-Sophia! Are you using margarine in baking?! But where can you do that… And again a huge pack of mayonnaise… It’s not good, don’t you understand? And the crab sticks? When you remember there’s no crab in them. Oh, you are a hostess, of course… – the mother-in-law shook her head, while defiantly closing the refrigerator door.
She took a damp napkin from the pack and wiped her hands with a grimace.
Sophia blushed with indignation. She felt ashamed. Once again, her mother-in-law was picking on her while William wasn’t looking.
-Monica, this is good margarine. Yes, I sometimes use it in baking and my mother used it. And I see nothing wrong with mayonnaise and crab sticks. Everyone eats it, – she spoke in a smooth, calm voice, trying not to show how she was hurt by her mother-in-law’s remark.
-What? Good margarine?! Your mother… Hmm… And there is nothing wrong with mayonnaise and synthetic pink stuff? You know what, honey? You should be cooking my son real food, not this! But I see you’re not capable of that,” Monica threw the napkin past the trash can.
Sophia rolled her eyes and drew in air to tell this woman everything right now… But… William came into the kitchen.
-Well, well, well… Sharing a secret again, girls? We’ve been waiting for you there. And we are very, very hungry, – he kissed his mother and wife in turn and, humming, left the kitchen.
Sophia took the dish with meat, for which she actually came into the kitchen, and trotted into the living room. Just not to be alone with this woman… Monica, humming, followed.
Today Lisa, her and William’s daughter, turned five years old. And they were going to celebrate it in a close family circle. Unfortunately, Sophia’s mother lived in another city and very far away, and she was missed so much… Sophia sighed heavily and, throwing back a strand of hair from her forehead, caught a pretend sympathetic look of her mother-in-law.
– Sophia, my daughter, why are you sighing like that? You must be tired, poor girl. William, Sophia, you’ve done well, you’ve cooked so much! And everything is so tasty and beautiful.
-Thanks, Mom. Yes, my wife is great! I wish everyone’s mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were friends like that. Here at work Alex complains that his wife and his mother are like cats and dogs. And you are smart guys, – satisfied William looked at his wife, daughter and mother.
Monica smiled happily, her whole appearance radiated love and kindness.
Sophia smiled too, although her soul was scratching.
In the evening, when her mother-in-law left, she and her husband cleaned the kitchen, washed the dishes. Then William went to read his daughter a fairy tale before bedtime, and Sophia, choosing a convenient moment, called her mother.
-Mommy, I can’t take it anymore… Six years. Six years we’ve lived with William and she’s been like this for six years. Mom, I want to take Lizka and go far away.
Last time she came and clung to the poorly washed floor. Today she didn’t like mayonnaise and margarine! And the way she talks to me, Mom! I can’t take it anymore. And in front of William, she’s like a dear, like one of my own. “Sophia, my dear, you’re a good girl” and so on. I don’t understand why she does it…
-Sophia, first of all, calm down. You have problems with your mother-in-law, not with your husband, and you want to leave your husband. Don’t you want to give her too much pleasure? I think that’s what she wants, Sophia. She wants to divorce you. I’m just sure, trust my experience. Talk to William, tell him everything. He’s a man and he’s obliged to sort it out,” my mother said confidently.
-“But mom, why she wants to divorce us, I do not understand… We have a daughter, we love each other. And I’m a good wife. Why would she want to break up our family? You’re probably right, we need to talk to her husband, – Sophia reasoned. – Okay, mom, I’ll go, William has already put Lizka to bed. It’s time for us to get ready, we have to get up early tomorrow. Kisses, – Sophia hung up the phone and thought…
The next day, she and her husband agreed to meet after work and go to the store to look for a new crib for Lisa – the child is growing and the old one is getting too small. Lisa was picked up from kindergarten by Monica.
They met, had a fun walk around the store, ordered a bed, a bedside table and shelves and very pleased with themselves, settled in a cafe to have a snack. Then Sophia decided to tell her husband everything.
– What is it, Sophia? – he looked at her with great surprise, “I mean, if you believe me, my mother alone with you is doing something strange. And as soon as I appear, she puts on a mask and becomes kind and gentle? Are you out of your mind?” he looked at her angrily.
-Yes, William! Yes, William! She treats me like this, emphasizes in every possible way that I am nobody and my name is nothing. And in front of you she pretends to love me. What can I do to make you believe me, William? – she looked at her husband with tears in her eyes.
-I can’t believe, Sophia, that you just told me all this! You just took and destroyed something good, something very close that was between us… How can you even slander my mother? The person who treats you so well?
You know, I need to go and think about it. Here are the car keys, you can drive yourself. Bye, – he threw the keys on the table and, lowering his head, left the cafe. Sophia did not have the courage to stop him. She stayed at the table, completely devastated and confused.
She waited for her husband for a long time, but he came when she had already fallen asleep. Through her sleep she could hear him lying down next to her, turning for a long time and sighing heavily
The next day Sophia planned to go to her mother-in-law and dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s.
She took Lisa to the dance and was free for an hour and a half. The mother-in-law’s house was nearby and she resolutely went to it. Monica opened the door and was very surprised to see her daughter-in-law.
-О! Well, what people. Well, come in already, when you came. Just like that or on business? – mother-in-law smiled sarcastically. -Whatever business you may have… Yes, to cook soup and darn socks…
Sophia, clenching her teeth, decided to ignore her barbs and stick to her plan.
-Monica, I want to talk to you frankly. I’ve been living with William for six years and all this time you’ve been treating me badly. Isn’t that right? You and I know it very well. It is your son who is in ignorance, he thinks that we are warm friends, – Sophia smiled wryly. – What do you want from me? And why are you doing this? Just like that? I don’t think you want to divorce us, you love your son, – Sophia looked her mother-in-law in the eyes.
-Wow! You have the courage to talk to me? What progress for a quiet mouse! I do not dislike you, I just want to teach you what your mother did not teach you. To be a good wife, a good housewife. Do you understand? You’re inexperienced, young, and I’m older than you, I have life experience and in general… – the phone rang and Monica reached for the receiver, which was next to Sophia
The screen showed the name – Polly… So that’s what it is, that’s what Polly is… Now everything became clear to Sophia. Back when she started dating William, he told Sophia that he had dated his mother’s friend’s daughter, Polly, before her. They dated for about a year, but it didn’t work out.
-You see, she is not like that. She doesn’t eat normal food. She eats some algae, yoghurt and sprouted grains. It’s not for me, – William laughed talking about her.
-I love your cutlets, fried potatoes, chicken and I can’t eat soy goulash and all that. And in general, I can’t go to bed at the same time, get up at the same time, watch only the right movies and read smart books… Well, no… I couldn’t and left her very quickly. She called for a long time, tried to get to me through my mother… In general, the story is still that.
Sophia got up and while her mother-in-law was talking on the phone, she went to put on her shoes.
-Where are you going? Didn’t you want to talk to me or am I confusing something? – her mother-in-law said with a challenge.
-You know, Monica, I understood everything and we have nothing more to talk about. Goodbye, – Sophia took the door handle.
-No, look at her! She understood! What do you understand? Can you understand anything? – laughed the mother-in-law. Sophia turned around.
-I can’t understand? Oh, yes, of course, Polly is smart, right? Local intelligentsia and generally smart and beautiful, right? And I’m a gray mouse who eats crab sticks, right? Well, you guessed wrong! I’m your son’s wife and you’ll have to reckon with me now. Because I’ve figured out your intentions. You want to divorce me from William, right? Because Polly is the best choice for your son? Is that what you think? Huh, Monica?
Monica was sweating and blushing. Sophia even thought that her mother-in-law felt sick. But she was wrong.
-Yes! They were a wonderful couple! Polly is a refined girl, with a sense of taste and tact! She is an intelligent, erudite girl and also beautiful and clean! She does not fry cutlets, her house smells of perfume! There is something to talk about with her, not like with you!
How I wished she and William would get married! But no, that stubborn bastard chose you. And yes, I’ll do everything to make him leave you! And then you will go back to where you came from – to your village!!! – yelled the mother-in-law.
Sophia looked at her mother-in-law, turned around and went down the stairs. She did everything she wanted, even more. She finally found out the truth and she felt better.
In the evening, after dinner, when Lisa was put to bed, she silently turned on her husband’s recorder, put it on the table and left the room
The apartment was silent and Sophia heard only a loud knock at the front door. She rushed to the window and saw her husband coming out of the entrance. He got into the car and soon drove out of the yard. And she guessed where he went…
He returned when she was already worried and was going to call him. She heard the sound of the key in the lock and ran out to meet him in the corridor. He silently undressed and went to the bedroom, she followed him.
– Sophia, first of all I want to apologize to you for my mother. Sometimes our parents hurt us thinking they are doing a good deed. Unfortunately… – he sighed. – My mother will never say a bad word to you again. Secondly, please forgive me for not believing you… I didn’t believe the person closest to me. And you did everything right, you put an end to this story… And thirdly, I love you and you are the best wife in the world…
Sophia saw Monica only seven months later, when she was discharged from the hospital. She and William had a son! Monica came up to her with a smile and gave her a bouquet of red roses. She gladly took her grandson in her arms, even cried a little at the photo shoot.
But, when Sophia inadvertently caught her look, intended only for her, she realized that she could not relax…
