**Diary Entry A New Chapter**
Another evening, another lonely walk back to my flat in Manchester after work. The empty rooms greeted me as always. I switched on the TV and turned up the volume, pretending someone was home. My daughter, Emily, had moved out after her wedding. And my husband well, Daniel left me for someone younger.
Even now, I couldnt believe Daniel had betrayed me. Twenty-four years together, no major rows, just quiet harmony. Wed even talked about celebrating our silver anniversary at a nice restaurant. But fate had other plansdreams shattered in an instant.
*”Mum, I never thought Dad would do this,”* Emily had sobbed. *”Im so angry with himI wont speak to him again.”*
*”Love, dont cut him off,”* Id urged. *”He left me, not you. Youre his daughter, and he still loves you.”*
I couldnt bear turning Emily against him. Part of me blamed myself. Maybe I hadnt loved him enough, hadnt paid attention. Maybe Id focused too much on my career and not enough on us.
Daniel met *her* in a café after work, sipping a pint with his mates. Their eyes lockedhers were hazel, sparkling with mischief. That look stayed with him. He walked over, introduced himself. Lily didnt mind. One thing led to another, and before he knew it, he was in her rented flat. Then everything spiralled. He fell hard.
He couldnt lie to me for long. I already suspected. One brutal conversation later, he admitted it.
*”Sarah, Ive fallen for someone else. I know Ive hurt you, but I wont lie about it.”*
It was crushing, but I held myself together.
One evening, just as Id changed out of my work clothes, my sister Charlotte rang.
*”Sarah, you home? Need to talkIll be right over.”*
*”Come ahead,”* I said, relieved not to spend another night alone.
Charlotte bustled in, arms full of shopping bagswine, fancy snacks. I frowned. *”Whats all this? Celebrating something?”*
*”Hardly,”* she scoffed, pouring the wine. *”Sophies pregnant. Eighteen in three months, and already too far along to well, you know. That idiot boy she was seeing bolted the second he found out. And now were stuck with this.”*
I stared, shocked. *”You cant mean”*
*”Oh, dont lecture me,”* she snapped. *”Sophies got collegeshes not raising a baby. And Im not playing grandma at my age.”*
Silence. Then*”How far along is she?”*
*”Far enough. Its a girl.”* She took a drag of her cigarette. *”Probably as wild as her mother.”*
*”Charlotte give her to me,”* I said suddenly. *”Dont leave her at the hospital. Ive got the flat, my job”*
*”Oh, please. And when shes grown, youll tell her everything?”*
*”No,”* I promised. *”Shell be mine. Shell never knowunless you tell her.”*
It took hours to convince her. Then came another hurdleadoption required a married couple. Daniel and I hadnt divorced yet, but I didnt want to ask him. Not after everything.
Sophie gave birth to a healthy girl and signed the papers without a second glance. I named her Daisy. With help from an old friend in social services, I got custody.
Bringing Daisy home, I took leave but refused to quit my managerial jobthe salary was too good. I rang Mum next. Anne lived nearby, alone since Dad passed. Shed been a nurse once.
*”Mum, I need to talk. Urgently.”*
When she arrived and saw the baby in the cot, she nearly collapsed.
*”Whose child is this? Sarah, whats going on?”*
Neither Charlotte nor I had told her about Sophie. Now, over chamomile tea, I explained everything.
*”How could Charlotte do this?”* Mum whispered, stunned. *”We raised you both the sameif anything, she got more love!”*
Once shed calmed, I pleaded. *”Mum, help me. Shes your great-granddaughter. I dont want to lose my jobcould you look after her? Id rather it be you than a stranger.”*
*”Oh, love, you dont even need to ask,”* she said, smiling through tears. *”Of course Ill help.”*
Charlotte never called. Never asked about Daisy. But when Emily visited, she was overjoyed.
*”Shell be my little sister!”* she cooed, cradling Daisy. *”Shes perfect.”*
Daisy grew up bright and kind. By four, she could name every chess piece. Then, on her fifth birthdayafter a party at a nearby caféDaniel turned up at my door, looking wretched.
*”Hi. Can I come in?”*
Daisy zoomed past me. *”Its my birthday! Whore you?”*
*”This is Daisy,”* I said pointedly. *”My daughter.”*
*”Emily told me,”* he murmured, then returned with a huge dollhouse.
Over tea, he admitted, *”I left Lily two years ago. It wasnt right. Sarah could I visit? Be part of her life?”*
*”Shes not yours,”* I reminded him.
*”But Id love her as if she were,”* he said softly. *”What you didtaking her inits why I admire you even more now.”*
In time, I agreed. He helped with everythingswimming lessons, dance classes. Then one night, after Daisys recital, she looked at him and said, *”Daddy, Im glad you came with Mummy today.”*
His eyes shone. Shed called him *Daddy*. He spun her around, laughing.
*”Were a family now, arent we, Sarah?”*
Daisy whooped. *”Youll never leave again?”*
*”Never,”* he promised. *”Youre both everything to me.”*
We made it officialadopted Daisy together. After all, wed never divorced. Just in case Charlotte or Sophie ever changed their minds though I doubted they would.
