Don’t Worry, Dave! Chin Up! At Least You Had an Epic New Year’s Celebration!

“Ah, dont worry, Dave! Cheer upat least you had a cracking New Years!

Back in his hometown now. Dave stepped off the train, crossed the station square, and headed for the bus stop. He hadnt told his wife, Emily, he was coming home today.

His mood wasnt greathe was bracing for a difficult conversation. Emily would no doubt nag him again, call him selfish, claim he didnt care.

But how was *he* the uncaring one? Hed tried to call her on New Years Eve, but shed switched her phone off. *She* was the one whod stormed off!

For three days, hed rung her, but she wouldnt pick up. So, finehe gave up, sulked too. And, honestly, she hadnt even bothered to wish his parents or sister a happy New Yearlet alone him! That was the first thing hed throw at her when he got in.

She wasnt blameless either. If she wanted to point fingers, she’d have to answer for her own mistakes. Best defence is a good offence, right?

By the time he reached their flat, he was fired up.

The place was silent.

“Oi! Anyone home? Emily, Im back!” No reply.

He checked the kitchenempty. The bedroomsnothing. But then he noticed the changes: the crib by the wall was gone. The changing table, the chest of drawers, the pram his in-laws had giftedall vanished.

He rushed to the wardrobe. Emilys side was bare.

“Has she lost it? Left me?” he thought.

He rang his mother-in-lawno answer. Then he tried Kate, Emilys best mate. Still nothing. Finally, he got through to Michael, Kates husband.

“Mike, matepass me Kate, will you? Cant get hold of her.”

“Kates at her parents in the villagewe celebrated New Years there. Signals dodgy.”

“I got back yesterdayshift today. Theyre still relaxing,” Michael said. “Why dyou need Kate?”

“Thought she might know where Emily is. Ive just got back from my parentsshes gone. All the baby stuff too.”

“Waitwasnt your wife due *any day*? You left her alone over the holidays?” Michael sounded shocked.

“She didnt *want* to come! The due date was the 10thplenty of time.”

“Congrats, Daveyoure a proper berk,” Michael chuckled.

“Why?”

“Because youre probably single now. Numpty! Ring the hospitalshes probably there.”

—

*Ten days earlier…*

“I dont get it, Dave,” his mum said over the phone. “Why sit home alone? If Emily wont come, *you* come. The babys not due for two weeksyoull be back in time.”

“All the familys gatheringAunt Vera and Uncle Steve, Natalie and Vic, Olga and Paul. Me and your dad, Vicky and Glen. Vickys even booked us a countryside hotelfour nights, 30th to the 2nd. Fancy restaurant meal, live music. *I* paid your sharesettle up later. Stay till the 8thyoull be back before Emilys due.”

Emily refused:

“Dave, I could go into labour *any day*. Imagineeveryone celebrating while Im screaming for an ambulance. That hotels miles from the nearest hospital. No, Im not going.”

“Honestly, your mums rightwomen these days treat pregnancy like an illness, birth like a battlefield. She had *three* of you and barely took maternity leave!”

Dave knew Emily had a point, but the thought of a quiet New Years at homejust the two of them, a modest meal (Emily had already said she wasnt cooking much)made him miserable. Meanwhile, his whole family would be dancing, laughing, ringing in the new year without him.

So he went alone.

The hotel was brilliant. Around half twelve, after midnight, he slipped out to call Emilybut she didnt answer.

“Fine, sulk then. *Your* fault youre missing this,” he thought.

The next morning, his mum piled on:

“Emily didnt even *call* to wish us a happy New Year. Honestly, youve let that girl walk all over you, son. She doesnt get what *family* means. Serves her right, sitting there alone!”

But Emily hadnt spared them a thought. If shed remembered anyone that night, it was Davenot his parents or their endless relatives.

*Her* parents, hearing shed be alone, had invited her over. No big fussher brother worked shifts in London, so it was just them.

At 9 p.m. on New Years Eve, as Emily and her mum set the tableher waters broke.

An ambulance came. Her mum went with her; her dad followed in the car.

Emily welcomed the new year in a hospital bed. Her parents waited downstairs. And by half twelve, she was a motherto a son.

—

Dave took Michaels advice and rang the hospital.

“Emily Carter? Discharged yesterday,” the receptionist said.

“*Discharged*? Already?”

“Yes. Gave birth on the 1st, half past midnight.”

“Who picked her up?”

“Sir, we dont log that.”

Only her parents couldve collected herso she and the baby were at theirs now.

He bought roses and headed over.

Knocked. Her dad answered.

“Can I help you?”

“Im here for Emily,” Dave said.

“Why?”

“*Im her husband*.”

“Emily,” her dad called. “Some bloke here says hes your husband. Want to talk?”

“No, tell him to leave,” Emilys voice came from inside.

Her dad shrugged. “Shes not interested. Goodbye.” The door shut.

Dave waited, then knocked again.

This time, Emilys mum opened uptall, sturdy, loud. Honestly, she intimidated him.

“Did you *not* understand?” she snapped.

“Let me inIve got *rights*”

She snatched the roses and whacked him across the face with them.

“Your *rights*? A solicitorll explain those soon enough. Now *go*my grandsons sleeping.” She threw the roses at his feet and slammed the door.

Dave trudged home, rubbing his faceroses were lovely, but the thorns stung.

Back home, he called his mum.

“They didnt even let me *in*havent seen my son!”

“Dont fret, Dave. Shell crawl back. Where else can she go with a baby? Ignore herno calls, no money. Let *her* parents foot the bill if theyre so clever. A week or two, shell come running. Now sleepyouve work tomorrow.”

So he did: ate a ready meal, then bed.

He slept soundlyunaware it was his last night in that flat.

The next evening, he returned from work to find his belongings boxed up on the landing.

He knocked. Emilys mum opened the door*her* flat, after all.

“Well, dear son-in-law? Remember your hostel address, or shall I remind you? Take your junk. Anything left, the cleaner bins tomorrow!”

So Dave moved into the hostel.

They divorced. Tired of hostel life, he thought about rentingbut after child support and alimony deductions, his pay barely covered it.

“Budget better,” Michael said. “Youre saving for a place now. Cheer up, Daveat least you had a *brilliant* New Years!”

Emily lived with her parents for three years while they helped with little Jake. They rented out her flat.

When she returned to work, she and Jake moved back. After redecorating, no trace of Daveor his familyremained.

Sowhat do you reckon? Was Dave in the wrong? Drop your thoughts below, and dont forget to like.

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