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Bittersweet Happiness – “What’s wrong with that young lady? She’s a good girl. Modest, neat, a hardworking student. She loves you,” Helen Edwards chastised her son.
“Mum, I’ll handle it…” Denis clearly ended the pointless conversation.
Helen left the room.
“He’ll handle it… How many girls has he turned away… Nearly forty, and soon no one will do. Nothing’s ever right for him…” she thought with a heavy sigh.
“Son, dinner’s ready,” Helen called from the kitchen.
Denis responded instantly, tucking into his mother’s homemade stew.
“Thank you, Mum. Delicious, as always.”
“You should be saying that to your wife, not me,” Helen couldn’t let it go.
“Mum…” Denis drank his compote and prepared to leave.
“Wait, son. Do you know, I once visited a fortune-teller? She took one look at me and said: ‘Your son will have happiness, but it will be bittersweet.’”
“Oh, Mum, don’t believe such things,” Denis grinned.
…Through the years, different women—some loved, some not—came and went in Denis’s life.
…Inna was smart, cultured, shockingly wise for her age. She often gave sound advice to the nine-years-older Denis.
At first he liked this, but then he began to see Inna more as a mentor than anything else.
Everything felt colourless. They split up.
Polly had an eight-year-old son. Try as he might, Denis couldn’t get through to the boy, though he loved Polly. She was beautiful, but too headstrong. Whenever they quarrelled, he’d try to patch things up with gifts. The arguments felt senseless.
Something was always missing—maybe peace and stability.
Vera was everything he’d ever wanted in a woman.
Denis almost married her. She was decent, pure, balanced—he felt like he had to “wear kid gloves” just to speak to her.
He even moved into her flat. He was ready to start a family.
But…
He came home unexpectedly from a work trip to find Vera in bed with her old school friend. Classic…
After that, Denis moved back in with his mum. Enough romance, he decided.
“I’ll be a bachelor—a solid family of one,” he joked to his mum.
Helen would shrug and sigh:
“Will you ever find your one, son?”
But fate had its own plan. Suddenly, unexpectedly.
Denis was travelling for work, claimed his usual bottom bunk in the train carriage. A woman entered:
“Excuse me, would you mind swapping? Can I have your lower bunk? Please.”
“No trouble,” Denis replied.
He looked her over—nothing remarkable. Yet his heart skipped. “Maybe she’s the one…”
He clambered onto the top bunk and dozed off…
“Glad you’re awake! Come, have some tea,” the stranger cooed.
Denis climbed down and they started talking.
“Larissa,” she introduced herself.
“Denis. Nice to meet you, Larissa.”
They talked throughout the evening. Denis felt instantly at ease. He didn’t try to impress her; everything just flowed, as if he’d known her forever.
They exchanged numbers, just in case…
A couple of weeks later, he couldn’t resist calling her.
One thing led to another…
Dates, kisses, promises…
Denis couldn’t imagine his life without Larissa. At forty years old!
He’d always let previous girlfriends go easily—but not this one… He wanted to lose himself entirely in her life.
Larissa surrounded Denis with love, care, and understanding.
Three months in, he offered his heart and hand.
“Denis, I’m seven years older than you. I have three children. We live in a council flat,” Larissa admitted. She never lied.
“I know, Lara. I’ve met your kids—you’ll all move in with me. It’s sorted.
I love every inch of you. You’re my last and only,” said Denis, kissing her tenderly.
“All right, Denis, let’s give it a try,” murmured a shy Larissa.
“No, not try, Lara. We’ll be together. For good,” Denis squeezed her hand. “Do you hear me? Forever.”
When Helen learned his plans, all she could say was:
“You’ve really outdone yourself this time… The plainest girl of them all…”
…Nine months later, their daughter was born—a child with Down’s syndrome.
Denis felt both joy and worry for Larissa. Would she cope?
Having a child with special needs is never easy.
…Today, Denis and Larissa’s daughter is eight. The whole family adores her.
Denis worships Larissa.
Bittersweet, but happiness…
BITTERSWEET JOY What is it you dont like about this young lady? Shes a lovely girl. Polite, tidy, bright enough at schoolshe cares for you, my...
