After My Parents’ Divorce, They Cast Me Out: How I Was Forced to Leave Home but Found Happiness, and How Fate Eventually Brought My Estranged Mum and Dad Back Together

Author Mitsuko NagasakiReading 4 minViews 2

I begged her, but Mum wouldnt budge. She quickly stuffed my things into my rucksack, gave me a bit of cashall in crisp twenty-pound notesand then threw me out. Wed been a typical English family by anyones standards: just Mum, Dad, their daughter, and Granddad Arthur. My parents had always got on well enough, but at some point, Mum stopped caring for herself and Dad started seeing someone else.

Dads new love was a good deal younger than him and became pregnant with his child. Mum couldnt forgive the betrayal, and Dad left us to be with her. Both of my parents tried to move on, crafting new lives for themselves, but there wasnt any room for me in their plans.

By the time I was finishing Year 11, Mum brought home a new boyfriend, clearly younger than her, and I objected. After that, I got in with a bad crowdI started drinking, chopped my hair short, and dyed it bright pink. Mum didnt pay me any mind, not really caring what mess I got myself into, so I kept acting out. After my first year of sixth form, we had another row, and Mum finally chucked me out for good.

She said: Listen, youre a grown woman now. Like your father, I just want a bit of happiness for myself. Pack your things and go live with your dad!

I had no choice but to beg, desperate for her to change her mind, but she ignored me, kept shoving my bits into my rucksack and sent me packing. When I finally got to Dads flat, he made it clear I wasnt welcome: You understand, this flat belongs to my wife and she wont want you living with us. You need to go back to your mum and sort things out. Then he slammed the door in my face.

Unsure what else to do, I used what money I had to buy a train ticket north. A lots happened since then. I arrived in a small town in the north of England, enrolled in college, and when I finished, I started working as a cook.

After some time, I met a lovely man, fell in love, and married him. Together we bought our own flat. My husband always encouraged me to forgive my parentshed grown up in a childrens home and had never known a mothers love, so he understood what it meant to be alone.

Even so, I kept putting off making peace with my parents. This went on until one day he told me, Youre lucky, you still have a mum and dad. Dont let your pride put you on the path of an orphan. We all make mistakes, so you should face your family and try to rebuild those bridges.

So we went back to my hometown together. When we knocked on the door of my childhood flat, my ageing parents both answered. Mum, upon seeing me, immediately fell to her knees, begging for forgiveness. In that moment, I realised Id forgiven them long agoId just never admitted it to myself.

We went inside and I introduced my husband to my parents. Then I told them they were going to be grandparents. My parents confessed theyd reconciled after they began searching for me togethermy absence brought them closer and made them a family again.

Dads second wife, after seeing how much he missed Mum, let him go and soon married the man shed been seeing behind Dads back. Dad had thought that girl was carrying his child and left our family on that account, but in the end she didnt know who the father was herself.

After their divorce, she got a paternity test, and it turned out Dad wasnt the father at all. Now, my parents are happy together, and so am I. Everything has worked out just like I dreamed as a teenager: Dad and Mum are back under the same roof, and were a family again.

Don’t Leave, Mum: A Family Story There’s an old saying: people aren’t like nuts—you can’t crack them right away. But Tamara Watson was sure that was nonsense. She prided herself on reading people perfectly! Her daughter, Millie, had married just a year ago. Tamara had dreamed of her daughter finding the right man, starting a family, and welcoming grandchildren. She imagined herself as the proud matriarch of their sprawling, happy brood, just as she had always been. Russell seemed clever and certainly wasn’t short of money—and he was obviously a bit smug about it. But the newlyweds insisted on living independently, as Russ had his own flat, and it seemed they didn’t need Tamara’s advice about anything! She could see he was clearly a bad influence on Millie! This arrangement didn’t fit with Tamara’s plans at all. Russell got right under her skin. “Mum, you just don’t understand—Russell grew up in care. He’s worked for everything, he’s strong and kind,” Millie would protest. But Tamara would just purse her lips and find new faults with Russell. He was not at all the person he pretended to be in front of her daughter! And it was her motherly duty to open Millie’s eyes to this vacant man before it was too late! No degree, difficult to talk to, uninterested in anything! At weekends, he just slumped in front of the telly, claiming he needed to “rest!” And her daughter wanted to spend her life with someone like that? No way! She was sure Millie would thank her in the end. And what about the children, her future grandchildren—what kind of father would teach them anything worthwhile?! All in all, Tamara was bitterly disappointed. Russell, sensing his mother-in-law’s mood, started avoiding the family. They spoke less and less, and Tamara eventually refused to step foot in their flat. Millie’s dad, ever the gentle soul, kept neutral, knowing what his wife could be like. One night, Millie rang Tamara sounding frantic: “Mum, I didn’t tell you, but I’m away for work for two days. Russell caught a chill on site, came home early, and isn’t answering my calls.” “Milly, why are you telling me this?” Tamara exploded. “You two are so independent now, don’t seem to care about us! If something’s wrong with me, nobody notices! And now you wake me up at night to say your husband’s ill? Are you alright in the head?” “Mum, please…” Millie’s voice trembled with worry, “It just hurt that you think Russell’s no good, when he’s not like that at all. How could you think I’d marry someone bad? Don’t you trust me?” Tamara was silent. “Mum, please, you’ve got our spare key. Can you go and check on him? I’m really worried—something’s wrong with Russ. Please, Mum!” “Alright, but only for you,” Tamara said, waking her husband. When they arrived, no one answered the bell, so Tamara let herself in. “It’s probably nothing—maybe he’s not home?” her husband suggested, but Tamara’s anxiety grew. She entered the living room—and froze. Russell was sprawled on the sofa, burning with fever. The paramedic who arrived nodded sympathetically: “Looks like your son’s got complications from a cold—kept working through it, I bet?” “He works hard,” Tamara nodded. “He’ll be okay. Keep an eye on him, ring if anything changes.” Russell slept, and Tamara found herself sitting at his bedside all night—the son-in-law she’d resented for so long. He looked younger, softer, asleep—a far cry from his usual self. “Mum—don’t go, Mum,” Russell murmured in his sleep, gripping her hand. Tamara was stunned. But she didn’t pull away. She sat there beside him until dawn. At sunrise, Millie rang again: “Mum, sorry to put you through this—I’ll be home soon, you don’t need to come around, I think it’ll all work out.” “It will, darling, it already has,” Tamara said gently. “We’re here, and everything’s alright.” ***** When Millie’s first child was born, Tamara was the first to offer her help. Russell kissed her hand in gratitude: “See, Millie? You said your mum wouldn’t want to help us.” Tamara, proudly cradling baby Timothy, paraded around the flat, whispering to the newborn: “Little Tim, you’re a lucky lad! You’ve got the best mum, dad, and grandparents! What a life you’ll have!” Perhaps the old saying is true: people aren’t like nuts—you can’t crack them straight away. It’s only love that helps you truly understand each other.