Emily! Em! James shouted from across the road.
Emily let out a weary sigh, set her grocery bags on the curb and froze. She glanced at Jamess old hatchback parked on the opposite side, sucked her cheeks in, and bowed her head. How utterly exhausting this was. James jogged toward her, nearly tripping, eager to lend a hand.
Hey, Em, he said, grabbing the bags.
Hello, she replied.
I was just driving by, saw you struggling with those heavy bags, thought Id help, he grinned foolishly. Come on.
Driving by? You live in Selly Oak, and this is a suburb
James was already turning toward his car, two bags in his hands.
My mate gave me a lift from work, and then I saw you couldnt just drive past. Let me give you a lift home.
Ive got about 500metres to walk.
No problem, Ill take the heavy bags. Hows little Harry, mum?
Great, youll see when you pick him up this weekend. You call every day, dont you? Why do you keep asking about me?
Just being curiousdont we know each other well enough? James smiled, opening the passenger door for his exwife.
Ill sit in the back.
Dont, its a mess back there!
Emily cracked the rear door, peered inside and indeed, it was a cluttered nightmare.
See? I told you you wouldnt believe me
She sighed and finally slipped into the front seat. James tossed the bags into the boot, settled into the drivers seat with a gleeful grin, and glanced at Emily, who was staring out the window at the familiar neighbourhood.
You look fine, as always.
James, just drive me home. I still have to cook dinner, Emily snapped.
Right, right! James revved the engine and they were off. Ive just started a new job, sorting out shift papers, he blurted, while Emily kept her gaze fixed on the passing houses. Harry said you moved out of mums place?
Hes been three years old, isnt he? Emily replied, unmoved.
Emily, stop playing hideandseek! Why do I only ever see our son when youre with her? Are you hiding your address? Let me see you home.
No, thank you, Emily muttered, tugging at her jacket. I bought groceries for mum.
Give them back and Ill drop you off, James said.
They stopped in a culdesac.
What did Harry say? I told him not to. Are you two still on good terms?
Yes, Emily replied.
What the devil do you want from me? she snapped, finally losing her composure.
Emily, were not strangers we have a son, James tried to take her hand. She shoved it back into her pocket in disgust.
Enough, James! How many random visits can I endure? Stop calling my mother, begging her to talk to meit wont help! We moved out because we were fed up with you! Im on the brink of a nervous breakdown, everyone keeps saying how sorry you are, how you miss us, how you dream of getting the family back together. And Harry? Why are you dragging him into this? He just started getting used to seeing his dad on weekends, and you keep telling him well reconcile, sending me greetings, asking when I get home, where Im off to.
Im worried, James said.
Me too about our son! How many times can you keep pressuring him through us?
Emily slammed the car door, tried to haul the bags out of the boot, but the lock jammed. She wrestled with the trunk lid, frantic to escape Jamess presence. Their mother peeked in through the blinds, her eyes narrowed. James finally opened the boot and carried the bags to the front steps, but Emily stopped him sharply.
No, Ill do it myself.
Emily, you have to understand I still love you! Id give up everything for you. Should I quit the night shift? Return to my old job? Get you a car? Why are we still walking? Itd be easier for you and Harry if you could pick him up from karate.
No, she snapped, snatching the bags from his grasp. I actually wish youd go far away, meet the woman of your dreams, love her, live happily ever after, and leave me alone.
Emily, forgive me. It was a oneoff, it meant nothing. I still curse myself for it.
I forgave you a long time ago and moved on, but you wont let me go.
I cant! Life without you feels unbearable, James shouted, as Emily climbed the stairs.
James, stop the theatrics. Ive forgiven you, but I cant love you again, came a voice from above. The door on the second floor shut, and silence fell.
James clenched his fists, walked back to his car, and stared at his exmotherinlaws windows. What a fool hed been, swapping a family for a fleeting flingwell, maybe a couple of flings, but nothing serious. After the divorce, a year alone taught him there was no one like his Emily, no one he could love like his son, Harry.
Theyd met back in secondary school when Emily transferred into their Year10 class and outshone every girl. Handsome James only had eyes for her. Summer holidays came, his heart cooled, and he spent the season at his grandmothers, where he fell for another girl who eclipsed the sun at high noon.
When school resumed, Emily no longer thrilled him. They stayed friends, hung out in the same circle, then lost touch for about five years while both went to university. They remet later, older and with degreesEmily with a firstclass honours in finance, a new job at her mothers firm; James bounced between odd jobs, never finding his niche. He finally landed a position at a factory, but his ambitions lingered.
Everything changed when Emily told him she was pregnant after a few meetings. James panicked, but rallied, drove her to meet the parents, got married, welcomed Harry, bought a house with a mortgage that the grandparents helped pay off early. Summers were spent at the seaside, birthdays, christenings, weekend trips, and family gatherings. James grew bored, Emily sunk into domestic bliss, caring for the little boy. Their motherinlaw adored her grandson and daughterinlaw, and Emily respected James.
Harry grew, Emily returned to work, and James suddenly craved recognition. He stumbled up a twisting career ladder, stuck on the fifth rung, realizing hed never truly fulfilled his drive. New friends appeared, he switched jobs, even flirted with a former colleague who promised a promotion in exchange for favourable treatment. That liaison ended quickly, leaving James restless.
Emily saw his fatigue as a crisis. She urged him to take a break, maybe even a short holiday, and suggested he take Harry with him. James, reluctant to leave his family, agreed to a weekend fishing trip with a friend in Eastbourne. They never even reached the lake. The friends wife sent a few photos of a pleasant evening, politely asking James to keep his dog on a short leash.
Emily packed her things, Harry, and left for her mothers house. When James asked where she was, she sent a nasty photo of his fishing attempt. He rushed over, only to find a closed door and his motherinlaw glaring at him. He tried to give Emily space, but instead got a divorce summons. He fought it, delayed, begged for forgiveness, but Emily finalised the divorce.
A year later, seeing James trying to be helpfulpaying child support, calling Harry every weekend, even winning back his motherinlaws favourEmilys mother urged her to forgive. Emily eventually did, but the spark was gone. The wounds had healed, leaving only cold memories.
Finally, the house emptied.
Emily, why are you still pestering him? her mother asked as she stepped through the doorway.
Whos pestering whom? Has Harry come home from school yet?
No.
Hes driving me mad, Mum! I wish hed be off on a night shift somewhere else! He haunts me, Im scared to build any relationship, never knowing what James might do.
Emily entered the kitchen with the grocery bags; her mother had already brewed a fragrant tea, the air smelling of fresh scones.
Ah, thats lovely, Emily sighed.
Emily, you cant just toss about your son like that. Youve lived together for years
How can I? Mum? Sharing a bed? Living under the same roof? Hes a stranger now, the connection died somewhere between that womans call and the court summons. How do you live with someone you no longer feel for?
Then why give him hope, keep in touch? her mother asked, packing the groceries, eyes downcast.
He wont let me go, Emily snapped. Hes leapt at our IT guy last month right outside the office. I smiled, flirted a bit. He thinks Ill forgive him What am I supposed to forgive? I didnt cozy up to anyone else.
He wont release you, you need someone else, her mother replied calmly. Men like James cant handle a betrayal.
What? Which betrayal? Weve been divorced for three years, hes nobody.
He cant let you go.
Exactly! Hes a pest!
James kept pestering until his new job paperwork was finished. He lingered at Emilys office during lunch breaks, called Harry, asked him to tell his mum theyd still be together. His exmotherinlaw ignored his calls. A few weeks later, he met Emily and Harry early at school.
Emily, Im leaving
Good luck.
Harry, dads going far, but not for long, James said, looking at his exwife, who turned away. Nothing to say?
Harry tugged his mothers sleeve; his first lesson was Russian, and being late was not an option.
I told you everything. Glad youre changing scenery, hope it improves your life.
Dont expect itll, I wont abandon you!
James sat with his son, hugged him tightly, tried to do the same with Emily, who recoiled. He clenched his teeth and walked back to the car.
Ill forgive you, Emily, he shouted from the roadside, but Ill never forgive the cheating.
Emily chuckled, Hell forgive you wonderful, thank you.
Three months of peace passed; Emily didnt flinch at the sight of a blue car parked down the street. She moved about town freely, unafraid of a random runin with her ex. She went for coffee with colleagues, finally met an old friend who tried hard to persuade her to save the marriage. Emily cut her off, suspecting James was manipulating her. Turns out the friend was also divorced, knew the strain of raising kids alone, and often forgave her own ex for the little oddities he left in the boot, while another woman had moved in and claimed they were now a couple.
Can we pop the champagne? Kristina beamed. And open hearts for new romances?
Sure, as long as I dont get 100 calls a day from James.
The chap who invited you after work? Did you answer?
James will be back, and everything will start again, Emily sighed, scanning the café menu.
Make it stop! Distract yourself, meet someone elseyoure still young, look great. See? her friend leaned over, pointing discreetly. Hes only looking at you, she whispered with a grin.
Emily blushed, turned, and met the strangers gaze. He swaggered over, introduced himself, offered coffee to both women. They declined, but he wasnt turned away.
Emily watched Kristina eye him, Kristina keeping tabs on his moves. Suddenly she needed to leave, and thats how Emily met Sergey. They chatted, swapped numbers, and started texting. Emily ignored Jamess endless messages, but her phone kept buzzing with new ones. She hurried home from work, as if someone were waiting.
Hello, Harry, hows it going?
All good, Dad, I got a five on the Russian test! Guess what?
Harry, hows mum?
Fine, shes changed her hair, we were at Lilas birthday yesterday
Great. She never answers my calls or texts, James panted, trying to stay interested. Pass her the phone, please.
Mum cant come right now, we have guests.
Who?
Uncle Serge.
What the hell, uncle?! Hand over the phone, quick!
Mom! Mom! Harry shouted from his room. In the kitchen, laughter, delicious smells, and the clatter of dishes filled the air. Uncle Serge was somewhere fixing or moving something. Mum! Dads calling.
Emily walked in, smiled, adjusted her apron, and peeked through the open kitchen door.
Yes, she answered, eyes on the warm glow from the stove.
Whats up, Em? You just stepped over the threshold and are already flinging yourself at men? Acting all proper, James teased.
Dont you feel sick? Emily replied, dryly. Youre calling because of that?
What gives you the right? You have a son! How dare you! Ill come over and give you a honeymoon youll never forget, you scoundrel.
Finally, youve cracked, Emily laughed. I was waiting for the day the proper bloke who swapped a family for a onenight fling shows up. When will you realise weve been strangers for ages?
Shut up, you! James roared into the phone, Ill be back in a week, I I
Emily, I did what you asked, a male voice shouted from nearby. Are you home? Harry wants his reward, the smell from the oven is killing us. Right, Harry?
The boy nodded, reaching for his phone, where a chaotic shout erupted.
Whos that? Sergey asked, extending his hand toward the handset.
Emily handed it over; the shouting stopped as James hung up.
Dad will call later, Emily said, glancing at her bewildered son.
James never called Harry again, but he did ring his exmotherinlaw, hurling abuse at her for raising such a daughter. He even texted Kristina, asking how that person was doing, promising to return and break a leg of the goat. James never came back from his first assignment, stayed on the second, then vanished somewhere in the British countryside, chasing his potential. He thought of his son only twice a yearon birthdays and New Yearsnever writing to him or his ex, blaming both for the familys collapse. Harry, meanwhile, felt betrayed, thinking Sergey was a traitor
Emily now lives with Sergey; hes no longer a guest in her flat. Harry, for a while, missed his dads calls, but he and Sergey found plenty in commonSergey also had a strict English teacher at school, remembered most rules by heart, and delighted in explaining them to Harry.
