When Fate Plays a Cruel Hand
After graduating from teacher training college, Marianna returned to her hometown, teaching at the very school she had once attended. She loved her colleagues, cherished the quiet village life, and had missed her family and childhood home dearly.
Since childhood, Marianna had been inseparable from her neighbour Julietwo polar opposites. Marianna was calm and thoughtful; Julie was reckless, sharp-tongued, and had never respected her elders, always speaking her mind without care. They shared a classroom, and Julie was constantly scolded while Marianna was held up as the model student.
*”Why should I be like Marianna? Ive got my own head on my shoulders,”* Julie would snap back.
*”A head is one thing, but it helps if theres a brain inside it,”* the headmaster, Mr. Thompson, had once retorted in Year Eleven when Julie was dragged to his office yet again.
*”Whats it this time?”* he sighed.
Their form tutor, Mrs. Carter, a stern, seasoned teacher, near tears, answered, *”Julie told me I smell like a grave and should retirethat Ive no business trying to educate anyone!”*
Mr. Thompson was speechless. He tried to shame Julie, but she blinked innocently and declared, *”I never said that. Shes making it up.”* The headmaster let her gowhat else could he do?
Marianna went on to university, while Julie scraped into nursing college, scraping by with barely passing gradesmostly by copying Mariannas work.
Julie was strikinglong dark hair, flawless figurebut her sharp tongue remained. After qualifying, she worked in the hospitals general ward, treating elderly patients with disdain.
*”These old fossils should be in the ground, not wasting NHS money,”* shed sneer, leaving colleagues stunned.
*”Why did you even become a nurse if you hate it so much?”* theyd ask.
*”None of your business. I went where I could get in.”*
Patients complained, but it wasnt until the ward sister overheard Julie reducing an elderly woman to tears that she was fired on the spot.
*”Youre done, Julie. Ill make sure no hospital in this county hires you.”*
Julie drifted through life, hunting for a wealthy husband, but men lost interest fast once they saw her true colours. She never felt guilther upbringing had spared her that. After three years in the city, she slunk back home.
*”Marianna! Long time no chat,”* Julie chirped over the phone. *”Listen, Im coming back. Your mum works at the GP surgeryput in a word for me, yeah? See you soon.”*
She barged into Mariannas cottage the moment she arrived.
*”Sohows teaching those little brats? Still dealing with those insufferable colleagues?”*
Marianna kept her cool, pouring tea, setting out biscuits and jam.
*”Lets talk about school later. Whyd you come back? I thought you hated this place.”*
Julie waved a hand. *”Changed my mind. And you? Not getting married, are you?”*
*”Actually, yes,”* Marianna replied softly. *”Tom proposed. Were getting married in two months.”*
Julie snorted. *”Who? The geography teacher? Or some farmer?”*
*”Tom owns a farmlivestock, machinery, employees. Hes doing well.”*
Julie burst out laughing. *”Oh, please! One decent man in this village, and hes yours? Bet theres something wrong with him.”* She eyed Mariannas fuller figure with disdain.
Just then, a deep voice cut in.
*”Evening, love. Whos this?”*
Julie froze. In the doorway stood a tall, handsome man in designer sportswear. Her stomach twisted with jealousy.
*”This cant be her fiancé,”* she thought, forcing a sugary smile. *”Im Julie. You must be Tom. Mariannas told me all about you.”*
*”Dont flatter me,”* Tom chuckled, his eyes warm as he looked at Marianna.
Julie seethed inside. *”He should be mine.”*
Later, she cornered her mother. *”Did you see Tom? Why didnt you tell me someone like that was here? He belongs with me, not that plain little mouse!”*
Her mother smirked. *”Dont worry, darling. Well make sure he realises that.”*
The opportunity came at an old schoolmates birthday party. Marianna, feeling unwell, stayed home while Tom went alone. Julie pounced, plying him with drink after drink until he was dazed.
*”Lets get you home,”* she purred, guiding him to a friends car. *”My place is closest.”*
Shed sent her mother awaythis was planned.
The next morning, Tom woke with a splitting headacheand horror. Julie lay beside him, smirking.
*”Nothis didnt happen.”*
*”Oh, but it did,”* she gloated.
He fled, showered, and rushed to Mariannasonly for her mother to block the door.
*”How could you? Shes gone. And you sent her photos? Disgusting.”*
Tom checked his phonethere they were, a staged shot of him and Julie in bed. He shattered the phone against the wall.
Julie soon cornered him again.
*”Hate me all you want, but our babys innocent.”*
*”What baby?”*
*”That night wasnt wasted.”*
Trapped, Tom married herno wedding, no fanfare. Their marriage was ice-cold.
But Julie wasnt pregnant. She called her friend Tanya, a nurse, for help faking a miscarriage.
She didnt see Tom behind her, listening.
He divorced her instantly.
Months later, Tanya found him. *”Did you know Marianna had a son?”*
*”Whose?”*
*”Yours, you idiot.”*
Tom drove straight to the countryside, where he found Marianna hanging washingand a pram holding a blue-eyed boy, his mirror image.
*”His names Anthony,”* she whispered.
Tom sank to his knees. *”Forgive me. Ill never leave you again.”*
She did. And in time, they had two more childrena family, at last, built on love, not lies.
