You know what they say: the longer couples date before tying the knot, the shakier their marriages end up being…
So, there was this couple, Tom and Alice. Theyd been seeing each other for seven years before finally deciding to get married. Funny thing is, in all that time, theyd never actually spent a full day living together. They liked having their own space, their own routines. But then, when Alice found out she was unexpectedly pregnant, they figured it was time to make things official.
At first, living together was actually quite exciting for them. They got to do up their little London flat, since Alices nan moved back in with her own daughter, freeing up the place for the newlyweds. Then came furnishing the flat together trips to IKEA, arguing over colours, picking out silly knick-knacks. All those little things. But once the dust settled and theyd finished feathering their nest, they noticed that being cooped up together wasnt all it was cracked up to be.
Tom soon started asking Alice if he could pop down the local pub for a pint with his mates. Honestly, Alice was more than happy to wave him off she enjoyed the quiet too. Gradually, that became their rhythm, just like it was for the seven years before: theyd only really see each other late at night, when both were ready to wind down.
As Alices due date grew closer, Tom just seemed to get gloomier. Alice didnt really notice much at first, just put it down to nerves. Until, one day, she gets this out-of-the-blue phone call from a woman who tells her flat out that Toms moving in with her. And would you believe it while Alice was at a routine appointment with her midwife, Tom packed up his things and moved out.
What really stung was that Tom didnt even try to explain himself to Alice, who was heavily pregnant and utterly bewildered. He never even bothered showing his face at the divorce proceedings. Alice did her best to make sure that when the baby arrived, thered be no mention of Tom on the birth certificate, so shed be the only one listed as a parent. Thankfully, her family pulled together to help her sort everything quickly.
She gave birth to a gorgeous baby boy a proper little chunk with dimples to die for. The moment she saw her son, all the hurt shed felt over Tom just sort of melted away. Her parents were absolute rocks, helping her raise her boy. As for men? Alice had no interest the wound from Tom running off was not something she was keen to open up again.
When her son was three, one afternoon the doorbell rang. Alice thought it was her mum coming to take her grandson for a walk, so she didnt even check who it was and just opened the door. Standing there was Tom, of all people, holding a massive bouquet of red roses Alices favourite and a big toy racing car, the first gift hed ever bothered to buy their son.
Alice just stood there, silent, waiting. Tom said, Im so sorry Ill do anything. Please let me make this right
She looked at him and just said, You really think Id forgive you after all this time? Its been years, Tom…
Right then, her son came running into the hallway.
She shook her head. No. And please, dont come here again. Weve managed all this time without you; weve learned how not to need you
The pain was gone now. Years had worn it down, leaving just a bit of pity for Tom whod lost out, really, on watching his son grow up.
