“Dad, meet your future daughter-in-law, Emily!” beamed Thomas, his face glowing with happiness.
“What?!” exclaimed Professor Richard Harrington, his voice thick with disbelief. “If this is a joke, it’s not remotely funny.”
He eyed Emily’s rough hands and the dirt under her nails with distaste, convinced she’d never heard of soap and water.
*Good Lord! Thank heavens my dear Margaret didnt live to see this disgrace! We raised him with proper manners!* he thought bitterly.
“Its no joke!” Thomas declared boldly. “Emilys staying with us, and were getting married in three months. If you wont come to the wedding, Ill manage without you!”
“Hello!” Emily grinned, bustling toward the kitchen. “I brought steak and kidney pie, blackberry jam, dried mushrooms” She listed the items she pulled from a battered satchel.
Richard clutched his chest as her sticky jam jar left a dark smear on his pristine white tablecloth.
“Thomas! Snap out of it! If this is revenge, its too cruel Where on earth did you find this girl? Shes not staying under my roof!” he shouted.
“I love Emily. And my wife has every right to live in my home!” Thomas smirked, taunting him.
Richard realised his son was mocking him. Without another word, he stormed off to his room.
Since his mothers death, Thomas had changed. He dropped out of university, became insolent, and lived recklessly. Richard had hoped hed grow out of it, return to the bright, well-mannered boy hed been. But with each day, Thomas slipped further away. And nowthis. A country girl with no refinement.
Soon after, Thomas and Emily married. Richard refused to attend, unwilling to accept this unwanted wife. He seethed that Margarets placeonce filled by a perfect homemakerwas taken by this uncultured girl who barely strung sentences together.
Emily, ignoring his disdain, tried to please himonly making it worse. To Richard, she was nothing but coarse and ill-mannered.
Thomas, after a brief pretence of responsibility, returned to drinking. Richard overheard their arguments, secretly hoping Emily would leave.
“Richard, your son wants a divorce! Hes throwing me outand Im pregnant!” Emily burst in one day, tears in her eyes.
“And where exactly is ‘out’? You must have somewhere to go. Being pregnant doesnt entitle you to stay after a separation. I wont interfere,” he said coldly, relieved to finally be rid of her.
Emily, crushed, packed her things. She couldnt fathom why Richard had despised her from the startor why Thomas treated her so callously. Did being from the countryside make her less human?
***
Eight years later Richard lived in a care home, his health failing. Thomas, seizing the opportunity, had swiftly placed him there to avoid the burden.
The old man accepted his fate, knowing there was no turning back. Hed spent his life teaching thousands about kindness and respectyet failed with his own son.
“Richard, youve got a visitor,” his roommate announced after a stroll.
“Who? Thomas?” he croaked, though he knew it impossible. His son would never come.
“Dunno. Just said to fetch you. Go on, then!”
Richard grabbed his cane and shuffled toward the lounge. Halfway down the hall, he froze.
“Hello, Emily,” he murmured, bowing his head, guilt twisting inside him.
“Richard!” She gasped. “Youve changed so much Are you ill?”
“A bit,” he admitted weakly. “How did you find me?”
“Thomas mentioned it. He still refuses to speak to James. But the boy keeps asking about his father and you. He shouldnt suffer for your grudge.” Her voice trembled. “Forgive meI shouldnt have come.”
“Wait!” he begged. “How is James? The last photo you sent, he was three.”
“Hes here, by the entrance. Shall I fetch him?”
“Please!”
A chestnut-haired boyThomass spitting imagestepped in shyly.
“Hello, lad. My, how youve grown” Richard wept, embracing his grandson.
They talked for hours, strolling the autumnal gardens. Emily spoke of her strugglesher mothers early death, raising James alone, managing the farm.
“Forgive me, Emily. I was wrong. I prided myself on being educated, yet only recently learned that character matters more than breeding,” Richard confessed.
“Richard, weve an offer,” Emily said nervously. “Come live with us! Youre alone, and so are we. Wed love to have family nearby.”
“Grandad, please! Well go fishing, mushroom hunting The countrysides lovely, and theres plenty of room!” James pleaded, squeezing his hand.
“Lets go!” Richard smiled. “I failed Thomas. Perhaps I can do better by you.”
“You will!” James laughed.
