Andrew Clarke gathered his belongings with a fierce pride. He was walking away from the woman he had shared fifteen years with. He was heading for a new life with a woman twelve years younger than him. Emily stared at him, eyes brimming with tears, hoping it was some cruel joke and that he would never leave.
Andrew, dont go, Emily pleaded, her voice breaking. We still have to raise the kids. For the sake of the children, please stay!
The children will understand, he replied, his tone flat. Dont try to bind me with them! Theyre already thirteen; theyve grown up.
They may be teenagers, but they still need their father! Emily sobbed again, trying to grab his sleeve, only to have him pull away.
Dont tie me to those responsibilities! Dont ruin my life! Andrew snapped, his irritation palpable. In that instant he thought of nothing but the bright future he imagined with his young new wife, ignoring the hurt he was causing.
With his suitcase in hand, he stepped out. Emily remained on the hallway floor, a silent figure drenched in tears.
When Jack and Lucy arrived home from school, Emily was still lying there, her tears dried, her gaze empty. She rose slowly, brushed herself off, and whispered, Dads gone forever.
Dont cry, Mum, Lucy soothed, trying to keep her voice steady. Well manage without him.
Exactly, Jack added, clenching his fists. Well pull through. Ill help.
Emily wept, hugging the two children, murmuring, Youre both so good to me. Im lucky to have you. Well get through this, everything will be alright
They did manage, though not instantly. Emily spent many sleepless nights crying when the children werent watching, mourning the loss of her husband, though the ache grew fainter over time.
Every time Emily found a little relief, Andrews life grew harder. With Sophie, things were fun but chaotic at home. She knew nothing about household chores, and when she did know, she refused to do them. Andrew began to compare Sophie to Emily, using her as a benchmark because thats how hed always lived. Sophie grew tired of the comparison and tossed him out, sending him back to Emilys doorstep.
A year later, Andrew appeared on the threshold, eyes downcast, disheveled, looking exhausted. He begged for forgiveness from Emily and the children, saying, I love you, I cant live without you. If you dont take me back, I wont survive. He placed the blame on their conscience. Emily felt a flicker of relief, thinking perhaps she still loved him and their children more than the young divorcee. For the sake of propriety she voiced all her grievances, yet she accepted him. The children welcomed him without enthusiasm; youthful idealism kept them from fully forgiving their father, and they simply ignored his overtures.
Emily blossomed, proud that Andrew had returned. So Im the better one, she thought. Andrew, satisfied that Emily had taken him back, felt validatedshe must still love him. It seemed, for a moment, that everything was falling back into place.
But the fact that they were together again gnawed at Sophie. She resented that Andrew was thriving without her. Determined, she tried to rekindle the relationship, and Andrew, never one to resist, fell back into her arms.
This time Andrew left not with the same swagger as before. He packed his things on a Saturday, the familys day off, while the children were at school. He muttered a brief, Sorry, I was wrong, and walked out. Emily, however, didnt weep or beg; she pretended to watch television, feeling utterly defeated.
She no longer felt the despair of earlier; now she was angry at herself for having been so weak, for believing and taking him back. She fought to keep some dignity. Only when the door shut behind him did she finally let the emotions flood out, sobbing uncontrollably.
By the time Jack and Lucy returned from school, Emily had composed herself. When she told them what their father had done, the twins even seemed relieved.
Good riddance, Jack said dryly. Well manage without him. It might even be better.
Andrew returned to Sophie with a kings confidence: she had called him, so she must love him! He behaved as if the whole world revolved around him. After all, he thought, if his exwife would take him back, why not his current one? Yet this arrogance lasted only a month; Sophie soon tossed him out again.
And once more Andrew stood on Emilys doorstep, eyes downcast, convinced that she would forgive him again. But this time Emily didnt open the door.
You were right the first time, she said calmly. Our reunion was a mistake. Some wounds cant be healed; they must be removed. Dont come back.
Andrew could not believe he was now unwanted. He tried to rationalize: the younger wife was fickle, but what about the children? He was their father; he had raised them! Yet Emilys rejection shattered himhe never expected such betrayal from the woman he thought would always welcome him. Who could understand what these women truly needed?
