Longing for Happiness Too Thank You All for Your Support—For the Likes, the Thoughtful Comments on My Stories, Subscriptions, and a Huge Thank You from Me and My Five Lovable Cats for Every Donation! Please Share Your Favorite Stories on Social Media—it Means the World to the Author! A Young Woman in Her Early Forties Loses Her Spark for Life. She’s an NHS midwife, and her job is her only source of joy as she lives alone. Her husband died in the line of duty—he was a police officer. They spent just two years together, and their son was born three months after his father’s passing. She raised him on her own—he’s now grown, married, living and working in another city, with a good life of his own. Gleb visits his mum now and again, calls often, but she is still alone… Her colleagues at work envy her—she lives only for herself—but loneliness gnaws at Lyuba. During lunch, they chat about their families, their worries, and their joys. Lyuba has nothing to contribute—her life is empty, with no reason to hurry home… She nods along, sometimes shocked by what her colleagues share, but secretly, she envies them. Her freedom brings her no happiness. She still remembers her husband, his devoted gaze, his hands. Their brief and youthful love, cut tragically short, left an open wound in her heart that refuses to heal. The only place she feels alive is at work. Recently, she helped deliver a baby for a very young woman. A beautiful little girl, but her young mother, still almost a child herself, was far from happy—she stared at the wall in silence. “Good morning, Mum,” Lyuba greeted, as they always did with new mums, but the words seemed to sting. Eyes shut, the girl replied sharply: “Please leave. There’s nothing to talk about. Don’t waste your time. I told you from the start—I don’t want this baby. I have no intention of seeing her or taking her. My plans are different…” Lyuba tried to respond, but the girl turned away and said nothing more. When Lyuba, disheartened, left the room, the nurse on duty simply shrugged and twirled her finger next to her temple, nodding towards the mother who rejected her child. “We had one like that before. Tried to steal a married man, thought he had money, turned out he was broke. Didn’t want the baby either. It happens.” Lyuba had seen similar cases in almost twenty years as a midwife, but usually the mothers were hysterical and most ended up taking their babies home. This one, however, seemed resolute. Without quite knowing why, Lyuba decided to visit the abandoned baby girl. She nearly collided with Dr. Konstantin Lewison, the paediatrician, at the door. It was quiet in the newborns’ ward; the babies were fed and sleeping sweetly. Lyuba approached the baby whose mother had turned her away. Suddenly, the baby’s eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes. Lyuba froze, not daring to move—the baby would start crying and wake the others. But the little girl simply gazed at her with deep, wise, and serious eyes, as if she already understood it all. “Good girl…” Lyuba whispered. Startled, she turned—Dr. Lewison had come up quietly. Her colleagues occasionally hinted that he liked Lyuba, but she brushed it off. He was a good doctor, but she felt nothing more for him. “She’s a sweetheart, don’t be afraid,” Dr. Lewison gently stroked the baby and gave Lyuba a strange, questioning look that unsettled her… From that day on, Lyuba visited the children’s ward almost daily. She felt as if the baby already knew her, and the way those eyes watched her sparked feelings she hadn’t felt in years. “Why do you keep running to the kids’ ward?” teased her ever-observant colleagues. “Chasing after Dr. Lewison, are you?” “No, she’s always with that little girl—the one whose mum left her.” “Oh, so you’re thinking of taking her in? The mother signed her rights away yesterday and left…” “Careful, you’ll get attached—they’ll send her away soon enough…” Take her in! The quiet hope that had begun to warm Lyuba’s heart finally had a name. She hadn’t consciously thought of it, but now someone had spoken it aloud, and it struck a chord deep within her. There wasn’t much time—the hospital kept abandoned babies for a month before they went to the children’s home, and she might be sent to another city, perhaps adopted by someone else. Terrified, Lyuba submitted an adoption application. She ticked every box, but her single status gave married couples the edge. Then, Lyuba had a daring idea. She knew Dr. Lewison liked her, and that he rented a flat outside the city and commuted over two hours to work. She needed a husband—afterward, perhaps, they could part ways… “Dr. Lewison, can I make you an offer?” she asked him that same day. “I have a spare room near work you could let… but could you also, perhaps, marry me, just temporarily? I really want to adopt that little girl, but I’m afraid they won’t let me as a single woman.” “That’s unexpected, but… I agree,” Dr. Lewison smiled, his eyes mysterious. Then he stepped closer and… gently kissed Lyuba. She was flustered, especially as a colleague walked by—there would be talk! “It’s for appearances—so no one suspects anything,” Dr. Lewison explained, leaving Lyuba tongue-tied… That night, falling asleep, Lyuba thought of the little girl she already considered her own. She also remembered Dr. Lewison’s unexpectedly tender kiss, and silently admitted she had liked it… They married quickly and celebrated the wedding with colleagues in the maternity ward. Everyone was thrilled for them, knowing Lyuba and Kosta had submitted the adoption papers… Now Lyuba is a married woman, with a baby daughter, and no time for sadness. Her Kosta is a good, kind man—she had always known it. But she’s only now discovering that love can return. She wants to live, raise her daughter, find joy and love… to love the very man she herself had once asked to be her husband. Kosta, Marina, and Lyuba—a family. Lyuba Wanted So Strongly to Be Happy that She Truly Made It Happen!

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A woman just past forty had found herself utterly disenchanted with life.

She worked as a midwife in a maternity hospital, and her job had become her single source of joy, as she lived alone now.

Her husband had died in the line of dutyhed been a police officer. Theyd only spent two years together, and their son was born three months after he passed away. Shed raised him on her own, and hed grown up, married, lives and works in another city, living a good, contented life of his own.

Graham, her son, visits when he can, though its never for long, and phones often, but stillshes on her own.

At work, her colleagues would say how lucky she was to have life to herself, but Lucy felt the sting of loneliness. During lunch breaks, the others would talk about their families, their worries, their happier moments.

Lucy never had anything to addthere was nothing but a hollow emptiness, and she dreaded returning home.

Shed listen quietly to her colleagues chatter, nodding, occasionally shocked by their stories, but always, deep down, feeling jealous of their lives.

Her so-called freedom gave her no pleasure.

She remembered her late husbandhis loving gaze, the warmth of his hands.

Their brief but passionate love, cut tragically short, had left an aching wound in her heart, one that refused to heal.

It was only at work that she felt lifes richness and purpose.

The other day, Lucy had delivered a baby for a very young girl. She had brought a beautiful baby girl into the world, yet the mother, hardly more than a child herself, seemed anything but delighted. She lay facing the wall, refusing to speak.

Good morning, Mummy, Lucy had greeted her with the warmth reserved for happy new mums, but at those words, the girl just shuddered, kept her eyes closed, and replied sharply:

Please leave. Weve nothing to talk about. Dont waste your time. I said from the startI dont want this child. I dont want to see her and I wont be taking her home. I have other plans.

Lucy attempted a few gentle words, but the girl just turned away and spoke no more.

Feeling disheartened, Lucy left the room and met the on-duty nurse out in the corridor, who simply shrugged and gestured to the birth mother, spinning her finger near her temple in exasperation.

We had one like her ages ago. Wanted to snatch a man from his wife, thought he was loaded, turned out he was broke. Lost interest in the child, of course. You get all sorts.

Lucy herself had witnessed a few similar stories in nearly two decades as a midwife, but usually, those young mothers ended up keeping their babies after the initial panic.

This time, though, it felt differentthe girl was completely unmoved.

Lucy, hardly knowing why, decided to pop into the nursery and look in on the little girl whod been left behind.

She almost collided in the doorway with Dr. Charles Simmons, the paediatrician. The nursery was peaceful; the babies had just been fed and were sleeping soundly.

Moving quietly, Lucy went over to the abandoned infant. As she approached, the little ones lashes fluttered, and her eyes opened.

Lucy stood as still as she could, hoping not to startle herone wail and every baby would be awake. But the girl gazed at her with deep, wise eyes, so serious and calm it was as though she already understood her place in the world.

A lovely girl Lucy started, nearly jumping as Dr. Simmonss gentle voice broke the silence beside her.

Her colleagues had sometimes joked about him having a soft spot for Lucy, but shed always just smiled it off. Charles was a fine doctor, but shed never felt more for him.

Shes wonderful, dont you worry, he said, carefully stroking the childs cheek, then turned to Lucy with a searching look, as if asking an unspoken question that left her flustered.

After that, Lucy found herself drawn to the nursery nearly every day.

The baby seemed to recognise her now, and the way shed look at Lucy, for the first time in years, kindled a warmth insidea long-lost happiness.

Why are you always popping down to the nursery? her ever-curious colleagues teased. Is it Dr. Simmons, then?

No, its that baby on her own. Lucy keeps going to see her.

What, thinking of taking her home? The mum signed her over yesterday and left

You best be carefulget too attached and next thing, shell be moved on

To adopt her! The idea, half-formed somewhere deep inside Lucy, now glowed with unexpected hope.

Time was against her; infant wards only kept abandoned babies for a month, then theyd be sent off to a childrens homepossibly to another city, potentially to be adopted by someone else.

Panic took hold, and Lucy filed the adoption papers. On every count she was a good fit, but being single meant couples had priority.

Thats when a bold idea struck.

She knew Charles liked her. Shed heard he let a flat just outside town, commuting over two hours every day.

What she needed, right now, was a husbandeven if they parted ways later

Charles, Ive got a proposal, a practical one, Lucy said to the paediatrician that very day. Would you like to rent a room near work? And well, Id like to ask a favour. Would you marry me? Just temporarily? I want to adopt the baby girl and Im afraid theyll turn me down because Im single.

Charles looked taken aback, but soon broke into a smile, his eyes unreadable. Thats quite an unexpected offer but yes, Ill do it.

And then, before she could blush, he stepped closer and softly kissed her.

She felt flustered and, just to add to her embarrassment, someone passed them in the corridorgrist for the rumour mill!

Thats just for show, so nobody suspects a thing, Charles quickly explained, leaving her with nothing to argue.

That night, drifting off to sleep, Lucy remembered her little girl, already thinking of her as her own. And she couldnt help but recall that surprising, tender kiss from Charlessecretly admitting she rather liked it.

They were married in a quiet, quick service, and celebrated in the staff room at the maternity ward, surrounded by well-wishing colleagues who already knew that Lucy and Charles had filed for the adoption.

Now Lucy was a wife again, their new daughter growing every day, and there simply wasnt time for loneliness.

Charles was a good, decent man, as shed always known, and, finally, love started to bloom in her heart once more.

She felt alive againeager to bring up her daughter, to savour every day, and, above all, love this man whom she herself had asked to become her husband.

Lucy, Charles, and little Maisiea family.

All Lucy had ever wanted was to be happy and, in the end, that is exactly what she became truly, wonderfully happy!