Ben was only sixteen when he brought her home… The girl, who had clearly been pregnant for a while, and a year older than him.
Emily studied at the same technical college as he did, just in a different year. For a few days, Ben had been watching the unfamiliar girl huddle in the corner and cry softly. He couldn’t help but notice her growing belly, the same outfit she’d been wearing for two weeks, and that vacant, hopeless stare.
It turned out her story was pretty much common knowledge… The grandson of a prominent businessman from Manchester had been dating her, then up and disappeared, heading to London “on urgent business.” His parents refused to have anything to do with her. They made that clear to her face.
As for her own family, they acted as if they were stuck in Victorian times, terrified of the “shame,” and kicked her out of the house before heading off to their cottage. Some folks felt sorry for Emily, while others sniggered about her behind her back.
“It’s her own fault. She should have used her head!”
Ben couldn’t stand it any longer. He mulled it over and went up to her.
“It won’t be a walk in the park, so stop sobbing. How about you come and live with me? We could even tie the knot. But let me be straight I can’t lie to save my life and I’m not going to pretend everything’s hunky-dory. I’ll just stick by you and I swear we’ll figure it out.”
Emily dabbed her eyes and looked at the lad. Not much to say… Just your average bloke, no frills. And she’d always pictured a much more dashing husband! But given her pickle, there was no choice, so Emily went along with him.
His parents were gobsmacked, with mum begging Ben to think again, but he was dead set.
“Mum, don’t turn it into a big drama, it’ll all work out. I’ve got two scholarships, the usual one and the social one. I’ll pick up some extra shifts, we’ll be fine!”
“But you wanted to go to uni!”
“So what? We manage. Dad’s been slaving away in the factory his whole life, and you in the shop. Loads of people without degrees get by just fine. Mum, it’s not the end of the world!”
Emily moved into Ben’s room. He let her have the bed and took the rickety pull-out sofa for himself. She was very quiet for the first few days. Like a ghost, she’d follow him hand in hand to college and back, until one day she burst out.
“I’ve had it! Why do your parents keep giving me funny looks? They don’t like me! And why don’t you ever spend time with me? You’re either nose-deep in books or off somewhere!”
Ben was taken aback.
“Don’t you reckon that’s normal? Yeah, they don’t like you, but they’ve let you stay and they don’t give you grief. Funny looks? Your own lot don’t even want to lay eyes on you. And where are the parents of your baby’s dad? I’m stuck in books because I’m studying and I don’t want to flunk out after the first year. Plus, that scholarship will come in handy. Off somewhere? Because I’m earning a bit extra and I can’t be bothered watching those soppy soaps with you.”
Emily started crying again.
“Why say it like that?”
“How? I warned you I can’t lie. Anyway, when are we heading to the register office?”
“I can’t go like this, buy me a pretty dress with a high waist so you can’t see the bump.”
“What are you talking about? We’ll just take the pregnancy note, who cares about a dress? I still need to save for a pram and a cot…”
Mum reached for her calming drops, but gradually got used to the idea and began eyeing up baby clothes more and more. Really, it wasn’t the end of the world… Let them get on with it, let them marry, and she and dad would chip in however they could. Only this girl seemed a tad ungrateful, forever moaning about Ben, about them, about the poky flat. Maybe once the baby arrived, she’d mellow out.
But Emily wasn’t planning on changing. When Ben trudged back filthy and exhausted from the car wash, carrying a scrawny cat, she went ballistic.
“You moron! What do we want with that scruffy cat? Get rid of it! Chuck it out of the flat!”
Ben just grinned.
“Nope, she’s pregnant too. She’s staying, so don’t start. Better zip it and warm up my dinner.”
“Oh, is that so?!” Emily nearly shrieked. “Choose! Her or me! That creature’s giving me the evil eye as well!”
“Why?” Ben stared at her, baffled. “This is my house and I don’t need to pick. It’s my cat, and if it’s a problem, you can go. Even mum never gave me ultimatums like that. Perhaps it’s time you stopped looking down your nose at everyone?”
Emily threw a wobbly, wept, and got jealous of the skinny, scruffy cat. How had Ben even noticed her belly? But sure enough, a bump showed up the cat was definitely expecting.
The lad was knackered, but whenever he felt a pang of regret, he brushed it off. They’d cope somehow. Emily would have the baby and settle down, and before that, the cat would provide some laughs. Those fluffy kittens would cheer everyone up.
But it didn’t turn out that way… Grandfather, the famous entrepreneur from Manchester, got back from a lengthy business trip and heard the whole story. He found his grandson, gave him a right earful, and declared he’d cut him off from the money if the great-grandchild ended up being raised in some stranger’s family. And the boy was dead scared of losing that kind of “piggy bank.”
Emily left with him that very day, without so much as a goodbye to Ben. Luckily, she had her documents with her (she’d been planning to see the doctor after classes). She didn’t bother with her belongings they’d just buy her new stuff! And she certainly wasn’t going back to that grotty college!
Ben was crushed… Just like that? She didn’t even say farewell, didn’t ring, didn’t utter a word. He chucked all her things and sat in the dark for ages, cuddling his cat.
The cat got it completely. She snuggled up quietly, knowing she was needed. She sympathised, purred away, and offered comfort.
Ben handled the cat’s delivery himself, keeping the frazzled mum and bewildered dad at bay. He sat beside her, spoke softly, and soothed her. He kept an eye on things and had his phone at the ready to call the vet if anything went wrong.
It all went smoothly, and the cat had four tiny kittens. Ben swapped the bedding, fetched fresh water and kibble. He double-checked everything was alright, and worn out, he lay down and closed his eyes, feeling the tiniest kitten curl up in his palm, thinking that sometimes animals are more grateful than humans.Ben was only sixteen when he brought her home… The girl, who had clearly been pregnant for a while, and a year older than him.
Emily studied at the same technical college as he did, just in a different year. For a few days, Ben had been watching the unfamiliar girl huddle in the corner and cry softly. He couldn’t help but notice her growing belly, the same outfit she’d been wearing for two weeks, and that vacant, hopeless stare.
It turned out her story was pretty much common knowledge… The grandson of a prominent businessman from Manchester had been dating her, then up and disappeared, heading to London “on urgent business.” His parents refused to have anything to do with her. They made that clear to her face.
As for her own family, they acted as if they were stuck in Victorian times, terrified of the “shame,” and kicked her out of the house before heading off to their cottage. Some folks felt sorry for Emily, while others sniggered about her behind her back.
“It’s her own fault. She should have used her head!”
Ben couldn’t stand it any longer. He mulled it over and went up to her.
“It won’t be a walk in the park, so stop sobbing. How about you come and live with me? We could even tie the knot. But let me be straight I can’t lie to save my life and I’m not going to pretend everything’s hunky-dory. I’ll just stick by you and I swear we’ll figure it out.”
Emily dabbed her eyes and looked at the lad. Not much to say… Just your average bloke, no frills. And she’d always pictured a much more dashing husband! But given her pickle, there was no choice, so Emily went along with him.
His parents were gobsmacked, with mum begging Ben to think again, but he was dead set.
“Mum, don’t turn it into a big drama, it’ll all work out. I’ve got two scholarships, the usual one and the social one. I’ll pick up some extra shifts, we’ll be fine!”
“But you wanted to go to uni!”
“So what? We manage. Dad’s been slaving away in the factory his whole life, and you in the shop. Loads of people without degrees get by just fine. Mum, it’s not the end of the world!”
Emily moved into Ben’s room. He let her have the bed and took the rickety pull-out sofa for himself. She was very quiet for the first few days. Like a ghost, she’d follow him hand in hand to college and back, until one day she burst out.
“I’ve had it! Why do your parents keep giving me funny looks? They don’t like me! And why don’t you ever spend time with me? You’re either nose-deep in books or off somewhere!”
Ben was taken aback.
“Don’t you reckon that’s normal? Yeah, they don’t like you, but they’ve let you stay and they don’t give you grief. Funny looks? Your own lot don’t even want to lay eyes on you. And where are the parents of your baby’s dad? I’m stuck in books because I’m studying and I don’t want to flunk out after the first year. Plus, that scholarship will come in handy. Off somewhere? Because I’m earning a bit extra and I can’t be bothered watching those soppy soaps with you.”
Emily started crying again.
“Why say it like that?”
“How? I warned you I can’t lie. Anyway, when are we heading to the register office?”
“I can’t go like this, buy me a pretty dress with a high waist so you can’t see the bump.”
“What are you talking about? We’ll just take the pregnancy note, who cares about a dress? I still need to save for a pram and a cot…”
Mum reached for her calming drops, but gradually got used to the idea and began eyeing up baby clothes more and more. Really, it wasn’t the end of the world… Let them get on with it, let them marry, and she and dad would chip in however they could. Only this girl seemed a tad ungrateful, forever moaning about Ben, about them, about the poky flat. Maybe once the baby arrived, she’d mellow out.
But Emily wasn’t planning on changing. When Ben trudged back filthy and exhausted from the car wash, carrying a scrawny cat, she went ballistic.
“You moron! What do we want with that scruffy cat? Get rid of it! Chuck it out of the flat!”
Ben just grinned.
“Nope, she’s pregnant too. She’s staying, so don’t start. Better zip it and warm up my dinner.”
“Oh, is that so?!” Emily nearly shrieked. “Choose! Her or me! That creature’s giving me the evil eye as well!”
“Why?” Ben stared at her, baffled. “This is my house and I don’t need to pick. It’s my cat, and if it’s a problem, you can go. Even mum never gave me ultimatums like that. Perhaps it’s time you stopped looking down your nose at everyone?”
Emily threw a wobbly, wept, and got jealous of the skinny, scruffy cat. How had Ben even noticed her belly? But sure enough, a bump showed up the cat was definitely expecting.
The lad was knackered, but whenever he felt a pang of regret, he brushed it off. They’d cope somehow. Emily would have the baby and settle down, and before that, the cat would provide some laughs. Those fluffy kittens would cheer everyone up.
But it didn’t turn out that way… Grandfather, the famous entrepreneur from Manchester, got back from a lengthy business trip and heard the whole story. He found his grandson, gave him a right earful, and declared he’d cut him off from the money if the great-grandchild ended up being raised in some stranger’s family. And the boy was dead scared of losing that kind of “piggy bank.”
Emily left with him that very day, without so much as a goodbye to Ben. Luckily, she had her documents with her (she’d been planning to see the doctor after classes). She didn’t bother with her belongings they’d just buy her new stuff! And she certainly wasn’t going back to that grotty college!
Ben was crushed… Just like that? She didn’t even say farewell, didn’t ring, didn’t utter a word. He chucked all her things and sat in the dark for ages, cuddling his cat.
The cat got it completely. She snuggled up quietly, knowing she was needed. She sympathised, purred away, and offered comfort.
Ben handled the cat’s delivery himself, keeping the frazzled mum and bewildered dad at bay. He sat beside her, spoke softly, and soothed her. He kept an eye on things and had his phone at the ready to call the vet if anything went wrong.
It all went smoothly, and the cat had four tiny kittens. Ben swapped the bedding, fetched fresh water and kibble. He double-checked everything was alright, and worn out, he lay down and closed his eyes, feeling the tiniest kitten curl up in his palm, thinking that sometimes animals are more grateful than humans.
