Emily betrayed her husband just once, before their wedding. He called her fat and said she wouldnt fit into her wedding dress. Hurt, she went out with friends to a nightclub in London, drank too much, and woke up in an unfamiliar flat next to a handsome man with blue eyes. The shame was unbearable! She never told James, forgave his cruel words, and even started a diet. She quit drinkingeasier once she discovered she was pregnant.
Their daughter was born right on time, a beautiful blue-eyed girl, and James adored her. For five years, Emily told herself everything was finethe girl had blue eyes because her grandfather did. So what if her hair was curly? She tried hard to forget the man with curls whose name she couldnt recall. But deep down, her mothers instincts whispered that James wasnt the father. Maybe thats why she endured his nights out, his work trips, his constant jabs about her cooking and looks. For her daughter, family mattered: she loved her dad, and what man didnt stray?
“Tough it outwhere else would you go?” her mother said. “Your brothers brought his fiancée home, Grans bedriddentheres no room. I warned you not to put the house in your mother-in-laws name!”
Emily endured. But it didnt matter. One day, James left. Hed met someone else, he said, even crying as he promised hed always be Lilys father but couldnt deny his feelings. His mother, who doted on Lily, snapped after the divorce:
“Get a paternity testwhy pay child support if shes not yours?”
Emily froze. She thought she was the only one who doubted.
“Are you mad?” James shot back. “Anyone can see Lilys mine.”
But his mother mightve been right. A year later, when Emily landed in hospital with appendicitis, she recognised the blue eyes above the surgical mask.
“Forgive me, have we met?” the surgeon asked.
Emily shook her head desperately. He wasnt supposed to remember. But he did. The next day, visiting her, he joked,
“Hope you wont run off as fast as last time.”
Blushing crimson, Emily planned to leave immediately. Yet Thomas made her want to stay. She mentioned having a daughternothing more.
Thomas understood the moment he saw Lily. Nervous, he bought a doll, grilled Emily on how to act.
“When I was little,” he admitted, “my mum fell for another man. My sister never accepted him, so he left. I dont want that. I want to be her second dad.”
Emilys heart sank. When he saw Lilypaling, then staringshe knew: he understood.
“Why hide it?” she thought. “Hed find out eventually.”
Bracing for anger, she was shocked when Thomas hugged her later, whispering, “What a wonderful miracle.”
At first, Lily liked Thomas. But when Emily gently suggested he move in, the girl sobbed,
“I thought Dad was coming back! Let Thomas live somewhere else.”
Emily persuaded her, but Thomas was hurt.
“Shes my daughter! They need to know!”
“James couldnt take it. Neither could Lily. To her, hes Dadto him, shes his only child. His new wife cant have kids, his mother told me.”
Thomas simmered, Lily threw tantrums, and Emily juggled their fragile peace. Rules helped: she took Lily to James, kept the men apart, never left Lily alone with Thomas (theyd argue), even made sure Lily made cards on Mothers Day to avoid accidental revelations.
Then Emily got pregnant again. Panic set in. What if the baby looked just like Lily? What if James figured it out? What if Thomas told Lily while she was in hospital?
They planned for her mum to watch Lily during the birth, but she was hospitalised with gallstones. Her stepfather refused, her brother and his wife worked full-time. Emily tried Jamesaway on business. His mother wasnt an option.
“I cant look after my own daughter?” Thomas fumed.
The birth was rough: a C-section, then jaundice kept her and the baby hospitalised. At home, tension brewed. Thomas insisted all was fine, but Lily wouldnt talk to her. “He told her,” Emily feared.
Neighbours urged honesty: “Truth always comes out. Lies cost you.” So she called James.
“I need to confess something.”
“Confess what?”
Long pause.
“About Lily”
“What about her?”
Emily hesitated.
“Shes your friends child. Ive known for years.”
“He told you?”
“I knew long before. Got tested when she was one. Before basic training, doctors said I couldnt have kids. I hoped for a miracle, then doubted. My mum did too. So I checked.”
“But why?”
“What could I do?” he cut in. “Shes innocent! Dont tell her! I stayed to keep being her dad.”
On discharge day, Emily watched Lily and Thomas, uneasy. They were quiet, exchanging odd looks.
“Howd you manage without me?” she asked nervously once the baby slept and Lily drew.
“Fine! You always interfered. We got on fine alone.”
“You told her?”
“No! You forbade it.”
“Then whys she so quiet?”
Thomas smirked.
“Ask her.”
In Lilys room, the girl frowned over a red-pencilled drawing: three adults, two kids.
“Whos this?” Emily asked.
“Cant you see? You, Dad, Thomas, me, and baby Oliver.”
“Its lovely.”
“Yep. Mum can someone have two dads?”
Emilys throat tightened.
“Sometimes, yes,” she said carefully.
“So can I call Thomas Dad too? Hes nice. We built a LEGO castle, saw fish. A funny grandad shopkeeper asked what my dad did. I didnt know if he meant Thomas, so I said doctor. Its cool having a doctor dad. He said yes, but I wanted to check with you.”
Emily hugged her, realising the trap shed built. James forgave her. Thomas would too. But if Lily ever learned the truth She had to choose: live in fear or tell her.
“Of course you can,” Emily whispered. “I think hed love that. But dont tell Dad yet.”
Sometimes, love means carrying burdens silentlybut truth, like sunshine, finds its way through every crack.
