“Now I have another mother-in-law, Tamara Gregorievna” — her words changed my life.
In a small town near Seville, where the smell of freshly cut grass lingers at dusk, my life took a turn at the age of 36. My name is Lucía, and I married for the second time, gaining not only a new husband but also a new mother-in-law, Tamara Gregorievna. After seven years of solitude, filled with pain and inner searching, I thought I was ready for happiness. But the words of my second mother-in-law became a test that made me see myself differently.
**First marriage and broken dreams**
My first marriage to Álvaro began when I was 22. I was young, in love, and dreamed of a large family and a loving home. But Álvaro wasn’t who he seemed. His coldness, indifference, and constant nagging tore at my soul. After six years, I filed for divorce, leaving me alone with my young son, Mateo. My first mother-in-law, Carmen del Pilar, blamed me for everything: “You didn’t know how to keep your husband, you didn’t know how to support the family.” Her words hurt, but I learned to ignore them.
Those seven years after the divorce were my rebirth. I focused on myself: I opened a small business, a yoga studio, which became my passion and my livelihood. I traveled, studied, and raised Mateo. My life took on meaning, and I thought I’d never remarry. But fate brought me together with Javier, a good and trustworthy man who restored my faith in love.
**New marriage, new mother-in-law**
Javier was the complete opposite of Álvaro. He cared for me and Mateo, supported my dreams, and I was encouraged to take the plunge. At 36, I put on a white dress again, feeling like life was giving me a second chance. But with Javier came his mother, Tamara Gregorievna, a woman of strong character and sharp tongue. From day one, she regarded me with suspicion, as if I were an intruder in her family.
Tamara Gregorievna, a former teacher, is used to giving orders. She adores Javier and believes no one is worthy of her son. “Lucia, you’re good, of course, but at your age and with a child… Javier could have found someone younger,” she told me one day over tea. I swallowed my pride, thinking that in time he’d get used to me. But her comments became more cutting, and I felt my happiness beginning to crumble.
**The unexpected blow**
Yesterday, Tamara Gregorievna came home. I prepared dinner with care: I roasted meat, made salad, baked a cake. But at the table, she suddenly blurted out: “Lucia, you’re trying hard, but Javier needs a woman who lives for him, not for his business. Mateo is a burden, and you’re too independent. My son deserves more.” Her words struck me like a thunderbolt. Javier fell silent, staring at his plate, and I felt the floor give way beneath my feet.
I waited for my husband to defend me, but he only murmured, “Mom, don’t start.” That silence hurt me more than my mother-in-law’s words. I, a woman who had rebuilt herself from the ground up, who had loved and cared for, was once again “not good enough.” Tamara Gregorievna was gone, leaving a painful void. And I was left wondering: Had I made a mistake again?
**Pain and strength**
That night I didn’t sleep a wink, repeating her words in my mind. She called my son a burden, my business a whim, my independence a flaw. Don’t I have the right to be myself? I remembered those seven years of solitude, learning to love myself, raising Mateo, building my yoga studio. I don’t want to lose myself again because of other people’s expectations. But what if Javier thinks like his mother? What if he also thinks “I’m not the right one”?
In the morning, I spoke to him. I told him, “Javier, I love you, but I won’t allow anyone to humiliate me or my son. If your mother is right and I’m not good enough for you, tell me now.” He hugged me, apologized, and promised to speak with Tamara Gregorievna. But I know his words won’t disappear. They’ll remain between us like a shadow, until I prove—to her and to myself—that I deserve to be happy.
**My path forward**
This story is my cry for the right to be myself. Tamara Gregorievna may have wanted to protect her son, but her words made me fight. I won’t give up my business, my independence, my son. I will build a family with Javier, but not at the cost of my soul. If my mother-in-law doesn’t accept me, I will find a way to live with it. At 36, I know I can handle anything, even if the whole world is against me.
My yoga studio isn’t just a job; it’s my way of breathing. Mateo isn’t a burden; he’s my pride. And Javier is my choice, not my master. I don’t know what my relationship with Tamara Gregorievna will be like, but I know one thing: I will never allow anyone to make me feel “small” again. Her words hurt, but they also give me strength. I am Lucía, and I keep going.
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