When Emily found out she was pregnant, her family nearly dropped their cuppa in shock. The idea of her being with someone who, according to them, might disappear at the first sign of commitment, just didnt sit well around the Sunday roast.
Emily was your typical girl-next-door from Birmingham, raised in a perfectly ordinary family. Shed grown up with her mum and stepdad, who filled in for her father capably enough. Her parents supported her in everything; shed always felt loved, safe in the knowledge that theyd be there if she called in a panic because shed burnt the toast again. Emily finished school and managed her A-levels, though the prospects of university were as uncertain as the British weather, largely due to her less-than-sparkling English language skills.
Determined, Emily decided that private tutoring might help her get a leg up (and perhaps stop her from thinking alot was one word). She started the hunt for a tutor and ended up with Richard, a chap from Ghana whod come to England to study. He spoke Queens English without even looking smug about it and had a solid few years of tutoring under his belt. At first, Emilys lessons were as awkward as a fox at a hen party. But gradually, she quite warmed to Richard, and soon enough, their sessions involved more heart-to-hearts than homework. The two of them simply couldnt stand being apart.
When Emily discovered she was expecting, her family collectively raised their eyebrowsand their voices. They werent thrilled at the thought of her relationship with someone who, in their view, would be gone by the time EastEnders finished. They pictured Emily raising a child alone or constantly answering unhelpful questions in the school playground about their grandchilds unique looks.
After receiving his degree, Richard did indeed return to Ghana. Still, he kept in touch with Emily more regularly than the British send apology texts after a minor collision. They waited eagerly for their baby to arrive, chatting on WhatsApp and awkwardly freezing on video calls thanks to questionable Wi-Fi. Emilys baby arrived right on cue, but the icy reception from her relatives drove her to consider moving to Ghana herself.
Emily and her husband soon found out Africa was just a little too warm for their North-European sensibilities. Unable to acclimatise (all that sunimpossible!), they packed up and returned to England. Before long, along came daughter number two. Family still giving them the cold shoulder, Emily politely declined to ditch the love of her life just to please the neighbours. These days, theyre dreaming of a fresh start in Canada, where there might be more open-minded folk and possibly a bit more snow for good measure.
