Verity simply couldnt seem to find her happiness. She was approaching forty, yet still found herself utterly alone. She had been blessed with intelligence and good looks, held a respectable job with a generous salary, and yet, happiness in love eluded her.
Her parents, Annette and Ivan Matthews, worried a great deal about their daughter. They did what they could to support her, mostly in spirit though, for Verity was more than capable of helping them financially if needed. But Annette and Ivan steadfastly refused assistance.
Live with us, darling theres plenty of space, they told her often. And you never know, perhaps youll need your savings one day, when you do find your happiness.
Each evening they pitied their daughter when she returned from work drained and weary.
No one pities you, poor thing, except for your father and me, her mother would sigh.
One day, when were gone, itll be hard for you on your own. Therell be no one left to share your troubles with! You need to find your own happiness, my girl, her father added.
And so the three of them would slump in front of the telly, this cycle repeating itself year after year without change, searching for happiness between cups of tea and episodes of game shows. Dull as dishwater, enough to make anyone yawn.
Verity would sometimes find her fathers talk of when were gone a little strange. After all, Annette and Ivan were both just nineteen when she was born, high-school sweethearts who married for love. Surely it was a touch early for such talk.
Back when Verity was at university, she met a chap named Victor. He was big, friendly, and somewhat clumsyendearingly so. Wherever he went, something was sure to get knocked over, bumped, or smashed.
Annette would tease him, dubbing him Victor the Smasher or walking disaster. Ivan would do a mock-walk, splayed feet and all, pretending to clutch at falling objects.
No, my dear, hes a born losereverything he touches turns to ruin. Thats not your happiness, Verity, theyd gently cajole her, nudging her away from Victor.
Eventually, with time and repetition, Verity began to see Victor as a failure too.
But the parents had misjudged him. Victor graduated, opened his own solicitors firm, and married a young woman who found charm in his clumsiness. Victor simply needed room to breathe; now he and his wife lived in a house in the Surrey countryside, rather than a cramped London flat.
Veritys happiness is still wandering out there somewhere. We just have to find it, Ivan and Annette would reassure both themselves and their daughter.
The truth was, they were a close-knit family. Only a few months prior, they had all gone off to Spain on holiday together. Now their new ritual was evening sessions pouring over photos of sunny beaches, paellas, and sangria, reminiscing about how nice it all was.
On that trip, Verity had met a man named Robin from Yorkshire. As usual, her parents wasted no time mocking her admirer.
Well, whod have thoughtVerity returns from Spain with a holiday romance named Robin! Annette joked.
Ivan stuffed a cushion under his shirt, wobbling about the hotel room mimicking Robins sturdy build.
Verity felt a pang on Robin’s behalf; he wasnt overweight, just broad. And he was interesting too, endlessly knowledgeable about the stars, teaching her about the constellations as they watched the night sky together. For once, Verity ignored her parents, giving Robin her phone number before she flew home.
But back in England, when Annette learned Robin and Verity were still chatting, she sounded off, Holiday romances are trashynever end well, those sorts.
Never mind that neither Robin nor Verity had any baggagewhat mattered was, this was a holiday thing. And that, in her parents eyes, was hopeless.
Find real happiness, darling! Were always here for you, our precious girl! Ivan assured her.
In summer, theyd go to their cottage together. River picnics, tea in the orchard under an apple tree, a barbecue in the garden. All the fruit and veg home-grown. The neighbours often popped round for a natter. One afternoon, the neighbours son, Daniel, arrived with his little boy, Anthonyboth fair-haired, blue-eyed, with freckles and the same slightly sticky-out ears.
As it turned out, Daniels wife had left him for some businessman, and the new man didnt want Anthony aroundhe looked too much like his dad. If hed resembled his mum, well, that might be different. So Daniel carried on raising his young lad alone.
Verity took to them instantly. There was something touching about both father and son. There was a certain spark between her and Daniel, and little Anthony was drawn to her, his whole heart reaching out.
Annette wasted no time teasing, Well, Daniels munched all the carrots and left just the one! His parents must have set this up to get you two together! Why bother with a man with baggage?
Hes a failure! No woman walks out on a good man, let alone leaving a child behind, Ivan snorted.
For the first time, Verity stood up to her father.
Dad, thats the pointa woman only leaves a good man if shes sure hell cope, that hell raise his child well. She knows he wont go off the rails!
No, Verity, thats not your happiness. Find your own. We want grandchildren of our own, not raising someone elses! Tiny hands we can hold. Little feet pattering through our home
Annette and Ivan withdrew, stopped talking to the neighbours, aired plenty of nasty comments, and before long neighbourly gatherings ended abruptly. Ivan and Annette brooded over their tea under the apple tree, lamenting how Verity still hadnt found the right happiness. That summer drifted past in a haze of longing and gloom.
And yet, Verity loved Daniel and Anthony wholeheartedly, as well as her parents, refusing to break their hearts. She even felt guilty for loving someone else, someone not as her parents had imagined. When autumn closed in, the three of themVerity, Annette, and Ivanclosed up the cottage and returned to their flat in London.
Her parents loved her, so during those chilly autumn evenings, they never mentioned Daniel or Anthonynot even in jest.
Then, one drizzly day, Verity spotted a tiny ginger kitten sheltering under a car, meowing, sopping wet and miserable. No mother in sightthe poor little thing so alone, reminding Verity a bit of little Anthony. Anyone could move that car at any minute, ending its life before it had even begun.
Without thinking, she scooped the kitten up and bundled it under her coat. She didnt care how mucky he was; she just wanted to lend him her warmth.
Back at home, she dried him off and poured a saucer of milk. Settling onto the kitchen floor, she watched the kitten eagerly lap up his meal, tiny pink tongue working at lightning speed.
Poor mite, must have been starving, she thought.
Annette and Ivan appeared in the doorway, both watching the uninvited guest, bearing no trace of affectionjust bewildered annoyance.
And now what? What are we supposed to do with that? came her mothers prickly question.
The kitten finished, looked about, and promptly made a puddle in the middle of the floor.
Before Verity could grab a cloth, Annette shrieked, Get that scrawny creature out immediately! Itll ruin the whole flat, scratch up the furniture, rip the wallpaper! Ivan, tell her! Our home isnt for fleabags!
Yes, and well all smell like cat! Decent folk wont come near us! Ivan added gruffly.
Mum, Dad, hes only little. We can get him scratching posts and litter. Look how sweet he is! Verity pleaded, astounded at how anyone could object. No one in the family had allergies, and their flat was big enough for a football team.
No, no and no! We dont need the bother! Annette insisted.
I get it, love, Ivan said. You pitied him. Take him to an animal shelter, they have to take in strays. If they wont, threaten to write to the paper! He shook a newspaper for emphasis.
Verity silently gathered up the kitten and left, door slamming behind her.
She felt wounded, frustrated. How had forty years passed and she had nothing truly her own? No children, no husbandnot even her own roof over her head? At forty, she couldnt even keep a kitten! Noshe needed her own place, even if it was only a room. Somewhere to be herself, at last.
Instead of the animal shelter, she ducked into the first estate agency she saw. Soon, shed found a cosy little one-bedroom flat, where pets were welcome.
For the first time ever, Verity felt in control. She bought her kitten everything she needed. The vet said she was a female, about two months old. Verity called her Freckles.
Suddenly, she was a little happier. Every time she looked at Freckles, she thought fondly of Anthony and Daniel.
Then, one day, the phone rang. Verity had all but given up hope after her parents scuffles with the cottage neighbours. But Daniel called! As if nothing had changed, he said, Hello! How are you? Anthony wants to say something.
Verity smiled, remembering Anthonys cheeky freckles and eager blue eyes.
Verity! We miss you! Will you come and visit us? Daddy and I want to see you, came the little voice.
Id love to! But I wont be alonecan I bring my kitten?
Daniels cheerful voice came back, Bring her, bring the whole circus if you want! Well pick you upjust give us your address!
And thats how Verity finally found her happiness. Against all expectations, she found joy with Daniel, Anthony, and little Freckles. Soon, Anthony would even have a new baby brotheror sister, but what did it matter?
And Verity never forgot her parents. Her love for them hadnt faded; theyd always be her family.
She rang Annette and Ivan often, simply to say she was happyshed finally found her happiness. Maybe not the happiness her parents had envisaged, but hers nonetheless.
Perhaps, one day, Ivan and Annette would come to accept her happiness, and the phone would ring without them pleading, Come home at once!
Then, maybe, theyd finally get to hold those tiny hands and hear those little feet pattering through the house.
