Whenever David came round to see Emily, you could almost see her getting flustered with happiness before your eyes. She would bustle about, fussing with her hair, stuffing the clothes shed tried on earlier under the sofa cushions and untangling curlers from her golden curls. Then shed dash to the bathroom, give her hair a quick brush, touch up her lipstick, and finallylooking absolutely radiantshed step out to greet him.
And who could blame her? I mean, really, just think about it.
Emily was a single mum who, truth be told, had never really been married. Shed had a bit of a whirlwind romance with her Michael. That lasted a month or two before he left their town for God only knows whereshe never quite found out his ancestral homeland. Maybe it was Wales, maybe Ireland. All she knew was hed worked on the local market while he was here, doing odd jobs. Exactly what? Emily could never say.
Anyway, her Michael, the apple of her eye, was offleaving her, as it turned out, a little bit pregnant. Just a smidge: she was only about two weeks gone and hadnt realised it herself. By the time Michael stopped coming over and shed had a month on her own, Emily worked it out Well, to put it plainlyshe was no longer alone.
And when the time came, she gave birthquick as you liketo a little boy. He was a stunner, too! Takes after someone, doesnt he? Emily herself is a real beauty, and Michael was always a bit of a prince himself.
And, I have to say, Emily really struck it lucky with her little one. He was calm as an autumn riverslept all the time, and when he did wake up, hed latch on to his mums breast with all the focus in the world. Good thing, too, because Emily had plenty of milka veritable Jersey cow couldnt have done better. She could have fed a whole nursery if need be.
And the boy, Daniel, hardly ever got those usual baby ailments either.
Oh yes, she named him Daniel after Daniel Day-Lewis. See, when she was pregnantjust by chanceshe caught an old film on telly; The Age of Innocence, I think. And there was this dashing gentleman in it, and the actor reminded her a bit of Michael. She reckoned there was no better name. So, the birth certificate read: Daniel Michael Barnes. Emily said it over and over to herself, and to her it sounded like music. Like a grand overture from an orchestra.
Daniel was a sunbeam of a child. When it came time to cook dinner or tidy up the flat, Emily would spread a blanket on the lounge floor, build a makeshift playpen with chairs, and pop Daniel in the middle. Shed give him one of her old handbags, some curlers, maybe a few cloths, and hed happily amuse himself. Never any fussing, never a peep. Even that time Emily peeked in from the kitchen to check on him and found the boy with his head wedged between two chair legs (he mustve tried to crawl through), he just grunted a bit, quietly, and used his chubby little hands to try and push the chairs apart.
As Daniel got older, he never caused her any trouble. His mum let him play with the neighbours kids in the communal garden out back. She just asked him to run to the window every ten minutes or so (their flat was on the ground floor) and call up, Mum! Im here!
Mind you, the boy didnt have a watch, so hed run up every three minutes to shout, until Emily leaned out and replied, Alright, love! Still, Daniel wouldnt leave just yet. Shed peer out and ask, What is it? Go on, play! And hed say, You didnt smile at me… Emily would flash him a big grinsincere, not just because he askedand off hed dash back to the other kids.
One afternoon he came running up and called MumImhere! She leaned out the window to see her Daniel clutching a kitten to his chest.
Mum, a lady gave him to me. She said his names Oliver and youll be happy, and we have to look after him together.
The boy was so honest and earnest in that moment, Emily couldnt do anything else except smile back. Finally, she said, Well, I reckon Oliver must be hungry. Both of you, come inlets get him some milk. Off Daniel sped with the kitten, brimful of happiness. Oliver, mind, was still working on his.
So, life ticked along, the three of them. Until Emily met David.
Now, David was about Emilys age, never married before. He was a steady sort, reliable and level-headed, not all that old either. He worked at the local furniture factory, pulled in a decent wage. Soon enough, he was making the Saturday night stay-overs at Emilys. Not much of a talker, big appetite, wasnt much for drink. Emily made sure there was a cold bottle of vodka in the freezer and laid out a nice tumbler for him, the short kind with chunky sides. David was fond of those glasses.
This time was no differentDavid arrived, shook Daniels hand in the hallway, sat on the sofa while Emily finished getting ready. Then, the four of them (for you cant forget Oliver, now purring in Daniels lap) watched some telly together before heading to the table for lunch.
Afterwards, as usual, they took an afternoon lie-down before planning an evening stroll round the park.
Once Emily had closed Daniels bedroom door and cuddled up beside David, head resting on his arm, he decided to raise the topic of marriage for the first time.
I reckon we should live here for now, he said. Then maybe get a bigger place, unless you want to let my flatcould be a bit of extra money? Theres just one thing, Emily Im not a cat person. Well have to find a new home for that Oliver of yours.
Its Oliver, Emily corrected him, suddenly tense.
Yeah, Oliver, right David fell silent a moment, thendeliberate, as if it was a settled matteradded, And Daniel can go live with my mum in the countryside. Why not? Fresh air, theres a school, and weve still got plenty of years to have some of our own.
Emilys head, heavy on his shoulder, went still. They lay like that in silence for a while. Then, quietly, Emily got up, wrapping her dressing gown around herselfembarrassed, as if hed never seen her without it. She picked his trousers up off the chair, handed them to him and said,
Right then Grab your trousers and on you go.
Where to?
To your mother. Out in the fresh air of the countryside. The three of us have more than enough fresh air, right here in our own parkDavid stared at her, mouth half-open, for just a moment longer than necessary. But Emilys face was perfectly calm, a glint bright as morning in her eyes. A little startled, David slid into his trousers, smoothing them with deliberate hands. He glanced around the small living room at the clutterDaniels drawing on the fridge, a worn old armchair, Oliver now curled up contentedly on his favourite sun-faded cushion.
I didnt mean he began, but Emily held up a gentle palm. Youd best go, David. Dont worry about the cat, or Daniel, or me. Were right where we belong, see.
David picked up his jacket, looked at her once more as though searching for something hed mislaid, and let himself quietly out the front door.
In the hush after, Emily stood very still, listening to the tiny quietOlivers soft breaths, Daniels even sleeping sigh. She walked to her sons bedroom and peered in. Daniel had one arm flung over Oliver, both lost in some tangled boy-and-kitten dream. Emily swept a stray curl from her face, smiling just a little.
When Daniel awoke, drowsy-eyed and hungry for his tea, he shuffled to her in his rumpled pajamas. Wheres David? he asked, rubbing his nose.
Gone home, sweetheart. Just us now.
Daniel nodded, nestling close, and Oliver followed behind, his tail high. Emily looked around at her battered sofa, the slippers by the door, the faint warmth still lingering in the kitchen. The three of themjust as theyd always been, and perhaps, she realised, just as they were meant to be.
Somewhere out the window, the dusk was falling, setting the garden aglow with gold. Emily put the kettle on. Well, she said, her voice bright and brave, whos for a bit of toast and stories? Daniel beamed, Oliver mewed their agreement, and Emily, with the kind of happiness that needed no fuss or witness, set about livingcontent, at last, in the small, perfect world theyd made together.
