Happiness comes when you believe in it and wait for it.
Back in Year 8, on New Year’s Eve, Eloise ran off from the school party with Tommy. They just wanted to be alone, and suddenly, thick snowflakes started falling—like someone up above had torn open a feather pillow. The snow kept swirling and swirling.
Tommy took Eloise’s cold hands and cupped them in his, warming them with his breath. They’d been friends since they were kids, but things were different now—older, closer. They both knew childhood was gone, though they weren’t quite sure where to. But they still had each other. They hoped it would be forever.
“God, that feels like a lifetime ago,” Eloise thought now, at thirty-two. “I wonder where Tommy is.”
She’d never married. Life just turned out that way. And really, her mum, Margaret, was the one who changed everything. If not for her, things might’ve been different.
Eloise grew up like any other girl—full of energy, always running around with her best mates, Tommy and Sophie. Tommy had carried her schoolbag since Year 1, helped her with maths, stood up to bullies and stray dogs. His own home life wasn’t great—his dad drank too much, kicked him and his mum out sometimes, and they’d end up staying at Eloise’s.
Every time, Margaret would say to Tommy’s mum, “Violet, why do you put up with this? Divorce him. This isn’t living.”
“Just doing it for my boy,” she’d reply.
“How can Tommy learn anything good from a father like that?” But Violet just shrugged.
Later, Margaret would mutter, “Eloise, you shouldn’t be hanging around with Tommy so much.”
“Mum, he’s my best friend—bravest, kindest boy I know!” Eloise would argue.
“When you’re older, you’ll see. He’ll turn out just like his dad—drunk, shouting, no good. Plenty of other boys around.”
But Eloise never listened. Tommy was her ride-or-die. They did everything together—testing their courage, swimming out too far in the river (he always stayed close, since she wasn’t the strongest swimmer), even standing on the edge of steep cliffs, almost slipping once.
Sophie was part of their trio too, until she started fancying Michael from the year above and drifted off a bit. No hard feelings.
Then, right after New Year’s in Year 8, Eloise fell and broke her leg so badly she was stuck in hospital for ages.
Margaret wept. “Love, how did this happen? You’ll be limping forever now.”
But Eloise was determined. She swore she’d walk again, cast or no cast. Even the doctor told Margaret, “Your daughter’s got real drive—she’ll get there.” And she did. First steps, then crutches, then a cane.
Classmates visited her in hospital, even her form tutor. But Tommy? Never missed a day. Brought her books, raspberry jam sandwiches, kept her company.
When she was discharged, she still limped, still ached sometimes. The doctor suggested a change of climate. So Margaret made a decision.
“Love, we’re moving south—to the coast, near my sister Joan. Sea air will help you heal.”
“Mum, no! My friends are here! I don’t want to leave!” But Margaret wouldn’t budge.
They packed up and moved to a quiet seaside town where Joan lived.
Saying goodbye was brutal. Tommy was gutted. So was Eloise.
“No matter what, Ellie—don’t forget me. I won’t forget you. We’ll write,” he promised, hugging her tight—then kissing her properly for the first time.
At the new place, Eloise wrote letters to Tommy and Sophie straight away. Never got a reply. Turns out Margaret had made sure they never sent them. She’d won—Eloise was convinced her friends had abandoned her.
School there was rough. The kids teased her limp, calling her “Gimpy.” No friends. Just books and memories—and resentment toward Tommy. She wrote a few more times. Nothing.
After A-levels, she went to uni. During exam season, Margaret went back home for a quick trip—”urgent business”—and returned with news.
“Forget that Tommy, love. He’s married now, got a kid. Never liked him anyway…”
Eloise was crushed. Threw herself into studies, became an English teacher. Still walked with a cane, still pushed men away.
“Who’d want me like this?” she’d tell herself, though she was lovely. “Plenty of whole women out there.”
Nights were lonely. Tommy still haunted her dreams—floating together over cliffs, holding hands.
Years passed. Uni mates got married; she went to some weddings. Her spark dimmed. Men still noticed her, but she wouldn’t let anyone close. Maybe she just didn’t believe anymore.
Margaret and Eloise bought an old terraced house in need of work. No men around to fix it, so Eloise put up an ad.
Steven answered. Early thirties, hands of gold—could fix anything. From day one, Margaret noticed how he looked at Eloise, limp and all. But Eloise ignored it.
“Love, he’s handy, decent-looking, clearly into you. What more do you want? Still hung up on Tommy? He’s married—move on!”
Eloise thought maybe her mum was right. Why stay alone if she didn’t have to? So she let Steven in.
He moved in, kept fixing up the place.
“Ellie… maybe we should get married,” he said one day. “Feels odd living here like this…”
She believed him. Said yes. They filed the paperwork.
Then one day—knock at the door. Steven was out shopping. Eloise answered to find a woman and a police officer.
“You’re Eloise?”
“Yes…?”
The woman—exhausted, heavy—sat on the step and handed her a marriage certificate. Three birth certificates.
“Read it.”
Turns out Steven was her husband. Three kids. The officer was her cousin. They’d tracked him down—runaway dad from the next town over.
“Thought we were happy,” the woman said, showing photos. “Then one day—gone. Reported him missing. Lucky my cousin’s in the force.”
“Ellie, you really didn’t know?”
“No…”
Then Steven walked in. Tried to bolt. Handcuffed on the spot.
Turns out he’d got bored, “lost” his ID, and started fresh. Thank God they found him.
After that, Eloise gave up completely. Then Margaret got sick—proper bedbound—and confessed.
“Love… I need to tell you something. Maybe this is my punishment…”
“What is it, Mum?”
“I… I told Aunt Joan at the post office not to send your letters to Tommy and Sophie. Didn’t want you marrying him—not with his dad like that. Saw how his mum suffered. Wanted to protect you. That’s why we moved. I’m sorry.”
Eloise froze. Betrayed by her own mother.
“And him being married—true?”
“Don’t know. When I went back, they’d moved. Violet finally left his dad. No idea where.”
“Sophie still there?”
“Yeah. Married, divorced, about to again…”
Eloise wrote to Sophie, included her number. Sophie called straight away.
“Ellie! Finally! Missed you!”
They talked for hours. Then Sophie invited her to her wedding.
“Come! Got a surprise for you.”
The wedding was lively—packed village hall, faces from the past. But no Tommy. Overwhelmed, Eloise stepped outside, sat under a birch tree.
Then—a tall man approached. She looked up. Didn’t believe her eyes.
Tommy.
“Ellie… God, it’s you.” He hugged her like he’d never let go. “How are you?”
His smile still warm. She buried her face in his chest.
“I’m okay. Sophie said there’d be a surprise…”
“Me too,” he laughed. “Mum and I live nearby now. Kept in touch with Soph. Always hoped you’d turn up…” He paused. “You’re not married?”
“No.”
“Good. Neither am I. Waited for you.”
They went home together after the wedding, stopped by his mum’s first—her blessing. Margaret cried happy tears seeing them. Their own wedding was quiet—just them and their mums. Later, Violet sold her place and moved nearby.
Now they’re happy—two teenage boys, a little farm he runs with their help. She still teaches.
Eloise knows now—happiness comes to those who believe in it. AndAnd every evening, as the sun sets over their little farm, Eloise smiles, knowing that true love waits for those who never stop believing.
