Oh, for heavens sake! So he had a fling. Big deal. All men do it. Stop whinging! Go make up with him. Or dyou think Ive got room here for you and that bump of yours?
Mum he cheated on me Emily reminded her.
Her whole life had crumbled. Yesterday, shed caught her husband in bed with another woman. Today, her mother was practically shoving her out the door. Both spoke to her as if she were some petulant child.
So he cheated. And? Margaret frowned. You drove him to it. Think youre the only one whos ever been pregnant? Women manage just fine with their blokes. But youoh, youre special, arent you? Still dragging yourself to work, so you cant be that poorly.
Mum! Dont you remember waiting up for Dad all those nights? Emily choked through tears.
Exactly! Margaret threw her hands up. They all stray. Most just dont get caught. Right, youve got a week to patch things up. If not, youre on your own.
Just yesterday, her mother had raged about her son-in-law, swearing hed “get his comeuppance.” Now she was practically shoving Emily back into the arms of the man whod betrayed her. Emily suspected the truthMum just didnt want to lift a finger.
Not that shed asked for help. But now, with the baby coming, a shoulder to lean on wouldve been welcome.
Her mother knew exactly what this was like. Emilys father, William, had cheated constantly. Margaret had her own peculiar way of handling it. Shed weep, pace the floors at night, wait for him. Then, when he slunk home at dawn with flowers, shed beat him with the bouquet.
Never buying you roses again, William once joked, utterly shameless. Too bloody prickly.
And shed laughed with him. Every betrayal ended the samecosmic outrage, demands for compensation. Sometimes hinted, sometimes outright. Thats how Margaret got her mink coat, the BMW, the shelf of French perfumes.
Hes putty in my hands after, shed boasted to her friend over tea, flaunting some new bauble. Strike while the irons hot. What, should I chuck him out? At least this way I get something.
Meg ever thought of leaving him? her friend sighed.
And hand him to some other woman? Not bloody likely!
Over the years, shed wheedled William into signing the house over to her, even renovating it. “For security,” shed said. In case he ever walked out, leaving her and Emily destitute. Hed agreed.
When Emily was eight, her parents divorced. William vanished into another womans life. He barely spoke to his daughterneither made much effort, exchanging terse calls at Christmas.
Margaret had been devastated, but adapted. For a while, they lived off the remnants of their old luxury. Then shed had to get a job.
Went from living like royalty to counting pennies, shed lamented.
At least youre not wondering whose bed hes in, her friend countered.
Oh yes. Thrilling.
Life grew lean. Margaret pawned her jewellery. They learned to eat simpler meals, skip the theatre, wear clothes past their season. Emily watched it all, swore shed never endure such a marriage. Never let her children see that.
How wrong shed been.
Emily was repeating her mothers story.
James was well-off too. Comfortable inheritance, sharp mind. Ran a small chain of London salons that turned a tidy profit.
Not that wealth was his only charm. Early on, hed spun pretty words about perfect relationships.
People should talk things through. Thats the key, hed say. If couples just sat down and discussed things calmly, thered be fewer divorces.
James seemed gentle, accommodating. But once married, cracks appeared in the facade. Hed bring Emily peaches in bed, fetch her midnight cravings, pay for her spa days. Yet when real conflict arose, his kindness evaporated.
She fretted when he worked late. Hed brush it offtoo busy. When she begged him to at least answer his phone, hed nod then ignore her.
James, I worry! she snapped when he stumbled in near midnight again. Is it so hard to pick up?
Em, youre overreacting. Your emotions, your problem, he replied.
And if it were me vanishing? Youd just sit there?
Yep. Then itd be my problem. Wouldnt burden you with it.
His logic baffled her. Hed “compromise” only if it cost him nothing. When their interests clashed, Emily folded. Shed told herself it was just how men wereclueless about emotions, oblivious to the hurt they caused.
Maybe thats why she kept working, even pregnant. She refused to depend on him.
The decision wasnt easy. By the second month, nausea clung to her like a shadow. Standing too fast brought dizziness, headaches. She craved quiet, but forced herself to the office. Sometimes she wondered why, but went anyway.
Turns out, shed been right.
First, household chores lapsed. Emily stopped cooking, cleaning. Their meals narrowed to pasta, ready-made pies, frozen burgers. James never complainedif he fancied something nicer, hed order takeaway. To Emily, this felt like compromise. Understanding.
Then intimacy vanished. Between the nausea and exhaustion, she couldnt bear it. At first James sulked, but seemed to accept it. Or so she thought.
His phone was practically grafted to his handbusiness calls, client messages. Lately, he took it everywhere, even the shower. One night, Emily peeked. Found the texts. The photos. The saccharine pet names.
She confronted him that same evening.
This is on you! What, you expected me to live like a monk? Im a man! Cant wait a year while you pop out a kid, he spat. First its the pregnancy, then what? Kids screaming, headaches forever. What did you expect?
Understanding. Patience, Emily forced out.
Try seeing my side! One of our stylistsTomhis wifes pregnant too. Doesnt push him away. But you? Too much effort to please your husband.
Thats when she saw it: James kindness was wrapping paper. Underneath lay pure selfishness. He didnt love herhe loved himself.
She packed a bag and fled to her mothers, desperate for support. Got blame instead.
Mum, I need help right now Emily gasped through tears.
I am helping! Giving you sense. Go back to him. You need a man, that baby needs a father. Stop snivelling.
Margaret saw the world differently. Betrayal meant gifts. Forgiveness was wisdom; endurance, mere strategy. Maybe she truly believed she was saving her daughter. Emily knew better.
Next day, she met her friend Charlotte. Needed to vent to someone. Theyd worked together years ago, covered each others shifts. Even after Emily left, theyd stayed close.
Em, its proper rough, but youll get through this, Charlotte said softly. Youve got maternity pay, child support, benefits. Wont end up on the streets. Hell, crash at mine if needed. Got a spare roomsplit the bills, yeah?
Emily was stunned. Her husband blamed her, her mother sided with him, yet here was near-stranger offering a lifeline.
Of course she agreed. Not just for the roomfor the fragile sense she wasnt alone.
Returning home, she packed properly. Margaret caught her at the door.
Changed your mind, then? Made up? she smirked.
Emily met her gaze.
Never.
Margaret gasped, flapped her hands, ranted. But Emily was already closing the door. Inside, everything achedloneliness, fear, betrayal. Yet for the first time in months, she could breathe.
However hard it got, she wouldnt go back. Not to James, not to her mother. Shed gnaw through stone before crawling to traitors. Alone was less terrifying than with people who made her feel lonelier.
