Oh god, so you know Emily, right? Shes been through it. Picture thisshes in the kitchen, making tea, and then her bloke, James, just drops this bombshell out of nowhere.
*”Emily, Ive got to go Ive got a son. With Sophie. II didnt know, I swear. I have to be there for him, you get that, yeah?”* Hes got that guilty look, like a dog thats just chewed up your favourite shoes.
Emilys whole world flipped upside down. For a second, she couldnt even process it.
*”A son? What, you cheated on me?”* Her voice was shaky, like she was holding back a storm.
*”No!”* James looked horrified. *”It was before you. Hes three now. She just never told me. Pride, maybe? Or she was angry. I dunno. But now she says he needs his dad, that hes gotissues, like, mental stuff, from not having me around.”*
Emilys chest went tight. Three years. And suddenly *now* it mattered? Why did their family have to pay for it?
*”Right, so youve got a son *there*, and herewhat, nothing?”* She crossed her arms. *”Do you even care what thisll do to Oliver? Youre the second dad to walk out on him!”*
It wasnt even about her anymore. It was Oliverher little boy. She wanted to scream at James, but she clenched her fists, took a breath, and
*”Just go, then. Im not stopping you.”* Cold as ice. She walked straight into the living room and shut the door.
She couldnt stand the sight of him. Maybe men in general. Because this was happening *again*.
…Back when Oliver was still in her belly, her first husband, Daniel, started pulling away. Sleeping in the spare room, shrugging off her questions. Oliver wasnt even one when Daniel said hed *”fallen out of love”*, packed a bag, and left.
The worst part? *He* was the one whod pushed for a baby.
*”We should carry on the family line. Weve been married yearstime to start, yeah?”*
Emily didnt get it. It wasnt like he was some lord with an estate to pass down. But it felt like the next step, so she agreedreluctantly.
Then, when Oliver finally arrived, turns out Daniel didnt actually want the *responsibility* of family. Just the idea of it.
Thats when Emily swore: no more fairy tales. Men come and go. Kids stay. Usually with their mums.
So when James came along, she kept him at arms length. Just a mate to chat with, maybe grab dinner. A whole year before she even let him meet Oliver. They did movies, walks along the Thames, the odd fancy meal. But he only came over when Oliver was at his nans.
Sometimes she wondered *why* James bothered. Plenty of women out there wanted the whole white-picket-fence dream. Emily wasnt one of them.
But he kept at it. Flowers, fixing her leaky tap when Oliver was at nursery, carrying her shopping. Then he started sending little gifts for Oliver through her.
And thenhe wanted more.
*”Em, dont you think its time we took the next step? At least move in together. Were not teenagers sneaking around once a week.”*
*”You know Ive got Oliver,”* she fired back.
*”So? Doesnt mean you cant have a husband too. I dont know him well, but hes yours. That means hes mine too.”*
Emily hesitated. James cared. Maybe hed care about Oliver just as much? Shed buried that dream of a happy family, buthope flickered. She said yes.
At first, it *was* good. James played football with Oliver, fixed his broken toys, did silly voices for bedtime stories. Oliver even started calling him *”Dad”*. The first time Emily heard it, she nearly melted.
But then James started talking about *”our own kids”*.
*”Em, maybe we should have one of our own?”*
Her stomach dropped. She brushed it off as a slip of the tongue.
*”We *have* Oliver. Hes not enough?”*
*”Course he is!”* James backtracked fast. *”Justyou know, I missed the baby stage with him. I wanna experience all that.”*
Emily arched a brow. She knew how *that* went. For blokes, *”helping”* often meant holding the baby for five minutes while bragging to mates. Meanwhile, *shed* be the one up all night.
*”Dunno. Lets wait till Olivers at least ten, yeah? Then well talk.”*
James took it as a yessort of. Emily hoped hed forget.
And nowthis. A *real* son, one who apparently mattered more than Oliver.
*”Mum, wheres Dad?”* Oliver asked at bedtime.
Emilys throat closed. *Shed* done this. Given him hope.
*”Dads gone away. He wont be around for a bit.”*
She couldnt tell him the truth. Not yet. But the meltdowns came anywaytears, tantrums, red-eyed mornings. Oliver swore hed *find* Dad. Emily held him while he cried, then sobbed into her pillow after he slept.
Six months passed. They adjusted. Oliver stopped asking. Emily smiled again, even if the ache stayed.
ThenJames called. Voice all soft and sorry. Wanted to meet. Felt like ripping open a half-healed wound.
*”Youre not coming home. But we can walk in the park while Olivers at school.”*
They met by the flower beds where theyd once strolled as a family. Wet benches, soggy leaves underfoot. James looked roughthin, tired, his coat hanging off him.
*”Thanks for coming”* He swallowed. *”II messed up. Give me another chance?”*
Then he knelt. Pulled out a ring.
*”I get it now. I was wrong. Come back. Please.”*
When hed proposed the first time, Emily was over the moon. Now? Just pain. Passers-by stared. She burned with anger.
*”Dont make a scene,”* she snapped. *”You made your choice.”*
*”I was an idiot! She *lied*,”* he muttered. *”I put little Jake in timeout oncehe was acting up. Sophie went *mental*. Said I had no right, he wasnt mine. Then backtracked, but I insisted on a DNA test and hes not.”*
Emily turned away. Another *”not his”* kid. Sophie probably didnt even know who the dad was and wanted a stand-in.
She remembered their happy days. The plans. Oliver begging to visit *”Dads”* parents in the countryside. Part of her wanted to forgive.
But then she saw Olivers face*”Why did Dad leave?”*and the hope dying in his eyes.
*”Maybe Id forgive you if it was just me,”* she said quietly. *”But its not. Ive got Oliver. And I wont let you break his heart twice.”*
*”But I *get* it now! Id never hurt him”*
*”If you were half as decent as you think,”* she cut in, *”youd have just paid child support. Been there for that boy. Got the test *first*. But you *left*. So no. I dont trust you.”*
She didnt wait for an answer. Walked deeper into the park. Didnt look back.
James was her past. Oliver was her future. And if James ever had kids of his own? She *hoped* hed do better. But that wasnt her problem anymore.
