A Splendid Piece of News
Lucy hurried home, her heart light with splendid news for her husband—not just good, but splendid. It called for celebration. On the way, she stopped at the shop and bought a bottle of wine. She imagined preparing dinner, the two of them toasting to her success.
“Thomas, I’m home!” she called out as she stepped into their small flat. There was no need to shout—the click of the latch echoed through every corner of the cramped space—but joy bubbled inside her, impossible to contain.
Thomas shuffled out reluctantly to meet her.
“I have the most wonderful news! Let me just get dinner ready, and we’ll sit down and celebrate. I even bought wine—look!” Lucy pulled the bottle from the bag, holding it up proudly, oblivious to the tension in her husband’s gaze. “Take it to the kitchen, I’ll just change.” She brushed past him to the wardrobe, undressing behind its door as if it were a screen, then slipped into the short dressing gown he liked, smoothing her hair before closing the wardrobe.
Thomas sat in front of the television, the sound off, staring blankly at the screen. Lucy approached him.
“What’s wrong? Is your mother ill again?” she asked cautiously.
He didn’t answer. She sat beside him, covering his hand with hers.
“Whatever it is, we’ll manage. I’ve got—” She didn’t finish. Thomas pulled his hand away and stood abruptly.
“Fine, tell me later. I’ll go make dinner.”
In the kitchen, Lucy fried potatoes, her mood sinking under the weight of uncertainty. She knew pressing him was futile. The excitement she’d felt earlier had vanished. The wine had been a bad idea. But how could she have known?
They’d been married a year and a half. Thomas had already been working for a major construction firm when they met, while Lucy was finishing her degree. They lived on his salary, renting a modest flat—enough for the two of them.
Part of his wages went to his mother, who lived in another town and often fell ill, medicines eating up much of their savings. When Lucy graduated and found work, they even managed to set aside a little for a home of their own, though at this rate, it would take a lifetime.
Late at night, they dreamed of starting their own firm one day—Thomas designing houses, Lucy handling the interiors. But first, they needed experience. No one would hire an unknown company without recommendations. Then, they’d buy a proper house, raise children…
For now, Lucy was stuck with dull, small projects that hardly let her stretch her creative muscles. Still, she worked diligently, hoping her talent would be noticed.
And today, it had been. Her boss had called her in, assigning her a major project—a flat to be refurbished and furnished for a wealthy woman’s son as a wedding gift. The job had a tight deadline, and the bonus for speed was generous. Lucy had rushed to see the flat, brimming with ideas.
The client, an elegant woman named Isabella Montgomery, had spared no expense. They agreed on a layout, materials, and décor, with Isabella hiring the workmen. If she approved Lucy’s plans, work would begin immediately.
Excited, Lucy had raced home to share the news. But the wine remained unopened. After a silent dinner, she turned to her computer, burying herself in sketches until Thomas sat beside her.
“Listen, I need to tell you something,” he began.
“Go on,” she said, turning to him.
“I’ve been sacked,” he muttered, avoiding her eyes.
“How? Why?”
“The firm got a new contract, everything was rushed… I made a mistake in the calculations. By the time I noticed, construction had already started. They dismissed me.”
“We’ll manage. I wanted to tell you—”
“That’s not all.” He jumped up, pacing like a caged bear. “I have to pay back the money. It’s in the contract…”
“How much?” Her voice faltered.
“More than we have. I’ll take a loan. But I won’t be able to help Mum anymore.”
“A loan? With interest? We’ll borrow from friends—”
“Don’t be daft, Lucy. What friends? You only have friends when life’s good. Want to know who your friends are? Ask for money.”
“Have you tried?” she guessed.
“Go on, you try. Turns out I don’t have any.” He stalked off to the kitchen.
Lucy wracked her brain for someone who could help. She rang an old school friend, Emily, who’d married well—a wealthy businessman, holidays abroad, a grand house.
Emily’s regretful refusal stung. “It’s my husband’s money, not mine…”
Lucy tried another friend, Victoria, who saved for a flat of her own. But Victoria had just bought one—furniture still missing.
The next morning, Lucy finished her sketches, even drafting a cost estimate. She called Isabella.
“Already? Excellent. Come over—I’m showing the flat to the workmen now.”
Isabella approved everything. As she turned to leave, Lucy summoned her courage.
“Wait—could I have the payment now? I’ll oversee everything personally…”
Surprisingly, Isabella agreed—on condition Lucy refurbished her country cottage privately.
Thomas was overjoyed when Lucy returned with the news. “You’re brilliant!” He spun her around.
The debt was settled. He found work again, though he came home exhausted, collapsing into bed while Lucy worked late, surviving on simple meals.
At last, the cottage was done. Isabella was delighted. “You’ve outdone yourself!” She pressed an envelope into Lucy’s hand—a bonus.
Lucy tucked it away for their future, hurrying home in high spirits. At a crossing, she froze. A white luxury car idled opposite. Behind the wheel—Thomas. Recognition was instant. The shirt he wore was one she’d customised herself, stitching a designer’s emblem onto the pocket. Beside him, a pretty blonde laughed at something he said.
The car sped off. Lucy stumbled home, numb.
She sat in the dark, waiting. When Thomas returned, he feigned surprise at finding her there.
“You’re back late,” she said calmly.
“Work’s mad. Got anything to eat?”
“Didn’t the blonde feed you?”
His lies collapsed under her gaze.
“Isabella didn’t give me that money,” he sneered. “It was a man, wasn’t it? Women don’t help women.”
“Get out.”
He left without protest, the door clicking shut behind him.
In the kitchen, Lucy poured wine into a mug, drinking without tasting it. The betrayal ached, but tears brought clarity. He’d been looking for an escape. She’d find hers too—without him.
Weeks later, fate threw them together again. The blonde, now Thomas’s fiancée, hired Lucy to design their new flat.
She could have ruined it—charged a fortune for hideous décor. Instead, she walked away.
Happiness would come. It had to.
