Margaret Clarke carefully lifted her daughters wedding dress from the wardrobe and ran her hands over the pristine white fabric. A sting of tears welled in her eyes. Emily returned home just three months after the flamboyant celebration without a husband, without a smile, and without any belief that happiness could ever be hers again.
Mum, can I move back in with you? Emily asked, voice trembling, as she stood on the doorstep of the family house with two suitcases in hand.
Without a word Margaret wrapped her arms around her daughter and helped carry the luggage upstairs. The questions could wait. Margaret felt that something essential had shattered in her only childs life.
Now that Emily was back at work, Margaret could not shake the bitter recollections. After all, it had started so beautifully.
Emily had met Daniel at a New Years office party. A friend had dragged her there so she wouldnt spend the holiday alone. She had protested for a while, but eventually gave in.
The tall darkhaired man with brown eyes won her over at first glance. He courted her with flowers, arranged romantic evenings, and showered her with attention. Emily couldnt resist his charm. Six months later Daniel got down on one knee right there in the restaurant, in front of everyone.
Emily, will you be my wife? he asked, his voice thick with feeling, as he presented a velvet box holding an engagement ring.
She smiled shyly. She hadnt expected a proposal, though she sometimes allowed herself to dream about it. The room fell silent, and Emily whispered, Yes.
The whirlwind preparations for the wedding began. Daniel insisted on a lavish affair.
Love, a wedding only comes around once, he urged. I want everything to be perfect.
Emily would have preferred something more modest, but she gave in to his wishes. He chose an upscale restaurant, invited a long list of his colleagues and friends most of whom Emily had never met before.
Margaret recalled a conversation from the kitchen.
Darling, arent you rushing things? Youve barely known each other, she had warned gently.
Dont worry, Mum! Im twentyeight now. How long do I have to wait? Besides, Daniel is sensible and attentive. I couldnt ask for a better husband, Emily had replied, beaming.
Now she walked back home with a dim look in her eyes. What had gone wrong?
Daniel moved into Emilys onebedroom flat straight after the ceremony. He claimed he had been renting elsewhere, but now saw no point in spending money when his young wife already owned a place.
My dear, Ive started putting aside money for our future home. Well endure this cramped space for a while and then buy something bigger, he said, planting a kiss on her temple.
Emily didnt want to start married life arguing about finances, so she agreed. It soon emerged, however, that Daniel had lost his job before the wedding.
Why didnt you tell me? Emily asked, stunned, after hearing the news from a mutual acquaintance.
I didnt want to upset you before the big day, Daniel shrugged. Im actively looking for a new position, dont worry.
Weeks slipped by and Daniel showed no urgency in finding work. He slept late, spent most of the day at his computer pretending to send out CVs, and evenings out with his mates. Emily worked in accounts, left early and returned late, and the bulk of household chores fell on her shoulders.
Daniel, could you take a temporary job while you hunt for something permanent? she suggested cautiously.
You want me to be a delivery driver or a mover? he snapped. I have a degree and experience; I wont be reduced to menial work.
One afternoon Emily came home earlier than usual. From the hallway she saw Daniels silhouette in the window. Ascending the stairs, she heard loud voices. She turned the key in the door and froze as a noisy crowd filled her tiny flat empty bottles, snack trays, blaring music.
Emily! We were just having a few drinks with the lads, Daniel grinned, trying to pull her into a hug.
The smell of alcohol hit her. She glanced at the strewn dishes, the dirty crockery, and slipped into the bathroom, slammed the door, and wept. What had become of her life?
The next morning, after the guests had left and Daniel was still sound asleep, Emily discovered her gold earrings a birthday gift from her parents missing from the jewellery box. She woke Daniel.
Where are my earrings? she demanded.
What earrings? he mumbled groggily.
The gold ones that were in the box.
Daniel winced and sat up.
Ah, those I borrowed them briefly. I needed a little cash to pawn with a jeweller I know, and I planned to buy them back straight away.
You sold my earrings? Emily cried.
I didnt sell them, I pawned them! he snapped. We need the money! I was going to repay it.
Wheres the cash from the earrings? she pressed.
We were at the pub with the boys, he said, turning away.
Emily sank onto a chair. Her husband had squandered family funds and even mortgaged her personal belongings to keep drinking with friends, while she had been saving for a new sofa.
The problems snowballed. It turned out Daniel had taken out loans he never mentioned before the wedding, and Emily was the one paying them off. He offered countless excuses for his unemployment and even hinted that she should be working harder.
Daniel, this cant go on, Emily said one evening. We need to have a serious talk.
What about? he responded irritably, eyes still glued to his phone.
Our life. Im working from dawn till dusk, paying the rent, buying groceries, and you she faltered.
What? Finish it, he said, his tone turning threatening.
Youre not making any effort to improve our situation, she concluded quietly.
Daniel leapt up, tossing his phone aside.
Are you criticizing me over a slice of bread? he shouted. Do you think Ill work for pennies? Be humiliated? And Im supposed to be your wife?
After that clash the atmosphere grew even tenser. Emily started staying later at work just to avoid more time at home. She repeatedly wondered why she had rushed into marriage.
Daniel became increasingly irritable and blunt, snapping at the slightest provocation. One day he exploded when she forgot to buy his favourite orange juice.
You never think of me! I only asked for juice, how hard can that be? he roared, pacing the room.
Im exhausted after work, Im sorry, Emily whispered, feeling a chill run down her spine. She had never seen him so angry.
Everyone ignores my needs! he banged his fist on the table, startling her.
A call from his friends wife calmed him for a moment; he smiled, answered, and stepped onto the balcony.
Day by day the situation worsened. Emily noticed the money disappearing faster than usual. One night she checked the bank statement and saw a large sum withdrawn at a nightclub on the night Daniel claimed to be staying over at a mates flat.
Why are you watching my account? he snapped when she confronted him with the statement. Cant I have a little peace?
What money are you spending it on? she asked softly.
Does it matter? Were a family; everythings shared, he retorted.
Something finally snapped inside Emily. She realised the Daniel she had fallen for was a carefully crafted illusion during the courtship. The real man was lazy, irresponsible, perhaps even dishonest.
The last straw came with her mothers heirloom ring. Margaret had given Emily a rubyset family ring, passed down through the women of their line, kept in a tiny jewellery box. Emily intended to wear it for her aunts birthday, but opened the box to find it empty.
Her heart hammered. She rushed to Daniel.
Did you take Mums ring? she demanded.
He averted his eyes and muttered, I needed the cash urgently. A friend was in trouble, and I couldnt turn him down. Ill pay you back, I promise.
Emily sank back into a chair, the truth clear. No friend existed, no job hunt was underway. He had simply used her, lived off her money, and sold her possessions.
I want a divorce, she said quietly.
Daniels face twisted.
You cant do that to me! he shouted. Im your husband! We swore to stand by each other in sorrow and joy!
Sorrow was more than enough, Emily replied bitterly. I never got any joy.
Youll regret this! his voice turned threatening.
That night, while Daniel was out with his mates, Emily packed the essential items and drove to her parents house. There, in the familiar hallway, she finally broke down, pouring out the whole story of her brief, disastrous marriage.
Mum, I was so foolish! Why didnt I listen when you warned me not to rush? she sobbed.
Margaret gently stroked her head. Itll be alright, love. Youll find happiness again, I promise.
A week later, when Emily mustered the courage to return for the rest of her belongings, she found the flat turned upside down. Appliances, jewellery, even some clothes had vanished. Daniel had taken everything he could sell and vanished.
Emily sank onto the floor amidst the wreckage and, oddly enough, burst into a bitter laugh. Her marriage had crumbled to ash, just like the apartment.
A month passed. Emily filed for divorce. Daniel never appeared in court; rumours said hed fled to another city. She now had to shoulder the debts he incurred, loans hed forged with a forged signature.
Margaret carefully folded the wedding dress back into the wardrobe. Perhaps one day Emily would don a white dress again, meeting a man who truly deserved it. For now, that dress lay as a reminder of a mistake not to repeat.
That evening, when Emily came home from work, her mother brewed a mug of tea and said, You know, love, a wedding is just one day. True happiness has to be built over years, with someone worthy of it.
Emily gave a faint smile. I get it now, Mum. Its better to be alone than with someone who makes you miserable.
Each day Emily took small steps toward a new life. She picked up a second job to clear the debts faster, enrolled in a professional development course, and on weekends she walked in the park and reconnected with friends shed left behind.
One afternoon, scrolling through old photos, she stumbled on the wedding pictures. In one, she stood beaming in her white dress, bouquet in hand, Daniel smiling beside her. She had once believed in a fairytale. Emily stared at the image, then tore it up decisively.
It was a symbolic act she ripped not just the picture but also the illusion that happiness could be handed over like a wedding cake. Real contentment, she realised, must be built brick by brick, day by day, starting with herself.
That night, for the first time in ages, she fell asleep with a light heart. She didnt know what the future held, but she resolved firmly: she would never again live by others expectations or snap decisions. She would still have a chance to create a true, strong, happy family someday.
For now, she was learning to be happy on her own. After all, happiness isnt a stamp in a passport or a white dress. Its a state of the soul, untouched by marital status, and Emily was determined to reach it one steady step at a time.
