“An Unborn Daughter”
“Can you stop blubbering?! Everyone around us is staring. Thankfully, none of my mates are here, or I’d be mortified!” Kyran snapped, his irritation palpable.
“Kyran, please…” the young woman sitting across from him managed to utter before breaking down into heavier sobs.
“Here we go again! What do you mean, why? What child are you talking about? Did we ever agree to have a baby?! We’ve only been seeing each other for a couple of months—enough is enough!” Kyran’s last words were shouted, drawing the attention of nearby café patrons.
“What are you saying? We love each other! You confessed your feelings to me! You said…” Alyssa was interrupted mid-sentence by Kyran once more.
“Enough with the sentimental nonsense—you said this, you said that… I’m moving to the States with my parents in a few days. We’ve sold our house here, and my dad has transferred all his assets. So, as they say, goodbye, darling!” Kyran declared, casting another glance at the weeping girl.
“Kyran…” Alyssa whispered, struggling to hold back fresh tears.
“Excuse me, can I have the bill?! How long must I wait?” Kyran waved his hand to grab the attention of the waitstaff clustered at the bar.
The waiters scurried, and Kyran casually waved them off, pulled out folded notes from his wallet, and tossed them onto the table.
“Listen, I’m late, and I’m tired of your drama. I’ve promised you nothing and said nothing of the sort! I’m leaving, and if you want to order more, feel free—there’s plenty here,” he said, gesturing towards the money before heading towards the exit.
Alyssa watched him go, covering her face with her hands as the floodgates of tears opened once more. Moments later, a waiter approached their table, collected the cash, and started clearing away the used coffee cups.
“Is there anything else you’d like?” he asked politely.
“No, thank you,” Alyssa replied quietly, making an effort to avoid meeting the waiter’s gaze with her tear-stained eyes.
She slowly stood, grabbed her handbag off the chair, and headed for the exit. Kyran’s car was no longer parked outside the café; he had driven away.
Stepping out into the fresh air felt like a balm to her heart. The tears dried up, though her swollen eyelids gave away her distress. Mechanically, she pulled a small mirror and a damp tissue from her bag, wiped away the smudged mascara, and walked away from that dreadful café.
Home didn’t feel like an option right now. Instead, she wandered into a small park where she used to gather with school friends during her teenage years.
Sitting down on a bench, memories of her carefree school days flooded her mind. “Back then, everything was so simple and clear, with life stretching out ahead of me. And the worries? The biggest had been that the disco was canceled next Saturday or getting a low mark in geography. But now! Now my life is spiraling out of control! What comes next?! Should I terminate the pregnancy or have the child, becoming a single mother raising a baby alone? I’d need to work two jobs just to make ends meet!” Alyssa mused internally, as tears once again betrayed her.
“Miss, is everything alright? Can I help you? Here, take this tissue,” a kind male voice interrupted her thoughts, extending a paper tissue towards her.
Alyssa took the tissue and looked up at the person offering assistance.
“Ally! Is that you?!” the man exclaimed enthusiastically.
“Tom…,” Alyssa responded in a daze, attempting to rise from the bench.
Tom quickly wrapped her in a warm embrace, repeating, “Ally! Ally! I’m so glad to see you! Just this morning, I was asking about you!”
After a moment, he finally released her from his arms.
“What are you doing here, sitting alone and crying?”
“I just passed by, wandered into our little park, and got nostalgic about school days,” Alyssa fabricated her story to conceal the real reasons behind her turmoil.
“I see. You’re still as sensitive as you used to be! And just as beautiful, even more so!”
Alyssa smiled at her former classmate.
“Ally, let’s go to a café. There’s one nearby—we can sit down and chat,” Tom suggested, pointing toward the café she had just exited in tears. Returning there was the last thing she wanted.
“Let’s skip the café, how about a walk instead and then we can try some ice cream in the park? The weather’s lovely,” Alyssa proposed.
“Sure!” Tom agreed with a smile.
They strolled through the park for a couple of hours, reminiscing about their school days. For that moment, Alyssa even forgot about Kyran and her unexpected pregnancy.
“By the way, are you still single?” Tom asked cautiously.
“Nope. It just didn’t work out,” the girl responded, her tone carrying more meaning.
“Same here,” Tom replied, either joyfully or resignedly—it was hard to tell.
Alyssa and Tom had begun dating back in school, and everyone referred to them as “the bride and groom,” with their parents subtly preparing for a future wedding.
But everything changed due to a common situation many faced. Tom was enlisted in the army for a year. Alyssa waited for six months only to realize she had fallen for someone else.
His name was Ethan, and he initially cared for Alyssa romantically, leading her to believe he would propose soon. But he didn’t rush. After four years of dating, they even tried living together. However, something felt off. One day, Alyssa caught Ethan with another girl. He begged for forgiveness, but she decided that kind of relationship was not for her.
For months, Alyssa lived in a state of despair before she met Kyran. Strangely, history repeated itself. She genuinely fell for the charming young man. He courted her beautifully and showered her with lavish gifts. Alyssa believed in true feelings once more and was ready to build a family. Yet, for Kyran, this was merely entertainment. As it turned out, he had known about his upcoming move to America when they began dating. He simply needed someone to share fun times with, and he chose the lovely Alyssa for that.
Tom bore no ill will towards her for not waiting. He had always been wise and level-headed. She had written him a letter with her decision, and his only response was to wish her happiness. Not wanting to return to their hometown after his service, he moved to London, planning to stay there permanently.
In the capital, Tom managed to obtain a degree, dated someone else, and found work. His personal life struggled; the company downsized, and he was among the latest hires left without a job. Without a second thought, he chose to return to his hometown, not expecting anything from his relationship with Alyssa, confident she was already married.
Fate, however, had an incredible surprise in store for Tom. His beloved Alyssa was not only unmarried but also free from any relationship. Naturally, he decided to seize this unexpected opportunity.
…Two months slipped by since their reunion in the park. Tom and Alyssa started dating. He was genuinely thrilled about everything that had transpired recently, and Alyssa realized she still had feelings for him. Yet, the thought that she carried another man’s child weighed heavily on her. Each time she prepared for a date, she understood that their relationship was doomed.
Yet again, Tom invited her out for dinner. After their meal, he pulled a ring out of his jacket pocket and proposed.
“So, what do you say? Will you marry me, through thick and thin?” he asked with a smile, confident she would agree.
“No,” Alyssa replied, lowering her gaze.
“What do you mean, no? Why not, Alyssa? Don’t go!”
Alyssa burst into tears as she dashed for the exit.
Ten years passed…
“Mum, who’s picking me up from after-school today? You or Dad?” Lila asked at breakfast.
“I don’t know, sweetheart. We’ll see in the evening,” Alyssa said as she prepared sandwiches for her husband.
“We’ll pick you up together! And then we’ll dash to the cinema! It’s Friday!” Tom exclaimed, entering the kitchen.
“Yay! Daddy! Yay! To the movies!” Lila cheered.
“Eat up, or you’ll be late for school.”
Tom glanced at his wife’s anxious face, intently typing on her phone.
“Is it him again?” he asked Alyssa.
“Yes. Tom, he’s threatening to take Lila to court and move her to America,” Alyssa confessed, tearing up.
“This has to stop. Give me his number; I’ll deal with it,” he insisted.
“No, Tom. I worry about you.”
“Everything will be fine. Lila, are you ready? Let’s go!”
Tom and Lila headed out of the flat.
“Hey! So this is where Ally ran off to! Her ex-fiancé!” Kyran shouted, leaning against the entrance.
“Lila, go to the car. I need to talk to this man,” Tom instructed, sending his daughter away.
Lila obediently walked and climbed into the back seat.
“So, Ally’s fooled you like a deer in headlights. Are you even aware that you’re raising someone else’s child? You were just her backup plan,” Kyran sneered. “She loves me!”
“Listen! Ally and I love one another. I’m raising my child. You were the biggest mistake she ever made, and she fixed that. Now off you go—don’t let me see you again! Or things could get worse…”
With that, Tom pushed Kyran. He stumbled but steadied himself.
“Dad, are you coming? We’ll be late for school!”
“I’m coming, darling.”
Tom and Lila drove off. Kyran watched them leave, feeling defeated. A question lingered in his mind—was it necessary to fight? To fight for a love that wasn’t there? And for a daughter he would never have.
That evening, he flew away, never to return to his hometown. Sometimes it’s best to draw a line, even if you yearn for a sequel.
