14September2025 Diary
Our family has been fairly settled, though not without its bumps. When I first saw Emily meeting Andrew, I was taken aback. Could it be that a man like him truly exists? He struck me as the very picture of sincerity, loyalty, love, and oldfashioned honor. I doubted I would ever encounter such a fellow.
Just a year earlier Emily had divorced her first husband, Victor. They still owned the flat in Camden they had bought together and were still paying off the mortgage. While they tried to sell it, Emily moved back to her parents house in Surrey; theyve always been supportive. Victor stayed in the flat, hunting for two new places to split up into. With nowhere else to go, he offered to cover the remaining mortgage payments in exchange for staying there until the move was finalised.
Emily saw through Victors ploy he kept saying no flat suited him yet her mother, ever the voice of reason, urged her:
Dont waste your nerves on him, love. Rest at home while he finishes the payments; the sale will go smoother.
My mothers advice never failed, and after that disastrous marriage Emily felt a calm she hadnt known in years.
Then Andrew entered her life, and love swept us all away. Outwardly Andrew was unremarkable not as tall or athletic as the handsome Victor had been but his presence was enough. Our colleague Lily, upon seeing Emily with Andrew, asked,
What did you see in him? Is he rich, or does he have hidden virtues I missed?
Emily blushed and replied, Im not sure, Lily. I just feel he loves me, and I love him we finish each others sentences.
Lily scoffed, You fell in love, thats all. You dont marry just because youre headoverheels. Think with your brain, not your heart. Live together a while; maybe the passion will fade.
Emily answered, Weve decided to marry. Andrew wants a family, children, a home.
Lily smirked, Well, does Andrew want it, or do you?
Emily, a little embarrassed, said, I like him, and I want the same. Lilys sarcasm grated, but Emily kept her resolve.
Andrew won over my mother instantly. My father, a bit jealous, admitted he didnt yet understand what sort of man Andrew was, but hed come around in time.
When they wed, the flat sale was settled quickly and the couple moved into a cozy terraced house in a village near Oxford. Emily got along with Andrews mother, Margaret, despite Andrews warning that his mother was a strict, singleparent who could be demanding. Margaret, who had raised Andrew alone, seemed to dream of a soninlaw settling under her roof. Their home was spacious, with plenty of room for both families, and Margaret, accustomed to living alone, found the new bustle a pleasant change.
Emilys gentle, warm nature won Margaret over. Andrew, surprised at how easily his mother accepted Emily, remarked,
Do you want to live in town, then? What about when the children come?
Margaret, squinting, pressed, Will you bring the grandchildren here every summer for fresh air? And in winter, will you visit?
Emily promised, Well be at your place all the summer and even ride over in winter.
Margaret smiled, pleased with a daughterinlaw who cherished both husband and mother. Andrews father, who had helped with some repairs at the village house, eventually admitted that Emily seemed a proper match for his son.
Thus Emily and Andrew settled into a happy life in their new flat, deeply in love, convinced nothing could disturb their bliss.
After a few months, Emily noticed a pattern: when she threw herself into a hobbylike belting out songs at karaokeAndrew would first beam with pride, then, inexplicably, dampen her spirits. Midsong hed ask, Emily, have you unpacked the bag Mom sent us? Hed make a joke about doing it tomorrow, and the mood vanished.
One day at work she inadvertently told Lily that Andrew had snapped at her, regretting the slip. Lily pounced, I told you hed start hurting you, even though you called him extraordinary!
Emily decided to keep her grievances to herself, refusing to gossip about her husband.
A day later, Andrew arrived home glowing after a successful presentation. He began to brag, and Emily asked, Did you buy the dinner I asked for? How could you forget?
Andrews eyes flashed with a mix of offense and contemplation before he laughed, Youre right, love. Mother always catches us when were happy, asking, Are you having fun? Did you finish your lessons? She never lets me forget Im still a child in her eyes. Ive blamed her, but I shouldnt have taken it out on you. Im sorry for snapping when you sang. Its a foolish habit Ill drop. I love my mother, but I wont let her sour my temper.
That evening they made peace, embracing the gentle reconciliation.
Emily realised that every marriage hides its own skeletons and hidden stones, but as the saying goes, Dont put anyone on a pedestal. If the core values alignlove, chemistry, an instinctive ease with each others scent, smile, and touchthen humor and a pinch of selfirony can carry a couple through any storm.
Lily, ever the cynic, still mutters, Divorce, darling. No decent men left. Either marry a millionaire or stay single! Yet Emily chose the ordinary route: marrying for love, not gold.
Late one night Andrew whispered, Im sorry, Evelyn. I love you. I watched the relief in her eyes, seeing how hard hes trying not to repeat past mistakes. No guarantee exists that they wont argue over trivialities again, but as the old proverb says, A happy couple quarrels, then makes up.
My own grandparents used to say, When husband and wife bicker, let the third stay out of it, or, A couple may fight but must share one blanket.
So I no longer listen to anyones advice but my own heart. Emily and Andrew are now expecting their first child, and despite the small annoyances, they are genuinely happy. Lily remains unmarriedher choice, for she knows love and compromise are not always easy, and finding a rich but loveless partner would only bring more grief.
Lesson learned: love alone is not enough; it must be paired with respect, patience, and the willingness to grow together, even when the world tells you otherwise.
