As she stepped out of the Royal London Hospital, Emily almost collided in the doorway with a man.
“Excuse me,” he murmured, his eyes lingering on her for a moment.
A heartbeat later, his expression hardened into cool disdain, and he turned away as if she no longer existed.
Emily had grown accustomed to those looks. Lithe, long-legged women commanded entirely different stareshungry, almost clingingand it stung Emily bitterly to see such unfairness. Was it her fault shed been born this way?
As a little girl, relatives cooed over her chubby cheeks, soft arms, and plump bottom. But at school, she always led the girls line in PE. The names they called herFatty, Piglet, Pumpkinwere nothing compared to the truly cruel ones she tried to forget. Children could be so unkind. Teachers saw her classmates’ bullying but turned a blind eye.
Emily tried countless diets, but she was always hungry, and every bit of progress vanished as fast as it came. She had a pleasant face, but her build always seemed to overshadow it.
Shed once dreamed of teaching, but she gave it up, fearing pupils would mock her behind her back. So, after school, she enrolled in nursing college instead. After all, when people are in pain, theyre not concerned with how their nurse looks, as long as she can ease their suffering.
There were no boys in her class, just girls consumed with their own livesfalling in love, getting marriedwhile Emily remained on her own. During lectures, her classmates would urge her to take the front seat, hiding behind her broad shoulders from the tutors gaze.
She gazed longingly at the elegant dresses in shop windows, sure that shed never wear anything like those. Instead, she wore loose jumpers and skirts, hoping to conceal her figure. Still, she excelled in her studies and her injections were quick and nearly painless, which made her a favourite among the elderly patients.
One day, she reluctantly joined her classmates at the ice rink, where teenage boys hurled cruel comments her way. “Look, the abattoir’s got an early delivery,” they laughed. Their jeers stung, and tears prickled at her eyes.
Her mother tried to introduce her to sons of family friends, and Emily even agreed to a few dates. One lad, upon seeing her, turned his back and pretended he was waiting for someone else. Another got far too handsy before theyd even introduced themselves. She pushed him away and he landed spraddled in a puddle. “Don’t act all high and mighty!” he shouted. “You should be grateful anyones interested in you!” That was the end of her dating. She preferred solitude.
On her social media profile, she used a picture of Fiona from “Shrek.” When one guy commented, asking how she looked in real life, Emily simply replied, “I look like thatjust not green.” He took it as a joke. “Bet you use that to scare off all your admirers!” he quipped, and invited her to meet up. Emily stopped replying at once.
One afternoon, as she walked down the ward corridor, a boy of about six crashed into her.
“And where are you off to?” she gently asked, catching hold of him. “You shouldnt be running aboutpeople here are unwell.”
“I wanted to slide on the lino,” he admitted earnestly.
“And who are you here with?”
“My dad. Were visiting Nan. Wheres the loo?” he asked.
“Come on, Ill show you.” Emily led him to the end of the corridor. “Youll be all right by yourself?”
He threw her a condescending look, and she couldnt help but smile.
After a moment, she heard the loos flush, and he re-emerged.
“Right then, show me your nans room,” Emily said.
He sighed and shuffled along beside her. He paused at one room, put on a serious face and pressed a finger to his lips.
“This one, I think,” he declared, pointing at Room Four.
“Youre not sure? Did you charge out and forget the number? Maybe you cant read yet?” Emily teased, as she knew Room Four was for male patients only.
“I can so read! I even know my letters.” He pointed confidently at Room Five.
“You rascal,” Emily mock-chided.
The boy grinned impishly. “Whats your name?”
“Oliver,” he managed before the door to Room Five opened and a tall, handsome man appeared.
He gave Oliver a stern look. “What took you so long?” Then he caught sight of Emily, assessed her in a glance, and instantly lost interest. “Did he misbehave?” he asked curtly.
Another look, another scornful dismissal.
“He was fine. No need to scold him,” Emily said quietly and walked away.
“Come along, say goodbye to Nan, were off,” she heard as she left.
The next day, Oliver and his father came again. The man walked right past Emily without a glance. She stuck her tongue out at his retreating back. At that moment, Oliver turned and, laughing, gave her a huge thumbs-up. Emily smiled and waved.
Later, during quiet hour, Emily checked in on Room Five.
“Youre looking well today, Mrs Bennett. Your grandson been to see you?” she asked.
“You saw him? Isnt he a sweetheart? I so want to see what hell grow up to be,” the elderly woman sighed wistfully.
“Youre nowhere near finished yet. Youll be spoiling your great-grandchildren before long,” Emily said cheerily.
“If only. My heart aches for him. Hes growing up without a mother,” Mrs Bennett replied with a deep sigh.
“His mum”
“No, no, shes not passed awayshe ran off and left her son with us,” Mrs Bennett explained.
“You said her son” Emily was surprised.
“Oliver isnt my biological grandson, but we love him as our own. My son married a beautiful woman, who only after the wedding revealed she already had a son. Thats no way to start a marriage, through deceit. My husband nearly had a heart attack over it, and now look at me, in hospital. Two years ago, Olivers mum got an offer to go abroad for workmodelling. The child stood in her way, so she left him. Since then, my sons dated a string of shiny, self-absorbed women. But Oliver wants nothing to do with any of them.”
Emily couldnt stop thinking about Mrs Bennetts story that whole day. Later, as she went in to give the elderly lady her injection, she found her sniffling.
“Mrs Bennett, you mustnt get worked up, remember?” Emily scolded gently.
“I know, I know. Here, look at this.” She handed Emily a little drawing.
It was a boy holding hands between a man and a woman. There was no question it was Oliver and his parents.
“Olivers looking for a mum. I believe hes drawn you, Emily,” Mrs Bennett said softly.
“No, thats his mum, surely,” Emily protested.
“He doesnt remember his real mum. She was slim. But see here, hes drawn a fuller, taller mumtaller even than the dad. That’s you. Take a look.” Mrs Bennett sniffed again.
Emily noticed it at oncethe mother was drawn rounder and larger than the father. “Even a child can see how big I am. Someone like Mr Bennett would never fancy me. Who am I kidding, anyway?”
After that, every time Emily came to give Mrs Bennett her injections, they would chat for a while. Then, the next time Oliver visited the ward, he went straight to Emily.
“Hi. Are your hands steady?” he asked solemnly.
“I hope so,” Emily replied, surprised.
“Nan said shes in safe hands. Shell be home soon, wont she? Its my birthday next week,” he burst out.
“I think shell be out very soon. So, how old will you be?”
“Six!” he said proudly. “And Id like you to come to my party.”
“Thank you. Of course Ill come, but we should check with your dad,” Emily replied.
“Ill go ask him!” Oliver dashed off.
Emily got called away and didnt see them leave, but the next day, Oliver and his father were waiting for her at the nurses’ station.
“Dad, you promised,” Oliver tugged at his fathers sleeve when Emily appeared.
“I remember,” said Mr Bennett, glancing at Emily. “Will you come to Olivers sixth birthday party? Heres our address and phone number. One oclock this Saturday, if youre free?”
“I already have your details on the records,” Emily said, blushing. “Besides, I have no other plans for the weekend.”
“I didnt think. Oliver will be looking forward to it. If you dont come, hell be upsetand so will my mum. She really shouldnt get upset, as you know.”
“A whole week to lose some weight,” Emily thought.
That evening she told her mum everything.
“You must go. Children understand more than adults do. Who knows, maybe things will work out with the dad. Dont mind me, I just want you to be happy.”
“He never even looks at me,” Emily said in despair.
“Youre overthinking it. Maybe he cares just as much about Olivers feelings as his own. If he only cared for himself, hed have married another model ages ago.”
Saturday morning, Emily styled her hair, put on mascara, and selected a dress. She scrutinised herself in the mirror, frowning. No amount of glamming up would make her slimmer.
Shed bought Olivers present as soon as shed been invited, and now she picked it up with a sigh. “Olivers waiting, Id better go,” she told herself.
She barely pressed the doorbell before the lock clicked open.
“Emilys here!” cried Oliver, flinging his arms as far around her as he could. She ruffled his cropped head and handed over the gift.
His face lit up at the sight of the box. A table was already laid out in the sitting room, with Mr Bennett at one end and a beautiful blonde woman at his side. An elderly manOlivers grandfather, she guessedsat at the other.
“Meet my saviour, Emily,” Mrs Bennett introduced her to the table. “And this is Boris, my husband. Oliver you know. And this is well, Ivans friend, Sophie,” she added, hardly looking at the blonde.
Sophie, the would-be model, shot Emily a disdainful look up and down, arching an eyebrow.
As Mrs Bennett reached across Emily to serve salad, her sleeve caught a wine glass, spilling red wine all over Sophies lap. Sophie leapt up, knocking her chair over in a crash, and started making a scene.
Despite apologies, Sophie hurried out. No one attempted to stop her. Emily also moved to leave.
“Please, dont take offence,” Mr Bennett began.
“You didnt spill wine on me. No offence taken. I should be off too,” Emily insisted.
“Mums made her famous pie. Wont you stay? Ill give you a lift home after,” he pleaded.
They drove in silence.
“You neednt escort me home,” Emily broke the quiet.
“My mum would kill me if I didnt. You do seem to keep crossing my path. I wouldnt be surprised if shes plotting to marry us off,” he joked.
“I dont love you. And clearly you dont love me. Theres no need to worryI shant trouble you again,” Emily replied, her voice unsteady as she fought back tears.
They pulled up outside her house. Emily fumbled with the locked door.
“Unlock it. Please.”
Suddenly, Mr Bennett leaned over and kissed her. Emily shoved him away hard.
“What do you think youre doing? Got tired of glamorous blondes, have you? Decided a fuller girl like me might be a change? Oh, of course! I should be grateful for your attention, shouldnt I?” Her eyes flashed with hurt and anger, her cheeks red.
Unknown to her, she looked radiant, swept up in emotion. IvanMr Bennettwas momentarily dazzled. Those blondes always acted so self-assured, and so icy.
“Im sorry, honestly. I dont know what came over me. I meant no offence. I just thought”
“That Id be easy pickings? Youre the first man whos kissed me, apart from those who thought theyd do me a favour. Most just look at me with pity and dont even try to get to know me,” she blurted out angrily and got out of the car.
By late August, the weather had turned chilly and the wind scattered leaves along the pavements. Three weeks had passed since Olivers birthday, and Emily hadnt seen Ivan.
Arriving home one sodden, blustery afternoon, Emily was kicking off her wet shoes when her mother appeared.
“A charming young man dropped by for you,” her mum announced.
“What young man?”
“Handsome and well-spoken, seemed a little worried. He asked you to ring him.”
Emily hurried to the kitchen, dialling his number.
“It was me who came by. Olivers unwell. Hes been prescribed injections could you come?”
“Ill be right there!”
As she hurried out, Emily worried she should have checked whether they had everything needed for the injections. She dashed into a chemist on the way.
Oliver was delighted to see her. His forehead was sweaty, but his temperature already seemed to be dropping. Emily washed her hands and prepared the injectionantibiotics, then vitamins.
“Remember, you said I have steady hands? Trust meitll be okay,” Emily said gently when Oliver looked frightened.
He squeezed his eyes tight, but soon declared it was only a little bit sore.
Ivan watched her, fascinated. No one had ever looked at Emily like that before; she blushed, heart fluttering.
Ivan offered her a lift back.
“Emily, will you go to a cafe with me sometime? We never got to really talk at the party.”
“Is it just for your sons sake? Dont. Ill get my hopes up, and youll never really love me. Im not someone to fall in love withIm fat.”
“Youre not fat. You’re warm, soft, and kind. Children never lie. Oliver likes you. So do I. I think we could make a wonderful family together.”
“And what if Olivers mother comes back?”
“She wont. Shes officially relinquished him and agreed to the divorce. Shes remarried abroad and wants nothing further to do with him. Hes mine. So, will you go on a date with me?”
“Yes.” Emily answered simply.
There is someone for everyone in this worlda kindred spirit who might not look how you imagined, but whose heart is perfectly matched with your own. Sometimes people miss each other, or fail to recognise a soulmate simply because they don’t look for the soul within. But lovetrue lovehelps us see the beautiful swan inside where others have only seen the awkward duckling, or find the gentle, caring spirit within a woman overlooked by others. And that love can make all the difference.
