Sad blonde

A Love Built on Lies

Catherine hugged her husband, whom she hadn’t seen for over six months. At last, he had returned from his work assignment, where he earned money for the very apartment they now lived in.

This large and spacious three-bedroom apartment was their dream. At first, they rented it, but then the owners offered to sell the beloved home, and James agreed. They discussed payment terms, and James left for the north, sending money to Catherine, who managed their budget.

For nearly five years, Catherine and James saw each other infrequently, but this last separation was the longest. Now he was back, promising never to leave his wife again.

Catherine watched with delight as her husband savored the meal she had prepared, while she shared news about what had happened at home during his absence.

— James, you’ve lost so much weight!

— Yeah, you know, food wasn’t really on my mind. The last project was the toughest, and the weather was just awful. The crane got twisted like a matchstick in a whirlwind and thrown aside, can you imagine?

— No way! What about the crane operator?

— He wasn’t there. Got delayed by half an hour. Otherwise, it would’ve been the end. Pete says he was born lucky.

James pushed his empty plate aside, then took his wife’s hand and pulled her close:

— I missed you so much, darling…

At that moment, the doorbell rang, and James frowned in annoyance.

— Who could that be? Did you tell someone I was coming back?

— Of course! How could I keep such news to myself?

James playfully swatted his wife:

— Well, go open the door then. Though I was hoping for something else…

She giggled and headed to the door:

— You’ll have plenty of time for that…

James stood up and poured himself some tea, listening to the voices in the hallway, but it was quiet. Catherine didn’t return. Puzzled, James peeked out from the kitchen and saw his wife standing as if frozen, staring downward. He approached and looked down too: in front of them was a baby carrier with a sleeping infant.

— W-w-what’s this? — James stammered.

— This isn’t a what, it’s a who! — Catherine turned to him.

She picked up the carrier, brought it inside, and carefully placed it on the couch. James stepped closer and pulled out a piece of paper that read:

“This is your son, Johnny. Raise him.”

— Don’t you have something to explain? — Catherine turned to him, her eyes welling with tears. — Who’s his mother? How did she know where we live? Did you bring her here?

— Have you lost your mind? This can’t be my child! I haven’t been here in ages!

— You were, James, you were. The timing adds up. Or maybe you brought him from there?

— Catherine, you’re talking nonsense! I haven’t been with anyone but you!

— Sure, I believe you!

The baby, startled by their loud voices, opened his eyes and began to cry. Catherine clutched her head and ran out of the room. The child cried and cried for five, ten, fifteen minutes. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore and came back. James was changing clothes.

— Where are you going?

— I’m taking him to the police. Let them sort it out.

— No! You want to abandon your son and live with guilt forever? The child’s not to blame! Give him to me!

She took the carrier from his hands, lifted the baby, and held him close. Then she handed James a notebook and pen:

— Write this down: size 1 diapers, formula (get a few different kinds), two bottles… — Catherine made a whole list, and when James left, she broke down in tears of hurt and despair.

What was she supposed to do now? Catherine called her friend and told her everything. Margaret listened and exclaimed:

— Are you crazy? James was right to want to give him up! Why are you taking this on? Even if your husband did stray, so what? It happens to everyone. No one’s a saint. What if he had not one, but five women? And each one drops their kid on you? If you want to, fine… But I’d have my own kid if I were you. Let the mother raise this one!

— Margaret, don’t you get it? If James abandons his son, he’s a traitor.

— Oh, spare me the cheap drama! What if the kid’s sick? Have you thought about that? Want to tie yourself down forever?

— No, he’s healthy…

— Oh, really? Are you an X-ray machine? Why’s he crying so much?

— He’s hungry…

— Catherine, think straight! You’re almost thirty, not some naive teenager! Why take on someone else’s kid?

— Margaret, what if I can’t have my own? Why haven’t I gotten pregnant? I never took the pills, I lied to James, made him think I was on birth control. But it never happened… — Catherine heard the sound of the door lock. — That’s it, Margaret, James is back…

— Catherine… Catherine, wait… — Margaret rushed to say, but the line went dead.

All evening, Catherine stayed by the baby’s side, feeding, bathing, and putting him to sleep, while James sat in front of the TV, staring blankly at the screen.

No, he hadn’t had an affair with a woman, even up north. Except with Olivia…

Olivia worked in their crew’s canteen. She was five years younger than James but had already tasted the bitter side of life. Raised in an orphanage after being taken from her alcoholic parents at five, the beaten and malnourished girl long feared people and couldn’t bear being touched.

When she grew up, she fell in love with a driller, married him, but they hadn’t been together six months when his truck broke through the ice. He didn’t make it out. Olivia was three months pregnant when she learned of the tragedy. Several men had to pull her away from the ice hole where her husband drowned.

She couldn’t bear the grief and lost the baby. Since then, the quiet, stately beauty drew men’s attention, but no one dared harass or harm her. Olivia was respected for her modesty, decency, and simplicity. The tough men treated her like a sister, keeping the bold newcomers in check.

James didn’t know why she chose him. Just before he left, she approached, looked into his eyes, and said:

— I know you have a wife. I’m not asking for anything. Just one thing—I want a child, and I want it to be yours. You look so much like my husband.

James hugged her, looked into her eyes, and said he couldn’t do that. Then he left, thinking it was forever. Olivia didn’t try to stop him, didn’t ask him to stay, didn’t cry, didn’t demand anything. Yet he left with a heavy heart, feeling he’d betrayed her. And now, this child…

Catherine interrupted James’s thoughts, sitting beside him. They sat in silence.

— James, — Catherine began, — I need to tell you something…

Catherine wanted to confess that she never took birth control pills, that she couldn’t get pregnant despite wanting to, and that she wasn’t angry about the baby and would raise him as her own. But James misunderstood and jumped up as if stung:

— Yours? This child is yours? You had him while I was gone, didn’t you? And now you’re playing this charade? You…

— James! James! No, that’s not what I meant! — Catherine protested in despair, but James grabbed his still-unpacked bag and stormed out, slamming the door.

Johnny, woken by the noise, started crying again, and a stunned Catherine instinctively picked him up to soothe him. Then she sobbed for a long time, not understanding what she’d done wrong.

Time dragged on slowly. Catherine tried calling her husband countless times, but he changed his number, and after six months, she stopped trying. Johnny grew a lot and brought Catherine so much joy. He was a strong, healthy child, already babbling, trying to say something to her. Catherine laughed and kissed her adopted son, resigned to her failed marriage.

One evening, there was a knock at Catherine’s door. She opened it and saw a tall man, about thirty-five years old.

— Hello, — he said, — my name is Michael. Can we talk? What’s your name?

— Yes, come in. I’m Catherine.

— Catherine, — he began, hesitating, — you’ve been raising my son for almost a year…

Catherine gasped, overwhelmed by emotions, as he continued:

— You see, I met Lisa at a club. She’s a dancer. Things just happened… She’s so impulsive. Anyway, I found out she was pregnant, I proposed, but she kept disappearing every night. I looked for her, tried to bring her back, but it was no use. One day, I caught her with another guy. We fought, and she said she’d had an abortion. This morning, we ran into each other by chance, and she started blackmailing me, demanding money. I didn’t understand why until she mentioned the child she’d left for me. She threatened to take him back. I asked her to show me where she left the child, and Lisa brought me to your door—she got the wrong entrance… I called you, but no one answered, so I asked the neighbors. They said you live alone with a one-year-old son, Johnny.

Catherine stood up:

— Johnny’s sleeping, come see… — She believed Michael instantly, her hands trembling as she clasped them tightly.

A foolish mistake had destroyed her marriage, and now this man would take the baby she’d grown to love with all her heart. Michael looked at his son, and Catherine saw their striking resemblance.

— Are you going to take him?

— Well, not right away. You see, I didn’t even know he existed, and now I don’t know what to do. Can I come by for a few days, so he gets used to me, and I…

— Of course… Alright, let’s have some tea…

A month later, Michael took Johnny in his arms, said goodbye to Catherine, and left. She was left alone in the deafeningly empty apartment.

For a few days, she thought it over, then bought a ticket to find James, to tell him everything, to explain…

Finally, she found her husband’s address and headed there, only to stop short when she saw him: James was walking with a woman who was heavily pregnant. They were laughing, clearly happy…

Catherine watched them for a long time, then took a few steps to catch up but stopped. Twenty minutes later, she was in a taxi heading to the airport. As boarding was announced, someone grabbed her hand—it was James.

— You… — she said, brushing away tears. — I saw you near my house. Why did you come, Catherine?

— To tell you everything. Johnny was left with us by mistake. His parents found him.

— Catherine… I’m sorry… I can’t come back… You see, I’ve fallen in love with someone else… Olivia’s wonderful, and we’re having a son soon… I’m sorry!

— I didn’t come to take you back, James. I just wanted you to know the truth. That’s all. Be happy!

They parted, never to see each other again. Each faced a new life. That very evening after her return, Catherine heard the doorbell. Michael stood at the door, holding Johnny.

— Mama! — the boy reached for her, and she scooped him up, kissing his rosy cheeks.

— Catherine, Johnny can’t live without you, — Michael said, then quietly added:

— And neither can I…

A month later, Catherine was preparing dinner for her two favorite men when she suddenly felt dizzy and weak. Michael caught her, but she broke free and rushed to the bathroom, covering her mouth.

Michael was alarmed, but Catherine, fresh and washed, came out, tears of joy streaming down her face: she was pregnant. The doubts that had plagued her for days now turned into certainty.

— Michael, I think we’re going to have another child, — she said.

— I love you so much, darling, — Michael embraced her. — I love you like crazy…

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