Hannah knew it all. Of course she didshe wasnt twenty, not even thirty yet, and shed lived long enough to see how things work.
She was weary of dragging her solitary life behind her like a heavy cart.
Liam, she muttered to herself, why is it always me? Am I too clingy, or perhaps I give off a bad smell? Maybe Im just not giving enough love and affection. Whats wrong with me?
Everywhere she looked, couplestall, short, thin, plump, drunk, handsome, plainseemed to be sharing their own little worlds. And there she was, still on her own.
Listen, Hannah whispered Lucy, who had just perched on the edge of the sofa. Dont laugh, but my gran used to talk about something a crown of singleness.
Huh? Hannah waved her hand dismissively. Are we living in the Middle Ages now?
You dont believe it? Lucy hopped down, eyes bright. My thirdcousin once had that crown taken off by the same old gran.
What gran? Hannah asked, curiosity masking a hint of boredom.
Anyway, Ill ring my sisterMeganshe knows the whole story.
A few minutes later Lucy was scribbling on a napkin, tongue tucked in.
Right, thanks, Megan. Hows it going? Getting married again? What about Tom? Hes out, I guess. Anyway, Ill be there. She hung up, pausing.
Whats happened? Hannah asked.
Its that againneed a wedding gift. My sisters tying the knot for the fifth time. Looks like that old gran finally stripped the crown off her. Lucy read out an address. You coming?
Hannah shrugged. She set off, but the old woman who lived on the lane turned her back and sent her away emptyhanded.
No crown for you.
And why not? Hannah protested. I
What, youve been picking the wrong men? The first one ran off with a kid, promising you the world while already married. The second? Same story. The third? Hell be the same.
The third? Ive got no one.
You will. When you stop waiting for the perfect moment. Hell be yours, but not the whole of him. A girl cant change that, but trust himhes solid, and youll find a happiness that feels like a warm blanket. Just be patient, dont rush.
And tell your friend she should see a doctor, drink the herbal tea, and stop fussing over nothing. Thats what the gran said long ago.
That conversation had taken place many years before. Desperate to find her own happiness, Hannah began visiting the village wisewoman, a reputed healer. Everything the healer warned about seemed to come true.
She met a third man, but his words slipped from her memory. He was kind, treated Hannahs daughter well, yet something always went wronghed disappear in a heartbeat, never to explain.
Then Hannah met George. At first she didnt recognise him; the flat next door had been empty for years. When Hannah moved in with her little girl, her neighbour, Aunt Kate, mentioned the owner was a nightshift worker who only came home to stay with his mother.
One day, curiosity got the better of Hannah. She peeked through the ajar door and saw a man putting up wallpaper. She slipped out, assuming the owner had returned.
Their first accidental meeting happened in the hallway a week later. The doors in that building were odd: opening one would lock the other, so you had to close the first before the second could be opened. Hannah was late for work, tried to push the door, and it wouldnt budge. The neighbour apologised, shut his flat, and Hannah heard quick, light footsteps.
Later she blocked his exit on purpose, just to see his reaction. On the buildings communal landing, the neighbour let Hannah be the first to open the door.
One afternoon George helped Kristine lift her bicycle, and Hannah baked some scones and handed them to him. They ran into each other in the park; Georges son, a boy about Kristines age, was playing on the swings. The children became fast friends, while Hannah and George chatted merrily.
Six months on, George asked her out on a proper date, introduced her to his family, and they began living together. Before that, he laid his life out plainly:
Emma Im not a twentyyearold lad, Im a grown man with my own opinions and temperament. I promise if you stay with me I wont cheat, Ill do my share of the work, Ill earn a decent wage, I wont drink or smoke, no bad habits. Ill respect you, value you Im sorry, but I cant love you the way you might hope. Ive tried before.
Are you saying youre a stone, heartless? Hannah asked, voice strained.
No, I do feel for you, just not the kind of love I think you want. I once fell for a girl in my youth she saw me as a friend, and I could never shake that feeling. Ive had women who were prettier, smarter, yet none fit.
Should I have talked to her? Hannah pressed, fighting tears.
I explained everything, laid it out step by step, told her I love you more than anything. She just listened, then said shed always been a friend to me, like a brother.
She asked why hed left Inna. I didnt love her, he said bluntly. Shes lovely, smart, funnyyoud think Id stay, but I cant live with someone I dont love.
George confessed that love felt to him like a curse, a wound that prevented him from giving happiness to a woman. Women love with their hearts, not with lies. I cant pretend.
He told Hannah to decide for herself whether she could live without dramatic passion. Think about it, he urged.
After a week of consideration, Hannah met his large, boisterous family. They welcomed her and her daughter warmly. She feared theyd see her as a replacement, pitied her, but everything turned out fine.
She never regretted marrying George. He proved reliable, solved her problems, and she learned not to obsess over fleeting passion. Occasionally, a stray glance would catch her eye, reminding her of past loves, but it never shook their life together.
One afternoon, while George was polishing the kitchen windows in the bright spring sun, Hannah sang softly. He entered the room, admiring her, feeling as free as the wind after a long winter.
George, whats up? she asked.
Nothing much, he replied, dancing lightly from the windowsill. You have no idea how wonderful everything feels.
He kissed her, a sudden realization bloominghe truly loved his wife, and she was precious to him.
Hannah thought, The old gran wasnt wrong after all; she said I just needed to wait.
Good morning, dear friends. May love, whether just arrived at your doorstep or already living with you, be cherished and protected.
And remember: patience isnt merely waitingits trusting that the right moment will bring the right heart.
