“I’m taking back the keys to my flat. You won’t get another penny from me, Mum…”
Emily had met Christopher on the street. She was rushing to the gym club, but the traffic lights refused to change. Glancing around, she spotted a gap between cars and decided to dash across.
Just then, a car shot round the corner—its driver in just as much of a hurry. The light turned amber, and he sped up. It seemed inevitable: the car and the woman cutting across its path were about to collide. But the driver slammed the brakes and swerved. Miraculously, no one was hurt. The light turned red, and the traffic froze.
Deafened by the screech of tyres, Emily stood rooted to the spot, squeezing her eyes shut, bracing for impact. Instead, she heard the furious shouts of the driver storming out of his car.
“Have you got a death wish? If you don’t care about yourself, think of others! Why throw yourself under wheels? Couldn’t you wait a second? Was it really worth—”
Emily opened her eyes to a man in his forties, his face twisted with anger.
“I’m so sorry,” she pleaded, clasping her hands. “My son’s got a competition today—he’d be crushed if I missed it. He’s trained so hard… I’m already late. My boss wouldn’t let me leave early. Every second counts!” She babbled, then suddenly stopped.
The man listened intently. His anger faded, revealing a rather handsome, pleasant face. Emily flushed.
The lights changed. Cars started moving. He grabbed her arm and pulled her onto the pavement.
“Rushing to the gym club?” he asked, calmer now.
“Yes—how did you know?” she replied, still shaken.
“You said it was a competition. Get in, I’ll drive you.”
“Oh, no, I couldn’t—”
“Get in,” he snapped.
Emily scurried to the car. Three minutes later, they pulled up outside the gym. The man stepped out too.
“Really, I can manage—” she stammered.
“Dad!” A teenage girl with a backpack sprinted towards him.
They hugged, then got back into the car. Emily stared, spellbound, before snapping out of it and bolting inside.
That’s how she and Christopher met. Sometimes love springs from a near-miss and a chance encounter.
Emily made it just in time. She slipped into the hall as her son and his partner were announced. He took third place.
“Fancy a cafe? Celebrate your win?” she asked when Thomas emerged from the changing rooms.
“I didn’t win. Just third place,” he grumbled.
“Just third place?” Emily mocked lightly. “Seriously? How many lads competed? Only three medalled—and you’re one of them. I’m proud. Next time, you’ll take gold.” She ruffled his hair. “Were you nervous?”
“A bit. Let’s go home. I’m knackered. Thought you weren’t coming.”
Three days later, Emily saw the man again outside the gym.
“You? Picking up your daughter?”
“Christopher. Call me Chris. No, her class ended hours ago. I came for you.” He hesitated. “Wanted to know how your boy did. Did you make it?”
“Thanks to you, yes. He came third.”
“Brilliant! So risking your life was worth it.” They laughed.
A boy approached. “Your son?” Chris asked.
“Thomas. This is Chris—”
“No need for formalities.” He extended a hand. Thomas shook it firmly.
Parked outside Emily’s flat, Chris suggested they attend an adult tournament that weekend.
“Really? Mum, let’s go!” Thomas beamed.
“So, we’re on?” Chris glanced at Emily hopefully.
“I’m not big on wrestling,” she shrugged.
“Here’s my card. Save my number so you know it’s me calling.”
“I don’t have cards.” She dialled the number on his card.
“Cheers, saved,” he said, declining the call.
“Who was that?” Thomas asked as they climbed the stairs.
“Remember when I nearly missed your match? He gave me a lift—after almost running me over.”
“You never said!”
“Well, he didn’t hit me. And I made it to see you win,” Emily grinned.
They started dating. Soon, Emily lingered after work, and on training days, they’d meet Thomas together.
“Mum, is he in love with you?” Thomas asked once.
“Why? Am I too old? Ugly?”
“No. You’re actually really pretty.”
“Glad you noticed. I’m thirty-two—still young. Do you mind?”
“Nah. Do you like him?”
“Well… yeah,” she admitted, blushing.
“Will his daughter be my sister now?”
“Too soon to say. Would you like that?”
“Dunno,” Thomas said honestly.
He barely remembered his dad, who’d left when he was two. He envied lads who bragged, “Dad got me this,” not for the gadgets but for the fathers. Emily couldn’t afford luxuries—money was always tight.
When Chris gifted Thomas a top-tier phone for his birthday, the boy warmed to him. They became mates.
Three months in, Chris proposed and asked them to move in.
“Enough hiding. We’re adults.”
“Isn’t this too fast? Thomas gets it, but living together’s different. And your ex-wife might—”
“We’ve talked. Could you forgive a man who walked out? Neither can I. She left me for some tycoon, took our daughter—then he dumped her. Now she’s begging to come back, using our girl as leverage. But she didn’t care then. Let’s drop it. My mum’s enough—nagging non-stop. I love you.”
Eventually, Emily agreed. Thomas switched schools to avoid cross-city commutes.
“What about my mates?” he whined.
“You can see them weekends.”
“Fine,” he muttered, unenthused.
Emily hadn’t travelled in years. They planned a Mediterranean holiday—Chris covering costs. But between hefty child support, his mum’s endless medical bills, and spoiling Emily and Thomas, money was tight. Emily started a holiday fund, and Chris chipped in.
Before Christmas, Emily got a bonus and went to stash it—only to find the cash gone. Who’d take it? Few had access. Thomas? Chris? Surely not Chris—he earned well. That left Thomas.
Emily paced, waiting for him. Had he gotten into trouble? Bullies? Drugs? By the time Thomas got home, she’d spiralled.
“What money? What’re you on about? No one’s threatening me!”
“Our holiday money’s gone.”
“I didn’t know where you kept it! You think I’d steal? Maybe Chris took it! Or you moved it!”
“I don’t know. But someone did!”
“Right—blame me first! If you trust money more than me—” Thomas bolted.
“Thomas!” She chased him, but he was already out the door.
“Oh God, what’ve I done?” She grabbed her coat—just as Chris walked in.
“Where you off to?”
“Thomas ran off! Chris, I messed up—”
“What happened?”
“Later—I’ve got to find him!”
“I’m coming.” He locked up and followed.
They scoured streets and bus stops in the car.
“Where is he? Please, no stupid stunts,” Emily prayed.
“Old school friends? Ring them,” Chris suggested.
“I accused him of theft. Oh God—I didn’t mean to. Who else? You?”
“I’d have asked. Think—who else has keys?” Chris frowned.
“You know who?”
“…Mum does.”
“What?” Emily gasped.
“Look—there he is!” Chris braked hard.
Thomas ducked from the headlights. Chris sprinted after him.
“Thomas! Wait! We know it wasn’t you!”
The boy halted.
“Not you. Come home,” Chris panted, catching up.
“Then who?”
“Doesn’t matter. Don’t be mad at your mum.”
“Forgive me, love.” Emily hugged him.
“Last week, I came home—felt like someone’d been in,” Thomas said in the car.
“Why?” Chris asked.
“My T-shirt was moved. Dunno. Thought one of you popped back.”
Chris parked. “You two head up. I’ve a quick errand.”
“Don’t, Chris,” Emily pleaded.
“Won’t be long.”
Margaret opened the door, startled.
“Could’ve called,” she chided. “Since that woman came along, you’ve forgotten me.” She marched to the sofa.
“Mum, did you go to mine last week? Money’s gone.”
“Oh? So your own mother’s a thief now? Blame her—nothing went missing before her.”
“Her name’s Emily. Got it? Thomas ran off because of this.”
“Ran off? GuMargaret’s lips curled into a smug smirk as she crossed her arms and said, “Good riddance—that boy was never family anyway, and neither is his mother.”
