Lida picked up her phone again. The small vibration of the notification made her heart clench. Another message from the banking app. Delay in rent payment, again. Usually, tenants transfer money immediately after booking, but here it was strangely delayed.
“How is that possible?” she thought, looking at the screen. This was not just a house, not just real estate. This was a piece of her childhood, left behind by her grandmother. She kept it in order as best she could. It was a place where every tree, every corner reminded her of how she and her grandmother used to sit on the veranda and inhale the smell of fresh air.
“Why should a good house be empty?” Lida thought out loud. She opened a new ad for renting a house. It would bring in at least some profit anyway.
The house was becoming more and more popular every year. The reviews were enthusiastic, people came back again and again. Lida was proud. It wasn’t just her grandmother’s inheritance – it was her way of passing on happiness to others. She controlled every step, kept it clean, hired a cleaner, and wrote instructions for guests. But Larisa Alexandrovna, her mother-in-law, wouldn’t leave her alone.
“What kind of manners are you to let strangers into your family home?” she would say sternly. “What if they do something bad there? This isn’t a hotel, understand!”
“Don’t worry, everything is under control,” Lida tried to calm her down. But her words, as usual, were lost in the abyss of Larisa Alexandrovna’s discontent.
“In my time, this wasn’t the case! A home is sacred, family-like! And you’ve turned it into a public thoroughfare! And you’re even making money! As if there were no other ways!
Lida would only sigh, realizing that her mother-in-law would never understand. But this was her home. And maybe someday, when the mother-in-law realizes that sometimes you need to take a little risk to be happy, everything will fall into place.
Maxim was always on the sidelines. He didn’t like to conflict with his mother. He preferred to keep quiet when the conversation turned to family. Lida, of course, felt how it hurt her. She wanted her husband to at least somehow show support. But he, the only son who grew up under the wing of a strict mother, always agreed, never argued.
And so, at the last family dinner, Larisa Alexandrovna, as if by chance, started talking about Kirill.
– Did you know that Kirill got into our city? Such a good boy, he got into the budget! – she said, proudly sticking out her chest.
Maxim, as if on pins and needles:
– Really? Where to?
– To the Polytechnic, to be a programmer, – said the mother-in-law. – Only there’s a problem with housing… They didn’t give a dorm, and the apartments are expensive. He’s a smart guy, he wants to study.
Lida noticed her mother-in-law looking at her meaningfully. But at that moment, she didn’t attach any importance to it. After all, Kirill was just a distant relative, whom she had seen a couple of times at family celebrations. And what did she care about that? Nothing.
A week passed. Anna Pavlovna, the housekeeper, called.
“Lidochka, here’s the deal…” her voice sounded tense. “Your mother-in-law came and told the tenants that the house was urgently needed for relatives. They left. What could I do? She’s your husband’s mother…
“How did they leave?!” Lida couldn’t believe it. “But they had a reservation! They made an advance payment!”
“Well, that’s how it is… And then some guy came with his things. He said that he was living here now. He brought so many things that he filled all the rooms. He even put a computer in the living room.
Lida felt her body gripped by icy fear. So that’s it – the money didn’t come because of her mother-in-law! And now this guy? The house is registered to Lida, all the contracts are official. What should I do now? How can I explain to the tenants and to myself?
“Anna Pavlovna, you have no idea what this means to me!” Her voice trembled with rage. “I can’t just leave it like this!”
The feeling of helplessness was growing stronger. The house that was dear to her had become an arena for other people’s games.
“Maxim, did you know?” Lida could barely contain her anger. Her heart was pounding. She dialed her husband’s number.
“About what?” Maxim, as always, answered vaguely, in an evasive tone. He felt that things were getting hot.
“About your mother evicting our tenants and moving Kirill in!”
Silence. He didn’t know how to answer. And Lida realized that something was wrong.
– Oh, that’s… – Maxim finally said, as if he was searching for the words. – Well, Mom said it would be nice to help the guy. He’s a relative… And the house is empty.
– You agreed? Without asking me?! This is my house, Maxim! Grandma’s inheritance!
– Lida, well, it won’t be for long. Until he finishes his studies. You need to help your family, you understand.
– Four years?! – Lida felt anger boiling in her chest. – Are you suggesting that we support your nephew for four years? And what about our plans? We wanted to renovate the apartment! And anyway, I have a business, Maxim!
– Don’t exaggerate, – Maxim tried to calm her down, – Kirill will pay the rent… He’s a responsible guy.
– Really? How much? – Lida felt her patience slipping away.
– Well, Mom said five thousand a month. It’s normal for a student.
Lida almost dropped her phone. Five thousand? Ten times less than the usual rent! And now what? ==
– What compromise? – Lida did not hide her irritation. – Your mother disposed of someone else’s house without asking! I lost clients, I lost money, and you offer me a compromise?
Maxim was silent. He just stood there and did not know what to say. Lida saw how he could not find the right words, as if he still felt a pang of conscience under his fingernails. And at that moment she felt the full weight of her situation – hers, a woman who could not afford weakness even in this situation.
– I should have told you right away … – finally, he squeezed out these words. But they sounded flat and empty.
– Should have? – Lida nodded coldly. – But he remained silent. As always.
The next morning, when Larisa Alexandrovna continued her complaints on the phone, Kirill himself found a solution. He wrote that his classmate had an apartment, and that he did not need to stay in the house any longer.
– You see? — Lida sighed with relief, as if she had taken off heavy armor. — A solution can always be found if you don’t hide everything from others.
The phone rang again. Larisa Alexandrovna was furious.
— Well, are you happy? You kicked the boy out! And if you had a son… — her voice was full of resentment.
Lida cut her off.
— I manage this house, and this is no longer discussed. No arbitrary decisions, no keys from strangers. Everything only through an agency, everything is official!
— You have always been callous! — the mother-in-law screamed, as if she was being called to court.
Maxim, who heard her words, suddenly said:
— Enough, Mom, this is none of your business. You made a mistake. This is Lida’s house, and only she decides how to manage it.
Silence. After these words, a dead silence hung in the receiver. Larisa Alexandrovna did not answer. She simply hung up.
And although Lida understood that many things would not return to normal, she felt a calmness that was growing within her. And when the day passed, and Kirill, as promised, found an apartment, she realized that she had won. Not in the fight, but in the right to be the master of her life.
And in the evening, when the house was again filled with comfort and silence, Maxim hugged her. She felt how he apologized without words. And Lida smiled, realizing that this time they had finally learned to be honest with each other.
– Forgive me, Lida. I promise that this will not happen again.
– Do you promise? – Lida looked into his eyes. – I will not remain silent when something is wrong?
He nodded. And on his face there was a confidence that had not appeared before.
The business recovered, everything fell into place again. But the main thing that Lida understood is that sometimes you need to go through a conflict to restore self-respect.
The End.