Emma and James were a joyful married couple. They lived like most couples bound by marriage.
James met Emma at university. She was working part-time as a teaching assistant in the department, and James had a class in that subject. When Emma walked in wearing a pristine white lab coat, he was speechless and fell in love at first sight. After class, he tracked her down and invited her to a café.
They got to know each other over a cup of coffee, and James boldly asked Emma to go out with him. But she had to decline—she was already dating someone from her faculty. James was heartbroken. He was so smitten with Emma that he looked for girls who resembled her, but none compared. Emma was one of a kind.
Some time later, after James had started his career, he decided to revisit the café where he’d first asked Emma out. Every table was taken except for one seat next to a girl with curly hair.
— Excuse me, is this seat taken? May I sit here?
— Sure, go ahead. I’m leaving soon.
A jolt ran through James. He recognized that voice. Those curly locks finally belonged to the girl he’d been searching for.
— Emma?
— Do we know each other?
— It’s James! Remember me? You were a teaching assistant at the department.
— James? What a surprise! It’s been ages.
The old acquaintances reminisced about the past. Emma shared that she’d broken up with her boyfriend right after graduation. He’d become unbearable, and she admitted that, in hindsight, she wished she’d accepted James’s offer. She was now working as a lab assistant in the chemistry department, helping professors with experiments. James told her about his job as a paramedic, racing around the city to save lives.
As they talked, old feelings reignited in James. When Emma was about to leave, he stopped her and asked her out again. This time, she said yes. They started dating—going on walks, holding hands, watching movies in the back row of the theater.
Three months later, James knew he wanted to make Emma his wife. During one of their dates, he proposed. Emma was stunned but had grown to love him deeply. She said a firm, confident “Yes!” And so, they became husband and wife.
But one day, a serious conversation awaited James. He came home late from work to find a suitcase in the hallway.
— What’s this? — he asked. — Packed for a vacation already?
— No, James. I’m leaving.
— What?
— I’ve been cheating on you for two months, and you didn’t even suspect a thing. I’m leaving for another man who’ll give me his time and attention.
— You know I’m doing my best. This job…
— That’s the problem. You’re always on your calls, working nonstop. Yet somehow, we’re still broke.
— So you cheated because of that?
— Yes. And soon, I’ll file for divorce. Goodbye.
Emma had been seeing a chemistry professor. It started with playful flirting, but one day, she broke down and told him about her husband—how much he worked and how little he earned.
— Emma, dear, he doesn’t deserve you, — Professor Charles said. — You’re so young, with your whole life ahead. Don’t waste it on him.
Charles then suggested they be together. For two months, they met in secret. But when Emma realized James was oblivious to her affair, she snapped and decided to leave him for Charles.
Emma put on her jacket, grabbed her suitcase, and slammed the door, leaving James in shock. He wasn’t a drinker, so the next day, he took a few days off work and went to his parents’ village.
That evening, James strolled through the village, memories of his childhood flooding back—playing soccer with the boys, fetching water from the well, planting potatoes in Grandma Rose’s garden. That was his youth. Now, he was grown, working as a paramedic, saving lives.
James was about to head back when he caught a glimpse of a figure that reminded him of his first love. Wait—was that her? Of course, he’d never forget his first love.
Sophie was slender, with striking blue eyes, though she’d dyed her hair. James remembered her as a blonde, but now she had long chestnut locks.
— Sophie! — he called out.
She turned, looking surprised. Thinking she didn’t recognize him, he jogged over.
— I’m James Polson. We went to school together until seventh grade. Then you moved to the city.
— Really? I’m sorry, I don’t remember you.
— What if I told you I’m the boy who picked flowers from your garden for you?
Sophie paused, sifting through old memories.
— James! Oh, I remember now! Weren’t you doing medical training here once? — He nodded. — I heard about it from the local grandmas. Still a paramedic?
— Yep. How about you? Let me walk you home. We can catch up. It’s been forever.
Sophie explained that her family had moved to the city for her father’s job. She now had a younger sister. But tragedy struck during her second year of college—her parents died in a car accident. Sophie became her sister’s guardian to keep her out of foster care. She dropped out of college and returned to the village, as they could no longer afford their city apartment. Now, she worked as a waitress in the city, with neighbors helping care for her sister.
— Want to come in for tea?
James gladly accepted. Over tea, they reminisced about school, old classmates, and their youth. Unable to hold back, James poured out his heart about his wife and the divorce. As they said goodbye, he impulsively kissed Sophie. She pushed him away at first, but something pulled them together. James spent the night with her.
— You know, you were my first love, — he said.
— Really?
— Yeah. The moment I saw you, I was hooked. By the way, where’s your sister?
— She’s at the Thompsons’ today. Their granddaughter, Lily, is visiting, so they’re playing together. There aren’t many kids left in the village—just grandkids visiting. Polly loves playing with them.
James suggested Sophie move in with him. He was getting divorced anyway, and the apartment was entirely his. Sophie was thrilled—it’d be closer to her job. She decided to move her things first before telling her sister.
James and Sophie returned to his apartment, only to find a surprise. Emma stepped into the hallway. As it turned out, Charles had no interest in a serious relationship. He was married, and Emma was just a fling. When she called him, excited about their future, he told her to go back to her husband, as their affair was over.
— Jimmy, you’re finally home…
— Emma?
— And who’s this? So this is how you spend your weekends while I’m working for our family?
— What are you talking about? You were filing for divorce.
— Bringing your new girlfriend here! Get out!
— Don’t listen to her, Sophie.
— James, you lied to me? You’re still with her?
— Of course he’s with me, sweetheart. I’m his lawful wife!
Tears streaming down her face, Sophie fled the apartment. James couldn’t follow—Emma quickly locked the door.
— What are you doing?
— Jimmy! — Emma fell to her knees. — Forgive me! I don’t know what came over me. Let’s start over, clean slate.
— We’re done. I’m divorcing you.
James pushed Emma aside and ran downstairs, but Sophie was gone. He called her, but she never answered.
A year passed. James finalized his divorce with Emma, who moved to live with her mother after Charles abandoned her. James tried countless times to reach Sophie, but she’d vanished. Then, one day, his team was called to assist an elderly woman with high blood pressure.
They arrived in time, and the woman was fine. As James’s team prepared to leave, he heard a child crying.
— Guys, hold on. There’s a kid crying.
He approached a little girl.
— What happened?
— I fell off the swings. My arm hurts.
James examined her.
— Where are your parents?
— I don’t have parents. My big sister takes care of me.
— Where’s your—
Then he heard a familiar voice:
— Polly! What’s wrong? You…
Sophie dropped her grocery bags when she saw James. He calmly explained what happened. Polly admitted she’d run off to the swings while Sophie was in the store.
— She might have a fracture. I’ll take her to the ER. I know people there—they can see her right away.
— Okay. Just give me the hospital address. I’ll grab her documents.
James took Polly to the ER, called a friend, and got her treated promptly. They put a cast on her arm and gave instructions. Sophie arrived as everything was settled.
— Thank you, James, for helping. We’re leaving now.
— Sophie, wait. We need to talk. What happened was a misunderstanding. Emma left me—her lover dumped her, so she crawled back. But I only love you.
— James, it’s been a year, and…
— I’m divorced. There’s nothing between us anymore. Please, forgive me.
No forgiveness was needed. Sophie threw her arms around him, tears in her eyes, holding him as tightly as she could. She’d fallen for him too and had missed him terribly.
Another year passed. James and Sophie got married. They welcomed a beautiful son, whom they named Michael. Sophie completed a culinary course and started selling desserts.
No one heard from Emma again. Perhaps she changed and found her own happiness. But what we know for sure is that the Polson family is the happiest family of all.
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