**No Air Left**
Lily turned the key slowly in the lock and carefully stepped into the flat. No matter how quietly she tried to close the door, the latch still clicked. Without turning on the light, she undressed and tiptoed toward her room. The snap of the switch behind her echoed through the silent flat like a gunshot.
“Lily, where have you been? It’s so late. I called Daisy. You lied to me,” came her mother’s voice.
Lily froze, took a sharp breath, and turned to face her.
“Shouldn’t you be asleep?” she countered.
“How could I sleep when you’re not home? I was worried,” her mother said, her anxious eyes fixed on her daughter.
“Mum, I’m an adult. Stop keeping tabs on me,” Lily muttered.
“Oh yes, very grown up,” her mother sighed, waving a hand before retreating to her room, leaving the door ajar.
Lily hesitated, then followed, sitting beside her on the sofa.
“Sorry, Mum. I lost track of time.”
Her mother looked worn and pale. The harsh light of the ceiling lamp deepened the wrinkles and shadows under her eyes, which held nothing but silent reproach.
“I wasn’t alone. I was with James. We went to the cinema, then for a walk. Don’t worry about me.”
“James?”
“Yeah. I met him two weeks ago. He’s… interesting. Knows so much.” A smile tugged at Lily’s lips, her gaze softening. She leaned closer, resting her head on her mother’s shoulder.
“So last time, you were with him too, not with Daisy?”
“I’m sorry.”
“I get it, but why lie? Why not just tell me? Is he at uni too? Will you be studying together?”
“He graduated already. He works,” Lily said quickly.
“So he’s older? Oh, love…” her mother sighed, and Lily stiffened, ready to defend him—but her mum spoke first. “Will you introduce me to him?”
“Of course. You’ll like him.”
“I didn’t even notice you growing up.” Her mother gave her a sad look. “It’s late. Go to bed.”
“Night, Mum.” Lily kissed her cheek and retreated to her room.
She undressed, slipped under the covers, and stared at the ceiling, replaying every word, every kiss, lost in dreams…
When she woke, her mother had already left for work. Lily washed up, ate the breakfast left for her, and picked up her phone.
“Hey, you at work already?” she chirped.
“Yeah,” James answered, sharp.
“Bad time?” she asked, wary at his distant tone.
“Yeah. I’ll call you back.” He hung up.
“*You?*” Lily stared at the blank screen, confused.
“Must be someone nearby,” she reasoned, waiting for his call. She tried reading, but the words blurred. The telly offered nothing. She rang Daisy and suggested a walk.
They ate ice cream, Lily gushing about being in love, when James finally called.
“Sorry, Sparrow. Bad timing earlier. Hectic day. Meet tonight?”
“Yeah!” she beamed.
At their meeting, she said, “Mum wants to meet you.”
“You told her about us?” James stiffened. “She’s okay with it?”
“Why wouldn’t she be?”
“We’ve only just started… Meeting parents means serious commitment…”
“And we’re not serious?” Lily frowned.
“I *am* serious about you.” He pulled her close, hiding his face. “But your mum’ll interrogate me.”
“How often have you met girls’ parents? Confess.” She playfully jabbed his ribs.
“A couple times.”
“Got skeletons in your closet? A Bluebeard’s chamber of exes?” She laughed. “Wait—are you married?”
“God, no. Where’d that come from?”
“Fine. Where to?” she asked, changing the subject.
“Not much time. Mum wants me home early. Just a walk?” He kissed her deeply.
Her breath hitched. Any doubts melted away.
Arm in arm, James whispered how he’d missed her, how he’d dreamed of her. How she was all he wanted. He’d introduce her to his mum soon—she was fragile since his dad passed, startling at phone calls, so he kept his switched off at home…
Lily listened, imagining their life together—him coming home to her, flowers in hand…
“Saturday, then?” she asked. “Mum’s making her chocolate cake.”
James kissed her instead of answering.
On Saturday, he called—his mum was unwell, paramedics came, he couldn’t leave her…
Lily deflated.
“It’s fine. He’s a devoted son—means he’ll be a good husband. Let’s eat the cake,” her mother offered.
Lily forced a bite, then wandered the flat, restless. Daisy was away.
She stepped outside. Autumn teased the air, the last warm days precious. She bought an ice cream—then spotted James. Pushing a pram, a blonde beside him. Lily ducked behind a tree, watching. They passed.
The ice cream melted. Lily tossed it, trudged home, choking back tears.
If not his wife—who?
Her phone call went unanswered.
At home, her mother frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“Just tired.” Lily shut herself in her room.
Later, her mum sat beside her. “Did he hurt you?”
Lily turned away.
Her mother sighed. Lately, Lily had withdrawn, silent. Love—but something was wrong.
Winter came. Christmas lights twinkled.
“Any plans for New Year’s?” her mother asked.
Lily shrugged. “Dunno.”
“Talk to me. You shouldn’t face this alone. Mistakes now haunt you forever.”
Lily looked up, eyes brimming. “Mum… I’m pregnant.”
“Oh, Lily… Does he know?”
She shook her head.
“Tell him.”
They wept together late into the night.
The next day, Lily went to James’s. His phone was off. At his doorstep, she waited until an old man emerged.
“Seventh floor, last door left. Who are you?”
She darted up. A baby’s cry inside. The door opened—the blonde woman.
“I thought you were the doctor. Who are you?”
“Does James live here?”
The woman blinked. A crash—the baby wailed—she rushed off, leaving Lily in the hall.
Lily shut the door, numb. A wife. A child. No sick mother. All lies.
Her phone buzzed. James: *”Why come here? Lost your mind?”*
She sobbed.
At home, her mother called, “Helping with the tree?”
Lily locked herself in the bathroom, ran the tap. Found her dad’s old razor.
Her mother broke the door open in time.
Later, in the hospital, Lily wept. “I’m sorry.”
“Hush. It’s over.”
She scraped through exams. Blocked James. The pain dulled, but never left.
That summer, she and her mother went to the coast. There, she met a boy from her hometown.
Slowly, she became herself again. Though sometimes, shadows crossed her face.
But it passed. Everything does.
*You didn’t know. Couldn’t have known that love would turn to lies and waiting. That you’d wake up tangled in someone else’s life. No one warned you at the start…*
*Run. If you can’t run—crawl. Before they break your wings for good.*
