“Dad, Ill eat so littleplease dont send me to the orphanage,” the little girl begged, wiping her tears with trembling hands.
In a small village where the streets were dusty and the cottages stood close together, there lived an ordinary family. Victor and Annepeople whod seen their share of hardshipwerent wealthy, but they got by. Their days were filled with tending the garden, looking after their children, and the endless chores of home life. It seemed their world was complete. Then, everything changed.
Anne found out she was pregnant again.
Victor was practical, always counting pennies. The idea of another child when they could barely feed the three they had seemed absurd. Money was tight as it wasanother mouth to feed?
“Anne, have you lost your mind? Youre forty-three! Were stretched thin as it is, and now” Victor struggled to put his frustration into words.
But Anne wouldnt be swayed. She *felt* this child was meant to be borna decision beyond reason.
When little Sophie arrived, Victor didnt even go to the hospital to fetch Anne. The birth might as well have happened in another world. When he came home, everything looked the sameexcept now there was another tiny girl, easily lost in the bustle of the household.
“Victor, look how beautiful she is,” Anne whispered, cradling the newborn. But his eyes held no warmth.
Sophie grew up in the shadow of her older siblings and her fathers indifference. Her brother and sisters barely noticed her. Anne tried to give her love, but her energy wasnt endless. Often, Sophie sat alone, lost in thought, wondering why her fatherwho she so desperately wanted to pleasenever looked her way.
She dreamed that if she did something special, hed finally notice. Even at six, she hoped hed play with her or just talk. Shed watch him laugh with the others, but his eyes always slid past her.
“Dad, look! I picked these berries for you!” she once said, holding up a basket of strawberries.
Victor barely glanced at her. “Put them on the table. Im busy.”
One day, when Sophie was six, she went mushroom hunting with her mum. Excited, she gathered her fathers favorites, imagining theyd all sit down for supper together. Maybe then, hed see her.
But fate had other plans. A sudden downpour sent them hurrying home. Anne tripped over a root and fell. Terrified, Sophie dropped the mushrooms and ran.
“Dad! Mums hurt!” she cried, bursting through the door.
Victor, sitting at the table, didnt react at first.
“She wont get up!” Sophie sobbed, pointing toward the woods.
The family rushed out. By the time they reached her, Anne was still. The doctor later said shed died instantlyher head struck a tree stump.
After that, Sophies life shattered. Victor, grieving, blamed her.
“This is your fault!” hed shout when she cried in the corner. “You killed her!”
Her siblings, siding with him, demanded she be sent away. Surrounded by hate, Sophie couldnt understand why all their pain landed on her.
“Dad, throw her out! Shes why Mums gone,” her eldest sister spat.
When Victors mother, witnessing this, took Sophie in, the girl felt a sliver of relief. But soon, she overheard them talking.
“Theres no room for her here, Mum,” Victor said flatly. “Youre not young anymoreyou cant raise another child.”
Sophie froze outside the door, each word like a knife.
“But shes just a child, like the others. How could you send her to an orphanage?” her grandmother argued.
“How am I supposed to feed four?” Victor replied, cold as stone.
Sophie couldnt take it. She ran in.
“Dad, Ill eat almost nothing! Please dont send me away!” she begged, tears streaming.
Victor just turned away.
The orphanage was agony. For years, Sophie waited for someone to come. But slowly, she realizedno one would. When couples visited to adopt, every child rushed forwardexcept her. If her own father didnt want her, who would?
Years passed. When Sophie aged out, she went back home, hoping for even a flicker of acceptance. What she got was worse.
Her eldest sister barely recognized her. “Sophie, you dont belong here. Whyd you come?”
Sophie swallowed hard. “This is my home too.”
Her sister scoffed. “People come back where theyre wanted. No one here wants you.”
Then Victor appeared. His face was blanklike she wasnt even there. Sophie took a step forward, but he raised a hand, stopping her. Without a word, he walked back inside.
Heartbroken, Sophie left. She visited her mothers grave, tidying it, whispering as if Anne could hear. Then she made her choice. She couldnt stay.
She boarded a train to the nearest city.
Sophie sat on a cold bench in the busy square. People rushed past, oblivious. The noise of traffic and chatter filled the air, but she felt invisible, like she didnt belong. Her small bag held everything she owneda few clothes, her papers. The city felt huge and hostile.
Hours dragged. She had nowhere to go. Memories flashedher childhood, her familys faces, the home that wasnt hers anymore. Loneliness crushed her. She just wanted to disappear.
“Are you alright, love?”
She looked up. A young man stood there, kindness in his eyes.
That simple question broke her. Years of pain spilled out in tears. Her voice shook. “Im fine.”
He didnt leave. “Lets get you a cuppa, yeah? Im James, by the way.”
“Sophie,” she whispered, following him.
Over tea, she told him everything. James listened, then offered her a place to stay. “Mums at mine. You can rest, figure things out.”
Ten years later, Sophie woke uneasy. Everything *seemed* fineJames, their twins, her mother-in-law, now like a second mum.
“Everything alright, sweetheart?” her mother-in-law asked gently.
“I dont know something feels off,” Sophie admitted.
“Lets have tea. James and the boys will be back soon.”
When they returned, Sophie relaxed. But that evening, an unknown number called.
“Sophie? Its Emily. Your sister. Dads dying. He wants to see you.” The line went dead.
Sophie stood frozen. James, hearing, squeezed her shoulder. “Well go. Mum can watch the boys.”
The drive was quiet. Sophies mind racedher childhood, her fathers rejection.
At the house, Emily stood outside with strangersher brother and other sister. They barely registered as family.
The moment Sophie stepped inside, Emily snapped, “Dont think youre getting anything from this!”
Sophie flinched but kept walking.
Victor lay in bed, frail, his eyes dimuntil he saw her. A flicker of life.
“You came thank you,” he rasped.
“Dad, what happened?” Sophies voice wavered.
“Old age dying. But listen” He struggled to sit. “Forgive me. I cant go with this weight Your mum visits my dreams, staring at me. I loved youjust couldnt show it. Told Anne I didnt want you and look what I did. You suffered. At least at the orphanage, no one hated you like here.”
Tears spilled. Despite everything, forgiveness had lived in her heart for years.
“Dad, I forgave you long ago. I just wanted you to hold me,” she whispered. Jamess hand settled on her shoulder.
“Sophie, lets take him to the hospital,” James said softly.
Victor didnt resist. His eyes clung to Sophielike this was his last chance to be near her.
In the car, Sophie thought of her childhood, the father shed needed. But now, with him trying to make amends, she felt peace.
Three weeks later, Victor improved. Sophie and the boys visited often. Things werent warm, but the hostility was gone.
At discharge, Victor murmured, “Thank you Ill go now.”
“Where?” Sophie frowned.
“Home.”
“No,” she said firmly, taking his hand. “I just got my dad back. The boys just got a grandad. Youre coming with us.” James grinned. “Plenty of room.”
The next morning, the house buzzedthe twins begging their grandad to teach them to fish.
“Get up, Dad!” Sophie laughed. “Weve got everything ready!”
Victor smiled, watching his familyreal warmth blooming in his chest. Sophie watched too, heart full.
“Sophie your mum visited my dreams again,” he said softly as the boys tugged at him. “She was smiling.”
Sophie took his hand and smiled back.
She glanced
