Emily and James divorced when their little girl Lily turned two. James just couldnt take living with his wife anymoreshe was always cross, never satisfied. One minute shed moan about him not earning enough, the next shed snap that he was never home and never lifted a finger to help with Lily.
James really tried to make her happy, but nothing worked. A few mates reckoned Emily had postnatal depressionmaybe she needed to see a doctor, get some medication. But James wasnt convinced. Shed never been sunshine and rainbows even before the baby came along, and now it was like shed completely lost the plot.
He couldnt remember the last time hed seen her smile. Even when she was with Lily, her face was pure irritation, like she couldnt stand the sight of her own child. It made James want to snatch Lily away and hide her somewhere safe.
Still, he suggested therapy once. Big mistake. Emily blew up like a firework. “Oh, so *Im* the mad one, am I? You think Im hysterical? With you moping about, no wonder Ive lost it!”
That was the last straw. James said he wanted a divorce. Out of spite, Emily took Lily and moved to Manchester, cutting him off completelyno child support, no forwarding address.
James searched for a while, then gave up. He loved Lily, but the thought of dealing with Emily againthe shouting, the blamemade him back down.
Meanwhile, Emily stewed in her anger. She was convinced James had left her for another woman, that *she* wasnt the problem. And that bitterness? It trickled down to Lily.
She never hit her, never outright abused her, but Lily grew up drowning in negativity most people couldnt fathom.
There were no birthdays in their house. Lily only learned about them at nursery. “Mum, guess what? Tommy had a birthday today! Everyone sang to him, and he got a present! Will I get one too?”
“Dont be daft. Why celebrate something you had no part in? *I* did all the work bringing you into this worldif anyone deserves a party, its me. Now stop asking silly questions. Waste of money.”
No New Years Eve celebrations either. Thank goodness for the nurserys Father Christmas visitthat was Lilys one dose of magic. On actual New Years, they ate beans on toast and went to bed early.
Emily couldnt stand laughterprobably because shed forgotten how. If Lily giggled at cartoons, shed snap, “Whats all that racket? Nothings *that* funny.”
So Lily learned: smilings bad. Laughings bad. Be serious. Be sad. Like Mum.
No one knew if Emily had actual mental health issuesshe refused therapy, called it a con. “Lifes not about having fun,” shed say. “People who are always happy? Just thick as mince.”
Lily tasted her first sweet at nurserya birthday cupcake. It was *heaven*. That night, she dreamt of growing up and buying a whole bag of Haribos. The thought made her smileuntil she remembered she wasnt allowed to.
Who knows how Lily wouldve turned out if shed stayed with her mum? Emily got worse with timebitter, snarling. Neighbours crossed the street to avoid her. “That womans got a black heart,” theyd mutter.
Turned out, all that rage ate her up inside. Cancer. By the time an ambulance took her to hospital (she *hated* doctors), it was too late.
A neighbour took Lily in. Before Emily was wheeled away, she spat out James name and where he lived. Even in the end, she couldnt say it kindly.
Emily never came home. When social services called James, he didnt hesitate. “Im coming for my girl.”
Hed been remarried six months by then. His new wife, Claire, knew how much hed sufferedshe told him to go get Lily straight away.
Lily didnt remember him. She trembled in the neighbours living room, convinced this strange man would be even worse than Mum.
James brought a giant teddy bear and a box of Quality Street. The second Lily saw the sweets, her fear melted. Father Christmas gave sweetsbad people didnt.
While she hugged the teddy, the neighbour filled James in. “God rest her soul, but that woman was a piece of work. Never smiled, never said hello. Poor Lily was like a scared little mouse.”
James chest ached. He shouldve fought harder, shouldve *found* her. But fear of Emily had paralysed himand his little girl paid the price.
After the funeral, they drove home. “Your birthdays soon,” James said gently. “What would you like?”
Lily blinked. “We dont do birthdays. Mum said theyre stupid.”
James stomach dropped. “Thats not true. Birthdays are special.”
“Can I just have sweets, then?” Lily whispered. “I really like them.”
He couldnt speak. Just nodded.
Later, after Claire tucked Lily in, James cracked open a bottle of red. “Shed never had a birthday,” he croaked when Claire walked in. “Know what she asked for? *Sweets.* Like some treat shed never” His voice broke.
Claire hugged him. “Dont blame Emily. Life did that for you.”
“I blame *myself.* I let myself believe they were fine. And now Ive got a kid whos scared to be happy.”
Claire kissed his temple. “Well, were throwing her the best birthday ever. Seven years worth.”
That whole week, Lily learned what *home* could feel like. Dad and Claire *laughed*actual, proper laughs! Breakfast wasnt just soggy porridge; Claire made pancakes, crumpets with jam, berries with yoghurt.
And the sweets! A whole tin, just for her. “Dont go mad,” James warned, “or youll rot your teeth.”
On her birthday, Lily woke up to balloons, streamers, and a cake with candles. They took her to Alton Towers. Seven presentsone for every missed year.
Kids adapt fast, especially to kindness. Within a month, Lily was giggling, squealing, hugging them freely. Mum had hated cuddles”Stop clinging, youre not a baby.”
School started. Life bloomed. Sometimes Lily couldnt separate memories from dreamsbut she knew shed won the dad lottery. She pitied Mum, but deep down? She knew shed escaped something dark.
A year later, she called Claire “Mum” for the first time. Because love isnt bloodits who shows up. And Claire? Shed *earned* it.
