— Larisa Aleksandrovna, what money are you talking about? — Natalya fluttered her eyelashes, completely astonished.
— For the crib, I’m telling you, your daughter is giving birth in a month! We agreed that each relative would buy something for Dasha!
— Larisa Aleksandrovna, who did you make an agreement with?
— You, me, Borya, my brother! — the mother-in-law’s fingers bent one by one, as if counting.
— Me?! — Natalya exclaimed in surprise. — I’m hearing about this crib for the first time!
— It doesn’t matter — Larisa Aleksandrovna waved her hand. — So, I found a wonderful crib, I expect fifty thousand rubles from you!
You give me the money, I’ll buy everything, and I’ll send you a photo report! — she practically shouted in my ear, then fell silent.
Natalya, who had been standing the whole time, now sat on a stool.
— Larisa Aleksandrovna, Dasha is not my responsibility, and I will under no circumstances give you money! — the daughter-in-law said firmly.
The mother-in-law gasped for air. Her face, already red from the cold, turned a deep beetroot shade.
— What do you mean by “no one”? — her voice shifted to a shrill tone. — This is your husband’s sister! She’s carrying my grandson! And who are you? You should be grateful that Borya didn’t leave you after the doctors gave you your diagnosis!
Natalya turned pale. This topic was strictly forbidden, known only to her and Borya. Apparently also to his mother, who he had shared the most intimate details of their family drama with.
— It’s none of your business — Natalya muttered, gripping the edge of the stool so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
— None of my business?! I should know who my son lives with! A barren woman — that’s not a wife, that’s like… a plant. But Dasha is blood, she will continue the family!
So don’t play cute here, fifty thousand rubles, and that’s it! Consider it your contribution to continuing the family line, since you’re incapable yourself!
Borys entered the room, drawn by the shouting. His gaze shifted from his pale, almost chalk-white wife to his flushed mother.
— Mom, why are you yelling like this? — he began peacefully. — Natalya, what happened?
— What happened?! — Larisa Aleksandrovna poked her finger at her daughter-in-law. — Your wife crushed the frog instead of giving a crib to the blood child! Fifty thousand! For your sister! For your nephew!
Natalya slowly stood to be at eye level with everyone.
— Bory, I promised nothing, I’m hearing about this for the first time — she felt her knees trembling. — And I will not allow anyone to speak to me this way.
— Oh, you won’t allow it? — the mother-in-law stepped forward. — You’ll still dance for me! Borya, tell her! The money must be there tomorrow!
— Mom, maybe… it doesn’t have to be like this… — Borys mumbled, hiding his eyes.
— What do you mean “doesn’t have to”? — Larisa Aleksandrovna shrieked. — Are you a man or a rag? Command your own house! — she turned to Natalya again, stepping almost pressing close.
— Hear me, lizard? The money must be on the table tomorrow, or I’ll make Borya’s life so miserable that he’ll throw you out himself! Understand? Barren!
Natalya stood silently, only her jaw moving from the tension.
— Why are you silent? — her mother poked her with a fist. The push wasn’t strong, more humiliating, like nudging a guilty dog. — I’m talking to you!
— Don’t you dare touch me! — Natalya warned, stepping back.
— Oh, look at her! Don’t touch her! — the mother-in-law laughed nastily, then pushed her again, harder into her chest, making Natalya stagger. — And what are you going to do? Borya, watch, your wife is going to hit me!
— Mom, enough! — Borys stepped between them, trying to separate them, but his mother was already fully worked up. She loved her power, she loved humiliating this quiet daughter-in-law who dared to defy her.
— Get out, Bory! — she screamed, went around her son, and slapped Natalya hard across the face.
The sound was crisp and sharp, like a whip. Natalya’s head jerked back, tears forming in her eyes, not from pain, but from humiliation.
Her ears rang. She raised her hand to her burning cheek and saw before her the distorted, triumphant face of her mother-in-law.
— Got it? See! — Larisa Aleksandrovna growled. — That’s how you learn with your elders…
Natalya didn’t hear more. One thought pounded in her head: enough.
Enough of enduring these pushes, the pain of insults, the humiliation in her own home, where her husband stood like a statue, watching his mother torment his wife.
When Larisa Aleksandrovna, in a fit of rage, lifted her hand again for another slap, Natalya reacted instinctively.
She suddenly crouched, avoiding the blow, and putting all her anger, pain, and years of humiliation into it, kicked forward with all her strength, aiming for the hated, shouting mouth. But she missed.
Her foot landed with a dull, terrible thud directly on her mother-in-law’s large, soft stomach.
Larisa Aleksandrovna didn’t scream, but made a deep, hoarse sound, like “u-u-h.” Her eyes widened in disbelief and pain. She doubled over like a folding knife, and with a heavy crash fell to the floor, clutching her stomach.
— You… — she wheezed, looking up at Natalya in horror. — You… the baby… Dasha is… expecting… grandson…
A tense silence fell over the room. Only the ticking of the hallway clock could be heard.
Borys froze with his mouth open, shifting his gaze between his mother writhing on the floor and his wife staring at her own foot in horror, as if it were not her limb but a murder weapon.
— Natalya… — he finally whispered. — What… why?
Natalya gave him an empty look, full of tears and delayed horror.
— Bory, she threw herself onto my foot, just like you did onto the knife.
— What knife?! — the man shouted.
— The one that now happens to be on your side.
