“I want a testif Dasha really is mine, Ill take her.”
“Take her now if you wantshes always underfoot! Feeding her, dressing her, I cant even treat myself because Ive got to buy her something to eat. What a life Hand over the cash, Mikey, eh?”
Rita was getting ready for work. She quickly made her husband some sandwiches, wrapped them in foil, and left them on the table.
Mikey worked at a garage, and since there was no proper lunch break, he always had to take food with him.
Rita herself worked as a cook in a canteen. Her job was a bit farther from home, so she had to wake up an hour earlier than her husband.
Outside, rain was drizzling. 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 bedroomher husband hadnt woken up.
She smiled to herself.
“Clumsy me!” she muttered, slipping out the door quietly.
The bus arrived surprisingly fast. Rita sat by the window and stared at the city, lost in thought about her life.
She wasnt a young girl anymorenearing thirty, happily married They werent rolling in money, but they got by, and she thought they were happy.
The only thing that gnawed at herthey had no children. She longed for a baby, didnt matter if it was a boy or a girl.
For three long years of marriage, Rita had gone for tests, but doctors just shrugged and said everything was fine.
The bus stopped. Rita paid, stepped out, and headed through the park toward her canteen.
A few steps in, she stopped shorton a wet bench sat a little girl, crying. She wore a thin jacket, shivering from the cold, tears mixing with raindrops on her cheeks.
Rita approached carefully.
“Hello, love. Why are you out here all alone?”
“Mum put me out” the girl sniffled.
“Put you out?” Rita blinked. Who throws their child into the rain?
“She was sleeping. I was hungry. I woke her up, and she shouted. So now Im here.”
“Whats your name?”
“Emily.”
“Well, Emily, what am I to do with you?” Rita checked her watch. “Come on, then. Where do you live? Far from here?”
“No, just over there.” The girl waved vaguely.
They walked in the direction she pointed, and five minutes later stood at a flat. Rita pressed the buzzer, but no one answered for ages.
Finally, the door creaked open. A dishevelled woman in a grubby dressing gown stood there, greasy hair framing her tired face. She blinked at Rita, then at Emily, and stepped aside without a word.
“Come in.”
Rita stepped inside. The flat smelled foulsomething between old takeaways and unwashed laundry. Dust coated every surface. Then Rita spotted a photo on the sideboard.
Her eyes widened.
Shed seen it beforein her husbands old album. But in his version, it was cropped, showing only Mikey. Here, the full picture revealed a younger, well-kept woman beside himthe same woman now scowling at her.
Rita turned, stunned.
“Well?” the woman snapped.
“Well what?” Rita snapped back. “Your daughter was sitting in the park crying! What kind of mother are you?”
“You wanna lecture me? Go raise your own! Stay out of my business!” She spun to Emily. “Whereve you been?”
The girl scurried off. Rita left, fuming.
All day, she couldnt shake thoughts of Emily, that photo, and the slovenly woman who clearly had history with her husband.
That evening, Rita handed Mikey the photo.
“Love whos this with you?”
“Ah. Sarah. We were together a long timeeven talked about marriage. But she met someone else, left me.”
“And you cropped her out?”
“Couldnt stand the sight of her. She was pregnant when we splitsaid she wouldnt keep it. So I left town, met you. Moved back here with you. No secrets. Why?”
Rita told him about Emily and her mother.
Mikey listened, then asked how old the girl was. When Rita answered, he went quiet.
“Where do they live?”
Later that night, Rita woke to find Mikey sitting at the kitchen table, deep in thought.
The next day, he knocked on Sarahs door. Emily answered, staring at the stranger smiling down at her.
“Hello. Youre Emily? Wheres your mum?”
The girl ran inside. “Mum! Someones here!”
“Who?” Sarah appeared, looking even worse than before.
Mikey barely recognised her.
“You? What dyou want?”
He stepped inside without waiting, grimacing at the smell.
“Sarah. I need the truth. Emilyshe could be mine. Is she?”
Sarah slumped into a chair.
“Lend us fifty quid, eh? You owe menever paid child support. Ive fed her, clothed her”
“You lied. You said you didnt keep the baby.”
“I was gonna tell you, but my bloke thenhe said hed be a dad to her. Then he left when she was three months old. By then, youd gone.”
“I want a test. If shes mine, Im taking her.”
“Take her now! Shes always in the wayfeeding her, dressing her Just give me the money, Mikey, eh?”
Emily crept forward.
“Are you my dad?”
Mikeys voice cracked. “Yes, sweetheart. Id like to take you home. Would you like that?”
The girl glanced at her mother, then whispered, “You wont be cross with me?”
“Never.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
As Mikey left, Sarah chased him downstairs.
“Waitthe money?”
He handed her some notes. Her face lit up.
Then he turned back. Emily still stood in the hallway, looking lost.
“Get your coat. Were leaving.” One thought burned in his mind: Shes mine. I cant leave her here.
Half an hour later, Emily crossed the threshold of Mikeys flat. She recognised Ritathe kind lady whod brought her home. Now Rita stood frozen, staring, struggling to believe this was real.
Later, bathed and fed, Emily played with the cat while Rita turned to Mikey.
“Youre sure about this? You dont even know her.”
“Ill learn. Shes my bloodhow else should I treat her?”
Rita walked to the kitchen and criednot even trying to hold back.
Why is this happening to me?
Shed wanted a baby so badlywouldve cherished every moment. Now this girl. How was she supposed to feel? She couldnt be cruel but what if she failed?
She felt angerat Mikey, at Sarah, at lifeuntil small fingers touched her hair.
Rita looked up. Emily stood there.
“Are you sad? I cry sometimes too. Want me to tell you a happy story? I know one.”
Rita hugged her tight.
A year passed. Mikey got the testjust for paperwork. Theyd already decided: whatever the result, Emily was staying.
Rita adored her. They poured all their unused love into each other. Mikey doted on her toothey were a proper family now.
Then Rita fell ill. It came out of nowhere. She pushed through work but collapsed, waking in hospital.
“Whats wrong with me?” Shed never been weak.
“The tests are in,” the doctor said. “Youll be relievedyoure pregnant. Well discharge you today.”
Rita sat bolt upright.
“What? Mikeywhats he saying?”
But it was true. Her dream had come true. She gave birth to a healthy boy, Henry.
Emily helped with everything. Rita couldnt have managed without her clever, kind girl.
Then little Alice arrived. Mikey and Ritas joy was boundlesstheir family was complete.
And Rita knewthis happiness had walked into their lives with a small girl and a heart too big for her tiny frame.
