From one Mother to Another

A few days later, after dropping Yugi and Emily off at school, Rachel and Kanade met with each other and decided to go to the café together. They each ordered a cup of coffee and shared a plate of scones.

Rachel was the first to speak up. "I'm so sorry you and the others had to see that."

"Do you mean your husband's behavior?" Kanade asked.

"Ex-husband," Rachel corrected. "He and I separated years ago. And it was because of the way he acted."

"Yes, I can see he must have control issues," Kanade commented.

"It's no joke! That man!" Rachel exclaimed. "I put up with him for Emily's sake, but when I do, I'm reminded that that's the same reason I left him long ago."

"You mean for your daughter's sake?"

She did. "I never seemed to realize how controlling Robert can be. I mean, he didn't seem that way when we met." When Rachel met Robert, she was a card dealer at a casino and Robert had a bit of a gambling addiction. He invited himself to play and asked Rachel to deal him in. Robert didn't win a lot, but he never let that stop him. But he decided to stop playing for a while and kindly offered to buy Rachel a drink while she was on her break. After some time, Robert would come back to the table just to see Rachel again.

"He took me to dinner a few times. He even took me dancing sometimes too," Rachel was saying. "He seemed charming and generous and funny too. I was beginning to admire him more and more. Finally, a few months later, he proposed to me and I accepted. It was just a small wedding with a few friends."

"What about your families?" Kanade asked. "Didn't you invite them?"

"Robert lost his father when he was finishing school and his mother passed away not too long before we met," Rachel answered. "A few of his brothers and their wives came, though. My parents and brothers and sisters came to see me off. I still see my family from time to time and even take Emily to visit them."

"How were you adjusting to your marriage?"

Rachel answered that it was a small start, but she and Robert were working together to make the most of it. He used most of the money his parents left him to buy a nice house in the suburbs. It was still a distance from where they worked, but it was accommodating because they planned on having a family. "During our marriage, I thought Robert was acting more and more like a gentleman with the way he was always insisting on doing things like cooking meals and managing our finances. I didn't think he was trying to be so controlling." She looks away and figures, "I guess I started to see more of it when Emily was born."

Robert worked as a postman and most of his rounds were in the suburban area where they lived, but when Emily was born, Robert quit his job so he could spend more time with his family. At that time, Rachel thought of him as trying to be a devoted husband and father, but she also began to feel somewhat left out because Robert seemed to be spending more time with their daughter than he was letting her. Rachel still had her job, but she wanted to spend time with her daughter too.

"As Emily was getting older, I started to finally notice that Robert was becoming more and more controlling. He was like that with what she ate, how she dressed, how she played. Finally, I got fed up with it. I didn't want Emily to grow up with a father like that. I knew if she did, she wouldn't have the freedom to be who she wanted to be." That was when Rachel finally decided to divorce Robert. It took a few weeks for the divorce lawyers to settle everything. Another matter was who would take Emily.

"I agonized over the whole ordeal," Rachel confessed. "I even had second thoughts, but in the end, I stood by that this was what was best for Emily. The judge gave me full custody of her and I took her, packed my things, and left." Rachel stayed with her family for a while until she could get everything situated. They helped her find a home and a new job.

"I still allow Emily and Robert to see each other once in a while," Rachel added. "I let her stay at his house for a few weeks in the summer and I let him come see her for her birthday and school events."

Kanade sighed sympathetically and held Rachel's hand in hers. "Oh, Rachel, I had no idea."

"I do it because she loves her dad and she still needs him in her life. But he needs to realize that he needs to be more understanding of his daughter. Because if anything happens to me, he'll have to be the one to take care of Emily. But if he can't be the father she needs, then I can't bear to think of her living with him."

Kanade came up with a suggestion. "Well, if it would help, I'm sure Yugi and I would be happy to have Emily stay with us."

Rachel didn't think that was a good idea. "I know our children love each other, but it might not seem right of them to live in the same house at young age."

Both mothers began laughing just thinking about it. Kanade agreed with Rachel. "You know, if Emily should have to live far away with her dad, she and Yugi would be brokenhearted. Téa too. Those three are best friends." She holds Rachel's hand again. "I sincerely hope for the best for you and Emily."

"Thank you, Kanade."

Yugi's mother smiles and says, "It's actually too bad Emily visits her dad in the summer, though. Yugi's birthday is the first week of June."

"No need to worry," Rachel assured her. "Emily usually visits Robert in July, so she doesn't have to miss Yugi's birthday."

"Oh? Well that is good news," said Kanade.

"And they'll be happy to see each other," Rachel added. Not that their children don't already see each other, but it'll be a wonderful occasion all the same. Kanade and Rachel were happy for their children for being friends and being in love with each other. Both mothers were also happy to be friends.