Id just wandered out of the gym, hair damp and heart thumping, and glanced at my phone. Seven missed calls from Mum, blinking like little warning lights, says Alice. Then I spotted a text: Call me back! Even though it was nearly eleven, I rang her straight away. Mum can get flustered, lie awake all night worrying about nonsenseyou know how she is. She asked me to pop over, and when I walked into the lounge, tears were gleaming in her eyes. Somethings happened, she said. It might mean the weddings off.
Alice has a sister, Emily, only twenty-three. Shes a driven and talented designer. After finishing university just last year, she landed a job almost immediately. Emily had studied design, working part-time to keep herself afloat, and as soon as she graduated, the company shed interned at snapped her up. Her personal life seemed golden tooa shining example for us all, or at least, it was until that night.
Emily had been seeing Oliver for just over a year. He was three years older. Oliver lived by himself, worked hard, and was saving up for a house. He always seemed so polite, gracious, raised right.
Emily and Oliver had booked their wedding with the registrar. Only a few weeks left before the big day.
Someone messaged Emily on social media! writes Alice. You and I havent met, but I know you well, and its best you find out before the wedding Emily checked the womans profile: about forty, nothing remarkable there, so what could she possibly have to say?
Yet the stranger wouldnt let up, bombarding Emily with messages from different accounts. They eventually agreed to meet at a café near Emilys office. Emily sat at a little table, waiting, when suddenly, a pregnant woman walked in. At first, Emily thought it couldnt be herbut then the woman strode right over.
Are you Emily? My names Helen. Ive been seeing Oliver for over a year, and were having a baby boy in four months.
Naturally, Emily refused to believe her. Surely it was absurd. She and Oliver had been together for more than a year and were about to get married! Helen made no fuss, didnt argue, and left peacefully. As she walked out, she said, Youve got my phone numbercall whenever if you want answers. And I can talk to your fiancé too.
So what did Oliver say? Thats where everything spiralled. Emily had made it clear she and Oliver would wait until after marriage for anything beyond kisses and cuddles. Emily had no prior experience, felt it was right, and Oliver agreed, though you could feel his impatience simmering beneath the surface.
Oliver, meanwhile, was not inexperienced. He tolerated the wait, but to quench his own needs he went searching for uncomplicated company. He met Helen somewherehed been upfront, said it was nothing serious, wasnt looking for commitment. Helen, freshly divorced and mother to a child, received generous child support and held a steady job. She knew the age gap was significant, accepted the arrangement for what it was.
Oliver told Emily that, when the baby was born, hed take a paternity test and, if it was his, hed support Helen financially. He even blamed Emilysaid he was a healthy young man, and her old-fashioned values had driven him to this.
Now Olivers pleading with Emily not to leave. He swears he loves her, says Helen meant nothing but physical comfort, and that if Emily hadnt been so rigid thered be no Helen in his life.
He insists if the child is his hell help, but wants nothing more to do with Helen. Helen has chosen to keep the baby, and Oliver offered money forwell, you knowbut she refused. Now its all on her.
What do you think? Is Oliver at fault? Maybe the wild urge of masculinity took overit must be tough for a young man denied intimacy! Or should Emily run far away from such a fiancé? After all, lack of closeness hardly justifies infidelity, does it?
