“Are you kidding?” exclaimed Jack, astonished. “How is this possible? You’re only twenty-one! And why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
Ella leaned in close to her husband, looking earnestly into his eyes.
“I was afraid you’d stop loving me and call off the wedding…”
“And now? What are your hopes now?”
***
They met by chance. Ella had just done a big shop at Tesco and was juggling two massive bags as she stepped onto an icy pavement. She would have surely fallen if not for the strong arms that caught her mid-air.
“Careful there,” came a soothing male voice beside her, “hold on to me…”
Feeling steady, Ella looked up at her rescuer.
“Thank you so much…”
“Why did you get so much? And especially in this weather?” asked the stranger with a smile.
“I’m expecting my parents over. They’re coming to see how I’m getting on in the city,” Ella replied simply.
“I see. Do you have far to carry all that? Can I offer you a lift?”
“Oh no, that’s unnecessary. You’ve already helped me. I’ll manage on my own. My place is right over there,” Ella said, carefully stepping in the direction she indicated. The man continued on his own way…
All day, he tried to concentrate on work, but it was futile. The image of the beautiful stranger kept resurfacing in his mind. That’s what he called her in his thoughts.
“What a lovely creature,” he mused. “Such open eyes, minimal makeup—I don’t even think she wore lipstick. And that blush… so delicate, barely there… and her voice… the word ‘streamlet’ comes to mind… I must find her. She said she lives nearby…”
Jack wasn’t someone who easily fell for women. Quite the opposite; he was always cautious, on the lookout for any traps.
This stemmed from a painful first love that ended with betrayal. From fifth grade, Jack was head over heels for a classmate, who, after seeing him off to the army and promising to wait, married the son of a businessman six months later.
When Jack returned, she brazenly told him, “Jack, don’t take it so hard. If it eases your mind, know this: I still love you. But loving and marrying are two different things. What can you offer me? Life in a rented apartment or, even better – a dorm? With an always-empty wallet? No, I want to live properly. I hope you understand…”
Jack did understand. He suffered for a long time, even started drinking more. But he pulled himself together, got a job, and enrolled in night school.
Now, at thirty, single, and fairly successful, he found himself dreaming about a girl he’d seen only once, and even then, only briefly.
Because warmth had filled his heart. He had waited years for this feeling. And now it had hit him. And he didn’t even know her name…
For two weeks, Jack lingered around that Tesco store, waiting for the beautiful stranger. And she appeared.
Ella popped in after work one night to pick up something for dinner. She was startled when a man suddenly appeared at her feet, exclaiming, “At last, I’ve found you!”
Recognizing her savior, she smiled. “Why were you looking for me?”
“We forgot to introduce ourselves! I’m Jack, and you?”
“My name’s Ella,” the young woman said, looking curiously at the flustered man. “And then what, Jack?”
“Then? How about a wonderful dinner at a restaurant? Are you up for it?”
“I don’t know. It’s so unexpected…”
“Please say yes, Ella!” the man implored. “I have so much to tell you…”
He told her everything – his first love, the years of loneliness, and how happy he was to have met her, seeing it as a blessing.
Ella listened attentively… This man, so endearing and a bit naive, was becoming more and more appealing to her.
They began seeing each other. Practically daily. The more they met, the more they grew attached. They enjoyed their time together, despite Ella being quite reserved and keeping Jack at a distance.
At first, Jack was puzzled but then became truly delighted. He was now entirely convinced that Ella was meant for him and had been waiting just for him!
He introduced Ella to his mother. Ella took Jack to her parents’ village.
Jack loved everything about it. The simple lifestyle, the sincere relationships. Hospitable hosts.
It was there, in the presence of her parents, that Jack proposed to Ella…
The wedding registration was small, attended only by the closest family members, as Ella wished. She said she didn’t want a big celebration but dreamed of a real honeymoon. Jack agreed. He bought tickets. The trip was scheduled for one month after the wedding.
Two weeks passed and the newlyweds were living together. Jack could hardly believe his happiness. Every day after work, he rushed home like on wings…
One beautiful evening, Jack noticed that Ella seemed troubled.
“What’s wrong, my love?” he asked gently. “Are you alright? Is everything okay?”
“We need to talk,” his young wife responded quietly.
“Speak, I’m listening.”
“I’m not sure how you’ll take this,” Ella began, struggling to find the words.
“I’ll handle it fine,” Jack reassured her, seeing her anxiety and trying to comfort her, “whatever it might be. You know how much I love you…”
“I know I should have told you sooner… But I couldn’t…”
“Ella, don’t drag it out,” Jack was starting to tense up. “Have you stopped loving me?”
“No, of course not. It’s just… Forgive me… I have kids… Two of them…”
“What? Are you joking?” Jack was amazed. “How is that possible?”
“I’m not joking…”
“But you’re only twenty-one! When did you manage that? And why didn’t you mention this before?”
Ella leaned closer to her husband, staring earnestly into his eyes.
“I was scared you’d stop loving me and change your mind about us…”
“And now? What do you expect now?”
“I don’t know. I hope you understand and forgive me…”
“Forgive?! Me?!” Jack still couldn’t believe what he was hearing…
“You see, I had a sad story of my own, just like you. We loved each other very much. When he found out I was pregnant, he left me. Got scared. I was only seventeen. When my son was born, he came back, asked for forgiveness. I forgave him. We lived together again. A year later my daughter was born, and while I was pregnant, he found someone else. Left me again with two children.”
“And where are your kids now? This is a nightmare… I visited your village… Your parents didn’t say a word. They kept it from me too…”
“The kids are with relatives. They have no children of their own and offered to keep the little ones.”
“And your parents? Are they not attached to their grandkids?”
“They visit regularly but refuse to take them in, saying they won’t manage.”
“I see. Quite the family…”
“Why say that? I didn’t want it to end up like this. Remember, I didn’t impose on you. You found me…”
“Right…,” muttered Jack. “And you played the innocent perfectly… I actually believed in your purity…”
“I was just afraid to get too close to you. I thought maybe it wouldn’t work out for us…”
“And did it work out for us?”
“Of course! We love each other!”
“And you can say that after such a monstrous lie? You could have told me all this a hundred times before we married! But no! You’re saying it now, when we’re already husband and wife!”
“What has changed? This was the only thing I hid. Now you’re my husband and I no longer want to deceive you. With what I told you, your acceptance depends on your love.”
“So, if I agree to raise your children, I love you. And if I refuse, I don’t?”
“If you refuse, they’ll stay with my relatives. That’s all. If you want, I won’t even meet with them.”
“In other words, you’re willing to give up your own children for me?”
“I am.”
“But that’s monstrous! Don’t you understand?”
“I just love you so much…”
Jack couldn’t hear any more. He grabbed his jacket and stormed out of the apartment.
He wandered the streets for a long time, trying not to think. Trying to calm down.
Eventually, he decided to visit his mother. He desperately needed to talk to someone…
“I don’t know what to say, son,” his mother said thoughtfully after listening to Jack, “this is something you have to decide on your own.”
“What decision, Mum? I feel like I already know the answer: if I agree – it’ll be hard for me, if I refuse – I take the mother away from her children and they’ll all be unhappy.”
“Then don’t rush to do anything. Think it over. Although… I can’t imagine how you’d live with someone capable of that…”
“I can’t either…”
“Then maybe it’s best for you to get a divorce?”
“I love her, Mum…”
“Then I don’t know…”
Jack stayed with his wife. He suggested she bring the kids in, but Ella declined.
“I don’t want to burden you with this,” she said calmly. “Let them stay with my relatives, and we’ll visit them.”
“In what capacity?” Jack asked tiredly. “They probably call your aunt ‘mum’ by now.”
“Fine. If they’re happy there, that’s what matters.”
“You decide,” Jack replied and never brought up the topic again.
They visited the kids a few times. Watching Ella play with them, Jack couldn’t help but wonder, “What will happen when we have our own child? What if something happens to me? Would she take our child there too?”
A year later, Jack filed for divorce…
He couldn’t live like that…
The love had faded away…
