Dad has a new family now! The New Year was filled with tears…
I seldom saw my father, and even then, it was by coincidence…
My parents once loved each other deeply. Their love was genuine and strong, and they spent nearly 15 years together. I was born into this family as their only child.
When I was eight, my mum sat down across from me one day, stayed silent for a long time, then sighed heavily and said, “Son, your dad has fallen for another woman. It’s just going to be the two of us now…”
I couldn’t comprehend what that meant. How could it be? How could someone just walk away? I thought that parents couldn’t stop loving each other, because family was supposed to be forever. I hoped Dad would change his mind and come back… but he never did.
Mum worked tirelessly to ensure we had what we needed. She took on two jobs because her pride wouldn’t let her accept money from Dad. She always said she could manage, but I saw her sitting for hours by the window at night, lost in her thoughts. Perhaps she was pondering the past or worrying about our future.
And Dad… he had a new life. There was another woman and her daughter, who was my age. He probably cared for her. They probably laughed together, went for walks, traveled for vacations, and celebrated holidays at beautifully set tables. Meanwhile, I was left with rare chance encounters that reminded me of a shadow of my old life.
And so it happened again at the close of last year.
After a lackluster and somber Christmas, Mum and I decided to take a walk around the city. She smiled and mentioned how the air felt special, like it was filled with the spirit of the holiday. But I saw the sadness in her eyes. We wandered through shops, gazing at the displays, but bought nothing. We had little money, and Mum pretended that we wanted for nothing.
We paused at a jewelry store. I watched the sparkling displays until I suddenly spotted a familiar figure.
Dad.
He was standing by the counter, smiling and examining boxes of gold rings and bracelets intently. I wanted to call out to him but froze when I saw her with him. Her daughter was eagerly admiring a new ring while Dad paid for it.
He was buying them presents… At that moment, it hit me: he really had another family. He was happy with them, and it seemed he had forgotten about us.
I tugged Mum’s hand, silently indicating with my eyes towards the shop.
Mum noticed them. I felt her fingers tense. She quickly turned away and walked on as if nothing had happened.
We went home. There wasn’t much in the fridge—Mum used half a pound of mince and some potatoes to make a shepherd’s pie. I sat at the table in silence.
We spent New Year’s Eve, just the two of us. Outside, the city was alive with fireworks, and people were wishing each other well, but we just sat there. Each of us in our own corner, lost in our thoughts.
Once, holidays were very different. Once, we were a family.
But why then were we both on the verge of tears?
