Catching my husband with my best friend, I quietly left for another city, keeping my pregnancy a secret. But five years later, we met again.
“Are you absolutely sure theres no mistake?” Emily tightened her grip on the phone, forcing her voice to stay steady.
“Emily, the results are positive. Congratulations, youre pregnantabout six weeks along.”
She thanked the doctor and hung up. The world around her seemed to stop. Six weeks. Exactly the time since that evening shed come home early and seen a familiar handbag in the hallwaythe one shed given Kate for her birthday.
Emily sank into the chair by the window. Snow fell outside, blanketing Manchester in white, erasing every trace. If only she could wipe that night from her memory just as easily.
Her phone rang again. James. The third time in an hour.
“Emily? Where are you? We were supposed to meet after work.”
“Sorry, got held up,” she said, forcing normality into her tone. “Dont wait for me, Ive got a lot to do.”
“Everything alright? You sound off.”
“Im fine, just tired.”
Setting the phone down, she glanced at the suitcase shed packed that morning. Five years of marriage, ending right now. And a new life growing inside her.
Five years later.
“Mummy, look how pretty!” Four-year-old Sophie pressed her nose against the toy shop window, admiring a doll in an elegant dress.
“Very pretty,” Emily smiled, adjusting her daughters hat. “But were lateAunt Margarets waiting.”
“Where are we going?” Sophie reluctantly pulled away and slipped her hand into her mothers.
“To see Mummys auntie. Shes expecting us.”
London greeted them with a frosty January morning. Five years since Emily had been back, five years building a new life far from the past. Now she had returnedher aunt, the only family whod stood by her, had been hospitalised.
“Sophie, dont runbe careful,” Emily tightened her grip as they entered the gleaming lobby of a new business centre. They needed to cut through to reach the bus stop on the other side.
Marble floors reflected the chandeliers glow. Celebratory music playeda grand opening.
“Emily?”
She froze at the voice behind her. One she hadnt heard in five years but would recognise anywhere. Slowly, she turned.
“James.”
He looked almost the samethe same attentive grey eyes, the same faint silver at his temples. Only the lines around his eyes were deeper.
“Didnt expect to see you here,” he said, staring as if she were a ghost. “You came back?”
“Just passing through,” Emily felt Sophie press against her leg. “Not for long.”
Jamess gaze dropped to the little girl, and his face changed. His pupils widened. Sophie was his mirror imagethe same eyes, the same lips, even the dimple when she smiled.
“And this is?”
“My daughter,” Emily said quickly. “Sophie.”
A heavy silence hung between them.
“There you are!” A tall, elegant woman with chestnut hair approached. “Everyones looking for you. Oh, hello,” she glanced curiously at Emily.
“Claire, this is Emily an old friend,” James said slowly, eyes still on Sophie. “Emily, this is Claire, my wife.”
“Nice to meet you,” Emily forced a smile. “We should gosorry.”
“Wait,” James stepped forward. “How can I reach you?”
“You cant,” she turned and walked away, leading Sophie by the hand.
In the taxi, Sophie snuggled close.
“Mummy, who was that?”
“Just someone I knew a long time ago, sweetheart.”
Aunt Margarets flat was just as cosy as five years ago when Emily had arrived from Bristol with a small suitcase and a broken heart.
“You havent changed a bit,” her aunt smiled, stroking Sophies hair. “But this little ladys grown so much, and Ive only seen her in photos. How are you, love?”
“Im fine,” Emily helped her aunt sit. “The doctor said its nothing seriousjust rest and medication.”
“Thats not what I meant,” her aunt studied her. “How are you really? Is your heart at peace?”
Emily looked away.
“Aunt Margaret, thats all in the past.”
“You saw him?”
“Earlier. At the new business centre. Of all the people in a city this size, I ran into him on the first day.”
“Fate,” her aunt sighed. “He looked for you, you know.”
“What?” Emily turned sharply.
“Came by a month after you left. Then a few more times. I told him I didnt know where you were.”
“Thank you,” Emily squeezed her hand. “That was the right thing.”
“His mum called just last year. Margaret always treated you like a daughter.”
Emily exhaled. Her mother-in-law had been kind. She wondered if Margaret had ever known what happened between James and Kate.
“Sophie looks just like him,” her aunt continued, watching the little girl play. “Did he guess?”
“I think so. But it changes nothing.”
Morning brought an unfamiliar number on her phone.
“Emily? Its Margaret.”
Her former mother-in-laws voice made her chest tighten.
“Good morning,” she stepped onto the balcony, not wanting to wake Sophie.
“James said he saw you yesterday. May I come over? We need to talk.”
An hour later, they sat at the kitchen table. Sophie still slept.
“Is she really Jamess?” Margaret asked outright.
Emily nodded.
“Why didnt you tell him?” There was no blame in Margarets voicejust pain. “You kept him from his daughter, us from our granddaughter.”
“He did that himself,” Emily said softly. “When he brought my best friend into our home.”
Margaret lowered her eyes.
“I know. He told me everything when you vanished. He wasnt himself. But Emily it was one mistake.”
“One that changed everything.”
“He only married two years ago. Spent years searching, hoping youd return. Then he met Claire. Shes a good woman, but they cant have children.”
Emily swallowed hard.
“Im sorry, but thats not my problem.”
“And what about Sophie? Doesnt she deserve a father?”
At that moment, a sleepy little girl appeared in the doorway.
“Mummy, Im awake.”
Margaret froze, staring wide-eyed at her granddaughter.
“How long are you staying in town?” Paul asked, helping Emily with catalog printouts.
Shed met him at the publishing house where she worked in London. When she mentioned needing to return to her hometown, hed offered to accompany herhe had business there too.
“A week, maybe two,” she sorted papers. “Once Aunt Margarets better, well go back.”
“Shame,” he smiled. “I thought you seemed happy here.”
“I was. Thats over now.”
Her phone buzzed. Another unknown number.
“Emily, its James. Please dont hang up.”
She closed her eyes.
“How did you get this number?”
“Your aunt gave it to me. I know this is unexpected, but we need to talk.”
“Theres nothing to say.”
“Is Sophie my daughter?”
Her fingers clenched the phone.
“I have a right to know,” he pressed.
“And I had a right to loyalty. To trust. To respect,” her voice shook. “But that didnt matter, did it?”
Silence.
“I was wrong,” he finally said. “Id give anything to change that night. But I cant. What I can do is try to be part of our daughters life.”
“Weve been fine without you for five years.”
“Please. One meeting. Just us. Talk like adults.”
The café was quiet, nearly empty. Emily chose a corner table, twisting her cold teacup nervously.
“Thanks for coming,” James sat opposite her.
“I dont have long,” she checked her watch. “Sophies with my aunt.”
“Ill be direct,” he rested his hands on the table. “I want to be in my daughters life.”
“Why? You have a wife, a life.”
“Claire cant have children,” he met her eyes. “But thats not the point. Sophie is mine. I have a right to know her.”
“And I had a right to know what happened in my home,” she took a steadying breath. “When was the last time you saw Kate?”
“Five years ago. That night.”
“Really? Seemed serious at the time.”
James shook his head.
“It was a mistake. The biggest of my life. Office party, too much champagne No excuses. There were no feelings, no aftermath. Kate called next day, said youd seen us and left.”
“And you comforted her?”
“No. I told her Id never forgive her for destroying my marriage. We never spoke again.”
Emily gave a disbelieving laugh.
