He wasn’t the prince she thought he was…
Lucy met Arthur just after he’d returned from military service. He looked like he’d stepped straight off the cover of a glossy magazine—tall, athletic, with mesmerizing green eyes and dark, curly hair. Next to him, Lucy seemed plain, though she was pretty in her own way: fair hair, a slender figure, and a sweet smile. She couldn’t believe her luck—out of all their friends, he’d chosen her.
“What does he even see in you?” her girlfriends whispered. “Guys like that never stick around. He’ll have his fun and then say goodbye.”
But Lucy just smiled—she believed in their love. They went to the cinema, danced at clubs, and met up with friends. Arthur wasn’t one for sweet talk, but he was always there, and his touch still made her heart race. When she first brought him home, her mother, Evelyn, frowned. Later, when they were alone, she murmured,
“A handsome husband is another woman’s husband, love. Men like that aren’t faithful. Hold off on the wedding—test him first. He’s too… polished.”
Lucy was hurt. She trusted Arthur’s feelings and refused to listen to doubts. But her mother’s words still planted a seed of unease.
Slowly, Arthur began to change. First, it was the gym, then the pool, then new circles of friends. Lucy joined the gym too, just to stay close, but she felt out of place among the toned, glamorous girls. Arthur’s gaze lingered on them, while Lucy started leaving early, hiding her tears.
“You’re scrawny,” he scoffed once when she caught a cold after swimming. “Stay home with your books.”
The words stung, and Lucy remembered her mother’s warning. She could feel Arthur slipping away. He disappeared more often—no calls, no invitations, no explanations. Then one day, he vanished completely.
“Still no word?” her mother asked.
“No…” Lucy whispered, turning her face to the wall.
“Up you get! Hairdresser, now!” Evelyn ordered. “A new hairstyle is the first step to a new life. Then we’ll get you a dress—you’ve got an eye for design.”
They bought fabric, and Lucy sketched designs, forcing herself to move on. Rumours about Arthur’s new girlfriends reached her, but she held firm. Weeks later, she showed up at a dance in a new dress—radiant, confident—and heads turned.
A quiet bloke named George, unremarkable at first glance, began courting her. No prince, but his eyes were only ever on Lucy—warm and true. A month later, he proposed.
“Now, that’s a proper man!” Evelyn said. “Falls in love, then marries. Well?”
“I’ll marry him,” Lucy replied softly.
“Do you love him?”
“How could I not? He’s kind, hardworking, loyal. He wants me—just me.”
The wedding was warm and full of love. Lucy and George started from scratch—their first stool, their first plate. A year later, their daughter was born, followed by a son three years after. Family, care, happiness.
Lucy never thought about Arthur again. Except sometimes, in passing, when she heard he’d left his wife, run off with a mistress, or was back to his old ways. She’d just smile.
“What was he to me? A youthful fling. I hope he finds happiness—if he can.”
At home, her children and husband waited. And her mother—wise, kind, the heart of her world. The one who’d once steered her from true heartbreak. The one who helped Lucy find her quiet, real happiness.
Mum… stay with me a little longer. Without you, the light dims.
