The morning began for Emily with a new addition to her group. Through the open door, following the headmistress, came an unfamiliar man holding a little girl by the hand.
— Good morning, Emily Jane! Meet your new student, Lily. And this is her father, James Robert!
The refined-looking man seemed nervous and only nodded.
— Good morning, pleased to meet you! Come along, Lily, I’ll show you where your locker is for your things, — the teacher said, putting an arm around the girl’s shoulders and heading to the changing room.
— Don’t worry, James Robert! Emily Jane is one of our best teachers. The kids absolutely adore her! Everything will be fine. You’ll see, Lily will adjust to the new routine quickly. The headmistress invited the father to her office to complete the necessary paperwork.
Lily’s first day at kindergarten went smoothly. The girl was modest and curious but a bit shy around unfamiliar children, preferring to stay close to the teacher.
That evening, when her father came to pick her up, Emily shared her observations. James explained that he was raising his daughter alone and that she lacked a mother’s attention, which was why she gravitated toward women.
Just two weeks later, Lily had settled into kindergarten life. She followed the rules and actively engaged with the other children. One evening, all the other parents had picked up their kids, leaving only Lily behind. Emily was about to call her father when he appeared at the door. Apologizing, he explained he’d been held up at work.
The young man, unsure how to make amends, invited Emily for a Sunday barbecue in the countryside. Hearing her father’s suggestion, Lily clapped her hands in excitement. She loved the idea of spending the weekend with Emily, whom she had already grown fond of.
Emily hesitated but agreed, seeing how thrilled the girl was about her father’s plan.
Early Sunday morning, a car was waiting outside Emily’s apartment building on Maple Street. The cheerful family picked her up, and they set off for an unforgettable trip. They chose a picnic spot in the woods by a small lake. James, like a true gentleman, took charge of grilling the meat, while Emily handled setting up the makeshift table. Lily darted around the clearing, running between her father and Emily, more in the way than helpful.
After that outing, Emily and James grew close. They started dating, and eventually, he proposed. Emily didn’t hesitate long before accepting. There was no wedding ceremony—just a simple registration, and Emily moved into James’s apartment on Oak Avenue.
The couple was happy. And Lily was overjoyed! Their first year together was filled with blissful euphoria, living in perfect harmony. Emily continued working at the kindergarten. James drove a taxi, was a devoted family man, didn’t drink, and brought home his earnings.
Everything was fine in their family until Lily started first grade. Emily tried to nurture her stepdaughter, helping her with schoolwork. James, however, disapproved of this approach, believing it was important to foster independence in Lily. “That’s what teachers are for. They’re paid to explain homework,” he would say.
School was tough for Lily, and her father’s scolding at the slightest mistake didn’t help. The girl began to withdraw, becoming less open and reluctant to share her problems. Emily did everything she could to support her.
— Honey, she grew up without a mother; it’s hard for her. You can’t be so harsh. She’s already dealing with childhood trauma.
— Stay out of it. I know what’s best—I’m her father. Have your own kids, then you can lecture me!
His words stung Emily. She dreamed of having a child, but James was firmly against it, saying Lily was enough.
The next conflict wasn’t long in coming. Lily got a failing grade in algebra. That evening, James demanded to see her report card and, upon seeing the grade, yelled at her loudly. The frightened girl clung to her stepmother. James roughly pulled Lily away from Emily, and that was more than Emily could bear. The argument escalated into a heated fight.
For three days, Emily and James didn’t speak. Then he apologized, and peace was restored in the family.
Sadly, the truce didn’t last. A couple of months later, James came home from work noticeably drunk. It was a side of him they’d never seen before. His behavior was repulsive—he hurled insults at Emily, nitpicking everything. She was a bad housekeeper, cooked poorly, and was utterly incapable of raising children, he claimed.
Lily became his next target as he decided to “properly” discipline her. Emily rushed to protect the girl, and the night ended in tears for both Lily and her stepmother.
Such outbursts from James became regular. Emily was exhausted by his drinking and could no longer endure it. One day, she made up her mind, came home from work, and started packing her things. Just then, Lily returned from school.
— Emily, are you leaving? — Lily always called her by her first name.
— Lily, I love you so much, and we’ll keep in touch. You can visit me anytime. But I can’t tolerate being treated this way anymore. Things just didn’t work out between your dad and me. Our personalities don’t match.
To Emily’s surprise, Lily burst into tears and fell to her knees, clinging to Emily’s legs.
— Mommy, don’t leave me! Don’t go! I love you so, so much. Don’t abandon me again. I’ll be good, just don’t leave, — the girl sobbed.
Emily’s heart broke at her words. She hugged the crying girl tightly.
— I’m sorry, my darling! How could I ever leave you? I could never abandon you! — They both wept uncontrollably. — If I leave, it’ll only be with you.
From that moment, they became inseparable, feeling like one unit. James’s drunken criticisms no longer scared them; together, they were fearless.
Five years passed. During that time, Emily legally adopted Lily, becoming her true mother. James spiraled downward, drinking heavily, staying out all night, and having affairs. Emily knew but kept her promise to Lily.
On Lily’s twelfth birthday, they started the day at the courthouse. Emily had decided to file for divorce and seek custody of Lily.
She hired a good lawyer, and on the appointed day, they arrived for the hearing.
James was already at the courthouse. Seeing his wife and daughter, he caused a scene, shouting and cursing. He yelled at Emily that she was nobody and that he’d forbid her from seeing Lily. The girl sobbed, clinging to her mother.
The scene in the hallway influenced the court’s decision. Even the judge’s secretary, who stepped out at the commotion, couldn’t calm James down. The court granted the divorce and awarded custody of Lily to Emily, taking the minor’s wishes into account.
After the hearing, Emily and Lily hugged and cried. Outside, a shaken James approached them.
— I’m sorry, Lily. I’ve let you down. Life turned out this way—your mom passed away too soon, and something’s wrong with me. I couldn’t make it work with Emily. But don’t forget me. Come visit; I’m still your dad.
Emily and Lily watched the man walk away, looking as though he’d aged a decade before their eyes.
— Mom, can we go to our café?
James had always scolded them for going to cafés, calling it a reckless waste of money.
— Let’s do it! From now on, sweetheart, we’ll live the way our hearts desire. And most importantly—no more drunken yelling or fights.
Mother and daughter hugged again. A new, happy life was opening up before them!
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