Dad’s with a new family now! The New Year arrived with tears in our eyes…
I hardly ever saw Dad, and even then, it was by chance…
My parents once loved each other deeply. Their feelings were genuine and strong, and they spent nearly 15 years together. Then I came into their lives—their only son.
When I was eight, Mum sat across from me one day, silent for a long time before sighing heavily and saying, “Son, Dad’s fallen for another woman. It’ll just be the two of us now…”
I couldn’t grasp what it all meant. How could someone just leave like that? I believed parents couldn’t stop loving each other, as family was meant to be forever. I hoped Dad would change his mind and come back… But he didn’t.
Mum worked tirelessly to provide for us. She took on two jobs because her pride wouldn’t let her accept money from Dad. She kept saying she’d manage, but I saw her sitting by the window late at night, lost in her thoughts. Probably thinking about the past or how we’d manage going forward.
As for Dad… he had a new life. There was another woman and her daughter, who was my age. He probably loved her. They probably laughed together, went on walks, took holidays, and celebrated at beautifully set tables. My interactions with him were rare and seemed more like remnants of a past life.
Last year ended in a similar way.
After a dull and dreary Christmas, Mum and I went for a walk around town. She smiled, saying the air felt special today, like it carried a festive scent. Yet, her eyes were filled with sadness. We wandered into shops, gazed at the displays, but didn’t buy anything. We barely had any money, and Mum pretended that we didn’t need anything.
We stopped outside a jewelry store. I was admiring the sparkling displays when I suddenly recognized a familiar figure.
Dad.
He stood by the counter, smiling as he picked through boxes of gold rings and bracelets. I wanted to call out to him but paused when I saw that woman beside him. Her daughter excitedly admired a new ring while Dad paid for it.
He was giving them gifts… In that moment, I realized: he truly had another family. He seemed happy with them and didn’t seem to think about us anymore.
I tugged at Mum’s hand and silently nodded toward the shop.
She saw them. Her fingers tensed as we both quickly turned away, pretending nothing had happened.
We returned home. There was little in the fridge—Mum used half a kilo of mince and some potatoes to make shepherd’s pie. I sat silently at the table.
We welcomed the New Year together. Outside, the city echoed with fireworks and people exchanged greetings, but we just sat there, each lost in our own thoughts.
Once upon a time, our holidays were so different. We used to be a family.
But why did we both have tears in our eyes?”
