In the labyrinthine folds of a strange and surreal dream, Tom was only sixteen when he brought her home The girl, visibly pregnant for quite some time, older than him by a year.
Alice attended the same technical college as he, but in another year. Through days that looped endlessly, Tom watched the unknown girl curl into a corner as if swallowed by shadows and cry quietly, her sobs like distant bells. The rounding belly caught his eye, along with the same clothes worn for two weeks and her empty gaze, devoid of hope, peering into a horizon that dissolved and reformed.
As it happened, her story was known to almost everyone The grandson of a businessman renowned in Leeds had been seeing her, then simply vanished, departing in an urgent matter to Manchester. His parents refused to hear of her. They told her plainly.
Her own parents, as if dwelling in medieval times, fearing disgrace, threw her out of the house and left for their plot. Some pitied Alice, others mocked her from behind in voices that seemed to come from the walls.
She is to blame herself. She should have thought with her head!
Tom could no longer bear watching. He pondered and stepped up.
It will not be easy, stop sobbing. I propose you live at my place, we can even marry. But I tell you straight away I cannot lie and will not pretend that everything is perfect. I will just be beside you and promise that we will manage.
Alice wiped her tears and looked at the boy. What to say A regular boy, without any shine. And she had dreamed of an entirely different husband! But in her situation there was no choice and Alice went with him.
The parents were in shock, mum begging Tom to come to his senses, yet he remained firm.
Mum, do not make drama, we will get by somehow. I have two scholarships, the normal and the social. I will work on the side, we will manage!
But you wanted to go to university!
And what of it? We live somehow. Dad works all his life in the factory, you in the shop. People without studies also live somehow. Mum, this is not the end of the world!
Alice moved into Tom’s room. He surrendered his bed to her, and himself shifted to the uncomfortable fold-out sofa. For several days she stayed very quiet. Like a shadow that flickered and danced, she followed hand in hand with him to college and to home, until at last she burst out.
I have had enough! Why do your parents look at me crossly? They do not like me! And why do you not spend time with me? You sit in books or disappear somewhere?!
Tom was surprised.
Do you not think that is normal? They do not like you, but they accepted you and do not bother you. Look crossly? Your own do not even want to see you. And the parents of your child’s father? Where are they? I sit in books because I study and do not want to be thrown out after the first year. And the scholarship will be useful too. Disappear? Because I work extra and have no wish to watch weepy serials with you.
Alice started crying.
Why do you say it like that?
How? I said I cannot lie. And anyway, when are we going to the register office?
I cannot go this way, buy me a nice dress, with high waist so the belly is not visible.
What do you mean? We will bring a certificate about the pregnancy, what dress? I still need to collect for the pram and the cot
Mum reached for valerian, but slowly came to terms with the situation and more often glanced at children’s clothes. After all nothing terrible was happening Let them live, let them marry, and she with dad would help as much as possible. Only this girl was somehow ungrateful, always dissatisfied with Tom, with them, with the cramped flat. Maybe when she gives birth, she will change.
But Alice did not plan to change. When Tom returned dirty and tired from the car wash, bringing to the room a skinny cat, she went into a fury.
You idiot! What do we need this tattered cat for? Take her away! Throw her out of the flat!
But Tom only smiled.
No, she is pregnant. She stays, so do not even begin. Better shut up and heat my dinner.
Oh really?! Alice almost squeaked. Choose! Either her or me! That beast also looks at me crossly!
Why? Tom looked at her with disbelief. This is my home and I do not need to choose. It is my cat and if it disturbs you, you can leave. Even mum did not pose me such conditions. Maybe time to stop looking at everyone from above?
Alice was hysterical, cried, was jealous of that thin, neglected cat. Where did Tom see her belly? But the belly appeared the cat really was pregnant.
The boy was tired, but as soon as pity started to come over him, he chased those thoughts away. Somehow they would manage. Alice would give birth, calm down, and before that the cat would entertain them. Fluffy kittens would put everyone in a better mood.
But everything went differently The grandfather, a known entrepreneur in Leeds, returned from a long business trip and found out about everything. He found his grandson, scolded him and announced that he would cut him off from the cash if the great-grandchild was raised in a foreign family. And the boy was very afraid of losing such a pocket.
Alice left with him that same day, without even saying goodbye to Tom. Luckily she had the documents with her (she was heading to the doctor after classes). She waved off her things with her hand they would buy her new! And she would not return to that tacky technical college anymore!
Tom was devastated How so? She did not even say goodbye, did not call, did not say a word. He threw out all her things and sat long alone in the darkness, hugging his cat.
The cat understood everything. She quietly nestled against him, feeling she was needed. She sympathized, purred, comforted.
Tom himself took part in her birth, not letting the nervous mum and the confused dad near the cat. He sat by her, spoke to her gently, calmed her. He checked if everything was going well and kept the phone ready to call the vet in case.
Everything went well, the cat gave birth to four kittens. Tom replaced the bedding, brought fresh water and food. He once again made sure that everything was fine, and exhausted closed his eyes, feeling the smallest kitten nestle in his hand, and thought that sometimes animals show more gratitude than people.In the labyrinthine folds of a strange and surreal dream, Tom was only sixteen when he brought her home The girl, visibly pregnant for quite some time, older than him by a year.
Alice attended the same technical college as he, but in another year. Through days that looped endlessly, Tom watched the unknown girl curl into a corner as if swallowed by shadows and cry quietly, her sobs like distant bells. The rounding belly caught his eye, along with the same clothes worn for two weeks and her empty gaze, devoid of hope, peering into a horizon that dissolved and reformed.
As it happened, her story was known to almost everyone The grandson of a businessman renowned in Leeds had been seeing her, then simply vanished, departing in an urgent matter to Manchester. His parents refused to hear of her. They told her plainly.
Her own parents, as if dwelling in medieval times, fearing disgrace, threw her out of the house and left for their plot. Some pitied Alice, others mocked her from behind in voices that seemed to come from the walls.
She is to blame herself. She should have thought with her head!
Tom could no longer bear watching. He pondered and stepped up.
It will not be easy, stop sobbing. I propose you live at my place, we can even marry. But I tell you straight away I cannot lie and will not pretend that everything is perfect. I will just be beside you and promise that we will manage.
Alice wiped her tears and looked at the boy. What to say A regular boy, without any shine. And she had dreamed of an entirely different husband! But in her situation there was no choice and Alice went with him.
The parents were in shock, mum begging Tom to come to his senses, yet he remained firm.
Mum, do not make drama, we will get by somehow. I have two scholarships, the normal and the social. I will work on the side, we will manage!
But you wanted to go to university!
And what of it? We live somehow. Dad works all his life in the factory, you in the shop. People without studies also live somehow. Mum, this is not the end of the world!
Alice moved into Tom’s room. He surrendered his bed to her, and himself shifted to the uncomfortable fold-out sofa. For several days she stayed very quiet. Like a shadow that flickered and danced, she followed hand in hand with him to college and to home, until at last she burst out.
I have had enough! Why do your parents look at me crossly? They do not like me! And why do you not spend time with me? You sit in books or disappear somewhere?!
Tom was surprised.
Do you not think that is normal? They do not like you, but they accepted you and do not bother you. Look crossly? Your own do not even want to see you. And the parents of your child’s father? Where are they? I sit in books because I study and do not want to be thrown out after the first year. And the scholarship will be useful too. Disappear? Because I work extra and have no wish to watch weepy serials with you.
Alice started crying.
Why do you say it like that?
How? I said I cannot lie. And anyway, when are we going to the register office?
I cannot go this way, buy me a nice dress, with high waist so the belly is not visible.
What do you mean? We will bring a certificate about the pregnancy, what dress? I still need to collect for the pram and the cot
Mum reached for valerian, but slowly came to terms with the situation and more often glanced at children’s clothes. After all nothing terrible was happening Let them live, let them marry, and she with dad would help as much as possible. Only this girl was somehow ungrateful, always dissatisfied with Tom, with them, with the cramped flat. Maybe when she gives birth, she will change.
But Alice did not plan to change. When Tom returned dirty and tired from the car wash, bringing to the room a skinny cat, she went into a fury.
You idiot! What do we need this tattered cat for? Take her away! Throw her out of the flat!
But Tom only smiled.
No, she is pregnant. She stays, so do not even begin. Better shut up and heat my dinner.
Oh really?! Alice almost squeaked. Choose! Either her or me! That beast also looks at me crossly!
Why? Tom looked at her with disbelief. This is my home and I do not need to choose. It is my cat and if it disturbs you, you can leave. Even mum did not pose me such conditions. Maybe time to stop looking at everyone from above?
Alice was hysterical, cried, was jealous of that thin, neglected cat. Where did Tom see her belly? But the belly appeared the cat really was pregnant.
The boy was tired, but as soon as pity started to come over him, he chased those thoughts away. Somehow they would manage. Alice would give birth, calm down, and before that the cat would entertain them. Fluffy kittens would put everyone in a better mood.
But everything went differently The grandfather, a known entrepreneur in Leeds, returned from a long business trip and found out about everything. He found his grandson, scolded him and announced that he would cut him off from the cash if the great-grandchild was raised in a foreign family. And the boy was very afraid of losing such a pocket.
Alice left with him that same day, without even saying goodbye to Tom. Luckily she had the documents with her (she was heading to the doctor after classes). She waved off her things with her hand they would buy her new! And she would not return to that tacky technical college anymore!
Tom was devastated How so? She did not even say goodbye, did not call, did not say a word. He threw out all her things and sat long alone in the darkness, hugging his cat.
The cat understood everything. She quietly nestled against him, feeling she was needed. She sympathized, purred, comforted.
Tom himself took part in her birth, not letting the nervous mum and the confused dad near the cat. He sat by her, spoke to her gently, calmed her. He checked if everything was going well and kept the phone ready to call the vet in case.
Everything went well, the cat gave birth to four kittens. Tom replaced the bedding, brought fresh water and food. He once again made sure that everything was fine, and exhausted closed his eyes, feeling the smallest kitten nestle in his hand, and thought that sometimes animals show more gratitude than people.
