Elizabeth was preparing supper, her husband Thomas due home within the hour. Their ten-year-old daughter Matilda was at her ballet class.
Soon, Matilda would burst through the door, toss her bag aside, and settle at the table, eager for dinner. Between bites, shed chatter about her friends, her progress, her instructor Elizabeth smiled. She never tired of listening to her daughter.
A knock sounded at the door. Too early for Thomashe had his keys. Matilda must have forgotten hers again. Elizabeth opened the door, but instead of her child, a young woman stood there.
“I wont mince words. Im your husbands mistress. Weve been seeing each other for years. Yes! Dont look so shockedspare me the theatrics.”
“Years? How many?”
“Three. It suited me perfectlyliving alone but having a man who comes and goes.”
“No expenses, financial or domestic. No cooking, no laundry, no tidying up after him. And Ive no intention of changing that now.”
“I wouldnt have come, but Im with child. An accident, but its too late to do anything about it.”
Elizabeth remembered how long shed struggled to conceive. There had been nothing wrong with her, but Thomas had complications. Theyd turned to artificial insemination.
The first attempt failed, but the second brought Matilda. Elizabeth had even hoped for twinscommon with such procedures. And now, this news.
“You expect to change nothing? Youll have a husband who visits and now a father who visits?”
“No. Its simpler. Ill have a husband and child who visit.”
“Interesting. How do you imagine that? The father raises the child but visits you so the child knows its mother?”
“Precisely. I never wanted childrenthis was an accident.”
“Thomas told me he couldnt father children.”
“Clearly, he can! I need to see the conditions my child will grow up in. Its only fair.”
“Your daughter is yours, and Thomas helped raise her, though hes not her father. Now youll have his child, and the burden of raising it falls on you.”
“Miss, I dont even know your name, but your man doesnt live here anymore. Collect his things if you wish. The rest is none of my concern!”
Elizabeth moved to shut the door but caught sight of Matilda returning from class.
“Mum, what was that about? What child? And why isnt Dad my father?”
“You heard everything? Then its time you knew the truth.”
“Mum, Im not a little girlIm nearly eleven. Ill understand.”
Elizabeth told her everything.
“Youre my daughter, but your father loves you. Legally, hes been your father since birth. We waited for you together.”
“And now hes waiting for another child, but you wont be its mother. I wont be its sister. Right?”
“Well yes. Youre right. And youre old enough nowI dont want to live with your father anymore.”
“Ill help you, Mum. Dont worry. Im grown nowlet him go. I love you, but that woman Let him go to her.”
Thomas arrived exactly on schedule.
“Whats happened here? No welcome, no embrace?”
Usually, Matilda would greet him with a hug, but silence hung in the air. She remained in her room.
“Elizabeth, wheres our girl? Late at ballet or taken ill?”
“Your mistress paid us a visit. Shes expecting your child. Care to explain?”
“Elizabeth, you must understandits my child. I cant abandon it.”
“Do you know what shes proposing?”
“I do. She never wanted it, but We have Matilda. Now therell be another. My child! Itll live with me.”
“Are you certain its yours? Do you remember your diagnosis?”
“Exceptions happen!”
“Lovely. Go to the mother of your so-called exception. Leave nowcollect your things later.”
“No, Elizabeth! You cant do this! Im not wanted there. Not the way Im needed here.”
“Youre not wanted here either. Go.”
“What about Matilda? Im her fathernot by blood, but in every other way. Whats wrong with my child living with us? Its only fair.”
“Your mistress already lectured me on fairness. First, confirm its yours. Then well talk. Goodbye.”
Elizabeth divorced Thomas. He had to leavethe flat belonged to her parents. Theyd built a house but never transferred the deed to her. Not that it would have mattered in court.
Thomas found himself homeless. A man who merely visited had suited his mistress fine, and she refused to change her ways. She had no intention of caring for the child either.
The expectant mother would play with the baby, enjoy it, but nothing more. Sleepless nights, nappies, illnessesshe hadnt signed up for those.
After the birth, she sought child support but lost. No one knows how the neglectful mother raises the child now. Thomass diagnosis remained unchangedpaternity was never confirmed.
On paper, he has one daughter, but she refuses to speak to him. He pays support, begs for reconciliation, but Elizabeth wants nothing to do with him.
Sitting on two stools, it seems, is harder than it looks
What do you make of it all? Share your thoughts below.
