З життя
Свекруха ледь не зруйнувала наш шлюб через свою одержимість онуками
Свекруха ледве не зруйнувала наш шлюб через свою нав’язливу ідею про онуків
Ми з Оленкою одружилися без зайвого пафосу, скромно, по-домашньому, як і мріяли. Потім влаштували собі невеличкий, але щирий медовий місяць, а далі повернулися до звичайного життя, повного любові та надій. Півроку ми насолоджувалися один одним… поки до нашої ідилії не почала втручатися Тетяна Миколаївна — Оленчина мати.
Спершу її візити були рідкісними, майже непомітними. Заходила ненадовго, приносила щось смачне, оглядала хату, ніби перевіряла — чи все гаразд. Проте з часом її присутність ставала нав’язливішою. Затримувалася довше, з’являлася несподівано, іноді навіть без попередження. Пояснювала це просто: «Ви обоє працюєте, а я хочу допомогти. Приберу, зварю борщу — вам же легше». Ніби турбота, але щось підказувало, що це лише привід.
Оленка мене заспокоювала: «Мама незабаром втомиться, це в неї тимчасово». Я вірив, сподівався, але ставало лише гірше. Свекруха поводилася так, немов це і її оселя, переставляла речі, критикувала наш уклад, а потім і взагалі почала приходити без дзвінка — із запасним ключем, який, за її словами, «на всяк випадок» дав їй ще до весілля.
Єдиним порятунком були вихідні. Принаймні, я знав, що в суботу та неділю ми з дружиною будемо без нагляду. Та й цьому прийшов кінець. Тетяна Миколаївна почала з’являтися зранку, наче спеціально. Іноди я затримувався на роботі, лише б не йти додому, де кожен день перетворювався на іспит. У вихідні їздив до батьків чи друзів. Оленка відмовлялася їхати, посилаючись на справи. Я розумів — справа в матері.
Між нами почала зростати невидима стіна. Відчував себе чужим у власній хаті, немов жити втрьох — це норма. Коли я намагався поговорити з дружиною, вона начебто погоджувалася: «Так, треба щось вирішувати…» Але нічого не змінювалося. Мати далі господарювала, а Оленка ніби роздиралася між двома світами — нашим і материним.
Одного разу я взагалі задумався про розлучення. Були ще молоді, можна було почати все спочатку — без цього задушливого втручання. Та страшно було й самому собі в цьому зізнатися. Надія ще тліла — може, все налагодиться?
Останньою краплею була неділя. Ще темно, коли хтось подзвонив у двері. Відчиняю — Тетяна Миколаївна. Без «доброго ранку», без промов — одразу з докорами: «Ви не сім’я! Вже майже рік разом, а досі без дітей! Я ж для вас стараюся — прибираю, готую, щоб ви не гаяли час, а ти, зяте, тільки до друзів тікаєш, а донька вдома нудиться. Може, вже заведете дитину?!»
Я мовчав, стиснувши зуби. А потім не витримав:
— А як, на вашу думку, ми її заведемо, якщо ви постійно тут? Я що, маю кохатися у вашій присутності? Дякую за турботу, але далі — без вас.
— Нічого ви без мене не зможете! — кричала вона. — У моїх подруг уже правнуки є, а я досі чекаю на онуків!
Оленка спробувала втрутитися, але мати різко обірвала: «Ти ще не доросла, щоб мені перечити!»
Ці слова стали для мене останньою краплею. Я встав, відчинив двері й, не підвищуючи голосу, промовив: «Забирайтеся. Я не потерплю хамства у своїй хаті». Свекруха грюкнула дверима, але, відходячи, ще довго кричала у під’їзді.
Пізніше вона подзвонила моїй матері — поскаржитися, звинуватити, маніпулювати. Та, на її подив, стала на мій бік: «Не всім бути бабусями за розкладом».
З того часу минув тиждень. Тетяна Миколаївна не дзвонить, не з’являється. Дружина пОленка сказала, що вперше за довгий час відчула, як важко було жити під постійним натиском, але тепер нарешті може вільно дихати.
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