Twenty years later, I recognised myself in the boys youthful features.
The day before our wedding, Arthur suspected Emily of being unfaithful. Despite her promises of loyalty, he refused to listen. Yet, twenty years on, he met her son. The resemblance was uncannyI could have been looking at my own childhood reflection.
Their love was the sort you find in novelspassionate, extraordinary, overwhelming. People envied what Emily and Arthur shared, and many stirred up trouble out of sheer jealousy. The couple were slowly preparing for their wedding, which, unfortunately, never took place.
On the eve of the big day, Emily confessed to Arthur she was expecting a child. But instead of joy, she was met with anger and irritation. Arthur believed she’d betrayed him. He kept insisting there was no way she could have fallen pregnant so soon. He told her straight to her face that he didnt trust her. Nonetheless, she went ahead and had the child.
Plenty of his friends told him he was a fool. Everyone could see how much Emily loved him. But he wouldn’t budge. Their relationship fell apart and the wedding was called off. He even suggested she have an abortion, but Emily refused. Until the very end, she hoped for his apology, yet the phone never rang.
She had no intention of reaching out either. Arthur was convinced he was right. They both began separate lives. Emily was left to deal with the aftermath on her own. Even when their paths crossed, Arthur pretended not to know her. Hed see her at the park with the little one, but hed always look away, determined to leave the past behind.
Emilys life was far from easy. She was a single mother, but that never stood in her way of being happy. True, her own social life faded into the background, but she had a little angel now, and for his sake, she would do anything.
She worked multiple jobs just to ensure her son never missed out on anything. Christopher always thanked his motherhe was her pillar, her staunchest supporter.
He went on to attend university, served in the army, and finally landed a good job. As he grew older, he stopped asking about his fatherhed already drawn his own conclusions. Of course, when he was younger, Emily used to tell him stories about his dad, but did he really believe them? The answer is all too clear.
Christopher was a spitting image of his father. When he turned twenty, he reminded Emily of the Arthur she used to love so deeply. And then, one day, fate brought the three of them together: Emily, Arthur, and Christopher. Naturally, Arthur, the biological father, had a moment of epiphanythe resemblance was impossible to ignore. He spent a long time just watching them, unable to utter a word.
It was three days before he finally went to Emily and asked,
Can you ever forgive me?
A long time ago Emily whispered.
Thats when the old stories came to lifeChristopher, for the very first time, met his own father.
