— No worries, Stan! Don’t be down! At least you rang in the New Year in style!

Come on, Stephen! Dont drown in sorrow. At least you rang in the New Year in style!

He stepped off the platform at Whitby, crossed the station square and headed for the bus stop, his mind a swirl of frustration. He hadnt told Harriet that hed be in town today.

Stephens mood was sour because of the fight hed just had with Harriet. Shed been scolding him again, accusing him of selfish indifference.

Indifferent? Hed tried to wish her a Happy New Year, but shed cut the phone off. Shed taken it as a slight. Hed spent three days ringing her, getting no answer. Eventually he, too, felt insulted and stopped calling.

And, to add insult to injury, she hadnt even bothered to telephone his parents or his sister, let alone him. Now he was about to confront her from the very doorstep.

He reminded himself that blame went both ways; the best defence was a good offence.

With a bruised yet determined grin, Stephen pushed open the entrance to his flat. The hallway was dead quiet.

Hello? Anyone home? Harriet, Im back! he shouted, but the silence answered him.

He peered into the kitchen no sign of his wife. The sitting room was empty, the bedroom just as bare. The changes hit him like a slap: the baby cot that had stood by the wall was gone, the dresser with its changing table and the tiny pushchair his parents had given Harriet vanished. The wardrobe half that usually held Harriets clothes was hollow.

Has she lost her mind? Dumped me? Stephen thought.

He dialed his motherinlaw, Margaret, but the line went straight to voicemail. He tried Harriets best friend, Kate, and heard the same hollow click. Finally he got through to Kates husband, Michael Collins.

Mike, hey! Can you put Kate on? I cant get through to her, Stephen said.

Kate and the baby are out in the village. We spent New Years there the signals terrible, Michael replied.

I just arrived, had a shift today. Theyre still on holiday, Michael added. Why do you need Kate?

Im hoping she knows where Harriet is. I came from my parents house, and shes not here. Everything we bought for the baby is missing too, Stephen explained.

Michael frowned. Your wife was about to become a mother. You left her alone for the holidays?

She refused to go. The doctor set the date for the 10th or 11th of January we could have made it, Stephen muttered.

Congrats, mate, youre a ghost, Michael joked.

What? Stephen was baffled.

Because youre probably a bachelor now. Call the hospital; shell be there, Michael advised.

—

Ten days earlier

Stephen, I dont get it, his mother, Evelyn, said over the phone. Why are you staying home on a holiday? Harriet wont travel, so you go alone. Her due date is in two weeks youll be back in time.

Everyones coming: Aunt Vera and Uncle Serge will be here, Natalie with Victor, Olga with Paul. And Mom, Dad, Vicky with Glen, Evelyn listed.

Vicky booked a countryhouse hotel for us deep in the woods, four nights, from the 30th to the 2nd, Evelyn continued. The banquet on the 31st at the Riverbank Restaurant is already paid for. Stay with us until Christmas, then head back on the 8th. Youll make it before her due date.

Harriet objected.

Stephen, I could go any day. Imagine me collapsing at the party while everyones laughing. The hotels out of town will an ambulance even get there? she pleaded.

No, Im not going anywhere, he answered.

Right, Mum says women now count every ailment as a tragedy, but a babys arrival is a triumph. She brought three of us into the world, never stayed long on maternity leave, always kept everything moving, Evelyn said.

Stephen knew Harriet had a point, but the thought of a lonely New Years Eve just the two of them over a modest dinner, Harriet refusing to cook made his heart ache. The whole family would be dancing and singing in the restaurant while he sat alone.

He left for the countryhouse hotel alone.

The hotel was buzzing with revelry. At half past midnight, Stephen slipped from the ballroom into the lobby to call Harriet, but the line rang dead.

Fine, Im sulking. Shes to blame, after all. She could be there, having fun with everyone, he muttered.

The next morning his mother vented her fury at the daughterinlaw.

Harriet didnt even ring to wish us a happy holiday. Youve spoiled her, boy, she scolded.

She doesnt understand what a real family is. Were all here together, and shes out there alone. Let her think it over, Evelyn added.

Harriet, on that New Years night, thought of no one but Stephen. She certainly wasnt thinking of her inlaws or their sprawling clan.

When her parents learned shed spent the holiday alone, they summoned her home. No grand feast was planned. Her brother lived in London, working night shifts, so he couldnt join; the parents intended to ring in the year just the two of them.

At nine oclock on the 31st, Harriet and her mother were setting the table when Harriet went into labour.

An ambulance was called. Her mother raced after her, and her father followed in his car.

Harriet ended the year in a hospital ward while her parents waited in the reception area. She gave birth to a son

Stephen, remembering Michaels advice, dialed the hospital.

Hartley? She was discharged yesterday, the operator said.

Discharged? Shes just had a baby? Stephen couldnt believe it.

Yes. January first, half past midnight.

Who took her from the ward? Stephen asked.

A young gentleman. We dont record that info in the register, the clerk replied.

It was clear only her parents could have collected her, so the baby and Harriet were with them.

Stephen bought a bouquet of roses and set off.

He rang the front door; Harriets father, Thomas Clarke, opened.

Good afternoon, Stephen said.

Why are you here? Thomas asked.

Im Harriets husband, Stephen replied, trying to keep his voice steady.

Harriet, Thomas boomed, some strangers at the door claiming to be your husband. Do you want to speak to him?

No, let him in, Harriets voice drifted from inside, distant.

Thomas waved his hands dismissively. Fine, go then, he said, slamming the door.

Stephen stood there, stunned, then tried again.

This time the door opened to Margaret, a tall, sturdy woman with a booming voice. He felt a little intimidated.

What dont you understand? she asked.

Please, let me in. I have a right Stephen began.

He didnt finish. Margaret snatched the roses from his hands, swung the bouquet at his face a few times, and shouted, Youll hear from a solicitor soon! And dont call again my grandchild is sleeping! She flung the bruised roses at his feet and shut the door.

Stephen trudged back home, the thorns of the roses digging into his palms. The flowers were beautiful, but theyd turned into weapons.

Back at his flat, he called his mother.

You cant imagine they wouldnt even let me into the flat, let alone see my son, he said, voice shaking.

Dont worry, Stephen. Harriet will return with the baby. Dont send money, let her parents feed the child. In a week or two shell be back. Get some sleep, youve got work tomorrow, Evelyn advised.

He did as she said: ate frozen pasties from the corner shop, then went to bed.

He slept soundly, unaware that this would be his last night in that flat.

The next day, returning from work, he found his possessions boxed and stacked on the stairwell.

He rang again. This time Margaret opened the door to the tworoom flat that had been his and Harriets home.

Well, soninlaw, you remember the address of your student hall, or should I remind you? Pack up your rubbish. Anything left will be cleared out by the cleaners tomorrow, she said flatly.

Stephen was forced to move into a student hall.

The court had dissolved the marriage. He hated the hall, so he tried to rent a flat, but his salary was already dented by child support and a £5,000 maintenance payment to his exwife. Little was left for a new place.

Be smarter with your money! You still need to save for a flat, Michael warned. Dont mourn, Stephen. At least you rang in the New Year with a bang!

Harriet spent three years living with her parents, who helped raise little Sam. They let out the flat they owned. When Harriet returned to work, she and Sam moved back into a newly renovated flat that bore no trace of Stephen or his family.

What do you think of Stephens choices? Leave your thoughts in the comments, hit like, and stay tuned for more stories.