Hold on a sec! piped up Jess, his voice bright as a morning tea. Your expartner not paying childsupport, is that it?
Emma sighed, shaking her head. I never really got around to sorting that out. Besides, we dont need anything from him. Hes got a new family now
Blimey, Jess whistled. You could have asked sooner! By law the kids are entitled to maintenance. Thats their right, not yours. And nobody needs to fret about his new wife and baby.
Emma was quite content with her own domestic life. She and David were raising their two daughtersMolly and Lucyin a modest twobedroom flat that David owned, both of them working fulltime.
David ran a small transport firm. It didnt make him a millionaire, but between his modest earnings and Emmas salary they managed to keep the lights on and the kettle boiling.
Jess, however, never liked David much.
Hes a bit lazy, like a sloth on a Sunday, shed often say at their girls night gatherings, her tone as sharp as a cutlery drawer. If only he had a sidegigmaybe a cab driver? Instead he just plonks on the couch after work. Look at him, all tuckered out!
We dont even own a car, Emma would murmur shyly.
And what of it? You can rent one nowwelcome to the 21st century! Jess would retort.
But hes kind, responsible, never drinks, and loves us girls, Emma would defend, her eyes warm. Hes a good dad.
Emma never held a grudge against Jess. Theyd been schoolmates forever, and Jess was always the sort who spoke her mind without sugarcoating it. Deep down she was a solid friend, always ready to lend a handor a few quiduntil payday.
Davids luck with men had been thin for years. By his thirtieth birthday he finally found love and fled with his new sweetheart to the countryside. After that they only talked on the phone and met once a year.
So it came as a shock when David sauntered in one evening and announced, Im moving in with Claire.
Emma nearly fell over the kitchen table.
Were soulmates, David said, all conspiratorial. Were on the same wavelength, and shes even expecting a boy.
Wait, youve been… with her how long? Emma asked.
It doesnt matter, he waved her off. What matters is that Im moving out, and you need to vacate the flat.
Claire turned out to be a school nurse, a perfectly ordinary looking woman seven years younger than Emma. Theyd met a year earlier when Molly took a tumble at school and David drove round to fetch her.
It also emerged that the flat David and Emma had called home all those years wasnt his property at all. A wellmeaning relative had let them stay, and now the relative wanted it back. Talk about timing!
Emma hadnt noticed a thing. David paid the council tax and utility bills directly, so she never looked at the statements. Plus, they shared a last name with the relative, which only added to the confusion.
Stunned, Emma didnt throw a tantrum. She packed a few boxes, hailed a black cab, and moved back into a spare room in a threebedroom flat shed lived in before marriage.
She didnt bother to hide the truth from the girls. Elevenyearold Molly was unusually sharp and grasped the situation straight away, turning away from her dad with a quiet defiance. Lucy, ever the copycat, followed suit.
Well still see each other, David tried to coax, but after seeing the blank stares, he fell silent.
Soon it became clear he had little desire to see his daughters. After all, he now had a sonVictora little lad he bragged about as his future heir.
It was the girls who helped Emma pull herself together. She suddenly realised shed smash herself to bits for them, and no traitor dad was worth the trouble.
Living in a miniboarding house again was odd. Uncle Terry, whod taken to drinking more than he did a dozen years ago, still hosted his mates for a pint. Auntie Margaret, however, proved indispensable.
Oh, you poor dear, she cooed, watching Emma wrestle with boxes while trying to keep the girls occupied. Dont worry, there are plenty of fools in the world, but also plenty of decent folk.
Auntie Margaret rallied the girls for a tidyup, coaxed them into making dinner, and kept them laughing with anecdotes from her own youth. She also kept an eye on them after school, making sure they got home safely.
Emma needed a second job, so she was often home late. Molly, ever the bright one, helped with homework and looked after Lucy. Under Auntie Margarets watchful eye, the girls learned to whip up simple meals and keep their room spickspan.
Youve got luck on your side with those girls! Auntie Margaret winked.
I know, Emma replied, a tired smile tugging at her lips.
Six months later life settled into a comfortable rhythm. They got along with neighbours, and even Uncle Terry seemed to cut back on his drinking when the children were around.
David, meanwhile, saw his daughters only a handful of times, but he flooded social media daily with glossy photos of his new wife and son. Emma never caught a glimpse, but Jess made sure she was kept in the loop.
I dont get it! Jess snapped, still as sharp as ever. He ditched you and you never told me! How could you?
Im sorry, Jess, Emma muttered, trying to stay calm. Im pregnant, not sick, and I cant be worrying about my age right now. Just tell me what you need to know.
Jess huffed, Tell us everything, then! He should pay for this!
Come on, Jess, why so bloodthirsty? Emma retorted. Let him live his life.
Fine, Ill think about it later. But dont hide anything from me again! Jess snapped, a dramatic sigh punctuating her words.
Emma managed a halfgrin; Jess always knew how to brighten her day with her melodramatic flair.
A month later David burst in, declaring himself a rich man. An uncle had supposedly passed away, leaving him a country house, a car, and a tidy sum of cash.
And now Im taking the girls, he announced grandly. Theyll have proper rooms, a roof that doesnt leakunlike this place.
Youve lost your mind, Emma exclaimed. You never cared about the kids before.
Its simple, David replied. Claire finished a psychology course. She wants the children in a normal environment with a dad present. And youre always off at work
Brilliant, Emma rolled her eyes. Whats next? A science experiment?
If you object, David said, ignoring her, Ill go to court and take the children.
Auntie Margaret swooped in just in time. With a swift push, she sent David out the front door, where he left, swaggering that he wouldnt be so easily dismissed.
Jess, what am I supposed to do? Emma whispered into the phone, on the verge of tears. The flat is falling apart. The management company cant fix the roof for the second year, the neighbours are nosy, and my wages are barely enough
Hold on a minute! Jess chirped. Your ex isnt paying maintenance, is he?
I never sorted that out, Emma admitted. And we dont need anything from him. Hes got a new family now
Ugh what are you supposed to do? I could have checked earlier. By law the kids are entitled to maintenance, not you. Nobody has to worry about his new wife and child.
…
Youre a fool, forgive me! He should help with the housing! Turn the TV on once in a while!
No time for TV, you know that! Emma retorted.
I know. Sorry. At least Im not idle until the baby arrives, and Ill keep you posted on everything, Jess said brightly.
Actually, I have a friend in your town, she added. Shell explain everything clearly. Expect a call, and dont give me any grief!
Jesss friend turned out to be a lively young solicitor named Sophie. After a quick chat with Emma, she mapped out Davids obligations.
Hell have to pay child supportone third of his earnings, as the law says. Weve found a twobedroom flat to rent; youll cover half the rent, Sophie said, ticking off points like a sales pitch. And youll also chip in for the girls medical expenses now that theyre covered partially by the state.
David, whats that about? he asked, bewildered.
It means the girls will live with me, Sophie replied coolly. And the court will likely keep them with their mother because thats what they want.
In the end, David agreed to pay maintenance, contribute to flat repairs, and would not fight for custody. Sophie winked at Emma. Dont relax, she said. Well keep pressing him to help you buy a separate place. Everything will be fine.
Emma had no reason to doubt Sophies vigor. And so, with a little legal help, a splash of neighbourly support, and a dash of humor, the family found its footing once more.
