My ex-mother-in-law was coming to visit. She didnt know we were divorced.
«Can you believe it, Mrs. Harrington has no idea Archie and I split up,» Lydia said. «And now shes on her way here.» She turned off her phone and gave her friend a panicked look.
«Youre joking!» Bella gasped. «Here? To this flat?»
«Thats the problem,» Lydia frowned. «Shes convinced her son and I are still together. Said she misses the grandchildren.»
«Why are you so scared? Shes nothing to you now. No reason to be afraid.»
«Easy for you to say. You dont know her. Shes a formidable womanwell-connected, too. Shell think I hid it from her on purpose. Might even suspect something. Then shell make me pay.»
«Didnt she call or visit this whole time?» Bella asked, surprised.
«Weve been estranged. Last time she came from Edinburgh two years ago, we had a row.»
«Because of Archie?»
«Not just him,» Lydia sighed. «Everything, really. Mrs. Harrington disapproved of how we hosted her, how we raised the kids, how Well, you get the idea.»
«And?»
«And what? She spoke her mind. I answered back. One word led to another. She said she never wanted to see me again and left. Since then, shes only spoken to Archie.»
«And him?»
«What about him? It suited him just fine. Another excuse to blame me for something. Said if I didnt respect his mother, I didnt love him either. Thats why his job was going badly. Then he disappeared for a week. Called later to say hed met someone else and we were done.»
«So Archie never told his mother about the divorce,» Bella mused.
«Seems that way.»
«Or that he took half the flat, leaving you in a tiny shared place with two kids, a cat, and a dog?»
«Exactly. She thinks everythings fine. Said she had urgent business in London and would stay with us for a week.»
«Wheres ‘with us’?»
«Right here,» Lydia gestured around the cramped room.
The doorbell rang.
«Thats her,» Lydia whispered. «What do I do? How do I explain?»
«Just tell her the truth.»
«Shell blame me again. Scream at me. I cant face it. Maybe dont answer?»
«Worse if you dont. Then shell really suspect something.»
The bell rang again.
«Open it,» Bella said firmly. «And dont be afraid. Let her shout. Youve done nothing wrong. Im right here.»
Lydia opened the door.
«Hello, Mrs. Harrington,» she said quietly.
«What took so long?» Mrs. Harrington demanded, stepping inside with two suitcases. «Hiding someone?»
«No ones here,» Lydia said. «Just talking to my friend.»
«What friend?»
Bella stepped into the hallway.
«Hello,» she said. «Im Bella. Lydias friend.»
Mrs. Harrington gave her a dismissive glance.
«Wheres Archie?» she asked Lydia.
«At work, I suppose.»
«You suppose? Dont you know where your husband is?»
Lydia shrugged helplessly.
«Hes not her husband!» Bella cut in.
Mrs. Harrington turned sharply.
«What do you mean?»
«Exactly that,» Bella said, chin raised.
*Ive always wanted to say that to an ex-mother-in-law*, Bella thought. *Shame I never got the chance with mine. At least I can with this one.*
«Lydia and your precious son divorced a year ago,» Bella continued. «They split their two-bed flat, and Archie sold his half. So now Lydias stuck in this place with two kids, a cat, and a dog. Any more questions?»
Mrs. Harrington stared at Lydia.
«Is this true?»
«It is,» Lydia admitted. «We divorced last autumn.»
«Not that. Did he really take the flat?»
«Yes. He had the rightit was joint property. Hes remarried now, anyway.»
«Remarried?»
«Archie said his new wifes expecting. Asked me not to pressure him for child support. Promised hed pay latersaid works been tough.»
«And you believed him,» Bella scoffed. «Naïve. Hell never pay. Doubt theres even a baby. Probably not even married. Just living together. The babys just a sob story.»
«Why didnt he tell me?» Mrs. Harrington murmured.
«Maybe he didnt want to upset you?» Lydia offered timidly.
«Perhaps,» Mrs. Harrington said, thoughtful.
But Archie had kept it quiet for another reason.
*Let her think Lydia and I are still together*, hed reasoned. *Better for me. Mum hates Lydia but loves the grandkids. And through them, shell help me buy a place.*
Every month, he called his mother, complaining how cramped their two-bed flat was. Sent photos of the girls, knowing she adored them. Said life was goodjust needed a bigger home.
«Eldest starts school soon,» hed sigh. «No room for a desk. Wish we could afford something larger, but my salary wont stretch. The girls even wrote to Father Christmas, asking for a flat near Kings Cross. Sweet, really. They ask after you all the time. But dont worry, Mum. Well manage. Shell study at the kitchen table if she must.»
Archie knew what he was doing.
*Shell find a solution*, he thought. *And Ill nudge her toward selling her cottage in the Cotswolds. Use the money for a four-bed in Londonmaybe near Regents Park. Prices match. But I wont force her. She loves that cottage.*
Now, arriving from Edinburgh, Mrs. Harrington saw the truth.
«I see,» she said. «Where are the girls?»
«At nursery.»
«Where do you work?»
«From home.»
«Who are the neighbours?»
«A lovely woman. Didnt mind the pets. Recently divorced too. Shes at work now.»
«Lovely, is she?» Mrs. Harrington smirked. «Right. Well, Ill be off.»
She left.
«Couldve been worse,» Lydia said, relieved. «I thought shed scream.»
Two months passed.
*Should call Mum*, Archie thought. *Remind her of my struggles.*
«Mum, hi. How are you? Good? Glad to hear it. Us? Same as ever. Four of us crammed in that tiny flat. Actually, I had an idea. What if we sold your cottage? Like you suggested. Remember?»
*What do you mean, no cottage? Mum! What? Burned down? No? Thank God. Then what? Sold it? The money? Spent it? On what? A four-bed flat? For whom? The kids? Which kids? Mine? Theyre too young! You can do that? Why?*
*Why didnt you ask me? Yes, I said they needed rooms. But you couldve bought it in my name! Oh, because I wasnt home when you visited? When was that? I see. Wheres the flat? Near Angel? Waitmy visions gone dark No, Im fine. Just overwhelmed. Thanks, Mum.*
Next day, Archie visited Lydias new flat. For twenty minutes, he paced, inspecting every corner.
*This shouldve been mine*, he seethed. *Lydias tricked Mum somehow. But its not over. Ill remarry her, then make sure shes out for good. Shes got her own roomlet her rot there.*
«Lydia,» he said solemnly, «after all this, we can be together again. Mums forgiven youwhy else buy this flat?»
«She didnt buy it for us.»
«What? For whom?»
«The girls.»
«Thats the same thing. And now, you *will* marry me.»
«Will I?»
He glared.
«You misunderstand. Im not asking. We meet at the registry office. Day after tomorrow. 10 AM. By the lamp post near the entranceremember?»
«Of course I remember. Hard to forget.»
«Dont be late. You know I hate that.»
«I wont be.»
She didnt show. Furious, Archie called. Shed «forgotten.» Rescheduled. Next day, same excuse. Another delay. A week later, still no Lydia.
Six months on, Archie still waited by that lamp post, rain or shine.
«Now *thats* true love,» the registry staff whispered. «Remember that storm? Trees uprootedand there he was. If he ever stops coming, we should erect a statue. Lydia watched from behind the curtain of her new flat, the kettle whistling softly in the background. The girls laughed in the next room, crayons scratching across paper. Bella sipped tea beside her, following her gaze to the distant figure under the lamppost.
Hes still there, Bella murmured.
I know.
Dont you feel anything?
Lydia sighed, turning away. Only relief. That lamp post was where he promised to change. Where he said hed choose me over his mother. Instead, he vanished for a week and came back married to someone else.
And now hes the one waiting?
Let him, Lydia said quietly. Some habits never break. But Im done with promises made under streetlights. Lydia watched from behind the curtain of her new flat, the kettle whistling softly in the background. The girls laughed in the next room, crayons scratching across paper. Bella sipped tea beside her, following her gaze to the distant figure under the lamppost.
Hes still there, Bella murmured.
I know.
Dont you feel anything?
Lydia sighed, turning away. Only relief. That lamp post was where he promised to change. Where he said hed choose me over his mother. Instead, he vanished for a week and came back married to someone else.
And now hes the one waiting?
Let him, Lydia said quietly. Some habits never break. But Im done with promises made under streetlights. The kettle clicked off, and Lydia poured the tea, her reflection steady in the window. Outside, the rain blurred the lamp post into a halo of light, and Archie into a ghost beneath it. Neither woman spoke. The girls laughter rose like birdsong, bright and unburdened. Bella set her cup down. «Hell never learn,» she said.
Lydia smiled faintly. «No. But we did. The kettle clicked off, and Lydia poured the tea, her reflection steady in the window. Outside, the rain blurred the lamp post into a halo of light, and Archie into a ghost beneath it. Neither woman spoke. The girls laughter rose like birdsong, bright and unburdened. Bella set her cup down. «Hell never learn,» she said.
Lydia smiled faintly. «No. But we did. The kettle clicked off, and Lydia poured the tea, her reflection steady in the window. Outside, the rain blurred the lamp post into a halo of light, and Archie into a ghost beneath it. Neither woman spoke. The girls laughter rose like birdsong, bright and unburdened. Bella set her cup down. «Hell never learn,» she said.
Lydia smiled faintly. «No. But we did. The kettle clicked off, and Lydia poured the tea, her reflection steady in the window. Outside, the rain blurred the lamp post into a halo of light, and Archie into a ghost beneath it. Neither woman spoke. The girls laughter rose like birdsong, bright and unburdened. Bella set her cup down. «Hell never learn,» she said.
Lydia smiled faintly. «No. But we did. The kettle clicked off, and Lydia poured the tea, her reflection steady in the window. Outside, the rain blurred the lamp post into a halo of light, and Archie into a ghost beneath it. Neither woman spoke. The girls laughter rose like birdsong, bright and unburdened. Bella set her cup down. «Hell never learn,» she said.
Lydia smiled faintly. «No. But we did. The kettle clicked off, and Lydia poured the tea, her reflection steady in the window. Outside, the rain blurred the lamp post into a halo of light, and Archie into a ghost beneath it. Neither woman spoke. The girls laughter rose like birdsong, bright and unburdened. Bella set her cup down. «Hell never learn,» she said.
Lydia smiled faintly. «No. But we did.»
