“ The Daughter Who Never Was”
“Must you be so loud?! People are starting to stare! Luckily, none of my mates are here; otherwise, I’d be utterly embarrassed!” exclaimed Charles with a hint of arrogance and irritation.
“Charles, please…” the girl sitting across the table barely managed to utter, breaking down into deeper sobs.
“Here we go again! What do you mean ‘please’? What child are you talking about? Did we have an agreement to have a baby?! We’ve only been dating a couple of months, and that’s it!” Charles raised his voice so much that diners in the nearby booths began to turn their heads.
“What are you saying? We love each other! You professed your feelings to me! You said…” Ellie couldn’t finish her sentence as Charles interrupted.
“Listen, enough of this… what I said, what I didn’t say… I’m moving to America in a few days with my parents. We’ve already sold the house here; my dad moved all of our assets. So, as they say, adios, sweetheart!” The young man said this with nonchalance and turned to look at the weeping girl.
“Charles…” she said softly, struggling to control another wave of tears that streamed from her eyes.
“Waiter, can I have the bill?! How long does this take?!” Charles raised his hand to signal the waiters at the bar, indicating he needed to settle up promptly.
The staff hurried about, and Charles waved them off, pulling out several folded notes from his wallet and carelessly tossing them onto the table.
“Look, I’m already late; I’ve had enough of your hysterics. I owe you nothing and said nothing of the sort! I’m leaving, and you can order yourself something else if you want; there’s plenty here,” Charles declared, gesturing at the cash before heading towards the exit.
Ellie watched him leave, covering her face with her hands, crying harder than before. Moments later, a waiter approached the table. The young man picked up the money and began to clear away the cups from the coffee.
“Would you like anything else?” the waiter asked politely.
“No. Thank you,” Ellie responded quietly, trying to avoid the waiter’s gaze with her tear-streaked face. She slowly stood up, grabbed her handbag from the chair, and made her way towards the door. Charles’ car was already gone—he had left.
As Ellie stepped outside, the fresh air had a calming effect. The tears dried up, and the only evidence of her recent crying were her puffy eyes. Automatically, she reached into her bag for a small mirror and a wet wipe, cleaning up the smudges of mascara, and walked away from the dreadful café.
She didn’t want to go home. Instead, she turned into a small park where she used to stroll with her classmates during school days.
Sitting on a bench, she was immediately flooded with memories of her carefree school years. “How simple and clear everything was back then, with life still ahead of me. And what problems… The biggest issue we had was when they canceled the dance at the local hall, or when I received a poor grade in geography. But now! Now my life is turning upside down! What will I do now? Go and terminate the pregnancy, or have the child and join the ranks of single mothers, raising a child on my own, working two jobs just to make ends meet!” Ellie thought, tears invading her eyes once more.
“Miss, is everything alright? Can I help you? Here, take this handkerchief, please,” she heard a pleasant male voice and looked up to see a hand offering a paper tissue.
Ellie took the tissue and then raised her head to see who had offered assistance.
“Ella! Is that you?!” the man exclaimed with enthusiasm.
“Tom…” Ellie said, feeling a bit flustered as she tried to stand.
Tom quickly supported her and wrapped her in a tight hug, repeating continuously, “Ella! Ella! I’m so glad to see you! I was just asking my mum about you this morning!”
After a moment, he finally released her from his embrace. “What are you doing here all alone, crying?”
“I just walked past, came into our little park, remembered the school days, and it overwhelmed me…” Ellie fabricated the backstory on the spot, not wishing to reveal her true emotional state.
“I see. You’re still as sensitive as ever! And just as beautiful, even more so!” Tom replied with a smile.
“Tom, how about we skip the café? There’s a lovely ice cream stand in the park! The weather is perfect,” proposed Ellie.
“Sure!” Tom said with a grin.
They strolled in the park for a couple of hours, reminiscing about their school days. During that time, Ellie even forgot about Charles and her unplanned pregnancy.
“So, you’re still not married?” Tom cautiously asked.
“Nope. Just didn’t work out,” Ellie replied, her tone weighted with meaning.
“Same here. It just never came together,” Tom responded, half-heartedly.
Ellie and Tom had started dating during their school years and had been called “the bride and groom.” Their parents were gradually preparing for a wedding.
But everything changed due to a common, all-too-familiar scenario. Tom was conscripted for a year, and while Ellie waited for six months, she eventually realized she had fallen for someone else.
Antonio, her new love, initially wooed her charmingly, and she believed he would soon propose. But he took his time. They dated for four years and even tried living together, but something felt off. One day, Ellie caught Antonio with another girl. Though he begged for forgiveness, Ellie decided such a relationship was not for her.
For several months, she lived in a state of sadness, attempting to put the betrayal out of her mind, until she met Charles. Strangely, history seemed to repeat itself. Ellie genuinely fell for the gallant young man. He courted her beautifully, showering her with gifts. Ellie dared to believe in real feelings once more and was ready to start a family. Yet, for Charles, it was merely a fleeting entertainment. Unbeknownst to her, he had already planned his move to America when they began dating—he just needed someone to pass the time with. That someone turned out to be lovely Ellie.
Tom wasn’t angry with her for moving on. He had always been the sensible one. Ellie informed him of her decision through a letter, to which he simply wished her happiness. However, he did not return home after his service; he went to London, intending to stay there permanently.
In the capital, Tom completed his education, dated a girl, and found work. His personal life took a downward turn when there were job cuts at his company, and he, the newest hire, was let go. Without much thought, he decided to return to his hometown. He had given up on the hope of rekindling anything with Ellie, convinced she had married long ago.
But fate had a remarkable surprise in store for Tom. His beloved girl was not only unmarried but also free from any relationships. Naturally, Tom seized this chance.
Two months had passed since their meeting in the park. Tom and Ellie rekindled their relationship. Tom was genuinely happy about everything that had transpired in his life recently. Ellie, too, realized she still had feelings for Tom. However, her disquiet stemmed from the fact that she was carrying someone else’s child. Every time they arranged a date, she knew deep down that these new ties were doomed.
Once again, Tom invited Ellie to dinner at a restaurant. After their meal, he pulled out an engagement ring from his jacket pocket and proposed.
“So, will you marry me, and as they say, commit to a lifetime together, through thick and thin?” Tom asked with a smile, certain she would agree.
“No,” Ellie replied, averting her gaze.
“What do you mean no? Why not, Ellie? We love each other! Where are you going?” The girl started to cry and dashed towards the exit.
Years later…
“Mum, who’s picking me up from school today, you or Dad?” Lacey asked at breakfast.
“I’m not sure, dear. We’ll see this evening,” Ellie said while wrapping sandwiches for her husband.
“And we’ll go see a film together! It’s Friday!” Tom exclaimed, entering the kitchen.
“Hooray! Daddy! Yay! We’re going to the cinema…” Lacey shouted joyfully.
“Eat up, or you’ll be late for school.”
Tom glanced at his wife, who was nervously tapping away at her smartphone.
“Is it him again?” he queried Ellie.
“Yes. Tom, he’s saying he plans to take Lacey to America through the courts,” Ellie said, tears welling up in her eyes.
“This needs to stop. Give me his number; I’ll sort it out myself.”
“No, Tom. I’m worried about you.”
“Everything will be fine. Lacey, are you ready? Let’s go!” Tom announced as he and Lacey left their building.
“Wow! So that’s who Ella left for! Her old fiancé!” Charles remarked, standing by the doorway.
“Lacey, go to the car. I need to talk to this man.”
The little girl obediently walked away and climbed into the back seat.
“So Ella tricked you. Do you even realize you’re raising another man’s child? You were just the backup, wasn’t that right?” Charles taunted, smirking. “She loves me!”
“Listen! Ella and I are in love. I’m raising my child. You were the biggest mistake she ever made, and she corrected it. Now get lost, and don’t let me see you again! Or things will get worse…”
With that, Tom shoved Charles slightly. Charles stumbled but managed to stay upright.
“Dad, are you coming?” Lacey called out. “We’ll be late!”
“I’m on my way, sweetheart.”
Tom and Lacey drove away. Charles watched the car leave, realizing he had lost this battle. The question encroached upon him—was it worth fighting for a love that never truly existed? For a daughter he had never had and would never have…
That evening, he boarded a flight and never returned to his hometown. Sometimes, one must draw a final line, even when they long for a continuation.
