A Secret Unveiled on My Wedding Day: My Wife Has a Daughter!
Simon, I didnt want to say this on your wedding day But did you know your new wife has a daughter? My colleagues words absolutely floored me as I sat in the drivers seat.
What are you talking about? I just couldnt process what hed told me.
My wife spotted your Emily at the wedding and whispered to me, Isnt it odd does the groom know his fiancée has a little girl growing up in care? My wife, Helen, is a doctor at the local maternity ward. She says she handled the case herself when Emily placed her daughter for adoption. Helen remembers her because of the birthmark on her neck and she said Emily named her Harriet and gave her her own surname. That mustve been about five years ago, my mate explained, watching to see my reaction.
I sat behind the wheel, rooted to the spot, reeling at such a bombshell. I had to find out the truth for myself. I didnt want to believe such a story. I knew Emily wasnt an eighteen-year-old she was thirty-two when we married, so she obviously had a life before me. But why give up her own child? How could someone live with that?
Thanks to my job, I found the childrens home where Harriet had ended up. The manager introduced me to a cheerful little girl with a bright smile.
This is our Harriet Thompson, he said, turning to her. Go on, tell the gentleman how old you are, darling.
You couldnt miss that the poor little thing was terribly cross-eyed. My heart went out to her straight away. How could I not be moved? This was my wifes own daughter. My nan used to say, Even a troublesome child is a treasure to their parents.
Harriet came up to me quite bravely.
Im four. Are you my daddy? she asked, earnest as you like. I was quite thrown. What do you say to a child who sees a father in every man?
Harriet, lets have a word, shall we? Would you like to have a mum and dad? It was a silly question, really. But already I wanted to sweep this little girl into my arms and take her home then and there.
Yes! Are you taking me away? Harriet looked at me with desperate hope.
Ill come and get you just not yet, alright? Will you wait for me, poppet? I was close to tears.
Ill wait. You promise youre not lying? she asked, her little face going serious.
I promise, I said, kissing her soft cheek.
When I got home, I told Emily everything.
Emily, I dont care what happened in the past, but we absolutely have to take Harriet home. Ill adopt her if I have to.
And did you ask if I wanted her? Emily cut back sharply. Besides, shes cross-eyed! Do you think I want that in the house?
Shes your own flesh and blood! Ill get her eyes sorted; the doctors can fix it, and she is adorable. Youll love her, I promise! I couldnt believe Emilys reaction. It took ages to persuade her to agree to adopt Harriet.
We had to wait a solid year before we were allowed to bring her home. I visited Harriet regularly at the childrens home, and over the months she and I grew very close. Emily, though, remained cold about the whole thing and even tried to call off the adoption halfway through, but I insisted we see it through.
Finally, the day came for Harriet to step into our flat for the first time. The simplest things filled her with wonder and joy. We soon got her sight sorted with the help of eye specialists. Thankfully, it didnt even need an operation in the end just some careful treatment over a year and a half.
Harriet began to look more and more like Emily every single day. I couldnt have been happier: two beautiful girls lit up my world my wife and my daughter.
Even so, nearly a year after leaving care, Harriet still clung fiercely to simple things like a pack of biscuits, taking them everywhere with her, even to bed at night. Her stubborn fear of hunger lingered. Emily found it infuriating, while I just felt saddened.
I tried endlessly to bring our little family together but no luck. Emily never managed to love her own child. She cared only for herself, her Self an egotist to the core.
Row after row, bickering and bitterness became my daily life, and always about Harriet.
Why on earth did you bring that waif into our house? Shell never be normal! Emily would shout, hysterical.
I loved Emily with all my heart. I couldn’t imagine life without her. But my mum had quietly hinted, Son, its your business, but I saw Emily out with another man. Nothing will last with her shes slippery, sly, always working an angle. Shell have you fooled before you even know it.
When youre in love, you dont see the red flags. Happiness blinds you. Emily was my ideal woman. But the first crack appeared the day Harriet came home.
Perhaps it was Harriets arrival that made me finally see what my marriage truly was. I was stunned at how little Emily cared for the little one.
I even considered trying to stop loving Emily, to become distant, but it simply couldnt be done. An old mate once laughed, Mate, if you want to cool off on a woman, take a tailors tape and measure her up. I was baffled.
Measure up her bust, waist, hips apparently you wont fancy her anymore, he joked.
It sounded daft, but I gave it a go nothing to lose, I supposed.
Emily, come over, I want to take your measurements, I called out.
What, am I getting a new dress? she replied, bemused.
Exactly, I said, going through all three numbers, trying not to laugh.
Afterwards, report back to my mate: Doesnt work, still mad about her! Id chuckled over his old wives tale.
Not long after, Harriet fell ill just a mild cold with fever, but she suffered. She trailed after Emily everywhere, clutching her ragdoll, Molly. I was glad to see Harriet holding her doll these days instead of that battered biscuit packet.
She loved changing Mollys dress, but today the doll was totally bare. A clear sign the poor lass felt too rough to bother dressing her. Emily snapped, Stop your whining, I cant take it! Just go to bed! Harriet gripped her doll and wept, shaking with sobs.
Without warning, Emily wrested the doll from her hands, marched to the window, yanked it open, and flung the doll out with a furious gesture.
Mummy, thats my favourite! Molly will be cold! Please, can I go and get her? Harriet cried, running for the door.
I shot downstairs to fetch the doll. The lift was out, typically. I sprinted from the eighth floor to the ground, spotting Molly dangling by a thread from a branch, head down. I grabbed her, brushed off the snow. The thawing snowflakes on her little rubber face looked just like tears. My hair was turning grey on those stairs, I swear.
Emilys behaviour was inexcusable. Back upstairs, I found Harriet kneeling by her bed, face buried in her pillow, sobbing even in her sleep. I tucked her in and placed Molly beside her on the pillow.
Emily was in the lounge, flicking through a magazine, not a care for Harriet. At that moment, all my love for Emily drained away. Gone. I finally realised Emily was nothing but a beautiful empty shell.
She seemed to understand.
We got divorced. Harriet stayed with me Emily didnt object once.
Later, I ran into my ex-wife, who said with a hint of scorn: Simon, you were just a stopgap for me.
I replied, Emily your eyes may be emerald green, but your souls as black as coal. For the first time, I said it without any bitterness.
It wasnt long before Emily remarried a wealthy businessman this time.
My heart goes out to him, my mum said. That woman should never have been a mother.
At first, Harriet cried terribly for her birth mother, desperate even for the faintest touch. But my new wife, Elizabeth, slowly won Harriets love and soothed her little heart. Incredibly, her own mother had turned her back on her not once, but twice.
Elizabeth, with endless patience and kindness, doted on Harriet and our son, Nicholas.
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