“Didn’t want to marrymum made me.”
“Tom, will you look after Alfie?” called Emily toward the bedroom, adjusting her scarf in the mirror. “I’ll be back by six. Dont forget his lunchit’s ready in the fridge, just needs heating.”
The Saturday had turned unexpectedly chaotica crisis at work, and her manager had begged her to come in. No one else could handle it. Emily agreed without hesitation. Work gave her more than just poundsit gave her purpose.
Five-year-old Alfie was happily playing with his toy lorries in his room. She could hear him murmuring to himself, mimicking engine noises. A typical lazy weekend morning. Shed already checked her bag, found her keys, when Thomas stepped out of the bedroom.
“No,” Thomas said flatly.
Emily froze, her hand hovering on the door handle. She turned, staring at him.
“What?”
“I wont be looking after him today,” Thomas repeated, brushing past her to grab his coat. “Ive got my own plans.”
Emily couldnt believe her ears. Six years of marriage, and nevernot oncehad he refused to mind their son. Thomas had always been the perfect fatheror so shed thought. She stood there, trying to make sense of it, as he calmly slipped on his shoes and left without a backward glance.
The door clicked shut. Emily clutched her bag strap, her stomach knotting. She had to be at work in an hour. An hour! She grabbed her phone, fingers trembling as she dialled her mothers number.
“Mum, Im so sorryI need help. Can you come over and watch Alfie?”
Thankfully, her mother didnt ask questions.
Emily calculated the timeher mum would arrive too late. Desperate, she rushed to the neighbour. Mrs. Thompson, the elderly woman across the hall, had always been kind in a pinch. Emily knocked, pleading with her eyes when the door opened.
“Mrs. T, pleasejust half an hour? Until Mum gets here. Theres an emergency at work, and Tom Tom just left.”
Mrs. Thompson sighed but agreed. Emily hurried back, explained to Alfie hed stay with Mrs. T for a bit, then dashed out. The whole way to the office, the morning played in her mind like a bad dream. What had just happened? Had they fought? She racked her brainnothing came to mind. Just last night, theyd had dinner, watched telly, even talked about plans for the week.
At work, she moved on autopilot, her thoughts circling back to Thomas.
She texted him three times.
“Where are you?”
“Whats wrong?”
“Why did you do that?”
No reply. The phone stayed silent. She checked it every five minutesnothing.
That evening, she thanked her mother and sent her home.
“Thanks, Mum. Honestly, I dont know what Id do without you.”
Her mother stroked her hair like she was a child again.
“Its alright, love. But tell mewheres Tom?”
“I dont know. He left this morning and never came back.”
After her mother left, the flat felt too quiet. Emily peeked into Alfies roomher little boy, snoring softly, hugging his teddy. So small. So defenceless. She kissed his forehead and slipped out.
Thomas returned two hours later. Emily had showered, changed into pyjamas, and made herself tea. At the sound of the key in the lock, she stiffened. He walked in as casually as hed left, hung up his coat, and headed to the bedroom without a word.
She followed, blocking his path.
“What the hell was that?”
Thomas glanced up, his expression indifferentlike she was a stranger.
“Im tired of pretending,” he said.
Emilys pulse pounded in her ears. She sank onto the edge of the armchair, eyes locked on him.
“Pretending what?”
“This. The marriage. You. The kid.”
She searched his face for any hint of a joke. Nothing. Just cold detachment.
“What are you saying?” she whispered, gripping the armrests.
“Exactly what I said. I never wanted to marry you, Emily. Mum pushed me. Said you were good, kind, the right sort. That Id be happy. I put up with it for six years. But Im done.”
Emily stared. Tears burned, but she refused to let them fall. Not in front of him.
“Then why stay so long?”
“For you. Alfies older nowyoull manage. If Id left sooner, it wouldve been harder. So I waited.”
She laugheda bitter, broken sound.
“How generous of you.”
“You should be grateful!” Thomas snapped. “I never cheated. I played my part. Do you have any idea how hard that was?”
“Grateful?” She shot up from the chair. “For what? For not cheating? I didnt drag you down the aisle, Tom! You proposed. Got down on one knee. Said you loved me. Or did Mum force that too?”
Thomas stood abruptly.
“She pressured me! You dont get itshe said Id regret it if I let you go. That girls like you dont stay single long.”
“And do you? Regret it?”
“I regret the whole damn marriage!” He gestured to Alfies room. “I wanted something else. Got stuck with you, your nagging, and a kid we never planned.”
Emilys voice turned to ice.
“Alfie was a mistake?”
“Thats not what I”
“Thats exactly what you meant. You think we ruined your life. So why stay? Why not leave when I got pregnant?”
“Because I had to!” Thomas clenched his fists. “Mum said itd be shameful to leave you with a baby. That people would talk. So I stayed. But I wont anymore.”
Emily exhaled. The disappointment crushed her chest.
“Get out.”
“What?”
“Leave. Take your things and go. Dont come back. Alfie and I dont need you.”
Thomas faltered. Hed expected tears, beggingnot this steely resolve.
“Emily, lets talk”
“Go!” Her shout was raw, jagged with pain.
Silently, he packed. Clothes, documents, phone. Emily stood by the door, unmoving. When he passed her, she didnt look at him. The door slammed shut.
Alone, she collapsed onto the bed, face buried in the pillow. The tears came thenflooding, unstoppable. She wept until her throat hurt, until she was hollow. Near dawn, she lay there, staring at the ceiling, drained.
Thena shift.
Next door, Alfie slept. Her son. Her little boy, whod done nothing wrong. She rose, splashed cold water on her face, and studied her reflectionswollen eyes, pale skin. But alive.
Shed manage.
For Alfie. For herself. Trust was broken, but that didnt matter. Theyd be alright, just the two of them.
