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<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Svetlana cautiously closed the door to the room. She felt an overwhelming pity for her husband. Lately, he had been so exhausted that he would fall asleep on his feet. And even now\u2014as he rushed home from work, quickly swallowed a bowl of \u201cnavy-style\u201d pasta, and collapsed onto the sofa\u2014he managed only to say:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Sveta, wake me up in an hour; I need to go see my father.
\n\u2014 Again? You were with him the day before yesterday.<\/p>\n
Pitying her husband, who was off visiting his sick father, I decided to visit him myself.<\/p>\n
Sveta realized that her husband simply wasn\u2019t listening. She quietly closed the door and went into the kitchen. No, something had to be done about this. Sergey Semyonovich, of course, wasn\u2019t a gift, but he was an elderly man\u2014and since he couldn\u2019t take care of himself, they would have to bring him here.<\/p>\n
Svetlana even shuddered when she remembered all the scandals with her father-in-law. They say that a daughter-in-law always has a hard time with her mother-in-law, but in their case there was no mother-in-law, only a father-in-law. He took on the roles of mother-in-law, bad dog, and many others.<\/p>\n
When Sveta got married, she tried to keep herself in check. They moved in with her father-in-law at his country house, as he himself called that unremarkable house. Commuting to work was inconvenient. Sasha had a car\u2014not new, but in perfect order. However, they worked in different parts of the city, and Alexander had to drop his wife off at a bus stop, where she would then catch a minibus. Or sometimes it was Svetlana who had to drop Sasha off, because they\u2019d agreed to alternate weeks. One week Svetlana went to work, the next week Sasha. Her father-in-law was horrified by this arrangement; he thought that a daughter-in-law wasn\u2019t that important\u2014nothing would happen to her if she walked or took public transport.<\/p>\n
Svetlana had often heard him say to his son:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Why do you always follow her lead? She should know her place.<\/p>\n
Sasha would just brush him off:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Dad, don\u2019t talk nonsense.<\/p>\n
But her father-in-law wouldn\u2019t relent. It reached a point where he even began to reprimand Svetlana, saying that she wasn\u2019t a princess to put so much strain on her husband.<\/p>\n
Sveta and Sasha married when they were both nearing thirty. Svetlana carried the baggage of an unsuccessful previous marriage, and Sasha, as Svetlana increasingly believed, was his father\u2019s child. If she were younger, she might have kept quiet\u2014but this time she couldn\u2019t. She thoroughly rebuked her father-in-law\u2014not by insulting or shouting, but by explaining how he appeared from the outside and that the family would somehow sort things out. Oh, what followed then! Her father-in-law shouted, and she thought his blows might actually land. Sasha rushed over to stop the yelling, barely managed to pull his father away, then came into the kitchen with his head bowed:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Sveta, I understand how you feel. I pity your father\u2014it seems wrong to leave him alone\u2014but if we don\u2019t move, our family is doomed. I\u2019ll start looking for a rental.<\/p>\n
Svetlana didn\u2019t object; she understood that it was all because of her, but she no longer had the strength to endure it.<\/p>\n
For the first two years, they managed very well. Her father-in-law only phoned his son, and he visited them just a couple of times. Sasha would go to see him on weekends and help out. Svetlana, too, forced herself to go a few times\u2014cleaning, washing clothes. They hardly communicated, but that was for the best; otherwise, they would have certainly quarreled. In the last year, however, the trips resumed.<\/p>\n
Sveta and Sasha had just taken out a mortgage. They scraped together enough for the down payment and even had a little left over for repairs, and they immediately bought a two-room apartment, because their next plan was a child. But then her father-in-law fell ill\u2014seriously ill. Sasha kept taking him to the doctors, but the doctors just shrugged. Sasha was depressed, realizing that his father wasn\u2019t getting any younger\u2014he spent nearly every free minute with him\u2014but her husband worked so much that he couldn\u2019t be there too often.<\/p>\n
Today something had broken at their place, so he had come home early, decided to take a nap for an hour, and then leave. Svetlana quietly peeked into the room; her husband was sound asleep, exactly in the same position as when he had dozed off. She closed the door and decisively grabbed the car keys\u2014let him rest. She would drive, pick up groceries, tidy up\u2014in short, handle things as the circumstances required. She went to the store, and on the way to her father-in-law\u2019s house she was silently berating herself. One shouldn\u2019t behave this way; Sasha\u2019s father was her only kin, and she must overcome herself\u2014even ask for forgiveness, she decided.<\/p>\n
The settlement where her husband\u2019s father lived was only fifteen kilometers from the city. Granted, he was already living his own life\u2014with his own shops and other people. As soon as Svetlana drove in, she had to slam on the brakes. Out of nowhere, a heavyset man\u2014and a woman as well\u2014had come tumbling into the road. Svetlana was terribly frightened and peered out of the car. \u201cWhat are you throwing yourselves in front of oncoming wheels for?\u201d The man waved his hand without even glancing her way. In his bag, bottles clinked merrily. Svetlana snorted to herself. Of course, they had fun ahead, and here she was with some complaints. They were dressed quite decently, by the way\u2014not like hobos or drunks. Svetlana resumed her drive. Twilight was setting in, and she would have to return in the dark. The house was very near, and suddenly she braked. Sasha had told her that his father had become terribly ill, that he could barely stand and couldn\u2019t do anything. Sasha was practically buying him vitamins, red fish, and medicine by the ton. She had never objected\u2014after all, he was her only relative. And now a dreadful thought struck her: what if she went in now and he was\u2026 Svetlana couldn\u2019t even imagine what might happen. She was so afraid of the dead, and overall the situation was terrifying. Svetlana shook off the thought and took the last turn. She turned and pressed on the brake pedal.<\/p>\n
The house was lit up. At first she was startled, then she saw a familiar man and woman entering the yard. Oh, what had they forgotten at the old sick man\u2019s place? Svetlana jumped out of the car and ran after them. She dashed into the yard and suddenly realized what had been bothering her\u2014it was the music. Sergey Semyonovich lived a bit on the outskirts, and Svetlana immediately caught the melody. Only then did she realize that there were no other houses nearby, so the music could only be coming from his wife. That was what she understood when she saw the cheerful gathering in the yard.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Well, you\u2019re up now? Come in, don\u2019t be shy.<\/p>\n
A voice from behind made her jump. She turned around and saw a man of about sixty\u2014less than sober, but very smiling.<\/p>\n
\u2014 I\u2026 I\u2026 Svetlana couldn\u2019t get any words out.<\/p>\n
The man scrutinized her:<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
\u2014 Hasn\u2019t Semyonovich completely lost it? You\u2019re too young for him. Is your name Natasha?<\/p>\n
\u2014 No, it\u2019s Sveta.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Sveta. But that\u2019s not important. Come in.<\/p>\n
Timidly, she stepped forward, not understanding at all what was happening. She wanted to ask the man who had invited her, but he was already twirling around with some lady. Svetlana froze when she saw her father-in-law. He hardly looked like a dying man at all. Sergey Semyonovich was standing by the barbecue. In one hand he held a glass, and in the other he deftly flipped skewers. Svetlana was completely at a loss. Then someone gently took her by the elbow. She turned to see a woman, about sixty years old, looking at her. The stranger smiled and radiated warmth:<\/p>\n
\u2014 You\u2019re Svetlana, aren\u2019t you?<\/p>\n
\u2014 That\u2019s right.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Sergey Semyonovich showed me your photographs.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Sergey Semyonovich?<\/p>\n
\u2014 Your father-in-law.<\/p>\n
Svetlana was utterly flustered.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Come on, he\u2019ll be glad. We have a small event today\u2014declared the stranger triumphantly.<\/p>\n
\u2014 An event? Wait, I don\u2019t understand. And why did you decide he\u2019d be happy?<\/p>\n
\u2014 Well, because you haven\u2019t visited him for so long. As he says, he felt hurt. And rightly so, since he wasn\u2019t behaving well.<\/p>\n
A jumble of thoughts filled Svetlana\u2019s mind:<\/p>\n
\u2014 What do you mean, I haven\u2019t visited him recently? Sasha is here almost every day.<\/p>\n
Before she knew it, the woman had led her to the table.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Sveta? Her father-in-law looked at her in surprise. \u2014 Sveta? How did you end up here? Did something happen with Sasha?<\/p>\n
\u2014 No. Sasha is fine. Well, except that he\u2019s so exhausted from driving to you every day. \u2014 And I decided to come myself today.<\/p>\n
\u2014 To my place? Every day?<\/p>\n
In Svetlana\u2019s mind things began to clear up a little. And at that moment, she only longed to burst into tears\u2014so very, very much.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Now, Svetlana, sit down. I\u2019m not letting you leave tonight. Today, Natasha and I are engaged\u2014well, that\u2019s probably the proper way to put it. Let\u2019s sit, talk, and drink to our health.<\/p>\n
Svetlana obediently took a glass. At that moment, she didn\u2019t care what to do; her thoughts were far away. The guests left after midnight. Svetlana helped Natalia clear the table, then sat on the sofa:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Sergey Semyonovich, do I understand correctly that if a husband helps someone, it\u2019s definitely not for you?<\/p>\n
He sighed and sat next to her. Natalia, on the other side, said:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Sveta, I haven\u2019t seen Sasha for about three months, I think. He\u2019d come over just to ask for money, and that was all. And I thought you were very upset with me. He was about to come and apologize for his behavior. It\u2019s good that you came on your own. Forgive me, you old fool. I must have knocked my head\u2014everything\u2019s fine for everyone except that I\u2019m all alone. And then I met Natalia and realized just how foolish I was.<\/p>\n
Natalia went to prepare a bed for Svetlana, and the guest went outside. Suddenly, Svetlana\u2019s phone vibrated in her pocket. It was Sasha.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Yes? Svetlana answered.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Sveta, where are you? Did you really go to your father\u2019s? Why? Who asked you to?<\/p>\n
\u2014 Sasha, is that all you want to say? Silence fell on the line. Then her husband spoke:<\/p>\n
\u2014 What do you want to hear? That you look like a gloomy mouse? But you cook well and manage the budget so that there\u2019s enough for everything? Or that I\u2019m never going to give you the apartment, so you\u2019d better not do anything\u2014just forget everything and let\u2019s continue our life as it is? What exactly do you want to hear? You do understand that you can\u2019t do anything without me.<\/p>\n
Every word from her husband struck her like a whip. She took a deep breath:<\/p>\n
\u2014 And what about everything you told me? Did you really lie about it all?<\/p>\n
\u2014 Sveta, don\u2019t start, okay? Come home. Let\u2019s just forget this little misunderstanding.<\/p>\n
\u2014 A little misunderstanding?<\/p>\n
\u2014 Of course. We\u2019re fine together. And besides, no one is likely to covet you.<\/p>\n
Svetlana put the phone aside. In fact, she turned it off. Her father-in-law and Natalia were waiting for her:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Did Sasha call?<\/p>\n
\u2014 Yes.<\/p>\n
Svetlana finally began to weep.<\/p>\n
Natalia rushed to her:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Oh, come on, you should cry for those who deserve it.<\/p>\n
Sergey Semyonovich paced back and forth:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Ah, Sasha, you fool.<\/p>\n
Sergey Semyonovich and Natalia offered her a place to stay. Sasha never came for his car again, nor did he call. A week later, Svetlana filed for divorce. Sergey Semyonovich didn\u2019t try to persuade her to reconsider or to forgive his son. He simply said that she should do what she felt was right. In those days, both he and Natalia had become closer to her than her own family. She could never have imagined finding such support in her father-in-law.<\/p>\n
Svetlana parked the car and went into the house. The next day was her day off, and she and Natalia planned to pickle cucumbers. Sasha was sitting on the sofa. Apparently, he had arrived very recently because his conversation with his father was still in full swing:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Father, what the hell makes you interfere?<\/p>\n
\u2014 Am I supposed to chase Svetlana to you? To someone who doesn\u2019t love her and deceives her?<\/p>\n
Sasha frowned:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Don\u2019t exaggerate; she won\u2019t vanish. She\u2019s just interested in eating, cooking, washing, cleaning\u2014so let her be.<\/p>\n
Svetlana coughed.<\/p>\n
Sasha turned to her in alarm:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Sveta, I\u2019m here for you. You have no idea how much I missed you. Well, forgive the idiot\u2014these things happen.<\/p>\n
Svetlana pulled away when he tried to embrace her and asked:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Are we out of food, or are the shirts clean?<\/p>\n
Her father-in-law smirked and gave her a big thumbs-up.<\/p>\n
Sasha narrowed his eyes:<\/p>\n
\u2014 I see you\u2019ve grown bold. Alright, I\u2019ll wait until you crawl over. I\u2019ll think about whether to take you in or not.<\/p>\n
\u2014 No, Sasha, I won\u2019t crawl. By the way, I\u2019ll be fighting for the apartment; that\u2019s my half.<\/p>\n
Her husband laughed.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Well, you can have it\u2014but you\u2019ll have to pay me for my share, since you haven\u2019t a penny in your heart.<\/p>\n
\u2014 That\u2019s where you\u2019re mistaken! Sergey Semyonovich gave his son a stern look. We\u2019ll give Svetlana some money.<\/p>\n
\u2014 What? Have you all completely lost your minds? I\u2019m your son, and this is some random woman.<\/p>\n
Sergey Semyonovich cautiously took his son by the elbow and led him outside:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Come on, son, let\u2019s talk outside.<\/p>\n
A year later, Svetlana remarried. A man who adored her\u2014a man who was ready to move mountains for her\u2014was found. And Svetlana? She was practically afraid to breathe in his presence. The wedding was a joyous affair; they even skipped the restaurant because Sergey Semyonovich decided that his house was better. And overall, life took on new colors, though the new husband, who only discovered after the wedding that Sergey Semyonovich and Natalia were not Svetlana\u2019s parents, remained in a state of shock for a long time.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Svetlana cautiously closed the door to the room. She felt an overwhelming pity for her husband. Lately, he had been so exhausted that he would fall asleep… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":25136,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n