A Good Bloke with Unexpected Circumstances

Mom, you dont get it! Theres nothing between them now, she deliberately got pregnant just to keep him under her heel, Emma bursts out, gasping with outrage. She wont let him go!

Margaret rolls her eyes and sighs. She thinks Emma looks like a good daughter pretty, smart, universityeducated but shes blind; she cant see the obvious.

Emma, are you hearing yourself? How can you deliberately get pregnant with a man you say theres nothing left for? Was he unconscious? Either a miracle happened and its a virgin birth, or someones pulling your leg. Which seems more likely?

Emma huffs as if her mother were spouting nonsense.

Come on, Mum, maybe she just slipped a drink into him. Or shes seeing someone on the side. You know how many tricks we girls have up our sleeves?

Margaret lifts an eyebrow and blinks slowly. Tricks You cant fool nature, no matter how clever you think you are. She wonders how to explain that to her daughter.

Emma, love, open your eyes. Theyre not splitting up because hes some noble father. Theyre not splitting up because he never intended to. Hes perfectly happy with the way things are.

Thats not true! Emma snaps. You just dont understand! I know him better. Hes a good man, just the circumstances

Margaret reaches her limit. Emma defends Alex fiercely, while he simply uses her. Margaret has seen and heard this before, always holding back, but today the dam bursts. Three years of lies, two families, endless hurts and tears from her daughter the cup overflows.

Enough, Margaret cuts in. Ive got no strength left. Im fed up watching you waste your life on that scoundrel. Ill find your scheming Anna and write to her. Ill tell her that, by his own version, he and his wife are on the brink of divorce. Lets see what she says. I bet she doesnt even know her husband is almost free!

Mother! Emma jumps up. Dont you dare! This is our business! Ill never forgive you for this!

The threat snaps Margaret back to reality. She knows she cant act so crudely; she also risks losing Emma altogether. She needs another way.

Then you check him yourself, Margaret suggests. If he loves his kids so much and is such an honest man, tell him youre pregnant. With him. Lets see how this knight in shining armour reacts.

Emma freezes, then grimaces with disgust.

Ugh! Manipulating like that is beneath me!

Feeding a girl fairy tales and stealing her best years while you reap the benefits is the real test of lowliness.

Emmas fingers tremble around her bag.

Im done talking about this. I told you everything, I wanted support, and you If you try to go after his wife, Ill Ill never speak to you again.

Margaret is left alone in the kitchen, breathing heavily. Emma wanted support what kind? A mother should pat her head, soothe her, say everything will be fine? Maybe at the start she would, but not now.

Three years ago Emma and Margaret lived together, even though Emma had her own flat. They thought it would be easier that way. Emma rented out her flat, and Margaret simply enjoyed having her daughter around.

Then Emma started to change. She smiled more for no reason, overhauled her wardrobe, spent hours primping in front of the mirror before any outing. Margaret asked no questions and quietly celebrated what seemed like Emmas budding love life.

Mom, I think Ill move back into my own flat, Emma announces one afternoon. Ive met someone.

As New Years approaches, all the hopeful pictures Margaret built in her mind crumble.

Emma, could you introduce him? It sounds serious. Maybe he could join us for New Years Eve? We could celebrate together, Margaret pleads.

Emma hesitates at first. We want it just the two of us, privately. Then she adds that he has no set work schedule and might have to work the night of 31December.

Dont hide it, love. I see your eyes darting. You just dont want me to meet him, Margaret asks outright.

Um, he cant. Hes married, Emma says, watching Margarets eyebrows rise, then rushes to add, But his wife and he share nothing but children. He lives with her only for the kids, and hell be at the New Years party for them.

Margaret feels a chill inside. She sits down to keep from collapsing. Despite the swirl of emotions, she tries to steady herself.

Emma why a married man? Margaret probes.

He promised to divorce. Just not now. The timing isnt right, Emma replies.

When? A promise isnt a marriage, Emma

His mum just had a stroke, so he cant upset her. As soon as shes a bit better, the divorce will happen.

Margaret offers arguments, everyday examples, but Emma is already living in a reality built on Alexs words.

Alex keeps finding new excuses. One day his mothers health, the next a work crisis, then a sudden depression. Each excuse makes Margarets heart ache. It becomes clear that Emma suffers, perhaps even knows something is wrong but refuses to admit it to herself.

The first time Emma comes to Margaret in tears is after International Womens Day.

Alex asks Emma to prepare a gift for his children: a handmade soap set. Emma, who dabbles in crafts, sees nothing suspicious. Later, Alexs wife posts photos of the soaps, a bouquet, and other gifts from her husband.

I poured my heart into it, thinking the kids would love it, and he just uses me like that, Emma sobs. I cant do this any longer; Ill send him away tomorrow.

The next day Emma softens.

Well, Mum he couldnt have only given soap to the kids. Everyone will use it, she says, trying to smooth things over.

The pattern repeats. Alex goes on a holiday with his wife, gives her a ring for New Years, while Emma only gets a lamp. Emma weeps on Margarets shoulder, then the next day finds a new excuse for his behaviour.

The latest scandal is Alexs wife becoming pregnant. Emma clings to the belief that Alex is innocent and that Anna is solely to blame.

Margaret watches her daughter slowly surrender her best youth, hope, love to fuel someone elses family fire. She briefly considers writing to Anna, but she cant betray Emma. All she can do is wait, hoping time will set things straight.

A month after the argument feels endless. Each day begins and ends with a heavy anticipation. Margaret checks her phone ten times an hour, hoping for a call or a message, but it stays silent.

One deep night, exhausted from sleeplessness, Margaret finally drifts into a troubled sleep when her phone rings. Its Emma. Her heart drops to her heels.

Mum Emma sobs before Margaret can speak.

Sweetheart! Whats happened? Where are you? Margaret asks, pulling clothes from the wardrobe in a rush.

What follows is a tangled stream of consciousness. Margaret learns that Emma actually took her advice and decided to test Alex, to prove to both herself and her mother that things are fine, that Alex is her rock, that he wants a family with her she just needs a little push.

Alexs reaction to the pregnancy is nothing like Emma expected.

Emma, youre clever, but this is terribly untimely. Ive got work problems and other stuff, he says. Well sort it quietly. I can lend you money if needed.

But this isnt a problem, its our child what about Anna?

Dont overthink it. Ive got to run. Think about it later, he snaps, then hangs up.

From then on Alex never answers.

Emmas world turns into hell. She texts and calls every hour. He reads them, but never replies.

A week later she sees a photo on a mutual friends feed: a bustling café, a large group, Alex hugging a woman she doesnt recognise. Not his wife. The caption reads last night.

The floor drops out from under Emma. She tries to reach Alex through the friend, but

He asked me to tell you he doesnt want any more kids. He already supports two, and a third is on the way. Hes fed up with the drama, the friend says. Lets sort this out ourselves, okay?

Alex never says outright that its over, that he has another partner (or two), that he never intended to marry Emma. Yet the message is crystal clear. The rosecoloured castle of promises, sweet words, and future plans shatters in seconds. Alex is no longer a knight; hes a scoundrel who kept a young, lovesick girl handy as long as it cost him nothing.

Margaret darts for a cab, spends the whole night with Emma, then brings her home. She doesnt blame Emma or force her to admit she was right. She simply stays beside her.

The first weeks see Emma as a pale shadow of herself. She barely eats, skips TV, stops making soap. She goes to work on autopilot, but no longer defends Alex.

Margaret pulls out the savings she set aside for her own holiday and hands Emma an envelope.

Here, she says, passing it over. Take this. Go somewhere, breathe the sea air, eat fresh fruit. It isnt much, but itll get you to the Cornwall coast for a week.

Emma initially resists, then agrees.

She returns ten days later, sunkissed, a little thinner, but the sorrow has lifted from her eyes.

Mum, at the sea Ive run through everything in my head, Emma whispers, eyes downcast. All his words, his actions I see now how foolish I was. Please forgive me for everything, for shouting, for not listening

Margaret cant hold back a smile. She isnt gloating; shes simply relieved at Emmas awakening.

Sweetheart, never give up. Good people are out there

There are many, but not now. Ive decided to love myself first.

Margaret nods, pulls Emma into a hug, grateful that her daughter has stepped away from the cliff shed lingered on for three years. Reality wins over selfdeception. Emma is saved, tasting the bitter truth so shell never again trade her life for cheap promises and other peoples fantasies.