“Are you kidding?” exclaimed Nick, “How can that be? You’re only twenty-one! And why didn’t you tell me earlier?!”
Alice snuggled closer to her husband, gazing earnestly into his eyes.
“I was afraid you’d stop loving me and reconsider marrying me…”
“And now? What are you hoping for now?!”
***
They met entirely by chance. Alice had loaded herself up with groceries at the supermarket, stepping out with two enormous bags, and outside, the sidewalks were icy. She slipped on the steps and would have likely fallen if not for a pair of strong arms catching her mid-air.
“Careful,” a smooth male voice said beside her, “hold on to me…”
Feeling her feet steadily beneath her again, Alice looked up at her rescuer.
“Thank you so much…”
“Why’d you carry so much, especially in this weather?” asked the stranger with a smile.
“I’m expecting my parents for a visit,” Alice responded simply, “they’re coming to see how I’m doing in the city. So…”
“I see. Is it far to carry all this? Maybe I could give you a ride?”
“No, really, it’s fine. You’ve already helped me. I can manage. It’s just a short walk to my house.”
Alice carefully continued on her way, and the man went his own.
All day at work, he couldn’t concentrate, as thoughts of the beautiful stranger kept resurfacing. In his mind, that’s how he referred to her.
“What a delightful person,” he thought, “such open eyes, hardly any makeup, not even lipstick. And that blush… so gentle, barely noticeable… And her voice… like a babbling brook… No, I have to find her. She mentioned she lives close by…”
Nick wasn’t known for being a ladies’ man. Quite the opposite, he was always cautious around women, expecting some form of trickery.
The reason was a heartbreak from his first love, ending in a typical betrayal. Since the fifth grade, Nick had been in love with a classmate who, seeing him off to the army and promising to wait, married a businessman’s son within six months.
When Nick returned, she shamelessly proclaimed, “Nick, don’t be upset. If it helps you, know this: I still love you. But loving and marrying are two different things. What could you offer me? Life in a rented flat or, worse, in a dormitory? With perpetually empty pockets? No thanks. I want to live comfortably. I hope you understand…”
Nick understood all too well. He suffered for a long time, even turned to drinking. But then he got himself together, found a job, enrolled in university part-time…
And now, as a thirty-year-old, single, and reasonably successful man, he couldn’t get the girl he’d seen only once — and even then just briefly — out of his mind.
It was because she’d warmed something in his heart. He’d been waiting for this feeling for years, and now it appeared. Yet he didn’t even know her name…
For two weeks, Nick lingered around the same supermarket. Waiting for the lovely stranger. And then she appeared.
After work one evening, Alice went to grab something for dinner… She was quite flustered when a man practically threw himself at her feet, exclaiming, “I’ve finally found you!”
Recognizing her savior, she smiled, “Why were you looking for me?”
“We forgot to introduce ourselves! I’m Nick, and you?”
“My name is Alice,” she replied, looking curiously at the flustered man, “and what comes next, Nick?”
“Next? Well, an excellent dinner at a restaurant awaits us! Are you in?”
“I’m not sure; it’s so unexpected…”
“Please, Alice!” he pleaded, “I have so much to tell you…”
He shared everything with her: his first love, his years of solitude, how happy he felt meeting her, considering it fate’s gift…
Alice listened intently… This man, so sincere and somewhat naive, was becoming increasingly endearing to her…
They began seeing each other often, almost daily, growing more attached with each meeting. Despite everything, they enjoyed each other’s company very much. Alice, being quite reserved, didn’t allow Nick too many liberties.
At first, he found it surprising, but then he was genuinely delighted. He was sure that Alice was meant for him by fate and had waited just for him!
He introduced her to his mother. Alice took Nick to meet her parents in their village.
Nick liked everything there. The simple way of life, straightforward relationships. Warm and welcoming hosts.
It was there, with her parents present, that Nick proposed to Alice…
For the registration, only their closest family attended, as Alice wished. She stated she didn’t want a large celebration but dreamed of a real honeymoon. Nick agreed. He bought the tickets, planning the trip for a month after the wedding.
For two weeks now, the newlyweds had lived together. Nick couldn’t believe his good fortune. Every day after work, he hurried home as if on wings…
One tranquil evening, Nick noticed that Alice seemed troubled.
“What’s the matter, my love?” he asked with concern, “Are you feeling alright? Is everything okay?”
“We need to talk,” she replied quietly.
“Go ahead, I’m all ears.”
“I’m not sure how you’ll react,” Alice began hesitantly.
“I’ll react calmly,” Nick reassured, seeing how anxious she was, “no matter what. You know how much I love you…”
“I know I should have mentioned it earlier… But I couldn’t…”
“Alice, don’t keep me in the dark anymore,” Nick was getting tense, “have you stopped loving me?”
“No, of course not. Just… I’m sorry… I have children… two of them…”
“What? You must be joking!” Nick was astounded, “How’s that possible?”
“I’m not joking…”
“But you’re only twenty-one! How did you manage that? Why didn’t you say anything before?!”
Alice snuggled up to him, her eyes pleading for understanding.
“I was scared you’d stop loving me and call off the wedding…”
“And now? What are you hoping for now?!”
“I don’t know. I hope you’ll understand and forgive me…”
“Forgive you?! Me?!” Nick still couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“You see, I too had a sad story… We were very much in love, but when he found out I was pregnant, he left me. He panicked. I was only seventeen then. When our son was born, he realized his mistake and apologized. I forgave him. We lived together, and a year later, our daughter was born. But while I was pregnant, he found someone else. Our daughter was six months old when he left us, for good this time.”
“And where are your children now? It’s a nightmare… I visited your village… Your parents said nothing. They hid it as well…”
“The children are with relatives for now. They don’t have children of their own, so they offered to take care of mine.”
“And your parents? Don’t they care about their grandchildren?”
“They visit them often but refuse to take them in, saying they can’t manage.”
“I see. Quite the family…”
“Don’t say that. I didn’t mean for things to turn out this way. Remember, I wasn’t the one who pursued you. You found me…”
“Well…, played the innocent well, I even believed in your virtue…”
“I was just scared of getting too attached. I thought, what if nothing comes of us…”
“And do you think something’s come of us?”
“Of course! We love each other, don’t we?”
“And you can say that after such an enormous lie? You could have told me this several times before our wedding! But no! You’re saying it now when we’re already married!”
“What’s changed? This was the only thing I hid. Now you’re my husband, and I don’t want to lie to you anymore. Whether you can accept what I’ve said depends on your love.”
“So, if I agree to raise your children, it means I love you. But if I refuse, I don’t?”
“If you refuse, they’ll stay with my relatives. That’s all. If you prefer, I won’t even meet them.”
“In other words, you’re willing to give up your own children for me?”
“I am.”
“That’s monstrous! Don’t you understand?!”
“I just love you so much…”
Nick couldn’t listen anymore. Grabbing his coat, he stormed out of the flat.
He walked the streets for a long time, trying to clear his mind, trying to calm down.
Eventually, he decided to visit his mother. He needed someone to talk to…
“I don’t know what to tell you, son,” she said pensively after listening to Nick, “you’ll have to decide for yourself.”
“What’s there to decide, Mum? I already know: if I agree, it’ll be hard for me; if I refuse, I’ll deprive children of their mother, and they’ll all be miserable.”
“Then don’t rush into any decisions. Reflect on it. Although… I can’t imagine how you’ll live with someone who’s capable of such deceit…”
“Neither can I…”
“Perhaps it’s better if you two divorce?”
“I love her, Mum…”
“Then I don’t know…”
Nick stayed with Alice, offering to take the children in, but Alice refused:
“I don’t want to burden you with that,” she said calmly, “Let them stay with my relatives, and we can visit them.”
“In what capacity?” Nick asked wearily, “They probably already call your aunt ‘mum.’”
“And that’s fine. They’re happy there, I’m sure. That’s what matters most.”
“You decide,” Nick replied, never mentioning the topic again.
They visited the children several times. Watching his wife with them, Nick couldn’t help but wonder:
“What will happen when we have a child? What if something happens to me? What then? Will she bring him here too?”
A year later, Nick filed for divorce…
He couldn’t live like that…
And the love had faded away…
