Waiting for my partner to come home from work, Emily perched at the kitchen table, sipping thymeinfused tea slowly, one sip after another. The click of a key in the lock made her pause in the doorway. In stepped Andrew, his face set and his mouth tight.
Hey, she said first, late again, Ive already had dinner and Ive been waiting for you
Hey, Andrew replied. You could have not bothered to wait; Im not hungry. Ill be quick, grab a few things and be out. He slipped off his shoes, walked into the hallway, opened the wardrobe and pulled out a suitcase.
Emily stared, bewildered, as he began shoving his belongings into the bag.
Andrew, what on earth is happening? she asked.
Im leaving you, he said plainly, without meeting her eyes.
Where to?
To another woman
Yes, I suppose a younger one, although Im only forty myself thats not old, Emily retorted with a hint of sarcasm, the reality finally breaking through. I wont weep; hell never see my tears, she soothed herself, then blurted out, How long has this been going on?
Almost a year, Andrew answered calmly. Seeing her shock, he added, If you never noticed, I must have been very good at hiding it.
Youre really going? she pressed.
Emily, are you deaf? Listen. Im off to be with someone else. Were expecting a child. Katie will give me a son. Ill give you a month to vacate my flat. Where you go and how you manage that is your problem. Well be living with Katie and the baby while she stays in a rented place.
He left. The flat fell silent; the walls seemed to close in on Emily. She turned on the television just to hear some voice. Twelve years with Andrew had slipped away; a week later she was back on her feet.
Her late parents had left her a cottage in a Yorkshire village. Living alone out there didnt appeal to her.
I cant live there, Emily thought. Its far from civilisation, no amenities, no work. At thirtyfive I dont want a country life. Ill sell the place and use the proceeds to rent a council flat or a student house the rest will sort itself out.
She sold the cottage the moment she arrived back in the village. Her neighbour, Vera, was waiting on the doorstep.
Love, its good youre here. We were about to head into town to look for you.
Whats happened? Emily asked.
My relatives are up north; they want to buy your cottage. They need a small house they can knock down and rebuild. My sister and her husband are moving nearby
My God, Vera, thats why I came. Lets just agree on a price. Heres my number she handed over a scrap of paper.
Within ten days the money was in her hands a modest sum given the state of the ruin. She bought a tiny room in a shared council flat. The kitchen was communal, two other rooms were occupied by other tenants, and the third was hers she called it a council flat.
The other tenants seemed quiet and respectable. Emily rarely crossed paths with them; she spent most of her days at work. It was there that a romance bloomed with a colleague named James. Everything appeared to be going well, at least to Emily.
A few days before International Womens Day, James said, I need to think about a lot of things. Im not sure about my feelings. Lets take a break.
Fine, take a break or just get lost in the woods, Emily snapped.
She went home that night seething. She was thirtysix, time was not on her side, and she had no patience for pauses. She decided to eat away her stress. Opening the fridge, she found a small slice of ham that had mysteriously vanished. Her stomach clenched.
Who took my ham? she shouted.
Darling, I threw it out two days ago. Itd gone green and was smelling I thought you wouldnt eat it anyway, no point risking your health, said her neighbour, Mrs. Ivy, quietly.
You dont get to decide what I eat, Emily roared. You have no right to touch other peoples food.
Her anger spilled over. Shed lost her marriage, her home, her lovers affection, and now a neighbour was pilfering her food.
Mrs. Ivy, dont be upset, said Arthur, the gentleman in the adjoining room. He was a sixtyyearold, silverhaired, bespectacled intellectual who always sat in the corner armchair with a newspaper or a novel. Ivys face fell.
Emily is angry right now. Shes lashing out because someones hurt her. Dont take it personally, Arthur advised, never looking up from his paper.
What do you know? Emily snapped. No one asked you anyway.
Arthur smiled faintly. Believe me, I know a little.
If youre so wise, why are you living in this shabby council flat? Emily pressed, the words spilling out.
She decided she must apologise. Ivy looked relieved, retreated to her own room, and Emily slammed her door, collapsing onto the sofa.
The kitchen philosopher keeps handing out advice and life lessons, she muttered, hungry and irate.
An hour passed. Emily calmed down, opened her laptop, and recalled buying that ham ages ago, wondering what it had become. Shame washed over her.
Ive offended Ivy for nothing, and shes just trying to get by. My nerves are shot, Ive turned into a hysteric. They must think Im a troublemaker. I need to apologise, she thought.
She found Ivy in the kitchen.
Forgive me, Mrs. Ivy. I dont know what came over me. So much has piled up Arthur was right, I suppose.
Ivy smiled, wrapped Emily in a hug.
It happens, love. Come, have tea with a slice of cake and sweets. You should also apologise to Arthur; he didnt deserve that. Hes a retired professor, once taught at the university. He lived in a spacious flat in the city centre, loved his job. Then his wife fell ill with a brain tumour. Doctors said it was too late, but a clinic in Israel offered a chance it cost a fortune. Arthur borrowed heavily, went with her, the operation succeeded but didnt improve her condition. She lived a bit longer, then passed. He quit his job, cared for her until the end, sold his flat, paid the debts, and thats how he ended up here.
Emilys eyes welled. Thank you for sharing that, she whispered. Ill apologise tomorrow.
The next day, after work, Emily timidly knocked on Arthurs door with a small wrapped gift.
Good evening, Arthur, she said, extending the parcel. Please accept this and forgive me, for Gods sake, for yesterdays outburst. I was undeservedly harsh.
Arthur listened without interruption. When she finished, he replied, What a pleasant surprise. Ill accept the gift and your apology if youll join me for a celebration its my birthday today.
Oh, happy birthday! The gift is perfect, Emily replied, smiling. How can I help?
Together with Ivy, they set the table. While arranging the dishes, Emily opened up about her past: as a naïve university student shed fallen for a married man, become pregnant, and hed taken her to the hospital and paid the bills. Theyd later split, leaving her unable to conceive, which perhaps explained why her ex had left.
Just as the table was set, a knock came at the door. A tall, smiling man in his forties stood there.
Good afternoon, Im Roman, Veras son, he introduced himself.
Come in, Roman, Emily said, stepping aside.
The conversation flowed. They toasted Arthur, wished him health, and laughed heartily. Roman turned out to be a fascinating talker, full of stories. Hed once been a geologist and now worked as a longhaul truck driver, so his tales were never short of adventure.
Emily felt astonished. Only the day before shed known nothing about these people; now they were sharing a meal as if they were family.
After a few hours Arthur and Ivy retired to their rooms. Roman, still at the table, said, Shall we go for a walk? Tell me about yourself. Im not often a guest here. I have a flat in the city, travel a lot, and my mum refuses to move from here. Secretly, shes a bit fond of Arthur, and I think he feels the same, he chuckled. Ive been away a long time I was married when I was a geologist, and while I was gone someone else took my place.
Winter had just arrived in the town, snow blanketing everything in quiet, windless stillness. Emily and Roman walked for hours, the cold never quite reaching them. They eventually went their separate ways.
Three days later Roman announced a longhaul trip.
Is it for a while? Emily asked.
Just a week. Ill be back. Will you wait for me?
Of course, Ill be counting the days.
Thus began their romance, which soon deepened into true love. They married, and a year later a little boy, Archie, was born. When Roman was away on his routes, Emily and Archie would return to the council flat for a spell.
Days of waiting passed quickly. Ivy and Arthur proved wonderful grandparents to Archie you wouldnt need a better nanny.