Olivia was still asleep when a persistent knock shattered the quiet of her Saturday morning. Startled, she sat up in bed. Who on earth would visit at this hour? She wasn’t expecting anyone.
Opening the door, she froze. Standing on the doorstep were her coworkers—Emily, Charlotte, and Lucy. Emily clutched a thermos, while Charlotte held a box with a freshly baked Victoria sponge.
“What are you doing here?” Olivia gasped. “It’s the weekend!”
“Exactly why we’re here,” Emily declared, bustling past her like she owned the place. “Where’s your little one?”
“Sophie’s still asleep… What’s going on?”
“Nothing’s *gone* wrong,” Charlotte said gently. “Pack her up and get yourself ready. You’re coming with us to a countryside retreat. No arguments.”
Olivia gaped. This made no sense. A retreat? Now?
“But I told you at the office I couldn’t—”
“We know why,” Lucy cut in. “And we’re ashamed we didn’t notice sooner.”
Olivia paled.
“What do you mean?”
“We know everything, Olivia,” Emily said. “That you’ve been raising Sophie alone since the divorce, that your ex hasn’t paid child support, that you’re scraping to get her ready for Year One while skipping meals yourself—and never saying a word.”
Olivia stayed silent. A lump rose in her throat.
“I… didn’t want to complain. I thought… I could handle it.”
“And you *have*,” Lucy said firmly. “But handling it isn’t the same as *living*. We’re your friends, Olivia. And friends don’t let friends drown.”
“It’s all sorted,” Emily added. “The retreat’s on us. We’ve got food, travel, everything covered. All you need to bring is yourself and Sophie.”
Olivia looked down, embarrassed. Accepting help was hard. But sinking in silence was harder.
“But… I don’t even have proper clothes—”
“You’ve got *us*,” Emily said sternly. “Charlotte brought her daughter’s old things. All in good nick—perfect for Sophie’s school uniform.”
“We even sorted school supplies,” James added, stepping into the hallway with a bag. “Pencils, notebooks, sketchpads. The lot.”
“I… don’t know what to say.”
“Then don’t say anything,” Lucy said, pulling her into a hug. “Just believe this: you deserve more than just struggles. You deserve a break, some care, and people who’ve got your back.”
Two hours later, their merry little group was rolling out of London in a cosy minibus. Sophie dozed on Olivia’s lap, clutching a brand-new rucksack. Olivia gazed out the window, fingers wrapped around the thermos of tea. And for the first time in ages, warmth settled in her chest.
She’d had rotten luck with a husband. But as it turned out, she’d struck gold with the people around her.
