Left All Alone
It was getting dark outside, and Mum still hadnt come home. Emily, spinning the wheels of her wheelchair, rolled over to the table, picked up the phone and dialed her mums number.
The person you are calling is not available, or the phone is switched off, an unfamiliar voice answered.
Emily stared at the phone, perplexed, then remembered there was hardly any credit left and switched it off.
Mum had gone out to the shops and hadnt returned. That had never happened before she never left for long, and Emily depended on her. Emily was a childhood invalid and couldnt walk; she moved around in a wheelchair, and apart from her mum, she had no other family.
Emily was seven now, and she wasnt afraid to be left at home alone, but her mum always told her where she was going and when shed be back. She couldnt understand what had gone wrong:
Today she went to the big supermarket. Things are cheaper there. Mum and I often went together. Its called far but its not really that far, you can get there and back within an hour, she glanced at the clock. Its been four hours already. Im hungry.
She wheeled herself into the kitchen, boiled the kettle, took a meatball out of the fridge, ate it, then drank some tea.
Still no mum. She couldnt bear it any longer and picked up the phone again, dialling the number.
The person you are calling is not available, or the phone is switched off, came the voice again.
She transferred herself to her bed, tucking the phone under her pillow. She left the light on it was just too scary without her mum.
She lay there for a long while, but eventually drifted off.
***
She woke up to sunlight peeking through the window. Mums bed was neatly made.
Mum! she shouted towards the hallway.
Only silence replied. She checked the phone and tried ringing again. The same metallic voice answered.
She began to feel scared and tears streamed from her eyes.
***
Tom was walking back from the bakery. Every morning they sold fresh pastries. He and his mum started each day like that shed make breakfast and hed fetch their usual buns from the bakery.
At thirty, Tom was still unmarried. Women never paid much attention to him anyway: he was skinny, pale, and hadnt been blessed with good looks or good health. Hed been ill since he was a child, and proper treatment had always been expensive his mum raised him alone. Theyd finally diagnosed him as an adult, when they told him he would never have children. Tom had already accepted that marriage was never going to happen for him.
In the grass, he caught a glimpse of a broken, battered old phone. Technology was both his work and his passion he was a programmer and a blogger, and owned all the latest gadgets, but out of sheer curiosity, he picked this phone up. It looked as if it had been crushed by a car.
Perhaps theres a story here, he thought, slipping it into his pocket, Ill look at it when I get home.
***
After breakfast, Tom pried the SIM card from the battered phone and put it in one of his own. Most of the contacts were for the surgery, council, and other similar institutions, but the very first was saved as daughter.
After a moments thought, he rang the number.
Mum! a delighted young voice answered.
Im not your mum, Tom said awkwardly.
Wheres my mum?
Im not sure. I found a broken phone, put the SIM into mine, and called.
My mums gone missing, the girl started crying. She went to the shop yesterday and never came back.
What about your dad, or grandmother?
I dont have a dad or a granny. Its just me and my mum.
Whats your name? Tom realised the child needed help fast.
Emily.
Im Uncle Tom. Emily, can you go out and tell the neighbours youre alone?
I cant my legs dont work. And theres nobody next door. That flats empty.
Wait, your legs dont work? Tom was at a loss.
I was born like this. Mum says if we save money, theyll give me an operation.
How do you get around?
In my wheelchair.
Do you know your address, Emily? Tom switched to practical matters.
Yes 7 Churchill Street, flat eighteen.
Ill be there soon and well find your mum.
He hung up the phone.
Toms mum, Mrs. Sarah Bennett, came into the room. Tom, whats wrong?
Mum, I picked up a broken phone, popped the SIM into my mobile, and called the top number. Theres a girl alone in a flat, and shes disabled. No other family. I got her address. Id better go check.
Im coming with you, she said at once, gathering her bag.
Sarah had raised her often-sick son alone, so she deeply understood what it was like for a single mum with an ill child. Shed retired now, and Tom was earning well.
They ordered a taxi and set off to rescue the child.
***
They rang the intercom.
Who is it? a small, sad voice answered.
Emily, its Uncle Tom!
Come in!
They entered the block. The flat door stood slightly ajar.
Inside, a thin little girl in a wheelchair looked up at them with sad eyes.
Will you find my mum? she asked.
Whats your mums name? Tom asked immediately.
Helen.
And her surname?
Barker.
Hold on, Tom, his mum intervened gently, Emily, are you hungry?
Yes. There was a meatball in the fridge, but I ate it yesterday.
Tom, nip to our usual shop and get what we always buy.
Got it! he darted out the door.
***
When he returned, his mother had already whipped up something in the kitchen. She unpacked the bags and set the table.
Once everyone had eaten, Tom started searching for the girls mum.
He opened the local news website, scrolling through reports from the previous day.
Here we go, he muttered, on Park Road, a car hit a woman. She was taken to hospital in serious condition.
He picked up the phone and called around. On his third try, someone answered.
Yes, we had a woman from Park Road brought in yesterday. Shes in a serious state and hasnt woken up yet.
Whats her name?
No ID or mobile found with her. Are you a relative?
Well Im not sure yet
Come to the hospital, please.
I know the address. Ill be there.
He ended the call and turned to Emily.
Do you have a photo of your mum?
Yes. She wheeled over to her bedside table and pulled out an album. We took this one recently.
Shes very pretty, Tom smiled, and snapped a picture with his phone. Right, Im off to find your mum.
***
Helen opened her eyes. White ceiling. Her mind slowly returned. A flash of a car, then nothing.
She tried to move pain shot through her whole body. A nurse came over quietly.
Awake at last?
Helens eyes widened with terror. How long have I been here?
Two days.
My daughters alone at home
Dont worry, Helen, soothed the nurse, placing a hand gently on her chest. A young man visited yesterday. He left his number for you, said your phone had been crushed by a car.
I need to call
Of course. The nurse scrolled to daughter and put the phone to Helens ear. From the speaker came,
Mum!
Emily, darling! How are you?
Im okay! Granny Sarah and Uncle Tom come to see me!
Uncle Tom?
Dont worry, said a doctor entering the room, or Ill have to take the phone away. Let me check you over!
Ill call back, Helen told her daughter, before the doctor finished the examination and ordered a drip.
When the doctor left, the nurse pocketed the phone.
Please, could I speak to my daughter just a moment longer? Helen whispered.
The doctor said no getting worked up, the nurse relented, dialling the number.
Darling
Helen, its Sarah Bennett, an unfamiliar womans voice replied. Please listen, my son found your broken phone, tracked down your daughter and then you. Im retired, and while youre in hospital, Ill look after Emily. Dont fret. Here she is now.
Mum, dont worry, just get better soon! Emilys voice sounded.
Be a good girl for Granny, darling! Helen said, clinging to the lifeline.
Please switch the phone off, the nurse insisted.
***
The next day, Helen was moved to the main ward. In the evening, during visiting hours, the nurse told her, Barker, youve got a visitor.
Helen hardly had time to be surprised before a skinny, unattractive young man walked in.
Hello, Helen. Im Tom, he smiled. Hope you dont mind me calling you by your first name.
Thats fine, she replied quietly.
He set down a big carrier bag.
My mum packed you a few things.
Tom, I dont even know who you really are, she said, bemused.
It all happened by chance, he replied, I found your crushed phone. The SIM still worked, so I rang your daughter. Then I found you.
How is my Emily?
One second.
He picked up the very phone hed left for Helens use, fiddled with it, and held it out.
Helen glanced at the screen and saw her daughter.
Mum! Emily cried, Does it hurt?
No, darling, not anymore. How are you?
Granny Sarah comes to see me.
Helen spoke to her daughter for a long time while Tom waited patiently. When she finished, she bowed her head.
I owe you both so much.
Oh, dont worry about that! Tom grinned. And please, call me Tom!
Thank you, Tom!
Let me show you how to use this phone now
***
Two weeks slipped by.
The driver responsible for the accident brought Helen a £5,000 compensation cheque right to the hospital, along with his solicitor.
The next day, she was discharged. Tom came to collect her and took her home.
Mum! Emily shrieked with joy.
For a moment it seemed like she might leap from her wheelchair. Helen hugged her tightly and cried from happiness.
She went over to Sarah. Mrs. Bennett, thank you so much!
Sarah waved it off. Oh, dont fuss, Helen. Emilys like a granddaughter to me now.
Mrs. Bennett, the man who knocked me down gave me compensation, Helen said quietly, producing the money from her bag, I dont know how else to thank you.
Put that away at once! Sarah said sternly. Tom and I manage just fine. You need that money for Emilys treatment. Toms already found a good clinic.
Mum! Emily chimed in. Uncle Tom says were going to the hospital and theyll fix my legs so I can walk!
***
Helen spent two weeks with her daughter at the clinic. Emily had rods fitted to her legs. In three months, shed need to return. The same in a year and then another time a year after that. After three operations and rehabilitation, the doctors promised Emily would walk.
For now, she still used the wheelchair, though the rods were uncomfortable. Fate, it seemed, wasnt done testing them all yet.
Sarah Bennett began to have heart trouble and found herself in hospital in serious condition.
Helen spent three nights at her side, coming home only to cook lunch for everyone and catch some sleep. At night, Tom stayed with Emily.
On the fourth day, Sarah finally started to recover. She looked sadly at Helen, then quietly said, My dear, I dont think Ive long left. You should marry Tom. Hes a good man, and together you could help Emily walk again.
Mrs. Bennett, would he even want me?
Sarah smiled faintly, He will. Im sure of it.
***
A few years later, a grey-haired woman was holding the hand of a tall girl with a school backpack and a bouquet of flowers. Anyone might have thought it was her first day at school.
And in a sense it was but Emily was starting not Reception, but Year Four. Shed been homeschooled online the first three years, passing with top marks. Now, at last, she was walking into school on her own two legs.
Granny, I am a bit nervous.
Oh, Emily, youre ten already! Look, here come your mum and dad.
Darling, why the long face? Helen asked, catching up.
Shes anxious about starting school, Sarah replied.
Here, hold my hand, Tom said, offering his palm. Lets go!
With you, Dad, Im not scared at all, Emily beamed.
They set off for the school together, talking and laughing as they went, with Helen and Sarah following behind, just as happy.
