If anyone ever warned Emma that she would become the cause of gossip and a rift between her father and his son, she would make them take it back. Emma is a simple, country girl, but she can stand up for herself when needed. Still, everything unfolds exactly as it does, and even in her worst nightmare she could not have imagined that to find happiness she would have to endure seven circles of hell.
Emma has only just moved to Leeds, though she begged her mother not to send her to her aunt. At the family council they decide that Emma is the one who must go to Aunt Margaret, because there is no one else. Peter, the head of the family, works as a tractor driver and now the fields keep him busy from sunrise to sunset. Her mother runs the farm, while her brothers and sisters are either still at school or in nursery.
Packing the bare essentials into a small suitcase, Emma heads to her aunts house, a woman she has seen only once, at a christening. People say Margaret never got along with any of her three husbands because of her sharp temper. She has no children, therefore no heirs, and Emmas parents secretly hope she will leave her flat to her niece. That is exactly what happens, but Margaret treats Emma politely yet keeps her at arms length. She never asks about Emmas life and lets no one into her own world. So why does she even keep Emma around? Simply because lately she fears she might die unnoticed, left to rot in her flat until a foul smell forces a neighbour to call the police.
Margaret has been battling a terminal illness for years, knowing that she will pass away soon, and Emma is, to her, a convenient ticket to a timely funeral. Emma senses her aunts worries and asks no questions. She does the washing, cooking, cleaning, shopruns everything Margaret demands. She has no friends, and the girl who used to sit on the garden bench with peers after a hard day now feels lonely. In town she rarely leaves the flat; the only escape is the balcony, where she can watch young mums strolling with prams or old ladies gathering to chat about the latest gossip. Emmas life seems split in two: the unpleasant part, when she scurries about fulfilling Margarets whims, and the pleasant part, which begins once Margaret falls asleep after her painkillers. Then Emma brews a strong cup of coffee and retreats to the balcony for a deserved pause.
Soon Emma meets charming neighbour Andrew, who often appears on his own balcony at the same time. At first they nod politely, pretending not to notice each other, then they start greeting, and soon their exchanges look like a teenage romance. Both rush to the balcony hoping to catch a glimpse of the other and spend a few minutes together. By the time Margaret passes away, Emma and Andrew are already close and have confessed their feelings. After Margarets funeral Emma doesnt return to the village; she stays in Leeds. She tells her parents she wants to study, though they know the real reason, but they let her decide.
Emma is sure of her love and of Andrews, so she gladly accepts his courtship and his proposal. Andrew lives alone. After his parents divorce his mother remarried and moved to the United States. His father, a doctor, works in Kenya and visits only once a year on holiday. The wedding is modest but joyous, and the couple feels they will spend their lives hand in hand.
Andrew follows his fathers footsteps, training as a surgeon and now working as a junior doctor at the city hospital. Emma wants to match him a little, so after a short course she enrolls in a nursing programme. She imagines them both saving patients together, but not every dream comes true.
Emma, Dads arriving in a week! Get ready, Andrews brother shouts.
Yes? What does he like? We need to shop, plan meals, do a thorough cleanup
Relax, Emma! Hes not the king of Kenya, just my dad, a simple man.
Still Emma worries. She has seen his photos tall, tanned, looking a bit Spanish or Turkish but appearances can be deceiving. He could be a snob or a perfectionist, finding fault in everything. Or perhaps Andrew will think she isnt good enough and leave her. Yet Igor Turner, Andrews father, turns out to be a different man. He greets his son and daughterinlaw with a kiss, apologises for missing the wedding and brings a heap of gifts. He raves about Emmas stew, saying its the best hes ever tasted, then heads off to visit old friends. A month passes in a blur and Igor returns to Kenya, leaving the newlyweds alone.
Sometimes Emma cannot grasp why her motherinlaw seems eager to replace Igor with someone else. Igor cooks marvelously, sometimes waking early to make delicate pancakes that few housewives could master, and he often helps Emma with the housework, offering his son advice:
Lucky youve landed a good wife Look after Emma, help her in everything, or youll lose your happiness.
Andrew smiles quietly, thinking, Where could she go? Emma isnt the type to run away; thats not my mothers nature. Even if Emma were to cheat, she would forgive and pretend nothing happened. Rural folk live simply, endure for their children. He believes this is the plain truth, so when a nurse flirts with him, Andrew immerses himself in a new romance. He isnt troubled by the fact that Emma suffers a severe morning sickness at home and cant cook. He always arrives home full, dines with Karina, drops her off, and pretends to be exhausted before retreating to his bedroom. Emma seems oblivious to the changes in her husband, lost in her own sensations. Part of her rejoices at the thought of becoming a mother, part fears she wont manage, though she has a caring husband.
When Emma finally gives birth, the workload explodes. Milk runs short, the baby cries nightly. Andrew snaps, demanding Emma calm the child while he retreats to the lounge. When Igor returns, he barely recognises Emma. The oncecheerful, rosycheeked woman is now pale and gaunt, a shadow of herself, while his son looks thinner, staying out late and returning home at odd hours.
Help your wife, will you? Igor asks.
Dad, shes at home all day; at least she could look after the baby.
Did someone new appear in your life?
Why do you ask?
I see you get cheerful when you leave and irritable when you come back.
Just nothing serious, dad.
Make sure nothing serious turns into a disaster.
Emmas to blame. Shes stopped looking like a woman. Look at her hair, her face.
Youre the one at fault. Emma barely rests.
Im off, work wont wait!
It seems Andrew hardly listens to his father; he expects Emma to do everything at home, while Igor alone truly understands her and does what he can to help.
Emma, go rest; Ill watch the granddaughter, Igor says.
What if she gets hungry?
You think I cant mix a formula and feed the child? Remember I raised a lazy lad your husband.
Thanks to her fatherinlaw, Emma finally gets some sleep. Igor looks after the granddaughter, feeds and puts her to bed when Emma is busy, giving her a chance to rest. Emma thanks him and prays that God brings him a partner who will share his happiness. It must be hard being alone; she has Andrew and their daughter, while he is far away in Kenya. Emma slowly realises she thinks of Igor more and more. He becomes more than a fatherinlaw; he is a father, brother, friend, confidante. She can talk about anything with him; he always listens and supports her. The thought of him leaving haunts her.
Emma, you look downcast, Igor notes.
Just a bit she replies.
Here, take some money, get yourself a salon treatment haircut, colour, makeup, manicure. Then go shopping for something nice. Ill look after the girl.
Emma darts off, planting a quick kiss on Igors cheek before sprinting to the salon. By evening, a beautiful and happy Emma returns home. A sudden idea of surprising Andrew flits through her mind, and she turns toward the hospital where he works.
Good afternoon, Im here to see Dr. Andrew Turner, she says at reception.
Hes in, please come in, the nurse replies.
Emma imagines his delight at seeing her, his surprise at her new look, but what she actually sees stops her cold. A young nurse sits on his knees, her coat halfunbuttoned, clearly not for a routine checkup. Emma bolts from the ward, grabs a taxi and races home, sobbing all the way.
What happened, love? Andrew asks, bewildered.
Andrew is cheating on me
Who told you?
I saw it with my own eyes
Igor pulls Emma close, smoothing her hair.
Cry, love, itll ease the pain. Ill talk to him, make sure he comes back.
Im leaving. Ill take our daughter and go.
Dont be foolish, where will you go? Think of the child. Rural life isnt easy; work is hard, and youll have a little one in your arms.
No one has held Emma like this in ages. She and Andrew have been sleeping in separate rooms for months, and now the scent of his cologne and his soothing words whirl her mind. Igor, too, feels a sudden, fierce pull toward Emma she is fragile, vulnerable, and he wants to protect her. He lifts her in his arms and carries her to the bedroom; she offers no resistance. They share a secret they hide, a bond that would have been obvious if Andrew had paid any attention instead of being lost with Karina. When Andrew arrives later, he offers no apology, acts as if nothing happened, and Emma remains silent. Shame and a strange joy mingle inside her; she feels loved and cherished. She cant help comparing Andrew to Igor, and sadly, Andrew loses on every front.
Soon Emma discovers she is pregnant again. She doesnt know what to do; she and Andrew have been intimate only three or four months ago, and he would surely suspect infidelity.
What are you worried about? Its wonderful! I never thought Id become a father at fifty. Its your choice now will you marry me? Igor says.
And Andrew?
What about Andrew? I know we both made mistakes, but hes also at fault. Hell eventually leave you, and I love you, I cant live without you.
After their divorce, Emma and Igor marry and move to Kenya. Their parents cant understand Emmas choice; the village gossip says she pretended to be modest but wasnt. Andrew continues to tell anyone how badly his wife and father treated him. Yet they are happy, grateful to have found each other and to cherish every moment they spend together.
