My husband and I were absolutely gobsmacked, said Rebecca, who is fifty and much too young for this level of drama. Honestly, what that lad didyou couldnt make it up! He pretty much left her to manage the whole pregnancy herself. There are simply no words. He shipped her off for an abortion and even booted her from the flat they were renting. He shouted from the rooftops that the baby wasnt hisabsolutely bonkers! My nerves are in ribbons, truly.
I get it I replied, as Rebecca continued. Towards the end, maybe three weeks before the baby was due, he calmed down a bit. Apparently he rang Alice, sounding perfectly normal, asking about her health, the baby, who it would be and when. But he never once showed his face the entire time she stayed with us. Didnt even buy a hat for the baby, not so much as an apple. Thursday, I became a granny. Tomorrow, theyre being discharged. My daughter and husband told me Robert will be picking them up from hospital. I nearly dropped my tea. After everything
Well, perhaps hes finally turning over a new leaf? I suggested, trying to look on the sunny side. Is it worth giving him another shot?
I have no idea where hes off to, but I can tell you, my husband and I are dead set against it. Not an ounce of support from him the whole pregnancy. Wheres he going to take her and the baby? Alice says hes rented a one-bed flat What nonsense, with a newborn probably some dodgy bedsit, not even in London, in some unknown place! Alices dad said, If that scallywag shows up at the checkup, were packing up and leaving, and you can carry on however you please.
Alice, Rebecca and her husbands only child, is twenty-six. Lovely girl, precious daughter, apple of their eye. A year and a half ago, Alice started seeing Robert much to her parents dismay.
Hes got no qualifications, barely scraped through school; apparently, just didnt turn up for his A-levels. Rebecca suspects he probably didnt pass his GCSEs either, but hes wise enough not to admit it lest he sound too hopeless.
Robert works as a furniture porter and dreams of earning a tidy sum. For someone without so much as a diploma, its not bad. His official wage is laughable, but mostly he gets by on shifts and tips. Say, someone orders a new sofa, he and a mate lug it up, dismantle the old one, and sometimes its decent enough to flog on Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace. Owner doesnt care take it, sell it, do what you want.
In short, he hustles, and if mice had opposable thumbs, hed be right amongst them.
Alice has a university degree, works in marketing, and was at a swish advertising agency before maternity leave suits, heels, business lunches with equally impressive blokes. Then, out of the blue, Robert landed in her life. Some furniture delivery to Alices office, or something like that. Thats how they met.
They moved in together, fighting all odds, Rebecca told me. All her mates were gobsmacked, no one got it, Im sure.
Then suddenly, boom shes pregnant. Robert was desperate not to get married and drove the whole family round the bend for nearly nine months. Alice moved back home, and the family started prepping for the baby. They fixed up Alices old room, bought baby clothes, paid for a proper maternity ward.
And now, he waltzes in, gives a little wave, and all our efforts are apparently meaningless! Rebecca almost cried. Shes ready to leave us and trot off with him, who knows where, with the baby. Is that what good parents are meant to do? Let her go and wish her happiness? Wait for her to come running back, in slippers and tears? Because mark my words, itll happen soon enough!
Do you reckon its fair to give your daughter an ultimatum: If he shows up, we’re out? Is it right to support your childs decision? Shes chosen to forgive him and give her husband a second chance is that how it goes?
Or, can we see the parents side?
