Gathering Everyone Together at My Place
Claire Spring picked up her phone after closing her laptop for the day. Hello Gran, how are you feeling today? Good? And Granddad? Well, if hes making chips, then everything must be just fine. Ive wrapped up work for the evening, Ill pick Danny up from football practice and well stop by Tesco, so well be home soon.
After that, Claire dialled another number.
Hi James, Im heading home. Will you and Emily be back soon? Already on your way? Wonderful, Granddads frying up potatoes, so we can all have dinner together.
Claire stood up, popped her necessities into her handbag, and called out to her colleagues, See you all tomorrowgoodnight!
Bye, Claire, have a lovely evening! someone replied from across the office.
She quickly switched her smart shoes under her desk for flats, threw on her trench coat, and gave a quick glance through the dusk outside. Autumns warmth lingered in the air, city lights twinkled invitingly, and people hurried home after a days work. Claire caught her reflection in the window and smiled to herselfit was funny, shed never expected her own life to look like this. That shed have a family, and that each evening shed be hurrying home, back to where someone waited for her. Only a short while ago, shed been sure that would never happen.
Yes, hers was an unusual family, but they all loved one another and were happy.
Her own mother had left Claire at birth, vanishing from hospital without a trace. The childrens home gave her a brief summarymother unknown, no documents, no father listed. The staff chose her name: Spring for a surname because she was born in spring, Claire for no particular reason. She had always played with the boys growing up. Her closest friend was Jack Spring, who was a year older and had the same surname for the same reason. Claire worked hard at school, always polite, kind, and diligentshe hoped someone would finally bring her into their family. Her only sense of how other children lived at home came from films she watched. Perhaps it was because she was lanky and awkward looking, she just never seemed to find her chance. Or maybe she was simply unlucky.
When Jack was adopted, Claire cried into her pillow all night. Not from envy, but because shed lost her only friend. Hed looked back at her, helplessly through his thick-rimmed glasses:
Claire, do you want me to refuse them?
Dont be daft, Jack! Who turns something like this down? Goeveryone has their own path.
I promise, Ill find you, hed said as he left. Claire had only laughedshe didnt really believe it mattered.
Claire finished school, attended the technical college for construction, living in student halls till she qualified. The council assigned her a one-bed flat as a care leaver, though it was right on the edge of town, but she didnt mind. Shed landed a job in her field at an architecture firm. Adult life had finally begun in earnest. Friends abounded at work, but shed decided it wasnt time for a family yet. Still, she cherished a dreama big house, a loving husband, childrentwo, maybe three. She imagined them running, laughing, shouting, Mum! Dad!words that were warm and yet unfamiliar. She pictured coming in the door and little voices greeting her, Mum, dads home! as if it were a scene from a fairytale.
One evening as Claire was reaching her block of flats, the door suddenly burst open and a lad dashed out, nearly knocking her over, clutching a bag. As Claire entered, she saw an elderly woman sprawled on the stairs.
My pension… my bag… He pushed me. My glasseswhere are my glassesI cant see!
Claire rushed after the boy, but hed vanished. She helped the old lady upluckily, a graze was all she suffered.
How could anyone do that, love? the woman sobbed. Why would hewhat for?
Claire walked Mrs TaylorGran to localshome, where her husband was ill and bedridden. She started popping in, bringing groceries since the pension had been stolen. They reported the theft, but the boy wasnt found, though Claire was fairly sure she remembered his face. A few days later, the bag turned up by the buildingthank heavens at least for that.
More and more, Claire visited Mrs Taylor. The family even arranged doctors to see Mr Taylor, who soon perked up. They declared Claire their granddaughter, inviting her in constantly since they had no relatives left.
One day on the bus, Claire noticed a man smiling at her.
You know, your face looks awfully familiarhave we met? he asked, grinning. Claire laughed.
I dont think so.
He introduced himself as Tomhe lived with his mum and worked nearby. By the time theyd walked from the bus stop, hed told her his life story. She began to feel, oddly, as if she had seen him before. Tom started meeting her after work, walking her home. Eventually she invited him in for tea and sandwiches. She even told him about the childrens home. Tom looked at her as if he wanted to say something but couldnt quite find the words. She liked him, but something unsettled her.
One evening, things took an unexpected turn. Tom came by; Claire put the kettle on. He came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her. She hesitated, Tom, maybe were rushing things? But he just gripped her hands, and thenshe tried to protest, but he growled, So you turned me in, did you? I recognised you, you witch. You helped them, didnt you? They told me it was some orphan girl! I even saw the identikit phototheyd nearly caught me. Well, now you keep your mouth shut, got it? No onell believe you anywayyoure nothing to anyone! Otherwise, things will get worse.
Claire didnt go to the policeshe was too afraid of the gossip. Yet a month later, she was rushed to hospital straight from work. Ectopic pregnancy, internal injuriesshe might never have children.
Mrs Taylor nursed Claire through those days, whispering words of comfort, making her broth to help her recover her strength. She gave her herbal remedies too. When Claire left hospital, she barely spoke and felt lost, unsure why she should go on. One day her feet led her, almost unconsciously, to the local church. It was late autumn; the sky was deep blue, the golden spire glinted in the low sun, and the bells rang out. Volunteers were tidying up the last flowers of the season.
Spring, Claire? someone called behind her. She turnedone of the volunteers was smiling warmly.
Claireits you! Ive been hoping to find you!
Jack? she said, finally recognising him.
He hugged her as tears came to her eyes. He dabbed them away gently. Come on, lets go to the church halltheres porridge, pies, and tea. And we can catch up there.
Claire hardly remembered how she ended up telling Jack everything. He listened, then shared his storyhow hed been adopted, how his stepfather used to beat him for the smallest thing. He ran away, hurt his leg, drifted from place to place. In the church, though, as a volunteer, hed started to heal.
On her way home, Claire thought how lucky she was that life had turned out so well after meeting Jack again. Thered been a time she didnt even want to go home and spent days at the church. That was where theyd made their decision. Mrs Taylor and Mr Andrew Taylor had long offered to put Claires name on the flat, but she and Jack had an even better idea.
Mrs Taylor and Mr Taylor were thrilled by the suggestiontheyd all live together. They never dreamed someone would want to live with old, sick folks like them.
Now, Claire and Jack Spring have been married for five years. They moved out together to a place near the edge of towna big enough home for everyone. Mr and Mrs Taylor are at the heart of it all, the senior generation, and finally, theyre not alonethey have family.
Two years ago, Claires dream came truethey adopted two children, Danny and Emily, from the same childrens home where they grew up.
Jack, do you remember how we waited as kids, hoping someone would choose us, and wed have our own home? Claire would say happily. Just look at their faceslets promise to be the kind of parents we always longed for.
Now she hears:
Mum, wheres Dad? Gran, come and see what Granddad and I built!
Claire doesnt let herself dwell on the bad times anymore. Though once, Mrs Taylor whispered that their attacker had finally been caught for yet another offence and was sent to prison for a long stretch.
May everyone be repaid according to their deeds, in this life and beyond.
