“Get up, you need to water the garden, or everything will dry out!”
Lena felt sorry for her father-in-law and, taking a watering can, began to water the plants. When she returned to the house, she found a pile of dirty dishes that needed to be handled while the men slept soundly. The lady of the house had gone to the market to sell vegetables.
That morning, Lena began to seriously think about her life. After washing all the dishes, she sat down for a moment.
Was this how her life would be from now on? No, maybe there had just been a lot of work to catch up on. Everything would eventually fall into place, and Tamara would grow fond of her. She just had to show how much she loved her son.
To prove it, she went down to the cellar, brought up the necessary ingredients, and began preparing lunch. Her mother-in-law needed to see that she was a capable homemaker.
The inviting aromas drew the men in. They didn’t spend long admiring the hearty soup filled with meat and vegetables. Taking their spoons, they ate it eagerly. Lena hoped she was pleasing the family and that Tamara would praise her when she returned.
But she had hoped in vain. As soon as Tamara stepped inside and caught the smell of the food, she began to grumble. When she looked into the pot, she grew even angrier. Lena had never heard so many harsh words directed at her.
Tamara ordered her to save the supplies and not waste them. Lena looked for support from her husband and father-in-law, but they both kept their eyes on the ground, as if they were the guilty ones.
That evening, Paul explained to Lena that in their family, it was customary to keep the best products for selling.
Lena couldn’t understand this mindset. She wasn’t from the city either, but back home with her mother, they had never cut corners on food.
She couldn’t accept the way this family lived. All night long, she couldn’t sleep, remembering her mother’s words, who had been against this marriage.
Her mother hadn’t liked her future in-laws, but Lena chose to ignore it. She loved Paul deeply, tall and dark-haired. They had both tried to get into college, but Paul hadn’t scored enough points.
Their love had blossomed in the student dorm, and Lena became pregnant.
Paul hadn’t been very happy about the news, but he had promised to take care of her. Their plan was to leave the baby with the grandparents so they could finish their studies.
For four months already, Lena had been enduring life under that roof. Her mother-in-law wouldn’t let her cook:
“You have nothing to waste food on!”
She would boil a thin porridge with water, while selling the vegetables at the market. Lena worked both in the house and in the garden.
Lately, Paul had started to criticize her:
“You’ve lost so much weight, there’s barely anything left of you!”
“And how am I supposed to stay in shape when I’m spinning around all day with nothing to eat?!” Lena would reply.
But the child in her womb was suffering from hunger along with her.
One day, Lena craved fish. She ran to the store, bought some, and cooked a delicious pie. The men devoured it eagerly.
But there was no point in explaining to her mother-in-law that she had bought the food with her own money. The older woman forced her to go clean the pigsty.
In the shed, Lena cried bitterly. Suddenly, she heard her father-in-law’s footsteps. The old man closed the door behind him and handed her a napkin with something wrapped inside.
“Thank you for the pie, dear daughter. But you won’t be able to live here—she will destroy you. Leave while it’s not too late.”
Lena unfolded the napkin and saw the pie she had made.
She cried and ate at the same time, despite the heavy smell in the shed. That night, she remembered her father-in-law’s words.
Wouldn’t Paul stand up for her?
Was he really just like them?
In the morning, she decided to wash the curtains to test her husband.
That evening, she asked him to help her hang them back up.
But he clenched his teeth and replied:
“If you took them down, you can put them back up yourself! I don’t have time for that.”
His words struck her straight to the heart.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. When she opened it, it was the mail carrier.
“You have a package!” said cheerful Katie, handing her a heavy box.
Lena opened it and pulled out clothes for the future baby.
She was left speechless:
“Mom… how many nights did you spend crocheting all of these?”
At that moment, Tamara walked into the house and, casting a contemptuous glance at the clean windows, said:
“Taking a break? But the zucchini and cucumbers in the garden still haven’t been picked. What am I supposed to take to the market tomorrow?”
Then she grabbed the package and dumped it onto the floor.
“Just look at what your relatives sent! Maybe I can sell these at the market tomorrow too!” she said, picking up a few crocheted rugs and carrying them into her room.
Her mother-in-law’s words were the final straw for Lena. She ran outside and hurried until she caught up with Katie, the mail carrier.
“Where are you going? Come to my place,” she suggested.
Soon, the two of them were sitting at the table, drinking tea with pretzels.
“Don’t go back to that witch. She’ll destroy you,” Katie told her. “I’ll give you money for a ticket—go to your mother before it’s too late.”
After spending the night at Katie’s place, Lena returned the next day to collect her belongings.
“So you’ve made up your mind? Going back to your mother with that big belly?” her mother-in-law said sarcastically, seeing her pack her clothes.
Her husband stood in a corner, watching her without saying a word. He didn’t even try to stop her.
When the time came, Lena gave birth to a healthy baby. Later on, she managed to finish her studies through distance learning, remarried, and found a good job. Paul, however, never got into college, remaining at the market to take his mother’s place.
Her former mother-in-law had died a few years earlier. After Lena left, Tamara had fallen directly onto some sharp stakes in the pigsty. She refused to go to the hospital to save money. That was how she met her end. It seemed like fate had caught up with her for the way she had treated others.
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“This story is inspired by real events and real people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and to enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to real persons or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher do not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the events or for the way the characters are portrayed, and are not liable for any misinterpretations. This story is provided ‘as is,’ and any opinions expressed belong to the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.”