La vida

Déjà Vu She Had Always Waited for Letters. Since Childhood. All Her Life. Addresses Changed. Trees Seemed Smaller, People More Distant, Hopes Fainter. He Trusted No One and Expected Nothing. Outwardly, Just an Ordinary, Strong Man—Work, a Dog at Home, Trips Alone or with His Four-Legged Friend. She Was an Endearing Girl with Big Sad Eyes. When Someone Asked Her, “What Can’t You Leave the House Without?” She’d Say, “My Smile!” and Her Dimples Spoke for Themselves. She’d Always Been Friends with Boys—A Pirate in a Skirt, They Called Her in Her London Neighbourhood. But Alone, She Played a Game: She Was a Mum with Many Kids, a Good Husband, Living in a Large, Cosy House with a Flowering Garden. He Couldn’t Imagine Life Without Sport: Medals, Trophies, and Certificates Dozing in a Garage Box—Kept for His Parents Who Were So Proud! For Him, It Was Never About the Wins, But the Challenge and the Surge of New Strength After Exhaustion. Her Parents Had Died When She Was Seven. She and Her Younger Brother Were Sent to Different Foster Homes. They Grew Up Apart, With Their Own Battles and Joys. Those Homes Were Behind Them Now—They Lived Across the Road from Each Other, In a Neighbourhood of Cosy Streets, Cheery Gardens, and Farmer’s Markets. Her Brother’s Family Were Her Closest Friends. It Was an Anxious Day… Her Shift Ended and She Crossed the Ambulance Car Park. Old Arthur, the Senior Driver, Caught Up, Gave Her a Fatherly Hug, and Thanked Her for the Pies. “Get Some Rest, Will You?” “Plenty of Time!” She Grinned, Blew Him a Kiss, and Hurried to Her Car. In the Holidays, She and Her All-Male Crew Were Often on Shift—Few Doctors Wanted the Holiday Hours. Being Well-groomed Boosted Morale—A Cheerful Doctor Changes Everything. He, Meanwhile, Was Racing Toward His Parents’ House, Medals Rattling in the Boot, Dog Restless on the Backseat. His Dad Had Suggested They Welcome the New Year Together. He’d Loaded The Box of Trophies, Glad He Wasn’t On Duty for Once. His Heart Ached Over Rare Visits Home… Days Before Christmas, His Father’s Phone Call Woke Him: “Mum’s Ill.” His Father, A Retired Colonel, Couldn’t Hide His Worry. His Parents, Together Since School, Still Looked At Each Other Like Young Lovers. She Was Baking as Always—A Tradition, Delivering Pies Around the City After Her Shift. She’d Slept a Few Hours at Work—Otherwise, Old Arthur Wouldn’t Let Her Drive, He’d Insist on Being Her Chauffeur. About Ten Miles from His Childhood Home, A Blizzard Began. He Remembered His Dog Not Wanting to Get In, Those Countless Trips, The Road, Always The Road… “Mum, Dad—Hold On… You’re All I’ve Got.” The Dog Licked His Head in Sympathy. “Sorry, Old Boy. Of Course, You Too…” She Slowed The Engine—the Blizzard Hit at the Worst Time. One Pie Left, Just a Few Miles Along the Village Road to Her Favourite Patient—A Spirited Elderly Lady (though She’d Never Call Her “Granny”) with Her Loving Husband, Both Keen Travelers. Who Her Own Parents Might Have Become… A Shadow Leapt—Right Into Her Headlights. Against The White Curtain of Snow. “Where Did You Come From, Girl, From the Woods? Or Did Someone Lose You?… Those Eyes! Why Is Your Neck So Sticky?… Wet Jumper, Everything Spinning… Jack—Jack, Old Friend… Why Does It Hurt So Much? Mum, I’m Coming, Dad, I’m So Close… Dark.” Arthur Was Out of Reach. He Went to Get His Grandkids. No, The Ambulance Wouldn’t Make It Through This Snow. “Hang In There, Mate—Let Me Get You Free. My God! There’s a Dog, Too…” She’d Only Just Set Off Again When a Silver Car Whipped Past. “Someone’s Racing Home,” She Thought. But Barely Minutes On, She Found The Silver Car Flipped Into a Ditch. A Black Dog Lay Nearby—Alive, At Least. “Is It Even Late?” She Wondered, Letting a Hot Shower Chase Away Her Shivers. “How’d You Get Him Out? He’s a Solid Bloke!” Her Brother’s Voice Echoed in Her Mind, the Ache of Her Muscles Proof Enough. She Took the Man and Both Dogs to Hospital in Her Own Car. On the Way, Her Brother Met Her to Help. She Returned Later to The Village—to Deliver The Pie After All, and Picked Up The Box That Had Fallen from The Car’s Boot. “Perhaps It Means Something to That Man. At Least Everyone Survived… When He Comes Round, I’ll Return It.” The Elderly Lady’s Husband, Looking Lost, Answered Her Knock. “Is Something Wrong?” She Asked. “My Wife’s In Hospital. I Haven’t Heard from Our Son, Can’t Reach Him…” She Lowered Her Eyes. “Are You All Right?” He Took Her Hand. “Shall I Drop You at The Hospital?” She Offered. They Drove Silently; The Snow Had Ceased. “You’ve Got a Box on Your Backseat—May I Ask Where It’s From?” The Colonel Finally Asked. “There Was a Crash. The Man Tried to Dodge a Dog Dashing From the Woods—The Silver Car Overturned, and the Box Fell Out…” “A Silver Car? With a White Dog Inside? The Dog From the Woods Was Black?” He Whispered. She Stopped the Car, Turned to Him. He Clenched His Fists, Stared Ahead. “He’s Alive! And Your Wife Will Recover.” She Hugged Him. “May I Call You Daughter?” “Of Course,” She Said, Tears Caught in Her Eyes. “My Wife Kept Dreaming About a Black Dog, Over and Over… But Our Son’s Dog Is White… Where Did the Black One Come From?” “Those Eyes—Unbelievable, So Sad…” Was the First Thing He Thought When He Woke, His Father Dozing by The Bedside. “Mum. The Crash.” He Remembered Everything—and The Girl’s Eyes. They Celebrated New Year at the End of January. His Mum Was Mending, His Dad Was Joyful, Jack (His Dog) Was Still Limping a Little, But Would Be Fine. The Boys Needed Training for Upcoming Competitions, But He Lingered at His Parents’ House—Thinking Always of The Girl… Already at the Gate, His Father Called Him From The Attic Window. “Need a Hand, Dad?” He Smiled at the Shelves—His Sports Trophies Had Somehow Made Their Way There. “How Did These Get Here, Colonel?” He Grinned. “Have a Guess!… I’ll Walk Jack Before You Go.” She Was Heading Home Early—Dina Was Waiting for Her. She Couldn’t Abandon the Black-and-White Dog at the Vet’s; The Mark on Her Chest Was a Heart. She Entered Her Building, Automatically Checked Her Letterbox. Almost Closed It, but Spotted a White Envelope. Inside, it Read: I’ll Come By This Evening. Thank You, Dear! Love Is a Compass—It Helps Us Find Our Way

Déjà Vu She always waited for letters. Always. Since childhood. All her life. Homes changed.

La vida

021

What If She’s Not Really My Daughter? The Story of Nikita’s DNA Test and the Storm That Followed

What if shes not my daughter? I need a DNA test. Oliver sat on the edge of the sofa, watching as his

La vida

This Isn’t Up for Debate: When My Husband Announced His Daughter Nina Was Moving In, I Reminded Him That the Newly Renovated Room Was Meant for Our Future Child—Not His Twelve-Year-Old, Spoiled, and Manipulative Daughter Who’s Set on Turning Our Blended Family Into a Battlefield

Thats not up for discussion. Emilys coming to live with us thats not up for discussion, I said, carefully

La vida

Now You’ll Have Your Own Child—So It’s Time for Her to Go Back to the Orphanage

Now youll have your own childtime to send her back to the orphanage. When will my son finally get himself an heir?

La vida

My Sister-in-Law Moved in Uninvited, So I Took Her Belongings and Put Them in the Hallway

Megan turned up at my flat without asking, and I shoved her suitcase into the hallway. Whose leopardprint

La vida

My Husband’s Parents Have Decided to Move in With Us in Their Old Age, Without Asking for My Opinion

My husbands parents decided, without consulting me, to move in with us in their old age. James, are you

La vida

What If She’s Not My Daughter? The DNA Test That Shattered Our Marriage Nikita couldn’t shake the thought that his baby girl might not be his own as he watched his wife, Olivia, fuss lovingly over their newborn. The seeds of doubt were sown during a work trip he took last year—just a month away, but the timing of Olivia’s pregnancy announcement left a question hanging in the air. Inspired by Olivia’s sister, who once took a DNA test to ease her own husband’s doubts, Nikita suggested the same, hoping for reassurance. Olivia exploded—cushions flew, neighbours complained, and suspicions deepened. “It’s not a big deal,” Nikita insisted, but Olivia wasn’t having any of it. Later, confiding in his mother, Anna, Nikita learned of a mysterious visit to Olivia’s home during his absence—disheveled looks, strange men’s shoes, and a shaky story about a burst pipe. Anna advised him to get the test by any means. Without Olivia’s knowledge, Nikita did just that. The result: Aria was his daughter. He thought the matter settled—for him, at least—but Olivia was devastated by his breach of trust. The next evening, Nikita returned home to an empty flat and a note: “Your suspicion destroyed us. I want nothing from you, only to disappear from our lives.” Stunned, Nikita called his wife in a rage, only to be answered by another man (her brother, though he didn’t realise it). Now certain of betrayal, he stormed off—never once considering he could be wrong. Their divorce was swift and final. Little Aria stayed with her mum, never to see her father again…

What if shes not my daughter? We need a DNA test Ben stared pensively as his wife, Alice, gently fussed

La vida

Received a Packed Suitcase from My Wife Filled with Everything I Need

Dear Diary, I received a packed suitcase from my wife today all her belongings neatly folded. Dont talk nonsense!

La vida

A New Family Means More Than the Old One

Mum, meet Emily, my fiancée, I declared as soon as I stepped through the door, gently holding my girlfriend

La vida

She Couldn’t Wait Any Longer “I’m filing for divorce,” Vera calmly announced as she handed her husband a mug of tea. “Actually, I already have.” She said it so matter-of-factly, as if discussing the weather or what would be for dinner. “May I ask what the… Hm, never mind, not in front of the kids,” Arthur lowered his voice when he noticed their two worried faces. “What did I do wrong? And let’s not forget, children need their father.” “You think I can’t find them another one?” Vera rolled her eyes. “What did you do wrong? Everything! I hoped life with you would be like a quiet lake, but it’s more like a raging river!” “Right, boys, have you finished eating?” Arthur didn’t want to continue this in front of the children. “Go play. And no eavesdropping!” he called after them, knowing how nosy his sons were. “Now, where were we?” Vera pursed her lips. Even now, he’s trying to take charge. Father of the year, of course… “I’m tired of living like this. I don’t want to spend eight hours a day at work, smiling at colleagues, grovelling to clients… I want to sleep till noon, shop in expensive stores, spend afternoons at beauty salons. But you can’t give me that. So enough! I gave you the best ten years of my life…” “Can we skip the dramatics?” Arthur interrupted dryly. “Weren’t you the one who did everything possible to marry me those ten years ago? I wasn’t exactly desperate to wed.” “Mistakes happen.” The divorce was quick and quiet. Arthur reluctantly agreed to leave the boys with their mum, as long as they spent every weekend and all holidays with him. Vera easily agreed. Six months later, Arthur introduced the boys to his new wife. Smiling, high-spirited Lucy won their affection instantly, and the boys started looking forward to weekends with their father—much to their mother’s annoyance. She was even more annoyed when Arthur inherited a fortune from a distant uncle, bought a large house in the countryside, and seemed to be living his best life. He kept his job, paid only modest child support, preferred to personally provide for the boys himself, got them every gadget imaginable, and—worst of all—supervised every financial detail! If only Vera had waited six more months! If only she’d known… She’d have made very different choices. But maybe not all was lost… *** “Fancy a cuppa? Like old times?” Vera asked flirtatiously, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. Her short dress showed off her best features, and her perfect makeup made her look years younger. She had worked hard to look absolutely irresistible. “I’m busy,” Arthur replied coolly, barely glancing at his ex-wife. “Are the boys ready?” “They can’t find something, will be another ten minutes or so,” Vera replied, disappointed but undeterred. “Maybe we could spend New Year’s Eve together? The boys spent half the day decorating the tree.” “We already agreed the holidays are mine. We’ll be celebrating in a charming little village—lots of snow, skiing, snowboarding. Lucy’s arranged everything.” “But it’s a family holiday…” “That’s exactly why I’ll spend it with my family. Argue, and I’ll fight for full custody.” The door barely closed behind Arthur and the happy children before Vera, furious, smashed the wedding china. Lucy again! Why does she always interfere, pretending to adore the boys? Surely she’s simply counting the days until they go back home. After all, Vera knew how demanding her sons could be. But maybe… Just maybe… the situation could still be salvaged and Arthur’s fortune would end up in her hands. *** “What’s all this?” Arthur asked, eyeing the suitcases on his doorstep. “What do you think? Clothes. For Colin and Harry,” Vera nudged a bulging suitcase. “Since you’ve got your perfect new life, it’s my turn. Not many men will accept another man’s kids, so now the boys are yours. I’ve already spoken to Social Services, just need to sign the paperwork. That’s on you. I’m off on holiday with someone very promising.” She left Arthur standing stunned in the doorway as she sauntered towards her waiting taxi. Let’s see how long “Saint Lucy” lasts—one week, maybe two? Arthur’ll have to pick between his boys and his new wife, and he’ll definitely pick the boys. And then come running back to her—with the money in tow. A fortnight passed. A month. Two. But there was no desperate call to collect the kids. Lucy never so much as raised her voice, judging by reports from the boys. Had her mischievous devils become angels? Impossible! “How are the boys? Not worn out yet?” Vera rang, unable to resist. “They’re absolutely brilliant. Obedient, helpful—angels,” Arthur replied warmly. “Just golden.” “Really?” Vera replied, bewildered. “They were little terrors with me…” “You have to engage with kids,” Arthur sniffed. “But you were always glued to your phone. By the way, we’re moving soon. I’ll bring the boys for the holidays if you like.” “But… they’re my children too!” “You signed away your rights, remember?” Arthur laughed. “Some mother you are.” Vera was left with nothing but regret. No husband (or, more importantly, his fortune), no new boyfriend, and her children far away. Not that she missed them much—she quite enjoyed having all her time to herself. Ten years of patience, quitting six months before cashing in… So unfair…

She Couldnt Wait “I’m filing for a divorce,” Julia remarked in an unusually calm voice