Mrs. Thompson gasped as she spotted her husband at their daughters graduation ball with an unfamiliar woman.
«Emily Thompson, have you lost your mind? This is a graduation, not a carnival!» Mrs. Whitmore, the form tutor of Year 13, threw her hands in the air. «Live butterflies? Where on earth would we even get them? And more importantlywhy?»
«But it has to be something special!» Emily insisted, tapping her pen against the list of ideas. «This is our childrens last school celebration. Theyll remember it for the rest of their lives!»
The parents’ committee had gathered in the headmasters office. Sarah sat quietly in the corner, lost in thoughther upcoming work presentation, unpaid bills, and the gnawing worry about her distant husband weighed heavily on her.
«Sarah Davies, what do you think?» Mrs. Whitmores voice snapped her back to reality. «You work in event planning, dont you?»
Sarah straightened in her chair, gathering her thoughts. «I think we should focus on what really matters to the students,» she said calmly. «Good music, a photo booth, perhaps a small buffet. Everything else is just unnecessary expense and stress.»
Emily pursed her lips. «Of course, youre all for cutting corners. The children want a proper celebration!»
«They want to enjoy themselves with their friends, not watch butterflies,» Sarah replied gently. «Ask Lily if you dont believe me.»
Mentioning her daughter softened Emily slightly. «Fine, lets vote. Whos in favour of the simpler option?»
Most hands went up, and Sarah exhaled in relief. One less problem to deal withif only she could figure out what was happening at home.
On her way back from the meeting, she dialled her husbands number. «James? Still at work?» she asked, weaving through the car park.
«Yeah, running late,» he replied, sounding exhausted. «The projects a messyou know how it is. Dont wait up for dinner.»
«Again?» She couldnt hide her disappointment. «Third time this week.»
«Sarah, dont start,» he snapped. «Im working, not out having fun. And dont worry, Ill be there for Lilys graduation.»
«Fine,» she decided not to press further. «See you tomorrow.»
At home, Lily was hunched over a history textbook at the kitchen table. Exams were over, but university applications loomed.
«How was the meeting?» she asked without looking up. «Did you save us from another one of Mrs. Thompsons mad ideas?»
Sarah smiled, pulling ingredients from the fridge. «Believe it or not, she wanted live butterflies this time.»
«Ugh,» Lily grimaced. «Id spend the whole ceremony terrified one would land in my hair.»
«My thoughts exactly,» Sarah turned on the hob. «Dads late again.»
«Shocking,» Lily rolled her eyes. «Mum do you ever think hes…»
«What?» Sarah froze, knife in hand.
«Nothing, forget it,» Lily waved dismissively. «Just something feels off.»
Sarah resumed chopping, but her mind raced. Had Lily noticed Jamess strange behaviour too? Lately, hed been distracted, working late, deleting messagesafter twenty years of marriage, it was impossible not to wonder.
«Mum, the onions are done,» Lilys voice snapped her back.
«Just thinking,» Sarah wiped away a tearblaming the onions. «Lets eat, then help me pick a dress for the ball.»
The next fortnight blurred in a whirlwind of work and graduation prep. James kept vanishing, but swore hed be on time for the big night.
On the day, Sarah visited the salonhair, nails, light makeup. At forty-five, she still looked youthful, especially when she smiled. Shed chosen an elegant navy dress, and Lily insisted she looked «absolutely perfect.»
«Youll make all my friends jealous,» Lily grinned, adjusting Sarahs hair.
Lily herself was radiant in a white gown. Sarah fought back tears. «I cant believe my little girls all grown up.»
«Dont start,» Lily muttered, though her eyes glistened too. «Youll ruin your makeup.»
Theyd agreed Sarah would arrive for the ceremony while Lily went early to meet friends. James was to come straight to the hall.
The school hall had transformedballoons, flowers, a photo wall with the year etched in gold. Sarah noted with satisfaction that it looked splendid even without butterflies.
Parents filled the seats, and Sarah saved a spot for James, glancing repeatedly at the door. Fifteen minutes until startstill no sign of him.
She calledno answer. A text: *Running late. Be there in 10.*
The ceremony began. The headmaster spoke, then students were called for diplomas. When Lilys name was announced, Sarah craned her neckJames had promised not to miss this. Then she saw him.
He stood near the back, applaudingbeside a blonde woman in a red dress. She whispered something, and he smiled *that* smile, the one reserved for family.
Sarahs stomach dropped. So *that* was it. The late nights, the deleted messages. And hed brought her to *Lilys graduation*?
Lily, clutching her diploma, beamed at her parents. She didnt seem to notice the womanor chose to ignore her.
Sarah barely heard the rest. The pounding in her head drowned it out: *How could he?* She wanted to leave but stayed for Lily.
After the ceremony, she hurried to find her daughter. Lily, surrounded by friends, rushed over. «Mum! Did you see? I got straight As!»
«Of course you did, darling,» Sarah forced a smile. «Dads here toodid you see him?»
«Yeah, he waved. Where is he now?»
Before Sarah could answer, James appearedalone. «Congratulations, sweetheart!» He lifted Lily off her feet.
«Dad, put me down!» Lily laughed, delighted.
Sarah watched, unsureconfront him here? Pretend nothing was wrong?
«Hi,» James kissed her cheek. «Sorry I missed the start.»
«I noticed,» she said icily.
His smile faded. «Whats wrong?»
«Whos the woman you came with?»
He blinked. «OhSophie. Look, I was going to introduce you later, but…»
«*Introduce* me?» Sarahs voice cracked.
«God, Sarah, is that what you thought?» He looked genuinely stunned. «Shes my new bosss daughter. Just arrived from Manchesterhe asked me to show her around. Its just networking.»
Sarah studied himplausible, but what about the past months?
Sophie appeared by the buffet. «James, there you are!» She extended a hand. «You must be Sarah. James talks about you constantly.»
Sarah shook it, scanning her faceno guilt, just polite awkwardness.
«Ill leave you to it,» Sophie excused herself quickly.
James exhaled. «See? No affair. Just work.»
«Then why the secrecy?» Sarah demanded.
He hesitated. «Not here. Later.»
After the ball, they walked in silence through the park.
«I owe you an apology,» James finally said. «Youre rightI *have* been hiding something.»
Sarah braced herself.
«But not what you think. Id never cheat.» He rubbed his forehead. «Remember my back pain? The doctor found something suspicious. I needed tests.»
Sarahs breath caught. «Why didnt you *tell* me?»
«I didnt want to scare younot before Lilys graduation. But its benign. I need surgery, but its nothing serious. I only got the final results two days ago.»
Sarah hugged him fiercely. «You idiot. Were a familyfor better or worse, remember?»
He held her tight. «Im sorry.»
They stood there, twenty years of marriage binding them tighter than any doubt.
«And Sophie?» Sarah asked.
«Coincidence. Shes actually engagedher fiancés visiting next week.»
Sarah laughed, shaky with relief. «And here I was, imagining all sorts.»
«There *was* a secret,» James said quietly. «But no more. Promise.»
Hand in hand, they walked ontoward whatever came next, together.
