Barbara was waiting for grandchildren. She was waiting for them very much. Her husband at that time was forty-five and suddenly he went to a better world. Barbara’s parents did not live to see the birth of grandchildren, she had no siblings, aunts and uncles.
So it turned out that, except for her daughter, she had not a single native person left in the world. That is why she hurried her – quickly! They do not have much heredity, there are no long-livers, and she wants to see grandchildren. And the family should not stop.
But frivolous Alisa did not listen to her mother. She said that children themselves choose when to be born – no matter how much you plan, no matter what, it’s all the same: the baby decides that it’s time to be born, and it will be born.
Or vice versa, it does not want to be born right now, so whatever you do, it will not work. Barbara snorted – what nonsense! And Alice just laughed merrily.
She got married easily, in the second year of the institute.
Her husband was almost ten years older, but Alice claimed that they did not notice the difference, they loved each other and generally felt good together.
– “He’s too old for you!” Barbara was indignant. – Let now, and in twenty years this difference will be oh, how noticeable!
– Mom, is it okay that your father was nine years older than you, – Alice asked.
And Barbara was in a hurry to turn the conversation back to the topic of “when will there be grandchildren”.
Grandchildren, more precisely, grandson – so far in the singular – was born two years after the marriage, just after the defense of Alisa’s diploma.
– You guessed well, – Barbara smiled understandingly. – Who would give a pregnant woman a bad grade at this stage?
– How can you, mom? – Alisa was indignant. – I honestly did my diploma, without help! And I told my supervisor that I would defend it on general terms! The only thing the commission allowed me to do was to read the report sitting down, and John was waiting for me in the corridor under the door… And I don’t understand, mom, why are you dissatisfied?
– I didn’t ask you for anything! The child is yours! I’ll help you, but don’t even think about leaving her to me! I retired not to take care of a small child, but to rest!
– But we were not going to ask you for anything, – Alice said confused.
She and John were really coping on their own. He was an ordinary child – not a gift, of course, but not too moody or whiny.
Alice took care of him all day, and in the evening and on weekends John tried to watch the baby so that his wife could rest.
It was not a problem for him to let Alisa go to the doctor, to the hairdresser or just for a walk, he stayed with the baby quite calmly and never reproached his wife for “taking too long”.
For the sake of justice, Alisa herself tried not to be late and never “disappeared” for half a day, returning as soon as she was done.
Grandmothers rarely came. John’s mother lived in the suburbs and was often weak: it was much easier to get in the car and bring her grandson to her than to wait for her to come.
She was very upset that she could not help the young people and rarely saw her grandson.
– “It’s okay,” she said, “when he grows up a bit, you won’t have to carry him in your arms – I will be able to take him on weekends, you will rest a little, and I will talk to you to your heart’s content.
Barbara lived not far away, by the standards of a big city – very close, she did not complain about her health, but she came occasionally, played with the child for several hours and did not forget to remind that the child should be raised by parents, not grandmother.
The grandson turned two years old, and then John and Alice were lucky. They got two free tickets to the concert of the band they both loved.
The tickets were expensive, the band came rarely, and the concert hall was not far from their house.
John’s friend wanted to go to this concert with his girlfriend, but they quarreled, so he gave the tickets to John and refused the money.
Alisa told her mother all this three days before the concert.
– Are you out of your mind?! First of all, I had other plans. I wanted to sit quietly in silence and read a new novel. And secondly, my dear, you’re a mother! What concerts? When you were little, I didn’t have time to read a book, and you go to concerts!
– Mom, this is the first time in two years…
– I don’t care how long it’s been! No, just look at it – I understand if there was a necessity, a weakness there, or something, it is clear, a despair, but here? They are going to have fun, and I have to sit with their child!
– Mom, you don’t have to… I beg you. For the first time in two years. And this is your grandson you’ve been waiting for.
– But don’t make me feel sorry for him! I said I’ll help you if you need it. And for the sake of your party, I’m sorry. No.
John took his son to his mother, with an overnight stay, and the next day Alice came by taxi and picked him up. The problem was solved, but the residue remained. Alice made a promise not to ask her mother for help again. However, less than six months later, she had to go to her again.
John had a vacancy at work, and he managed to get Alisa a job there. She herself has long wanted to go to work, as long as she remembers at least something from the institute program, but the problem is that there were no places in kindergarten.
– “Mom, it’s a very promising job, I don’t want to lose it,” she explained to her mother, “and, frankly speaking, we don’t have enough money: the three of us live on one salary… Mom, please help! The queue to the kindergarten will come up soon, I learned, it is a matter of several months, and I need to go to work right now, otherwise they will take another person. No one will wait for me.
– And what, your mother-in-law doesn’t want to sit with her only grandson? It’s her grandson too!” Barbara said sarcastically.
– Mommy, she is weak… Where else would she take her granddaughter?
– All right, then. All right, – Barbara agreed. – But I’m not going to waste my time and energy for nothing. Here is my condition – on weekends you are alone with him. You buy food for the child. And, most importantly, you will pay me money. Not as a nanny, of course, I understand that you don’t have that kind of money…
Alice opened her mouth, but did not say anything – she was so surprised.
But there was nothing to do. Now the main thing is to settle down and gain a foothold. To show herself on the best side. And a place in the kindergarten will be given soon, so it’s a matter of a few months.
A place in the kindergarten was indeed given. Only not in two, but in four months. Around this time Alisa received her first quarterly bonus in the amount of her salary.
She consulted with John, and together they were able to allocate from the family budget a sum sufficient to send John’s mother to a good sanatorium. She cried, refused, said that they needed the money for themselves, but both John and Alice stood their ground: they will earn money, but they need to take care of their health. Previously, they had no opportunity to help, but now it is quite different. Sanatorium, procedures, paid consultations – they will take it!
– To a sanatorium?” – Barbara gasped when she came to visit her grandson on the weekend, and John answered her question about his mother that she was sent to improve her health.
– She turned to Alice and said indignantly: “And you didn’t even think of buying a voucher for your mother!
– “Mom,” Alice was surprised, “couldn’t you save some of the money we paid you, since you also wanted to go?” Alice asked and went to the kitchen to put the kettle on.
And Barbara sat on the couch and felt the tears of resentment coming. Well, what kind of daughter did she raise? She should have thought about her own mother first of all – a stranger is dearer to her, it turns out!
And even reproaches her with honestly earned money! After all, Barbara helped them in a difficult moment…
And she just refused to help with her grandson… Alisa could not believe her ears when she heard this! They now communicate with their mother very rarely…
