Emily Clarke knew as early as secondary school that James Turner liked her it was as clear as day, and he never tried to hide it. After lessons in Year10 hed linger, walking beside her like a faithful knight, cracking jokes while she laughed loudly. Yet she kept him at arms length, treating him only as a friend.
At first their classmates teased both of them. When James wasnt around theyd taunt Emily:
Why are you walking alone, wheres your bodyguard?
Shed wave them off with a grin, I have no idea, and laugh it away.
Emily saw the truth: James was headoverheels, and she toyed with his affection as she pleased. They sat together in class, he helped her with tests, and his grades were stellar, while she scraped by with barely passing marks.
She confided in her best friend, Clara Hughes, who swore James was a genuine, honest lad a future husband made of solid timber.
Clara, I dont fancy James because hes so modest and still lives with his mum. What can I expect? Hell be a plain, familyman forever. I crave passion and fire, Emily complained in Year11.
Emily, do you really think Harry Bennett could ever be a proper husband? Clara whispered. You cant wear your heart on your sleeve. Everyone in the class, James included, knows youre swooning over him.
Who taught you how to handle boys? You havent even dated anyone, youre a wallflower. And why hide it? Harry knows the same thing, we even exchange glances, Emily snapped.
Where does that come from? I read, I watch films My mother always says, Better a man runs after you than you chase him, Clara replied, eyes sparkling.
Emily and Clara had been inseparable since childhood, sharing every secret. Emily was bold; Clara, quiet and demure.
The night of the graduation ball, Harry spotted Emily in a stunning dress, lithe and almost ethereal. He took her hand and led her onto the floor. Their waltz was the talk of the room, while James lingered in the shadows, his eyes fixed on Clara, who understood his disappointment.
After the dance Harry leaned close and whispered, Shall we date? Ive never looked at you the same way. Youre beautiful, and your smile could light up the whole hall.
Yes, Emily breathed, trying to conceal her elation, though it burst from her like fireworks.
Harry had long known his own feelings, yet a crowd of girls made choice difficult, and his heart was a wideopen field. That night the whole class celebrated until dawn, then Harry escorted Emily home. James vanished early, caring for a sick mother, and Emily barely thought of him. She told herself, Why waste time on him when Harrys here? As the old saying goes, We wound those who love us most, yet we never grasp the good.
From that moment Emily began dreaming of a future with Harry, putting aside studies. At a quiet café she whispered plans for their life; Harry nodded, his eyes warm.
Harry, I want to go to nursing college. What about you? she asked.
Im not aiming for university. I barely scraped my Alevels, he chuckled. Ill train as a driver for the army and then enlist.
Fine, Ill wait for you. No doubts, Emily promised, nestling against him.
Ill serve, come back, and well marry, he vowed, pulling her tighter, hinting at a closeness she craved.
Dont rush, Emily sighed, When you return, well file the papers and Ill be yours, just as Mum raised me to think.
Harry agreed without pressure. He never told Emily that after she left, he would spend the night with a more carefree girl named Annie before marching off to base at dawn.
Emily saw Harry off to training, waiting faithfully. James visited often.
Emily, Harry isnt the man you need for life. Trust me, he pleaded, but she laughed it off, still seeing him only as a friend.
James was an only child, his ailing mother confined to a bed. He tended to her himself, sometimes calling their neighbour, Mrs. Ward, to help with washing.
Ill get Mum on her feet, then Ill have time for everything, he told a mate, studying at a local college rather than traveling to a university.
Years passed and Harry returned from service. On the day Emily finished her exams, she ran to his doorstep, breathless, only to find him in the arms of another woman, laughing wildly. The shock hit her like a blow, and she fled home, heart pounding.
Her mother tried to soothe her. Darling, I warned you Harry wasnt right for you, and James kept telling you that. Yet you stubbornly clung to him, thinking no one else mattered.
Soon Emily learned Annie was pregnant and about to wed Harry. In a fit of spite, she approached James and proposed marriage, as if to spite Harry. Perhaps James sensed her intent.
Two years later Emily and James lived comfortably, rarely arguing. Jamess mother had passed, leaving them the family house. He loved Emily with all his heart, expecting more than mere respect, but she kept herself in a shell, resentful of the world.
One afternoon, leaving a shop, she collided with Harry. He grabbed her wrist.
Hey, Emily. Im sorry for the pain I caused, he said.
Enough, Ive forgiven you long ago, she snapped, eager to leave. Our paths have diverged. Goodbye.
Harry, now taller and more mature, pleaded, Wait. Hear me out. I love only you. I know you waited for me after the army, and I broke up with Annie. The child isnt mine; she lied. His words were earnest, and Emilys doubt wavered.
Is that true, Harry? she asked, disbelief warring with longing.
Its the truth. I have no reason to deceive you, he answered.
Emily shut the door on him, complicating her life further.
Her world turned upside down. She could think of nothing but Harry. She confessed everything to James.
I met Harry, he divorced. Im filing for divorce. I love him, she blurted.
Emily, youll regret this a million times, her mother scolded. James loves you genuinely; Harry isnt worth it. James echoed the warning.
Both of you dont understand. I love him, Emily replied, storming out.
Months later she basked in what she called the happiest time of her life. Harry sometimes came home slightly drunk; she pretended not to notice, still seeing the world through rosecoloured glasses. Then the illusion shattered. One early morning Harrys shirt bore the imprint of a strangers lipstick.
Harry, explain this, Emily demanded, pointing at the stain.
I dont know where it came from, he stammered, trying to play innocent. Maybe someone set us up to argue, he muttered before rushing off to work.
His drunken, lipstickstained returns became a regular nightmare. She finally gathered the divorce papers and left him. He never called, never searched. She moved back in with her mother.
I warned you, Mom. James warned me. I didnt listen, love blinded me, she thought in the night. Now I bite my own hand, wondering why I hurt James. She blamed fate, though she knew shed slammed the door on her own marriage.
She began to think of James again, yearning to make amends, but pride held her back. Then, one evening, James appeared on her doorstep.
Emily, maybe this is for the best. You finally see who truly loves you, he said, eyes soft.
She rushed into his arms. Thank you, love. I finally understand. Thank you for coming back.
They remarried, their bond renewed. Their son, Oliver, was born, a bright spark both cherished. Harrys shadow faded.
When Oliver turned five, a familiar neighbour stopped Emily outside the playground.
Emily, have you noticed James cheating? the woman whispered.
What? No, never, Emily replied, incredulous.
The men you think are faithful Ive seen James with Vera, my neighbour, even playing with her daughter. He left her house a few times, the woman continued, then walked away.
Emily froze, Olivers tiny hand gripping hers. No It cant be. She watched James slip away with a little girl, her heart cracking. She grabbed Oliver and fled to her friend Claras house in the nearby town, filed for divorce on the spot, and could not comprehend how James could betray her.
Time passed. James, thinner and haggard, finally tracked her down.
Emily, we need to talk, he said, breathless.
What? I dont want to hear anything, she retorted.
I was wrong. I should have told you everything. The woman I was seeing was the wife of my friend Igor, who died in an accident. She was diagnosed with cancer, and I promised to look after their daughter, Alina, when she could no longer care for her. When you left with Oliver, I thought Id adopt Alina myself. I found you now to explain. He stared, remorseful.
Emily was stunned, but after a breath she embraced James. The three of them drove home together. They remarried one final time, sealing a bond that would never break.
Alina was adopted, and the siblings grew up as a closeknit family. Their children later formed their own families. Today Emily and James sit surrounded by grandchildren, grateful for the twists of fate that finally brought them together. She often muses, I married three times, each time to the same man. Life can be astonishingly strange.
