The Choice
“So, turns out Freddie is thoroughly married…” sighed Emily, perched on a bench in the park and clutching the referral for the clinic in her coat pocket.
Her flatmates back at the halls would envy her whenever they spotted her with the striking, clean-shaven, blue-eyed dark-haired chap, thinking shed hit the jackpot with such a chivalrous suitor. But, in the end, there was nothing to be jealous about.
Emily shivered, recalling her one and only encounter with Freddies wife, whod waited for her outside the factory gates, determined to set things straight.
“Well, hello! Emily, isnt it?” the woman began.
“And you are?” Emilys voice trembled as she steeled herself against the piercing stare of the tall, elegant woman with ashen-blonde hair.
“Im JillFreddie Houghtons wife.”
“What?”
“You heard me!”
“Another plain girl,” the woman said coolly, “How many of you are out there, really? You never seem to stop, chasing after someone elses happiness.”
“Excuse me, but”
“Listen,” Jill gently took Emily by the elbow, “isnt it you whos crossed the line? Im his wife. I saw you with my husband, and instead of being contrite, youre acting as if youve done nothing wrong. Decent people, you know, usually apologise and bow out in shame. Clearly, that’s not your sort.”
She eyed Emily with a scathing look. “Hes had enough women that we wouldnt have enough fingers and toes to count them all. And every single one was just a passing fling. Hell leave you behind and never look back. Best stay clear.”
“Actually, weve two daughters. Here” Jill produced a family photo and held it out to the stunned Emily, “from our trip to Bournemouth just two months ago… See? Proof. A big, happy family.”
“What do you want from me? Sort this out with your husband yourself!”
“Oh, I will, dont you worry! He only started at this factory recently. Good salary. And then you show up and turn things upside down for us. Lets be sensible. Dont get caught up in his empty promises. Freddie isnt planning on leaving me. Dont waste your time. How old are you? Thirty?”
“Twenty-five!” Emily shot back, stung.
“Well then. All the more time to meet someone better and have a family of your own. Just let Freddie go.”
After that, Emily stopped listening. Her legs felt like lead as she slowly walked away, the sudden crash of her illusions ringing in her ears. In just moments, Freddies wife had shattered all her pretty dreams and hopes.
“Betrayer…” Emily muttered, a lump rising in her throat, but she refused to show her feelings in public. She didnt want to become the subject of gossip at work.
That evening, as if nothing had happened, Freddie turned up at Emilys door with a bunch of flowers. Her eyes still puffy and raw, she kicked him outdespite pledges of eternal love and promises that he and his wife were as good as strangers.
It took Emily a fortnight to recover. Freddie never bothered her againif they passed at work, he pretended not to know her.
Trouble never comes alone. When the morning sickness and dizziness started, Emily chalked it up to stress until she realised: her naïve, passionate love for Freddie had left consequences.
“Six weeks,” came the sentence.
Emily was terrified at the thought of becoming a single mother. Suddenly, it felt as if everyone knew and was judging her for trusting a man shed never really known.
Freddie had never told her he was married. What could she have donedemanded to see a passport when they met? He wore no wedding ring, not that all married men do.
And why hadnt she wondered more, when he asked her to keep their relationship secret at work?
Hed lied to her. But that didnt lessen the pain. If anything, it made it worse, especially as word had begun to spread in the office about Jills infamous visit.
“Im pregnant.” During her lunch break, desperate, Emily approached her former lover.
“Ill give you cashjust take care of it,” he muttered, barely looking at her.
Freddie resigned the next day and vanished from her life forever.
Emily knew she couldnt put it off. Despite the doctors advice, she picked up the referral for the ‘procedure.’
And so she sits now on a bench, clutching the letter as if she might lose it.
“In a hurry?!” asked a young man, dropping onto the bench beside her, dressed smartly and holding a huge bouquet of deep red chrysanthemums.
“Pardon?” she looked at the stranger with emptied eyes.
“Your watch is fast,” he nodded at the gilded timepiece on her wrist.
“Oh, its always ten minutes ahead… I keep trying to fix it, but its hopeless,” Emily replied flatly, turning away.
“Lovely weather, isnt it? True Indian summer. My mum loves this season. She says it was just this sort of warm autumn day when she made the right choice in life, and never looked back.”
“And you know what?” The stranger continued, brightening, “My mum’s amazing” he gave a big thumbs up”I owe her so much.”
“And your father?” Emily blurted out without thinking.
“Oh, mum never talks about him, and I never asked. I can see shed rather not remember him.”
“Ive just come from a job interview. Would you believe it? They picked me out of ten candidates, even though Ive got no experience. Feels unreal…”
“Mum always believed in megave me confidence.”
“I already know what Ill do with my first pay-packet: buy a holiday to the seaside for my mum. Shes never seen the sea in her life!”
“You ever been?”
“No.” Emily studied the chatterbox, her gaze catching on his burgundy tie.
He beamed. “Gift from mum,” he said proudly, smoothing the tie.
“Im probably prattling on, but I just needed to share my good news. You look so sad… I thought maybe you needed to talk. Am I annoying you?”
Emily shook her head, wordless. The stranger didnt irritate her; in fact, hed interrupted the dark swirl of thoughts churning in her mind. His fondness for his mum moved her.
“Such deep devotion,” she thought, listening now with genuine curiosity, “His mother is so lucky. If only I could have a son like that…”
“Well, I must dash. Mums waiting and will worry. But youdont hurry!”
“Sorry?”
“I meant your watch,” he grinned.
“Oh.” She managed a small smile in response.
A minute later, he was gone. Emily looked at the referral, gripped so tightly in her anxious hand just moments before. She tore it into shreds.
She sat for a long time afterwards, breathing in the golden autumn air.
Inside, she felt lighterwarmed by the brief but powerful encounter with a stranger who, for a moment, felt so close.
She realised shes not alone. That woman raised an extraordinary son on her ownits a pity she never learnt his name, but that hardly matters now…
The choice is made.
***
Twenty-three years on…
“Mum, Im running late,” Stan was at the mirror as Emily carefully tied his burgundy tie, freshly bought for his big job interview.
“Do you really need it?”
“Its for confidence, Mum. Honestly, itll all work out. Theyll take me on, youll see There! How do I look?” She finished with the tie and stepped back, admiring her boy.
“Im a bit nervous… what if”
“This job is made for you. Dont worry, just answer clearly and dont forget to smile. Youll charm them all.”
“Thanks, Mum.” Stan pecked her on the cheek and dashed out for his interview.
As Emily watched her son stride confidently down the street, her heart skipped a beat.
Somewhere, somehow, shed seen this before…
That young man on the park bench, all those years ago…
Now, Stan in his smart suit, so much like him…
It had all been forgotten, buried deep. But at this moment, the memory came rushing back.
Could fate have given her a glimpse of whom she almost let go (such a dreadful thought), ahead of timenudging Emily onto the right path?
Why didnt she get his name back then? Why not ask after his mothertheir ages must have been so close?
But that no longer matters
It all turned out beautifully.
After lunch, Stan came home with a massive bouquet of deep red chrysanthemums, to match his tie, and told Emily hed got the job.
He also promised her that they would one day go to the seaside togethershed never seen the sea, after all.
The time had come for him to look after his mum. For her, hed move mountains and turn rivers upstreamhe was that sort of son.
Whatever obstacles life threw at them, there was always a strength when she hugged his strong little frame.
Theyd overcome everything, never bowed their heads.
Emily never once regretted keeping her child. She had made the right decision for herself.
And thats just as it should be.
