They started saving for this dream with the very first profits from Sergey’s business. Their savings grew slowly but steadily—they were determined to build the house with their own hands, starting from the foundation up, rather than buying something ready-made.
The couple didn’t even dream of support from Sergey’s side of the family; they didn’t want to go into debt to their relatives, and they felt awkward asking. Besides, Taisia Stepanovna, Sergey’s mother, wouldn’t have given her son a single ruble on principle, as she had been harboring a deep grudge against him for years.
From the beginning, she had been categorically against her son’s choice and disliked her daughter-in-law on sight. She considered Lisa a frivolous person and often grumbled that decent girls didn’t spend time with boys at that age. And when the truth about the pregnancy came out, the mother-in-law was absolutely livid. «What kind of wedding at your age?! What child?!» Taisia raged. «Don’t expect any financial help from me, don’t even ask! You got yourselves into this—you deal with it!»
A lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then. The mother-in-law was never able to move past her resentment and accept her daughter-in-law, even though Lisa, being a gentle and non-confrontational person, tried her best to melt the ice and earn her mother-in-law’s favor. But Taisia Stepanovna remained adamant, and at every rare meeting with her son, she sang the same dreary tune. «Your Lizaveta, I see, has settled down quite nicely on your neck. She plays the defenseless lamb, but she knew exactly who she was hooking.»
«You’re not a stupid boy; look, you’ve built your own business! Yes, she’s certainly not lacking in cunning…» Taisia would lecture, walking arm-in-arm with her son. At those moments, Sergey would only sigh heavily and roll his eyes at the constant complaints. «What did you ever see in her? She’s thin, pale, nothing to look at. And she’s no kind of homemaker: every time I come over, there’s always dust on the floor, toys are scattered all over the nursery, pencils everywhere. Is that a mother? What is she teaching the children? The girls are growing up; they should be accustomed to cleanliness and order from the cradle!»
The woman treated her own granddaughters with a strange coldness. She acknowledged them by blood—after all, they were her son’s flesh and blood—but she showed no particular affection, as they were born to a woman she despised. Even with Sergey, she only started talking normally when she became afraid that her son would finally distance himself from her and lean into his wife’s family. And that was exactly what was happening, as Lisa’s parents doted on their son-in-law, adored their granddaughters, and always offered a helping hand in difficult times.
When the couple finally saved enough for a plot of land, Fedor Vasilievich immediately volunteered to help with the construction. With a wealth of experience in building, Lisa’s father became his son-in-law’s main mentor and helper. The two men spent all their time at the site, while the creative Lisa became completely absorbed in planning the interior and creating their future home’s comfort. The next year and a half turned into a real test of strength for the family.
Sergey worked his regular job to the bone; Lisa did her part, and every weekend, her husband and father-in-law would head out of town to mix concrete and lay bricks. Buying materials and renting equipment drained the family budget dry. They had to tighten their belts, save on groceries, and wear old clothes, but no one complained, because their big shared dream was right in front of them.
And finally, the happy day arrived—the house was ready for move-in. The large family gathered on the porch of the spacious two-story cottage, hugging joyfully. Even though the interior still needed some cosmetic work, the building looked stunning from the outside. They celebrated the housewarming in the new, bright kitchen, clinking glasses and laughing together. They scheduled the full move for the coming weeks to transport their belongings and handle the paperwork in peace.
Life in the country breathed new life into the couple. This shared victory strengthened their union even more, and finally, long-awaited harmony and peace settled in the house. The only fly in the ointment was Taisia Stepanovna. As soon as the young family settled in, she made a habit of visiting almost every week. She excused it by saying she missed her granddaughters terribly, although, upon crossing the threshold, she wouldn’t even look into the nursery.
Lisa’s heart would sink every time the familiar silhouette of her mother-in-law in a heavy coat appeared in the peephole. She would take a second to collect her thoughts, open the door, and put on a polite smile. She knew perfectly well that this visit would again result in a round of criticism. «Well, I decided to personally check how you’ve settled in here on your high horse,» Taisia Stepanovna declared from the doorway, keeping her hands behind her back in a possessive manner as she inspected the first-floor hall. «Everything is fine, Mom, we’re settling in slowly,» Lisa replied, trying to keep her voice calm, even though she was trembling inside. «We’ve almost finished the living room. Let me show you.»
Deep down, the girl prayed that her mother-in-law wouldn’t start picking at trifles. But Taisia Stepanovna, accustomed to keeping everything under her rigid control, always found a reason for dissatisfaction, even if Lisa was just standing nearby. «Well, yes, I see… You’ve been living here for over a month, and you still haven’t swept up the construction dust in the corners,» the woman grumbled with disgust, stopping in the doorway and glaring at her daughter-in-law. «Lizochka, order in the house is a purely female responsibility; a man shouldn’t be dealing with this. Do you understand what I’m getting at?» «Taisia Stepanovna…» «What ‘Taisia Stepanovna’? I’m already in my fifties, I don’t need to be taught! Lisa, really, how much longer? Are you a grown woman or a little girl?» the mother-in-law flared up. «Is it so hard to take a bucket of water, a rag, and wash the floors properly?!»
Without waiting for an answer, the woman measured Lisa with a contemptuous look, shook her head reproachfully, and, continuing to mutter to herself, headed toward the kitchen. «There’s no use for you in the house. Sergey really found himself a punishment… My son carries the whole family on his shoulders, brings home the money, put so many resources into this giant thing! And I told him from the very beginning: ‘Don’t rush, son, look at her more closely! She’s as much of a homemaker as a sieve is at holding water!’ And I was right! Don’t be offended, Lizochka, but since you couldn’t keep order in a regular two-room apartment, it’s going to be completely overrun with filth here!»
This nightmare continued for an entire year. Taisia Stepanovna regularly stopped by for «inspections» during the hours when Sergey was away at work, tormenting her daughter-in-law with endless nitpicking. Lisa, intimidated by her pushy mother-in-law, lacked the strength to stand up for herself. All she could do was share her distress with her husband through tears. Sergey tried to talk to his mother, asking her to leave them alone, but his words just bounced off her.
However, one day, the man personally witnessed what was happening in his absence. That afternoon, Sergey unexpectedly finished work early and decided to surprise them by coming home for lunch. Barely stepping out of the car, he heard his mother’s loud shouting coming from an open second-story window. Foreseeing trouble, he flew up the stairs. The scene that met his eyes shocked him: in the middle of the bedroom stood Taisia Stepanovna with a huge suitcase, shouting at Lisa, while a terrified Ksyusha and Anechka huddled in the corner of the bed, crying bitterly. Seeing their father, the girls ran into his arms, seeking rescue.
Noticing her son’s arrival, Taisia Stepanovna faltered for a moment and began to search for words, realizing she had been caught off guard at the wrong time. Lisa stood pale, completely withdrawn, looking timidly at her husband from behind her mother-in-law’s back, silently begging for help. «What the hell is going on here?» Sergey asked menacingly. «Mom, what kind of tantrum are you throwing? Why did you bring a suitcase?» «Daddy, Grandma is kicking us out of the house! She came with her things, she’s giving orders, saying she’s going to live here instead of us now!» the older daughter whimpered, while little Anechka ran to hug her mother through her tears. «Kicking you out? What nonsense,» Sergey tried to downplay it, looking at his mother in hope of a denial.
However, Taisia Stepanovna’s face expressed such arrogance and firm confidence in her righteousness that the man realized: his daughter wasn’t making it up. He was stunned by such audacity. He had long been accustomed to his mother’s difficult character, but this stunt crossed all reasonable boundaries. «Mom, I’m waiting for an explanation. What does this mean?»
«What is there to explain?!» the woman immediately went on the offensive, acting like she was the victim. «My son has built such a gorgeous mansion! Two floors, a bunch of rooms, a huge property—it’s beautiful! And your own mother is supposed to spend the rest of her days in an old apartment? Did you think about me? I deserve to live in a normal, spacious house in my old age! I raised you alone, didn’t sleep at night when your father left for another woman, gave you an education, put you on your feet! Don’t I have the right to a peaceful old age in comfort, in your opinion?» «Mom, what are you talking about? We never even discussed this! You never once hinted at moving in, and now you show up with your things on the sly, while I’m not home!» «Am I not allowed to come to my own son’s house without written permission?! Should I live by a schedule?»
«Since when do children lock the doors on their own mother? I came to see my granddaughters, if you want to know!» «She’s making it all up! She’s making it up! She said straight out that we had to get out!» Ksyusha cried through her tears, clinging tighter to her mother. «Is this true? Lisa, say at least one word, don’t be silent!» «It’s true, Sergey…» Lisa said quietly, looking warily at her raging mother-in-law. But, overcoming her fear, she continued more confidently: «Taisia Stepanovna arrived half an hour ago and started pounding on the door. As soon as I opened it, she burst in with this suitcase, shoved me aside without ceremony, and started giving orders. She told me to pack my things and, along with the kids, get out—either to our old rental or to my parents’.»
The mother-in-law demonstratively put her hands on her hips and gave a sarcastic scoff, showing with her entire demeanor that they were trying to brazenly slander her to her son. «She also claimed that from now on, she is the full mistress here and will live with you. Allegedly, you had agreed on everything over the phone long ago, and you gave your full consent for her to move in…» «This is complete madness! Mom, do you even realize what kind of circus you’ve staged here?!» an enraged Sergey shouted. «What right do you have to this house?! Who gave you the right to manage my living space and decide who is here and who isn’t?!» «Don’t you dare yell at your mother!» Taisia Stepanovna shrieked. There wasn’t a drop of shame on her face, only dull stubbornness and a readiness to stand her ground until the end. «Look at him, look how important he’s become! His mother is now a nobody to him!»
«You don’t respect anyone around you! You don’t give Lisa any peace, you’re always picking at her, lecturing her, dragging her through the mud! You used to break into our rental apartment without knocking, now you decided to show up here whenever you feel like it! Without calling, without warning! But try coming to your house uninvited—you wouldn’t let us through the door!» «Don’t you dare argue with me! I’ve lived a life, I have more experience than you! I wish your wife well, I want to make a normal woman and homemaker out of her! Can’t you see yourself that you married a complete incompetent?!» «Our mom is good and can do everything!» Ksyusha shouted from behind Lisa’s back, sticking her tongue out at her grandmother.
«That’s it, enough! I’ve had enough of this circus!» Sergey cut everyone off. «I am deathly tired of your constant scandals, Mom! You’ve appointed yourself the supreme judge of our lives! You don’t respect me, my wife, or my daughters! You consider everyone around you to be nobodies whom you’ve done a favor by existing!»
In a burst of rage, Sergey grabbed his mother’s suitcase and pushed it down the stairs. The belongings clattered as they tumbled down the steps. The man breathed heavily from the rising anger. «And now you take your things and get out of my house immediately! Don’t let me see you around here again until I give you permission to come!» «Oh, is that how you’re talking now?! Fine then!» Taisia Stepanovna flared up and, spitefully shaking her finger at her son, added: «But remember once and for all: it wasn’t you who threw me out; it’s me who is leaving! I am leaving this madhouse where a mother is treated like nothing! So, this is the kind of son I raised… An ungrateful egoist! Stay in this viper’s den with your spineless, cunning girl and your ill-bred, insolent brats! We’ll see how you’ll sing when things get tough! If you need help—don’t you dare even come to me, don’t you dare cross my threshold!»
Pushing her son out of the way, the woman whirled down the stairs to the first floor. She grabbed the suitcase lying on the floor and, stumbling with anger, flew out onto the street, not even bothering to close the front door behind her. On that terrible note, the scandal finally subsided.
Contrary to all of Taisia Stepanovna’s expectations, Sergey never made the first move toward reconciliation. He didn’t call her the next day, nor months later, nor years later. The man kept his word: he completely shielded Lisa and his daughters from his mother’s toxic influence, giving his family the long-awaited atmosphere of comfort, security, and peace of mind.
Sometimes, Sergey would receive rare news about his mother’s life through distant relatives and acquaintances. They told him that Taisia Stepanovna still complains to neighbors in the courtyard about her «ungrateful children» and continues to drag Lisa through the mud, claiming that she married her successful son solely because of an early pregnancy.
However, these rumors no longer affected Sergey at all. He understood that his mother felt perfectly fine in the role of the victim and had no intention of changing in her old age. «People can’t be changed,» the man would calm himself in his thoughts. And looking at the peace and quiet that reigned in his home after the disappearance of his toxic relative, he never once regretted the choice he had made.
