“The story of how one audacious mother-in-law tried to forcibly take back ‘her boy’ and met a firm resistance”
“When a mother-in-law barges into someone else’s family like a tank and gets what she deserves from the daughter-in-law”
— My mom wanted to talk to you about something, Marina! — Vitaly said to his wife before bedtime.
— Really? About what? — his wife asked in surprise. — Usually, your mother doesn’t even want to see me! And if she does, she stares at me like she’s mentally performing a lobotomy! And now she wants to talk…
— I’m not exactly sure! Something about kitchen appliances, I think! She wanted to get your advice, supposedly! — Vitaly replied. — Or maybe not! I haven’t been paying much attention to her lately because all she does is ask for things! I even have pre-prepared responses for her to get her off my back faster!
— Clever! — Marina smirked. — But does she even care what I think? She could have at least listened to me to tell me what it’s about!
— Well, sorry! She was talking to me exactly at the moment I was in the elevator, and you know how the connection is there! I told her that as soon as I enter the elevator, the connection would drop, but she didn’t care, chattering nonstop! And when I asked her to repeat…
— I know her manner, you don’t need to explain! — Marina sighed heavily.
— So… will you go over to talk to her?
— No, of course not! — his wife replied, surprised by the question.
— And why not?
— Because it’s not for me, Vitaly! She’s the one who needs it! She calls you saying she wants to talk to me, and I’m supposed to rush over to her house like an obedient daughter-in-law? Do you imagine it like that? Or maybe she imagines it that way?
— Well, I… never really thought about it! — Vitaly shrugged. — Then just call her when the time comes!
— Again: no! — his wife replied firmly.
— And what’s wrong with that?
— I’m not going to her, just like I’m not going to call her! It’s not for me, it’s for her! So if she wants to talk, she can call us or come here herself! But calling is better, of course, because I don’t exactly look forward to seeing your mother at home either!
— Honestly, I expected nothing less from you!
— Exactly! She should first learn to respect me a little, so I can treat her properly! Not like before: I approached her with an open heart, and all she did was hiss at me, the viper!
— Alright! I’ll tell her to call you herself! — Vitaly realized that Marina’s resentment toward his mother hadn’t fully faded.
It was starting to ease, of course, but full forgiveness was still far off.
— What if you meet somewhere neutral? — Vitaly suggested when Marina thought the topic was over.
— I told you, let her call me herself, and then we’ll decide! Whether we meet or not! You never know… your mother could start behaving rudely in a public place! Don’t you know that yourself?
— Yes, I know, I’m just thinking of options to reconcile you! I’m tired of living between you like between a hammer and an anvil! She tells me that you don’t meet her expectations, and you tell me that you don’t want to see her! It’s really not that hard to just behave politely! I behave like that with your parents, and it works fine!
— Well, if you had acted differently with them, I wouldn’t have let you live in peace! They gave you their car and helped you get a new job where you don’t earn thirty thousand a month! And my parents treat you very well, unlike your mother with me!
— That’s why I’m saying, it’s really not that hard! But you…
— What about us? I’ve always treated her well from the start, Vitaly! Don’t blame me for everything here! I held back until she started being openly rude to me!
— I get it, I get it! Don’t yell at me!
— And you don’t spout nonsense! — Marina ended the unpleasant conversation with her husband.
The next day, Vitaly reluctantly allowed his mother to handle it herself and told her to call Marina if she wanted to talk about anything.
To which Tamara Stepanovna replied:
— Has your wife completely lost her mind? You want me to call her?! What does that even mean?! Has she become so proud of being married to you that she thinks she’s above me?!
— No, mom! It’s just…
— Just what, huh?! Don’t defend her! Don’t act like your henpecked dad! You did exactly the same to me as he did! Only he found someone else and left me, while you got married!
— Didn’t you guess, mom, that I might do the same someday when I was still little? No? Or did you think I’d stay at home forever with you and never start my own family?
— Go ahead and start as many families as you want, but why did you move out from me? — Tamara Stepanovna grumbled.
— Are you even hearing yourself, mom?! What kind of family could live with you under the same roof? Any wife would leave, even the most patient!
— So that’s it?! So I’m a bad mother, right?
— No, you’re a normal mother! But the mother-in-law…
— I get it! That girl really turned you against me! Against your own mother! — Tamara Stepanovna interrupted Vitaly.
— It’s nothing… I’ll fix everything! — she said a little more quietly, but the way she said it sent an unpleasant shiver down her son’s spine.
— What are you planning, Mom? — he asked carefully.
— Nothing, nothing! I just want to talk to your wife! I already wanted to talk to her anyway, so… two birds with one stone, as they say…
At that moment, Vitaly’s boss entered his office. He quickly said goodbye to his mother, told her he would call back later to finish the conversation, and hung up.
Meanwhile, Tamara Stepanovna decided not to sit idly by, not to wait for her son’s call, but to go straight to her daughter-in-law to talk to her and, at the same time, put that arrogant girl in her place—the one who thinks she’s above her mother-in-law, her husband’s mother.
Tamara Stepanovna didn’t know whether her daughter-in-law was working or resting that day, but she decided to go to her home immediately to tell her exactly what a mother-in-law thinks of her. In her opinion, a phone call wouldn’t suffice. And what Vitaly had told his mother—to call his wife—did not influence her at all.
And, at least at first, everything worked out in Tamara Stepanovna’s favor, because Marina was off that day. She had just finished all the household chores and wanted to rest, maybe watch a movie or read a book—she hadn’t decided yet—but it was not meant to be, because the intercom buzzed…
— Who is it? — Marina asked, puzzled, because she wasn’t expecting anyone and her husband had the keys.
— It’s me! Tamara Stepanovna! — a sharp voice came through the intercom. — Open the door!
— I’m about to leave, so…
— I won’t be long, Marina! Let me in! — the mother-in-law interrupted her.
Reluctantly, Marina pressed the button to unlock the building door and stayed near the entrance. At the same time, she took out her phone to call her husband, but Vitaly didn’t answer…
She kept calling until the intercom buzzed again, this time echoing through the entire apartment. Marina immediately opened the door.
— Hello! Vitaly told me you wanted to talk to me about something, but…
— I wanted you to come to my place so we could talk at my home! — Tamara Stepanovna cut her off. — But apparently my son didn’t tell you that, since here I am standing at your door instead of you at mine!
Marina didn’t want to argue with this woman; she knew it would lead to nothing good. So she tried to soften the edges a little, hoping Tamara Stepanovna would leave without a scandal:
— No, he did tell me that, it’s just that I…
— So that’s it? He told you to come to me, and you just ignored it? Did you want me to come here and bow at your feet?!
— Not at all! And please, let’s calm down! — Marina asked as calmly as she could manage. — What did you want? What did you want to talk about?
— It’s fine… I’ll fix everything! — she said, a little more quietly, but the way she said it sent an unpleasant shiver down her son’s spine.
— What are you scheming, Mom? — he asked her carefully.
— Nothing, nothing! I just want to talk to your wife! I wanted to talk to her anyway, so… kill two birds with one stone, as they say…
At that moment Vitaly’s boss came into the office; he quickly said goodbye to his mother, told her he would call back later to finish the conversation, and hung up.
But Tamara Stepanovna decided not to sit idly by and wait for her son’s call — she went straight to her daughter‑in‑law’s to have a talk and, at the same time, put that arrogant girl in her place, the one who thinks herself above her husband’s mother.
Tamara Stepanovna didn’t know whether her daughter‑in‑law was working that day or off, but she decided to go to her apartment right away to tell her everything a mother‑in‑law thinks of her — a phone call, in her view, wouldn’t do. Vitaly telling his mother to call his wife didn’t change her mind one bit.
And at least at first things worked out for Tamara Stepanovna, because Marina was home that day. She had just finished the housework and wanted to relax — watch a movie or read a book, she hadn’t decided yet — but fate had other plans: the intercom buzzed.
— Who is it? — Marina asked, puzzled, since she wasn’t expecting anyone and her husband had the keys.
— It’s me! Tamara Stepanovna! — a sharp voice answered through the intercom. — Open the door!
— I’m just about to go out, so…
— I won’t be long, Marina! Let me in! — the mother‑in‑law cut her off.
Reluctantly Marina pressed the button that unlocked the entrance and remained by the door. She also pulled out her phone to call her husband while Tamara was coming up, but Vitaly didn’t pick up…
She kept calling until the doorbell’s chime filled the apartment. Marina opened the door immediately.
— Hello. Vitaly told me you wanted to talk to me about something, but…
— I wanted you to come to my place so we could talk at my home! — Tamara Stepanovna interrupted. — Apparently my son didn’t tell you that, since here I am at your door instead of you at mine!
Marina didn’t want to argue with the woman — she knew it would get nowhere — so she tried to smooth things over to get her mother‑in‑law to leave without a scene:
— No, he did tell me that, it’s just that I—
— Is that so? He told you to come to me and you simply ignored it? Expected me to come here and bow at your feet?!
— Absolutely not! And please, let’s calm down — — Marina asked as calmly as she could manage. — What did you want? What did you want to talk about?
— At first I wanted you to buy a new refrigerator and a food processor for my home through your work discounts! But now I see it was a waste of time…
— A refrigerator and a food processor… Or maybe I should just replace the whole kitchen for you, or even buy you a new apartment, Tamara Stepanovna? — Marina shot back.
Marina couldn’t contain herself at such gall; she started snapping back, because, apparently, that was the only language her mother‑in‑law understood.
— If I need it, you’ll not only buy me that, you’ll reimburse me for what you stole from me! — the mother‑in‑law declared. — You—
— Stop! What exactly did I steal from you? — the daughter‑in‑law was stunned by the accusation. — I don’t remember taking anything! I never even asked you for anything, let alone took something from you!
— You took my son from me! My son! Vitaly! I never wanted him to leave the house! Even when he went away to study, I always thought he’d come back to me! But then you…
— Do you treat your son like an object or something? — the daughter‑in‑law cried. — What is this?
— For you he’s an object! For you! But for me he’s the best man in the world! He supported me completely when I had problems, he never turned his back on me no matter what happened, but you… You made him forget his own mother! And you treat me like I’m nobody!
— I can’t speak for Vitaly, but as far as I’m concerned, you are nobody to me, since you’ve behaved like this from the very beginning! — Marina replied to Tamara Stepanovna. — And as for Vitaly, he makes his own decisions about how to live and with whom!
— No! You made him turn against his own mother! He told me exactly that when he called today! So this is all your fault, and I’ll fix it right now, you nasty—! — the woman snarled and began edging slowly toward Marina.
— Just try to do anything to me now… I’m warning you— — the daughter‑in‑law backed away and answered.
— Someone else stole my husband from me too, just like you! She got what she deserved back then for my husband — for a complete stranger — and as for you, you won’t walk out of here alive with my Vitaly! — Tamara Stepanovna wailed.
— I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you! — Marina replied, grabbing the long checked umbrella from the shoe rack.
— And what are you going to do to me with that stick? Think you’ll scare me? — Tamara Stepanovna sneered like a predator as she continued to come closer.
— We’ll see about that…
She hadn’t finished when the mother‑in‑law lunged at her in a flash, trying to scratch Marina’s eyes with her nails. Marina threw her to the floor, first beating her with the umbrella — which she had managed to wrench free — and then kicked her hard in the backside so that Tamara Stepanovna howled like a wounded animal. After that the mother‑in‑law curled up, trying to protect herself so Marina wouldn’t hurt her again.
But the daughter‑in‑law didn’t want more of it. She hauled Tamara to her feet by force and shoved her out of the apartment so hard that Tamara Stepanovna collapsed on the landing, continuing to emit sounds like a rutting bull.
— If I see you anywhere near our home again, or anywhere near me, I swear you won’t leave alive! Now get the hell out of here!!! — Marina screamed, throwing the woman’s coat and bag — which she’d shrugged off almost as soon as she came inside — after her.
— I still won’t give you my boy… — the woman sobbed, sitting on the landing.
— That’s not for you to decide! — was Marina’s last words to her before slamming the door and closing it on her mother‑in‑law forever.
Right after that, Marina took her phone out of the back pocket of her jeans; she had turned on the recorder as soon as the mother‑in‑law buzzed the door when Vitaly didn’t answer. She listened to the short recording again — now through the phone’s speaker — saved it and sent it to her husband with the message:
“If that old hag shows up at our home again, she’ll leave here only in handcuffs! Or in a coffin!”
The reply didn’t come at once. Apparently Vitaly listened to his wife’s message first:
“I won’t say anything against you about this. I’m fed up with it too. And if she comes again and I’m home, she’ll get it from me.”
That answer satisfied Marina; calming down, she adjusted her clothes that had been twisted during the scuffle, and went to watch a movie to distract herself and try to forget those awful ten minutes of her life.
