— Mommy, why are you crying again? Don’t cry, Daddy will wake up and be kind, — little Emma tugged at Lily’s robe hem.
Lily wiped her eyes with her palm, smiled at her daughter, and, trying to infuse her voice with as much optimism as possible, said:
— I’m not crying, just got something in my eye, sweetheart. Go to bed, your brother’s already asleep.
Emma hugged her mom’s leg and said:
— Just don’t cry, then I’ll behave well and not be naughty at daycare.
Lily smiled and stroked the little girl’s head. Yes, this marriage had brought her nothing good. Nothing, except her wonderful children, four-year-old Emma and six-year-old Charlie. It was almost strange that a father like James could have such magnificent children. Smart, advanced beyond their years, quick-witted…
The marriage had promised to be happy. Lily met James in her final year at university, where she was studying literature. James was already a graduate student in geology. Oh, how handsome he was, how he played the guitar, how he professed his love to her, Lily… Of course, the young woman’s heart melted. She fell in love with him almost immediately after they met. And within six months, they had a modest wedding.
At first, things went well. James earned good money, working on rotation shifts. It was hard for Lily not to see her beloved for three months at a time, but she accepted it. After all, it was an investment in their future. Soon, the young couple bought a modest apartment. True, it was registered in James’s mother’s name, as he said it would be simpler that way. Lily was already pregnant with Charlie, suffering from severe morning sickness, and had no energy for dealing with paperwork.
Then Emma was born. Two wonderful children, their own apartment, small but so cozy…
It seemed like the long-awaited happiness was within reach. But there was no happiness.
Instead, trouble came to their home. James started drinking. He began during his long work trips. Harsh conditions, no way to unwind — and vodka became the only way to relieve stress.
At first, James drank only during his side gigs. Then he started drinking at home. A little at first, then came binges that lasted weeks.
He refused treatment, insisting he wasn’t addicted and could stop anytime. Soon, James was fired from the university where he taught. Who needs a professor who might skip classes because he’s drinking? Or, worse, shows up to lectures drunk in the morning?
His work trips stopped too. Lily worked as a schoolteacher, her salary barely enough to make ends meet. If James found odd jobs, he drank away all the money. Lily’s parents had passed away long ago, leaving their apartment to her brother. Her brother didn’t help; he had his own family. James’s mother only gave money directly to her son, saying Lily didn’t deserve handouts. Apparently, it was because of Lily that her precious son had started drinking.
Even now, loud snoring came from the next room. Today, Lily had worked her hours at school, tutored two students at their homes (she moonlighted as a tutor), and picked up the kids from daycare. Returning home, she found her husband sitting in the kitchen, drinking with his new “friend,” who looked like a seasoned drifter.
Lily sent the kids to their room and, trying not to start a fight, asked the “friend” to leave. James resisted at first but eventually gave in, explaining to his drinking buddy that there was no reasoning with this “crazy woman.” The “friend” left, and James passed out.
Looking in the fridge, Lily nearly burst into tears. Her husband and his buddy had managed to eat everything she’d cooked for two days: soup, mashed potatoes, and cutlets. There were no groceries left. Not even milk to make porridge for the kids in the morning. Go to the supermarket at night, leaving the kids alone? Not an option.
She’d have to go to Mrs. Margaret again and ask for groceries on credit… Lily threw a shawl over her pajamas and quietly stepped into the hallway. Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror, she was horrified. A messy bun, gray skin, dull eyes, sagging face, wrinkles… And she wasn’t even 30 yet… But what did it matter how she looked?
Lily stepped onto the landing and rang her neighbor’s doorbell. A moment later, a neat, pleasant-looking elderly woman of about 75 opened the door.
— Mrs. Margaret, — Lily sighed heavily. — I’m so embarrassed. Could I possibly borrow some cereal and milk? I get paid the day after tomorrow, I’ll return the money and buy back what I took…
— Oh, dear… Is it him again? — Mrs. Margaret didn’t finish. Her thin hands clenched into fists. — Kick him out already, how much more can you take? It’s ruining your life and the kids’! Or take the kids and leave!
— Where would I go? I have no place to live, and I can’t afford rent. He has nowhere to go either. And he won’t leave. The apartment’s technically in his mother’s name…
— Yes, I remember how they fooled you, silly girl. Come in, I’ll figure out what to give you.
Lily stepped into the small, tidy kitchen. Mrs. Margaret began rummaging through her shelves for cereal.
Suddenly, she froze and turned, staring intently at Lily:
— You know, there’s a solution to your problem, dear.
— What solution? — Lily asked gloomily. — Sell a kidney? Become a surrogate mother?
— Why so extreme? My sister lives in a village. I told you about her once. You could buy a little house there. Small, sure, but enough for you and the kids. You’d have a plot of land, find work. There’s a school, a daycare too. In the next village, but the chairman arranged a bus for the kids, good man.
— How would I afford it? I have no money…
— Let me find out how much the house costs, then you can think about what to do. Sound good?
Lily nodded. For some reason, she pictured herself cooking lunch in a cozy village kitchen. Cooking with ingredients she grew in her own garden. And there she was, walking through the forest with Emma and Charlie. The kids carried baskets of mushrooms. Birds sang, sunlight filtered through the tree canopy, and the air smelled sweetly of fallen leaves…
Lily shook off the thoughts.
Daydreaming. A little house, forest walks… At home, a drunken husband, and she couldn’t even afford new boots.
Taking the groceries from Mrs. Margaret, Lily returned home.
A couple of days later, the neighbor came to visit.
— I found out everything. The price is quite reasonable, — Mrs. Margaret named the cost of the house. Lily raised an eyebrow in surprise. It was indeed very affordable. She could take out a loan, plus use her family benefits…
— I’m visiting my sister next week. We could go together. You can see the house and decide. Bring the kids, my sister Sarah loves children but rarely sees her grandkids.
The following Saturday, Lily, Mrs. Margaret, Emma, and Charlie visited Sarah. The kids were thrilled with the chickens, ducks, and the cow in the barn. They convinced their mom to let them stay with Sarah, who looked remarkably like her sister, while Lily inspected the potential property.
Lily loved the house immediately. Seeing it, she felt a sharp certainty: yes, this is my home, I want to stay here and raise my kids. The house stood on the village outskirts, near the forest’s edge. It was neglected and run-down, but everything could be fixed with a little effort.
Two months later, after sorting out the paperwork, Lily moved into her new home with the kids. She hired workers to fix the electricity, plumbing, and set up a well. Only cosmetic repairs remained, which Lily planned to do gradually.
The kids were overjoyed with the move. However, Lily hadn’t dared to tell them she planned to divorce their father. She only said they’d live separately for now. The kids accepted this explanation without asking further questions.
Lily settled into her new life, getting to know her neighbors. She worked as an online tutor, with no shortage of students. Everything was falling into place, even better than she’d hoped.
A week after the move, there was a knock at Lily’s door one morning. A man of about 35 stood on the porch, dressed in a formal business suit. The suit surprised Lily; almost no one in the village dressed like that.
— I’m the village chairman, my name’s Thomas.
— Nice to meet you, I’m Lily. Come in, I’ll make you some coffee, — Lily gestured for Thomas to enter her kitchen.
While she brewed coffee, the chairman mentioned he’d heard about her profession. He explained that the village had a school, but only one teacher, an elderly woman eager to retire. Classes were held only for younger grades, and older kids had to travel to a neighboring village for school.
— Would you consider teaching? We can’t pay much, and the school’s in rough shape… But it’d save the kids a 50-mile trip each way…
Lily smiled:
— I’d love to. It’ll be tricky to organize classes with kids of different ages, though.
— We’ll figure something out! Just say yes, — the chairman shook Lily’s hand.
— Let’s meet in a couple of days to discuss everything. You’ve set up this place so nicely, — the man suddenly blushed, which didn’t escape Lily’s notice. — If you need help, you know, man’s work. Fixing something, building… Feel free to ask me directly. I’ll take care of it.
A few days later, Lily inspected the village school. It indeed needed repairs, but the essentials were there — a building and teaching materials. She could hold classes a couple of times a week or offer extra lessons for kids aiming for university.
Lily began teaching. She liked the students: curious, lively, not as spoiled as city kids. They soaked up knowledge and asked fascinating questions, which she enjoyed researching. Lily felt respected here. In the city, parents often treated teachers like servants. Here, she was seen as someone who could give their children a better future.
While Lily worked, Sarah watched Emma and Charlie. James called a couple of times, asking about her life. When she mentioned divorce, he hung up. Soon, his mother called, screaming about men Lily was supposedly spending her days and nights with, claiming Lily had used James and abandoned the “poor boy.” Lily hung up and blocked her mother-in-law’s number.
One evening, Lily sat on the porch, sipping tea and reading a book. The kids were playing in the basement, where Thomas had installed good lighting. Suddenly, an excited Charlie appeared, holding a small box:
— Mom, what’s this?
— Show me, sweetie, — Lily asked.
Charlie placed a wooden box, adorned with intricate carvings, on his mother’s lap. Emma joined them on the porch and said:
— We tried and tried, but it wouldn’t open. Let’s open it, Mom!
Lily turned the box in her hands. It was locked with a tricky mechanism she couldn’t figure out.
— I don’t know, kids, maybe we’ll try tomorrow?
Charlie made a grumpy face:
— Mom, it’s always tomorrow with you. What if there’s treasure? Or a map?
— You and your imagination, — Lily smiled. — Alright, let’s go to Thomas, he’ll have the tools we need.
Lily stood, took the kids’ hands, and headed to the chairman’s house. Charlie proudly carried the box.
Thomas managed to open it. He brought some intricate tools, and within three minutes, the mechanism gave way. When the box opened, everyone except Emma was speechless. It was filled with gold coins.
— Wow, money! But they’re not real, — Emma said, disappointed. — Real ones aren’t like this. Mom, can I play with them?
— Sweetie, you can’t play with them, they’re very valuable, — Lily swallowed nervously. — Thomas, what do I do? Do I have to turn them in? Is it a treasure?
— You don’t have to do anything, — the chairman firmly closed the box and handed it to Lily. — They’re yours. They were in your house. You’re not obligated to give them up by law.
Lily later learned her house once belonged to a bankrupt noblewoman. Before the revolution, her husband lost their fortune gambling, and they moved to the house on the village outskirts, where they lived out their days. The treasure was likely theirs.
Apparently, the nobleman hadn’t lost everything; some wealth was saved. The gold sat in the basement until Lily’s children found it.
The treasure was worth a fortune. Lily had never had such money. She renovated her house, bought a car, opened bank accounts for Emma and Charlie to access later, and still had funds left. She offered Thomas to repair the school. At first, he refused, insisting the money was hers and her children’s. But eventually, he agreed.
— Think about it, this gold sat in the village, in this house, for years, meant to benefit the community, — Lily argued. And Thomas agreed.
The school was renovated. Lily built a gym, basketball and soccer courts for the kids. With the remaining money, she opened a small store. The village had one, but it only sold bread and toilet paper. Residents had to travel to the next village for other goods. Thanks to Lily, that problem was solved.
Over the months, Lily worked closely with Thomas on various projects. She began to feel warmth toward him, which scared her since she was still technically married. But she decided to file for divorce, submitting the papers unilaterally. The court granted it; James didn’t show up.
Soon, it became clear Thomas felt the same. One morning, he arrived at her house with a bouquet of daisies and asked if she’d be his wife.
— Of course, now that I’m a rich woman, you’re ready to propose, — Lily teased.
Thomas’s face darkened:
— You don’t get it. I liked you the moment you arrived. I even showed up in that ridiculous suit to make an impression.
— You made one, — Lily laughed. — Quite an impression.
She hugged Thomas and whispered:
— Finally! I thought you’d never say those words, — the happy woman smiled. — I say yes.
Not long ago, Lily couldn’t imagine her life changing, that she’d completely transform her fate. Now, she was finally the happiest woman in the world.
She was so grateful to her neighbor, Mrs. Margaret, for shaking her awake, bringing her back to life, and pointing the way to happiness.
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