Now Theres Someone Worth Living For
Emily’s childhood was the kind you wouldnt wish on anyone. Her father was rarely sober, though he never raised a hand to her mother, Linda, or to Emilyhe was too afraid. Once, hed tried to teach Linda a lesson, but shed cracked him over the head with something heavy, leaving him with a throbbing skull for days. He got the message: next time, it might be worse.
So instead, he tormented them with endless rows. Hed spill soup or something sticky on the floor just to make them clean it up, or smash plates in a rage. At night, hed bellow songs to keep everyone awake, not caring that his own elderly mother lived with them too. After one particularly bad fight, Linda threatened to leave, even packed her bags a few times. But once he sobered up, hed grovel at her feet.
“Please, Linda, dont go. Dont leave me. Ill stop drinking, I swear. I dont know what comes over me.” And shed believe himwhere else could she go? Her parents had died years ago, and her older sister had sold the family home.
“You never helped care for them, so they left the house to me,” her sister had said coldly.
So Linda stayed, trapped with her drunk, quarrelsome husband, her daughter Emily, and her bitter mother-in-law, who despised her in silence, always whispering to her son,
“My poor boy, living with a viper.” Linda would snap back,
“Your poor boy has sucked the life out of me. Ill take Emily and goyou deal with him!” That would shut the old woman up for a while.
Linda was desperate for Emily to leave home as soon as possible.
“After Year 11, youre going to culinary college. No arguments.”
“But Mum, Im doing well in school! I want to go to uni!”
“We cant afford uni.”
“Ill get a scholarship!”
“Enough nonsense. Were enrolling you tomorrow.”
Emily hated culinary college but met a local lad named Oliver, who worked at the market. Hed left home after falling out with his parents and rented a room with a mate. She confided in him about her own miserable life.
“Dont stay in halls,” he offered. “Move in with me. My mates gone back home, so theres space. I wont mess you aboutjust cook, keep the place tidy, and Ill help out.”
Looking back years later, Emily couldnt explain why she trusted himjust youthful naivety, she supposed. At the time, anything was better than her fathers drunken rages and her mothers disappointment.
They only lasted three months. One day, she felt queasy, and Oliver, sharp as a tack, guessed straight away.
“No. Not this,” he snapped.
“What?”
“I dont need a kid ruining my life.” His face twistedthe kind, charming Oliver vanished, replaced by a stranger who threw her out.
She went home, lied about coming back for the holidays, and prayed he was wrong. But soon, the truth was undeniable. She hid it as long as she could until Linda noticed her swelling belly and dragged her to the clinic. Too late to do anything. At home, the shouting began.
“You disgrace! I sent you to college, and you come back knocked up!”
The row was so loud the neighbours heard. Her father hurled abuse, calling her a slut, just like her mother. Linda nearly hit him. Even her grandmother glared in silent judgment. Life at home became unbearable. Social services came, demanding the fathers name, but Emily refused to say.
One day, after a slap from Linda, she ran to the river. She stood trembling at the bridges edge, staring into the dark, rushing water below. Her head spun. The baby kicked, as if sensing danger.
Then strong hands yanked her back. A man and woman bundled her into a car. She woke in a hospital bed, an IV in her arm. A nurse smiled kindly.
“Easy now. You had a C-section. Your daughters small but healthyshell catch up.”
“My daughter,” Emily murmured blankly before drifting off.
Two days later, they brought the baby to feed. Emily recoiled.
“I dont want her.”
“Dont be daft,” the nurse scolded. But Emily shrank against the wall, covering her eyes.
“Bloody irresponsible girls,” the nurse muttered as she left.
A kindly wardmate sat beside her.
“Boyfriend left you?” Emily nodded.
“His loss. I raised my first alone. Then I met a good mannow weve got a son.”
“I tried to jump but someone pulled me back.”
The womans eyes softened. Later, she spoke to the doctor.
“Her mother threw her out. She nearly jumped. Maybe shell come round.”
But by morning, Emily had fled the hospital. The baby went into care. With no ID, no one knew who she really was.
Emily scraped bycash-in-hand jobs at the market, dodgy flats with drunks and cockroaches. Then a thought struck her: get her passport, finish night school, go to uni.
Her mother greeted her coldly.
“What do you want? You leftstay gone. Wheres the baby?”
“I gave her up. I just need my passport.” She took it and left.
Years passed. Emily clawed her way upgraduated, got a degree, started a business with a grant. Now, at 36, she was successful, respected. But she buried thoughts of family, working obsessively.
Then she collapsed at work. Tests showed nothing seriousjust exhaustion. But lying in that hospital bed, a thought hit her: the only time shed ever been happy was when her daughter was born.
She drove straight to the hospital. The same consultant still worked there.
“I cant give you that information,” he saiduntil she slid an envelope across his desk.
The care home director pretended to scold her but took the money and handed over an address.
That evening, Emily stood outside a small house, hesitating. Then the door openedand there was Linda, older but unmistakable.
“Mum?”
“Emily? Is it really you?”
A young woman appeared behind her.
“Gran, whos?”
The porch light fell on her face. She looked just like Emily.
The truth came out. Linda had left Emilys father, taken her savings, and tracked down the baby.
“A nursean old friendtold me. I fought to get her out of care.”
Emily hugged her daughter tightly.
“Im so sorry I left you. I didnt know how to live back then.”
The girl said nothingtwenty years was a lot to forgive.
Linda squeezed Emilys hand.
“Dont blame yourself. We all failed you. But now were together.”
Emily finally smiled.
“Well move to my flat in the city. My business is doing well. Youll work with me, learn the ropes.” She looked at her daughter. “Now Ive got someone worth living for.”
