My Mother Was Friends with a Married Man, Who Is My Biological Father.

My mother, Margaret, was the companion of a married man, and thats the man who fathered me. As far back as I can remember, we never had a permanent home; we were always drifting from flat to flat across England. When I was five, Margaret met another bloke, John, and wanted to settle down with him, but he put a condition on it he would only take her if she was on her own. She simply swapped me for him, drove me to my fathers house, handed over all the papers, rang the doorbell, heard the lock click and fled. I was left standing on the doorstep.

My father, Thomas, opened the door and was taken aback to see me. He recognised me at once and let me in. His wife, Eleanor, welcomed me as if I were one of her own, along with their children Emily and Robert. Thomas had first intended to send me to a childrens home, but Eleanor stopped him, saying I was blameless. She was a saintly woman.

At first I waited for my real mother, hoping shed come back for me, but when she didnt I began to call Eleanor Mum. My biological father never felt any warmth toward any of his children, least of all toward me. He saw me as an extra mouth to feed, yet he kept us all provided for, just as he did with the rest of the family. He was a downright tyrant. When he came home we would lock ourselves in the nursery and try not to be seen. Eleanor could not escape his domineering nature; he would never hand over the children to her out of principle. She endured his rages for years, learning to avoid him and, when necessary, to defuse his anger, shielding us from his shouting. The house fell silent; we learned his schedule and never set him off. We needed nothing, and Mum gave us the love and affection that a father should have given us both.

A doctor from York once shared a trick that sharpened ones eyesight. When Thomas finally left for yet another young lover, we all breathed a sigh of relief. By then we were nearly grown Emily and Robert were finishing school. It just so happened we were the same age, so I was also preparing for my Alevels. The three of us helped each other with the subjects we struggled with. Each of us dreamed of getting into a prestigious university. Though Thomas wasnt gentle, he promised to fund our studies and kept his word. We went to university, earned the degrees wed longed for, and then, quite suddenly, Thomas died, leaving a tidy inheritance.

His last lover received nothing she hadnt managed to marry him. The three of us became the rightful owners of his company and his bank accounts. We pressed on with the business, and when the time came to open a new branch abroad, we decided I should head it. I suggested we take our mother, Margaret, with us; she deserved a fresh start in a warmer land. Emily and Robert backed the idea.

The day of departure arrived, and out of the blue Margaret turned up. I recognised her immediately; my childhood memory had etched her face for years. She suddenly remembered me, seeing that I was about to leave:

Son, Im your real mother! Have you forgotten me? Youve grown into a man. Ive missed you terribly, wondered how youve been. Lets finally live together!

I was taken aback by her audacity:

Of course I remember you! I recall you bolting from the doorway, leaving me a tiny infant. Youre not my mother. My mum is travelling with me now, and Id rather not even know you, I said, turned and walked away, feeling no regret.

The woman who raised me with love and tenderness was the one who never shied away from taking her husbands child from another woman. She sat with me when I was ill, was there when my first heartbreak broke my chest, soothed me after fights with friends, taught me, forgave my mischief, endured my teenage whims, and never reminded me that I wasnt her blood. To her I was a son, and to me she was a mother. I have no other.

We moved abroad together. There I met my future wife, Claire; my mum liked her straight away and they got on famously. Mum never interfered with my personal life; instead she forged her own happiness, meeting a kind gentleman and settling down. She now enjoys traveling, often visiting her children and grandchildren. When I look into her bright eyes, I know Im grateful shes in my life. Shes my guardian angel.