Trampled Dreams: My Mother Warned Me About That Scheming Woman, But I Still Lost My Heart – A Tale of First Love, Family, and the Woman Who Walked All Over My Life

Author Mitsuko NagasakiReading 9 minViews 1

STEPPING STONES ON MY PATH

Son, if you dont break it off with that brazen woman, consider yourself motherless! That Nancy is at least fifteen years older than you!my mum would tell me for the thousandth time.

Mum, I cant help it! I wish I could, but I just cantwas all I could offer in return.

When I was eighteen, I fell in love with a sweet girl named Emily, who was then just fourteen. Innocent, modest, and dearly cherishedmy heart ached at the thought of her. Id met her at a school disco, and she caught my eye from the start.

With the help of her mate, I managed to get Emily to agree to a datethough God knows what I had to promise in return. Do you think she actually turned up? Of course not! Determined, I became a bit of a hunter, seeking out her number, ringing her repeatedly, begging for one meeting. At last, Emily relentedon the strict condition that I first get permission from her mum.

I found myself sweating and blushing outside her door, nerves in tatters. Thankfully, Emilys mother was a warm-hearted woman, quick with a joke. She entrusted her precious daughter to me for exactly two hours.

We wandered around the park, chatting and laughing. It was perfectly innocent. Then, out of the blue, Emily said,

Oliver, I have a boyfriend. I think I love him, even if hes a dreadful womaniser. Im tired of finding him with other girls. I do have some self-respect. Shall we give it a go, you and me, and be proper friends? Would you like that?

Her words piqued my curiosity further. Emily could seem shy, but there was so much more to her. My fascination with her only grew.

Before I knew it, our two hours were up, and I solemnly delivered Emily back to her mum.

Over time, Emily found her way under my skin. I could no longer imagine life without her.

Even my mother adored that sunbeam. Emily visited often, and Mum took it upon herself to try and teach her womanly secrets and household tricks. Sometimes the two of them would get so caught up chatting that they forgot about me entirely.

Once Emily turned eighteen, we started talking seriously about marriage. There wasnt a shred of doubt on either side, nor among our families, that wed tie the knot.

The wedding was set for autumn.

Then summer rolled around. Emily went to her grans village, and I was left at our familys allotment, helping Mum about the house and garden.

One afternoon, as I watered the tomatoes, a woman called over the fence.

Young man, could I trouble you for a drink of water?

I turned and saw a woman of around thirty-five, rather dishevelled, hair all over the place, yet a strange fire in her eyes. I didnt recall her from any neighbouring plots, but it seemed rude not to oblige. I poured her a glass of water from the well and handed it over:

Here you are. Drink as much as you like.

She drank it greedily and thanked me profusely.

Oh, thank you, young man! I was parched. Ive got a bottle of homemade fruit liqueur with mesweet as honey. Please, take it as a thank-you.

And with that, the stranger pressed a bottle into my hand. Wellrefusing would have felt ungrateful. I called after her as she left:

Thanks!

That evening I sipped the liqueur over dinner, aloneMum was away in London for a night. Had she been there, shed have never let me touch the stuff.

The next day, the stranger turned up again. We fell into conversation. Her name was Nancy, and she rented a place in the next village. I invited her in, and sure enough, shed brought along more of that dangerously pleasant liqueur. I cobbled together some sandwiches and a salad, and before long, the bottle was empty.

Looking back, I curse myself for what happened next. Nancy, with a cunning older-womans charm, took control. I was powerless, caught in her web, utterly bewildered by my own behaviour and overwhelmed by a thick fog of confusion.

I came to my senses to find Mum standing over me, trying to wake me.

Oliver, what on earth happened here while I was gone? Who were you drinking with? Why is your bed in such a state, as if a herd of horses trampled over it?she demanded anxiously.

My head throbbed, hands shook, and I could scarcely explain myself. By evening, Id recovered enough to be consumed with shamefor myself, and especially for letting down my fiancée, Emily.

Yet, less than a week later, Nancy returned. Strangely, I felt glad to see herperhaps even missed her. Mum met her at the door, hands on hips:

What do you want, woman?

I pulled Mum back inside.

Mum, whats with the third degree? Isnt it possible shes just passing through and wants a drink of water?

Is it? That, my dear, is Nancy from the village. Everyone knows heralways running around the allotments, seducing every man in sight! Shes nothing but trouble, and youd best get rid of her, and fastMum fumed.

But Mum didnt understandit was already too late. Nancy had bewitched me with her syrupy drinks, and whatever had bound me to her was entirely beyond my own strength. I knew she wasnt mine, nor was I truly attached, but for a while, I chased after her like a shadow.

I forgot all about Emily. And when I mentioned my fiancée to Nancy, she merely laughed:

Oliver dear, your first crush isnt a real fiancée.

Our wedding plans fell to pieces.

Mum invited Emily round and told her everything.

Love, forgive Oliver; he plainly doesnt know the trouble hes getting himself into. Hell regret it when its too late, and Nancy will drag him under for nothing. Dont you wait for himstart your life, my dear.

In due time, Emily married someone else.

Hoping to save me, Mum went to the army recruitment office and asked them to draft me immediatelyeven though Id previously been deferred. I was sent to serve overseas, stationed in Afghanistan. What I saw and did there is another storybut when I returned, three fingers on my right hand were gone. A minor wound, they said.

My mind was never quite the same. I became distant, numb to most things. Nancy waited for me, though. By then, we already had a son. Before I left, uncertain Id survive, I made sure wed have a child. In Afghanistan, I used to dream of having five.

Mum still despised Nancy but fussed over Emily, even knitting socks and bonnets for her little daughter. For some reason Mum was certain Emilys child was minewhich I would have liked, but truthfully, it wasnt so.

Emily did well for herself, stopping in to check on Mum from time to time, always asking after me. Mum could only shrug:

Hes still with that strange woman. Ill never understand what he sees in her.

Emily told me all this years later, when we finally met again.

But in the meantime, I took work up North, and Nancy came with me, along with our three children.

We had two more kids up there, fulfilling my wish. But two years in, our five-year-old daughter died of pneumonia. The Northern climate was merciless. We moved back down Southeasier to grieve under familiar trees.

Back home, memories of Emily wouldnt leave me. I ached for the girl Id lost. Mum provided her number and address, but warned me not to meddle in Emilys settled family.

I called, and we met that very day. Emily looked better than ever. She welcomed me in, introduced me to her husband as her old school friend. He seemed so confident in her that he left for his night shift, leaving us alone.

There were some fruit and an open bottle of champagne on the table. Emilys daughter was staying with her gran.

Well then, Oliver. Ive heard all about you from your mother. Hows your life been?Emily sighed, fixing me with a knowing look.

Im sorry, Emily. I messed it all up. Nothing can be changed now. I have four children,I stammered.

No need to change anything, Oliver. We met, reminisced, and thats enough. Only, show your mother some warmthshes suffered a lot for your sake,Emily pleaded.

I couldnt take my eyes off her. She hadnt changed a bitstill beautiful, still the girl of my dreams. I took her hand, kissed it as tenderly as possible.

Emily, I love you just as I did in my youth. Our love slipped by, and I regret it all. Life cant be rewritten. Forgive me,I finally managed.

You need to go now, Oliver. Its late,she said softly, and I knew it was over.

But I couldnt let go so easily. A storm of emotion overcame me, burning with longing and loss.

In the morning, I left quietly while Emily slept. We started seeing each other in secret. That went on for three years, until Emilys family moved to the suburbs, and from then on, we parted for good.

After the children grew up, I finally divorced Nancy. Mum had been right all along. Nancy left her footprints all over my lifetrampled my fate and broke my heart.

No matter how often you boil water, it will still be water.

In the end, it turned out I had only one true childmy first son.

When They Brought Young Robbie Rogov Home from the Maternity Ward, the Midwife Said, “What a Strapping Lad. He’ll Be a Real Giant One Day.” His Mother Said Nothing—She Was Already Looking at the Bundle in Her Arms as If He Were Not Her Own. Robbie Never Became a Giant. He Became the Odd One Out: Born, but With Nowhere to Belong. “Your odd son’s in the sandpit again, scaring off all the children!” Auntie Linda, the neighbourhood watchdog, would shout from her second-floor balcony. Robbie’s mother, weary and hollow-eyed, would snap back, “Don’t like it? Don’t look. He’s not bothering anyone.” In truth, Robbie bothered no one. Big, awkward, head always down, long arms hanging at his sides. At five, he was silent. At seven, he’d grunt. At ten, he finally spoke—in a voice so raspy and cracked you’d wish he hadn’t. At school, he was relegated to the back of the classroom. Teachers would sigh at his vacant gaze. “Rogov, are you listening?” the maths teacher would ask, tapping the board with chalk. Robbie would nod. He was listening. He just saw no point in answering. Why? They’d give him a pass to keep up the stats and send him on his way. His classmates didn’t bully him—they were afraid. Robbie was built like a young ox. But they didn’t befriend him either, circling wide as one would a deep puddle—careful, almost squeamish. Home was no better. His stepdad arrived when Robbie turned twelve and laid down the law: “I don’t want to see him when I get home from work. Eats a lot, good for nothing.” So Robbie disappeared. Roamed building sites, hid in basements. Learned to become invisible—his only skill: blending into walls, cement, grime underfoot. On the night his life changed, a miserable drizzle filled the air. Fifteen now, Robbie sat on a stairwell between the fifth and sixth floors. Home was off-limits; stepdad’s friends were over—loud, smoky, and likely violent. The door across the hall creaked open. Robbie shrank further into the corner. Out stepped Mrs. Tamsin Ilchester, an odd, spry woman in her sixties who carried herself like she was forty. The whole block thought she was strange. She didn’t gossip on the benches or complain about the price of tea, always walked with her back straight. She looked at Robbie—not with pity or disgust, but analytically, as one might a broken gadget, weighing if it was fixable. “Why are you loitering?” she said in a low, commanding tone. Robbie sniffed. “Just am.” “Just cats are born ‘just am’,” she shot back. “Are you hungry?” Robbie was. Always hungry. At home, the fridge was home to little but air. “Well? I don’t offer twice.” He stood, awkward and massive, and followed. Mrs. Ilchester’s flat was unlike any other: books—everywhere, the scent of old paper and something delicious, meaty. “Sit,” she nodded at a stool. “Wash your hands first—there’s soap.” He obeyed. She served him a proper meal—potatoes and real beef stew. He hadn’t tasted actual meat in years. He ate fast, barely chewing. She watched, chin perched in hand. “No one’s taking it from you. Chew properly, or your stomach will curse you,” she said calmly. He slowed. “Thank you,” he muttered, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. “Don’t use your sleeve. Napkins exist, you know,” she pushed a packet towards him. “You, my boy, are wild. Where’s your mum?” “At home. With him.” “Thought so. Not wanted in your own family.” She said it matter-of-factly, like reporting the rain or that bread’s gone up in price. “Listen, Rogov,” she said sharply. “You’ve two options. Drift on, loiter about—and you’ll end up lost before your time. Or get your act together. You’re strong—I can see—but you’ve air between your ears.” “I’m thick,” Robbie admitted. “That’s what school says.” “School says all sorts. That’s a place for average minds. You’re not average. You’re different. Those hands of yours—put them to use.” He looked at his broad, battered knuckles. “Don’t know how.” “We’ll see. Tomorrow, come fix my tap—drips like a leaky roof and calling a plumber is daylight robbery. I’ll lend you tools.” So began his apprenticeship with Mrs. Ilchester—taps, then sockets, then locks. Turned out, his hands were magic. He understood how things fit together, not with words but an almost animal intuition. She showed no mercy—taught him properly. “Not like that!” she barked. “Who holds a screwdriver like a spoon? Get some leverage!” And would rap his knuckles with a wooden ruler. She gave him books—not textbooks, but tales of real people overcoming the worst, stories of explorers, inventors, pioneers. “Read. Or your brain will rot. Think you’re the only one like you? Millions were—yet they made it. You, too.” He slowly learned her story: Mrs. Ilchester had spent her life as an engineer at the local factory. Widowed early, no children. The factory closed in the nineties; she scraped by on pensions and a bit of technical translating, but she never broke. Never grew bitter. Just lived—straight-backed, stern, and solitary. “I’ve got no one,” she said once. “And you, well, you’ve no one either. But that’s not an end. That’s a start. Understand?” Robbie wasn’t sure he did. But he nodded. When Robbie turned eighteen and the time came for national service, she called him for a serious talk—set the table, even baked pies. “Listen, Robert,”—the first time she used his full name—“don’t come back here. This place will drag you under. It never changes—same block, same people, same hopelessness. Once you’ve served, find a new life. Go north, work the building sites—anywhere but here, understood?” “I understand.” She pressed an envelope into his hand. “Thirty thousand. Every penny I’ve saved. Enough to start if you’re smart. And remember: you owe nothing to anyone—but yourself. Become someone, Robert. Not for me—for you.” He wanted to refuse, but saw in her stern eyes—he couldn’t. This was her final lesson, her last command. He left. And didn’t look back. Twenty years passed. The estate changed. Old poplars felled, tarmac poured over for car parks. The benches by the entry were cold, metal. The building, stubborn, weather-beaten, but still standing. A black Range Rover pulled up. Out stepped a man: tall, broad, weathered by northern winds, but with a calm, assured gaze. It was Robert Rogov—now Robert Ilchester, as his team called him. Owner of a major construction firm in the North. One hundred and twenty staff, three major projects underway, known for doing things right. He’d built himself up from the ground—labourer, foreman, manager, studied at night, earned his qual, saved, invested, failed twice, rebuilt twice. The thirty grand Mrs. Ilchester had given him, he’d repaid many times over—sent her money every month, though she scolded and threatened to bin it. But she always took it. Then, the transfers started coming back. “Recipient not found.” He stared at the fifth floor window. Dark. Women now sat in the courtyard—strangers; the old crowd long gone. “Excuse me,” he asked one, “do you know who’s in forty-five? Mrs. Ilchester?” They perked up—a man like that, turning up. “Oh love, Mrs. Ilchester… Well, she got real bad. Memory went, started getting muddled. Signed her flat over to some so-called family, and now… Last we heard, whisked off to some village. Nicky, remember the name?” “Sunnyside, I think—that old cottage. Some nephew showed up, but she never had family. Something fishy. The flat’s getting sold.” A cold dread crept up his spine. He knew this scam well: lonely old folk, tricked into signing deeds, shuffled off to nowhere—if they’re lucky. “Where’s this Sunnyside?” “Forty miles past the town—roads’ bad, but you’ll manage.” He nodded, jumped in his 4×4, and sped off. Sunnyside was a dying village of three streets, half boarded up, puddles everywhere, only a handful of pensioners and families with nowhere else to go. Locals helped him find the place: a slumping cottage, fence half down, mud and neglect everywhere. Ragged laundry flapped on a line. Robert nudged the gate—it groaned. A man appeared: unshaven, thin-eyed, morning drinker by the look. “What d’you want, mate? Lost?” “Mrs. Ilchester?” “There’s no Ilchester here. Off you go.” Robert didn’t argue—he stepped forward, took the man by the collar, moved him aside as easily as shifting a stick. Inside, the stench of damp, mould, and waste. Dirty plates, empty bottles. And in the back— On an iron bed, she lay—tiny, spent, hair matted, earthy complexion, deep shadows under her eyes, lips cracked. But it was her—his Mrs. Ilchester, who taught him tools, taught him belief, gave him everything. Her eyes opened—clouded, unfocused. “Who’s there?” Her voice was frail, broken. “It’s me, Mrs. Ilchester. Robbie. Rogov. Remember? Fixed your taps.” For a long moment she blinked, the tears welling. “Robbie…” she whispered. “You came back… Grown so big. A real man…” “A man, Mrs. Ilchester. Because of you.” He wrapped her—so light—carefully in a blanket, scooped her up. Beneath the hospital smell he caught a whiff of old paper and soap—her. “Where are we going?” she asked, fearful. “Home. My home. It’s warm there. And there are books—many books. You’ll love it.” At the door, the man tried to block them: “Hey, where you off with her? Show your papers! She left me the house, I look after her!” Robert stopped, met his eyes—calm, not angry. That calm was scarier than rage. “My lawyers can sort what she’s left you,” Robert said evenly. “So can the police. The courts, too. And if you tricked her here—it will all come out, and I’ll make sure you get what’s coming. Understood?” The man nodded, shrinking. It took months: assessments, courts, paperwork. Proved the gift invalid—signed in confusion. The man, a small-time con artist, was convicted. The flat returned. He was sent away. But Mrs. Ilchester no longer needed the flat. Robert built a home. Not a mansion, but a genuine, solid timber house on the edge of a northern city. Thick larch, real fire, big windows. Mrs. Ilchester lived on the sunniest ground floor. The best doctors, a gentle carer, good food. She filled out, colour came back. Memory never fully returned—she’d mix up dates, faces—but her spirit stayed. She read again, told off the cleaner for dust. “What’s with the cobwebs—this a home or a shed?” It made Robert smile. He didn’t stop there. One day, he returned from work with a thin, guarded young lad—sharp cheek scar, baggy clothes. “Meet Alex,” he told Mrs. Ilchester, ushering him into the lounge. “Found him on the site. No home. Care-leaver, just eighteen. Golden hands, mind’s a bit adrift.” Mrs. Ilchester closed her book, adjusted her glasses, and examined him. “Well, don’t just stand there like a statue—hands washed, then dinner. Soap’s in the loo. We’re having meatballs.” A month later, a girl appeared—Katie, twelve, a limp in one leg, always looking down. Robert took her in—her mother lost custody for drink and abuse. The house filled. This was no charity for show. This was family—the family of those no one wanted. The family of the outcast, who found one another. Robert watched as Mrs. Ilchester taught Alex to hold a plane, smacking his knuckles with the old wooden ruler; as Katie, perched in a chair, slowly, shyly read a book aloud. “Robert!” Mrs. Ilchester would bark. “Don’t just stand there! Lend a hand—the kids can’t shift the bookcase alone!” “Coming!” he’d call. He’d go to them—this strange, awkward, wonderful family. For the first time in forty years, he felt he belonged. He was not the odd one out anymore. “So, Alex,” he asked one night as the house slept. “How are you finding it here?” The boy sat on the porch, staring at the vast northern stars. “All right, Mr. Rob. Just… “What?” “It’s weird, that’s all. Why’d you bother? I’m nobody.” Rob sat beside him, offered him an apple. “You know, someone once told me—‘Only cats are born for no reason.’” Alex snorted. “What’s that mean?” “It means nothing truly happens for nothing. Not the good, nor the bad. You’re here now—not by accident. Nor am I.” Inside, Mrs. Ilchester’s lamp burned late—reading, against doctor’s orders. Robert shook his head. “Get some sleep, Alex. Tomorrow’s busy—we’re fixing the fence.” “Yeah. ’Night, Mr. Rob.” “’Night.” He stayed a moment in the hush—no shouts, no squabbles, no fear. Just insects and the distant hum of the road. He knew he couldn’t save everyone—even all the strays tossed by life’s roadside. But these—he’d saved. Mrs. Ilchester, too. Himself, as well. And for now—that was enough. And tomorrow, he’d carry on the way she taught him.

00

Can’t Wait to Get Hitched! — “Dmitry, are you coming home soon?” “Almost there. Just about finished.” “Well, hurry up! We’ve got something to talk about.” “Is something wrong?” Dmitry sounded worried. “Well, how do I put it… nothing’s happened yet, but we need to talk.” Galina was clearly anxious, but it didn’t seem like a disaster had struck. Fifteen minutes later, the head of the family opened the front door. “So, what’s going on here?” he asked his wife cautiously. “Get changed and wash your hands—no need to panic and save the universe just yet,” she said, kissing him and nudging him gently toward the bathroom. Soon he was changed and joined her in the living room. “Come on,” his wife led him to their daughter’s room. Mya sat hunched on her bed, eyes red from crying. “So, what’s happened?” Dmitry tried to stay calm. “Ask your daughter,” Galina huffed. “Go on, tell your dad what you’ve cooked up!” Mya turned away to the window stubbornly, unwilling to voice her problem. “So, ladies,” Dmitry tapped the table firmly, “either you calmly tell me what’s up without drama and theatrics, or I’m off to put my feet up after work!” “We’ve decided to get married,” Galina replied with biting sarcasm, “tonight, no less!” “Excuse me?” Dmitry blinked. “Just like that—married? And who’s the lucky bloke, if it isn’t a secret?” With Mya stonily silent, Mum had to answer again: “Ollie Morrison. That spotty lad with glasses who’s been around a lot recently.” “Ah—Morrison, eh? Well, Mya?” Still silence. “Right then, sweetheart. Enough of this silent treatment. Do I have to do a dance to get you to talk?” Dad’s temper was rising. “We love each other!” Mya blurted out. “Ollie’s the best and we’re getting married!” “Well, at least that’s clear,” Dmitry sighed. “Is he at uni with you?” “Yes, he’s in my course.” “First year,” Dmitry sighed, somewhere between understanding and resignation. “Kids…” “We’re not kids!” his daughter shot back. “We’re both eighteen—adults now!” “Well, if you’re adults, let’s talk like adults. Or shall I start—the usual ‘you’re too young, wait a bit, settle down, test your feelings’ speech you don’t want to hear?” “You want to ruin everything!” Mya shouted, “But we have real feelings! You don’t get it!” “I’m not out to ruin anything,” Dad replied wearily. “So, you both want this, yes? You’re both in?” “I don’t want you talking down to Ollie. He wants this too!” “Okay then—so you’ve got the will. Now, where are you going to live, how will you support yourselves? Thought of that?” “That doesn’t matter! Love is all we need!” his daughter declared. “Mya, how old are you? Feels like you’re in Year One, not a uni fresher. No matter how in love you are, you need somewhere to live, something to eat, every day. Why the mad rush? Nobody’s against Ollie—bring him round, we’ll meet him, talk to his parents—right, Galina?” “Completely right, darling. But there is one catch… they do have a reason to rush.” “What, Ollie getting sent off with the Army? Students don’t get called up anyway…” “No, not the Army and not Ollie.” Mum shot a look at their daughter. “Mya, should I say it all?” “I’m not silent,” Mya muttered angrily, “Ollie and I are having a baby.” “Oh my,” Dmitry muttered, stunned, “That’s… impressive. So, what’s the plan?” “Get married! Have the baby! And don’t even try to talk me into… you know what! Our baby will live!” “Alright, calm down. No one’s suggesting anything like that. Tell me—Ollie’s parents know?” “He’s meant to talk to them today. Each talk to our own parents.” “And? Has he called about it?” “N-no…” “Well, let me know if he does. Now, let me have my dinner—I’ll starve to death with all this drama.” They left to the kitchen while Galina quickly reheated his meal. “What shall we do?” she asked quietly. “I don’t know, honestly. Let’s see what his parents say—maybe we can figure something out together.” But after dinner, bad news came in: Ollie’s parents were dead set against it. Their talk ended in a row. Not looking good… Fifteen minutes later, Mya tiptoed into the lounge with her phone. “Ollie’s mum wants to speak with you. One of you.” Galina crossed her arms: “Love, could you? I just… can’t.” Dmitry rolled his eyes, but picked up. “Hello, I’m Mya’s dad, Dmitry.” “This is Louise—Ollie’s mother. Today our son told us he’s seeing your daughter. Apparently, given her ‘condition’, they’ve already crossed that line and have ‘grand plans’. Are you aware?” “Yes, we spoke to Mya.” “Good. Well, let me make this clear: we are absolutely against these ‘grand’—her voice was razor sharp—plans. Our son needs to study, get a degree, build a career. Getting married in freshers’ year—let alone a baby—is not on.” “It wasn’t part of our plans either,” Dmitry replied. “But a baby’s a baby—and it’s your son’s too, by the way. What do you suggest?” “With respect, that’s your family’s problem. Frankly, I’m not even sure the baby’s his. And even if—this ‘I’m-pregnant-so-we-must-marry’ trick won’t work with us. I understand how girls want to marry well—Ollie isn’t poor, comes from a good family, but as a mother, I’ll do everything to keep my son out of this. My husband feels the same. We’ve talked to Ollie and he agrees—please tell your daughter to leave him be. She can have an abortion or carry on—up to her. Goodbye.” The phone clicked off. Dmitry looked bleakly at his wife and daughter. “You all heard that? No abortions—that baby’s not to blame, and besides, it could be risky. It’ll be tough but we’ll manage—take a year out from uni, then go back. We’ll help, some money, childcare. As for them… we’ll see. What a pair! Right—have some tea, have a cry, but not too long. We will get through this!” He called his wife aside. “Take Mya to sleep in with you tonight, just in case. I’ll sleep in her room.” An hour later, there was a knock at the door. “Who on earth is this at this time?” Dmitry grumbled, opening the door. He soon returned to the lounge with a spotty, bespectacled lad in tow. “Ollie!” Mya ran to him. “You came for me?” “Yes. Mr. and Mrs. Ivanov, I’ve come to take Mya with me.” “And where, exactly?” “I’m not sure—maybe rent a place. We’re both adults now, so please don’t stop us. Will you come with me, Mya?” “Of course! Anywhere!” “Hold on!” Dmitry held up a hand. “We’ve got some questions. Your mum says your whole family—including you—are against this.” “Not quite, Mr. Ivanov. Mum decided that. Dad just agrees with her by default. I only pretended I agreed so they wouldn’t make a scene. Then I grabbed my wallet with my ID and bank card and—poof! Here I am.” “Well, that’s interesting!” Dad raised his eyebrows. “So—you want to take Mya, rent a place. On what?” “I saved some money, worked evenings, have my own channel with subscribers. Enough for a few months—rent, food, I’ll earn more.” “Hmm… Not bad. Galina, what do you think—let them go?” “I’m not sure—at this time of night…” “That’s right, no running out at night. Look—so you’re getting married?” “Yes!” both answered. “And keeping the baby?” “Yes!” “Then we’ll help—but with some rules. First, Ollie, you do everything you can to get your parents on board—and, Mya, you support him. Ollie stays here tonight—no wandering about. Guest room for you, you’re just Mya’s friend for now. Message your folks you’re at mates’. Then prep them for the tough truth—no drama! No dropping your studies—especially you, Ollie. Mya, you’ll take leave and catch up. We’ll help out—money, babysitting—but you two are putting in the work. Low-key registry office for now—save your cash for later; proper do when things are settled. Deal?” “Yes,” said Ollie, without hesitation. “I wanted a real wedding—veil, limo, guests,” Mya pouted. “Not right now,” he replied. “We’ll do the registry quietly and, later, a big do.” “Alright, if you say so…” “Good—plans made, goals set. Time for bed, everyone’s up early tomorrow.” Later, Galina found her husband in the kitchen. “How did you change your mind so quickly?” “That chat with his mother—she was a right piece of work. Then this lad, who I thought was a hopeless mummy’s boy, turns up and stands his ground—won’t abandon his girl. That’s a real man. I’d trust our daughter in his hands.” “You’re always right, love,” she smiled, kissing him as she went to sort out everyone for the night.

03

— I’ve Had Enough of You!!!… I Eat Wrong, I Dress Wrong, I Do Everything Wrong!!! — shouted Paul. — You Can’t Do Anything!!!… Can’t Even Earn Proper Money! … You’re No Help at All Around the House! … — Marina sobbed, — …And We Have No Children…, — she whispered almost inaudibly. Snowy — a white-and-ginger cat of about ten years, perched silently atop the wardrobe, watched the latest “tragedy” unfold. She knew for certain — she could even feel it — that Mum and Dad loved each other, truly… So she just didn’t understand — why say such hurtful things that made everyone feel worse? Mum ran crying to the bedroom, and Dad began chain-smoking on the balcony. Snowy, seeing her family falling apart, mused: “This house needs happiness… and happiness is children… We must find children somewhere…” Snowy couldn’t have kittens herself — she’d been spayed years ago, and as for Mum… the doctors said it was possible, but it just never seemed to work out… In the morning, once her parents left for work, Snowy slipped out through the window for the very first time and went to visit her neighbour, Mittens, for advice. — What on earth do you want kids for?! — scoffed Mittens, — Look at ours! When their kids visit, I have to hide… they smear lipstick on my whiskers, they squeeze me so tight I can’t breathe! Snowy sighed: — We need normal children… If only we could find some… — Well… That stray Maggie had a litter… there’s five of them…, — Mittens mused, — take your pick… Taking her chances, Snowy scrambled from balcony to balcony and down to the street. Nervously twitching, she squeezed through the iron bars of a basement window and called: — Maggie, please could you come out for a moment… A desperate squeaking sounded from inside. Cautiously crawling closer and glancing all around, Snowy was nearly moved to tears at the sight: five tiny, blind kittens, their noses searching the air, crying deafeningly for their mother under the radiator, directly on the gravel. She realised — Maggie hadn’t been here in days. The kittens were starving… Holding back tears, Snowy gently and persistently carried each kitten to the front steps. Trying to keep the pitiful, hungry bundles in one place, she lay down beside them, anxiously awaiting the return of Mum and Dad. Paul, wordlessly collecting Marina from work, brought her home in silence. Approaching the house, they stopped in astonishment — on the doorstep lay their Snowy (who’d never ventured outside alone before), surrounded by five mewling, multicoloured kittens. — How on earth did this happen?? — Paul was baffled. — It’s a miracle…, — echoed Marina, and scooping up the cat and babies, they all hurried inside. As the now-contented Snowy purred in a box with the kittens, Paul asked: — What are we supposed to do with them? — I’ll feed them with a bottle… Once they’re bigger, we’ll find them homes… I’ll ring my friends…, — whispered Marina. Three months later, overwhelmed, Marina sat stroking the feline “herd,” staring into space, repeating over and over: — Things like this just don’t happen…, just don’t happen… And then, with happy tears, she and Paul laughed and spun around together, speaking all at once: — I didn’t finish the house for nothing! — Yes, a fresh-air baby will be so happy here! — And the kittens can run around! — There’ll be room for all of us! — I love you!!! — Oh, I love you even more!!! Wise old Snowy wiped away a tear — at last, life was looking up…

02

She Trampled Across My Fate Like a Passing Rogue “Mum, if you don’t break things off with that brazen hussy, then don’t consider me your mother! That Nina is at least fifteen years older than you!” my mother repeated yet again. “Mum, I can’t help it! I wish I could…” I tried explaining. …Once, there was my darling girl, sweet little Lena, just fourteen: pure, modest, precious. When I first met her at a school disco, I was eighteen. Lena caught my eye—my heart ached for her! Through her friend, by hook or by crook, I managed to invite Lena out. Did she come? No! I became a hunter, determined to catch my prize. I got her number, kept calling, pleaded for a date. Finally, she gave in, but made sure I came to meet her mum for permission. Sweating and nervous, I stood at Lena’s door. Her mother turned out to be a good-natured lady with a sense of humour—and entrusted me with her treasure for two hours. We wandered the park, chatting and laughing—innocent as you please. But then Lena said, “Vova, I already have a boyfriend. I think I love him. But he’s a terrible player, I’m sick of catching him with other girls. I do have pride, you know. Why don’t we give friendship a try? Would you like that?” Eyebrows raised, I looked at Lena with even greater curiosity. She could seem so untouchable—or so in love. I was captivated. Time flew and I delivered Lena safely home. …As time passed, I couldn’t imagine life without her. Mum also fell for this “little ray of sunshine.” Lena often visited. Mum would share advice and teach her lady’s secrets. Now and then, they’d get to chatting and forget all about me. By the time Lena turned eighteen, we were talking about a wedding. No one—not me, Lena, nor our families—doubted it would happen. The wedding was scheduled for autumn. …Summer arrived. Lena left to visit her gran in the countryside. I spent the summer at our cottage, helping Mum in the garden. One day, while watering the tomatoes, I heard someone call, “Young man, may I have a drink of water?” Turning, I saw a woman around thirty-five, rather unkempt but with a fire in her eyes. I didn’t recall seeing her at the cottages before. Still, I couldn’t refuse. Pouring her a cup of well water, I handed it to her: “Here you go…” She drank with pleasure, sighing, “Oh, thank you, young man! Thought I would die of thirst. Here, I’ve got a little homemade cordial. Sweet stuff. Take it as a thank you. Don’t be shy.” And she pressed a bottle into my hand. I accepted, calling after her, “Thank you!” That evening, while eating alone (Mum had gone into town), I drank the cordial. If Mum had been home, she would never have let me touch it. Next day, the visitor returned. Her name was Nina, she said, from the nearby village. I invited her in—she’d brought more of that sweet cordial. I fixed a quick salad and sandwiches. We chatted over drinks, not noticing how the bottle emptied. Looking back, I curse myself for what happened next… Nina took charge, as if I were a schoolboy. I was helpless, lost in a fog. When I came round, Nina had gone. Mum stood over me, anxious: “Vova, what happened while I was away? Who were you drinking with? Why is your bed all ruffled, like a herd of horses ran over it?” she worried. I could barely open my eyes, my head spinning. I couldn’t explain. That evening, guilt set in—especially for my fiancée Lena… A week passed, and Nina came again. I was glad—even missed her a bit. Mum stormed out the door, hands on hips: “What do you want, woman?” I tried to calm her: “Mum, really—is that how you greet a guest? Maybe she just wants water. Why are you so hostile?” “A guest? That’s Nina the Tramp from the village! Every dog in town knows her! Goes round the dachas, seduces men! Disgraceful! After you, too—well, I won’t allow it! Get her out before it’s too late!” Mum raged. But it was already too late—Nina’s honeyed brew had enchanted me. I was tied to her with invisible strings. I forgot Lena completely. When I told Nina about my fiancée, she just said, “Come now, Vova—first loves aren’t real fiancées.” The wedding was called off. Mum called Lena over and told her everything. “Forgive him, dear—he doesn’t know he’s headed towards ruin. Don’t wait for him.” Lena soon married someone else. But Mum was determined to save me from Nina—she went to the draft office and asked them to send me to the army. So I was packed off to Afghanistan. I won’t describe what happened there—but I returned missing three fingers, just “a light wound”… My mind, of course, was badly affected. I became fearless and numb. Nina had waited for me—and we now had a son. Before heading to war I’d sown my “seed,” unsure I’d come back alive. While fighting, I dreamed of having five children one day. Mum still despised Nina, doted on Lena, and knitted socks and caps for her child—insisting that girl was my daughter. I would have been overjoyed, but alas… Lena got everything right—she would visit my mother, ask about me. Mother would shrug, “Oh, Lena, Vova’s still with that tramp. I doubt he’ll ever leave her. What he sees in her—I’ll never understand…” Years later, Lena told me my mother’s laments. Soon after, I took a job in the North. Nina and our three children came with me. Two more were born—but our five-year-old daughter died of pneumonia. The northern climate was cruel. We returned home, to cope under our own birches. More and more, I found myself longing for Lena, my forsaken bride. Mum gave me her number and even the address, but warned, “Don’t meddle in Lena’s marriage—don’t stir up trouble.” I phoned her—the reunion was instant. Lena had grown more beautiful. She invited me home, introduced me to her husband as an “old friend.” He trusted her fully, and left for his night shift, leaving us alone. There was half a bottle of champagne on the table, fruit—a daughter away with Grandma. “Well then, hello Vova! I know everything about you from your mum. How are things?” Lena sighed, looking deep into my eyes. “Forgive me, Lena. This is how it all turned out—nothing can change now. I have four children,” I stammered. “No need to change anything, Vova. We met, remembered our youth, and that’s enough. Only your poor mother—I feel for her. Be kinder to her,” Lena asked warmly. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Time hadn’t touched her—still as lovely as ever. Taking her hand, kissing it tenderly, I burst out, “Lena, I love you as I did when I was young. Our love just floated by. You can’t rewrite life—I’m sorry for everything I put you through!” “Vova, it’s time for you to go. It’s late.” Lena drew the line under our meeting. But could I just walk away like that? Overwhelmed by feelings, swept up by longing and reckless passion… …In the morning I slipped out—Lena fast asleep. We began a secret affair that lasted three years, until Lena’s family moved away and the connection was lost forever. …Nina and I divorced when our children grew up. My mother was right. A tramp is a tramp—she trampled over my fate, broke my heart. …No matter how long you boil water, in the end, it’s still just water. In the end, I had only one real child—my very first son… — She Walked Roughshod Over My Destiny: The Story of a Son Torn Between a Mother’s Warnings, a First Love, and the Allure of a Relentless Stranger

04

When Little Vasily Rogov Was Carried Out of the Maternity Ward, the Midwife Told His Mother, “What a big lad. He’ll be a real hero one day.” His mother said nothing. Even then she looked at the bundle in her arms as though it was not her child. But Vasily didn’t become a hero. He became superfluous. The sort of child, you know, who gets born but nobody quite knows what to do with. “Your strange boy is in the sandpit again—he’s scared off all the other kids!” shrieked Auntie Linda from her second-floor flat, the self-appointed voice of neighbourhood justice. Vasily’s mum, an exhausted woman with a dull, distant look, could only snap back, “If you don’t like it, don’t look. He’s not bothering anyone.” And Vasily really didn’t bother anyone. He was big, awkward, his head always lowered, his long arms hanging at his sides. At five he was mute. At seven, he’d grunt. At ten he finally spoke—but so hoarsely and harshly that silence seemed preferable. At school, he was sat at the back of the class. The teachers would sigh at his empty gaze. “Rogov, are you even listening?” the maths teacher would ask, tapping the board with chalk. Vasily nodded. He listened. He just couldn’t see the point in answering. Why bother? They’d give him a C to keep up the stats and send him on his way. The other kids didn’t hit him—they were scared of him. Vasily was built like a young ox. But nor did they befriend him. They gave him a wide berth, like you’d skirt a murky puddle. With distaste, at arm’s length. Home was no better. His stepdad, who moved in when Vasily turned twelve, made things clear from day one: “I don’t want to see him when I get in from work. Eats like a horse, good for nothing.” So Vasily would disappear. Wander building sites, sit in cellars. He learned to be invisible. That was his one skill—he could blend with walls, with grey concrete, the filth beneath his feet. The night everything changed, a cold, miserable drizzle was falling. Fifteen-year-old Vasily was perched on the stairs between floors five and six, unable to go home—his stepdad had guests, which meant noise, smoke, and likely a heavy hand. The flat opposite creaked open. Vasily shrank into the corner, trying to seem smaller. Out came Mrs Tamara Ilyinichna. She was well into her sixties by the look of her, though carried herself like she was barely forty. The whole estate thought she was odd: never gossiped on the bench, never discussed the price of tea, always walked with her back straight. She glanced at Vasily. Not with pity, not with disgust. Instead, she looked at him thoughtfully—as though sizing up a broken clock, wondering if it could be fixed. “What are you doing sitting there?” she demanded. Her voice was low and commanding. Vasily sniffed. “Nothing really.” “Kittens are born for nothing really,” she cut him off. “Are you hungry?” Vasily was. He always was—growing lads need fuel, and the family fridge might as well have hosted mice for all it held. “Well? I don’t ask twice.” He stood awkwardly and followed her in. Her flat was nothing like the others. Books. Books everywhere—on shelves, on the floor, on chairs. It smelled of old paper and something rich and meaty. “Sit,” she nodded at a stool. “But wash your hands first—in there, use that bar soap.” Vasily obeyed. She placed a plate before him—potatoes and a proper stew, with big chunks of beef. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten real meat. He ate fast, barely chewing. Tamara Ilyinichna just sat, chin in hand, watching. “No need to rush. No-one’s going to take it off you,” she said calmly. “Chew, or your stomach won’t thank you.” Vasily slowed down. “Thank you,” he muttered, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. “Don’t wipe your mouth on your sleeve. That’s what napkins are for.” She slid the pack over. “You’re practically wild. Where’s your mum?” “At home. With my stepdad.” “Figured. Not much of a place for you there.” She said it so simply that it didn’t even sting. Just a fact, like ‘it’s raining’ or ‘the bread’s gone dear.’ “Listen here, Rogov,” she said sternly. “You’ve got two paths ahead: drift, hang around alleys and play with trouble until it finishes you; or get your act together. You’ve got strength, I can see that. But your head’s full of wind.” “I’m thick,” Vasily admitted. “That’s what school says.” “School says all sorts. Their curriculum’s for average minds. You’re not average. You’re different. Where’d you get those hands?” Vasily stared at his broad, battered knuckles. “Dunno.” “We’ll find out. Come by tomorrow. My tap needs fixing—leaks like mad and calling a plumber’s more trouble than it’s worth. I’ll give you tools.” From then on, Vasily began calling on Tamara Ilyinichna most evenings. First it was taps, then sockets, then locks. Turned out his hands were skilled indeed. He could sense the mechanism, knew how things worked, not with logic, but with a kind of animal instinct. Tamara Ilyinichna wasn’t gentle, but she taught—firmly, with high standards. “You’re not holding it right!” she’d bark. “No-one holds a screwdriver like a spoon! Put your weight behind it!” And she’d rap his knuckles with a wooden ruler—it stung, too. She gave him books—not textbooks, but tales about people who survived against the odds: explorers, inventors, pioneers. “Read,” she insisted. “Let your brain work or it’ll go to rot. Think you’re the only one like this? The world’s been full of ‘em—and they made it. Why shouldn’t you?” Slowly, Vasily learned her story. She’d been an engineer all her life. Her husband had died young, no children. The factory closed in the 90s, she scraped by on a pension and translating technical texts. But she hadn’t broken. She hadn’t turned bitter. She just lived—straightly, sternly, alone. “I’ve got no one,” she told him once. “You haven’t really, either. Doesn’t mean it’s over. It’s a beginning. Understand?” Vasily didn’t really. But he nodded. When he turned eighteen and the time came for military service, she summoned him to a proper sit-down—pies, jam, the works. “Listen here, Vasily,” she used his full name for the first time. “Don’t come back here. You’ll fall right back in—you’ll sink in this marsh. Same estate, same people, same despair. Serve your time, then move on. North, building sites, wherever. But don’t come back. Understood?” “Understood,” he nodded. She handed him an envelope. “Here’s thirty thousand. All I’ve saved. It’ll get you started, if you’re careful. Remember, you owe nothing to anyone but yourself. Be a man, Vasily. Not for me, but for you.” He wanted to say no, not take her last savings. But when he saw her severe, insistent gaze, he realised—this was her final lesson, her final order. He left. And never returned. Twenty years passed. The estate had changed. The old poplars were gone, replaced by tarmacked car parks. The benches were metal and uncomfortable now. The building aged, the facade peeled, but stood stubbornly, like an old man with nowhere else to go. A black SUV pulled up. Out stepped a tall, broad-shouldered man in a fine but understated coat. His face was hard, weathered by northern winds, but his eyes were calm. Certain. Vasily Rogov. Vasily Sergeyevich, as his employees now called him. Owner of a major construction firm in Siberia. One hundred and twenty on staff, three big projects running, a reputation for honest work. He’d built himself up from nothing on those northern sites—labourer, then foreman, then site manager. Studied at night, earned a degree. Saved, invested, took risks. Went bust twice, rebuilt twice. The thirty thousand Tamara Ilyinichna had given him was long repaid—he’d sent her money every month, despite her protests and threats to refuse it. But she always accepted. Then, suddenly, the money bounced back: ‘Recipient not found.’ He stood and gazed up at the fifth-floor window. Dark now. Women sat on the estate benches—new faces, the old ones gone. “Excuse me,” he asked, “does Tamara Ilyinichna still live in flat forty-five?” The women perked up; after all, such a man, in such a car… “Oh, love, well, Tamara… she went downhill fast,” one whispered. “Memory went, got muddled. Ended up signing her flat over to some relatives, so called. They packed her off to a village somewhere. Do you remember where, Nina?” “Sosnovka, I think,” the second replied. “Some ancient family house. Nephew turned up out of nowhere. Though what nephew—she had no kin. Most odd. Flat’s already on the market.” Vasily felt cold. He’d seen such scams plenty in Siberia: find a lonely pensioner, gain their trust, get a deed signed, then ship them off to rot—if they survive at all. “Where’s Sosnovka?” “About forty miles out. Roads are iffy this time of year.” He nodded, climbed into his car, and sped off. Sosnovka was a dying village of three lanes. Half the houses boarded up, roads washed out by autumn rain. A handful of old folk and families with nowhere else to go. Locals gave him directions—a tumbling shack and a collapsing fence. Mud everywhere. On a line, some threadbare laundry. Vasily pushed the rickety gate, which creaked in protest. A scruffy man in a filthy vest, bleary-eyed from drink, emerged. “What you want, mate? Lost?” “I’m looking for Mrs Tamara Ilyinichna,” Vasily said flatly. “No Tamara here. Off you go.” Vasily didn’t argue. He stepped forward, seized the man by the shirt, and moved him aside, almost gently. The man yelped, landing by the steps. Vasily entered the house. Damp, mould, sourness hit his nose. Dishes, bottles, filth everywhere. In the second room—on an iron bed—lay Tamara Ilyinichna. Tiny now, dried up. Grey hair matted, her face ashen, bruises beneath her eyes, lips cracked. But it was her. The woman who’d taught him to hold a screwdriver, to believe in himself. The one who’d given him all she had and told him: “Be a man.” She opened her eyes, unfocused. “Who’s there?” Her voice was weak, broken. “It’s me, Tamara Ilyinichna. Vaska. Rogov. Remember? The one who fixed your taps.” She peered at him, blinking tears from her eyes. “Vaska…” she whispered. “Come back… I thought I was seeing things. You’re so big now. A real man…” “I am, Tamara Ilyinichna. Thanks to you.” He wrapped her in a blanket—so light, she barely weighed anything—and lifted her in his arms. Beneath the smell of sickness and damp, he caught the familiar scents of her—old paper and soap. “Where are we going?” she asked, frightened. “Home. To mine. It’s warm there. And there are books. Lots of books. You’ll like it.” On the way out, the sorry man tried to bar the way. “Oi! You can’t just take her! Show me your papers! She signed the house to me, I look after her!” Vasily stopped, looked at him—calmly, with no anger. The man blanched. “You can explain it to my lawyers,” Vasily said evenly. “And the police. And the court. And if I find out you tricked her—believe me, I’ll make sure you pay. Got it?” The man nodded furiously. It took months—hearings, paperwork, court battles—to overturn the deed, proven signed when Tamara Ilyinichna wasn’t competent. The so-called nephew was a scam artist, a repeat offender. The flat was restored; he was sent to prison. But Tamara Ilyinichna no longer needed the flat. Vasily built her a home—a real home, not a mansion, but a solid timber house on the edge of a Siberian city. Scents of wood, a crackling stove, and sunlight filled the rooms. She lived in the brightest room on the ground floor. The best doctors, a carer, nutritious food. She got better, gained some colour. Her memory never returned fully, but her spirit was intact. She read again, bossed the housekeeper, pointed out dust on shelves. “What’s that cobweb? This a house or a barn?” she’d grumble. And Vasily would smile. But he didn’t stop there. One night he came home with a thin young lad, wary and skittish, a scar along his jaw, clothes swallowing his frame. “Tamara Ilyinichna,” Vasily introduced, “this is Alex. Found his way onto the building site. No home. An orphanage boy—just turned eighteen. Great with his hands, mind’s a bit breezy.” She put down her book, fixed her glasses, and took him in, head to toe. “What are you standing around for? Wash up—soap’s in the bathroom. We’ve got meat pies tonight.” Alex jumped, glanced at Vasily for assurance. Vasily smiled and nodded. A month later, a girl arrived—Katie. Twelve, slight limp, head always bowed. Vasily became her guardian after her mum was stripped of parental rights for drink and violence. The house grew fuller—not charity, not for show but for real family. A family of those who never belonged anywhere. The rejects, who’d found each other. Vasily would watch as Tamara Ilyinichna taught Alex to plane wood, rapping his knuckles with that ancient ruler. As Katie read aloud in a slow, stumbling voice but read all the same. “Vasily!” called Tamara Ilyinichna, “Why are you dawdling? Come help! The youngsters can’t move the wardrobe on their own!” “Coming,” he’d reply. He’d step towards them—towards his strange, patchwork, difficult family. And for the first time in forty years, he knew he wasn’t superfluous. He was exactly where he was meant to be. “Well, Alex,” Vasily asked one evening as the house slept, “how do you like it here?” The lad sat on the porch, staring at the stars. The Siberian sky was massive, cold, full of light. “It’s alright, Uncle Vasily. Just weird, that’s all. Why would you bother with me? I’m a nobody.” Vasily sat beside him, handed over an apple from his pocket. “Once someone told me: ‘Kittens are born for nothing, really.’” Alex chuckled. “What’s that supposed to mean?” “It means nothing happens for no reason. Not good, not bad. There’s always a reason, always a consequence. You’re here now—not for no reason. So am I.” Light burned late in Tamara Ilyinichna’s room, her reading way past doctor’s orders. Vasily shook his head. “Off to bed, Alex. We’ve a fence to mend tomorrow.” “Yeah. Goodnight, Uncle Vasily.” “Goodnight.” He stayed a while on the porch. Perfect silence. No shouting neighbours. No fights. No fear. Just crickets and the distant hum of the road. He knew he couldn’t save everyone who’d been cast aside. But these ones—he had. Tamara Ilyinichna. Himself. For now, that was enough. And then, he’d get up and carry on—just as she’d taught him.

02

The Mother-in-Law Anna Peterson sat in her kitchen, watching milk quietly simmer on the hob. She’d forgotten to stir it three times—each time, the froth would rise, spill over, and she’d wipe the stove in growing irritation. Moments like these made her realise the problem wasn’t the milk at all. Ever since her second grandchild was born, her family seemed to have unravelled. Her daughter was exhausted, losing weight, speaking less. Her son-in-law came home late, ate in silence, sometimes retreating straight to his room. Anna saw it all and thought: how can a woman be left to cope alone? She spoke up. Gently at first, then sharply. First to her daughter, then her son-in-law. But she noticed something strange: after she spoke, the atmosphere grew heavier, not lighter. Her daughter defended her husband, her son-in-law grew moodier, and Anna went home feeling she’d only made things worse. One day, she went to see the vicar—not for advice, but because she didn’t know where else to take her feelings. “I must be a terrible person,” she said, without meeting his gaze. “I’m always getting it wrong.” The vicar paused in his writing. “What makes you think that?” Anna shrugged. “I just want to help. But I end up making everyone cross.” He looked at her kindly, without judgement. “You’re not a bad person. You’re tired. You’re worried.” She sighed. That sounded about right. “I’m scared for my daughter,” she said. “She’s different since the baby. And him…” She gestured dismissively. “It’s like he doesn’t see it.” “Do you notice what he does do?” asked the vicar. Anna thought. She remembered seeing him washing up late last week, thinking no one noticed; how he’d taken the pram out on Sunday when he clearly just needed to sleep. “He does… I suppose,” she admitted. “But not the way I think he should.” “And what way is that?” the vicar asked gently. Anna was ready to answer but suddenly realised she wasn’t sure. In her head: more, more often, with more attention—but what, exactly? Hard to say. “I just want life to be easier for her,” she said. “Then say that to yourself,” the vicar murmured. “Not to him, but to yourself.” She looked at him. “What do you mean?” “Right now, you’re fighting her husband, not fighting for her. And fighting makes everyone tense. You, them, all of you.” Anna was silent for a long time. Then she asked, “So what now? Pretend everything’s fine?” “No,” he said gently. “Just do what helps. Not words, but actions. Not against anyone—*for* someone.” On the way home, she dwelled on this. She remembered when her daughter was small, she never lectured—she just sat nearby if her child cried. Why was it different now? The next day, Anna arrived unannounced with soup. Her daughter was surprised, her son-in-law embarrassed. “I won’t be long,” Anna said. “Just here to help.” She watched the children while her daughter slept. She left quietly, no comments about how hard things must be, or how life should be lived. A week later, she came again. And again. She still noticed her son-in-law wasn’t perfect. But she started to see other things: how gently he picked up the baby, how—thinking no one noticed—he’d cover her daughter in a blanket at night. Once, she couldn’t resist and asked him in the kitchen, “Is it hard for you now?” He seemed surprised, as if no one had ever asked. “It is,” he admitted finally. “Very.” And nothing more. But after that, the air between them lost its sharpness. Anna realised she’d been waiting for him to change. But it was herself she had to begin with. She stopped discussing him with her daughter. When her daughter complained, she no longer said I told you so. She just listened. Sometimes she’d take the children so her daughter could rest. Sometimes she rang her son-in-law to ask how he was. It wasn’t easy. It was far easier to be cross. But slowly, the house grew quieter. Not better or perfect—just… quieter; no heavy tension. One day her daughter said: “Mum, thank you for being with us now—not against us.” Anna thought about those words for a long time. She realised something simple: reconciliation isn’t about one person admitting guilt; it’s about someone choosing to stop the fight first. She still wished her son-in-law were more attentive. That would never go away. But something else had grown alongside that wish: the desire for peace in the family. And every time her old feelings resurfaced—outrage, resentment, the urge to say something sharp—she asked herself: Do I want to be right, or do I want them to have it easier? And, almost always, the answer showed her what to do next.

04

📌 Useful Social Services & Contacts in the U.S.

Stay informed and get help when you need it. Below are key national services with direct contacts that may support you or your loved ones:
🏥 Health & Mental Support

SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

What they do: Free and confidential help with substance use and mental health disorders.

Hotline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) – 24/7, anonymous support

Website: samhsa.gov

🧒 Support for Children & Families

WIC – Women, Infants, and Children Program

What they do: Nutritional and healthcare support for pregnant women, new mothers, and young children.

Federal Info Line: 1-800-522-5006

Find local WIC office: fns.usda.gov/wic

Trampled Dreams: My Mother Warned Me About That Scheming Woman, But I Still Lost My Heart – A Tale of First Love, Family, and the Woman Who Walked All Over My Life