Cheer up, Dave! Dont mope! At least you had a cracking New Years Eve!
There it washis hometown. Dave stepped off the train onto the platform, crossed the station square, and headed for the bus stop. He hadnt told his wife he was coming back today.
His mood was sour. He wasnt looking forward to the argument waiting for him at home with Emily. Shed nag him again, complain, call him a selfish, indifferent git.
Indifferent? Bloody hell, hed tried calling her on New Years, hadnt he? But shed switched her phone off. Stubborn cow!
Three days hed spent trying to reach her, and she hadnt picked up once. Fine, thenhed stopped calling too.
And lets not forget, she hadnt even bothered to wish his parents or sister a Happy New Year, let alone him. Hed bring that up the second he walked in.
She had no right to lecture him. She wasnt perfect either, so shed better have a good explanation. What was that saying? The best defence is a good offence.
By the time Dave reached his front door, hed worked himself into a proper fighting mood.
The flat was silent when he stepped inside.
“Oi! Anyone home? Em, Im back!” His voice echoed through the empty rooms. No answer.
He checked the kitchenno sign of her. The bedroomempty. The second roomsame. But something was wrong. The crib by the wall was gone. The changing table, the chest of drawers, the pram his in-laws had boughtvanished.
Dave yanked open the wardrobe. Her half was stripped bare.
“Has she lost the plot? Has she left me?” His chest tightened.
He dialled his mother-in-law. No answer. Then he tried KatieEmilys best mate. Silence again. Finally, he got through to Mike, Katies husband.
“Mike, matepass the phone to Katie. Cant get hold of her.”
“Katies in the village with the kids. We spent New Years there. Spotty signal.”
“I got back last night. Work today. Theyre still relaxing,” Mike replied. “Why dyou need Kat?”
“Thought she might know where my Emilys got to. Came homeplace is empty. All the baby stuffs gone.”
“Hold onyour missus was due any day, wasnt she? You seriously buggered off to your folks and left her alone over Christmas?” Mike sounded stunned.
“She didnt want to come! Doctor said the baby was due around the 10th. Plenty of time!”
“Congratulations, Daveyoure a proper plum,” Mike chuckled.
“What?”
“Cause youre probably single now. Idiot. Ring the hospitalbet you anything shes there.”
Ten days earlier.
“I dont get it, Dave,” his mum had said over the phone. “Why stay home over the holidays? If Em wont come, you come alone. The babys not due for nearly two weeksyoull be back in time.”
“Everyones comingAunt Vera and Uncle Steve, Nat and Vic, Ollie and Paul. And us, of course. Your sisters booked a countryside hotelfour nights, 30th to the 2nd. Fancy restaurant, live band. Ive paid for youyoull pay me back. Stay till Twelfth Night, leave on the 8th. Youll be back before Emily pops.”
Emily hadnt wanted to go.
“Dave, I could go into labour any day. Imagine iteveryones celebrating, and suddenly Im screaming for an ambulance. That hotels out in the stickshow longd it take them to reach us? No. Im staying put.”
“Mums right,” hed muttered. “Women these days act like pregnancys some terminal illness, and childbirths a bloody miracle. She had three of us, never took maternity leave, and still managed everything.”
Part of him knew Emily had a point. But the thought of a quiet New Years at homejust the two of them, a modest spread (Emily had already said she wasnt cooking much)made him miserable.
Meanwhile, his whole family would be dancing, drinking, laughing in some swanky restaurant.
So hed gone alone.
The countryside hotel had been brilliant. At half past midnight, after the countdown, Dave slipped out to call Emily. No answer.
“Fine. Stay mad. Your own fault. Couldve been here having a laugh with the rest of us,” hed thought.
The next morning, his mum had a go about Emily.
“Not even a bloody phone call to wish us Happy New Year. See? Shes sulking. Youve let that girl run wild, son.”
“She doesnt get what family means. Thats why were all here together, happy, and shes sat at home alone. Serves her right.”
But Emily hadnt been thinking about them that New Years Eve. If anyone crossed her mind, it was Davecertainly not his parents or their endless relatives.
Her folks, hearing shed be alone, had invited her over. No big fussjust a quiet evening. Her brother worked shifts at a factory in London, so her parents had planned a low-key celebration.
At nine on New Years Eve, as Emily and her mum set the table, the contractions hit.
An ambulance was called. Her mum went with her; her dad followed in the car.
Emily welcomed the New Year in a hospital bed. Her parents waited in the lobby below. By half past midnight, she was a mother to a baby boy.
Now, back in the present, Dave took Mikes advice and called the hospital.
“Emily Carter? Discharged yesterday,” the receptionist said.
“Already? The babys come?”
“Yes. 1st of January, half twelve.”
“Who picked her up?”
“Sir, we dont log that in the register!”
Only her parents couldve collected her. Shed be at theirs now.
He bought a bouquet of roses and headed straight there.
Knocked. Her dad answered.
“Can I help you?”
“Im here for Emily,” Dave said.
“Why?”
“Im her husband.”
“Emily!” her dad called over his shoulder. “Some bloke here says hes your husband. Want a word?”
“No. Tell him to leave,” Emilys voice came from inside.
Her dad shrugged.
“Shes not interested. Goodbye.” The door shut.
Dave stood there a moment, then knocked again.
This time, his mother-in-law opened uptall, broad, loud. Truth be told, she scared him a bit.
“Deaf, are you?”
“Let me in,” Dave squared his shoulders. “Ive got rights”
He didnt finish. She snatched the roses and whipped them across his face.
“Rights? Your solicitor can explain those soon enough. And dont call againmy grandsons sleeping.” She hurled the bouquet at his feet and slammed the door.
Dave trudged home, rubbing his faceroses were pretty, but those thorns stung.
Back home, he rang his mum first.
“Would you believe it? They wouldnt even let me see my own son!”
“Dont fret, Dave. Shell come crawling back soon enough. Where else is she gonna go with a baby? Dont call her. Dont send money. Let her parents foot the bill if theyre so clever. A week or two, and shell be begging to return. Now, get some sleepwork tomorrow.”
Dave did as told. Ate a microwave meal and crashed.
He slept soundly, unaware it was his last night in that flat.
The next evening, returning from work, he found his belongingsboxed, baggedstacked on the landing.
He knocked. His mother-in-law answered. The flat was hers, after all.
“Well, son-in-law? Remember the way to your digs, or need directions? Take your junk. Anything left goes in the bin tomorrow!”
Dave ended up in a dingy bedsit.
The divorce was quick. He thought about renting a proper flat, but after child support and spousal maintenance, his pay cheque barely covered basics.
“Tighten your belt,” Mike advised. “Youll need savings for your own place. Cheer up, mate! At least you had a cracking New Years!”
Emily stayed with her parents for three years. They helped with little Jack while renting out her flat. When she returned to work, they moved back. After redecorating, no trace of Dave remained.
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