Mum let slip a secretshed bought a flat.
The flat happened to be not far from town. She asked us kindly not to share the address with anyone, just in case someone accidentally popped round for teaspecifically my wifes parents, who, to put it delicately, were fond of more than just a tipple.
At first, I wasnt sure whether to be miffed or delighted. Nobody bothered asking for my opinion anyway. Like a band of burglars, we shifted our worldly goods into the new home early in the morning, all hush-hush. I needed to find a job nearby, while my wife tried to adjust to the quirks of flat life. Secretly, we were both as nervous as cats in a rocking chair shop. What if her parents tracked us down and started dropping in for visits again?
I landed a job as a lift operatornot exactly my childhood dream, but it paid the bills. On the second day, my colleague and I found ourselves rescuing a woman trapped between floors in a lift.
We pried open the doors and helped her out. She was ridiculously grateful, trembling like a jelly and absolutely terrified by the ordeal. I did my best to reassure her with a spot of cheerful chit-chat. It was clear she wasnt just any stranger. I had no wish to see her disappear into the crowd.
That was the moment I started to believe in love at first sight. I decided to walk her home, gently supporting her since she was still a bit wobbly. Tears sparkled in her eyes and she quivered all over. All I wanted was to soothe her, maybe offer a reassuring hug, but I held back. She slipped inside her flat and the door clicked shut.
That evening, as I tucked my daughterEmilyinto bed and my wife, Alice, headed to the bathroom, I found myself replaying the day, feeling both wistful and emotional. I couldnt get that mysterious girl out of my mind. I knew I shouldnt, but she was lovely, sweet, and just so vulnerable.
Next day after work, instead of heading home, I ventured to her door. I told my nosy neighbour that I was some distant relative from her hometown (which, in my version, was somewhere near Leeds). In about ten minutes flat, Id learned her husband was a proper drunk and utterly bone-idle. Plus, they had two kids.
Honestly, I was over the moon. It meant I could trot back to Alice and Emily with a clear conscienceno need for other peoples drama and children cluttering up my life. I just wanted to focus on my family and our own story.
I was relieved. And, well, slightly smug.
