Emily

I was heading home from yet another failed date, and to make matters worse, I was stuck on the bus because my date had picked me up from home, and, of course, my phone decided to die right when I needed it most.

No way to call a cab or escape. I sat there, fuming, muttering every insult I could think of under my breath. Honestly, at this point, I was starting to accept the bitter truth—I might never find my significant other.

I was 34, and love had always felt like something that happened to other people, not me.

As I stared out the window, thinking about how tomorrow I’d just adopt a dog from the shelter and forget about dating altogether, a drunk man stumbled onto the bus.

My heart sank as I saw him wobbling toward me. Not today, please. I quickly moved to another seat, still cursing this miserable day.

I found myself sitting behind two women, one with bright red hair and the other wearing a weird grandma hat.

They were about my age, and though I tried not to, I couldn’t help but eavesdrop on their conversation. It’s what you do when your day has gone so wrong, and you’re stuck on a bus with nothing else to do.

“I’m so tired of her,” Redhead complained. Her voice was sharp, like she was talking about something that really annoyed her. “Why does his daughter have to live with us? She ruins everything.”

Weird-Grandma-Hat, sounding more curious than concerned, asked, “Why not just send her to her mother?”

Redhead sighed, as if even talking about it was exhausting. “Her mom’s in the hospital. I think in a coma.”

Weird-Grandma-Hat frowned a bit, thinking it over. “How old is the girl again?”

“She’s nine,” Redhead answered, sounding frustrated. “You get why this is a problem, right? Jim is MY boyfriend. I want to enjoy time with MY boyfriend, not with his daughter hanging around all the time. That kid ruins everything.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. How could she talk like that? I wasn’t the biggest fan of kids, but if you’re dating a man with a child, the child comes with the package. That’s just how it is.

Weird-Grandma-Hat nodded, like she agreed. “Yes, it’s a long wait until she’s grown up.”

Redhead leaned in a bit, lowering her voice. “But I have a plan to get rid of her. I’ll make Jim think she stole from him. Then he’ll have no choice but to send her away.”

Weird-Grandma-Hat seemed surprised. “And where will she live? If her mom’s in the hospital?”

Redhead shrugged. “I don’t care, even if she has to live under a bridge. It’s not my problem. The main thing is that Jim stays with me.”

I was furious, my hands clenched into fists as I sat there, trying to calm myself down. I wasn’t usually the kind of person who got involved in other people’s business, and I wasn’t some big protector of kids, either. But this? This was different.

If that poor girl had been with them, I swear I would have taken her away right then and there. I’d had a terrible day, and all I wanted was a little bit of justice. So when Redhead got off the bus, I couldn’t help myself—I followed her.

She walked briskly to a small but pleasant house, the kind with a neat little garden and a fresh coat of paint. A man, fairly attractive, opened the door. He smiled at her, and she kissed him passionately, like she didn’t have a care in the world.

They went inside together, leaving me standing there, hesitant. Was it normal to interfere like this? Probably not. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that the child deserved better. Someone had to do something, and that someone was me.

Jim

Carla came home from work with a big smile on her face, which caught me off guard. It wasn’t like her to be so cheerful, especially with Michelle around. But today, she even suggested making Michelle’s favorite dinner—something she rarely did.

I couldn’t help but feel a little hopeful, though I knew deep down that Carla wasn’t happy about Michelle living with us. But Michelle was my daughter, and I loved her. Taking care of her was my responsibility, no matter what.

Suddenly, a knock at the door interrupted my thoughts, unexpected and a bit unsettling.

“Are you expecting anyone?” I asked Carla, noticing how relaxed she seemed.

“No, probably just the neighbor’s kids playing,” she replied, barely glancing up.

I wasn’t convinced. The knock didn’t sound like kids messing around. I decided to check anyway.

When I opened the door, there stood a woman, maybe around my age, nervously shifting from foot to foot. She was rather attractive, but what struck me more was how uneasy she seemed. For some reason, I found that a bit endearing.

“How can I help you?” I asked, trying to make sense of why she was at my door.

“Are you Jim?” she asked, looking directly at me.

“Yes,” I replied, puzzled. “And you are…?”

“Emily,” she said quickly, “but that’s not important right now. Listen, I know this is going to sound crazy, but I was on the bus and overheard a conversation between your redheaded girlfriend and Weird-Grandma-Hat. I think she wants to kick your daughter out of the house.”

My first thought was that she sounded crazy. Carla would never do such a thing. But then I remembered the hat—Carla’s coworker always wore it. “Look, I don’t know what kind of joke this is, but my girlfriend isn’t like that. She’s trying to accept Michelle.”

“I’m not joking,” Emily insisted. “I don’t want your daughter to end up in trouble. Your girlfriend plans to make it look like your daughter stole from you so you’ll kick her out.”

My patience was thinning. “I would never kick my daughter out. Good evening,” I said, starting to close the door.

“Just trust me!” Emily shouted, her voice desperate.

As strange as it sounded, that evening played out exactly as Emily had warned. I couldn’t believe it. I walked into the living room, and there it was—our safe, wide open, with nothing inside.

All my savings were gone. My heart sank. I turned to Carla, hoping for some explanation, but she only suggested I check Michelle’s room. The way she said it, so casually, made my stomach churn.

I didn’t want to believe it, but I went to Michelle’s room anyway, feeling uneasy. When I found the money and jewelry hidden in her dollhouse, my mind went blank.

Carla stood there, her arms crossed, lecturing me about how Michelle couldn’t live with us anymore. She insisted we needed to send her away before something worse happened. Her words felt rehearsed, almost too perfect.

I told her I needed to think and stepped outside, feeling the cool air hit my face. My head was spinning. As I stood there, I noticed a business card stuck to the mailbox. Emily’s card. Without hesitating, I pulled out my phone and dialed her number, my hands shaking slightly.

“Emily?” I asked when she answered.

“Yes,” she replied, her voice calm.

“I think you were right. Can we meet?”

She gave me her address, and without another thought, I headed there immediately.

Emily

This is so strange. God, how strange. A complete stranger is coming to my house. What was I thinking, giving him my address? Why didn’t I just suggest meeting at a café, like any normal person would?

What if he’s as crazy as his girlfriend? What if this is a huge mistake? Oh God, I should’ve written a will. My mind raced with all the worst possibilities.

Then, suddenly, the doorbell rang, startling me. For a brief moment, I considered pretending I wasn’t home, just staying silent until he left.

But my curiosity—and maybe a little bit of courage—got the better of me. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

“Hey,” I said, stepping aside to let Jim in. My heart was pounding. Well, today might be the day I die, I thought.

“Carla, my girlfriend, the redhead,” Jim began, looking a bit lost, “I think she really did take my money and made it look like Michelle stole it.”

“I knew it!” I blurted out, without thinking. Oh, great, Emily, way to sound like a weirdo. I noticed Jim giving me a puzzled look. “Sorry. Michelle is your daughter, right?”

“Yes,” he nodded, “and now Carla wants me to send her to some boarding school. She even had brochures lined up. Each school is farther away than the last.”

“What a witch!” I exclaimed, feeling my face flush. Jim smiled slightly at that. “Sorry, I shouldn’t say that. She’s your girlfriend. But Michelle is just a kid! Are children really that much of a problem? I was ready to step in and take your daughter with me the moment I heard your girlfriend and Weird-Grandma-Hat talking,” I said, feeling a bit defensive.

“That’s Carla’s coworker, Sandra,” Jim clarified. “But don’t worry about Michelle; she still has a father. I’m not sending her anywhere.”

“That Sandra is a witch too,” I added, crossing my arms.

“Oh, yes,” Jim agreed, his smile growing a little wider. “But what should I do now?”

“I have a plan, but it might be a little crazy,” I said, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves.

“Seems like today is just a crazy day,” Jim replied, his tone lighter than before.

Jim

When Emily told me her plan, I couldn’t help but think she was an unusual woman. Who comes up with something like that? But as I listened, it started making sense.

For some reason, I believed it could actually work. Maybe it was her confidence, or maybe I was just desperate for a solution. Either way, I decided to go through with it.

The next day, after putting the first part of the plan into action, I headed back home to Carla.

“Where have you been?” Carla asked, her voice sharp with suspicion.

I took a deep breath and put on the saddest face I could manage. “I took Michelle to a boarding school,” I said, trying to sound like the decision had been agonizing. “It was tough, but it was the right thing to do.”

For a moment, I saw a smile flicker across Carla’s face before she quickly hid it. Was I blind all this time? “You did the right thing, Jim,” she said, her voice almost too smooth. “Finally, we can live our happy life. Just the two of us.”

I nodded, then added, “But I don’t understand how Michelle knew the code to the safe.”

Carla didn’t miss a beat. “Maybe she saw you enter it sometime,” she suggested, shrugging like it was no big deal.

I frowned, shaking my head. “I don’t think a nine-year-old could remember something like that.”

“Why dwell on it?” Carla said, waving her hand dismissively. “Let’s just have some wine and finally enjoy an evening alone together.”

As she headed to the kitchen, I quietly followed her. Just as Emily had predicted, Carla picked up the phone and called Weird-Grandma-Hat. I pressed my ear to the door, trying to stay calm.

“He fell for it! Can you believe it?! That little brat will never bother me again!” Carla’s voice was full of glee. “He’s going to propose to me soon, and I’ll make sure the girl never comes back,” she continued, her words cutting through me like a knife.

I couldn’t listen anymore. I pushed open the door and walked into the kitchen, my anger boiling over. “You have an hour to pack your things and get out of my life,” I said, my voice steady.

“Jim!” Carla screamed, her eyes wide with panic. “You’ve got it all wrong! I can explain everything!”

“One hour,” I repeated firmly, turning away and walking out of the house.

Emily

Michelle turned out to be absolutely wonderful! I couldn’t believe how smart she was for her age. It was like she understood everything going on around her, even the stuff kids usually miss.

And it was clear she didn’t like Carla at all, which made me like Michelle even more. I offered to stay with her while Jim dealt with Carla, and during that time, we quickly bonded. Then, suddenly, the doorbell rang, breaking our little moment.

“Is it Dad?” Michelle asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

“I don’t know, maybe it’s the pizza,” I said with a grin. “Let’s go see.”

“Better be pizza,” Michelle replied, her serious tone making me laugh.

But when we opened the door, it was Jim standing there.

“Not pizza,” Michelle said with mock disappointment, then quickly hugged Jim.

“How are you?” I asked, noticing the weight in his eyes.

“It’s over with Carla,” he said, the finality in his voice clear. Even though Carla wasn’t the best person, I knew breaking up was never easy.

“I’m sorry,” I said, trying to be supportive.

“There’s no need,” Jim replied, offering a small smile. “I should be thanking you.”

Just then, Michelle tugged at Jim’s arm and whispered loudly, “Dad, Emily is really cool. You should ask her on a date.”

My cheeks turned red. Was I sixteen again? Get it together, Emily.

Jim looked at me, still smiling. “What do you say?”

I glanced at Michelle, trying to deflect. “Do you like amusement parks?” I asked.

“Yes!!” she shouted, bouncing up and down with excitement.

Jim and I couldn’t help but laugh as we watched her. The moment felt light and full of hope.

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If you enjoyed this story, read this one: Feeling the weight of loneliness, Michael spends his evening in a bar where he notices a woman, abandoned by her blind date. On impulse, he steps into the role of the missing man, unaware that this spontaneous act will entangle him in a web of deceit and unexpected emotions. Read the full story here.

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