“How did you get yourself into such a mess, you silly girl? Who’s going to want you now with a baby on the way? And how do you plan to raise it? Don’t expect me to help. I raised you, and now you want me to take care of your child too? I don’t need you here. Pack your things and leave my house!”
Anna stood silently, her head lowered. Her last glimmer of hope that Aunt Helen might let her stay, even just until she found a job, vanished in an instant.
“If only mother was alive…”
Anna never knew her father, and her mother was hit by a drunk driver at a crossing about fifteen years ago. Social services were just about to send the young girl to an orphanage when a distant relative, a cousin of her mother’s, surprisingly appeared and took her in, her steady job and own house making the guardianship arrangement smooth.
Aunt Helen lived on the outskirts of a southern border town, lush and hot in summer, rainy in winter. Anna was always well-fed, nicely dressed, and accustomed to hard work. With a house, yard, and small livestock, there was always plenty to do. Perhaps she lacked a mother’s warmth and affection, but who cared about that?
Anna did well in school and after graduation, she went on to a teacher training college. Those carefree student years flew by quickly, but now they were over, the final exams passed, and she returned to the town that had become her hometown. But this return was not a joyous one.
After her angry outburst, Aunt Helen finally calmed down a bit.
“Enough now, get out of my sight. I don’t want to see you here.”
“Please, Aunt Helen, can I just…”
“No, I’ve said everything I need to!”
Anna silently picked up her suitcase and stepped out onto the street. Did she imagine she would return like this? Humiliated, rejected, and expecting a child—though still in the early stages—but Anna decided to confess that she was pregnant. She couldn’t and didn’t want to hide it any longer.
She needed to find some kind of accommodation. She walked and walked, lost in her thoughts, oblivious to everything around her.
It was mid-summer in the south. Apples and pears ripened in gardens, apricots glowed in golden hues. Grapes hung in heavy clusters from numerous arbors and trellises, while deep purple plums hid under the dark leaves. The air was filled with the aroma of jam, roasting meat, and freshly baked bread from the houses. It was very hot, and Anna was thirsty. Approaching a gate, she called out to a woman standing by a summer kitchen.
“Ma’am, could I have some water?”
Pauline, a sturdy woman in her fifties, turned towards the voice. “Come on in, if you mean well.”
She dipped a cup into a pail of water and handed it to the girl, who sat down wearily on the bench and drank thirstily.
“Can I sit here for a while? It’s so hot.”
“Of course, dear. Where are you from? I see you have a suitcase.”
“I just finished college, hoping to find work teaching. But I don’t have a place to stay. You wouldn’t know anyone renting a room, would you?”
Pauline observed the girl closely—neatly dressed but worn, as though troubled by heavy thoughts.
“You could stay with me. It’d make things livelier. I won’t charge much, but you must promise to pay on time. If you agree, I’ll show you the room.”
The prospect of a lodger pleased Pauline—extra money is always helpful, especially in a small town like theirs, far away from any major centres. Her son lived far off and rarely visited, so it would be nice to have company during long winter evenings.
Anna, barely believing her sudden good fortune, hurried after her hostess. The room was small but cozy, with a window overlooking the garden, a table, two chairs, a bed, and an old wardrobe. Just right. They quickly settled on the rent, and after changing clothes, she headed to the education department.
And so the days flew by—work, home, work. Anna barely had time to tear the pages from her calendar as time rushed past.
She became friends with Pauline, who turned out to be a kind and caring woman, and Pauline grew fond of the simple, modest girl. Whenever she had the chance, Anna would help around the house, and many evenings they would chat over tea in the garden gazebo, for in the south, the cold autumn doesn’t come swiftly.
The pregnancy was progressing smoothly. Anna experienced no nausea, her face remained clear, though she was obviously gaining weight. She confided in Pauline about her simple story—a story all too common.
In her second year, Anna fell in love with James, the charming son of well-off parents who were also teachers at the university. His future was set—studies, graduate school, and a career in teaching or research, all close to his parents. Handsome, well-mannered, and sociable, he was the life of any gathering and adored by many girls. But he chose modest Anna. Maybe it was her shy smile, gentle brown eyes, or slender figure? Perhaps he sensed a kindred spirit or the resilience that those who’ve faced adversity possess? It’s hard to say. But their remaining college years were spent nearly inseparably, and Anna envisioned a future by his side.
That day lingered in her memory. That morning she clearly realized she couldn’t face food, couldn’t tolerate certain smells, and had been feeling nauseous for days. The main point: she was late. How could she forget or ignore this? Anna bought a pregnancy test, went back to her dorm, drank a glass of water, and waited. Yes, two lines. She stared at them, still not believing her eyes—two lines. Exams were looming, and now this! How would James react? Children weren’t in their plans yet.
Unexpectedly, a wave of affection for the tiny life inside her overwhelmed her.
“Little one,” she whispered, gently touching her belly.
Upon hearing the news, James decided that very evening to introduce Anna to his parents. Remembering that meeting, Anna couldn’t hold back tears. Briefly put, James’s parents suggested she have an abortion and leave town after graduation, alone, because James needed to focus on his career, and she simply wasn’t the right match.
What conversation he had with his son, Anna could only guess. The next day, James silently entered her room, placed an envelope with cash on the table, and left without a word.
Anna never considered an abortion. She’d already grown to love the tiny being inside her. It was her baby, hers alone. Nonetheless, after brief consideration, she decided to accept the money James left, recognizing how vital it would be for them.
Upon hearing Anna’s story, Pauline compassionately consoled her. “These things happen. It’s not the worst thing in life. You’re brave not to terminate—every child is a blessing. Maybe everything will work out for the best.”
But Anna couldn’t entertain the thought of reconciling with James. She felt a profound aversion. Unable to forgive the humiliation, the memory of his simple rejection haunted her.
Time passed. Anna stopped working, waddling like a duck as she awaited her baby’s arrival. She eagerly anticipated whether it would be a boy or a girl, but the scan technicians couldn’t tell. It didn’t matter, so long as the baby was healthy.
At the end of February, on a Saturday, her labor started, and Pauline took her to the hospital. The birth went smoothly, and Anna delivered a healthy baby boy.
“Baby John,” she murmured, gently caressing his round cheek.
Anna befriended the other women in the maternity ward, who informed her that two days prior, the wife of the border officer had given birth to a girl there. As it turned out, they weren’t even officially married but lived together.
“You wouldn’t believe, he showered her with flowers, brought in chocolates and brandy for the nurses, visited every day in a Jeep. But things weren’t right between them. She constantly said she didn’t want children and ended up leaving a note, abandoning the baby, claiming she wasn’t ready.”
“What about the baby?”
“They feed her from a bottle, but the nurse said it’d be better if someone breastfed her. But everyone has their own babies to feed.”
When it was feeding time, they brought in the baby girl.
“Could anyone feed her? She’s so frail,” the nurse asked hopefully, eyeing the young mothers.
“I will, poor child,” said Anna gently, laying her sleeping son on the bed and taking the baby girl into her arms.
“Oh, how small and fair she is! I’ll call her little Mary.”
Compared to her robust son John, the girl was tiny.
Anna offered her breast, and the baby eagerly suckled before drifting off to sleep, just a few minutes later.
“I told you she’s frail,” the nurse commented.
And so Anna started feeding both children.
Two days later, the nurse entered their room to inform Anna that the baby girl’s father had arrived and wanted to meet the young woman nursing his daughter. That’s how Anna met the border officer, Captain James Hathaway, a young man of average height with resolute blue eyes and a firm gaze.
The events that followed were recounted repeatedly by the hospital maternity wing staff and later throughout the entire town, because the story culminated in a way that was worth remembering.
On the day Anna was released from the hospital, everyone—including doctors, nurses, and aides—gathered at the entrance where a Jeep adorned with blue and pink balloons waited. A young military officer wearing captain’s stripes helped Anna into the vehicle, where Pauline was already seated, and handed her a blue bundle, followed by a pink one.
With a farewell honk, the vehicle drove away and soon disappeared around the bend.
So it happens, you never really know what consequences your deeds will bring. Because sometimes life throws surprises at you that are simply unimaginable…”