– You should be thankful that we took you into our family! Otherwise, how would you, an orphan, live alone? And we gave you a roof and food, you can say you live for free, like cheese in butter. And she herself – her hands grow from the wrong place, she is lazy, and her face did not turn out… – so recently her mother-in-law began to say, irritatedly looking at Nicole
…Nicole married her son, Harry, very young, at the age of eighteen. There was no one to advise and guide her on the true path – she lost her parents early. She had a paternal aunt, but she lived far away and did not care about Nicole’s fate.
Harry was older than Nicole by almost fifteen years and this probably won her over. Growing up without a father, she was drawn to older men, they seemed to her caring and wise.
The newlyweds married without frills and after the wedding her husband brought her to their house with her mother. And they decided to rent out the apartment Nicole inherited from her parents.
At first, the mother-in-law was gentle and polite, just kindness itself.
– Oh, my daughter, oh Nicole… How lucky my Harry was with his wife. And smart, and beautiful, and a hostess… – her mother-in-law sang in her ears, rolling her eyes with pleasure.
She taught Nicole how to bake pancakes and was in every way touched by how clever she was and how she picked up everything on the fly. She boasted to neighbors and friends what a wonderful daughter-in-law she had. Golden…
They lived together, and it seemed that everyone was happy with everything.
– Let’s sell your apartment and add a few rooms to our house – her husband persuaded her. “And we will live separately, and we will make a future room for the child, and it will be good for mom. I can’t leave my mother, she is not young anymore.
Mom was already over 60 years old. And Nicole, inexperienced and naive, trusting people, had no one to advise her not to do it in any case. She did not sell her corner. Never. Otherwise…
But the day X came when Nicole gave in to her husband’s persuasion and finally sold her apartment.
And from that day, when she gave the money from the sale to her husband, everything changed. In an instant, she became for her mother-in-law not a daughter and a treasure, but a freeloader and a sponger.
– The son took her into a kinless family – no clan, no tribe. Idle, clumsy, lazy, can neither cook anything, nor wash the floors properly, – the mother-in-law constantly grumbled, glaring angrily at her.
Nicole eventually understood the reason for the change in her mother-in-law’s attitude towards her, but it was too late…
The husband finally began his long-awaited construction, and eventually stopped to reckon with Nicole at all, not without the help of his mother, of course. And what is a young orphan wife to do? No relatives, no friends, nowhere to go. Gradually, she became a free servant for her husband and mother-in-law – bring, serve, go away and do not interfere.
The reproaches became a constant thing, although Nicole did everything in the house, including cooking and gardening. And then she went on maternity leave, and her mother-in-law was already playing off as best she could.
– And that was it! Finally, she sat down on our neck and hung her legs… She was so lazy, and now she became a freeloader! How deliberate. Shameless! We still need to see if this child will be my son, otherwise we do not know what to expect from you… – the mother-in-law said after learning the news.
Nicole was nervous throughout the decree, but gave birth to a surprisingly healthy and calm baby, by the way a complete copy of Harry.
The girl was named Lisa and she became a real joy for Nicole, a breath of fresh air. She did not want to have any more children from her husband. They lived badly and the mother-in-law’s hand was clearly felt here. No, Harry did not raise his hands on her, but he insulted her morally, regardless of her feelings
And then Lisa grew up, and Harry fell seriously ill. Nicole took care of him as best she could, tried to help, ran with him to the doctors. But nothing helped, about sixty years old he left this world. And Nicole was left alone, a forty-five-year-old widow… Oh yes, not alone. There was also her mother-in-law, who was eighty.
And one evening Nicole suddenly noticed how the house became deafeningly quiet. Her always dissatisfied husband did not mutter, did not make any remarks to her. Her mother-in-law does not shout with her croaking voice, and does not grumble… And recently she even thanked her for a bowl of soup. Such changes were strange to Nicole…
Once they sat down to drink tea in the evening. They drank in complete silence, broken only by drops of rain outside the window, drumming on the eaves. Suddenly Nicole heard a sound she had never heard from her mother-in-law, not even when she was saying goodbye to Harry. She cried…
– Mom, come on! Are you crying? Don’t…, – Nicole was confused.
– Yeah… Don’t cry… You’re probably going to put me in a nursing home, right? Why do you need an evil, strange old woman in the house, – cried the mother-in-law, wiping her tears with a crumpled handkerchief
– Why did you decide to do this? What nonsense comes to your mind in your old age, mother? And I’m not going to hand you over anywhere. What are you thinking, huh? – Nicole answered angrily.
– Well… I ruined your whole life, did not love you, insulted you. And now I don’t have my son, there is no one to stand up for me, for an old woman… So you will hand me over to the right place, like useless trash, – the mother-in-law continued to sob.
– You know what, what you did, let it remain on your conscience. God is your judge, mother. And I will not give you anywhere, you will live out your life with me. If only you can’t live with me, then it’s up to you – you’re free.
– Oh, woe is me, old man … Forgive me, Nicole … I have ruined your life, I have been setting up my son … Forgive me, my daughter … – the mother-in-law cried
And so they began to live. Lisa studied in another city, came only to visit. And they met her together – Nicole and Nancy. Nicole cooked roasts, and her grandmother baked pies.
Her friends told Nicole that her mother-in-law spoiled her life, and she felt sorry for her, but in vain. To which Nicole replied:
– I am not vengeful, I will not return evil for evil. God is her judge, and I will do what I think is right. I am sure, one must always remain a human being. It is the only way.
And recently Nicole met a man. He is a good man, kind and decent. She thought for a long time how to tell her mother-in-law about it. She did not know how she would react. And the problem solved itself, by accident. Nancy saw them through the window. Her husband brought Nicole home and hugged her goodbye. When Nicole came into the house, her mother-in-law said quietly.
– Nicole, don’t hide, I saw everything. You are a good person, so live, what’s wrong with that. I will not mind that you. You were not happy with my son, so at least be with someone else. I’ll be glad to…
Nicole looked at her gratefully, hugged her tightly, because she was not a stranger. She realized that her mother-in-law felt better when she apologized. That’s how things are…
…Several years passed. The mother-in-law passed away, and Nicole got married. A few years later she and her husband went to Lisa’s wedding. And a year later Nicole’s grandson was born… After all, life goes on…
And on holidays and not only, Nicole always came to two graves, brought flowers, cleaned, maintained cleanliness and order. And who else but her? After all, it is not difficult to remain human.
