З життя
«Несподіваний візит свекрухи: як один візит змінив усе»
Щоденник
Сьогодні вранці, провівши чоловіка — Андрія — на роботу, я поцілувала його в щічку й зачинила за ним двері. День обіцяв бути насиченим: робота вдома, побутові клопоти, і все це — у орендованій квартирі в Чернівцях, де ми оселилися після весілля. Ми ще не встигли повністю обжитися, але тут затишно – з гарним ремонтом, світла, з видом на річку. Господарі довго шукали квартирантів і зупинилися на нас – молодій, освіченій парі.
Сьогодні я працювала в домашньому режимі: відкрила ноутбук, почала перевіряти пошту, як раптом почула дзвінок у двері. Нікого не чекала. За порогом стояла його мати — Надія Василівна.
— Доброго ранку, — привіталася я, трохи здивовано.
— До сина. Пропусти, — сказала вона різко й, не чекаючи запрошення, увійшла.
— Андрія немає. Він на роботі.
— Нічого. Почекаю, — відповіла вона й рушила до кухні.
— Почекайте… зараз мій робочий час. Краще приходьте ввечері, коли Андрій буде вдома, — спокійно сказала я, перепинивши їй шлях.
Надія Василівна невдоволено скривилася, але пішла. Ввечері Андрій був здивований:
— Мама скаржиться, що навіть чаю їй не запропонувала.
— Андрію, ти знаєш, як вона любить приходити без попередження. Я працювала, а вона вимагала уваги, ніби ми в ресторані. Та й пам’ятаєш, як вона поводилася в нашій попередній квартирі?
Андрій знизнув плечима:
— Маму не зміниш. Я запросив її у суботу на обід. Давай спробуємо ще раз, спокійно.
Я погодилася, але нагадала:
— У п’ятницю прибирання, а в неділю ми в гостях у друзів. Усе вже заплановано.
Суботній обід пройшов без скандалів. Свекруха сиділа за столом, їла мовчки, але періодично кидала злісні зауваження.
— Квартира занадто дорога. Можна було знайти дешевше на околиці. Чому не живете у батьків? Зекономили б гроші.
Я відповіла стримано:
— Спитайте в Андрія, чи хоче він жити з моїми батьками.
— Ні, мам, — втрутився Андрій. — Мені потрібен власний простір.
— Але ж квартира не ваша! — викликаюче кинула Надія Василівна.
— На рік — наша. Ми платимо, і вона нас влаштовує, — сказав він.
Тоді вона запропонувала:
— Переїжджайте до мене. У мене три кімнати, місця вистачить.
— Ні, мам. Ми будемо просто в гості ходити. Жити разом — це погана ідея. У нас різні графіки.
Наступного тижня я знову працювала вдома. Андрій пішов, а я трохи прилягла. Раптом мене розбудив запах свіжої кави. Хто це? Накинувши халат, я підійшла до кухні й остолбеніла: за столом сиділа Надія Василівна, спокійно пила каву з тортом.
— Як ви сюди потрапили? — різко спитала я.
— У мене є ключі. Ще з минулого візиту взяла. Це ж квартира мого сина, а отже – і моя.
— Віддавайте їх, — прошипіла я.
— Ні. Не віддам. — Вона потягнулася до сумки, але я висипала її вміст на стіл і забрала ключі.
— Тепер ідіть.
— Ти ще пожалуєш! Коли син дізнається, як ти поводишся з матір’ю, він тебе виженє! — крикнула вона й вийшла, грюкнувши дверима.
Ввечері я розповіла все Андрію. Він мовчки вислухав, потім обійняв мене й сказав:
— Я розберуся. І так… ти була права.
Я не плакала. Я знала – повагу треба повертати вчасно. Інакше сядуть на шию, навіть якщо це рідні.
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