Happiness with a Hint of Sorrow
Emily, a sweet, plump girl with unruly curls escaping her tight braids, had been infatuated with the handsome Daniel from the parallel class since primary school. The trouble was, he never seemed to notice her.
Daniel was the most beautiful boy in schooltall, with flawless olive skin and sharp, chiselled features. He was athletic beyond his years. Every older girl adored him, and even the younger ones couldnt resist. The female teachers werent immune either, casting glances his way when they thought no one was looking.
He was clever but no bookworm. Rumours swirled that after school, hed be off to Oxford or Cambridge. Daniel never denied it, only smirked. There were darker whispers toothat hed broken hearts before, that no girl could resist him. And Emily? She was hopelessly in love.
By sixth form, shed slimmed down, grown taller, and let her hair flow loose. One day, as she walked down the corridor, Daniel stopped mid-stride, taking in her delicate frame, long legs, and the cascade of blonde waves. Emilys heart fluttered: *Hes noticed me at last.*
“Hey, Thompson,” he said, voice rough.
She nodded, smiled, and walked past like a queen. Where had that confidence come from? But Emily, no matter how her heart raced, refused to chase him. She knew the competition was fierce.
From that day, Daniel couldnt rest. He lingered in her path, walked her home, asked her to the cinema. She remained aloof.
Soon, the whole school could see the way he looked at her. The air crackled when they were near.
Everything changed at the Christmas ball. He asked her to dancetwicethen insisted on walking her home. There, under the streetlights, he confessed: he couldnt sleep, couldnt think of anyone else. Melting, Emily finally accepted his invitation to the cinema.
She lived with her mother, a stern, practical woman who worked as an accountant. Seeing her daughter bloom, she warned daily about honour and the dangers of first love.
Spring came, and so did passion. Hidden away, Daniel and Emily kissed until they were dizzy, aching with longing. One day, reason abandoned them entirely. It happened at Emilys, while her mother was at work. After that, they couldnt stop.
School ended. Emily planned to study at a local teaching college, but Daniels parents were sending him to London. The thought of parting was unbearable, and he begged her to come.
“Em, please. My parents will send moneywell get a flat, live together”
Emily tried to convince her mother, but she refused. So, one morning, while her mother was at work, she packed a suitcase, took her documents, half the emergency savings, left a note, and headed to the station. Knowing Daniels parents would see him off, she boarded a different carriage. Just like that, she was gone, chasing love to the capital.
They enrolled in different universities but shared a rented flat. Emily, used to fending for herself, loved playing housecooking, cleaning, pretending they were already married.
When his parents called, Daniel lied: “Just sharing with a mate.” Emily tried calling her mother once, only to be screamed atungrateful, disgraceful, *dont come crawling back if you get knocked up.* She cried, but as long as Daniel was there, it didnt matter.
She trusted him when he swore everything would be fine. But occasional trysts were one thing; living together, another. Two months later, she knew: she was pregnant.
A baby wasnt part of the plan. At the clinic, the doctor warned hernegative blood type, risks of complications, even infertility.
Daniel took it stoically. Love still blinded them; the future seemed manageable.
“Well manage. Worst case, Ill switch to part-time and get a job,” he said.
“But were not married,” Emily whispered.
“Who cares? Plenty of people never marry. Em, weddings cost moneyand think of the baby! Well sort it later.”
She agreed. He loved her. That was enough.
Morning sickness left her gaunt, hollow-eyed. Daniel insisted she was even prettier now.
At Christmas, neither went homeEmily fearing her mothers wrath, Daniel unwilling to leave her. He spun some tale about research to his parents.
Perhaps they missed him. Perhaps they sensed the lie. One day, his parents appeared at their door.
The argument was brutal. His mother demanded Emily leave. His father lectured Daniel about ruined futures.
Then Daniel dropped the truth: Emily was pregnant.
Chaos. His mother shrieked about termination, clutched her chest, collapsed. An ambulance came. Later, calmer, she hissed:
“Son, listen. Youre youngcareer, women, children, all ahead. Dont throw it away. *Shes* from a broken homewho knows what shes done? That child might not even be yours. Live together if you must, but end this. Marry her, and not a penny more.”
Daniel grabbed Emilys arm before she could flee. “No abortion. If she leaves, you lose me. Ill quit uni, workkeep your money.”
His mother gasped but waved off another ambulance.
In the end, they left, grudgingly agreeing to support him*if* he stayed in school, *if* he didnt marry.
They hoped reality would break them.
By summer exams, Emily gave birtha healthy boy. Uni was impossible now. She took leave, then another. The baby was too small for nursery. She found evening work as an office cleaner, scraping together what she could. Daniel studied, watched the baby.
She forgot how women still looked at him. They never went outbecause of the baby, she thought. Not because he was ashamed of her.
When little Paul was older, she returned to studies. But he was always ill, so she switched to part-time.
Daniel graduated, got a job. One day, she brought up marriagehis parents deadline had passed.
He frowned. “Why fuss over a *stamp*? Drop it.”
The adoring glances had stopped long ago. Of coursepassion fades. Shed gained weight after the birth, meant to diet never found time.
Then, laundry day, she found lipstick on his shirt. A work party, hed said. A handsome man couldnt belong to one woman. And what right had she to complain? Hed stood by her. So when he came home, she said nothing.
She aced her first summer exam. The sun shone; Paul was at nursery. She walked home smiling, lighter than shed felt in years.
Then she saw himDaniel, arm-in-arm with a leggy blonde. Only when she stepped into their path did he notice her.
“Emily?!”
“Dan, whos *this*?” The blondes gaze was ice.
“Im his wife,” Emily said.
“Wife? Youre not *married*,” the girl sneered.
Before Emily could reply, they walked off. Daniel muttered, “Well talk at home.”
At home, she shattered. Even when her mother disowned her, even when his parents humiliated herDaniel had stayed. Now hed betrayed her. She waited, ready to forgive if hed just come back.
He came at dawn. She ran to himbut he said he was done, packed a bag, and left.
Pride kept her from begging. Once the door shut, she sobbed into the pillow. That afternoon, she fetched Paul, then lay staring at the ceiling until it was time to collect him again.
Her next exam was a disaster.
“Why enrol if you wont study?” the professor asked.
Emilys head drooped. What did it matter now? The worst had happened. A tear hit the desk.
“Something wrong?”
“My partner left. Ive got Paul, rents due”
“Youre not from London?”
She shook her head.
“Come.” He led her to an empty room. “Wait here. Dont leave.”
When he returned, shed stopped crying.
“Emily, I understand hardship. Years ago, my fiancée left me for my best friend. Dont misunderstandI want to help. Ive a large flat, live alone. Move in. Two rooms are yours. No rentjust cook sometimes.
“I wont pressure you. If you like, well marryno strings. Youd have status; Paul, a father in name.”
“But you dont *know* me”
“I read people well. Think on it.”
She thought a week. Daniel didnt call, didnt return. Rent loomed. She accepted Professor Whitmores offer.
The flat *was* spaciousroom for Paul to run. He adored James immediately (she called him *Professor Whitmore*, even at homehe was twice her age). He played with Paul, took him to the park, fetched him from nursery while Emily kept house.
James never pressured her, though she caught his longing looks. She settled,
