«With me? Maybe we should wait for your father and discuss it together?» she suggested.
«I decided to tell you first. I want to get married,» Oleg said with a smile.
«Well, what’s the problem? You’re an adult; if you’ve decided, then get married,» his mother replied calmly.
«That’s not all…» he faltered, clearly choosing his words carefully.
«Are there more ‘surprises’?» Olga grew wary, having no idea where he was going with this.
That Saturday, her husband was working a shift, and Olga had treated herself to a late start. Before making breakfast, she brewed some coffee and was enjoying a rare moment of peace—the kind of time where you can sit in silence and not rush anywhere. But her solitude didn’t last long. Oleg, who usually slept until noon on weekends, unexpectedly appeared in the kitchen.
«Mom,» he repeated, sitting down. «I really need to talk to you.»
«Just me? Should we wait for your father? We’re used to deciding important things together. It sounds like a serious matter.»
«It is serious. I’m going to get married.»
«That’s news. And to whom? I haven’t heard anything about you having a girlfriend.»
«Her name is Polina. She works at the city archives and lives with her parents and younger sister in a two-bedroom apartment. She’s twenty-two and just graduated from university. We’ve known each other for a year.»
«So what’s the issue? If you’ve decided, get married. Your father and I aren’t going to stand in your way,» Olga replied.
«Then I’ll bring Polina over to meet you. When is best? I think you’ll like her.»
«It doesn’t really matter if I like her or not. What matters is that you like her. You’re the one who has to live with her. I’m not the kind of mother-in-law who meddles in other people’s lives. If you invite me, I’ll come; if not, so be it. But in our home, I’ll treat any daughter-in-law with respect,» his mother said calmly.
«Actually,» Oleg added hesitantly, «I was thinking Polina and I would live here.»
«Here?» Olga asked, surprised. «Then why get married at all?»
«What do you mean, why? I love her. I want to start a family.»
«Look, son, when a man gets married, it means he’s becoming independent and building his own home. Are you ready for that? How do you envision your life together?»
«I thought we’d live here, save up money, and in a few years, we’d get a mortgage,» he explained.
«And did you ask your father and me if we’re ready for another person to move into the apartment? To us, she’s a stranger. We have our own routine, habits, and rhythm of life. Suddenly, all of that changes. It inevitably leads to conflict, resentment, and hurt feelings. Why would we want that?»
«But you guys started with nothing too,» Oleg argued.
«We did. But it never even occurred to us to live with our parents. We moved to the city, got jobs at the factory, and lived in a dorm. I worked on the shop floor until I could get a job as a bookkeeper. It took several years before we got our first apartment. And this three-bedroom place? We didn’t finish paying it off until after you graduated high school. And now you want to turn our home back into a dormitory? I’m sorry, but we’re not at an age where we want to share our space and deal with constant discomfort.»
«But renting an apartment is so expensive. We’ll never save enough for our own place that way.»
«And so you decided that we should support the two of you for several years? Two adults who don’t understand what a family budget is?»
«Why wouldn’t we understand?»
«Polina might, but you definitely don’t. You’ve been working for a year and a half. Your salary isn’t huge, but you’ve never contributed to the household expenses—no groceries, no utilities, nothing. Have you even saved anything?»
«No… I bought clothes, went on vacation… the money just kind of disappeared.»
«And do you have the funds for a wedding?»
«I thought you and Polina’s parents would pay for it.»
«We didn’t plan for that. I assumed you were saving for either a home or your own needs. We can help, but we aren’t going to support you. You’re entering adulthood—learn to make adult decisions.»
«So, I can’t get married?» Oleg asked petulantly.
«Why not? Go ahead. But first, sit down with Polina and discuss where you’ll live, what money you’ll live on, and how you’ll run a household. That’s what adults do.»
That evening, Oleg went out, and Olga could hear him talking to Polina on the phone for a long time. When her husband, Viktor, returned from work, she recounted the conversation.
«We were twenty-three when we got married, too,» Viktor said thoughtfully. «But we were more independent back then. Everything is different now—career first, then family. A guy at work just got married; he’s almost thirty and already has an apartment. You can’t compare him to our Oleg.»
«Maybe it’s our fault. He’s twenty-three, and we still treat him like a child. He left upset today. I’m afraid he’ll do something stupid in the heat of the moment. Talk to him tomorrow,» Olga asked.
«Alright, I’ll try,» her husband agreed.
But in the morning, Oleg himself announced that he and Polina had decided to save up some money first and try living on their own in a rental.
It took them a month and a half to find a place they could afford. Olga called periodically to ask how they were doing and if they needed help. Her son assured her everything was fine. Three months later, he called asking to borrow ten thousand.
«We miscalculated a bit, and the rent is due in a couple of days,» he explained.
Two months after that, Oleg unexpectedly moved back home. He walked in silently and went straight to his room without a word. That evening, his mother called him for dinner. She didn’t ask any questions, but his father couldn’t help himself.
«Didn’t work out?»
«Didn’t work out,» Oleg replied briefly.
A week later, he approached his mother and said, «Mom, how about I give you five thousand a month for the household, save ten, and keep ten for myself? Is that okay?»
«That sounds perfectly fine,» Olga replied.
She was curious, of course, about what had happened between her son and Polina, but Oleg wasn’t in a hurry to share, and she didn’t press him.
