“I Want to Marry a Decent Bloke”
“He bought a new sound system,” Emily murmured, not shifting from her hunched position. “Cost a fortune. Meanwhile, Ive been saving from my wages for a washing machine because ours wails like a siren. He said I ‘dont appreciate investing in art.’ In *art*, Sophie… Can you believe it?”
The tea in the pot had gone cold, turning bitter and thick. Slices of baguette lay dried out on the plate, the cheese hardening into a waxy crust. Sophie couldnt seem to console her friend. Emily had turned up after yet another row with her husband and, after crying herself dry, sat hugging her knees, staring blankly at the wall.
They hadnt seen much of each other in the last three yearsEmilys husband never let her go anywhere alone and disliked her friends. But this time, the git had raised a hand to her, and his usual restrictions didnt hold.
To distract her from the gloom, Sophie offered, “Em, d’you want to hear an old love story? I once saw what real loyalty looks like.”
Emily gave a listless nod. “Go on. Just none of that soppy prince nonsense. I cant stomach it.”
Sophie stood, walked to the stove, and flicked the gas on under the kettle. The quiet hiss filled the pause.
“No princes, love. This happened right in front of me,” Sophie said, smiling. “Wasnt even about people. Years back, I worked at a warehouse in an industrial estate. You know the sortalways a few strays running about for security. One day, someone dumped two pups on us: a chubby black lad named Bear and a ginger girl, Sasha. They grew up inseparable. Bear was a bold little sod, always stirring trouble, and Sashaquiet, clever, with these old-soul eyes. Everyone adored them, spoiled them rotten.”
Sophie paused. Seeing Emilys gazedistant, but now fixed on hershe continued.
“Then disaster struck. Sasha got hit by a vandriver never saw her. We thought shed die, but strays are tough. Only, she couldnt walk right after, dragged her hind legs. Broke your heart to see it. She *knew*, you see? Knew everything.”
“Poor thing…” Emily breathed.
“But heres the thing,” Sophie said, smiling. “She didnt give up. Became our best guard! Stranger stepped foot on-site, shed bark the alarm first, sharp as anything. Then Bear and the others would charge where she pointed. Proper little team, they were.”
Sophies face turned serious.
“Then Sasha grew up, had her first season. Every stray mutt for miles turned up. A pack of rough, hungry louts. They hounded hershe couldnt run, couldnt fight. Just whimpered, crawled, hid by our legs. We shooed them off, but they kept coming back.”
Emily froze, listening.
“Where was Bear? Why didnt he help?”
“Bear…” Sophie sighed. “At first, he was useless. Ran about barking, too scared to take on the pack. Instincts, smellsall muddled his head. Then… they both vanished. Came back three days later. Bear was *different*. Walked ahead of her, hackles up, a low growl in his throat. And if any dog so much as sniffed near Sasha, hed turn into a tornado. Tore into them like hed rip the lot apart. He *understood* then. Knew he had to protect her.”
Emily clenched her fists, fresh tears wellingdifferent this time.
“We thought thatd be the end of it. But a month later, Sashas belly swelled. And Bear? Never left her side. Brought her the best scraps, licked her clean, slept curled against her. So gentle, so tender We all fed her extra, worried. The women especially.”
Sophie turned away, voice wavering.
“The pups came on a scorching day. We didnt notice at first. Bear did. Didnt howlhe made this awful, broken noise, darting between our legs, tugging our trousers toward the old porch where Sasha had hidden. But it was too late… She was already gone. Couldnt deliver them.”
The tick of the wall clock was deafening.
“We wrapped her in an old jacket… buried her behind the garage. Had to lock Bear in the storeroom. He went madscratching the door, howling… That soundstill haunts me. When we let him out, he tore round the yard, sniffing every corner… Searching. By nightfall… he was gone. Never came back.”
Sophie wiped her eyes. Emily sat motionless, hands clenched.
“Christ…” she whispered. “Thats… love. Me and Mark? Two strangers sharing a flat. Dont even *see* each other. Only time we talk is to row. Otherwise, just… coexisting.”
“Maybe its just a rough patch? You were mad for him once.”
“Was never right, Soph. Argued from day one. Wanted a wedding so badly I dragged him to the registry office. Didnt think Id spend years carrying everything alone. Now Im paying for it. Right, Id best go. Ta for this.”
***
After that night, the friends barely spoke for months. Work, life. Theyd grown used to rare meet-ups. Occasionally, a message popped up: “You alright?” “Yeah. You?” “Same.”
Then, on a grim autumn evening, Emily wrote: “Fancy a cuppa? My treatIll bring cake.” Two hours later, she stood on Sophies doorstep. Behind her was a tall man with a calm, slightly shy face.
“Soph, this is Daniel,” Emily said, eyes brighter than Sophie had ever seen. “Were getting married soon.”
Stunned, Sophie let them in. Over tea, Daniel won her over with his quiet confidence. He didnt show off, but the way he handed Emily her cup, the way he looked at hersaid everything.
When he stepped onto the balcony, Sophie gaped at her friend.
“*How*? Whered you find him? What about Mark?”
Emily smileda new, happy smile.
“After I left yours, I sobbed the whole way home. Not over Mark. Over Bear and Sasha. Saw the truth about my so-called marriagethat no one ever loved me. Knew I deserved better. Loyalty. Care. If dogs can manage it… Anyway, next morning, I packed my stuff and left.”
“And Mark?”
“Took him ages to notice. Probably relieved. We both knew it was dead long before. Wasnt even looking for anyonejust wanted to be alone a while. Met Dan outside the courthouse. Literally bumped into him. Was a wreck, nearly crying, and he asked, You alright? Turns out, hed just got his freedom too. We talked… went for coffee. And… well.” Emily rested a hand on her stomach. “Babys due soon.”
“Bloody hell, you dont waste time,” Sophie snorted.
“Didnt plan it. But Soph… its *right* with him. For the first time, Im part of something real. Safe. Loved. You can see it, yeah?”
Sophie watched her friend, nodding, smiling through her own tears.
