So, you wont believe what happened to Anna. After telling Tom, her boyfriend, that she was pregnant, she saw it all plain as day on his face shock, and not a hint of joy. He clearly wasnt planning to settle down yet, and marriage was the last thing on his mind.
Anna had adored Tom since before she turned eighteen. He was from their village and shed liked him for ages. That spring, they spent nearly every day together taking long walks through the fields, sitting by the river, soaking in the sunsets.
She was supposed to head off and study at the local college in Oxford in September. But then, it hit her: she was pregnant. She absolutely panicked, not knowing which way to turn.
What will Mum say? What about my sister, or the neighbours? she thought, feeling utterly lost.
She made up her mind quickly she wasnt going to have the baby. With a heavy heart, she told her mum, and headed off to London in tears. Her mum didnt try to stop her; it was all a bit too much. Annas younger sister still lived at home, and their mum was already struggling to make ends meet and now Anna had gone and sprung this on her.
Things in London went as smoothly as they could, given the circumstances. When that was over, Anna cut all ties with Tom. To be fair, he didnt seem keen to patch things up either.
After all that, Anna felt hollow inside just empty. She couldnt focus on her studies; her mum was still cross and there was little hope for any help. She realised shed need to find a job and somewhere to live in London, just to survive. Going back to the village wasnt an option the gossips would eat her alive.
Fate must have played a part when she spotted a neatly typed note on a job stand in the high street: Nanny needed for 3-year-old boy, live-in position available. It couldnt have been more perfect.
And so she found herself working for a lovely academic couple, John and Margaret. Their little boy, Ben, was the apple of their eye, and took to Anna as if she was family. Whenever Anna popped back to see her mum and sister, Ben would mope until she returned.
Years went by and Anna properly became part of the family. John and Margaret both lectured at the university, and slowly Anna took on more and more in their home. She looked after Ben, helped him with homework, kept the house spotless, did the laundry, popped out for groceries, and could whip up a cracking dinner.
When Ben was old enough and didnt need a nanny, Anna stayed on as their housekeeper. She didnt earn a fortune just enough, with food and a warm bed included but she was content. Shed found peace and kindness in their home.
But a new sadness crept in. A few months ago, Annad met Chris, a chap from next door. They started seeing each other in the evenings it grew into something deeper. Theyd been together nearly three years, but Anna couldnt have children
She didnt keep this from Chris she was honest straight away. But yet again, she was left alone. More heartbreak, more loneliness.
So work and the family she served became her safe haven. Anna looked after Margaret and John as if they were her own kin.
After her second failed romance, Anna finally found some sense of calm. She gave up hope of ever marrying.
A few peaceful years slipped by. Ben finished his degree in Manchester, spoke brilliant English, received some terrific job offers, and soon landed a role abroad.
But then Margarets health started to fail. Anna nursed her for years, while John toiled endlessly to support the family and help Ben. When the end came, Margaret called Anna to her bedside and whispered, Dont leave John, promise me
After Margaret was gone, the whole house felt grey and empty. John grew quieter, staring at his dinner, lost in thought. Anna felt like an outsider again. She knew something had to change either find another job, though really she barely had a skill or trade, or perhaps go back to the village, though there wasnt much work there either.
One night after supper, Anna stood before John and quietly said, I think its time for me to go, John. You dont need me now. Thank you for everything.
It was as though John woke up from a long sleep. He looked at her, astonished, and stammered, What? Where? Why? Are you just going to leave me? Everyone always leaves me. Just like that alone?
Anna sighed, but John got up, walked over, took her hand and, for the first time ever, kissed it.
Listen, Anna, youre not a maid to us; youre family. Id never let you go. Do you understand?
She nodded, touched beyond words.
And Margaret always told me, quite firmly, that you should stay. Weve all grown used to each other after all these years. So stay. Dont leave. Everything as it was, all right? Look after me, and Ill look after you.
They stood together by the kitchen window, hugging and crying, and for the first time in a long while, both felt lighter.
Days passed quietly after that. Anna would wait for John to come home, she kept things tidy, and Ben called sometimes, promising to come back for a visit soon.
A year, then two, went by. Then, just before Annas birthday, John had a quiet word with her. He laid it all out how much she meant to him, and that hed like them to marry. They werent a typical couple, but he wanted to look after things legally for her, and he was getting on a bit now, too.
Anna was grateful, but told him shed wait for Ben to come home before making any decisions. When Ben arrived, John brought it up again.
Ben was delighted. Hed always loved Anna, nearly as much as his own mum. He was doing well abroad, married now, with a lovely flat, so he was all for it.
So thats how Anna finally became Johns wife. They may not have married young, but there was no doubt they cared for each other as deeply as any other couple. Anna always called him John, with a warmth in her voice, and he, even after all these years, called her his darling Anna. Shed never felt such happiness before.
Every day, she said a quiet prayer for his health, hoping for more years together. And if you saw them wandering through the park, youd never guess the lifetime of history and deep, gentle love they shared.
