The story of learning about John’s betrayal came to light by mere chance for Sarah.
As is often the case, wives are the last to know about their husbands’ infidelity. Only later did Sarah realize the meaning behind the peculiar glances from her colleagues and the whispers behind her back. Everyone in the office seemed to know that her best friend, Jane, was having an affair with John. Sarah hadn’t suspected a thing.
She found out one evening when she unexpectedly returned home. For several years, Sarah had been working as a doctor in a hospital. That particular day, she was supposed to be on the night shift, but at the end of the workday, a young colleague named Emily approached her with a request:
“Sarah, could you possibly switch shifts with me? I’ll cover tonight, and you can work for me on Saturday, if you don’t have other plans. My sister’s getting married this Saturday.”
Sarah agreed. Emily was a nice, kind-hearted girl, and a wedding was a good reason.
Late that evening, Sarah was heading home in high spirits, planning to surprise her husband. Instead, she was the one surprised. No sooner had she entered the house than she heard voices coming from the bedroom. One was John’s; the other was unmistakable—it was the voice of her best friend, Jane. What Sarah overheard left no doubt about the nature of their relationship.
Sarah left the house as quietly as she had entered. She spent a sleepless night at the hospital, wondering how she would face her colleagues again. Everyone seemed to know, yet she’d been blind in her love for John, trusting him implicitly. He had been the center of her life, and she had been willing to sacrifice much for him. She had even put aside her dream of having a child. Whenever she broached the subject with John, he would say he wasn’t ready and that they should enjoy life as is. Now, Sarah understood John never wanted a family because he didn’t take their marriage seriously.
That sleepless night led Sarah to make a decision she believed was the only right one. In the morning, she wrote a letter requesting a leave of absence, followed by her resignation. She then returned home and, while John was at work, packed her belongings and headed to the train station. She had inherited a small cottage in the countryside from her grandmother, and that’s where she decided to go, feeling confident John wouldn’t look for her there.
At the station, she bought a new SIM card and threw her old one away. Sarah severed all connections with her past life and boldly stepped into a new one.
Within a day, she found herself at a familiar railway station. The last time she had been there was almost a decade ago for her grandmother’s funeral. Everything looked the same – quiet and scarcely populated. “Just what I need right now,” thought Sarah. She hitched a ride to the village, before walking another twenty minutes to her grandmother’s house. Over the years, the garden had become overgrown, making it difficult for Sarah to reach the front door.
It took several weeks to bring the yard and house into order. Sarah wouldn’t have managed on her own, but the neighbors were incredibly helpful. They all remembered her grandmother, Edith, who had worked as a primary school teacher in the local school for over 40 years. Many generations of village kids learned to read and write under Edith’s guidance. Now, many wanted to help Sarah in honor of their beloved teacher.
Sarah was taken aback by such a warm reception. She was deeply grateful to everyone who helped her tidy up, repair the house, and settle into her new place. News of her being a doctor spread quickly through the village. One day, her nearest neighbor Nancy came rushing over in great distress.
“Sarah, I’m sorry, but I can’t help you today. My little one isn’t well. She must have eaten something bad; she’s been having stomach cramps all morning.”
“Let’s go, and I’ll have a look at your daughter,” suggested Sarah, grabbing her medical bag and following Nancy.
Little Molly had food poisoning. Sarah helped the child by setting up a drip and explained to Nancy how to care for her daughter moving forward.
“Thank you, Sarah,” Nancy said with gratitude. “You’re a doctor! The nearest hospital is 60 kilometers away. We used to have our own nurse in the village, but they left a year ago and haven’t sent a replacement.”
From that moment, villagers began turning to Sarah for help. Unable to refuse, given how warmly they had welcomed her and helped with everything they could.
When the news of a doctor in the village reached the authorities, Sarah was invited to work at the district clinic.
“No, I won’t go to the district,” Sarah firmly stated. “But if you trust me with a small medical practice here in our village, I’m more than willing.”
The authorities were puzzled—a city doctor with such experience wanting to work in a rural practice. But Sarah didn’t budge from her decision. Eventually, the village’s small clinic reopened, where Sarah started seeing patients.
One evening, there was a knock on the door. It was already late, but Sarah wasn’t surprised by a late visit—people fell ill at all hours.
Opening the door, she let in an unfamiliar man, whose appearance suggested trouble.
“Dr. Sarah, I’ve come from Oakwood, which is about 15 kilometers from here. My daughter is seriously ill. At first, I thought it was just a cold, but the fever hasn’t gone down for three days. Please, come with me, help my daughter.”
Sarah quickly gathered her things, simultaneously questioning the man about the girl’s symptoms.
Upon arrival, Sarah found a small, very pale girl in bed, breathing heavily. The girl’s lips were cracked, her hair tangled, and her eyelids flickered slightly.
After examining her, Sarah said, “The situation is serious. She needs to be taken to the hospital.”
The man shook his head in refusal.
“We live alone, just my daughter and me. Her mother passed soon after her birth. This girl is all I have. I can’t lose her.”
“But the hospital can help her more quickly. There’s nothing I can do here. We need medication, and I don’t have it.”
“Tell me what medication is needed; I’ll get it. Just please don’t take her to the hospital. There is an overnight pharmacy in the district, and I can quickly return with whatever is necessary. But… I have no one to leave my daughter with.”
Sarah saw the fear and concern in the father’s eyes. Only now did she take a good look at the man. He was about her age, tall, lean, with striking chestnut hair. His eyes were a deep green, and his long lashes could rival any woman’s.
“I’ll stay with the little one,” Sarah said. “What’s her name?”
“Alice,” the man tenderly looked at his daughter. “And I’m Simon. Thank you, Doctor!”
Sarah wrote a prescription, and Simon left for the district center.
Alice’s temperature wasn’t coming down, and she was restless in her sleep, crying and calling for her father. Sarah picked the girl up and, humming a lullaby, walked around the room until Alice finally calmed down.
Several hours later, Simon returned with the medication. Sarah gave the girl an injection and remarked with a weary voice, “Now we can only wait.”
They both spent the night by the sick girl’s bed. Towards morning, the fever began to break, and small beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
“That’s a good sign,” Sarah noted. She was exhausted, but the satisfaction of having turned the illness helped her persevere.
“Thank you, Doctor,” Simon kept repeating.
A year passed. Sarah continued to work at the village clinic, treating the locals and residents of nearby areas. But now she lived not in her grandmother’s old cottage but in Simon’s beautiful, spacious home. They married half a year after that dreadful night when Alice’s life hung by a thread.
It took several weeks to finally win the battle against Alice’s illness. The little girl recovered and became very attached to Sarah. Sarah, in turn, loved Alice with all her heart. Yet every time she embraced the girl, Sarah reflected on the missed opportunity to become a mother.
Evenings found Sarah tired but happy as she returned to her new home, where two of the most dear people awaited her.
Today, Simon met her on the porch, embraced her, and asked:
“So, did they approve your leave? I’ve already planned a route; we’ll go on a journey, the three of us.”
Sarah smiled mysteriously and replied, “Yes, they approved, but we’ll be traveling not three, but four of us.”
For a moment, Simon looked at her in bewilderment, then swept her into his arms and spun her around the yard.
