“I want to do a testif Daisy really is mine, Ill take her.”
“Take her now, for all I care. Shes always underfootfeeding her, dressing her, I cant even treat myself because Im scrimping to buy her food. Thats life Give me the money, Mike, yeah?”
Rita was getting ready for work. She quickly made her husband some sandwiches, wrapped them in foil, and left them on the table.
Mike worked at a garage, and they didnt get proper breaks, so he always had to bring his own lunch. Rita worked as a cook at a café, a bit farther from home, so she had to wake up an hour earlier than Mike.
Outside, a light drizzle had started. Rita grabbed the umbrella from the hallway, but it slipped from her hands and clattered loudly on the floor. She froze, then peeked into the bedroomMike hadnt stirred.
“Clumsy me,” she muttered, tiptoeing out the door.
The bus arrived surprisingly fast. Rita sat by the window and watched the city roll by, lost in thought.
She wasnt a young girl anymore, creeping toward thirty, happily married They werent rich, but they got by, and she thought they were happy.
The only thing gnawing at herthey didnt have children. Three long years of marriage, doctors visits, and nothing. Every time, they just shrugged and said everything was fine.
The bus stopped. Rita paid her fare and stepped outjust a quick walk through the park, and shed be at work.
After a few steps, she froze. On a wet bench sat a little girl, shivering in a thin jacket, tears mixing with the rain on her cheeks.
Rita crouched down. “Hello there. Why are you out here alone?”
“Mum kicked me out” the girl sniffled.
“Kicked you out?” Rita couldnt believe it. Who would leave a child in the rain?
“She was asleep, and I was hungry. I woke her up, and she shouted. So now Im here.”
“Whats your name?”
“Daisy.”
Rita sighed. “What am I supposed to do with you, Daisy?” She checked her watch. “Come on. Where do you live? Far?”
“No, just over there.” The girl waved vaguely.
Five minutes later, they stood outside a flat. Rita rang the bell, but no one answered for ages.
Finally, the door creaked open. A woman in a grubby dressing gown, hair unwashed and tangled, blinked at them. She stepped aside without a word.
Rita stepped in, immediately hit by a stale, sour smell. The flat was a messdusty, littered with rags. Then she spotted a photo on the sideboard.
Her stomach dropped.
Shed seen it beforein Mikes album. But in his version, the woman next to him had been cropped out.
Here, she was still there.
Rita turned back to the woman, barely recognising her.
“Well?” the woman snapped.
Rita snapped out of it. “Your daughter was crying in the park! Dont you care? What kind of mother are you?”
“Mind your own business! Go raise your own kids!” The woman turned to Daisy. “Whereve you been?”
The girl darted into another room. Rita left, her head spinning.
All day, she couldnt shake the image of Daisy, the photo, that womanwho clearly had some connection to Mike.
That evening, she handed him the photo. “Love, whos this with you?”
Mike sighed. “Thats Elaine. We were together a long time, almost married. But she met someone else, left me.”
“Whyd you cut the photo?”
“I couldnt forgive her. She was pregnant when we split upsaid she wasnt keeping it. So I left town, met you. We came back here together. No secrets. Whyre you asking?”
Rita told him everything.
Mike listened silently, then asked, “How old is she?”
Rita told him.
He went quiet. It lined up.
“Where do they live?”
She told him and went to bed, exhausted.
At half one, she woke to light under the kitchen door. Mike was sitting at the table, staring into space.
The next day, he knocked on Elaines door.
Daisy answered, staring up at the stranger smiling down at her.
“Hello! Are you Daisy? Wheres your mum?”
The girl turned and ran inside. “Mum! Someones here!”
Elaine shuffled out, squinting. “Who?” Then she saw him.
Mike barely recognised herthe woman hed once loved.
“You? What dyou want?”
He stepped inside, breathing in the stale air.
“Elaine, I need the truth. Daisyshe could be mine. Is she?”
Elaine slumped into a chair. “Lend us some money, yeah? You owe menever paid child support. Ive fed her all this time. Just a hundred quid.”
“You lied. Said you didnt keep the baby.”
“I wanted to! But Valentine said hed be her dad. Then he left when she was three months olddidnt want someone elses kid. I tried to find you, but youd gone.”
“Ill get a test. If shes mine, Im taking her.”
“Take her now! Shes always underfootfeeding her, dressing her, I cant even treat myself”
Daisy crept forward. “Are you my dad?”
Mike crouched down. “Yes, Daisy. I want to take you home with me. Is that okay?”
She glanced at her mother, then whispered, “You wont be mean?”
His voice cracked. “No, Daisy. Never.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
He ruffled her hair and left. On the stairs, Elaine caught up.
“So the money?”
Mike handed her a few notes. Her face lit up.
He couldnt leave. Turned back. Daisy was still in the hallway, eyes sad.
“Get your coat. Lets go.”
One thought burned in his mind: *Shes mine. I cant leave her.*
Half an hour later, Daisy stepped into Mike and Ritas flat. She recognised Rita at once.
Rita just stared, hardly believing it.
Later, bathed and fed, Daisy played with the cat while Rita turned to Mike.
“Are you sure this is right? You dont even know her.”
“Ill learn. Of course its righthow else could I treat my own child?”
Rita walked to the kitchen and cried, not even trying to stop.
*Why is this happening to me?*
Shed wanted a baby so badlywouldve cherished every moment.
Now this little girl. How was she supposed to feel? She couldnt hate herbut what if she couldnt love her either?
She felt angryat Mike, at Elaine, at life. Then, a small hand touched her head.
Rita looked up. Daisy.
“Are you sad? I cry a lot too. Want me to tell you a nice story? I know one.”
Rita hugged her tight.
A year passed. Mike got the testjust for paperwork. Theyd already decided: Daisy was staying, no matter what.
Rita grew to love her fiercely. They poured all their unused love into each other.
Mike adored her too. They were happy.
Then, one day, Rita collapsed. It came out of nowhere. She tried to push through, but at work, she fainted.
Waking in hospital, she panicked. “Whats wrong with me?”
The doctor smiled. “Tests are back. Shouldve told us you were pregnant! No worriesyoure fine. Well send you home today.”
Rita sat bolt upright. “*What?* Mike, whats he saying?”
But it was true. Her dream had come true.
She had a healthy boy, named George.
Daisy helped with everythingRita couldnt have managed without her.
Then, little Annie was born.
Mike and Ritas joy was boundless. Their family was completehappy, loving, whole.
And Rita knewthis happiness had walked into their lives the day a kind-hearted little girl sat crying in the rain.
