З життя
Чому так нелегко називати свекруху мамою?
Та ж важко називати свекруху мамою?
Коли Світлана виходила заміж, вона твердо собі пообіцяла: ніколи не називатиме свекруху мамою. Так, її подруги охоче звали матір чоловіка «другою мамою», розповідали про якусь особливу близькість, повагу й вдячність, але Світлана відразу ж відкинула цю думку. «Мати в мене одна — та, що виростила й дала мені життя», — думала вона й не збиралася йти проти власних переконань.
Її свекруха, Ганна Миколаївна, була жінкою суворою, стриманою, але не злою. Спочатку навіть допомагала молодим: грішми, порадою, підтримкою. Завдяки їй вони змогли купити непоганий авто, а згодом і накопичити на перший внесок за квартиру у Києві. Вона не лізла у їхні справи, не нав’язувала свою думку, але трималась гідно й з відстанню.
І все ж Світлана завжди трималась осторонь. Ні «мам», ні «мамочко» — лише «ви» і «Ганна Миколаївна». Ніби й ввічливо, але якось далеко. Неначе між ними стояла невидима стіна.
Одного разу, коли Світлана зайшла до свекрухи на чай і просто побалакати, Ганна раптом тихо промовила:
— Знаєш, можеш не «викати». Зви мене просто Ганею. Або… як тобі зручніше.
Світлана напружено посміхнулася й похитала головою:
— Ні, краще як раніше. Я так не можу, прошу вас…
Свекруха більше нічого не сказала. Вони жили далі — віддалено, але мирно. Аж поки історія не повторилася.
Син Світлани, Андрій, збирався одружуватися. Його наречена — Оленка, щира й відкрита дівчина — відразу ж сподобалася всій родині. І ось на весіллі, коли дівчина приймала подарунок від Світлани, раптом пригорнулася до неї й прошепотіла:
— Дякую вам, мамо.
Усі подумали, що вона так сказала через хвилювання. Але наступного дня Оленка знову так звернулася до Світлани. І в цю мить у середині у неї щось ворухнулося. Щось, що довго спало, зненацька прозрилося.
У тому зверненні було стільки тепла, справжньої приязні… Світлана навіть не очікувала, як приємно їй це почути. Здавалося б, просто слово. Але воно лікувало. Гріло. Приймало.
Через кілька днів Світлані раптом захотілося навідати Ганну Миколаївну. Чоловік був на роботі, і вона викликала таксі. Вигадала привід — сказала, що везе нову постільну білизну. Хотя насправді тягнуло щось більше. Щось глибинне.
Ганна відчинила двері, запросила на кухню, заварила чай і поставила на стіл медовик. Всіли навпроти. І раптом, сама не очікуючи, Світлана промовила:
— Мам, ну куди ти поспішаєш? Давай спокійно поп’ємо чаю, побалакаємо…
Вона замовкла. Ці слова вирвалися, мов подих. Без підготовки, без роздумів. Просто — із серця. Свекруха — ні, мама — підвела на неї очі, і в них блиснули сльози й радість. Такої, якої Світлана ще ніколи не бачила.
Вони більше не поверталися до цієї розмови. Вона була зайвою. Все вже було сказано.
Коли Світлана повернулася додому, у грудях була незвичайна полегкість. Їй стало справді легко. Тепло. Спокійно. Вона зробила те, що так довго відкладала, не дозволяючи собі.
І, мабуть, уперше в житті зрозуміла, що іноді одне слово може зруйнувати стіну, яку будували роками. Одне просте слово — «мам».
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