– Valentina Nikolaevna, this is for you. As a gift from Anyuta and me. – the son-in-law, Anatoly, handed the gift to his mother-in-law. The invited guests looked at the birthday girl with interest, and she satisfied their curiosity by opening the envelope.
– Wow! – the mother-in-law’s eyes widened. She did not expect such a gift. – Is this true?
– It’s true, Valentina Nikolaevna. This is for you.
Anatoly thought for a long time about how to express his gratitude to his mother-in-law, Valentina Nikolaevna. Since he and his wife had children, she was the irreplaceable support, without whom their family would hardly have managed. While Tolik’s mother worked, pensioner Valentina Nikolaevna took care of her grandchildren: she helped with the little ones, cooked, cleaned… When the children went to kindergarten and Anya went to work, it was the mother-in-law who picked up the grandchildren from kindergarten, and was the first to run to help when one of the children fell ill. She was not just a mother-in-law – she became a second mother for her son-in-law.
“What are we going to give?” he asked his wife on the eve of Valentina’s birthday.
“I don’t know, probably money,” Anya answered.
– She’ll spend the money on nonsense. Or buy something for her grandchildren. But I want the gift to be remembered by her.
– Do you want to buy a figurine or a vase? – Anya chuckled.
– No. And not even a set of saucepans.
– What then?
“I have an idea. I need to discuss it with my mom…” Tolik winked conspiratorially.
The man saw that his mother-in-law had been terribly tired lately. She had worked at the factory all her life. It would seem that she had retired early – now she could have a rest, but no! Valentina had again plunged into household chores.
Every year she and her husband, Roman Pavlovich, went to a sanatorium. Usually the man was given vouchers from the state organization where he worked.
As fate would have it, they and Roman Pavlovich did not get any tickets this year, and buying them at their own expense was expensive. As a result, Valentina Nikolaevna and Roman Pavlovich risked sitting in the stuffy city all summer.
Anatoly thought about it and decided that this wouldn’t work, and made a gift for his mother-in-law – a voucher to a sanatorium with treatment.
“Mom helped organize everything,” he proudly told his wife. “She arranged for a good room. Everything will be top notch.”
Tolik’s mother worked at that very sanatorium. Through her, he managed to book a spacious two-room suite at a reasonable price. Tolik paid for everything himself. He wanted to make a surprise – a real gift from the heart. And also to say thank you for everything Valentina Nikolaevna had done for him and his wife. He did not consider himself obligated, but sincerely wanted to please his beloved mother-in-law.
When Valentina Nikolaevna found out that she and her husband were going on vacation, her happiness knew no bounds.
– Tolya, what are you talking about! How much did that cost? Where did you spend all that money?!
– Don’t count, Valentina Nikolaevna, – he smiled. – You deserve it. Relax. Without worries, without fuss. There is a pine forest, good food, a swimming pool…
— A swimming pool? — Valentina’s sister, Tamara, asked again. — A swimming pool is good. It’s healthy. Oh, my God, are you going to live in a suite? Isn’t that too much, Valyukha? Two rooms for two? And how much does such a trip cost these days?
“No matter how much it costs, it’s all for the birthday girl,” the son-in-law hastened to answer. He didn’t like Tamara Nikolaevna’s close attention to the gift.
A little later, when Anya went to help her mother with the dishes, Tamara Nikolaevna approached her sister’s brother-in-law and, without hesitation, asked:
– Tolya, did your mother help you?
– And what is your purpose in asking?
– Yes, I would also like to go to a sanatorium. Maybe your mommy can get me a ticket too?
— Tamara Nikolaevna, this is not the last century. No one “gets” vouchers. They are bought. Mom only helped me choose a good room. And I paid for it myself. No freebies. If you need a discount for relatives of an employee, then I will ask for a promo code. Pay on the website, everything is easy and clear there.
– What do I need a discount for? I want it for free. Otherwise, what’s the point? – Tamara Nikolaevna was almost offended.
“The only free cheese is in a mousetrap,” Anatoly said crisply, making it clear that the conversation was over.
The evening of the celebration ended, the mother-in-law thanked the children once again for the gift and soon began to pack her things. And on the appointed day, Anatoly took his mother-in-law and father-in-law out of town. To that very sanatorium.
The first day the vacationers got used to the place. Svaty, Anatoly’s mother, helped them undergo an examination, and the vacationers were prescribed treatment. Valentina Nikolaevna enthusiastically shared her impressions with her daughter and son-in-law.
– You can’t even imagine how nice it is here! It’s a pity the grandchildren and you are not with us! The room is like a house! Huge! Everyone would fit.
– Mom, rest. Tolik bought you this room especially so that you could rest not only from us, but also from each other, – Anya smiled. She didn’t know that Valentina Nikolaevna was destined to rest for only a couple of days. And then… then something unexpected happened.
A few days after his mother-in-law’s arrival, Anatoly’s mother called him. Her voice was wary:
– Tolenka, it looks like Valentina Nikolaevna has extra tenants in her room. Some woman came to visit them, with some man and children. At first I thought that the matchmakers’ friends had come to visit. But then it turned out that no one was planning to leave. The whole group showed up for breakfast in the morning. Now the whole group is living in the room.
– Oh, really?.. – Anatoly gasped. He even thought that Valentina Nikolaevna got bored with her husband and she invited someone on purpose.
But then, when Anya got through to Valentina Nikolaevna, she let it slip:
“Tamara arrived,” Anya’s mother said quietly. “She says it’s nice here, but there’s no way to buy a ticket from them. She said we have a big room, they’ll stay for a couple of days.”
– And you? What did you say to that?
– What can I say? She’s my sister after all. I can’t kick her out… Besides, she came with the kids. The grandchildren really wanted to see the pool with the waterfall. They don’t live well, they enjoy everything.
– Mom. Well, you do understand that all this was paid for for you? That Aunt Tamara brought her family here illegally?
– Oh, okay. We paid for their breakfast, so no one said anything to us.
– Do you understand why? Because Tolik’s mother works there! You’re setting her up.
There was silence on the other end.
“I somehow didn’t think about it,” Valentina Nikolaevna said guiltily. “Okay, I’ll tell Tamara…”
So another day passed.
– So, how are things there? – Anatoly called his mother.
— Same old story. Your mother-in-law’s relatives aren’t planning on going anywhere, it seems. They’re having too much fun at someone else’s expense. Of course, Tamara and her boyfriend go to treatments, and Valya is sitting with Tamara’s grandchildren.
Anatoly got angry:
— I paid for the room and treatment only for two!
– Yes, I understand… But Valya asked me to give her a discount, promised that she would pay for everything for her sister. She is ashamed. But it is clear that there is no rest there. She walks around tired, gloomy, has not had a single massage. And this… man at Tamara’s… comes on her voucher. They say he has a bad back. He needs it more.
– A bad back? Really? – The next morning, Anatoly got into the car and drove to the sanatorium. He was bursting with anger. In the lobby at the reception desk, he saw a plump man in a robe and slippers. He was lounging in a chair, loudly discussing with the administrator how to sign up for the baths.
———————————————————-
– Listen, I actually live in a luxury suite! I’m entitled to the full treatment program! And if I want a bath, then be kind enough to provide one.
– Sorry, but there are only two places for treatment per suite. And anyway, baths are extra. If you want, I’ll sign you up. PAID.
– What an outrage! I’ll complain! – the man blushed with anger.
Anatoly, who had been silently watching this show from the side, came closer:
“Excuse me, sir, but did you… come here on a voucher?” he asked sternly.
“What business is it of yours?” the man frowned.
— My thing is that I am the person who paid for the luxury room you are staying in. And brazenly. For free.
The man hesitated.
– I… well, Tamara called. Valentina’s sister. She said the room was big, we’d fit. We won’t be here long.
Anatoly looked at the administrator and asked a question:
— What do you do in such cases?
— According to the rules, 100% payment is charged for each additional guest. For children 50% of the cost of the trip.
— And if they don’t pay?
— And if they don’t pay, they’ll leave and get a fine.
“So maybe it’s time to call security?” Anatoly asked. “I don’t want to pay for freeloaders, and it seems this man doesn’t plan to pay either.”
— In any case, you will need to pay for additional guests upon check-out. The amount will depend on how many days the guests will stay.
– I won’t pay. My mother-in-law and father-in-law are staying on a voucher. And you, a man… either pay for yourself, the children and Tamara right now, or the administrator will call the police.
– Why the police? Let’s come to an amicable agreement… – he suddenly became alarmed.
Soon Tamara, steamed up after the pool, was rushing around the sanatorium. Her face expressed dissatisfaction with her sister’s brother-in-law.
– Tolya, what are you saying! They’re family. So what if they came for a couple of days? The kids just wanted to go to the pool…
– Let them go to the sports palace near their home. Season tickets for children are quite affordable. And this is a sanatorium, not a walk-through yard. You took away Valentina Nikolaevna’s gift and vacation. She should be a vacationer here, not a nanny!
– Val, come on, tell your son-in-law! Why did he attack us? – Tamara lamented.
– What should I tell him? He says everything right, – said Roman Pavlovich. – You, Tamara, have always been greedy for other people’s goods. But this time, a little of the good stuff. We’ve visited enough, it’s time to call it a day.
“What about dinner?” Tamara asked quietly.
“You’ll have dinner at home,” Anatoly answered.
An hour later, Tamara, the man and their grandchildren left the sanatorium. Anatoly personally escorted them to the exit. Tamara’s companion muttered:
— You need to be more polite with your relatives.
“I completely agree,” Anatoly answered calmly. “By the way, here’s the card number, you’ll need to transfer the money for your three-day vacation here.”
“Aren’t you ashamed? Taking money from your relatives?!” he flared up.
— And you, may I ask, on which line are you related? On a parallel line?
The man didn’t answer. He only squeezed the car door handle tighter. They had arrived in a foreign car, so they weren’t in poverty at all. But greed, as they say… was their undoing.
Valentina Nikolaevna sat in a chair, looking out the window. Hearing a knock on the door of the room, Roman Pavlovich hurried to open it. Seeing Anatoly, Valentina stood up and lowered her eyes guiltily:
– Forgive me, Tolya… I didn’t know how to stop them. My sister says: you gave us a luxury room, so we can do with it as we please. I should have kicked them out right away…
He sat down next to her and took her hand.
– Valentina Nikolaevna, I tried for you. Not for them. You deserve peace, care and quiet. Rest. And know that I am always on your side.
– Thank you, son… I didn’t know how to deal with Tamara’s boyfriend. He’s incredibly impudent… And Roman… was at a loss.
— The main thing is that now you can breathe easy and finally start to rest. All’s well that ends well.
– That’s for sure!
A couple of days later, Anatoly’s mother sent a message:
“Valentina and Roman came to all the procedures today. For the first time during the entire vacation.”
“I’m glad”.
“You’re great, Tolik. We now joke here: “Valentina Nikolaevna’s son-in-law is the best candidate for the vacancy in the sanatorium’s security service!””
“I’ll think about it, Mom,” Anatoly laughed. He was happy with his own job. But if anything… Anything is possible.
Valentina Nikolaevna and Roman Pavlovich came home after 21 days. Rested, refreshed and a little different. Valentina did not answer Tamara’s calls and complaints. She understood that you can’t be kind at the expense of others, you need to be able to say “no” even to your loved ones. And Tolik was absolutely sure that this gift would be remembered by his mother-in-law for a long time.
