‘Having a Baby at Forty-One? You Must Be Joking!’ He Yelled at Nasty. ‘Women Your Age Are Already Grandmothers!’ – Nasty, Stop This Nonsense. Children’s Books

“Forty-one and wanting a babyare you mad?” John shouted at Emily. “At your age, most women are grandmothers! Emily, dont be ridiculous.”

Fine, it was clear she didnt care what he thought. But had she even considered the child? He didnt want to be hobbled by a walking stick at her wedding! And what if something happened to them while the child was still young? It was her choiceeither she reconsidered, or hed leave her.

Emily had been married to John for twenty years. Shed wed him straight out of university, barely more than a girl. All this time, shed believed he was her rock, her protector. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined John would turn against her.

Recently, their family had erupted into a bitter rowall because of an unexpected late pregnancy. John was utterly against another child.

“Emily, have you lost your mind? Deciding to be a mother in your dotage? Weve got three wonderful sonsJames is at university, and Nicholas and Daniel are finishing Year 9. Isnt that enough? What will the boys think? That their parents have gone barmy?”

“John, Ive always dreamed of a daughter,” Emily insisted. “If Gods sending us this child, why shouldnt she be born?”

“And what if its another boy? Are we aiming for five?” John snapped.

“No, Im sure its a girl.”

Even the boys didnt support her. When they heard about the new arrival, the twins Nicholas and Daniel flatly refused to share their room. The eldest, James, voiced his concern too.

“Mum, arent you scared at your age? What if something happens to you?”

“Itll be fine,” Emily reassured him. “Im not that old!”

Shed been through this before. When she was pregnant with her second child, John hadnt been thrilled either.

James was just three and a half, money was tight, and they lived with Johns parents. Emily often clashed with her mother-in-law. But when the doctors said she was having twins, everything changed. Her mother-in-law gave John money for a house deposit, and he softened. The twins, against all odds, were calm babies, and Emily even managed to sleep. James adored having playmates and helped with his brothers, giving her a break.

This time, she hoped things would sort themselves out just as magically.

But by the third week, trouble startedshe felt sick at work. Emily had been a nail technician for over a decade, used to the sharp smells of polish and oils. Now, just the sight of the bottles made her nauseous. Pills didnt help, and she had to quit.

She spent days bedridden, too weak to wash dishes, let alone clean. The family had to buy takeaways, which John and the boys resented. With her income gone, money was tight.

John, an emergency medical technician, took double shifts. James switched to evening classes, working days at an electronics shop. Emily saw the silent judgment in their eyes. Even her parents said having a baby at her age was reckless.

Neighbours whispered behind her back. She felt like an outcast.

At the second-trimester scan, the doctor frowned at the monitor, murmuring measurements to the nurse. Emily lay still, afraid to breathe.

Finally, she blurted: “Doctor, is it a boy or girl?”

“Female. But theres a problem.”

“Whats wrong?”

“Dont panic, but I must tell you. The baby has a neural tube defect. At 23 weeks, the tube should be closedhers isnt. She could be disabled.”

Emily burst into tears. “Isnt there anything we can do? Medicine, surgery?”

The doctor looked away.

She stumbled out, numb. Time froze. She drove home but couldnt bring herself to go inside, sobbing in the car.

Finally, she dried her tears and entered. John was home, heating dinner, watching the news. The boys were out.

Perfect timing.

“I had the scan today,” she said. “Its a girl. But theres a problema neural tube defect.”

John stiffened. “What did Dr. Harris say?”

“Nothing useful. He suggested termination. I refused. I cant do it, John. Shes still our daughter!”

“Are you insane? Do you know what this means? She could be disabledif she even survives. Tomorrow, were getting that referral.”

“Im not going. Dont ask me again.”

“Then dont expect my support! I wont watch you sufferor that child!”

John stormed off, yanking a duffel bag from the wardrobe.

“John, what are you doing?” Emily cried. “Youre leaving? Running from this? Shes yours too! How can you abandon us?”

“I wont tolerate this! I agreed when you wanted to keep it, thinking itd be fine. But I wont indulge your whims. Have you thought about our boys? Have you ever seen a child like this? My mother had a son after meborn with a heart defect. He lived six months. I still remember the horror. She never wanted more kids. Neither will I. And Im taking the boys.”

He grabbed his coat and left. Emily couldnt stop him.

Margaret, Johns mother, was stunned when he turned up on her doorstep.

“Whats happened? A row with Emily?”

“A row? Im filing for divorce! Shes insisting on having a disabled childmy opinion means nothing.”

“Son, mother and child are one. Its her choice. Calm downIll make tea.”

John slumped into a chair. “Mum, would you have had Ian if youd known hed be ill?”

“Of course! I hoped till the end hed pull through. They didnt do heart surgery back then. And since when are scans infallible? Has Dr. Harris never made a mistake?”

John remembered their neighbours sondiagnosed with a heart defect by Dr. Harris, born perfectly healthy. Complaints about him werent rare.

The next morning, John went to the clinic. The ultrasound room was lockedthe machine had broken again. The nurse sighed. “Third time this month. Were waiting for a technician.”

Doubt gnawed at him. An old colleague worked at a private cliniched take Emily there.

When Emily came home, John was waiting. “Get ready,” he said shortly. “Were going private.”

At the clinic, the scan was quick. The doctor studied the screen. “Everythings normalshes developing perfectly. No defects. Want to hear her heartbeat?”

John cried. Emily asked about the earlier diagnosis.

“The tubes closed. Shes healthy. Ill print your report.”

The weight lifted. John hugged Emily, kissing her cheek.

Emily had more scansall clear. Their daughter was born perfectly healthy. Even the sceptics came to celebrate.

“Look at those blue eyesjust like yours,” Margaret told John, cradling her granddaughter. “Im proud of you, son.”

John adored her from the first moment, spending every free minute with her.

“Fancy watching telly with me?” Emily teased.

“Later. Daisy and I have plans.”

The boys, whod sworn they wanted nothing to do with a baby, set up a rota for walks with their sister. Emily trusted them completelytheyd take care of Daisy.