“Why would a good-looking, successful bloke like me bother to get married?” Tom wondered. Meanwhile, his parents kept thinking, “When will we finally have grandchildren?”
Tom dropped his friend home and headed back to his own flat. He made himself some scrambled eggs and ham, sat down at the table, switched on his phonewhich had been off all nightand started scrolling through missed calls.
“Mums called,” he muttered to himself. “Probably to have a go at me again for being useless.”
Tom was anything but useless, of course. He had a good job, a two-bedroom flat, and a car. The only thing he hadn’t ticked off was getting married, now that he was twenty-five.
“Why would a bloke like me settle down?” Tom thought to himself, while his parents mused, “When are the grandkids coming?”
He called his mum.
“Hello, Mum! How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Im alright. Dad too. But it’d be nice if you came to see us. Youre half an hour away by car and we barely ever see you. Your father needs help digging the allotment, its time to plant the potatoes.”
“Mum, I cant today. Next weekend for sure, I promise.”
“You keep saying youll bring your girlfriend to visit too.”
“Mum, next weekend Ill come with my girlfriend. Promise!”he blurted it out unexpectedly.
“Your fiancée?”
“Not yet, Mum.”
“Oh, Tom, thats wonderful! Well wait for you next Saturday. Ill make all your favourites!”
After he finished the call, Tom found himself deep in thought.
“Why did I just say that? Who am I even going to bring as my girlfriend? Should I call Sophie? Oh, why not. Ill have a kip first and call her later. Mind you, my parents probably wont fancy her, and shell loathe the countryside. Still, I could bring her for a day out. For now, Ill get some sleep”
Tom left his frying pan on the table and wandered off to the bedroom. When he woke up, he remembered his promise and rang Sophie.
“Hi, gorgeous!” he said cheerily.
“Hi Tom.” Her voice was a bit frosty.
“Soph, didnt you get much sleep? Im popping round.”
“Tom, I dont think we should see each other anymore. Ive had a change of heart about the future.”
“What future?” He was starting to get frustrated.
“Im getting married.”
“Ill come right now and sort this out”
She hung up. Tom tossed his phone onto the sofa in annoyance. Usually he did the leaving, but this time, he’d been left.
After a shower, he sloped into the kitchen, made a coffee, and sat back. “Now what? Where on earth am I going to find a girlfriend to bring to my parents? Maybe one of my old mates? Theyll think Im being serious.”
He didnt even finish his coffeehis car alarm went off. He bolted to the window. He parked behind the flats, not a busy spot but visible from his window. A man in his mid-forties was just standing by Toms car, staring up at his flat.
“Whos that then?” Tom muttered.
He threw on trainers, dashed outside, and walked up to his car.
“Excuse me, mate, what are you doing?” Tom asked.
“Look, son,” the stranger said, full of himself, “If I catch you near Sophie again, you’ll regret it.”
“Give it a rest, mate.”
Suddenly, a big guy appeared from nowhere. Tom tried to say something, but theneverything went black.
“Tom, Tom!” a quiet voice floated to him. He opened his eyes to see a rather plain-looking girl bent over him. He vaguely thought, “Ive seen her before.”
“Can you hear me? Want me to call an ambulance?”
“No, dont worry. All my first-aid stuff’s in the car,” he smiled weakly. “Can you manage?”
“Yeah, Ive done a nursing degree.”
He realised she lived in the next block, always said hello, but hed not really noticed her before. He tried to remember her name. She mustve read his mind.
“Im Emily. I live just over there.”
“Hop in, Emily!” he said, opening the back door for her. “First-aids in the boot.”
He sat up front while she dealt with his injuries.
“Nothing serious,” she said.
“Thanks!”
Tom caught her eye in the rear-view mirror, saw she was debating whether she should leave.
“Fancy grabbing a coffee? I never managed to have breakfast.”
“Like this?” Emily glanced down at her t-shirt and joggers, embarrassed.
“Were both dressed the same. Dont worry!”
“No, no, I cant go out like this.”
“Alright,” Tom grinned, “Lets change first and then go.”
Half an hour later, she emerged in a sundress, make-up carefully applied. Suddenly, Tom just wanted a walk, so he abandoned the car idea.
“Emily, lets just walk?”
“Alright.” She naturally slipped her arm through his.
She chatted the whole way, making Tom smile. They found a cosy café. He handed her the menu.
“Order whatever you like, Em.”
She eyed the prices more than the dishes, and Tom realised she didnt often eat out. He waved the waiter over.
“Can you bring her something brilliant and a coffee please?”
“And for you, sir?”
“Just coffee for me.”
“Weve got delicious cake, just baked.”
“Go on, then.”
Afterwards, they walked home, parting at her block
Work dragged by that week, and Tom came home Friday night, groaning.
“I promised Mum Id visit with a girlfriend. What do I do now?”
He flicked the kettle on, made a sandwich, and sat thinking about the trip home.
“If I turn up alone, Mum will look unhappy. I need a plan”
Suddenly, he had a brainwave!
“What if I bring Emily?” The only catch was that he hadnt seen her since Sunday. Hed have to say hed been busy.
He ate, shaved, dressed smartly, and headed over to her block. The only problemfifteen flats, and the only thing he knew about her was her name.
He waited outside a moment, inspecting the windows. Then, Emily burst out of the front door still in her t-shirt and joggers.
She spotted him and froze, uncertain.
“Hi, Em!”
“Hi, Tom!” she beamed.
“I was hoping youd let me take you for another walk.”
“Im not really dressed”
“Ill wait,” Tom smiled. “Half an hour okay?”
She grinned and dashed back inside.
“Emily, whats going on?” her mum asked, surprised.
“Mum, Im going out for a walk!”
“So suddenly? Whats the rush?”
Emily ignored her, darting from room to room. Her mum came to the window, then hurried back to her.
“Are you going out with Tom?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you interested in a lad like him?”
“Mum, Im twenty now,” Emily said, smiling awkwardly.
“Have you seen the girls he usually goes out with?”
“Mum, dont make a fuss.”
“Youre unbelievable!”
But Emily was gone. She knew the gossip would start, but didnt care anymore. Everyone knew who Tom was, and that she was a quiet one, “was” being the key word. But she didnt mind.
She re-emerged, chin high. She looped her arm through Toms and asked, “Where are we off to?”
“Lets walk to the park, maybe find a café, wander under the moonlight”
They did exactly thatpark walk, café, moonlit hugs. Then her phone buzzed.
“Emily, its gone 1am!”
“Coming, Mum!” she replied, eyes down. “Tom, I need to go.”
“Ill walk you”
At her door, they hugged again. Tom then said, not so much suggesting as insisting:
“Tomorrow, youre coming home with me to see my parents.”
“Boris!” Toms mum called out as the car pulled up the next afternoon. “Toms here!”
“Has he remembered his folks, then?”
“And hes brought a girl!” she shrieked, rushing out.
Linda, his mum, hugged her son and didnt take her eyes off Emily as she approached.
“And whats your name, love?”
“Emily,” she said, a little shy.
“Im Auntie Linda. Come in, come in!”
Out came Toms dad. He strode straight over.
“About time our lad brought home a decent girl. Whats your name, sweetheart?”
“Emily.”
“Im Boris. You can call me Uncle Boris.”
Emily hadnt expected such a warm welcome. Shed pictured hostile parents frowning at plain old her beside their handsome son. But they beamed, so pleased to see her.
Inside, the dining table was laid out like a royal visit. The questions started.
Emily was from an ordinary family and worried Toms folks might be a bit fancy, but they were as down-to-earth as her own parents, even happier that she was a regular girl.
After lunch, Tom and Boris dug up the allotment while Emily tidied up with Linda.
“Auntie Linda, let me clear up and wash the dishes.”
“Lets do it together!” Linda grinned.
When the men finished, everyone helped plant the potatoes. With the job done, Emily said quietly:
“I should get home, Mum will worry.”
“Nonsense,” said Linda. “Well have dinner, youll stay over, and tomorrow well all go back together.”
Emilys eyes said she wanted to stay.
“Ring home!” said Linda.
Emily rang.
“Mum, is it alright if I stay over?”
“Do you hear yourself? You promised youd be home tonight.”
Linda took the phone firmly.
“Hello, Pauline? This is Linda, Toms mum.”
“Hello.”
“Dont worry, Emily can stay with us. Separate rooms, of course. Big house, I promise.”
“Im not sure what to say”
“Youve got a wonderful daughter, Pauline.”
Half an hour later, the mums were still chatting.
The next day, late in the afternoon, they finally packed up to head home. Linda loaded Emily up with veggies. “This lots for Tom, these two are for you.”
“Auntie Linda, this is loads!”
“You city kids never eat properly, no wonder youre so skinny.”
Then she pulled Tom aside.
“Have you two handed in your marriage paperwork yet?”
“Mum! Weve not even talked about it.”
“Well hurry up! Dont let this one slip through your fingers. And dont bring me anyone else!”
As soon as they pulled away, Linda rang Pauline.
“Theyre on their way, alls well. Sent some homegrown bits with them.”
“Oh, Linda, you shouldnt have”
“Dont worry! God willing, well be in-laws soon.”
“Oh, youre incorrigible!” But Pauline’s approval was loud and clear.
“My Toms twenty-five nowhes got his own place, car, what more could a girl want? Though, who knows what goes on in Emilys head.”
“In her head? Shes absolutely smitten!”
“Well if we dont knock some sense into them, who will?” Linda was clearly plotting her sons wedding already.
“Your Toms quite the catch”
“Your Emilys lovelyhard working, too!”
“Shes always cleaning, cooks well, too”
Tom grinned as he drove. Emily caught him smiling.
“Tom, why are you grinning?”
“You made my parents really happy.”
“Oh, dont be daft.”
“Mum said not to let you get away.”
“And you?”
“I won’t!”
They looked at each other, eyes shining with the same bright happiness.
