Well, its your own fault!
Oh, for heavens sake! So what if he had a fling? All men do it. Stop whinging! Go and make up with him. Or do you expect to move back in here with your bump?
Mum he *cheated* on me, Emily reminded her.
Her whole world had collapsed. Yesterday, shed caught her husband in bed with another woman. Today, her mother was all but shoving her out the door. Both of them spoke to her as if she were a petulant child.
So he cheated. Big deal, huffed Margaret. You pushed him to it. Did you think you were the only woman in the world having a baby? Plenty of women manage without turning into fragile little flowers. You kept workingclearly, you werent *that* poorly.
Mum! Dont you remember waiting up for Dad all those nights? Emily choked back tears.
Exactly my point! Margaret threw up her hands. They all do it. Most just dont get caught. Right, youve got a week to sort things out. If you dont patch it up, youre on your own.
Just yesterday, her mother had raged about her son-in-law, swearing hed *pay* for this. Today, she was practically shoving Emily into apologising to the man whod betrayed her. Emily suspected her mum just didnt want to help.
Not that shed asked. But right now, a shoulder to lean on wouldve meant everythingbecause Emily was pregnant.
Her mother knew exactly how it felt. Emilys father, William, had cheated constantly. Margarets reaction had been unique. Shed wept, lost sleep, waited up. Then, when he strolled in at dawn with roses, shed beat him with them.
Never buying you flowers again, William had joked once, shameless. Too bloody pointy.
And shed laughed with him. Every time he strayed, shed unleash her furythen demand compensation. Sometimes with hints, sometimes outright. Thats how Margaret ended up with a mink coat, a car, and a shelf of French perfume.
Hes like putty afterwards, shed bragged to a friend, flaunting her latest haul. Thats when I strike. What, should I just walk away? At least this way, I get *something*.
Meg ever thought of leaving him? her friend sighed.
And hand him to some other woman? Not bloody likely!
Over the years, Margaret had persuaded William to put the house in her name and pay for renovationsjust in case. After all, he might leave one day, and shed be stranded with a child. Hed agreed.
When Emily was eight, her parents divorced. William vanished into another womans life. He barely spoke to his daughterneither had been eager, exchanging calls only on birthdays.
Margaret had been devastated but adjusted. For a while, they lived off savings and remnants of luxury, then shed found work.
Went from living like a queen to counting pennies, shed lamented.
At least you know where your husband is, her friend pointed out.
Yeah. And where every penny goes.
Life had grown hard. So hard that Margaret sold her gold jewellery. But eventually, they learned to eat simpler meals, skip weekly theatre trips, and wear clothes for more than one season.
Emily had watched it all, vowing shed never endure such a marriage. Never let her children see it.
How wrong shed been.
Emily was reliving her mothers life.
James, too, was wealthyan heir with a head for business. He owned a chain of beauty salons across the city, pulling in steady profits.
Not that money was his only charm. Early on, hed waxed lyrical about perfect relationships.
People should *talk*, he insisted. Thats the key. If couples just sat down and worked things out, thered be fewer divorces.
James seemed gentle, accommodating, kind. But once married, the cracks showed. Hed bring Emily peaches in bed, fetch midnight snacks, pay for her salon trips. Yet when real conflict arose, his patience vanished.
Shed fret when he worked late. Hed brush her off: Busy, love. When she begged him to at least *call*, hed nodthen ignore her.
James, do you even *care* that I worry? she snapped one night as he strolled in near midnight.
Em, youre overreacting. Your emotions, your problem, he said.
And if *I* came home this late?
Then itd be *my* problem. I wouldnt bother you with it.
His logic baffled her. Hed communicatebut only if it suited him. When their needs clashed, Emily always yielded. Shed told herself it was just how men wereclueless about emotions.
Maybe thats why shed kept working, even pregnant. She refused to depend on him.
It wasnt easy. By her second month, nausea plagued her. Standing too fast made her dizzy. Headaches pounded. She craved silence but dragged herself to work anyway, doubting the pointyet going.
Turns out, there *was* a point.
First, their home life frayed. Emily stopped cleaning and cooking. Meals narrowed to pasta, steaks, ready-made pies. James never complainedif he craved something fancy, hed order takeaway. She saw it as effort: *Hes adapting.*
Then intimacy died. Emily was too exhausted. James sulked at first, thenshe assumedaccepted it.
His phone was glued to his handwork chats, clients, staff. Lately, hed even showered with it. One night, she peeked. Messages. Photos. Sickly sweet nothings.
She confronted him that same evening.
This is *your* fault! he spat. Did you think Id join a monastery? Im a *man*. I cant wait a year for you to pop out a kid. What next? Babies screaming, no time for us? What did you *expect*?
Understanding. Patience, she forced out. Not *this*.
Try seeing *my* side! My barber, Davehis wifes pregnant too. She doesnt freeze him out. But *you* cant be bothered.
Thats when she saw it: James kindness was wrapping paper. Underneath? Pure selfishness. He loved *himself*, not her.
She packed her bags and fled to her mothers, desperate for support. Instead, she got blame.
Mum, I *need* help right now Emilys voice cracked.
I *am* helping! Go back to him. You need a man, that baby needs a father. Stop snivelling.
Margaret saw betrayal as profit. Forgiveness was wisdom; endurance, strategy. Maybe she truly thought she was saving her daughter.
Emily knew better.
Next day, she met her friend Lucy. She *had* to talk to *someone*. Theyd worked together years ago, covering each others shifts. Even after Emily left, theyd stayed close.
Em, this is rough but youll get through it, Lucy said gently. Youve got maternity pay, child support, benefits. You wont be homeless. Move in with me if you need to. Im singleno plans to change that. Well split bills, ease the load.
Emily was stunned. Her husband blamed her. Her mother sided with him. Yet here was someone offering helpno strings.
She said yes. Not just for the spare room, but for the lifeline.
Back home, she packed her things. Margaret caught her at the door.
Changed your mind? Made up? she smirked.
Emily met her eyes. Never.
Margaret gasped, ranted, flailedbut Emily was already gone. Inside, she was raw with pain, loneliness, fear. But for the first time in years, she could *breathe*.
However hard it got, she wouldnt crawl backnot to James, not to her mother. Shed claw her way through hell first. Because betrayal wasnt just lonelinessit was worse.
