Dont they have any family? Whyd you bring them here? You feel sorry for them? Well, what about us? We can barely fit in this place as it is! Call social services tomorrowthats final! Let them sort it out!
John scowled at his wife. Shed just returned from her best friends funeralnot alone. By her side stood two children. Three-year-old Lily and thirteen-year-old Oliver shuffled awkwardly by the door, unsure how to react to their frosty host.
Emma gently nudged the children toward the kitchen and, keeping her voice low, said, Ollie, love, pour Lily some juice and grab some for yourself. Its in the fridge.
Once the kids were out of earshot, she turned to her husband, indignant. Arent you ashamed? Sophie was my closest friend! Did you really think Id abandon her kids when theyve lost everything? Imagine how they must feel! Youre thirty-eight, John, and you still run to your mum at the first sign of trouble! Put yourself in their shoes!
Alright, alright, I get it, John sighed, softening slightly. But youre not seriously planning to keep them here, are you?
Actually, I am. Im going to apply for guardianship. Theyve got no one else, understand? Their dads whereabouts are a mysteryhe didnt even show up to say goodbye. Sophie lost her parents young. Theres some distant aunt, but shes too old to take them in. And we dont have kids of our own.
Emma, Im your husbandremember? Dont I get a say in this?
Oh, come off it, John! Youre a good man. I know you. Thats why I brought them home without asking. What, are you scared of the extra expenses? Well manage! Besides, theyre not babies. Oliver can stay in school, and well enrol Lily in nursery. Our lives wont change that much!
Yeah, but my mum Emma, shell skin me alive if she finds out! She already nags me nonstop about not giving her grandkids!
Your mum needs to butt out of our family decisions. Weve talked about adoption before. Why bring in a stranger when we already know these two? Itll be easier for everyone.
Maybe youre right, John grumbled. But we were only planning on adopting one kidemphasis on *one*. A baby, preferably! Lilys small, fine, but Oliver? Hes a teenager! Thats a whole other can of worms!
You and I were teenagers once. We turned out alright, didnt we?
Fine, well figure it out as we go. They can stay for now.
Emma planted a loud kiss on Johns cheek, grinning. She never doubted him. He always grumbled and fussed, then came around in the end.
She headed to the kitchen to cook dinner, mentally preparing for the next daysocial services, paperwork, bank statements, endless red tape.
And so began the never-ending slog of bureaucracy. In films, orphaned kids find a family in a heartbeat. In real life? Mountains of forms, endless checks.
At one point, social services nearly placed Oliver and Lily in temporary care. But Emma and John fought tooth and nail to keep them.
Oliver struggled the most. John noticed him biting back tears one evening and pulled him aside.
Listen, mate, he said, gripping the boys shoulder. I know it hurts. Im nearly forty, and I cant imagine losing my mum. But for Lilys sake, youve got to stay strong. If you need to cry or shout, tell me. Well go somewhere private. But dont bottle it upand dont let Lily see. Shell only worry.
From then on, Oliver looked at John differently. Emma often saw them walking together, returning as thick as thieves.
The guardianship process drained them. They took out loans to prove they could provideredoing a bedroom, buying toys, clothes, even paying for Olivers football club when he missed his mates.
But finally, it was official. John took on extra work to clear the debts, while Emma tutored physics students for extra cash.
A year later, the kids had settled in beautifully. Lily even called Emma Mummy Em.
Even Johns mum, Margaret, warmed to themafter some initial resistance.
One summer evening, John clapped his hands. Right! Were going on holiday. Not Skegness, thoughlets do Spain! Just spotted a last-minute deal. Ill book it now.
Emma, exhausted from the years stresses, eagerly agreed.
Later, a colleague rang to chat about nothing in particularjust bored. Emma mentioned their Spain plans.
Lucky you! her colleague sighed. Im stuck at my sisters caravan all summer. Must be nice getting all that guardianship money!
Emma froze. Was that how people saw her? A gold-digger exploiting orphans?
She told John later. Same here, he admitted. My mate said I shouldve upgraded my car by nowYou get all that child benefit, still driving that old banger?
Your mum told me to fix my teeth, Emma added. Now youve got the income, no excuse to look frumpy. John might leave you and those kids yet!
My boss said no extra leave for meTheyre not even yours!
Our neighbour asked if lifes easier now with all the handouts. I didnt even realise she was being snide until after!
So everyone thinks we took them for the money? John groaned.
Emma shrugged. Let them.
Should we cancel Spain? People will assume were spending their benefits!
What do we do, then? Emma panicked. Theyd never even touched the kids survivor pensionsthose were savings for Olivers university fees.
We go to Spain, John declared. Let them gossip. People judge based on their own rubbish standards.
So off they went, bonding even more under the Spanish sun.
But upon returning, Emma fell illnausea, exhaustion. Fearing a holiday bug, John called an ambulance.
Tests were done. Oliver, terrified of losing his new mum, cried quietly.
Then Emma called John, giddy. Love, you wont believe it Were having a baby!
What? Really? But the doctors said!
They were wrong! Call it a miracle.
She grew serious. John the kids stay with us. No matter what.
As if there was ever another option! Ollie! Lily! Come hereyoure getting a sibling!
The cheers that followed were pure joy, love, and hope.
And as for the neighbours opinions? Well, some things matter more.
