I spent hours levelling the garden today. Made flower beds for Emily and built her a lovely gazebo. Inside the house, you could feel the mark of a strong man. Emily had not made a mistake in her choice of husbandabsolutely not. Besides, Richard was bringing in good money. He was always trying to surprise Emily with thoughtful gifts.
“You never loved me, did you, Emily? You married me out of convenience. Now you’ll leave when Im ill”
“I wont!” Emily said, holding Richard tight. “Youre the best husband! Ill never leave you!”
He could hardly believe it was true. Richard had been feeling down lately
Emily had been married for twenty-five years, yet all that time, she continued to attract men. Even as a young woman, she was extremely popular.
Not just back then! Even in school, nearly all the boys were besotted with her. And yet, Emily was never considered classically beautiful.
She never left her husband, even though he was a rather complex character.
She stayed with Edward right until the end. Raised their daughter Rachel together and saw her married. Rachels husband whisked her off to Italy, and now they sent wonderful photos and invitations to visit. Emily and Edward never did make it out to see them… Perhaps Emily would go, now. For Edward, it was too late.
Edward died in a car accident. So pointless Later, someone told Emily he likely had felt ill at the wheel. His heart had faltered, hed panicked, lost control of the car.
“Maybe he fainted,” she mused.
“We’ll never know now,” sighed her friend, Susan, who was a doctor. “Cause of death: multiple catastrophic injuries.”
The shock for Emily was indescribable. Thankfully, her friend Susan helped organise everything.
Susan found out all the details through her contacts. Edward was laid to rest, and Emily was left alone in the large house she and her husband had built by hand over the years.
Really, for two people, or if guests visited, it didnt seem that big. But for one woman Yes, it felt enormous, and more often than not, a burden.
A house is a house. A mans hand is needed around.
Rachel flew back for her fathers farewell. She started discussing selling the house, buying a flat, maybe Emily moving to Italy.
“No!” Emily exclaimed. “I didnt build this house just to sell it. And I dont want to move to Italy. Ive seen Italy, thanks.”
“Mum!”
“Youre daft, Rachel,” Emily smiled through her tears. “Im only joking.”
“If youre joking, maybe its not all bad.”
Everything felt up in the air. Just as Edward was, really. On the one hand, Edward had been a caring and affectionate husband.
On the other, he was very much ruled by mood. On his bad days, he could drain every last nerve from Emily, then apologise profusely. Luckily, Emily was easy-goingshe never dwelled on those moments. Thats how they managed. Twenty-five years! Honestly, its enough to drive anyone mad…
Rachel stayed for a bit, but soon lefther husband was busy with work, she was eager to get back, keep their home running. Emily stayed on, by herself.
But knowing herself, Emily suspected it was only for a while.
And sure enough, it was. She mourned for six months, wiped away her tears, and discovered a new circle of admirers had coalesced around her.
Even Emilys own mother used to chuckle in disbelief at how popular her daughter had always been.
“What do they see in you, honestly? They just fall at your feet! Youre not especially pretty, are you, or am I missing something?”
“Youre kind, Mum.” Emily replied, freshening her lipstick. “Beauty doesnt mean anything. Its just a word. Its all about allure and personality. A hint of sparkle.”
“Go on, off you trot,” her mother chuckled. “Or your suitor will get tired of waiting and bugger off.”
“Therell always be another,” Emily shrugged indifferently.
And now, nearly thirty years after that long-ago chat with her mother, nothing really had changed. Women still moaned there weren’t any good men left after forty.
Emily just never understood it. At forty-six, she had not one but two suitors, and both were absolutely lovely.
Her heart pulled her towards Simon. She liked him, in every sense. Good-looking, intelligent, always great company. She could discuss anything with him, take him out and feel proud.
But Simon’s real talent was, well, chatting. Emily felt herself falling for him through her ears, butat her age and with some experienceshe could see Simon was not the kind of man for country living. Not for her big house.
Her second suitor, Richard, was straightforward and solid. The kind who could drain a barrel on a holiday, but everything he touched seemed to thrive. Good with his hands, gentle, but with a core of steel.
He’d be meek as a lamb with his wife, but could move mountains for her if needed. For some idiotic, typically female, reason Emily fancied him lesshe wasnt much for romantic speeches, and he was taciturn, unless hed had a pint or two. Then he was full of jokes and stories, and could chat all night.
In fairness, Richard could drink anyone under the table, but the very next day hed be up and doing, bracing himself with cold showers and getting on with life. Not much for words, but all action. Emily chose Richard.
Simon was offended that his sweet talk had failed and drifted away.
Emily married Richard, who was over the moon. At the wedding, he had too much to drink and sang and danced until he dropped.
“Well, you dont hang about,” Susan grinned. “Its only been a year since Edward… Nothings changed, has it? Most women couldnt find a good man with a search party, and for you, theyre queuing at the door.”
“Go on, say it: What do they see in you? Youre not even beautiful!”
“I wont say that but honestly, youve always been mysteriously in demand.”
“I dont know what they see in me, Susan. Youll have to ask my mum about that.”
Emily winked and swept off to dance with her new husbandhed come to fetch her. She twirled, determined to dismiss any last doubts.
So what if Richard was a simple soul? He was strong, handy, and not bad-looking either. If he was quiet most of the timemaybe that was a blessing.
If she’d chosen Simon, what would she have got out of it? You cant make a meal out of pretty words.
Within months, Richard had turned Emilys patch into a fairy-tale garden. Dug out dead trees, levelled the lawn, planted flower beds for her, even built a sweet gazebo. You could feel a mans touch in every corner.
Emily truly felt shed made the right choice.
Richard was earning well, too. Always trying to delight her with little presents.
Emily compared her short time with Richard to her twenty-five years with Edward, and honestly regretted not meeting Richard sooner. He really was a golden man.
The summers were idyllicthey cooked on the barbecue and dined out in the gazebo, with a lovely sturdy wooden table and benches Richard had built.
After a meal, shed squint like a satisfied cat, and Richard would smile at her.
“Whats that look for, Richard?”
“Just happy, thats all.”
His first wife had been a misery. He never thought hed find a woman like Emily.
They enjoyed four blissful years together, until Richards health began to decline.
He tired too easily, started to lose weight, especially after a night out drinking.
“Richard, you must see a doctor!” Emily fretted. “Stop being stubborn, somethings wrong.”
“Nonsense, Emily. Itll sort itself out.”
“Oh, come off it! What if it doesn’t? Are you one of those men whos afraid of doctors?”
“No.”
Richard didnt want to admit what he was really afraid of. He feared that if he was truly ill, Emily would eventually leave him. Shed never want to look after a sick man.
Richard wasnt foolish. He knew Emily had married him for practical reasons, not for some great romance. But he loved her, despite everything.
He first saw her confused in the supermarket, frantically searching her bag for her purse, and had fallen for her immediately. There was something touchingly vulnerable about her.
He just wanted to scoop her up and protect her forever. Though his mum had raised an eyebrow at Emily on their first meeting
“Son, its your life. But what do you see in her? Shes no looker. And not young. You could get any girl you wanted!”
But Richard needed no one but Emily. Now, though, if he really was ill, would Emily still need him?
She never did manage to convince him to go to the doctor. One Saturday evening, Susan and her husband Peter were round. Richard and Peter were in the garden with beers, cooking sausages. Meanwhile, Susan, chopping salad with Emily, asked,
“Is Richard ill or something?”
“I honestly dont know!” Emily burst out. “Ive begged him to see a doctor, no luck! What do you think? He cant be well, can he?”
“He looks worse. Lost weight, and I think his skins got a yellowish tint.”
“Oh, God! Susan, please, will you talk him into it? Maybe hell listen to you, youre a doctor!”
Susan eyed her carefully.
“Emily Do you love him? I remember how unsure you were”
Emily bit her lip and said nothing.
Susan didnt have the chance to intervene: Richard collapsed at the dinner table. The ambulance came. Emily went with him. He never regained consciousness. She held his hand and prayed.
He was rushed into theatre.
“Liver tumour.”
“Cancer?!” Emily was terrified.
“Were waiting for the tests.”
Turned out the tumour was benign, but it was huge by the time Richard was operated on.
Doctors banned nearly everything and warned recovery would be longand maybe not complete, given his age.
Richard was distraught. His mum visited him in hospital while Emily was at work. She brought food he was allowedan uninspiring list.
“Son, I hardly recognise you! Youve survived, no cancer. Thats something to celebrate. Eat up a bit, would you?”
“Not hungry, Mum.”
“You should be! Whats this? Does Emily visit?”
“She does so far.” Richard answered glumly.
“And why not? Think shell leave you, do you? Shed be mad if she did!”
“Im finished. Useless! Not even allowed to work. Im only fifty in June, and already an invalid. Who needs an invalid?”
“What’s all this racket?” Emily said, coming in. “Are you shouting for the whole hospital? Good afternoon, Mrs Carter!”
“Ill leave you to it. Bye, Emily.”
“Whats happened here?”
Richards mum just waved and left. Emily washed her hands and came to sit beside her poor, miserable husband.
“Whats all this sulking, then? Youre no invalidarms and legs still attached. Everything else will heal. Did you know the liver regenerates, by the way?”
“What?”
“If youve got at least fifty-one percent of your liver, itll grow back. Youve got sixty percent left. Give it time. Itll be fine!”
“Will I have enough time, though?”
“What do you mean?”
“Time, Emily. Do I have enough?”
“Are you hiding something? Did you ask the doctors to keep something from me?”
“Nonothing like that”
Richard was sent home. And that was the hardest spell of his life. Any attempt at physical work and he was exhausted straight away. He hated it.
His birthday was loomingusually a time to celebrate. Now it just made him sad. No roast dinners, no drinks to celebrate.
Emily seemed not to notice his struggles, keeping spirits up with him, eating the boring food together.
“Emily,” he finally said, “whats going to happen with us now?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well Im recovering so slowly. Youll leave me, wont you? Better to say it now.”
“Why would I leave you? Im perfectly happy with you.”
“That was when I could do things and work. What about now? Im not even happy with myself.”
“Youre being daft. Come on, pull yourself together!”
“Im trying! But what am I supposed to do? If I so much as pick up a hammer, Im knackered in five minutes.”
Emily came behind him, slipped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek on his back.
“I love you, and Ill never leave. No need to rush to get well. Well take it as it comes.”
“Do you really love me? Honestly?”
“Honestly, truthfully.”
Emily hasnt left Richard. Hes recovering, slowly but surely.
For his birthday, Emily arranged a celebration without any strong drink, so he wouldn’t feel left out. A few friends gathered in the gazebo, they played board games.
“Youre a lucky man, Richard,” his friends said on their way out.
“You off to have a few beers for my sake?” he joked.
They all laughed and left. In the evening, he and Emily sat on the porch, gazing at the stars. Content. For the first time in months, Richard felt hope.
He believed hed recoverand that Emily would always be by his side. He hugged her tighter.
“Whats wrong, Richard?”
“Nothing at all,” he said.
“Well, about time,” Emily grinned, giving him a peck on the cheek.
They were truly happy.
