“I’m leaving you, and you’ll never see the child again!” shouted Joanna. “I want us to have a proper familyno outsiders!”
“Joanna, calm down! There are no outsiders in our family,” Alexander tried to soothe his wife. “Emily is our daughter, too!”
“Alex, lets put Emily in a care home. Its simple!”
“Have you lost your mind? Put her in a home? What kind of talk is that?” Alexander stared at Joanna in disbelief.
“What do you mean? We just take her there! Were having our own child soonwhy keep someone elses?”
“Jo! Maybe this is Gods way of rewarding us for giving an orphan a home! You were the one who insisted on adopting her!”
“I didnt think wed ever have our own childthats why I pushed for it. What kind of family has no children?”
Five-year-old Emily stood outside her parents bedroom door, unable to believe what she was hearing. She wasnt their real daughter? They wanted to send her back to a care home?
Tears streamed down her face. Shed been so excited about the new baby brother or sister but now, because of it, she was going to lose her family.
As if sensing something, Alex got up and walked to the door. There stood Emily, crying.
“Daddy am I not really yours?” Her big, frightened eyes searched his face.
“Of course you are, sweetheart!” Alex scooped her up. “Youre ours!”
“But you said you want to send me away! That means Im not really yours!” she insisted, wiping tears with her sleeve.
“Yes, we adopted you as a baby, but that doesnt mean youre not our real daughter! We love you so much! Mummys just emotional because of the baby Come on, lets get you to bed.”
***
“Im done with youyoull never see this child!” Joanna screamed. “I want a normal family, no outsiders!”
“Joanna, stop this! There are no outsiders here!” Alexander pleaded. “Emily is our daughter!”
“I didnt give birth to her! Shes not mine! Its me or herchoose!”
Alex helped Emily pack her things.
“Youll stay with Granny for a while, just until Mummy calms down,” he told her. “Once the baby comes, shell see sense and well bring you home, alright?”
Emily nodded.
Shed agree to anything if it meant not going back to the care home. Besides, she loved Granny. Granny was kind and always gave her treats.
“Granny, if Mummy really wants to send me away can I just stay with you instead?” Emily asked as soon as they arrived.
Lydia Edwardovna shot her son a sharp look. He gave an awkward smile.
“Joannas hormones are all over the place!”
“Of course, my darling!” Granny helped Emily out of her coat. “But Mummy wont send you awayyoure her daughter! Shes just saying things because shes stressed!”
***
Two months passed. Emily stayed with Granny while her father visited less and less, torn between work and the hospital where Joanna was on bed rest.
One morning, as Granny made breakfast, Emily stared out the window. Spotting her fathers car, she cheered.
“Granny! Daddys here!”
“This early?” Lydia frowned.
Her son never came before noon. Sensing trouble, she told Emily to stay in the kitchen and went to meet him.
“Joanna passed away last night. The labour started, and she didnt make it. The baby either.” Alexander slumped onto the hallway bench, exhausted.
The three of them sat silently in the kitchen, untouched cups of tea growing cold.
“Mum, Im taking Emily home. Its time.”
“If you need me, I can stay with you for a while,” Lydia offered.
“Thanks, Mum”
***
Emily eagerly examined her new hair ribbons. Soon shed be a proper schoolgirlher smart uniform and bright backpack ready for September.
The front door creaked open. Daddy!
“Daddy!” She ran to greet himbut he wasnt alone. A petite woman stood beside him.
“Sweetheart, this is Lisa! Shes going to live with us!” Alexander forced a cheerful tone.
“Hello, Emily!” Lisa smiled warmly, holding out a bouquet. “These are for your first day of school.”
“Hi,” Emily muttered, ignoring the flowers as she stalked off to her room.
“Dont take it personally,” she heard her father say. “Shes really sweet once you get to know her.”
“Im sure well be friends,” Lisa replied.
“Yeah, right!” Emily thought, slamming her door.
Alex and Lisa married quietly. Soon, he was offered a promotion and barely came home.
Lisa took over caring for Emilyhelping with homework, attending school meetings, taking her to the cinema and cafés.
Slowly, Emily softened. The house became peaceful.
At the end of the school year, another joy arrivedLisa was pregnant. But for Emily, it felt like a betrayal.
She locked herself in her room, sobbing. Lisa stood outside, begging her to open up.
“Emily, please dont cry! I love you! Id never give you away! Well always be togetheryoure my special girl!”
“Really?” Emily emerged, face streaked with tears.
“Of course!” Lisa hugged her tight. “Youre my real daughter. Id never let you go!”
Months later, Emily cradled her baby brother, marvelling at how tiny he was.
“Mum, look how funny he is!” She hadnt even realised shed called Lisa “Mum.”
Lisa, blinking back happy tears, wrapped her arms around them both.
Two years flew by.
Emily was in Year Four when tragedy struckAlexander died in a car crash. She and Lisa moved through chores, caring for little Nicky in silence.
They avoided speaking, afraid tears would spill. Nicky, confused, grew fussy.
One night after he fell asleep, Lisa sat beside Emily.
“This cant go on. We have to keep living. Dads gone, but life isnt. Lets stop grieving. Okay?”
“Okay,” Emily agreed. Mum was rightDad wouldnt come back.
But trouble never comes alone. Just as they decided to move forward, the doorbell rang.
A stern woman introduced herself as a social worker. Emily, she declared, must go to a care homeshe had no parents now.
“What? And what about me?” Lisa demanded.
“Show me the adoption papers,” the woman snapped. There were none. “Exactly. Grannys too old, and youre no relation. Pack your things, Emily.”
Unlike Lisa, Emily didnt cry. She didnt care what happened next. Her worst fear had come trueshe was alone.
“Ill get you out of there!” Lisa called after her. But Emily didnt believe it.
Who wanted an orphan? When Dad was alive, shed been loved. Now he was gone, and she was nobodys. Especially not Lisasshe had her own child now.
Lisa visited the care home often, but Emily refused to see her. Shed watch from a window as Lisa waited on the bench, then turn away. Eventually, the visits stopped.
“Guess thats that. Done playing mum,” Emily thought bitterly.
Two months later
“Emily! The headmistress wants you!” called Jake, the homes resident troublemaker.
“What does she want?” Emily wondered. “I havent done anything!”
“Well, Emily, congratulations! Youve been matched with a family!” the headmistress announced. “Not a traditional one, but still”
“I dont want a family!” Emily snapped. “Ive had enough of families!”
“Luck or no luck, well see. Now pack your thingsyour new parents are waiting!”
Emily obeyed, numb. Outside, leaning against the railing, stood Lisa.
“What are you doing here?” Emily asked flatly.
“I came for you.”
“Ive already been adopted.”
“By me.”
“You?” Emilys voice wavered.
“Thats right. I told youyoure my real daughter, and Id never let you go! They dont like letting single mothers adopt, but I proved I could provide for you. And, well bribes still work. So were a proper family now. Lets go homeNickys missed you.”
“Okay Mum.”
