My son took the news of the twins’ birth with chilling indifference. He decided to divorce her. I couldn’t fathom how he could do such a thing.
My life has never been easy, but I always believed I’d raised a son who’d grow into a proper man. Yet one evening in our little town of Pinecroft turned everything upside down, making me question whether I’d ever known my own child. My son, James, brought home a girl—slight, with clear blue eyes. Her name was Emily. He looked at her with a grin and declared, “Mum, we’re in love. We’re moving in together.”
I studied them, a pang tightening my chest. “If you’re living together, you ought to marry,” I said, masking my worry. James nodded. “Alright, Mum.” I praised him, called him a real man, but deep down, doubt gnawed at me. Emily seemed kind and genuine, but James… He’d always had his head in the clouds. I knew he’d broken more than one girl’s heart, and I feared Emily would just be another casualty of his recklessness.
Emily had grown up in foster care, yet she was sharp, practical, and warm-hearted. We clicked straight away, and she became almost like a daughter to me. One day, she came home glowing, whispering, “Mum, I’m pregnant.” My heart leapt. “That’s wonderful news! I’ll help with everything,” I promised, hugging her. But James… His reaction was like ice water. He just grunted something vague. I chalked it up to a bad mood, but unease settled in me.
Time flew, and soon Emily gave birth to twins—two beautiful girls. For me, it was pure joy, as if sunlight had burst into the house. I couldn’t stop admiring their tiny fingers, their little smiles. But James didn’t share my happiness. He started muttering, “Two more mouths to feed.” His words cut like a knife. “How can you say that about your own children?” I snapped. “Is life really so hard for you?” I tried to reach him, but he just brushed me off as if my words meant nothing.
Things got worse. James began vanishing—staying late at work, disappearing with mates. Then he dropped the bombshell: “I’m filing for divorce.” The ground seemed to give way beneath me. Emily sat silent, lips pressed tight, while I couldn’t hold back my fury. “You’re abandoning your wife and children? How can you be so cruel?” I shouted. He flared up, “That’s my business, Mum! You always take her side!” But I couldn’t do otherwise. Emily and the girls didn’t deserve such betrayal. I said the children would stay with their mother—they had nowhere else to go, and our house in Pinecroft was their refuge. After that, James slammed the door and vanished. For three whole years.
Life without him was tough, but we managed. Emily was stronger than I’d thought. She worked, raised the girls, and I helped however I could. Then came a letter—a court summons. James wanted to divide the house. My heart clenched in dread. That house was our stronghold, my inheritance, the place where my granddaughters were growing up. But Emily, ever wise, surprised me. “I saw this coming,” she said calmly. “I’ve been saving part of my wages for a flat.” Turned out she’d been preparing, knowing James might do this.
Soon, we moved into a new flat—small but cosy, on the edge of Pinecroft. I assumed Emily would leave me behind in the old house to grow old alone, but she insisted I live with them. “You’re like a mother to me,” she said. “We wouldn’t have made it without you.” I argued, “Emily, you’re young, lovely. Build a new life, find someone else.” She just smiled. “I’ve got two wonderful daughters and you. I don’t need more.”
Those words melted my heart. Emily wasn’t just a daughter-in-law—she was my daughter, the closest soul to me. The girls, Lily and Sophie, are growing up, filling our home with laughter. As for James… He calls sometimes, tries to explain himself, but I can’t forgive him. He chose his path, turning his back on those who should’ve mattered most. I don’t know what lies ahead, but I do know this: in our little corner of Pinecroft, there’s love, warmth, and family. And that matters more than any house, any fortune.
Emily, the girls, and I carry on, and every day I thank my stars for them. Let James chase his happiness elsewhere. I’ve found mine—in my granddaughters’ smiles and in Emily’s eyes, the daughter I never had. The road hasn’t been easy, but it’s shown me that family isn’t just blood—it’s who stands by you, no matter what.
