The man was an unremarkable boy in the village. His parents were as poor as church mice, the boy had no hopes and prospects, and they married the girl in the neighborhood by force, just to take the farm part for themselves. The boy did not get along with her, they had too different views and priorities, she demanded money, and she only wanted to sit at home and do nothing.
– I will go to Italy, to the vineyards,” he once said. – An acquaintance from a neighboring village went and sends big money to his family from there. He invites me to join his firm. They provide housing, and I have no time to spend, so I’ll send everything here.
My wife was very happy about it. She could take a man to her place, live for pleasure on her husband’s money and not have to put up with this quiet guy at home. What could be better?
Then the guy sent the promised money with a crunch and not much, the same amount he was getting at the factory in his native country. He was saving to buy an apartment in the city for his future children, and his sweetheart was getting on his nerves over the phone, saying that he had to live now and that it was still unknown whether he would return home or not, if his work would kill him, and the money would still be in the account.
This only made the guy send less money home. He changed his course, decided that if he wanted to buy an apartment, he should buy it in Italy. He could not make much money from the vineyards, so he began to learn the language in his spare time, worked his way up to manager, then left for another firm, then a third. He met a nice Italian woman there and started a relationship. He knew all about his wife’s affairs at home, so he didn’t consider it cheating. He thought it would be a little distracting, like her, but he fell in love.
Years went by, the guy’s salary grew, and they had their first-born with a new girl. He was no longer thinking about returning home when he got a call from his mother-in-law. She never called, only wrote to ask how he was doing, when she was coming, when she was going to send money…
– What’s the story with the baby? It’s all over the place! Everyone’s talking about the pictures of you and the baby on the Internet,” she yelled into the phone.
– Yes, I have a new family here. I told my parents, and your daughter knows. With her, as far as I know, someone else is already living in my house, too,” the man replied in a level voice.
The mother-in-law could not calm down. She was badmouthing her ex-brother-in-law, ordering him to leave his beloved and come back home. She said that he had driven her daughter to it, that she was drunk and had affairs with other men.
– She was always like that, you know that. She used to get on my nerves just like you, and demanded money just like you. If I hadn’t stopped sending it, you wouldn’t have dared to say a bad word to me, and since I’m spending it on myself and on somebody else, you’re jealous. I got out on my own and earned myself a new, happy family,” said the boy confidently. – Do not call me again. I will not answer you.
