Twenty years on, I see my younger self in the boys face.
The day before his wedding, Oliver started getting suspicious, thinking Emily had been unfaithful. Even though she swore shed never betray him, he just wouldnt listen. But two decades down the line, Oliver bumped into her sonand the kid was the spitting image of him.
The love they shared was straight out of a novelfiery, rare, and massive. Plenty of people were jealous of what they had and loved poking their noses in, trying to stir up trouble. Oliver and Emily were gradually getting everything ready for their big day, but it never happened.
The evening before the wedding, Emily admitted to Oliver that she was pregnant. Instead of being over the moon, he just got angry and annoyed. He was convinced shed cheated. Kept going on about how it was impossible for her to have fallen pregnant so quickly. Told her to her face that he didnt believe a word. Still, she carried on and had the baby.
Loads of Olivers mates told him he was being an idiot. Anyone could see how much Emily loved him, but he refused to budge. Their relationship crumbled, the wedding got scrapped. He even suggested she get rid of the baby, but Emily just wouldnt hear of it. Right up until the end, Emily hoped for an apology, but Oliver never rang.
She wasnt about to call him either. Oliver stuck to his gunshe thought he was in the right. So, they went their separate ways. Emily had to deal with everything on her own. Even when their paths crossed by chance, Oliver would pretend not to know her. Hed spot her at the park but always looked away, never wanting a reminder of what hed lost.
Life wasnt easy for Emily. She was raising her son, Jamie, alone, but that didnt stop her finding joy. Sure, she had to forget about her own personal life, but she had her little miracle and would do absolutely anything for his happiness.
Emily worked two, sometimes three jobs to make sure Jamie never missed out. He always showed her gratitudehe was her biggest fan and her rock.
He graduated, spent some time in the army, landed a solid job. As he got older, Jamie stopped asking about his fatherhed figured things out on his own. Of course, when he was a boy, Emily would tell him stories about his dad, but whether he really believed themwell, you can guess the answer.
Jamie grew up to look exactly like his father. At twenty, Emily would look at him and be reminded of the Oliver she adored way back when. And then, by some twist of fate, Oliver, Emily, and Jamie all crossed paths. Obviously, the resemblance hit Oliver like a brickit was impossible not to notice. He couldnt stop staring but just couldnt find the words.
It took three days before he eventually showed up at Emilys door and asked quietly, Can you forgive me?
A long time ago Emily whispered back.
And thats when all those old stories about his dad came back to lifebecause, for the first time, Jamie was meeting his father in the flesh.
