Mrs. Thompson, the form tutor of Year 13, threw her hands up in exasperation. “Elizabeth, have you lost your mind? This is a graduation ball, not a carnival! Live butterflies? Where on earth would we even get them? And more importantlywhy?”
Elizabeth tapped her pen insistently against the list of ideas. “But it has to be something unforgettable, Margaret! This is our childrens last school celebration. Theyll remember it forever!”
The parents’ committee had gathered in the headmasters office to finalise the plans. Sophie sat in the corner, quietly observing the debate, her thoughts driftingwork deadlines, unpaid bills, and the uneasy suspicion that her husband, James, had been distant lately.
“Sophie?” Margarets voice pulled her back to the conversation. “You work in event planning, dont you? What do you think?”
Sophie straightened in her chair. “I think we should focus on what really matters to the studentsgood music, a photo booth, perhaps a small buffet. The rest is just unnecessary fuss thatll drain the budget.”
Elizabeth pursed her lips. “Of course, youd say that. Always so practical. But the children want something magical!”
“They want to celebrate with their friends, not gawk at butterflies,” Sophie replied gently. “Ask Emily if you dont believe me.”
At the mention of her daughter, Elizabeth relented. “Fine, lets put it to a vote. Whos in favour of a simple, elegant affair?”
Most hands went up. Sophie exhaled in reliefone problem solved. Now, if only she could figure out what was happening at home.
On her way back, she called James. “Hello, love. Still at the office?”
“Yes, running late,” he said, sounding weary. “The projects a nightmare. Dont wait up for dinner.”
“Again?” She couldnt mask her disappointment. “Third time this week.”
“Sophie, not now,” he muttered irritably. “Im working, not out having fun. And dont worryIve cleared my schedule for Emilys graduation.”
“Alright,” she said quietly. “See you tomorrow.”
At home, Emily was hunched over her history textbook. Exams were over, but university loomed.
“How was the meeting?” she asked without looking up. “Did you save us from another one of Elizabeths mad ideas?”
Sophie smiled, pulling ingredients from the fridge. “Would you believe she wanted live butterflies?”
Emily wrinkled her nose. “Gross. Id spend the whole night terrified one would land on my hair.”
“Exactly.” Sophie turned on the stove. “Dads working late again.”
Emily shrugged. “Nothing new. Mum do you ever think hes”
“What?” Sophie froze, knife in hand.
“Justhes acting weird. Late nights, secretive calls. Maybe works stressful? Or” She trailed off.
“Or what?” Sophies chest tightened.
“Never mind. Probably nothing.”
Sophie returned to chopping, but her thoughts spiralled. Had Emily noticed too? James had been different these past monthsdistracted, always working late, deleting messages. Twenty years of marriagewas he really?
“Mum, the onions are fine,” Emily said, snapping her back.
“Just thinking,” Sophie said, blinking away tears she blamed on the onions.
The next fortnight blurred in a whirl of work and graduation preparations. James kept odd hours but swore hed be there on the day.
On graduation morning, Sophie treated herself to a salon visithair, nails, light makeup. At forty-five, she still had a youthful glow, especially when she smiled. Shed chosen a sleek navy dress that flattered her figure. Emily had insisted she look “perfect.”
“Let my classmates envy me for having the hottest mum,” shed teased, helping with Sophies hair.
Emily herself was radiant in a white gown. Sophies eyes welled up.
“Oh, not again,” Emily muttered, though her own eyes shone. “If you ruin your makeup, Im disowning you.”
“I wont,” Sophie promised, dabbing her eyes. “Im just proud. My little girls all grown up.”
Theyd agreed Sophie would arrive for the ceremony while Emily went early to meet friends. James was to come straight from work.
The school hall had been transformedballoons, floral arrangements, a photo booth with the year engraved. Sophie noted with satisfaction that even without butterflies, it looked stunning.
Parents filtered in, taking assigned seats. Sophie saved a spot for James, glancing at the doors. Fifteen minutes to gono sign of him.
She calledno answer. A text: *Starting soon. Where are you?*
His reply came quickly: *On my way. Ten minutes.*
The ceremony began. The headmaster spoke, then students collected their diplomas. When Emilys name was called, Sophie craned her neckJames had promised not to miss this. Then she saw him.
He stood by the far wall, clapping. Beside hima woman. A tall blonde in a red dress, younger than Sophie. She whispered something, and James smiledthe soft, fond smile he used to reserve only for family.
Sophies stomach dropped. So this was it. The late nights, the deleted messages. And now hed brought her to their daughters graduation?
Emily, clutching her diploma, scanned the crowd. She spotted Sophie and beamed, then noticed James and waved. The blonde seemed to escape her notice.
Sophie sat frozen, the ceremony a distant hum. *How could he?* She fought the urge to leave but stayedfor Emily.
After the formalities, a student-run concert began. Sophie clapped mechanically, avoiding Jamess direction, yet her eyes betrayed herthere he was, leaning close to the blonde, laughing at a joke.
During the interval, Sophie hurried to Emily, who was glowing among friends.
“Mum! Did you see? Straight As!”
“Of course you did, clever girl.” Sophie forced a smile. “Dads heredid you see him?”
“Yeah, he waved. Where is he now?”
“Not sure,” Sophie said evenly. “Probably chatting.”
Just then, James appearedalone.
“Congratulations, love!” He lifted Emily in a hug. “So proud!”
“Dad, put me down!” Emily laughed, delighted.
Sophie watched, numb. Confront him here? Pretend nothing was wrong?
“Hi,” James said, kissing her cheek. “Sorry I missed the start.”
“Yes, I saw when you arrived,” Sophie said coolly.
His expression shifted. “Something wrong?”
“Later.”
Emily dashed off with friends, leaving them in tense silence.
“Seriously, whats going on?” James took her hand.
She pulled away. “Whos the woman you came with?”
He blinked. “What? Ohyou mean Charlotte?”
“Blonde. Red dress. You two looked cosy.”
To her surprise, he didnt deny it. He sighed. “I was going to introduce you later. Come on, shes around here somewhere.”
“Introduce me?” Sophies voice cracked.
“God, Soph, you thought?” He looked stunned. “Charlottes my new bosss daughter. She just moved from Edinburgh. Her dad asked me to show her around. I couldnt say nonot with the promotion on the line.”
Sophie studied him. Plausible. But what about the months of secrecy?
“And thats why youve been so distant? Deleting messages?”
James rubbed his forehead. “Not here. After this, well talk. Promise.”
Charlotte approached, friendly, apologetic for intruding. No guilt in her eyesjust polite awkwardness.
Later, as they walked through the park, James confessed.
“Remember my back pain? I had tests. They found something suspicious. I didnt want to scare youespecially before Emilys big night.”
Sophies breath caught. “What did they say?”
“At first, they thought it was serious. But its benign. Ill need surgery, but its not” He trailed off.
“You idiot.” She hugged him tightly. “Were supposed to face things together.”
He held her close. “I know. Im sorry.”
“And Charlotte?”
“Just coincidence. Her fiancés arriving next week.”
Sophie laugheda release of tension, of foolish fears.
“You promise? No more secrets?”
“Never.”
They walked on, hand in hand. The road ahead had challengesbut theyd meet them together. As they always had.
