Emily was still asleep when a firm knock echoed through her quiet Saturday morning. Startled, she sat up in bed. Who could be here so early? She wasn’t expecting anyone.
Opening the door, she froze. Standing on the doorstep were her colleagues—Sophie, Charlotte, and Grace. Sophie held a thermos, while Charlotte carried a box with a freshly baked pie.
“What are you all doing here?” Emily gasped. “It’s the weekend!”
“Exactly why we’re here,” Sophie said, stepping inside as if it were her own home. “Where’s your daughter?”
“Lily’s still asleep… What’s going on?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” Charlotte said softly. “Get her ready and pack a bag. You’re coming with us to the countryside lodge. No arguments.”
Emily stared in disbelief. This made no sense. A trip? Now?
“But I told you at the office I couldn’t—”
“We know why,” Grace cut in gently. “And we’re ashamed we didn’t notice sooner.”
Emily paled.
“What do you mean?”
“We know everything, Emily,” Sophie said. “That you’ve been raising Lily alone since the divorce, that your ex hasn’t paid child support, that you’ve been scraping together her school supplies while skipping meals—and never saying a word.”
Emily fell silent, her throat tight.
“I… didn’t want to complain. I thought I could handle it.”
“And you have,” Grace said. “But handling it shouldn’t mean barely surviving. We’re your friends, Emily. Friends don’t let friends drown.”
“We’ve sorted everything,” Charlotte continued. “The lodge booking is on us. We’ve got food, travel, and rest covered. All you need to bring is yourself and Lily.”
Emily looked down, uncomfortable. Accepting help was hard—but staying silent was harder.
“But… I don’t even have proper things for her—”
“You have us,” Sophie said firmly. “Charlotte brought clothes from her niece. Everything’s in good condition, just right for Lily’s school year.”
“We’ve got stationery too,” added James, stepping in with a bag. “Pens, notebooks, sketchpads—everything she’ll need.”
“I… don’t know what to say.”
“Then don’t say anything,” Grace said, hugging her. “Just believe this: You deserve more than just hardships. You deserve rest, care, and people who’ll stand by you.”
Two hours later, their cheerful group was on the road. Lily sat on Emily’s lap, hugging her new backpack, while Emily clutched the thermos of tea, watching the countryside blur past the window. For the first time in months, warmth settled in her chest.
She hadn’t been lucky in love. But as it turned out, she’d been incredibly lucky in the people around her. Sometimes, the strongest lifelines come from those who refuse to let you sink.
