La vida

The Secret In a small English village, more a rural hamlet than a true town, lived a girl named Lily. One day her mother, a firm believer in the mystical, took her to visit the local fortune teller. The old mystic laid out the cards and declared: “Lily will have a happy life. Everything will turn out well for her. But I don’t see a man by her side.” Lily was only about ten at the time. The words of the mysterious old woman were seared into her memory, though she barely understood them. Years passed. Lily grew into a tall, beautiful woman who drove all the village lads wild. But she never settled on any of them, dating one and then another but never making a decision. Despite doing well at school, she didn’t leave for university. Instead, she stayed and took a job at the local dairy. Rumour had it she was seeing one of the managers, but no one ever saw them together. The older women at the factory would warn the newcomer: “Careful, Lily, don’t get stuck here or you’ll find life’s passed you by. Head to the city—you’ve got everything going for you there.” Lily just smiled, never replying. Suddenly, news swept through the village: Lily was pregnant! Speculation exploded about who could have “blessed” the village beauty, but no one could figure out who the father was. Her mother didn’t hesitate: “So you’ve done it? Shamed the family! You’re on your own now. Don’t expect my help. You made your bed, now lie in it. And find somewhere else to live, you’re not staying here—I’ll give you a month.” “All right, Mum,” Lily replied calmly, “I’ll go. But don’t expect me to come back.” Two weeks later, Lily bought a small cottage, complete with all the household bits. She was lucky, said the neighbors—the previous owner’s children had taken her to the city and sold the house for next to nothing. Where Lilly, pregnant as she was, got even those few pounds was a mystery. Then the miracles began. The cottage was swiftly done up, fitted with a modern touch and a new fence, and a fresh water well appeared in the yard. People would turn up, do the work quickly, and then vanish. Soon after, Lily received deliveries of boxes filled with appliances and new furniture. She walked around the village smiling, looking every bit as content and carefree as anyone could imagine—nothing like an abandoned, single mother. That autumn, Lily’s son, Anthony, was born, and a brand new sky-blue pram appeared before her tidy little house. She bounced back from childbirth quickly, looking even more striking than before. Always poised and well-dressed, she walked through the village with her head held high, looking endlessly content. At home, she worked tirelessly: the newborn, the garden, the wood stove, shopping, laundry—but she never once complained. Raised to value hard work, she simply got on with things. Neighbors, recognizing her spirit and kindness, became friends, even helping with Anthony when she needed to nip out. They’d lend a hand in the garden—sending a husband round to dig beds, or helping with weeding—but Lily managed most things on her own. When Anthony was about two, one neighbor rushed to another wide-eyed: “Did you see?” “What?” “Lily’s pregnant again!” “Nonsense, you’re imagining it!” “No, really—come and see!” Once again, gossip about Lily spread through the village: who could be the father this time? But no one had seen her with any man. Lily ignored the whispers, quietly carrying on with her life. Soon a little bathhouse appeared on her land, gas fitters rerouted their route to install gas for her, and a modern greenhouse sprang up in her garden. “So where does a single woman get that kind of money?” villagers wondered, “She must have a secret admirer—someone important. But Lily’s secret remained unsolved.” The same sky-blue pram reappeared in her yard and Anthony had a new little brother, Sam. Two years later, another brother—Michael. Lily had three sons, and no one in the village knew who their father was. Some openly mocked her, some admired her courage when they saw her healthy, well-cared-for children and tireless work ethic. Others wagged their fingers and used her as a cautionary tale for their own daughters. Lily’s mother couldn’t understand her, was ashamed, never tried to help or get to know her grandchildren. Lily simply held her head high and ignored it all. Time passed—until the day a fancy car pulled up outside Lily’s house. Out stepped the owner of the dairy factory—a widely respected figure—bearing a huge bouquet. He went in, and as townsfolk gathered outside, Lily eventually stepped out with him, only for the man to embrace and kiss her in front of everyone before announcing loudly: “Lily has agreed to be my wife. We, and our sons, invite you all to our wedding!” A stunned silence. Only then did the villagers realise who Lily’s boys reminded them of… At last, congratulations rained down from every direction. After a grand wedding, the dairy owner moved Lily and her sons into his home, with the whole village helping to pack up her things. A year later, the family welcomed a long-awaited baby girl… So much for fortune tellers!

The Secret In a small English village that fancied itself a town, lived a girl named Abigail.

La vida

011

Spring 1992, in a small English town: Every morning, a quiet man named David sat on a bench outside the railway station—not begging, not talking, just staring at the tracks with a battered carrier bag at his feet. Once a train driver before the strikes and closures of the late ’80s, he was left behind when the world changed. At 54, silence clung to him. At eight, he’d arrive as if reporting for old shifts, staying until noon, known by locals only as “the one who worked for British Rail.” One day, a nervous 19-year-old with a battered rucksack and a crumpled letter sat nearby, anxiously checking the time. “Is there a train to Manchester?” he asked, without looking up. “Quarter to four,” David replied. The lad confessed he’d made it to university but didn’t have fare to get there. David said nothing, walked away, and returned minutes later—leaving behind his old railway pass and some cash. “I don’t need these anymore,” he said. “I’ve arrived where I’m meant to be. It’s your turn.” The boy tried to refuse, but David insisted: “If someday you make it, help someone else. That’s all.” Years passed. The young man succeeded and returned to repay the debt, but David said simply, “Keep it going.” A decade later, visiting home, the man learned David had lost a leg in an accident but still kept that dignified gaze. He brought David a new wheelchair and quietly slipped an envelope of money in the pocket—“So you can keep moving, just as you once helped me.” In a world where so much is lost—friends, trains, years—kindness comes back around if we don’t break the chain. If you’ve seen or received a kindness that kept the chain unbroken, share your story. We need more tales that bring us together. A like, comment, or share helps keep the kindness going.

Back in the spring of 1992, in a small English town, there was a man who sat on a bench outside the railway

La vida

The Last Summer at the Old Family Home

The Last Summer at Home I arrived on a Wednesday, just as the sun was climbing high and the heat on the

La vida

As a child, I was curious to discover who my father was. Growing up in care, his absence became ‘normal’ for me. At 14, I met the father of my children and had no desire to search for my own father—life simply went on. Later, after separating, fate unexpectedly led me to him. I run my own business, and one day a client arrived. We struck up a conversation, and I mentioned I’d never met my father. He helped me find him in the village where he’d lived all his life. Meeting him at last brought indescribable joy. I made plans with him—trips, chats, little gestures. I’d buy him clothes, indulge him, always paid for everything, feeling a need to make up for lost years. He told me he was alone, his local children wouldn’t let him have a partner, insisting any woman near him wanted only his money. I asked to meet the woman he claimed loved him, and he introduced us—a humble, hardworking lady who genuinely cared. But his children rejected her, insulted her, called the police, and treated her badly at every turn. She confided the reason: my father had houses, land, and money in the bank—and his children blocked anyone getting close, frantic to protect their inheritance. That’s when the whispers began. People said I only appeared to take everything from him. I didn’t even bear his surname, but he insisted I accept it. I didn’t want the trouble, but eventually I agreed, and tensions flared. My bond with my father’s partner only grew stronger. I suggested they marry in secret, and they did. His children’s anger intensified. But I told them he deserved happiness. Their marriage had ups and downs, but one day I invited them both on a trip. Usually it was just me and my father. During the trip, his wife asked how much I’d contribute to expenses; I said nothing, as I’d always covered our trips. That’s when she shook my world: she revealed things weren’t as I thought. My father was always financially comfortable. His children controlled him, wouldn’t let him spend on himself or enjoy life. I’d thought he had little, living in an unfinished house and looking deprived, but others managed his money. From then on, I encouraged him to enjoy what he’d worked for. But he said his children wouldn’t allow it. After the wedding, his wife pressed him to help with household expenses. Every request sparked an argument. Eventually he’d contribute, but only after a row. She confided everything, and I saw her requests as fair. One day, when his wife asked him to buy lunch for her father, he exploded—told her to pay instead, bemoaning the daily requests, and started a fight. I defended her, reminding him how unfair it was to deny someone who cared so much. He replied he was tired of always being asked for money. Then it hit me, painfully: my father was generous with the children who never cared for him and came only for his money, but stingy with the woman who looked after him. Eventually, his marriage ended. Now he lives alone. Supposedly a daughter ‘looks after’ him, but everyone knows he’s supporting her, her husband, and their children. His other kids order him around and he sends them money instantly. But to the woman who stood by him—he always refused. I’m not the same with him anymore. I love him, but it’s different. I no longer invite him on holidays; we rarely talk. If I don’t call, he doesn’t ring. I can’t be who I was. It hurts to admit—finding him once filled me with hope, but now, it’s as if he no longer exists.

You know, when I was a kid I was always curious to find out who my dad was. I grew up in a boarding school

La vida

021

My Husband’s Mistress Was Stunning – I Would Have Chosen Someone Like Her Myself If I Were a Man: On Confident Women, Crumpled Dresses, and the Surprising Calm of Discovering His Affair in a London Café

My husbands mistress was stunning. If I were a bloke, Id have chosen her myself. You know the sort of

La vida

A Twist of Fate: How Life’s Setbacks Led Dina and Oleg to Find True Love, a Miracle Child, and the Family They Never Expected

A Gift of Fate Stephen turned up at his mothers house late, later than people normally do, but that was

La vida

Living for Each Other: After the Loss of His Mother, Egor Faces Family Betrayal and Heartbreak as He and His Daughter Ksyusha Overcome Tragedy, Illness, and a Shocking Act by His Sister Rita in Small-Town England

We Shall Live For Each Other After the loss of his mother, George managed to collect himself somewhat.

La vida

025

You’re Not Welcome: How a Daughter Rejected Her Mother Because of Her Appearance I’m Sorry, Mum… Please Don’t Come Over Right Now — whispered my daughter quietly, almost offhand, as she laced up her trainers in the hallway. — Thank you for everything, really, but right now… it’s best if you stay home and rest. I already had my bag in hand and was slipping on my coat, ready as usual to go look after my granddaughter while my daughter went off to yoga. It was always so well-rehearsed — I’d arrive, babysit, then catch the bus home to my little bedsit. But today, everything was different. After her words, I just stood there, frozen. Had something happened? Had I put the baby down wrong? Buttoned up the wrong babygrow? Fed her at the wrong time? Or maybe, just maybe… was I simply caught looking “wrong”? But no, the truth was much more ordinary — and hurtful. It was about her in-laws. Wealthy, influential, holding all the right positions, they’d suddenly decided to visit their granddaughter every day. With serious faces, they unwrapped presents and sat at the dining table they’d picked out themselves. They’d gifted the young couple the flat as well. The furniture, the tea — all from them. They brought over posh Darjeeling and made themselves at home. Apparently now claiming my granddaughter as “theirs”. And me… I was in the way. Me, the retired railway worker with thirty years’ service, just an ordinary woman, no titles or frills, no fancy clothes or designer hairstyle. “Mum, look at yourself,” said my daughter. “You’ve put on weight. Your hair’s gone grey. You look… untidy. Those jumpers are hideous. And you smell like the train. Do you understand?” I stayed silent. What can you say to that? After she’d left, I stared into the mirror. I saw a woman with tired eyes, lines around her mouth, a stretched out pullover, and red cheeks burning with embarrassment. Disgust at myself welled up inside me, sudden as a downpour on a sunny day. I went out for some air as my throat clenched tight and traitorous, bitter tears slid down my face. Then I returned to my tiny flat on the edge of town. I sat on the sofa and scrolled through old photos on my brick of a mobile. My daughter — just a little girl, with a hair ribbon at her first day of school. Prom. Graduation. Her wedding. My granddaughter, smiling from her cot. My whole life in these pictures. Everything I’d lived for. Everything I’d poured myself into. And now, being told “don’t come over”, well, maybe that’s how it’s meant to be. My time had passed. I’d played my part. Now my job was to keep out of the way. Not to be a burden. Not to upset their lives with my unfashionable face. If they needed me, they’d call. Maybe. Some weeks passed. Then one day, the phone rang. “Mum…” her voice sounded strained. “Could you come by? The nanny’s quit, the in-laws… well, they’re showing their true colours. André’s out with his mates. I’m on my own.” I paused for a moment. Then answered calmly: “I’m sorry, love. I can’t just now. I need to look after myself. Become ‘worthy’, as you put it. If that ever happens — maybe then I’ll come.” I hung up. And for the first time in ages, I smiled. Sadly. But with pride.

Forgive me, Mum, but please dont come over just now, all right? my daughter said, quietly and rather

La vida

She Retired and Felt Hopelessly Alone—It Was Only in Old Age That She Realised She’d Lived Her Life All Wrong

Ive retired now, and this enormous feeling of loneliness has crept into my lifea sort of loneliness I

La vida

A Mother’s Premonition: Sleepless Nights, a Terrible Diagnosis, and the Fight to Save Her Baby Son’s Life with Help from a Grieving Friend

FOREBODING In the languid hours of the night, Emily stirred in her bed, the shifting shadows on the ceiling