Hey love, Ive got to tell you this wild story about Andrew Harper and his wife Mabel its a proper rollercoaster, so settle in.
Andrew adored Mabel from the moment they met. He practically breathed her in, and for a good six years they lived together as a married couple, yet they never managed to have a little one. Mabel was seven years younger, fresh out of university at just eighteen when they tied the knot, so Andrew kept telling himself there was still plenty of time to start a family. He threw all his energy into building their cosy nest. First he renovated their flat in Manchester, then he went off constructing a cottage up in the Yorkshire Dales, complete with a sauna and a garden shed. He bought a mountain of seedlings exotic plants, ten different varieties of strawberries, and a whole arsenal of chrysanthemums. The chrysanthemums were the real showpiece, the icing on the cake, because Mabel was absolutely smitten with that flower. Shed often say to him, If you want a lifetime of happiness, grow chrysanthemums thats what the old Eastern wisdom says. And Andrew, ever the eager husband, kept hunting down new cultivars, because who could turn down a promise of happiness?
Come October, the chrysanthemums hit their stride people even call them the queen of autumn. Their lilac, pink and white pom-pom blooms turned the whole garden into a kaleidoscope. Neighbours walking by would stop dead in their tracks, eyes wide. What a lovely couple, theyd mutter. Everythings thriving for them.
Andrew never rested. He worked from dawn till dusk, and Mabel loved helping around the house. He didnt want her to get a job anywhere else half jealousy, half genuine protectiveness, I reckon. A husband provides, a wife keeps the hearth warm, was his motto. At first Mabel enjoyed being his diligent housewife, whipping up elaborate meals, baking cakes, canning veg, and making jams. When the kitchen was done shed knit stylish jumpers for Andrew, stitch beaded napkins, even dabble in painting.
But after a while Mabel started to wonder about the future. What was all this for? She didnt need much herself just Andrew by her side. Yet she imagined a day when Andrew would say, Alright, love, Ive prepared the ground for us to grow our family now. And what would she answer? Sorry, Andrew, well never have heirs. You know my sisters also childless, right? It was a painful thought, but the truth was that their love, while deep, was empty of children. Andrew, feeling the pressure from workmates who kept nudging him about starting a family, would joke about the flat being unresolved, then about needing a country house, and finally shrug, Were fine as just the two of us.
There was also Ivy Bennett, a colleague who was hopelessly enamoured with Andrew. She never tried to break up his marriage she called it a sin but shed smile at him, linger on his shoulder, and chat warmly each morning on the production floor. Andrew barely noticed; he was married to the woman he loved, after all.
One evening, Andrew came home to find Mabel gone. The kitchen still smelled of a warm dinner, and on the table lay a neat note in Mabels handwriting: Dearest Andrew, Im sorry we never built the family we dreamed of. Live your life without me. Forever yours, Mabel. He was stunned. Six years of devotion, carrying Mabel like she was his whole world, all seemed to crumble in an instant. He thought, Whats the point of this perfectly setup flat, the cottage, the blooming garden if shes left for good? He sighed, People manage fine without kids, they get on. He sank into a grey mood and shut himself away, feeling his colours drained.
Ten years later, Andrew was rushed onto a business trip. He missed the regular tickets and had to snag a lastminute seat to Scotland. He was sprinting onto the moving train when he puffed into his compartment, panting. He turned to the woman by the window and said, Good evening!
She turned, and his heart jumped. Mabel? he blurted, half falling into his seat. Andrew? she whispered, eyes wide. They collapsed into each others arms like two longlost friends, standing there in stunned silence. After a moment they finally found words.
Mabel, tell me everything! Kids? Family? Andrew asked, voice cracking a bit.
Ive got a husband now and two sons, she said, a hesitant smile tugging at her lips. Remember Ivy? Shes my sisterinlaw. My husbands a senior manager; we moved to London, then to Edinburgh when his job shifted. Im happy, really. I even thought once, at your doorstep, Id run back, cry, and stay. But the bridges are burnt, love. I cant go back.
Andrew tried to hide the sting. If you need me, just shout, Ill be there in a flash.
Mabel shook her head, I cant. My husbands a good man, he loves our boys, he even wishes for a daughter. He treats me like a queen. She paused, eyes softening. But tonight, Ill think of you, the way we once were Ill cherish that memory forever.
The train rolled into Edinburgh as dawn broke. Mabel brushed herself up, eyes bright with anticipation to see her family. Andrew watched her go, a mix of pride and loss swelling inside him. He gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek, whispered Take care, love, and stepped off the carriage, feeling the old saying ring true: You cant force happiness, you just have to carry on.
Months later, Mabel and her husband welcomed a little girl, a sweet baby sister for their boys. The whole family was over the moon, and Andrew, hearing the news from a mutual friend, smiled to himself. He never got that family hed once dreamed of, but he kept his garden blooming, the chrysanthemums still turning heads every autumn, a quiet reminder of what once was and what still could be.
Alright, thats the whole saga. Thought youd like a proper English spin on it. Talk soon!
