then the trouble began… At some point Margaret went to her parents, taking her children with her. No one knew what they had not shared there.
The parents had a very hard time with their son’s divorce.
The father fell ill in a few weeks and, despite all efforts, he passed away…
All three were very sad, especially as the mother began to melt like a candle, not finding the strength to live alone.
Ida lived with her mother for three months, supporting her as best she could, despite the fact that it was now very difficult for her to go to work.
There was no one to manage her father’s shops, so very soon they stopped making a profit and were sold.
The children all three gave up their parts of the inheritance in favour of their mother. Ida said:
-Mommy, we, all three of us, are your children. And we love you very much! How should we share this house and why? We are not going to evict you from here, are we? We all have a place to live, you have not deprived anyone… And there is no need to worry about this inheritance! So that you do not get weak and live a very long time!
The mother smiled sadly, looking at her so sensible daughter:
-And I do not want to leave the house at all: my father and I have invested so much effort in it… I have seen so much happiness here!
But then the mother weakened. Ida again went to visit her every day, brought food, took care of the house… And one day, having arrived, she found her brother and… His wife with children in the house. Henry was a little tense, looking guilty.
Ida, smiling and hugging her brother and children, asked:
-Have you made up? I am very glad! It’s about time!
Margaret smiled, but looked wary. But, knowing her for years, Ida was not very surprised: that’s how they are!
She began to disassemble bags of food, to fuss about the kitchen, but then Henry said, as if searching for words:
-You, don’t fuss… We’ll do it ourselves.
Ida smiled: her daughter-in-law had never approached the stove in her mother-in-law’s house.
And she didn’t like to cook at home either.
-Ida, well, we decided to live here, with my mother. We rented our apartment and moved with our things!
-Really? -Ida sat down on the kitchen stool, surprised, -You mean your wife will take care of your mother?
Henry stood tense… She had never seen him like that before! He also answered a little strangely:
-She will! And I will help!
Ida smiled. She could not even imagine her brother in household chores. No, he will not do anything, that’s for sure! And her sister-in-law? With her attitude to their mother, she wouldn’t be able to take good care of them…
Margaret appeared in the kitchen doorway and, looking her sister-in-law in the eye with dislike, reluctantly stood up:
-We’ll manage! And you can safely go home. We’ll manage without you!
Feeling offended, she picked up her purse and tried to go to her mother’s room, but Margaret stood in front of her:
-Mother is sleeping, do not disturb her!
Ida tried to go around her, but then Henry came and stood next to his wife.
Realizing that she was just being exposed, she went out without saying a word.
Children were playing in the yard, and she said goodbye to them. She did not say goodbye to her brother, but saw him standing in the window and looking after her.
And only standing at the bus stop waiting for the minibus, she gave vent to tears.
Then Lucy tried to visit her mother, but she was not allowed to see her mother and was also sent home without much ceremony… The daughter-in-law said briefly and clearly:
-Mother doesn’t want to see you or your sister!
-Let her tell me herself!
-I said no means no!
Henry stood at a distance, did not interfere, but from his look it was clear: they will not let me through!
Not even a month after his brother and his family settled in his parents’ house, his mother passed away…
The sad news was told to them by a neighbor.
Not the brother and not the sister-in-law.
At their mother’s wake, both sisters cried a lot…
And now they were deprived of the right to even visit their parents’ house.
After the wake, Margaret, unable to resist, saw off her sister-in-law with the words:
-Do not hope for an inheritance in vain: mother rewrote the house to Henry!
And her eyes shone with the happiness of the winner…
Somehow, by the way, she made up with their brother…
Somehow, very easily Henry managed to forget what Ida did for him!
Somehow, very quickly his mother passed away.
Somehow, the mother’s decision to leave her daughters without inheritance is very incomprehensible.
Somehow it looks like something is wrong here. It is true what they say: “The night cuckoo always eats the day cuckoo”…