Got a suitcase full of my wifes things on the doorstep, and I thought, Dont be ridiculous!
So, for the first time, Harrietyeah, thats what I call her nowimagined getting a video camera. Not just imagined, she actually set one up everywhere in the flat. She didnt tell her husband a word, though, because it was meant to be a surprise. And, oh boy, it turned out to be exactly that.
Im so glad she married Tom instead of that clumsy bloke, Simon Collins! Harriet thought, settling into the armchair with her baby bump. If shed ended up with him, shed probably be living in some council flat beyond the M25!
In Harriets eyes, Simon could never pull off anything grand. No wonder everyone kept calling him Tomnot Sashabecause, you know, you name a ship and it sails that way.
Who would ever nickname a great general Tom Macedonian? Nobody, right? Itd be like calling the great Winston Churchill Bobjust dont do it. But Tom Balfour sounds perfectly natural.
If theyd called the film Operation Y and Other Adventures of Alexander, itd have been a flop just because of the title. Tommy would have saved it.
Theyd been friends since school, both falling for sweet little Harriet, and theyd often hang out as a trio. Tom always lost to the charming, quickwitted Victor, but he never seemed to notice. That obvious defeat didnt ruin their friendshipTom was good at being a mate.
So after the graduation party, when Harriet finally chose Tom, the third guy had to step aside. And that third was Simon.
Three months later, after starting university, Tom dumped Harriet for a fellow student. She rang Tom, calling him Sam for the first time. And faithful Simon swooped in, brightening her days and pulling her out of the blues.
There was never anything romantic between them, and there couldnt be. Simon stayed just a friend, and that was enough for himjust being near the one he cared about.
Come spring, Harriet fell for someone new. Victor was finally out of her heart. The new lad turned out to be a senior student at her university, a few years older, and they met in the libraryyes, not everything is digital these days.
All of Harriets thoughts were now on Arthur. The awkward Tom, whod oddly gone to a college of town planning after school, always seemed to carry some nonsense, according to Harriet. Ill study a bit longer, get a proper trade, Tom would say, proud of coming from a big family that valued money. Then Ill go to university if I feel like it.
Harriet was bored with the stiff, wellstitched bloke, craving love and cuddlesnot from him. And soon enough, she got exactly that.
Arthur, a bit older and more experienced, opened the door to a world of feelings for her. They even talked about marryingjust because it felt right together.
A year into their relationship, Arthur was finishing his degree while Harriet was in her second year. Why not tie the knot? she thought.
Arthur would graduate soon, and theyd definitely get hitched.
Then Tom called: Theres a reunion night for our schools alumni. Fancy coming, Harriet?
She said yes. Why not? Let Victor see what hes missing. Shed brag to her ex that a wedding was on the horizon.
Tom had landed a decent job at a reputable construction firm, earning a proper wage, and hed stayed friends with Tom. (Yep, the old Tom.)
Harriet learned from Tom that her former crush, Victor, was now completely single and also planning to attend the reunion.
The night was set for the first Saturday in February. Harriet picked out a cute dress, threw on a fur stole, and Tom drove her over in his own car.
When Harriet saw Victor again, she realised shed been fooling herselfnothing had ever really passed her. Something deep inside had just been waiting for its moment, and that moment finally arrived.
Victor was happy to see Harriet; shed looked even prettier in the past year and a half. He hadnt mentioned any of this to Tom!
Tom, for his part, didnt even notice; Harriet had always been the most beautiful to him, no need for any makeover.
They stared at each other, then, without a word, walked straight to Victors flat and made up for all the lost time. Tom, as usual, ended up as the third wheel.
Need I say the wedding with Arthur fell through? By August, a pregnant Harriet married Tom instead. Victor had proposed, after all.
Now shes expecting their first childan ultrasound showed itd be a girl!
Victor turned out to be a decent husband. Right after the wedding, he switched to a night shift and started working as a couriera job thats in demand and pays fairly well nowadays.
Harriet pulled an Alevel on her own, passed the external exams for the second semester of her third year, and her parents helped out with the money.
It was just an ordinary, happy family life.
In due time, a sweet little baby girl, Lily, joined the family.
Time flew, and Harriets schooling was about to start again. Lily grew up and began walking.
They decided not to send her to nurserywho knows what could happen there, and a tiny tot cant really tell you if somethings wrong.
So they hired a nanny because the grandparents were still working. And a granddads demand? Changing nappies isnt exactly a royal duty.
After a careful search, they settled on a twentytwoyearold named Amelia, who was studying parttime and doing nanny work on the side.
Amelia had solid references, though Harriet thought she wasnt particularly prettyperfect, because no one wants a nightmare in the house.
Amelia also asked for a slightly lower rate, which made everything fit nicely.
Harriet went back to university, Amelia started her nanny job.
The little girl quickly warmed up to Amelia, following her around handinhand. If Lily felt unwell, shed let it out with a cry or a whimper, so Harriet and Tom felt reassured.
One day, while bathing Lily, Harriet noticed a rashsomething you wouldnt expect with modern nappies. It wasnt the stoneage diaper days anymore; you can swap a nappy in a flash now.
She chose not to tell Amelia about the rash, fearing it might cause a fuss. There are endless baby powders and creams these days, and Harriet handled it herself.
Later, Lilys skin broke out in a rash, and they called the paediatrician. Turns out it was an allergic dermatitis.
Lily was allergic to a few foods, but Amelia had been warned. Nobody ever fed those foods to the babythey were simply not on the shopping list.
By Gods grace, Amelia swore, I didnt give her anything! Im a trained nurse, after allmaybe she stole something off the counter herself!
A oneyearold stealing food? Shed have to be a tiny pirate. Amelia made sure no food was left on any surface; Harriet kept a tight eye on that too.
Tom chimed in, Dont worry about it, love. Lets run some allergy tests and sort it out, dont stress yourself.
And then Harriet, for the first time, thought about getting a video camera. Not just thoughtshe installed it everywhere.
But she kept it a secret from Victor; it was meant to be a surprise. And, as promised, it was a real surprise.
It turned out Lily was pretty much left to herself for a while, because once Harriet went back to study, the real fun began.
Victor and Amelia were busy in the bedroom, and the little girl just roamed from room to roomthere were three rooms besides the bedroom.
Meanwhile, with Harriet away, all sorts of junk food was strewn across sofas and armchairsmostly crisps, which Victor loved. Amelia, too, indulged.
Little Lily ended up munching on those chips
By the time Harriet got home, everything was tidywell done, really.
It also came out that Amelia had been Victors firstyear university romance. Hed left Harriet for her back then. When Victor dumped Amelia, she grabbed his university papers and now worked as a nanny.
How all that tangled up is a mysterymaybe it was pure chance, maybe not. Perhaps the husband hinted at Amelias suitability, and thats why Victor called her Aggie in a teasing way.
Now it made sense why Tom started working from home. The flat actually belonged to Harriets parents, so the couple couldnt claim it as their own.
Amelia got a few colourful messages from Tom, laced with a bit of slang and a request for money. Tom did the same, and Harriets packed suitcase? She wasnt about to forgive him.
They all left togetherTom even didnt try to apologise. He probably didnt see anything wrong with his behaviour; it was all Gods will, as hed say.
Harriet felt sickanother set of setbacks hitting her hard. Then she remembered the clumsy but loyal Tom: Hell be the one to help me now!
Sure enough, hed swoop in and chase away her gloom with his usual awkward jokes and chatter, just like old times.
But this time Tom couldnt make it: Cant do it, Harriet! he said, instead of the usual Got it, Im on my way!
What? Harriet was confusedthis was a new tone.
Going to the maternity wardmy sons just been born, so Im sorry! he rushed out, No time for banter!
And that was the end of the call.
Harriet thought, A son? A wife? He loves his wife, not me! Yet the fact was that Toms classmate, Simon, now had a baby, and Tom was busy.
What did she even want? A grownup man leaping at her until retirement? By the way, Tom had just been promoted at work and was now heading a department.
Harriet felt a bitter, almost treacherous stingeveryone had left her: the husband, the socalled friend. Who couldve imagined?
Especially Tom. And to think hed even neglect his own child? That was too much.
If Lily ever choked, theyd never hear her from a locked bedroom. What a mess!
Tom, though, would never have cheated on Harriet.
All that, wrapped up in a proper English setting, and thats the tale.
