“Natalie, I wont be living with your son anymorepass that on,” said Emily.
“And who exactly are you planning to live with?” Natalie scoffed. “Whod want a woman with a child? I dont see a queue of princes behind our fence.”
Emily packed her daughter Lilys thingsjust the essentials. Her own belongings were already in the bag. Her movements were calm, deliberate. A warm jumper for Lilycheck. Shoesanother tick.
She wasnt crying anymore. One sleepless night had been enough to make up her mindshe and Daniel needed to divorce.
She heard him come home. He peeked into their bedroom, found it empty, then nudged open Lilys door. Emily pretended to sleep.
In the morning, before work, Daniel lingered outside Lilys room. He hovered, shifted awkwardly, but couldnt bring himself to step inthe confrontation could wait till evening.
Except there wouldnt be one. In half an hour, Emily would call a taxi and leave for her parents house with two-year-old Lily.
After last night, she didnt just refuse to talk to Danielshe never wanted to see him again.
Shed grown used to him stumbling home drunk every Friday. But yesterday was Wednesday. Worse, shed asked him to come home early so she could meet a friendMartha had promised to help her find remote work.
She couldnt leave Lily with him in that state, so she called Martha to reschedule. Daniel didnt like that.
“Who are you calling? What meeting?” he snapped.
“Martha. I was supposed to see her, but I cant leave Lily with you like this.”
“Why not?”
“Look at yourself! Youre a mess! Go sleep it offyouve got work tomorrow,” Emily said, turning toward the kitchen.
“Stop right there!” Daniel grabbed her arm. “Whats wrong with how I am, huh? Just had a few with the ladsVics birthday. Big deal, princess! Ill come home how I like. Got it?”
Emily tried to pull free. “Let go! Youre hurting me! Have you lost your mind?”
She yanked her arm back. Daniel staggered, nearly toppling.
“Oh, thats how it is?” he snarledand then his fist connected with her face.
Emily clutched her nose. Daniel, seemingly shocked by his own actions, let go and fumbled for words. She didnt waitjust turned and walked to Lilys room.
“Princess!” he spat again before storming out.
That nickname came from Natalie. Shed never liked Emily.
“Twenty-one years old and still leeching off her parents. Studying! At her age, I already had one kid and another on the way!”
“House, husband, responsibilities! But no, shes got to study. Princess! Youll regret this, Danny. Shouldve picked a simpler girl!”
Emilys parents werent fond of Daniel either.
“Emily, whats the rush? Hes not the last man on earth! In love? Fine, date himeven live together, though you know how I feel about that. But marriage? Thinkcan you really spend your life with him? Look at his family. Then decide.”
So Emily decided. And six months in, she realised it was the wrong one. She couldve left. But first, admitting her parents were right was humiliating. Secondshe was pregnant.
Lilys arrival didnt change Daniel. He still believed housework and childcare were a wifes burden. Her exhaustion, Lilys teethingnone of it excused an unmade dinner or untidy flat.
“Cant handle one child? Other women manage! Bet you nap all day while Im at work!”
“Cant find time to shop or cook all day?” hed lecture.
“Lilys teethingshes fussy! I cant cook while holding her. Order takeaway. Or you cookor watch her while I do!”
The rose-tinted glasses had long shattered. Emily often thought her mum was rightshe shouldve waited, shouldve scrutinised Daniels family.
She nearly left a few times. Daniel always promised to change. Emily believed him. Hoped.
But after last nightthe first time hed raised a hand to hershe knew she wouldnt tolerate it. Yes, facing her parents was mortifying. But living with a man whod hit her? Unthinkable. Worseletting Lily grow up in that home.
Her mum spotted the taxi pulling up. “John, lookEmilys here. With bags. Help her with them.”
When Emily walked in and removed her sunglasses, her parents frozeher left eye was swollen, a dark bruise spreading beneath it.
“Daniel did this?!” her mum gasped.
Emily nodded.
“Ill sort him out,” her dad growled, marching toward the door.
“Dad, no,” Emily stopped him. “Ill punish him my way. Just help me get our thingsand Lilys cotfrom his flat.”
Her dad and uncle retrieved their belongings. Then her dad took Emily to A&E.
“If you want to report Daniel, the A&E note wont be enough,” her uncle explained. “Youll need a specialist examination.”
“Well book it tomorrow,” her dad said.
Daniel came home from work with flowers for Emily and a toy for Lily. But the flat was empty. No belongings. No cot.
He called Emilyher phone was off. Then he rang his mother-in-law.
“Yes, Emily and Lily are here. And dont you dare show your faceher dads fists are itching. Shell file for divorce herself.”
Daniel kept calling. Even lurked near her parents house. But Emily ignored him. If she took Lily out, it was only to the backyard.
A week later, divorce papers arrived. Then came Nataliethe heavy artillery.
“Mum, I dont want to talk to her,” Emily said.
“You should,” her mum insisted. “Clear the air. Not inside, thoughLilys napping. The garden will do.”
“So, divorce?” Natalie launched in. “If things dont go your way, you just quit?”
“Daniel hit me,” Emily said flatly.
“You mustve provoked him! A man comes home tipsydont nag him, let him sleep it off! But no, you had to pick a fight. And now divorce? Abandoning your child?”
“Natalie, I wont live with your son. Pass that on.”
“And wholl take you? With a child? I dont see suitors lining up,” Natalie sneered.
“Ill manage.”
“Well, dont expect his flat or child support,” Natalie hissed.
“I dont want his flat. But Ill claim child supportand the courts will side with me.”
They did. The divorce was swiftmedical evidence sealed it. Child support was granted, plus extra until Lily turned three.
Five years later, a crowd gathered outside the school for the first-day assemblynoisy older kids, nervous Year Ones clutching oversized bouquets. Lily, starting Reception, was there with her grandparents and mum.
“Will Daddy come?” Lily asked.
“Hell be here. He textedhes on his way,” Emily said. Then, spotting him: “There he is!”
She waved at the tall man scanning the crowd.
But it wasnt Daniel. Three years ago, Emily had married James, a colleague. Now, they were expecting another child.
Daniel, meanwhile, was still single. Thered been women he liked, women who liked him. But whenever things turned serious, someone always revealed why his first wife left.
Small towns have long memories. And Daniel had earned a nickname”Sofa Slugger.”
Maybe one day hed find a woman who didnt care. But so far? Not a chance. The universe has a way of balancing thingswhether you believe in it or not.
