“Why are you sitting out in the cold?” asked Sarah Johnson, frowning as she felt the chill.
The young girl looked up at her, her eyes filled with sadness. The woman seemed to be about forty-five, give or take a few years. She was striking and well-kept but wore a hint of melancholy in her demeanor.
“Sorry, I’ll move if I’m in your way!” the girl replied promptly.
“I’m not sending you away. I just wondered why you’re sitting out here. It’s winter!” Sarah’s tone softened as she spoke.
The day was particularly cold, and the wind howled through the streets. It wasn’t the sort of weather to be sitting on a bench without a good reason.
“I’ve nowhere to go,” the girl said, and tears began to fall.
Her name was Catherine. She genuinely had nowhere to turn. Just a few days before, her own father had kicked her out. She had come to this town with the hope of staying with her aunt on her mother’s side.
Catherine’s mother had passed away three years ago. After she died, her father started drinking heavily. Things had gotten worse with each passing day and now, three years on, they had become unbearable.
Her father, Tom, often brought home his odd friends. Sometimes they would bother Catherine; she complained, yet her father offered no help. She had learned to fend for herself. After one particularly nasty incident with his so-called mates, he simply threw her out.
“Get out of here! You’re good for nothing!” he had shouted as she left.
Catherine went to her Aunt Mary’s, hoping she would take her in, but Mary’s small flat was already bursting. She had three children of her own, not to mention her mother-in-law and sister-in-law with her child staying over. They were all crammed into a three-bedroom apartment.
Mary had no choice but to tell her niece she had to go back to her father.
“Go back, your father will come around. You might have to cry a bit or ask for forgiveness. You have every right to be in that flat. He’ll have to accept it!” her aunt explained, not even offering her a cup of tea.
Catherine left, feeling hurt, but she had no wish to return to her father. There was nothing for her there.
She wandered the snowy streets for a long time until exhaustion set in. She decided to rest on a bench when the stranger approached her.
“Nowhere to go? But you’re just a young one! What about your parents?”
Catherine had just turned eighteen. She was in college and currently on break. When she left home in a rush, she hadn’t had time to think things through. During her long walk, she realized how difficult life would now be.
“There’s no one left now,” she softly answered, burying her nose in her knees.
She sat curled up on the bench, trying to keep warm. Her hands had turned blue from the cold, and her nose was running. Snowflakes kept landing on her eyelashes.
Sarah felt sorry for the girl. She had a son not much older. No child, whether hers or not, should be left alone like that.
“Come on over to mine. At least let me get you a cup of tea; you’re freezing!” she offered.
Catherine agreed, and they went up together to Sarah’s flat on the second floor. The place was spacious and, more importantly, warm. The girl could finally relax.
“Would you like some soup?” the lady of the house asked.
Catherine nodded with gratitude. Her last meal was the night before. As soon as the bowl of soup was in front of her, she devoured it as if she hadn’t eaten in ages.
After they ate, she told her new acquaintance about her predicament. Sarah just shook her head in dismay.
“What a tough situation. How about this: you can stay with me. There’s plenty of room. My son is serving in the army and won’t be back for two months. But we have three bedrooms. Stay until you figure out your next move.”
“Where is your husband?” the guest asked.
“He passed away five years ago. I do miss him. It’s lonely sometimes, you know? It’s nice to have company. You’re welcome here. I’m sure Stanley won’t mind, will you, Stan?” Sarah said, turning to a ginger cat grooming itself beside the table.
Catherine felt a bit awkward, but she agreed. She had nowhere else to go. She wasn’t wanted anywhere else. So, they lived together.
Sarah took a liking to the polite and well-mannered young lady from the start. Catherine had clearly been well-raised despite living with a father who drank.
She was tidy, not afraid of housework, eager to learn how to cook, and cleaned diligently.
Catherine had to quit her college course, but she planned to apply elsewhere the following year.
Sarah helped her find a job locally, at a store a friend of hers managed. The woman took a chance on the young, inexperienced girl, and later thanked Sarah for the introduction.
“You found me a great worker! She’s diligent, modest, and clever.”
Catherine was grateful to Sarah for the shelter. She often expressed her thanks, trying to help however she could so she wouldn’t feel like a burden. They had grown close.
Even Stan the cat grew attached to the hostess’s new young friend. He loved sleeping on her bed and followed her everywhere.
Two months later, Sarah’s son returned from the army. When he came home in his uniform, holding flowers for his mum, Catherine saw him for the first time. She’d only seen photos of him as a child in the house. He was striking.
After a warm reunion with his mum, Michael noticed the guest.
“Hey there, who are you?” he asked the petite blonde girl in a homely dress.
“Oh, sweetheart, meet our new friend. Her name is Catherine, and it’s a long story, but she’ll be living with us for a while. I hope you get along! No teasing, she’s an adorable girl!” Sarah said.
“Wasn’t planning on it! Thought you might have had a sister while I was gone! I would have brought another bunch of flowers if I’d known!” he joked, smiling. “Nice to meet you!”
Catherine was too taken aback to respond. He had enchanted her. It took several seconds before she managed to look away.
Fresh out of the army, Michael had grown stronger and more mature. Even his mother was surprised at what a fine man he’d become. To Catherine, he was an ideal. They do say the army makes boys into men.
After about a week of rest, Michael joined the job hunt too. Universities would open in the autumn, but he needed work until then; he didn’t want to rely solely on his mum.
So this became their life. They mostly saw each other in the morning and evening, spending the day at work.
Michael and Catherine quickly bonded. They were of similar age and had much in common. They spent evenings chatting about nothing or watching films together. Without realizing it, they developed feelings beyond friendship.
Catherine hesitated to make the first move, fearing it would displease Sarah. Michael also hesitated, unsure if she felt the same. But his mother saw it all. She realized their friendship was turning into something more but chose not to interfere.
One evening, reflecting on the situation, Sarah pondered whether she would approve of Catherine as a daughter-in-law. And yes, Catherine possessed many qualities she admired. So Sarah decided to nudge the young ones together.
When summer arrived, she bought two tickets to the seaside. It seemed like a getaway with her son, but she mysteriously claimed important work commitments kept her from going and sent Michael with Catherine instead.
“You better not dawdle or someone else might snag her!” she teased her son.
Michael grasped the hint. His mum was right. They returned as a couple and, a month later, announced their engagement.
Although some thought it was all too hasty, Sarah didn’t object.
After all, good partners aren’t easy to find. True, some are discovered freezing on a bench, but that’s a rare catch. Sarah felt fortunate. So did her son.
Some neighbors did gossip behind their backs, and even some friends critiqued Sarah to her face for marrying her son to a penniless girl. They claimed she’d made a mistake. But Sarah was confident she’d done the right thing.
And even years later, Sarah had no regrets about taking in the cold young girl, warming her, and inviting her to stay. Catherine became a loving, loyal wife to her only son, cherished him wholeheartedly, and gave Sarah three wonderful grandchildren and countless warm memories.
