З життя
Подвійне життя: йому було 25, їй майже 50, а чоловік нічого не підозрював.
Василь був тихий з давніх пір. Приходив із роботи, їв вечерю, вдягав старі штани і сідав перед телевізором. Їв, пив міцний чай і просив добавки. В перервах читав газету. Вона намагалася цікавитися, як пройшов його день, питала, але здавалося, що слова розчиняються в повітрі.
Він був її опорою. Дбав про її здоров’я, возив в санаторії, купував фрукти, одягав її в модний одяг і купував лише шкіряне взуття. Сам займався ремонтом і відновлював старі речі, чистив стару піч і рубав дрова. Не лінувався заправити її автомобіль, відвезти до мамолога та інших лікарів. Увесь цей час мовчав, лише в юності говорив про свої почуття. Решту 25 років мовчав. Робив для неї усе, що міг, проявляючи справжню любов.
Діти виросли. Батьки почали спати в окремих спальнях. Нічого особливого. Хтось хропе, у когось болить голова. Раз на тиждень “зустрічалися” в спальні без великого ентузіазму. Вона хотіла поговорити, а він спати. Знизував плечима, а вона йшла. Переживала все. Нарешті, розпочався клімакс…
Одного ранку вона забігла до місцевої кафе перед роботою. Молодий чоловік підійшов до неї, обсипав компліментами і навіть знайшов час для розмови. Запросив її до театру. Саме мала йти прем’єра вистави за її улюбленим романом. Коли вона прийшла, її життя розділилося на два окремі світи. Серце розпалося на безліч маленьких шматочків.
Ранком надійшло повідомлення. Максим написав пристрасні й гарячі листи. Не шкодував їй компліментів. Надіслав їй фото свого серця. Вона надіслала йому знімок жіночого зап’ястя та шиї. Потім прийшли романтичні вірші. Білі, без рими, але живі. У пору обіду вона знайшла під дверима букет троянд. Увечері – пляшку шампанського до ліжка. З Максимом вона почувалася справжньою жінкою. Забула про мігрені та клімакс. Вдягла улюблені туфлі і вечірню сукню.
Почалося подвійне життя. Вона літала між щастям і обов’язками. Стала стрункою та привабливою. Придбала шовкову піжаму, червону помаду і коротку спідницю.
Чоловік продовжував мовчати. Вона більше не заходила до спальні. Раптом Максим зник. Вона не могла знайти собі місця. Перечитувала його вірші та повідомлення, сиділа годинами в їхньому ресторані. Проводжала кур’єрів очима. Потім дізналася, що у нього нова коханка. Їй здавалося, що від цієї новини серце розірветься на маленькі шматки. Не могла дихати, наче хтось забрав кисень. Вийшла зі спальні з мокрими очима, а під дверима сидів чоловік. Дивився в одну точку, сльоза скочувалася по його щоці. Вона заплакала разом із ним. Він обійняв її і заговорив.
Намагався висловити всі свої почуття, але плутав слова, наче спотикався об гостре каміння. Скільки ж у ньому було любові, скільки ж невиказаних слів…
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You’re Robbing My Son Blind—He Can’t Even Afford a Light Bulb! On Sunday morning, I was curled up on the sofa with a blanket while my husband drove over to his mother’s to “change some light bulbs.” But of course, the real reason for summoning her darling boy was something else entirely: “Son, have you forgotten it’s Igor’s birthday today?” My husband’s the generous type—his salary barely lasts a week. Thankfully, he still gives me cash for the bills and groceries, but the rest? He blows it all on new video games and whatever gadgets go with them. I don’t mind; better my man enjoys his hobbies than squanders his time (and money) in pubs or nightclubs. Besides, I once read that the first forty years of childhood are the hardest for any man. I’m not telling you this for sympathy, just so you understand why my husband always has empty pockets. I have no such problem—even manage to save. I often lend him money in emergencies, but when it’s for his mum, niece, or sister, I always say no. Naturally, I remembered Igor’s birthday. Last week, I bought his present myself. Before my husband set off, I handed it over and settled down to watch a film. I didn’t go—the mutual animosity between me and my in-laws made sure of that. They think I don’t love him, accuse me of being mean because I refuse to fund their expenses or mind my sister-in-law’s kids. Once, I watched them for an hour, but they picked them up half a day late, making me miss work—when I dared complain, his mum and sister called me shameless and rude. After that, any requests to babysit were met with a firm “no.” Didn’t bother me if my husband watched the kids—he enjoys their company. Not long after my husband left, he returned—with the whole family in tow, nieces and all. His mum barged in, coat still on, and declared: “We’ve decided that, for Igor’s birthday, he’ll get the tablet he wanted—two grand it cost. You owe me a thousand pounds for your share. Pay up.” I might have bought the lad a tablet—but nothing that expensive. Obviously, I refused to hand over any cash. That’s when my husband started guilt-tripping me for being stingy. I turned on the laptop and called Igor over. In five minutes, we picked and ordered a gadget he really wanted—job done. Thrilled, Igor dashed off to his mum, who’d been sulking in the hallway. My sister-in-law always had sticky fingers—nothing in our house was safe. My mother-in-law, meanwhile, ignored my thoughtful gesture and exploded with indignation: “No one asked for your help. You were meant to give money! You’re with my son, and he’s always skint, can’t even buy a lightbulb. Hand me a thousand pounds now—you know full well that money belongs to my boy!” She reached for my handbag on the nightstand. I glared at my husband and hissed, “You’ve got three minutes to get them out of here.” In less than three minutes, he’d grabbed his mother and chucked her and the lot of them out the door. So, yes, I’d rather my husband waste his wages on games than have his mother snatch every penny. At least he spends it on things that make him happy, not on those freeloaders. Sometimes, I genuinely think I’d have been better off marrying an orphan!
Youre robbing my son, he cant even afford a lightbulb. One Sunday morning, I was curled up under a blanket...
“I Don’t Want Any Other Daughter-in-Law—Do Whatever You Like!” said the Mother to Her Son Mark was finishing uni and thought it was the perfect time to marry his first love from sixth form, Maddie! Maddie wasn’t just pretty; she was smart and kind, writing her master’s dissertation at the time. The young couple planned to tie the knot as soon as she finished her degree. Mark decided to tell his mum about the wedding, but she wasn’t thrilled. His mother insisted he either marry Amanda from next door—or no one at all. Then she asked what mattered more: his career or love? Mark’s mum dreamed of her son becoming a true success story. Amanda was from a well-off family and had fancied Mark for ages, but he only had eyes for Maddie, whose family background wasn’t ideal. Maddie’s mum had a bad reputation… What would the neighbours say? “I don’t need any other daughter-in-law. Do as you wish!” his mum told him. Mark tried for ages to change his mum’s mind, but she wouldn’t budge. Finally, she said she’d disown him if he married Maddie. Mark lost his nerve. He kept seeing Maddie for six more months, but their relationship slowly fizzled out. Eventually, he married Amanda. She truly loved him, but there was no big wedding—Mark didn’t want Maddie to see any wedding photos. With Amanda’s wealthy background, he moved into her parents’ massive house, and they even helped his career. But true happiness never came. Mark didn’t want kids. When Amanda realised she couldn’t change his mind, she filed for divorce herself. By then, Mark was forty and Amanda thirty-eight. Amanda remarried, had a child and finally found real happiness. Mark always dreamed of marrying Maddie, tried to find her, but she seemed to have vanished. Then he learned Maddie was gone—after their break-up she’d married the first man she met, who turned out to be violent. He beat her to death. After that, Mark ended up living alone in his parents’ old flat, drinking himself to death, staring at Maddie’s photo and never forgiving his mother.
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