The daughter-in-law with « baggage »:
« Olga, has your son gotten married? I saw him with a woman and a little boy. Did he take one with ‘baggage’ or something? » asked Olga’s neighbor.
« He’s not married yet, but I would be so happy if he were, » replied Olga, surprised.
The news was completely unexpected. Her son Andrei lived with her and, as far as she knew, had no plans to marry.
« Son, someone told me they saw you with a woman who has a child. Are you seeing anyone? » asked Olga when she came home.
« Oh, these nosy women! They have to know everything and go around telling everyone. I didn’t want to tell you. She has a child, so there can’t be anything serious between us. Lena is a widow. Her husband died two years ago, and she’s raising her son alone. »
We met at work and, somehow, things progressed between us. But don’t worry. I’m definitely not bringing her home.
“Oh, and I was just starting to get excited. The fact that she has a child isn’t a problem.”
“No. I’m not going to raise someone else’s child. I want children of my own.”
“She can give you a child too. You’re already thirty-four. How long do you plan to stay single?”
“I’m still young! What’s wrong, Mother? Are you trying to jinx me?”
“How can starting a family be a bad thing? It’s happiness, my son.”
Andrei had his own apartment, but he preferred to live with his mother. He rented out his apartment and saved the money for a new car.
His mother cooked for him and did his laundry. It was very convenient. Besides, when the women he dated found out he lived with his mother, they rarely wanted to marry him—exactly as he wished. They had fun and then went their separate ways.
He had never mentioned his apartment to No one. He saw the women at their homes or rented a hotel room. This kind of life suited him perfectly.
One day, Olga was coming home from work when she saw her son with the woman. They were walking slowly along the sidewalk. She was short, with long, dark blond hair, and rather pretty.
So it was her. Olga would have liked to meet her.
Soon, the opportunity arose. Olga bumped into the woman as she was leaving a shop.
« Excuse me, are you Elena? I’ve seen you with my son, Andrei, before. My name is Olga. »
« Hello. Yes, I’m Elena, and I know Andrei very well. Pleased to meet you, Olga Ivanovna. Andrei told me he lives with you. »
“Would you like to sit somewhere and talk? Maybe in a café?” Olga suggested.
“Okay. There’s a nice place nearby. They make excellent coffee.”
Olga saw that Lena was uncomfortable and felt a little awkward herself. It was as if she had intruded on the young woman’s life.
They found a table and ordered.
“Andrei told me you have a son. How old is he? What’s his name?”
“My son is five. His name is Vladik. My husband died in a car accident two years ago. I live with my son in a studio apartment. After my husband died, his parents sold the apartment we were living in and threw us out. The apartment was registered in my mother-in-law’s name. I should say my former mother-in-law’s.”
“I don’t have any parents.” I’m an orphan. My grandmother raised me, but sadly, she passed away. She left me a small, old house in the village. I sold it and took out a loan for an apartment in the city. The money from the house was only enough for the down payment. «
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