Emily discovered she was pregnant. Her husband, George, stayed by her side throughout the pregnancy, indulging her every whim. Finally, the day arrived, and George rushed Emily to the maternity ward. When a healthy baby girl was born, he sighed with relief. Overjoyed, the new father went home to rest. The next day, he returned to visit his wife and daughteronly to be told, “Your wife isnt here.”
“Impossible!” George refused to believe it. “Maybe she stepped out? Look for her!”
The nurse shook her head. “Shes gone. Heres a note.” She handed him a folded piece of paper. George unfolded it and turned pale.
George, the sales manager, had been unmarried when he first met Emily. Struck by her beauty, he fell for her instantly. On her first day in his department, he greeted her warmly.
“Good morning, colleague,” he said with a smile that made Emily pause.
“Good morning,” she replied softly, returning the smile.
“Youll be working with Oksanashes our senior here.” He gestured toward the other woman. “Familiarize yourself with the role. Best of luckI hope well work well together.”
The team, mostly women, exchanged glances as George left. Oksana whispered to another coworker, “Since when does George take such an interest in new hires?” They giggled.
Emily kept to herself at first. At twenty-two, she had already broken up several marriageseven as a college student, shed had an affair with a much older professor before his wife found out.
Over time, George invited her for coffee after work.
“Why not?” she smiled. “Youre my bossits good to stay on friendly terms.”
Her charm disarmed him. At thirty, George had never married, though hed had relationships. This one moved fast. Soon, they were datingand their colleagues were stunned when they announced their wedding.
George granted her every wish, even agreeing to her condition: “No children for now. I want to live for myself. When Im ready, Ill tell you.”
He hoped shed change her mind, but whenever he broached the subject, Emily shut him down. “I warned you from the start. Dont pester me about it.”
Months later, he found her crying in the bathroom, a positive pregnancy test in her hand.
“Emily, are you?”
She nodded, tears streaming. “I dont want this. I dont want to get fat. Fix it.”
But George held her close. “Dont cry, darling. This is happiness! I love you.”
Emily was determined to end it, but George intercepted her at the clinic. After a heated argument, she relentedon one condition: hed handle all diaper changes and night feedings.
True to his word, he doted on her throughout the pregnancy. When their daughter was born, he sighed in reliefonly to return the next day and find Emily gone, leaving only a note: “Dont look for me.”
She vanishedchanging her number, never calling. A month later, she demanded her belongings be packed. “File for divorce. I wont show up.”
Their daughter, Alice, never crossed her mind. George became both mother and father to her, with help from his nearby mum.
One day, Sophias phone rang. It was Daniels teacher. “Come to school immediately!”
Sophia rushed over, bewildered. Daniel was a quiet boywhat could he have done?
She found him outside the headmasters office with a red mark on his cheek, glaring at Alice, his classmate.
“Mum, she started it!” he protested. “She called me a fatherless brat and pinched me!”
Alices father, George, sighed. “Apologize, both of you.”
The children muttered reluctant apologies. Sophia and George exchanged glances and laughed.
“This calls for pizza,” George declared.
The children cheered. By the end of the meal, they were friendsDaniel even promised to defend Alice if anyone bullied her.
Sophia and George, meanwhile, found themselves drawn to each other. Their meetings grew more frequentcinema trips, park walks, shared dinners.
Months later, Sophia was expecting again. Daniel and Alice, now inseparable, debated names for their baby brother.
They settled on Benjamin.
Sometimes, happiness comes from the most unexpected quarrels.
