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Can you believe it, I still can\u2019t believe it!\u201d Angela stirred sugar in her cappuccino cup, oblivious to the slowly settling foam. \u201cJust two months\u2026 In two months, I\u2019ll be a wife.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nadezhda smiled, watching her friend. Their favorite coffee shop on the corner of Sadovaya Street had been their meeting spot for the last five years. The waitress brought pastries: blueberry for Nadya and lemon for Angela.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you nervous?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cInsanely!\u201d Angela put her spoon down. \u201cEspecially because of his mother. Valentina Nikolaevna\u2026 She is so\u2026 strict. On our first meeting, she examined me as if I were a museum exhibit.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStop it,\u201d Nadezhda tasted her pastry. \u201cAll mothers-in-law are like that at first. Mine was a Cerberus too, but now we make jam together. What matters is your relationship with Nikita.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angela closed her eyes, remembering their first meeting. The sea roared, music from a distant festival played, and they sat on a deserted beach talking until dawn. Three years had flown by like a single day.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know, he proposed right where we first met. We went to the same festival, and in the evening\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWait, you\u2019ve told me this!\u201d Nadezhda interrupted. \u201cWith the ring at sunset, I remember.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, sorry. I still can\u2019t believe it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Outside, the April wind chased clouds, and the sun appeared and disappeared. Angela pictured her May wedding: apple trees in bloom, a light dress, Nikita happy beside her\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cHave you decided to keep your grandmother\u2019s apartment?\u201d Nadezhda suddenly asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course. It\u2019s a memory, every corner is dear. Nikita understands, says we\u2019ll renovate it to my taste.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re lucky with him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angela nodded. After her grandmother\u2019s death, the apartment became her only inheritance. A small two-bedroom in an old building, but it was hers. They didn\u2019t plan to live there. Nikita had his own large, modern three-bedroom in the city center.<\/p>\n
The entrance bell rang. An elderly couple entered the coffee shop, and Angela flinched\u2014the woman reminded her of her future mother-in-law.<\/p>\n
\u201cNadya, what if she never accepts me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNonsense. Give her time to get used to it. You\u2019re not marrying her.\u201d<\/p>\n
They sat in the coffee shop until evening. Nadezhda shared stories from her family life, advising not to sweat the small stuff. Angela listened, but her anxiety lingered.<\/p>\n
She returned home after dark. The hallway light was out, so she had to grope her way upstairs. Near her door, Angela noticed a shadow and gasped.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t be scared, it\u2019s me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valentina Nikolaevna stepped into the dim light from the window. Tall, straight, in a stern dark coat.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to talk.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angela nervously opened the door and flicked the light switch. The hallway was cool\u2014she had forgotten to close the window that morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome in\u2026 Tea?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo need,\u201d Valentina Nikolaevna remained standing. \u201cI have a serious conversation for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
She took a folder with documents from her bag.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere\u2019s a deed of gift. For half of the apartment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou will transfer half of the apartment to me. As a guarantee of your serious intentions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angela stared at the folder, confused. Her ears rang.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut\u2026 why?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I need to be sure about you. My son is a desirable match, and some girls\u2026\u201d Valentina Nikolaevna pursed her lips. \u201cIn short, it\u2019s a guarantee of your good behavior in marriage.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the apartment\u2026 It\u2019s a memory of my grandmother\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExactly why. If you truly love Nikita, you\u2019ll agree. If not\u2026\u201d she paused. \u201cThen there will be no wedding. And don\u2019t you dare tell him about this conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valentina Nikolaevna placed the folder on a side table.<\/p>\n
\u201cI give you three days to think.\u201d<\/p>\n
The door slammed so sharply that the light bulb shook. Angela slid down the wall, wrapping her arms around herself. A draft from the window fluttered the curtain, bringing the smell of wet asphalt. From the avenue came the honks of cars\u2014apparently, another traffic jam at the intersection. She sat in the cool hallway, examining the cracks in the old linoleum, until her fingers began to numb from the cold.<\/p>\n
She sat like that until morning, replaying happy moments with Nikita in her mind. His smile, warm hugs, kind eyes\u2026 Could he possibly know about this? No, impossible. It was all her, his mother.<\/p>\n
By dawn, Angela had made her decision.<\/p>\n
The morning was overcast. Angela dialed Valentina Nikolaevna\u2019s number. The phone rang endlessly, but she didn\u2019t hang up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m listening,\u201d the mother-in-law\u2019s voice sounded detached.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve made my decision.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. I won\u2019t give up the apartment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Silence hung on the line. Angela gripped the phone tighter.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you understand the consequences?\u201d Steel crept into Valentina Nikolaevna\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do. But I truly love your son.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou will regret this.\u201d<\/p>\n
The call ended. Angela lowered her hand with the phone. Outside, rain began to drizzle, droplets tapping on the eaves. She brewed strong coffee, opened her laptop\u2014today she needed to work.<\/p>\n
Nikita called later in the evening.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, sunshine! Can you get off early? I want to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course,\u201d she smiled. \u201cIn an hour?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGreat. I\u2019ll be waiting in our park.\u201d<\/p>\n
She found him by the fountain. Nikita stood under an umbrella, tall, broad-shouldered, in his favorite leather jacket. Seeing Angela, he beamed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve missed you.\u201d<\/p>\n
They walked under one umbrella, talking about the wedding, the future. Nikita joked about his boss at work. Angela laughed, but inside, she tensed\u2014she knew a storm was near.<\/p>\n
The call came the next morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you explain what\u2019s happening?\u201d Nikita\u2019s voice trembled with tension.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMom called. She says you\u2019re demanding some unreasonable conditions, blackmailing\u2026 What\u2019s this nonsense?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angela took a deep breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s meet. Now. And I\u2019ll tell you everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
They settled at a distant table in a caf\u00e9 by the river\u2014an old bakery with a peeling sign and creaky floors. Angela fiddled with a teaspoon, examining scratches on the wooden tabletop. Words came hard\u2014each phrase had to be pushed out. About how Valentina Nikolaevna appeared at her doorstep. About the folder with the deed documents. About how she demanded half of the apartment, threatening to cancel the wedding. Nikita was silent, his jaw working.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you kept silent?\u201d he asked quietly.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe forbade me from telling you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nikita abruptly stood, paced along the window. A waitress flinched away with a tray.<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry,\u201d he muttered. \u201cAngel, I\u2019ll be right back.\u201d<\/p>\n
He stepped outside. Angela saw through the window how he dialed a number, spoke\u2014gesticulating sharply. He returned after ten minutes, sitting beside her.<\/p>\n
\u201cI spoke to Mom.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI told her I love you. That I\u2019ll marry you, even if I have to choose between her and you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angela felt tears well up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want you to have to choose.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not you making me choose,\u201d he took her hand. \u201cYou know, I\u2019ve always noticed how she treats my girlfriends. Always finding faults, nitpicking\u2026 But this?\u201d<\/p>\n
At a neighboring table, a young couple fed each other ice cream. They laughed, oblivious to everything else.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe I should have agreed?\u201d Angela whispered. \u201cFor us\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Nikita squeezed her fingers. \u201cYou did the right thing. A family shouldn\u2019t start with blackmail.\u201d<\/p>\n
Days flowed strangely. They prepared for the wedding\u2014chose a restaurant, ordered invitations, discussed music. But a shadow of an unachieved reconciliation loomed over every decision.<\/p>\n
Valentina Nikolaevna called a week later.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to apologize,\u201d she said in a formal tone. \u201cPerhaps I was too\u2026 emotional.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you want to reconcile?\u201d Angela asked cautiously.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s meet the three of us, with Nikita. Discuss everything calmly.\u201d<\/p>\n
They scheduled the meeting for Sunday, in Valentina Nikolaevna\u2019s large apartment. Angela was there for the first time\u2014bright walls, antique furniture, photos of Nikita as a child.<\/p>\n
\u201cSit down,\u201d the hostess pointed to the sofa. \u201cTea, coffee?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo need, Mom,\u201d Nikita cut her off. \u201cSpeak, why did you call us?\u201d<\/p>\n
Valentina Nikolaevna adjusted her perfectly styled hair.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought\u2026 Maybe we can come to an agreement. Angela, you draw up the deed not to me, but to Nikita. That would be fair.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d he stood up. \u201cAre you starting this again?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSit down!\u201d Authority sliced through Valentina Nikolaevna\u2019s voice. \u201cI care about your future. You never know what might happen\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEnough!\u201d Nikita slammed his fist on the table. Cups jumped. \u201cI won\u2019t let you ruin my happiness. If you can\u2019t accept Angela as she is\u2014that\u2019s your problem. The wedding is in a month. Come if you want. If not\u2014we\u2019ll manage.\u201d<\/p>\n
He took Angela\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
They descended the stairs in silence. Outside, drizzle fell.<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry,\u201d Nikita said. \u201cI didn\u2019t think she would\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Angela hugged him.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s okay. We\u2019ll manage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Four weeks until the wedding. Angela tried to occupy herself\u2014work, meetings with friends, preparations. But every evening, alone, she thought about Valentina Nikolaevna. Why did she act that way? Did she truly want to protect her son? Or was she just used to controlling his life?<\/p>\n
Nikita started staying over more often. They planned their honeymoon, discussed movies, adjusted the guest list for the wedding. The future seemed clear and bright, despite everything.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know,\u201d he said one evening, \u201cI\u2019m grateful to my mom.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor helping me understand what\u2019s important. No matter what happens\u2014I\u2019ll always be on your side.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angela smiled and leaned against his shoulder. Outside, lilacs bloomed\u2014her grandmother\u2019s favorite flowers. What would she say now? Probably, she\u2019d praise her for her bravery. She always said, \u201cKeep your back straight, girl. And don\u2019t let anyone boss you around.\u201d<\/p>\n
May turned out warm. Apple trees and cherries showered the city with white blossoms, tulips bloomed in flower beds. Angela stood before a mirror in the bridal salon\u2014her last dress fitting.<\/p>\n
\u201cWonderful,\u201d Nadezhda breathed, adjusting her friend\u2019s veil. \u201cNikita will faint when he sees you.\u201d<\/p>\n
The dress was indeed beautiful\u2014simple, elegant, with lace sleeves. Angela twirled in front of the mirror.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you think everything will go well?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSure. Stop worrying.\u201d<\/p>\n
The morning of the wedding day began chaotically. Friends arrived to do hair and makeup, a photographer snapped every moment, a florist brought the bouquet.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe phone is blowing up,\u201d Nadezhda laughed, answering another call. \u201cEveryone\u2019s anxious, everyone\u2019s congratulating.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angela watched the makeup artist work magic on her face, thinking about her grandmother. How happy she would have been now\u2026<\/p>\n
Nikita waited at the registry office doors\u2014in a dark suit, a white rose in his lapel. Seeing Angela, he froze with his mouth open.<\/p>\n
\u201cClose it, or a fly will get in,\u201d his father whispered, and everyone laughed.<\/p>\n
The ceremony passed like a blur. Angela only remembered Nikita\u2019s warm fingers, his shining eyes, and his trembling voice as he said \u201cyes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Close friends and family gathered at the restaurant. Pavel Andreevich gave a toast that brought tears to many eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo true love,\u201d he said, raising his glass. \u201cTo the courage to be yourself and to protect your feelings. To my son, who grew up to be a real man, and to my new daughter, who taught him to be strong.\u201d<\/p>\n
As evening approached, Angela stepped out onto the terrace for some air. The May air smelled of lilacs and freshness.<\/p>\n
\u201cAm I intruding?\u201d Pavel Andreevich approached quietly.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot at all, have a seat.\u201d<\/p>\n
They sat silently, watching the sunset.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know,\u201d he began, \u201cwhen Valya and I got married, I thought love would overcome everything. That she would change, become softer\u2026 But some people can\u2019t let go of control. I gave in, bent\u2014and lost myself. We eventually divorced. But Nikita\u2026 He\u2019s different. He has a backbone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMust be painful, seeing a son drift away from his mother.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPainful. But sometimes distance is the only way to preserve a relationship. Valya will understand, eventually.\u201d<\/p>\n
Minutes, hours flew by. Fireworks began\u2014multicolored sparks reflected in champagne glasses. Nikita pulled Angela into a slow dance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you thinking about?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout us. About the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd what\u2019s in the future?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUs. Together. No matter what.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Can you believe it, I still can\u2019t believe it!\u201d Angela stirred sugar in her cappuccino cup, oblivious to the slowly settling foam. \u201cJust two months\u2026 In two… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":22399,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n