His wife packed her bags and vanished without a trace.
Oh, stop pretending to be the saint. Itll all blow over, youll see. Women are like thatgive her time and shell come round. The important thing is, we got what we wanted. We have a son, the family line carries on.
Diana said nothing.
George, she leaned in across the kitchen table, voice dropping low, last week you told me youd sorted out Sophies pregnancy. What did you mean?
George set his fork down and leaned back, hands splayed on the chair.
Exactly that. She messed me about for five years. Im not ready. My career comes first. Lets wait a bit longer, she said.
And how much longer? Im thirty-two, Di. I wanted a son. A proper family, like everyone else.
So I swapped her pills.
Dianas face paled.
Did you tell her? When?
The day she walked out, George grumbled. She started screaming and I just said, Well, get used to it, love. You always said you wanted kidsI just helped things along.
I thought shed calm down and realise she had no choice. But noshes mad, isnt she? Grabbed her bag and legged it.
***
On the kitchen table, right next to the mountain of unwashed baby bottles, lay Georges discarded hairbrush.
Diana stared at it, frustration boiling inside her. Why does there always have to be this mess?
The baby had finally settled in the next room, but silence brought no relief. Any minute nowand surely before two hourshed be screaming again.
Diana adjusted her dressing gown and picked up the kettle. Only a month ago, theyd collected Sophie, her sister-in-law, from the maternity ward. George then was beaming, fussing with enormous bouquets for the nurses, but Sophie
Sophie looked like she was off to the gallows, not home.
Diana had chalked it up to exhaustionfirst-time mum, all the hormones, that was normal. She should have seen the warning signs.
The front door banged: George was back from work. He strode into the kitchen, loosening his tie, went straight to the fridge.
Anything for tea? he asked, not glancing at his sister.
Pasta in the pot. I boiled some sausages too.
Keep your voice down, George, the babys just gone off to sleep.
George snorted and dug out a plate.
Im knackered, Di. On my feet all day. Clients have been a nightmare.
Hows the chick?
If you mean your son, Diana said, setting her mug down with more force than intended, his name is Arthur. And hes been screaming for three hours. Hes got colic.
Youll manage, George replied with a careless shrug, sitting down. Its in your blood, isnt it? Mum raised both of us alone while Dad worked all over the place.
Diana bit her lip so hard she almost drew blood. She wanted to throw the plate at him.
She was only here temporarily while she sorted her studio rent arrears, but in two weeks shed turned into unpaid nanny, cleaner, and cook.
George acted as though nothing had happened, as though his wife hadnt packed her things and disappeared.
Has Sophie called? Diana glanced over as he wolfed down his dinner.
George froze mid-bite, colour draining from his face.
Wont pick up. Cuts me off. Bloody woman. Abandoning her child the nerve. He stabbed his fork down. Shes fuming cause I swapped her pills. So shed get pregnant sooner.
Youre a real bastard, George, Diana whispered.
He stared at her, eyes bulging. What? I did what was needed for this family! I work, I bring the money home! Shes the one who left her baby. Which one of us is at fault?
You stole her choice, Diana stood. You lied to the person you claim to love. How did you expect her to handle that? Thanks, darling, for ruining my life?
Oh, dont start, George waved dismissively. Shell cool off. Wheres she going to go? Babys here, her stuffs here. Shell run out of money and come crawling back like nothings happened. Meanwhile youll help out, right? Ive got my busy period at work.
Diana said nothing. She left the kitchen and slipped into the nursery.
Arthur was sleeping fitfully, tiny hands clenched. Dianas heart squeezed at the sight.
On one sidea helpless little scrap, innocent in all of this. On the otherSophie, trapped and cornered.
She pitied them both.
Diana pulled out her phone, opened the chat app. Sophie had been online three minutes ago. Her fingers hovered, typing, deleting, typing again.
Soph, its Diana. Im not asking you to come back. I just want to know youre safe. And its hard, being here alone. Could we just talk? No shouting.
Ten minutes later the reply came.
Im in a hotel. Leaving in three days for a work tripanother city, three weeks away. It was arranged long before Ibefore all this. Ill file for divorce when Im back. Im not abandoning Arthur, Diana. But I cant be there right now. I cant look at him. All I see is George.
Diana exhaled, heavy with relief and sorrow.
I understand. I really do. George told me everything.
Is he proud of himself?
Of a sort. Hes convinced youll come crawling back.
Let him dream. Diana, if its too much for you, just say. Ill find a way to hire a nanny, Ill send money. But Im never coming back to him. Never.
Diana set down the phone and sighed so deeply it hurt. She needed to find work, repay her debts, rebuild her life.
But she couldnt leave Arthur with George, who didnt even know how to change a nappy.
***
The next three days dragged like a waking nightmare.
George came home late, ate, fell asleep.
Every request for help with the baby met the same refrain: Im tired or Youre better at it.
One night, Arthurs sobbing grew frantic. Diana snapped.
She walked into Georges room and flicked on the light.
Get up, she said, each word as cold as ice.
George screwed up his face, tugging the pillow over his head.
Di, go away. Ive got to be up at six.
I couldnt care less. Go rock your son! Hes hungry and my hands are shaking with exhaustion. I cant feed him.
Youve lost it, he grumbled, hair tousled, eyes wild. Thats why youre here! Im putting you up, paying the bills!
Oh, is that it? Dianas voice sharpened. So Im just the help?
Call it what you like, he said, eyes closed. Sophiell be back, youll be off the hook. For now, get on with it.
Diana left without a word.
She didnt sleep that night, sitting in the kitchen rocking the babys crib with her foot, plotting ways to wake her brother up. Hed gone too far.
Next morning, when George left, Diana messaged Sophie again.
We need to talk. Today. While hes out. Please.
Sophie agreed.
They met in a chilly little park nearby.
Sophie looked dreadfulwhite as a sheet, dark rings under her eyes, thinner than ever.
She gazed at her baby in the pram, hands trembling.
Hes grown, she said quietly. Changed so much in two weeks
He wont even remember you, Diana said gently.
I know, Sophie covered her face. Im not a monster. I think I do love him. Somewhere, deep down, hes mine. But when I imagine having to live with George, to share a bed with someone who betrayed me like that I cant breathe.
What if you didnt have to? Diana asked.
Sophie frowned. What do you mean?
He thinks youll be forced back. That you belong to him, that Arthur cements it. But look at himhes not a father. Hes treating this like a projectPerfect Family. He wont get up at night, he has no idea how much feed to mix. He just needed a son, not the life that comes with him.
So whatre you saying?
You go off on your work trip, Dianas voice was steely. You get your head straight. Ill stay here three more weeks. In that time, Ill prepare things.
What things?
Divorce. Shared custody. Sophie, you dont have to go back there. You can rent a flat. Ill move in with you, help with Arthur while youre at work. My finances are steadyingI landed a couple of remote gigs. Well manage. Without him.
Sophie hesitated, peering at the sunlight glinting on the pram hood.
Youd go against your brother?
Hes my brother, but hes crossed a line. I wont be complicit.
He thinks Im stuck because Ive nowhere else to go. Hes wrong.
They sat quietly a while, the tension broken only by the birds.
What about him? Sophie looked up, worry etched on her face. He wont just let Arthur go. Therell be a row.
There will, Diana agreed. But we have an acehe admitted to swapping the pills. If that surfaces in court, with witnesses Ill back your story. Ill say everything about him refusing to help with Arthur too.
He doesnt want a child, Sophie. He wants control. As soon as he realises raising Arthur takes effort and actual parenting, hell back off. Hell prefer to play the abandoned father for sympathy.
For the first time in ages, Sophie managed a weak smile.
Youve grown up, Diana.
I had to, Diana sighed. So. We do this?
Yes. Thank you, Di.
The next three weeks flashed past.
George grew more and more irritable, and finally noticed Diana had stopped jumping up when he walked in.
Whens Sophie back? he demanded one evening, chucking his briefcase on the sofa.
Tomorrow, Diana replied, hugging Arthur closer.
About time. Maybe I can take her out for a decent meal. God knows Im sick of your pasta. I should get her somethingmaybe a ring or earrings. Women love that stuff.
Diana looked at him with naked disgust.
You honestly think a bit of jewellery will fix things?
Look, George tried to chuck her under the arm; she pulled away. Drop the martyr act. Itll all work out. Women always cool off. We got what we neededa son.
She was silent.
***
Next morning, Sophie returned while George was at work. She didnt step inside, waiting in the car below. Diana had already packed up all the baby things, her own suitcases, everything vital.
It took three trips to carry it all down. Arthur slept peacefully in his car seat.
When the last bag was loaded, Diana went up to leave the keys.
She set them on the kitchen table, where Georges hairbrush had sat three weeks earlier. Then, she left a note.
George, were gone. Dont look for Sophieshell be in touch through a solicitor. Arthur is with her. I am too.
You wanted a family, but forgot that family is built on trust, not manipulation.
Theres pasta in the fridge. Youll have to sort that yourself now.
They left.
Sophie rented a small but cosy flat across town. The early days were hardArthur struggled, Sophie cried at the drop of a hat, and Dianas phone rang with Georges furious messages and threats.
He raged and shouted, promising court action, saying hed take Arthur, leave them penniless.
Diana listened, stone-faced.
But they weathered it.
After a few days fuming, George quietened downand faded from the picture.
The divorce played out in court; at the hearing, George never once mentioned wanting custody of his son.
Diana had been right: he didnt want the bother, just paid maintenance and left them to it.
He never even fought for visitation.
