Chapter 2 JUST THE TWO OF US

"Mommy, I have a serious question."

Emma Carter looked away from the small pile of clothes she was folding.

Oliver was sitting on the floor, surrounded by his toy cars. His little eyebrows were pulled together as though he was about to discuss something important.

"What's your serious question?"

"Why are we poor?"

Emma stopped folding.

For a moment, she simply stared at him.

"Where did you hear that?"

"At school."

Emma sighed.

She had hoped her son was still too young to notice the difference between their lives and those of other children.

"Who told you that?"

"Nobody told me. I just noticed."

Oliver picked up a blue toy car and pushed it across the floor.

"Joshua said his daddy bought him a new bicycle. Daniel said his daddy bought him a big television. My daddy hasn't bought me anything."

Emma slowly placed the clothes on the bed.

She sat beside him.

"Oliver, listen to me."

He looked up.

"You have a mommy who loves you very much. And even though we don't have everything other people have, that doesn't mean we're unhappy."

Oliver thought about it.

"Can you buy me a bicycle?"

Emma laughed despite herself.

"That's what you got from everything I just said?"

He nodded seriously.

"A red one."

"Let me first pay our electricity bill, Mr Oliver."

"Okay. But don't forget."

Emma kissed his cheek.

"I won't."

---

By eight o'clock, Emma was already preparing breakfast.

Their apartment wasn't particularly large. It had one bedroom, a small sitting room, and a kitchen that was barely big enough for two people.

But it was clean.

And it was home.

Emma placed a plate of eggs and bread on the table.

"Come and eat."

Oliver appeared a few seconds later, dragging his little schoolbag behind him.

"Mommy, I don't want eggs."

"You ate eggs yesterday."

"Exactly. I've already eaten them before."

Emma looked at him.

"Oliver Carter."

He quickly climbed onto his chair.

"Okay. I'll eat."

She shook her head, smiling.

Sometimes she wondered where he got his confidence.

He talked to everyone, asked questions about everything, and had an answer for almost anything.

He was also very good at making her forget how difficult life could be.

After breakfast, Emma helped him put on his school uniform.

"Where's my other shoe?"

"Under the sofa."

"Why?"

"Because you took it off there yesterday."

Oliver looked at her.

"Mommy, you remember everything."

"Someone has to remember things in this house."

He giggled.

---

After dropping Oliver at school, Emma headed to the small restaurant where she worked.

She wasn't earning much, but the job helped her pay their bills and keep food on the table.

"You're late," her supervisor, Mrs Parker, said when she entered.

"I'm sorry. My son's school bus was delayed."

Mrs Parker looked at her for a moment before handing her an apron.

"Just get to work. We have customers waiting."

Emma tied the apron around her waist.

"Thank you."

She spent most of the morning serving customers, cleaning tables, and helping in the kitchen.

At lunchtime, she finally had a few minutes to sit down.

Her phone vibrated.

It was a message from Oliver's school.

She opened it immediately.

Dear Parent,

This is a reminder that the outstanding school fees must be settled before the end of the week. Kindly contact the school office if you need further assistance.

Emma closed her eyes.

Another bill.

She checked her bank balance.

The amount displayed on her screen made her sigh.

She had enough to buy groceries and pay part of the rent, but the school fees were another problem.

"Everything okay?"

Emma looked up.

Her colleague, Rachel, was standing beside her.

"Yes. Just a little problem."

Rachel sat down.

"Money?"

Emma gave a tired laugh.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Emma, we work together. I know that face."

Emma locked her phone.

"I'll figure something out."

Rachel nodded.

"You always do."

---

At exactly three-thirty, Emma arrived at Oliver's school.

She found him standing near the gate with his teacher.

The moment he saw her, his entire face brightened.

"Mommy!"

He ran towards her.

"Hello, my baby."

"Guess what happened today!"

"What happened?"

"I got into trouble."

Emma blinked.

"Oliver!"

"But I didn't do anything bad!"

His teacher approached them, smiling.

"He spent ten minutes explaining to the class why dinosaurs would make better security guards than dogs."

Emma covered her mouth.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. He's very imaginative."

Oliver folded his arms.

"I'm just saying, Mommy. Nobody will steal anything if a dinosaur is guarding the house."

Emma shook her head.

"Let's go home before you give the school another problem."

---

That evening, Emma sat on the sofa helping Oliver with his homework.

He was supposed to draw his family.

He had drawn himself, Emma, and a very tall man standing beside them.

Emma stared at the paper.

"Who's that?"

"My daddy."

Her fingers paused.

"Why did you draw him?"

"Because the teacher said we should draw our family."

Emma swallowed.

"And why is he so tall?"

Oliver shrugged.

"Because daddies are tall."

She forced a smile.

"Not all of them."

He looked at his drawing again.

"Mommy, do you know what my daddy looks like?"

Emma's throat tightened.

She had spent five years avoiding that question.

She didn't know how to explain that she barely knew the man herself.

She didn't know how to explain that one night had resulted in the most important person in her life.

And she didn't know whether the man would even care if he knew.

"Finish your homework, sweetheart."

Oliver looked disappointed but nodded.

A few minutes later, he suddenly raised his head.

"Mommy?"

"Yes?"

"When I grow up, I'll buy you a big house."

Emma smiled.

"Really?"

"And a big car."

"That's wonderful."

"And I'll buy myself a dinosaur."

She laughed.

"Of course you will."

Oliver returned to his drawing.

Emma watched him quietly.

He was growing up so quickly.

And although she tried to give him everything he needed, there were some questions she couldn't answer.

Especially the ones about his father.

---

Later that night, after Oliver had fallen asleep, Emma sat alone at the kitchen table.

An unpaid bill lay beside her phone.

She picked up an old photograph from her drawer.

It was the only thing she had kept from that hotel night.

A photograph of herself and Lily at the event.

She stared at it for a long time.

She remembered the music, the expensive ballroom, and the handsome stranger who had made her laugh.

She remembered waking up in his hotel room.

But she couldn't remember his surname.

She had never seen him again.

Sometimes she wondered whether he even remembered her.

Her phone vibrated, interrupting her thoughts.

It was a message from the hospital.

Your son's appointment has been confirmed for tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. Please arrive early.

Emma placed the phone on the table.

Tomorrow would be another long day.

She stood, switched off the kitchen light, and walked towards the bedroom.

She had no idea that her ordinary life was about to become very different.

But for tonight, she was simply a mother trying to make sure her little boy had a better tomorrow.

And that was enough.