No Joy Without Struggle
How on earth did you land yourself in this mess, you foolish girl? Whos going to take you seriously now, with a baby on the way? And how do you expect to raise it? Dont think for a moment Ill lift a finger to help. Ive done my bit raising youIm not doing it again. Pack your things and get out of my house!
Emily kept her head down, saying nothing. Her last sliver of hopethat Aunt Margaret might let her stay just until she found workvanished in an instant.
If only Mum were still here
Emily had never known her father, and her mother had been struck by a drunk driver at a pedestrian crossing nearly fifteen years ago. Social services were moments away from sending the girl to a childrens home when a distant cousin of her mothers unexpectedly stepped in. With a steady job and a house of her own, Aunt Margaret made for a suitable guardian.
She lived on the outskirts of a quiet market town in the West Country, lush in summer and damp in winter. Emily was always well-fed, neatly dressed, and no stranger to hard work. Between the house, the garden, and the few chickens they kept, there was always something to do. She might have missed a mothers warmth, but who had time to dwell on that?
Emily did well in school and later trained to be a teacher. Those carefree student years slipped by too quickly, and now they were overexams passed, degree in hand. She returned to the town shed come to think of as home, but her homecoming was far from happy.
After her outburst, Aunt Margaret finally simmered down.
Enough. Get out of my sight. I dont want you here.
Please, Aunt Margaret, if I could just
Ive said all I need to!
Emily picked up her suitcase and stepped outside. Had she ever imagined returning like this? Ashamed, cast out, and carrying a childthough still early days, shed confessed the pregnancy. She couldnt hide it any longer.
She needed somewhere to stay. Lost in thought, she walked without noticing the world around her.
It was high summer. Apple and pear trees sagged with fruit in cottage gardens; golden apricots glowed in the sun. Heavy bunches of grapes dangled from arbours, while dark purple plums hid beneath leafy branches. The air smelled of jam, barbecues, and fresh bread from open kitchen windows. The heat was stifling, and Emily was parched. Spotting a woman by a garden shed, she called out.
Excuse me, could I trouble you for a glass of water?
Margareta sturdy woman in her fiftiesturned toward her. Come in, if youre friendly.
She dipped a mug into a water jug and passed it to the girl, who sat wearily on a bench and drank deeply.
Mind if I rest here a moment? Its sweltering.
Stay as long as you like. Where are you headed with that suitcase?
Ive just finished uni, hoping to teach. But Ive nowhere to live. You wouldnt know anyone with a room to let?
Margaret studied herneatly dressed but weary, as if weighed down by troubles.
You can stay here. Itd be nice to have company. Rent wont be much, but youll pay on time. If that suits, Ill show you the room.
The idea of a lodger pleased Margaretextra money never hurt, especially in a quiet town like theirs, far from any city. Her son lived up north and rarely visited, so company through the long winters would be welcome.
Emily, hardly believing her luck, followed her inside. The room was small but cosy, with a window overlooking the garden, a table, two chairs, a bed, and an old wardrobe. Perfect. They agreed on rent, and after changing, Emily headed to the local education office.
Days blurred togetherwork, home, work. Emily barely had time to flip the calendar pages as time raced by.
She and Margaret grew close. Margaret was kind, and Emily, grateful, helped where she could. Many evenings, they shared tea in the garden shed, for autumn came late in the West Country.
The pregnancy went smoothly. No sickness, just the steady swell of her belly. She confided in Margareta story too common to shock.
In her second year, shed fallen for Daniel, the charming son of well-off academics. His future was mapped outdegree, postgraduate studies, a career in academia. Handsome and popular, he could have had any girl. But he chose quiet Emily. Maybe it was her shy smile, her gentle hazel eyes, or the quiet strength of someone whod known hardship. Whatever the reason, they spent every moment together, and Emily dreamed of a life beside him.
Then came the morning she couldnt ignorethe queasiness, the missed cycle. A pregnancy test confirmed it. Two lines. Exams loomed, and now this. How would Daniel react? Babies werent part of the plan.
Yet, as she touched her belly, a fierce love surged.
Little one, she whispered.
Daniel took her to meet his parents that evening. The memory still stung. In short, they suggested she take care of it and leave town after graduation. Daniel had a future; she wasnt part of it.
Whatever they said to him worked. The next day, he left an envelope of cash on her desk and walked out without a word.
Abortion never crossed her mind. She already loved the life inside her. Hers alone. Still, she took the moneysurvival came first.
Margaret listened, then squeezed her hand. These things happen. Youre brave to keep the baby. Every childs a blessing.
But Emily couldnt forgive Daniel. The humiliation festered.
Time passed. She waddled like a duck, counting down the days. She didnt care if it was a boy or girlhealthy was all that mattered.
One February Saturday, her waters broke. Margaret drove her to hospital. The birth was quick, and soon she cradled a healthy boy.
Baby William, she murmured, stroking his round cheek.
The other mothers filled her intwo days earlier, the partner of a local army officer had given birth to a girl. They werent married, and the woman had left a note abandoning the baby, claiming she wasnt ready.
Theyre bottle-feeding her, a nurse said. But shed do better with breast milk. Anyone willing?
I will, Emily said softly, laying William down and taking the tiny girl.
Oh, shes so small. Ill call her little Charlotte.
Compared to William, Charlotte was delicate. She fed eagerly, then fell asleep in Emilys arms.
Two days later, the nurse brought newsthe babys father wanted to meet her. Thats how Emily met Captain Daniel Hartley, an army officer with steady blue eyes and a firm handshake.
What happened next became local legend.
On discharge day, staff gathered at the entrance. A Land Rover decked with blue and pink balloons waited. Captain Hartley helped Emily inside, where Margaret sat holding William. He handed her Charlotte, then climbed into the drivers seat.
With a cheerful honk, they drove off, disappearing around the bend.
Life has a way of surprising you. Just when you think youve hit rock bottom, it hands you something unimaginable.
