— Wait, let me speak first, — Oleg fell silent. — I know that your mother put a laxative in my juice. I know that you were aware of it. I know that you planned it together.
— Marina, that’s not true.
— Don’t lie to me. I heard your conversation. “Everything is ready. Tomorrow, at dinner. There’s no other way.”
Oleg turned pale.
— You were eavesdropping?
— I overheard by chance. But that doesn’t matter. What matters is something else, — she paused. — Eight years, Oleg. For eight years I tried to be a good wife. I endured humiliation from your mother. I sought compromises. I hoped that one day you would take my side. But you never did.
— Marina, I…
— Don’t interrupt. The day before yesterday, your mother tried to poison me. Not with poison. With a laxative. She wanted to humiliate me in front of my parents at my father’s anniversary. And you allowed it.
— I didn’t know that she…
— You knew. You knew and you kept quiet. That’s even worse.
Oleg hung his head.
— Marina, forgive me. I didn’t want…
— What didn’t you want? You didn’t want me to find out? You didn’t want the plan to fail? You didn’t want it to turn out like this? And how did you want it? For me to be humiliated in front of the guests and die of shame? For me to never visit my parents again? For me to divorce you and make way for some obedient…
— Housewife, as your mother puts it? — Oleg was silent. — Answer me!
— I… I don’t know. Mom said it was the only way…
— The only way to what?
— The only way to save our family.
Marina laughed. Bitterly, without joy.
— Save our family? By humiliating me? Degrading me? Crushing me? Is that what saving a family means to you?
— Mom said you were too independent. That you needed to be put in your place. That after this you would become… different.
— Different? What kind of different? Broken? Obedient? Convenient?
— No, not like that.
— Exactly like that, Oleg. Your mother wanted to break me. And you helped her.
He looked up. There were tears in his eyes.
— Marina, I love you. I really do.
— That’s not love. A person who loves doesn’t betray. Doesn’t let his mother humiliate his wife. Doesn’t participate in conspiracies against his own family.
— I was wrong. I understand that now.
— Now? You didn’t understand before? — Oleg was silent. — You know what the most hurtful thing is… — Marina continued. — It’s not the laxative in the juice. Not your mother’s plan. Not even that you knew and kept silent. The most hurtful thing is that you’re still defending her.
— I’m not defending her.
— You are. Even now, when everything is out in the open, you say: “Mom said. Mom wanted. Mom thought.” As if she made the decision, and you were just carrying it out.
— But it’s true.
— No, Oleg. It’s not true. You’re a grown man. You’re 38 years old. You make your own decisions. And yesterday, you made the decision to betray me.
— Marina, please.
— I’m not finished. I’ve made a decision too. I’m done with your mother. Completely. No calls, no meetings. Nothing. She no longer exists for me.
— That’s impossible.
— It’s possible. And it’s not up for discussion.
— But she’s my mother.
— And I’m your wife. Eight years, Oleg. For eight years, I’ve been in second place after your mommy. Enough. — She stood up. — You have a choice. Either you set boundaries with your mother, and we try to save the marriage, or you continue to be a mama’s boy, and then we go our separate ways.
— Marina, is this an ultimatum?
— Yes, it’s an ultimatum. I’m tired of half-measures and compromises. It’s time to decide.
Oleg sat motionless. Confusion, fear, bewilderment on his face.
— I need time to think, — he finally said.
— Think. But not for long. My patience has run out. — She walked to the door.
— Marina, wait.
— What?
— I… I really do love you.
Marina turned around.
— If you love me, prove it. Not with words. With actions.
And she left the room.
The next three days passed in silence. Oleg slept in the living room, Marina in the bedroom. They barely spoke. Tamara Nikolaevna called every day; Marina didn’t answer. Oleg spoke to her: briefly, in monosyllables. About what, Marina didn’t ask.
On the fourth day, Oleg came to her.
— I talked to Mom, — he said.
— And?
Comments are closed.