I was only sixteen when I brought her home, the girl who had long been visibly pregnant and a year older than me.
Amelia studied at the same technical college as me, only in a different year. For several days I watched as the unknown girl curled up in a corner and cried quietly. My attention was drawn to her rounding belly, the same clothes worn for two weeks, and the empty, hopeless look in her eyes.
As it turned out, almost everyone knew her story. The grandson of a well-known businessman in London had been seeing her, and then he simply disappeared, leaving on urgent business for Birmingham. His parents didn’t want to hear about her. They told her that straight out.
Her own family, as if living in the dark ages, fearing the shame, threw her out of the house and went to their cottage in the countryside. Some sympathized with Amelia, others mocked her behind her back.
She only has herself to blame. She should have used her head!
I couldn’t bear to watch any longer. I thought it over and approached her.
It won’t be easy, stop crying. I’m suggesting you move in with me; we can even get married. But I’m saying right away I can’t lie and I won’t pretend that everything is perfect. I’ll just be there for you and I promise that we’ll manage.
Amelia wiped her tears and looked at me. What could I say… Just an ordinary lad, without any polish. And she had dreamed of a completely different husband! Only in her situation there was no choice and Amelia went with me.
My parents were in shock, my mum begged me to come to my senses, but I was firm.
Mum, don’t dramatize, we’ll manage somehow. I have two scholarships, the regular one and the social one. I’ll work extra, we’ll be fine!
But you wanted to go to university!
So what? We live somehow. Dad works his whole life in a factory, you in a shop. People without degrees also live somehow. Mum, this is not the end of the world!
Amelia moved into my room. I gave her my bed, and I moved to the uncomfortable sofa bed. For several days she was very quiet. Like a shadow, she walked hand in hand with me to school and home, until she finally exploded.
I’ve had enough! Why do your parents look at me funny? They don’t like me! And why don’t you spend time with me? You sit in books or disappear somewhere?!
I was surprised.
Don’t you think that’s normal? They don’t like you, but they accepted you and don’t bother you. Look funny? Your own don’t even want to see you. And the parents of your child’s father? Where are they? I sit in books because I’m studying and I don’t want to get kicked out after the first year. And the scholarship will come in handy too. Disappear? Because I’m working extra and I don’t feel like watching weepy serials with you.
Amelia burst into tears.
Why do you say that?
How? I said I can’t lie. And by the way, when are we going to the registry office?
I can’t go like this, buy me a nice dress, with a high waist, so the belly isn’t visible.
What are you talking about? We’ll bring a certificate of pregnancy, what dress? I still need to save for a pram and a cot…
Mum reached for the valerian, but slowly reconciled with the situation and more and more often glanced at children’s clothes. After all, nothing terrible is happening… Let us live, let us get married, and they with dad will help as much as they can. Only this girl is somehow ungrateful, always dissatisfied with me, with them, with the cramped flat. Maybe when she gives birth, she will change.
But Amelia did not intend to change. When I returned dirty and tired from the car wash, bringing a skinny cat to the room, she flew into a rage.
You idiot! What do we need this scruffy cat for? Get rid of it! Throw it out of the flat!
But I only smiled.
No, she’s pregnant. She’s staying, so don’t even start. Better shut up and heat up my dinner.
Oh, really?! Amelia almost squeaked. Choose! Either her or me! That beast is also looking at me funny!
Why? I looked at her with disbelief. This is my home and I don’t have to choose. It’s my cat and if it bothers you, you can leave. Even mum hasn’t set such conditions for me. Maybe it’s time to stop looking at everyone from above?
Amelia was hysterical, cried, envied this skinny, neglected cat. Where had I even spotted a belly on her? But the belly appeared the cat really was pregnant.
I was tired, but whenever regret started to come over me, I drove away those thoughts. Somehow we’d manage. Amelia would give birth, calm down, and earlier the cat would entertain us. Fluffy kittens would put everyone in a better mood.
But everything turned out differently… Grandfather, the well-known entrepreneur in London, returned from a long business trip and learned about everything. He found his grandson, gave him an earful and announced that he would cut him off from the money if the great-grandchild was being raised in a strange family. And the lad was very afraid of losing such a safety net.
Amelia left with him that same day, without even saying goodbye to me. Luckily she had documents with her (she was going to the doctor after classes). She waved her hand at her things they would buy her new ones! And she wouldn’t return to that tacky technical college anymore!
I was devastated… How like that? She didn’t even say goodbye, didn’t call, didn’t say a word. I threw out all her things and sat alone in the dark for a long time, hugging my cat.
The cat understood everything. She quietly snuggled into me, feeling that she was needed. She sympathized, purred, comforted.
I took the delivery of her kittens myself, not allowing the upset mum and the confused dad near the cat. I sat with her, spoke to her gently, calmed her. I watched that everything was going well, and kept the phone ready to call the vet if needed.
Everything went well, the cat gave birth to four little ones. I changed the bedding, brought fresh water and food. Once again I made sure that everything was in order, and exhausted I closed my eyes, feeling how the smallest kitten snuggled into my hand, and I thought that sometimes animals show more gratitude than people.I was only sixteen when I brought her home, the girl who had long been visibly pregnant and a year older than me.
Amelia studied at the same technical college as me, only in a different year. For several days I watched as the unknown girl curled up in a corner and cried quietly. My attention was drawn to her rounding belly, the same clothes worn for two weeks, and the empty, hopeless look in her eyes.
As it turned out, almost everyone knew her story. The grandson of a well-known businessman in London had been seeing her, and then he simply disappeared, leaving on urgent business for Birmingham. His parents didn’t want to hear about her. They told her that straight out.
Her own family, as if living in the dark ages, fearing the shame, threw her out of the house and went to their cottage in the countryside. Some sympathized with Amelia, others mocked her behind her back.
She only has herself to blame. She should have used her head!
I couldn’t bear to watch any longer. I thought it over and approached her.
It won’t be easy, stop crying. I’m suggesting you move in with me; we can even get married. But I’m saying right away I can’t lie and I won’t pretend that everything is perfect. I’ll just be there for you and I promise that we’ll manage.
Amelia wiped her tears and looked at me. What could I say… Just an ordinary lad, without any polish. And she had dreamed of a completely different husband! Only in her situation there was no choice and Amelia went with me.
My parents were in shock, my mum begged me to come to my senses, but I was firm.
Mum, don’t dramatize, we’ll manage somehow. I have two scholarships, the regular one and the social one. I’ll work extra, we’ll be fine!
But you wanted to go to university!
So what? We live somehow. Dad works his whole life in a factory, you in a shop. People without degrees also live somehow. Mum, this is not the end of the world!
Amelia moved into my room. I gave her my bed, and I moved to the uncomfortable sofa bed. For several days she was very quiet. Like a shadow, she walked hand in hand with me to school and home, until she finally exploded.
I’ve had enough! Why do your parents look at me funny? They don’t like me! And why don’t you spend time with me? You sit in books or disappear somewhere?!
I was surprised.
Don’t you think that’s normal? They don’t like you, but they accepted you and don’t bother you. Look funny? Your own don’t even want to see you. And the parents of your child’s father? Where are they? I sit in books because I’m studying and I don’t want to get kicked out after the first year. And the scholarship will come in handy too. Disappear? Because I’m working extra and I don’t feel like watching weepy serials with you.
Amelia burst into tears.
Why do you say that?
How? I said I can’t lie. And by the way, when are we going to the registry office?
I can’t go like this, buy me a nice dress, with a high waist, so the belly isn’t visible.
What are you talking about? We’ll bring a certificate of pregnancy, what dress? I still need to save for a pram and a cot…
Mum reached for the valerian, but slowly reconciled with the situation and more and more often glanced at children’s clothes. After all, nothing terrible is happening… Let us live, let us get married, and they with dad will help as much as they can. Only this girl is somehow ungrateful, always dissatisfied with me, with them, with the cramped flat. Maybe when she gives birth, she will change.
But Amelia did not intend to change. When I returned dirty and tired from the car wash, bringing a skinny cat to the room, she flew into a rage.
You idiot! What do we need this scruffy cat for? Get rid of it! Throw it out of the flat!
But I only smiled.
No, she’s pregnant. She’s staying, so don’t even start. Better shut up and heat up my dinner.
Oh, really?! Amelia almost squeaked. Choose! Either her or me! That beast is also looking at me funny!
Why? I looked at her with disbelief. This is my home and I don’t have to choose. It’s my cat and if it bothers you, you can leave. Even mum hasn’t set such conditions for me. Maybe it’s time to stop looking at everyone from above?
Amelia was hysterical, cried, envied this skinny, neglected cat. Where had I even spotted a belly on her? But the belly appeared the cat really was pregnant.
I was tired, but whenever regret started to come over me, I drove away those thoughts. Somehow we’d manage. Amelia would give birth, calm down, and earlier the cat would entertain us. Fluffy kittens would put everyone in a better mood.
But everything turned out differently… Grandfather, the well-known entrepreneur in London, returned from a long business trip and learned about everything. He found his grandson, gave him an earful and announced that he would cut him off from the money if the great-grandchild was being raised in a strange family. And the lad was very afraid of losing such a safety net.
Amelia left with him that same day, without even saying goodbye to me. Luckily she had documents with her (she was going to the doctor after classes). She waved her hand at her things they would buy her new ones! And she wouldn’t return to that tacky technical college anymore!
I was devastated… How like that? She didn’t even say goodbye, didn’t call, didn’t say a word. I threw out all her things and sat alone in the dark for a long time, hugging my cat.
The cat understood everything. She quietly snuggled into me, feeling that she was needed. She sympathized, purred, comforted.
I took the delivery of her kittens myself, not allowing the upset mum and the confused dad near the cat. I sat with her, spoke to her gently, calmed her. I watched that everything was going well, and kept the phone ready to call the vet if needed.
Everything went well, the cat gave birth to four little ones. I changed the bedding, brought fresh water and food. Once again I made sure that everything was in order, and exhausted I closed my eyes, feeling how the smallest kitten snuggled into my hand, and I thought that sometimes animals show more gratitude than people.
