Chapter 7: Married vs. Single

The afternoon sun lit up Emma’s spacious garden, where a special gathering was about to begin. Emma had organized the event as an attempt to bridge two worlds: that of married women and that of single women, each with their own perspectives on life.

On one side were the married women: Emma, the hostess, along with Martha, Maria, and Laura. Each had their own love story, family routine, and unique challenges as wives and mothers. On the other side were the single women: Valeria, Monica, Lucia, and Sofia—independent, free, and always ready to debate and defend their lifestyle.

The afternoon promised to be lively.

The married and single women greeted each other with hugs and smiles, ready to enjoy an evening of laughter, anecdotes, and good wine. Emma, always an excellent hostess, had prepared a table full of appetizers, and wine glasses were quickly filled.

“Well, ladies,” Emma began, “I thought it would be interesting to bring us all together and have an honest conversation about our lives. You know, share perspectives.”

“An honest conversation?” Monica asked with a mischievous smile. “Isn’t this a trap to convince us that married life is better?”

“Please!” Laura exclaimed with a laugh. “If anyone needs convincing, it’s you!”

The topic hit the table almost immediately: who has the happier life—married women or single women?

“Look, I won’t lie,” Martha began. “There are days when I miss being single—traveling without worrying about school schedules, sleeping in on weekends, and most of all, having time for myself.”

“Exactly,” Maria added. “Sometimes I feel like I’ve lost a part of myself. Everything revolves around my husband and kids, and even though I love them, I miss just being ‘me.’”

The single women exchanged knowing looks, satisfied that the married women were admitting something they had always suspected.

“It’s funny you say that,” Sofia chimed in, “because for us, being single is exactly that: having time for ourselves. We can travel when we want, work on what we love, and not have to answer to anyone.”

“And let’s not forget the freedom to date whoever we want,” Monica added, raising her glass.

“Oh sure, because going out with foreign strangers from dating apps is every woman’s dream,” Laura joked, prompting laughter from the married women.

Valeria, who had remained silent until then, decided to speak up.

“It’s not just that. It’s the peace of knowing your life is your own. No sacrifices, no compromises. What we have, we build for ourselves without depending on a man.”

“That sounds amazing, Valeria,” Emma replied with a smile, “but there’s also something beautiful and magical about sharing your life with someone—building a wonderful family, having that person who supports you through tough times, and celebrating all your successes together.”

“Exactly,” Laura added. “I know I’m not the same woman I was before getting married, but I wouldn’t trade my life now for anything. My family is everything to me.”

“But what about the sacrifices?” Lucia asked. Though she had a boyfriend, she had always defended the single lifestyle. “Don’t you feel like you’ve set aside your dreams for your husbands or children?”

Martha sighed, as if she had been waiting for this question.

“Yes, I gave up many things. But I did it because I wanted to, not because anyone asked me to. My dreams changed when my children came along. Now they’re my priority, and I don’t regret it.”

The conversation continued, moving from debate to anecdotes. The married women shared stories from their marriages, ranging from trivial arguments to the most romantic and passionate moments they had experienced. The single women, in turn, talked about their travels, careers, and romantic escapades.

“And what about sex?” Monica suddenly asked, sparking a round of laughter.

“Please!” Maria exclaimed, laughing. “I don’t know about you, but after two kids, the last thing I want is for my husband to touch me at the end of the day.”

“Speak for yourself!” Emma replied with a laugh. “I’m still enjoying wild sex at night with my husband.”

“Well, I have my eleven-speed vibrator, and it never lets me down,” Sofia said, repeating her now-famous comment and eliciting another round of laughter.

As the sun began to set, the women started saying their goodbyes. Though they had debated passionately, they had done so with respect and affection, enjoying the company of women who, despite their differences, shared the desire to be happy in their own way.

“Thanks for coming, ladies,” Emma said as she bid them farewell. “I think we all learned a lot from each other today.”

“Definitely,” Valeria replied, hugging her. “It was a very fun afternoon.”

However, when Valeria arrived at her apartment, the warmth she had felt during the gathering began to fade. She kicked off her heels and walked barefoot across the wooden floor, feeling the cold beneath her feet.

Her apartment, though luxurious and perfectly decorated, felt rather empty. There were no laughs, no voices, just the sound of the wind hitting the windows.

Valeria poured herself a glass of wine and sat on her sofa, looking out at the city lights. She thought about Emma’s words, the laughter of the married women, and how they had spoken about their families with so much love.

“Am I truly happy?” she quietly asked herself.

For the first time in a long time, she allowed tears to stream down her face. She wasn’t crying because of the married women’s words or the family gathering she had attended days earlier. She cried because, deep down, she knew something was missing from her life.

It wasn’t that she wanted a husband or children. It wasn’t about changing who she was or what she had accomplished. It was about connection—about that sense of belonging she had felt for a brief moment at Emma’s house and that disappeared every time she returned alone to her apartment.

That night, Valeria cried herself to sleep, letting her heart, for the first time in years, express what her mind had always ignored.

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