“Youve no right to ask anything of me!”
“Son, think carefully before its too late! That boy is nothing like you! Your Alice probably had him with her ex and now wants you to raise him! I know it!”
“Mum, enough! Damien is my son Why must you always stir trouble? Fine, Im going home.”
Margaret had raised her son alone. Between her and Edward, thered always been mutual respecthe never disobeyed, never talked back, and excelled in school. As he grew, he became an engineer, just as shed wished. Now, it was time to manage his love life. Margaret had chosen a fiancée for himLouise, the daughter of her close friend Margaret-Anne.
Edward and Louise dated at her insistence, but their romance never took off. After a strained few months, they parted ways. Then Edward met Alice. Their connection was instanthe saw in her a kindred spirit. They married within three months, much to Margarets dismay. Six months later, Alice was pregnant. A boy was born, named Damien. Life couldve been perfect, if not for Edwards mother, who despised her daughter-in-law. Every visit brought fresh criticism, even four years after the wedding:
“Look what shes done to you! Youre always so dishevelled!”
“Mum, Im fine! The shirt just wrinkled in the wash.”
“Sit down, eat something! I bet your wife hasnt cooked, and youll go hungry.”
“Well have dinner at home. Alice is a good cook.”
“Oh, I know herfrozen meals or, worse, tinned spaghetti. Meanwhile, Louise took pastry classes. Shes brilliant, that one”
Edward defended as best he could, ignoring her jabs and never repeating them to Alice. But Margarets cold war continued, and one day, her strategy worked.
“Son why doesnt that Alice ever visit? You always come alone!”
“Mum, how could she when you criticize her constantly?”
“Id only criticize if there was cause! While you sip tea here, shes likely with that ex of hersthat good-for-nothing Christopher! And that boy looks just like him. Hes not yours, and now youre raising him!”
That night, Edward argued fiercely with his mother. Hed had enough of her meddling. He returned home in a foul mood.
“Daddy, daddy, hello!” little Damien ran to him.
“Hey, son. What did you do today?”
“Mum and I went to the park. We saw Mr. Christopher. He bought me chocolate and juice!”
The thought his mother might be right flashed through Edwards mind. That evening, he confronted Alice.
“Why were you with your ex?”
“Edward, it was chance! We ran into him while out walking. He walked us home.”
“Why would my wife and son need escorting by him? Unless Damien isnt mine?!”
“Edward, how can you say that? Are you serious?”
That night, they fought bitterlytheir first real argument. From then on, their home became tense. Eventually, Alice had enough. She packed her things, took Damien, and moved back to her parents.
They divorced, and Edward paid child support, convinced Damien wasnt histhough he never proved it legally. Margaret gloated, pushing Louise back into his life. She succeeded, and Edward remarried. But their marriage soured fast. Louise constantly berated him, demanding luxury.
“Look at Irenes husbandhe bought her a second fur coat! The Harringtons just got a new Bentley! And Im stuck in last years winter coat, driving a cheap hatchback! Are you even a man?”
Fifteen miserable years passed. Edward worked two jobs while Louise splurged at spas. She refused children, insisting shed live for herself first. When Margaret tried interfering, Louise shut her down. Then came the callMargaret had suffered a stroke. She needed constant care.
“I wont nurse that old woman. Put her in a home,” Louise declared.
“Maybe I should quit work”
“Are you mad? How would we pay my car loan?”
Margaret was sent away. A month later, she died. Edward returned for the funeral, too distraught to tell Louise. He let himself inonly to find her in their neighbours arms. Without a word, he packed his things and moved into his mothers flat.
After the funeral, Edward stayed shut in, drowning in regret. Why had he listened to her? His life was wastedno family, no friends, not even a car (Louise took everything). Then he remembered Alice and Damien. Hed never learned the truth.
“Damien must be nineteen now Whats he like?” he muttered to the empty room.
The next morning, he took a train to Alices hometown. Finding the house was easy. He rang the bellno answer. “Probably at work,” he thought, waiting outside. Twenty minutes later, he turnedand froze. A young man approached, his mirror image twenty years younger.
“Damien my son”
“You? What are you doing here?” Damien said coldly.
“I owe you an apology You look just like me. Wheres your mother?”
“Mums gone. Ten years now. Car crash.”
“And you? Who do you live with? Let me helpIll do anything! Just ask!”
“Gran and I want nothing from you.”
“But son I”
Damien walked inside and slammed the door.
“Son! Open up! How can this be? Im your father!”
Edward stood there, tearsor was it rain?streaming down his face. He returned many times, begging, pleading, but Damien refused to see him again.
