My Father Abandoned Us, Leaving Mum Saddled with Debts – Since Then, I Lost My Right to a Happy Childhood

Author Emily TaylorReading 3 minViews 2

My father left us, leaving my mother with significant debts. From then on, I lost my right to a carefree childhood.

When I was ten and my younger brother was only three, my dad walked out on us. He’d met another woman, someone he thought more attractive than Mum. He left us the family flat, which still had the mortgage to pay off. While my parents were together, I attended a good school, took part in competitions and after-school clubs, and played netball. But everything turned upside down after the divorce. Mum had to juggle two jobs at once.

She worked as a cleaner in the mornings, then rushed off in the afternoons to care for an elderly lady. I had to transfer from a well-regarded secondary school to one closer to home. I gave up netball, as Mum would leave me looking after my little brother every spare moment she had. Life as I knew it completely changed. I finished my A-levels, went off to university, and then started working. My happy childhood was gone.

It was taken from me. My father, who longed for his own freedom, and my mum, who often left my brother in my care, changed the course of my life. Only recently did I finally pay off the last of the mortgage. Im 22 now, and Ive started saving so I can buy my own place. Life has become lighter. Yet just as the final payment was made, my father reappeared in our lives. He was bored and decided he wanted to come back to the family. Mum is absolutely beaming. But I just dont understand. He never looked after us, never supported us, left us with a mountain of debt, and now, after all this, he wants to play happy families. Whos supposed to be pleased about that? Of course, Mum is over the moon. But I find it hard to even look at the two of them together.

Sometimes, life doesnt go as we hoped, and those we counted on can let us down. But from hardship comes strength, and in the end, we must create our own happiness rather than wait for it from others.

I Stopped Speaking to My Husband After His Birthday Antics—For the First Time, He Was Truly Scared – Right, let’s raise a glass to the birthday girl! Forty-five and still in her prime—well, in our case, maybe a dried fruit, but still good for your digestion! – Oleg’s voice boomed across the small restaurant’s banquet hall, overpowering even the background music. The guests at the long table froze. Someone gave a nervous laugh, trying to smooth over the awkwardness; others buried their gaze in their salads as if hunting for an olive was suddenly the most urgent task. Elena, sitting at the head of the table in her brand-new dark blue dress she’d carefully chosen over two weeks, felt the blood drain from her face. The smile she’d worn since the evening began twisted into a painful grimace. Oleg, utterly pleased with his joke, knocked back a shot of vodka, flopped down next to his wife, and flung his heavy, clammy arm around her shoulders. – Why the long faces? My Lena’s got a sense of humour—right, love? – he slapped her back like a mate at the pub. – She’s thrifty too. That dress—how old is it now, three years? Looks good as new! Which wasn’t true. The dress was brand new, bought with money Elena earned through freelance translation work. But to argue now, in front of friends, colleagues, and relatives, would have turned the evening into a circus. She gently removed her husband’s hand from her shoulder and took a sip of water. Deep inside, somewhere near her solar plexus, an icy lump began to form. Once upon a time she’d have made a joke—something like “Let’s just hope you don’t get mouldy, darling”—but tonight it was as if something inside her fuse box had finally blown. The party rolled on, out of habit. Oleg drank more, got rowdier, tried to invite Elena’s young colleagues to dance, and pontificated loudly about politics and how “it’s the women who broke this country.” Elena accepted gifts, thanked guests for their toasts, made sure everyone got their hot food, but she did it all on autopilot like a wind-up doll. In her head, there was nothing but silence. Absolute, ringing silence that drowned out her husband’s drunk rambling. When they got home, Oleg barely managed to tug his shoes off before heading to the bedroom. – Good night out, eh? – he grumbled, unfastening his shirt. – Only Sasha, your boss, he’s a shifty sort. Kept staring at me. Probably jealous he doesn’t have such a patient wife. Oi, Lena? Bring us some sparkling water, would you? Been drinking all night. Elena stood in the hallway and looked at her tired reflection in the mirror. Smudged mascara. Exhausted eyes. She quietly took off her heels, neatly placed them back on the rack, and went to the kitchen—but not for sparkling water. She poured herself a glass, drank it slowly while staring out at the dark street below, then went to the lounge, took out a spare duvet and pillow, and made up the sofa for the night. – Lena? Where’ve you gone? Bring me some water! – came his shout from the bedroom. Elena turned off the hallway light, crawled under the blanket on the sofa, and pulled it up over her head. Night came, but sleep didn’t. She didn’t think about revenge or starting a row. There was only one thing: a calm, crystal-clear certainty. That was the last time. The limit was reached. The balance was zero. Morning didn’t begin with the usual sound of the coffee grinder. Normally Elena got up half an hour before her husband—to make his breakfast, iron his shirt, and pack him a lunch for work. Today, Oleg woke only to his alarm and silence. No coffee, no frying eggs. He shuffled to the kitchen, scratching his belly. Elena was already at the table, fully dressed, reading her tablet. In front of her: an empty cup. – Where’s breakfast? – he yawned, opening the fridge. – I thought you were making pancakes, there was still cottage cheese left? Elena didn’t look up. She turned the page on the screen, sipped her cold tea, and kept reading. – Lena! I’m talking to you! – Oleg turned around, clutching a stick of salami. – Have you gone deaf after last night? She stood, quietly picked up her bag, checked for her keys, and headed to the door. – Hey! Where do you think you’re going? My blue shirt isn’t ironed! The front door slammed. Oleg was left standing in the kitchen in his pants, salami in hand, totally lost. – Fine then, be like that, – he muttered, slicing off a chunk. – PMS or she’s sulking over a joke. She’ll simmer down by evening—women love the drama. That evening, Elena didn’t come home until he was asleep. She slipped quietly in, made up the sofa again in the lounge. The same happened the next morning. No breakfast, no “Good morning,” no packed lunch. She just got herself together and left. By the third day, it was really getting to him. – Come on, stop playing the silent game! – Oleg barked, catching her lacing up her shoes. – I crossed the line, so what? We had a drink, unwound, that’s all. Who do you think you are—the Queen of England? Sorry, alright? Let’s move on. Where are my black socks, not a single pair in the drawer! Elena looked at him—calm, almost as if she was looking not at the husband she’d shared twenty years with, but at a patch of mould on the wallpaper. Unpleasant, but not the end of the world. She turned away, took her umbrella, and left. By week’s end, the flat started to look different. Oleg’s things, which used to magically appear clean and ironed, now amassed in heaps. No ready meals in the fridge; just eggs, milk, vegetables, but no homemade favourites. The dirty dishes he left in the sink piled up, growing hard crusts. Oleg tried to play hardball. “If she can stand the mess, she’ll give in and clean it.” But Elena calmly washed a plate and fork for herself, ate, washed them again, and put them away. His mountain of dishes grew. On Saturday he tried a new tactic—bought a cake and a bunch of chrysanthemums. – Come on, don’t sulk anymore, – he placed the cake on the kitchen table where she sat with her laptop. – Let’s have some tea. I know you’re still here. She raised dead eyes from the screen, calmly shut the laptop, stood, and left. A moment later, the bathroom door clicked, the shower went on. In a rage, Oleg dumped the flowers in the bin. – Well, fine! You think I can’t cope on my own? I lived on my own before you! Manipulator, that’s what you are! He loudly ordered pizza, opened a beer, and turned the football on at full blast. Elena walked past in her pyjamas with earplugs in, lay down on the sofa, and pulled the duvet over her head. A month passed. Oleg went through every stage—anger, trying to provoke a row, bribery, and then silent treatment of his own. But ignoring someone who acts as if you don’t exist turned out to be surprisingly hard—it was like playing tennis against a brick wall. The ball just kept bouncing back. He realised his life was falling apart in the everyday sense. He had to iron his own shirts, and they ended up crumpled. Takeaway food was costing him a fortune and his stomach. The flat grew dusty, as Elena only cleaned her own areas and he refused to touch a duster. But then, on Tuesday night, came the real shock. Early home from work after his boss had a go at him, he tried to pay his car loan—his pride and joy, still almost new. The banking app flashed: “Insufficient Funds.” Oleg blinked. How? His salary went in yesterday. He checked the history and went cold. He usually sent his half to the joint account, from which food, bills, and the car loan were paid, and spent the rest himself. Elena always topped off the account to cover everything. Now, only his own transfer sat there. Not a penny more. And this month, after forking out for a bumper repair and some nights at the pub, the payment wasn’t enough. He stormed into the living room, waving his phone. – What’s this meant to be?! Why hasn’t the money gone through? The payment’s tomorrow! She slowly put her book down. – Where’s your money, Lena? Why haven’t you paid in? The bank will slap a penalty! Elena sighed, pulled out a paper from her folder, and silently handed it to him. It was a divorce application. Oleg stared at the page—“joint household no longer maintained… marital relationship ended…” – You’re joking, right? – his voice cracked, shrill. – Over a joke? Over a bloody toast? Lena, are you insane? You’d throw away twenty years over nothing? She wrote quickly in her notebook and turned it to him: *It’s not about the joke. It’s about your lack of respect. For a long time. The flat’s mine, inherited from my nan. The car’s in your name, bought in the marriage, but you pay the loan. I’m filing for division of assets. You can keep the car, but will owe me half of what’s been paid. I’m moving to Mum’s cottage for the proceedings. You’ve got one week to find somewhere to live.* Oleg read it and felt the ground drop away. The flat—of course. He’d always thought of it as theirs, but the deeds were hers, inherited before the wedding. – What do you mean, cottage? Where am I going to go? My salary… there’s the loan, and child support for Vicky from my first marriage—how will I manage rent too? Elena looked at him—not triumphant, just tired. She wrote again: *You’re a grown man. You’ll cope. You said at the party I’m “past it.” So go find yourself a young, lively one. I want peace.* – But it was a joke! – he wailed. – Just a joke! Everyone jokes like that! Lena, forgive me, please! I’ll do anything, I’ll go to therapy, I’ll stop drinking. I’ll get help, I promise tomorrow! She didn’t turn around. The suitcase snapped shut with a click like a gunshot. – Where are you going at this hour? – he blocked the door. – At least stay till morning. We’re family. Let’s talk this over sensibly. For the first time in a month, he saw some emotion in her eyes—compassion. A humiliating, calm pity, the kind given to a wounded pigeon that can’t be saved. She wrote on her phone, then showed him: *Family don’t degrade each other in public. Or trample on the people who look after them. I put up with your rudeness for ten years and thought it was just your way. But it’s not. It’s just laziness. Anyone would think I’d never leave, but you were wrong. Please move.* She firmly eased him aside and rolled her suitcase to the front door. – I’m keeping the car! And the money! – he yelled after her, trying to wound, to protect himself. Elena paused, pulled on her coat, looked straight at him, and, for the first time in a month, spoke out loud in her slightly husky voice that made Oleg’s skin crawl: – You’ll pay, Oleg. By court order. And for the legal fees too. My lawyer’s good—expensive, too. I used the work bonus you wanted for fishing gear to pay him. Drop the keys in the letterbox when you move out. You’ve got till Sunday. The door shut behind her. The lock clicked. Oleg was left standing in the dark hallway. The silence wasn’t just oppressive now—it was overwhelming. He could hear the fridge humming. The tap, which he’d promised to fix six months ago, was dripping. He sat in Elena’s usual seat at the kitchen table. On it still lay the divorce form, with seal, signature, date—all real. His phone pinged—a bank alert: “Reminder: car payment due tomorrow.” Oleg buried his face in his hands and, for the first time in his fifty years, wept. Not for love lost, but for pity at himself, and for the total, irreversible disaster he’d brought on by running his mouth. The next three days passed in a daze. Elena had blocked his number. Her mother answered him only once: “Made your bed, now lie in it, son. Leave Lena alone—her blood pressure can’t take it.” By Thursday, Oleg started packing. He discovered he owned very little—just clothes, a few fishing rods, a toolbox, a laptop. Anything that made the flat warm or homely—curtains, vases, artwork, cushions—Elena had bought and picked out. Without her, the place was just a lifeless concrete box. Rummaging for socks, he found an old photo album: them on a seaside holiday ten years ago. Elena was laughing, hugging him; he looked proud and content. Back when she looked at him adoringly. When had it changed? When had he stopped seeing her as a woman, and started seeing her as, simply, “fetch this, do that, be quiet”? – Idiot, – he said out loud. – What a stupid old fool. On Sunday, he left with the last bag. As instructed, he dropped the keys in the letterbox. Looking up at their—her—flat, he saw only darkness in the windows. He climbed into his car, almost out of petrol, bank account nearly empty. With nowhere to go except his mother’s. He pictured her tiny, smoky kitchen and the nagging that would meet him at the door: “I told you she wasn’t right for you…” He smashed his fist against the steering wheel. The pain sobered him a little. He scrolled through his contacts—no one to call who might actually listen, without judgement or gloating. He pulled away from the curb. Ahead—an empty, lonely life. He’d have to learn to cook, iron his shirts, and maybe even mind his tongue. But that wasn’t the worst part. The true horror was knowing he’d destroyed the only place in the world he was ever loved—for nothing. Meanwhile, Elena was sitting on her mother’s cottage porch, mug of mint tea in hand, swaddled in a blanket. Her heart felt empty, yes, but peaceful. She’d switched off her phone. Uncertainty awaited, court battles, dividing assets, but one thing was clear: she would cope. The hardest thing—living with someone who made her feel alone—was finally behind her. Somewhere in the garden, a robin sang, and the air smelt of lilacs and freedom. For the first time in years, that smell wasn’t drowned by her husband’s boozy breath. She breathed deep and, for the first time in a month, smiled for real. If this story moved you and you understand the heroine, please like and subscribe to the blog. Let me know in the comments what you would have done in Elena’s place.

03

The Secret of the Old Postcard Three days before an age-yellowed envelope arrived in her life, Natalie Sutherland stood on the balcony of her London studio flat. The night was thick, black, starless. Down below, the lights of Regent Street burned. Inside, behind the glass door, Mark was discussing deal details with someone on speakerphone. Natalie pressed her palm against the cold windowpane. She was exhausted—not from work (she handled that brilliantly), but from the very air she’d breathed these last few years. The predictable rhythm where even a marriage proposal had become a logical bullet point in a five-year plan. A lump of either longing or mute fury lodged in her throat. Natalie pulled out her phone, opened WhatsApp, and started a message to an old friend she hadn’t seen in ages. The friend had just given birth to her second child and now lived in a whirlwind of little ones and chaos. The message was short, urgent, nearly nonsensical from the outside: “You know, sometimes I think I’ve forgotten what real rain smells like. Not this city’s chemical fog, but proper rain that hits the earth and smells of dust and hope. I want some kind of miracle. Something simple, made of paper. Something I could hold in my hands.” She never meant to send it. It was a soul’s cry, hurled into the digital void—a small ritual for self-soothing. She deleted it before sending; her friend would have thought she was having a crisis or that she’d drunk too much. Within a minute, she was back in the lounge with Mark, who was finishing up his call. “Are you alright?” her fiancé asked, throwing her a quick glance. “You look tired.” “Yeah, I’m fine,” Natalie smiled. “Just getting some air. I just want… you know, something fresh.” “In December?” Mark chuckled. “Try the seaside in May—if this quarter ends well, we might get away then.” He turned back to his tablet. Natalie grabbed her phone from the coffee table. There was just one new alert: a client had confirmed a meeting. No miracles. With a sigh, she went to get ready for bed, mentally mapping tomorrow’s to-do list. *** Three days later, sifting through the post, her finger snared the corner of an unfamiliar envelope. It fluttered to the hardwood floor: thick, rough, the colour of old parchment. No stamps, just an ink stamp of a pine branch and an address. Inside was a New Year’s card—not some glossy print job, but warm, textured card stock, embossed, with gold flecks that fell onto her fingers. “May your boldest dreams come true this year…” read the handwriting, which made something skip under Natalie’s ribs. The handwriting was familiar. It was Sasha’s. The same boy from that little seaside village where she’d spent every summer with her nan. Her childhood sweetheart: the boy who’d built dens with her by the river, set off fireworks in August, and exchanged letters between terms. Then Nan had sold the cottage, she and Sasha went off to different universities, and they lost touch. The address on the envelope was hers—her current one. But the card was dated 1999. How was that possible? A postal glitch? Or had the universe heard her silent cry for a simple miracle, something you could actually hold? Natalie cancelled two calls and a meeting, told Mark she was checking a venue (he just nodded, nose buried in his tablet), and got in her Mini. Three hours’ drive to the seaside village. She had to find the sender. Google told her the place had a little print shop. *** Snowflake Printworks turned out nothing like she’d pictured—not a kitschy gift shop, but a quiet haven. The door opened with a low groan and let her into a large room where the air was thick, sweet—almost fruity. The scent of wood, metal, something spicy-bitter—old paint, maybe varnish. And unmistakably: fire from a wood stove. Its heat lapped at Natalie’s cold cheeks. The owner stood with his back to her, bent over a chunky antique press. The clink of tools was the only sound. He didn’t turn at the jingle of the door. Natalie coughed. He straightened, slowly, like unsticking each vertebra, and turned around. Stocky, check shirt sleeves rolled, regular-looking but very calm eyes. Not curious or eager—just watching, waiting. “Is this your card?” Natalie placed it on the counter. Alex took his time. He wiped his palms on his jeans—leaving blue streaks—picked it up and held it to the light like a coin. “One of ours,” he confirmed. “Pine stamp. ’99 batch. Where’d you get it?” “It came to my flat. In London. Probably a mix-up at the post office,” Natalie’s voice was clipped and businesslike, though she was crumbling inside. “I need to find the sender. I know this handwriting.” His gaze grew more direct. It skimmed her perfect haircut, her chic but out-of-place beige coat, her face where even perfect makeup couldn’t mask the cracks. “Why do you need the sender?” Alex asked. “Twenty-five years’ a long time. People are born, die, forget.” “I’m not dead,” she heard herself say with unexpected steel. “And I haven’t forgotten.” He watched her, long and thoughtful, as if reading not her words but the shadows behind them. Then he gestured to the kettle in the corner. “You’re freezing. Tea’ll sort you out. Even a Londoner’s brain.” He poured into chipped mugs while she sat in the thawing quiet. And so it began. *** Three days in the village felt like a homecoming for Natalie. From the city’s roar to the stillness of snow sliding off a roof. From screen glare to the warm glow of the stove. Alex asked no probing questions; he just invited her into his world—one with creaking floorboards and the scent of wood fire, jam, and old books. He showed her his father’s printing blocks—copper plates with reindeer and snowflakes—explained how to mix glitter so it sticks, how to emboss so it lasts. He was like his home: sturdy, a little worn, filled with quiet treasures. He shared how his dad, smitten at first sight with his mum, once sent her a postcard to an old address that got lost on the way. “Love into the void,” he mused by the fire. “Romantic—and hopeless.” “Do you believe in hopeless things?” asked Natalie. “He found her. They spent decades together. Where there’s love, anything’s possible. Otherwise—I only believe in what I can hold. This press. This house. My work. Everything else is smoke.” There was no bitterness in his voice—just a craftsman’s acceptance of his material. Natalie had always battled her material, bent it to her will. Here, the fight was useless; snow fell when it would, and Graf, Alex’s dog, slept wherever he liked. A strange kinship grew: two lonely souls, each finding in the other what they’d lacked—she, calm and authenticity; he, boldness and spark. Alex saw through the city gloss to the girl still afraid of the dark, longing for a little wonder. Natalie saw not a has-been, but a custodian: of time, skill, and peace. Her background anxiety ebbed away. When Mark rang, Natalie was at the window watching Alex split logs with practised rhythm. “Where are you?” Mark’s voice was cold, flat. “Pick up a tree, will you? Our fake one’s collapsed. Bit ironic, isn’t it?” Natalie looked at the real spruce in the corner, decked in old glass baubles. “Yeah,” she replied quietly. “Very.” And she hung up. *** The truth came on the third day, New Year’s Eve. Alex handed her an old yellowed sketch from his father’s album—the original card’s wording. “I found this,” he said, voice oddly dull. “It wasn’t your Sasha. It was Dad. Wrote it to Mum. Never reached her. Funny how history repeats.” The magic had vanished like spilled glitter—no mystical connection, only fate’s irony. Natalie’s escape into the past was nothing but a beautiful delusion. “I should go,” she whispered, eyes averted. “I have… everything. Wedding. Deals.” Alex nodded. He didn’t try to hold her. Just stood in his world of paper and memory—a man who could keep warmth in an envelope but powerless against the cold from beyond. “I get it. I’m not a magician. Just a printer. I make things you can touch, not castles in the air. Sometimes the past doesn’t send us ghosts, just a mirror. To show who we could have been.” He turned back to the press, giving her the space to leave. Natalie took her bag, keys, phone—the only link to the reality waiting for her: business, KPIs, a muted safe marriage to a man who valued only money. She reached for the door but her eyes caught the card on the counter—and a new one, just printed, with the same pine stamp but new words: “May you have the courage.” Then she understood: the miracle wasn’t in a card from the past. The miracle was this moment, this choice. She couldn’t choose his world and he couldn’t enter hers—but she wasn’t going back to Mark, either. Natalie stepped into the cold, star-filled night—without looking back. *** A year passed. Another December came. Natalie never returned to the events industry, ended things with Mark, and started a boutique agency specializing in soulful, intimate events with real, paper invitations—from a little workshop in the village by the sea. Life didn’t slow down, but it made sense. She learned to value silence. Snowflake Printworks now hosts creative weekends. Alex takes online orders—filters them himself, though. His cards are a little better known now, make a solid living, but the process is the same as ever. They don’t write every day—only for business. But the other day, Natalie got a card in the post. This one had a flying bird stamp. It just said: “Thank you for your courage.”

05

Absolutely No Magic New Year’s Eve was barrelling towards Lena, fast and unstoppable like an oncoming train. The rush left her breathless; she felt as though she was stranded on the station platform, ticketless—no chance at happiness, no hope for that elusive festive spirit. Why had she even invited guests? Who’d want to ring in the New Year with a loser? *** December 31st started with a disaster: after ten years of loyal service, Lena’s washing machine retired in spectacular fashion, flooding the bathroom in its wake. Finding a plumber on New Year’s Eve? That’s a quest all on its own. After hours of stress, Lena managed it and breathed a sigh of relief, hoping the worst was over. But… That afternoon, her ginger cat Basil—a self-proclaimed gourmet—ate all the sausage set aside for the salad, leaving Lena only a sad can of peas and some pickled gherkins. That wasn’t enough trouble for him; Basil decided to hunt a passing blue tit that perched at the open window… The giant ficus was knocked off the sill in the chaos, which toppled the Christmas tree and fried the ageing string lights Lena cherished. Pottery shards and Christmas baubles she’d treasured since childhood were now mixed with soil on the floor. Lena was on the verge of tears as she cleaned up the mess. A broken decanter followed, then burnt roast chicken, and the final straw—just as her guests were almost at the door, Lena realised in horror that she’d forgotten to buy a Christmas pudding. In a panic, she rang her sister. “Kate, disaster! I forgot the dessert!” “Calm down!” came Kate’s cheery voice. “I’m right outside. Let’s get it sorted.” “You’re where?” “I’m telling you: at the front door.” Lena went down and was greeted by a scene fit for a Christmas card: Kate’s car was parked outside, and with her stood Lena’s best friend Martha carrying an enormous bag—and Auntie Gail, armed with a massive bowl of trifle. “A trifle? And it’s huge!” gasped Lena. “Just in case!” Auntie Gail announced, with her usual flair for unsolicited advice. “At least someone is prepared! We’ve got the whole night ahead—please tell me you’ve managed a salad?” Lena shrugged noncommittally… While the girls dashed out for Christmas pudding, Martha hung tinsel—only for Basil the cat to get himself hopelessly tangled like an alien from another planet. Rescue fell to Kate’s husband, Ian, who arrived straight from the office and, thankfully, right on time. Basil, not one for resistance, behaved until he saw Lena. Then, in a burst of excitement, he lunged for her, leaving a bloody scratch on Ian’s hand. Ian, brave soul, was patched up and offered to help in the kitchen—which quickly descended into his poetic musings on how “a salad is a state of mind, not just a list of ingredients.” Lena and Kate found his help more than adequate. “Martha, what’s that box?” called Martha from the next room. “Happy New Year! Wait, there’s a note—‘To be opened at midnight. Love, Nan Val.’” Lena rushed over. “Oh, I almost forgot! Kate! Nan left it for us! She said we’re to open it on New Year’s, about two in the morning—a surprise awaits.” “What do you suppose it is?” Kate eyed the box with curiosity. “Shall we look now?” Lena shook her head. “No way! She’ll find out. There’s probably some clever lock—let’s do as she says. Patience, please.” The box’s mystery intrigued everyone. Even Auntie Gail shuffled closer, eyeing it intently. *** They watched the Queen’s Speech, toasted with bubbly, unknowingly nibbled “cat” salad, laughed and argued—until, finally… “Is it two yet?” asked Lena. “Time for Nan Val’s surprise!” Only one man present was permitted to open the box. Ian fiddled with it and lifted the lid. Inside, resting on a bed of cotton wool, were dozens of tiny scrolls, all bound with colourful ribbons. Each had a name label. “What are these?” Ian asked, confused. Lena unrolled the first scroll with her name and read it aloud: “Dearest Lena, darling granddaughter. Did things go off the rails again today? Washer packed in? Cat ate the salad? Don’t fret! Remember—every problem’s just another reason to order a takeaway and watch your favourite show. You can get dessert in the morning! The most important thing is having people who’ll help you eat that takeaway. Love you to the moon and back—your Nan Val.” A hush fell, then the room exploded with laughter. Lena laughed till tears streamed down her cheeks. “How did she know?!” “That’s magic,” whispered Auntie Gail. “Me next!” Kate reached impatiently for her scroll. She read: “Kate, my love. Stop bickering with Ian over silly things. Give him a hug—he’s a good sort, even with his philosophy. If he starts up again, just kiss him. It’s the best weapon against male logic. Love to you both.” Ian went red as a postbox and kissed Kate to everyone’s applause. Martha opened hers, giggling: “Martha, you beauty! Look for love at the library or the Sainsbury’s round the corner, not the pub. That’s where the good ones are—and they don’t wear those ultra-skinny jeans! Oh, and ditch the purple hair—you look gorgeous with your natural colour!” “How did she know about my hair? I only changed it two days ago!” At last, Auntie Gail’s turn. She unfolded her scroll with great reverence: “Gail, my wise one. You always know best—but here’s a secret you don’t know: kindness and advice are good, but sometimes it’s better to just keep quiet and have a slice of cake. Hugging you, dearest.” Auntie Gail’s face flushed pink, and she, for once, said nothing, taking a helping of dessert in solemn silence. For the first time in years, she offered no advice all evening. Laughter and chatter carried on into the dawn. The girls rang Nan Val on video call—she beamed from her armchair up north: “My darlings! I’m so glad the surprise worked! No magic needed—I just know you that well, and love you more!” The morning after, clearing up the festive remains, Lena gathered all the scrolls into a pretty jar and set it front and centre. They were more than wishes—they were her nan’s recipe for happiness: Don’t fear chaos. Laugh at your misfortunes. Treasure those around you. Eat what you like (just don’t overdo it). And remember, the greatest gift is knowing someone, somewhere, loves and understands you. Always.

04

No Lessons Given A Letter Arrives for Alex as a Photo of Gridded Paper: Blue Ink, Careful Slant, Signed “Your Granddad, Colin.” Next to It, a Brief Message from Mum: “He Writes Like This Now. No Pressure to Reply If You Don’t Want To.” Alex Zooms In on the Lines, Reads: “Hi, Alex, Writing from the kitchen. I’ve got a new friend here—a blood sugar monitor. It scolds me in the morning if I eat too much toast. Doctor says I ought to get out more, but where am I going to walk when everyone’s at the cemetery and you’re off in Manchester? So, I’m left with strolling down memory lane. Today, for example, I remembered ‘79, when we unloaded crates at the station. Barely any pay, but we’d nab a couple of boxes of apples—wooden boxes with weird handles on the side. The apples were sour and green, but it still felt like a feast. We’d sit on bags of cement right there, hands grey, nails gritty, teeth crunching on sand—and it still tasted sweet. No reason for all this. Just came to mind. Don’t worry, I’m not about to dish out any wisdom. You’ve your own life; I’ve got my blood work. If you fancy, tell me what the weather’s like and how uni’s going. Your Granddad, Colin.” Alex Smiles: “Blood sugar monitor, blood work.” Messenger note below: “Sent an hour ago.” He’s already tried calling Mum; she didn’t answer. So, “this is how it is now.” He scrolls through the chat. His last message from Granddad was a year ago: short voice notes with “Happy birthday,” and one “How’s uni?” Alex replied with a thumbs up and disappeared. Now, Alex stares at the gridded page. He opens the reply window. “Hi Granddad— Weather in Manchester is 3 degrees and raining. Exam season soon. Apples now are £2 a kilo. Not great for apples here. Alex.” He thinks, deletes “Alex,” writes just “Grandson Alex.” And sends it. A few days later, Mum sends a fresh photo. “Hi Alex, Read your letter three times. Here’s a proper reply. Weather: much the same as yours, but none of your fancy puddles. We get snow in the morning, then slush, then ice by evening. Nearly slipped twice, but evidently I’m not due yet. Since we’re on apples—let me tell you about my first real job. I was twenty, got into a workshop making lift parts. Always loud, full of dust. Had these grey overalls you could never quite get the filth out of. Fingers always splintered, nails oily. But I was proud to have a badge and stroll through the main gate like a grown-up. The best part wasn’t the pay, it was lunch. Thick bowls of soup in the canteen. If you came early, an extra bit of bread. We’d all sit together, not talking—not because there was nothing to say, just because we were knackered. The spoon felt heavier than a wrench. Now you’re probably sat at your laptop thinking this sounds like the Stone Age. Looking back, I wonder: was I happy? Or just too busy to notice? What are you up to, besides your studies? Working anywhere? Or do you lot just invent start-ups these days? Granddad Colin.” Alex reads it while queueing for a kebab. Around him, people shout, argue; adverts blare from the counter speaker. He finds himself lingering on the soup and heavy bowls. He types back, leaning on the counter. “Hi Granddad, I work as a takeaway courier—mostly food, sometimes documents. No badge, just an app that’s always crashing. I eat at work sometimes—buy the cheapest, eat in a stairwell or a mate’s car. Quietly, too. Happy? Don’t know. Don’t have time to wonder. But canteen soup doesn’t sound bad. Grandson Alex.” He almost writes about start-ups but doesn’t. Lets Granddad imagine. The next letter is unexpectedly short. “Hi Alex. Courier—that’s something. Now I picture you not as a lad behind a screen but running about in trainers, always on the go. You told me about work—so here’s mine from back when I temped on building sites, between workshop shifts when the money ran out. We carried bricks up five floors on rickety ladders. Dust everywhere—nose, eyes, ears. At night, I’d come home, pull off my boots, and sand would fall out. Your grandmother would moan about the lino getting wrecked. Strangest thing I remember isn’t the exhaustion—it’s this one guy, everyone called him Stan. He’d show up early, sit on an upturned bucket, peeling potatoes into an old pan he brought from home. At lunch, he’d cook them, and the whole floor would smell of boiled spuds. We’d eat with our hands, sprinkle salt out of a paper twist. Never tasted better. Now I look at my shop-bought potatoes and think it’s not the same. Maybe it’s not the potatoes—it’s being young. What do you eat when you’re knackered—not a delivery, something “proper?” Granddad Colin.” Alex doesn’t reply straight away. He thinks about what “proper” means. He remembers the winter before, finishing a 12-hour shift, buying frozen pasties from the 24-hour shop, boiling them in the hall kitchen in a battered pot where someone had cooked sausages before. The pasties fell apart, water cloudy, but he ate the lot, standing by the window, no table. Two days later, he writes. “Hi Granddad, When I’m tired, usually eggs—two or three, sometimes with sausage. The frying pan’s past it, but still works. No Stan here in halls, but one housemate’s always burning things and swearing. You write a lot about food. Were you hungry then—or now? Grandson Alex.” He immediately regrets the last bit. It sounds harsh. Too late to change it. The reply comes quicker than usual. “Alex— Good question, about being hungry. Back then, I was young and always wanted to eat. Not just soup and potatoes—I wanted a motorbike, new shoes, my own room, so I didn’t have to hear Dad cough all night. Wanted respect, to walk into a shop and not count pennies, to have girls notice instead of pass by. Now I eat fine. Doctor moans, probably too much. I write about food, I suppose, because it’s something you can touch and remember. Taste is easier to describe than shame. Since you asked, here’s one story—no moral, as you prefer. I was 23 then, already seeing your would-be gran, but it was rocky. They needed someone to go to the Scottish Highlands—good pay, you could save up for a car in a couple of years. I was keen. Dreamed of coming back with a Ford Escort, driving her round the town. But then, she said she wouldn’t go—not leaving her ill mum, her job, her friends. Said she couldn’t hack the cold and dark. I answered that she was holding me back. Said—well, ruder than that, but you get the idea. So I went alone. In six months, we stopped writing. Came back two years later—cash, car—but she’d married someone else. I spent ages telling everyone she’d betrayed me—I did it for her, and she… Truth is, I chose the money and the car over the person. And then pretended for years it was the only choice. That was my appetite. You asked what I felt. At the time—self-important, certain I was right. Afterward—years making out I didn’t feel a thing. You don’t have to reply, I get you’ve no time for old men’s stories. Granddad Colin.” Alex rereads, snagging on the word “shame.” He finds himself searching for an excuse in between the lines, but Granddad isn’t offering one. He starts typing: “Do you regret it?” Deletes it. Writes: “What if you’d stayed?” Deletes that too. Eventually, he sends a different message. “Hi Granddad, Thanks for saying all that. Not sure what to say. In the family, everyone talks about Gran as if she was always gran—no alternatives. I don’t blame you. I recently chose work over someone myself. Had a girlfriend. I’d just started as a courier, was getting good shifts, always working. She’d say we never saw each other, I was always on my phone, I snapped at her. I said, just be patient, it’ll get easier soon. One day she said she was done waiting. I told her that was her problem. (Also ruder than that.) Now, when I get in at eleven and make myself an omelette in halls, I sometimes think I picked shifts and takeaways over a relationship. And pretend it was right. Maybe it runs in the family. Alex.” This time, Granddad’s letter is on lined, not squared, paper. Mum explains via voice note that he’s run out of grid notebooks. “Alex, You’re spot on about ‘family traits.’ We all love blaming bloodlines: ‘drinks—because granddad drank. Shouts—because gran was strict.’ Actually, every time it’s your own decision. Just easier, sometimes, to tell yourself it’s inherited. When I got back from Scotland, I thought it was a fresh start. Car, room in halls, cash in my pocket. But at night I’d sit on the bed with nowhere to go—friends moved away, the workshop had a new foreman, only dust and an old radio waiting for me at home. Once, I went to the street where your almost-gran lived. Stood across the road, stared at the windows. One was lit, the other dark. I stood there until I was frozen. Eventually I saw her come out with a pram. A bloke next to her, holding her arm, talking, both laughing. I hid behind a tree like a schoolboy, watched until they turned the corner. That’s when I realised, at last—no one betrayed me. I chose my way, she chose hers. Took me ten years to admit it. You say you picked work over a girlfriend. Maybe you picked yourself, not the job. Maybe digging yourself out of debt matters more than going to the cinema right now. Not good, not bad. Just true. Funniest thing is, we’re rubbish at saying honestly, ‘right now, this is more important than you.’ Start using big words, and everyone gets upset. Not telling you to chase her back—I don’t even know if you should. Just—one day you might find yourself standing outside a window and realise you could’ve just been more honest. Your old granddad, Colin.” Alex sits on the halls’ corridor windowsill, phone warm in his hand. Below, cars stream through puddles, someone’s smoking by the door. Next room: music thumping. He remembers himself outside his ex’s window after she stopped answering calls, staring at the curtains, thinking: any moment, she’ll look out and see me. She never did. He types: “Hi Granddad, I stood outside a window too. Hid when I saw her with another guy. Backpack on his shoulder, her with shopping. Laughing. I thought I’d been erased. Now, reading your letters, maybe I walked out myself. You said it took you ten years. I hope I’m faster. I’m not going to chase her. I think I’m just going to stop pretending I don’t care. Grandson Alex.” Next letter is on a new topic. “Alex, You once asked about money. I didn’t reply because I’m not sure where to start. Here goes. In our house, money was like the weather. Only mentioned when there wasn’t enough—or way too much. When your dad was little, he once asked how much I made. I’d taken extra shifts, earned more than usual. I told him the number. He looked amazed: ‘Blimey, you’re rich!’ I laughed, said it was nothing. A couple of years later, I got laid off. Wages were half. He asked again. I told him, and he asked, ‘Why so little? Are you worse at your job?’ I snapped at him, shouted he didn’t understand, called him ungrateful. But all he wanted was to make sense of the numbers. For years after, I thought about that moment. That’s exactly when I taught him not to ask me about money. He grew up never asking—just picked up odd jobs, fixed things. I kept thinking he’d know how tough it was. I don’t want to repeat that mistake. So, straight up—my pension’s not big but covers food and my prescriptions. I won’t be saving for a car any more—these days just saving for new false teeth. How about you? Getting by? I’m not going to start buying you socks, just want to know you aren’t skipping meals or sleeping on the floor. If you’d rather not answer, just write ‘all good,’ I’ll get it. Granddad Colin.” Alex feels something tighten inside. He remembers asking his own dad about pay as a kid, hearing jokes or ‘you’ll find out someday.’ He grew up thinking money’s a shameful thing you can’t talk about. He takes his time, then writes: “Hi Granddad, I’m not skipping meals, not sleeping on the floor. I’ve got a bed—mattress isn’t fancy, but fine. Pay for my own halls room, agreement with Dad. Sometimes I’m late with it, but no one’s thrown me out. Enough for food, if I don’t go crazy. If it gets tight, I pick up an extra shift—even if I end up like a zombie. But my choice. Feel awkward that you ask about money but I don’t ask you. Like: ‘are you doing okay, Granddad?’ But you’ve already told me. Honestly, it’d be easier if you just said, ‘I’m fine’ and left it at that. But I get it—that’s how I’m used to grown-ups staying silent. Thanks for telling me straight. Alex.” He stares at his phone, then types a follow-up: “If ever you want something and your pension doesn’t stretch, just say. Not saying I’ll always manage, but I’d want to know at least.” And sends it before he chickens out. Granddad’s reply is the most unsteady—letters wobble, lines slide off. “Alex, Read your note about ‘if you need something.’ First wanted to say I don’t need anything, I’ve got what I need, old man, just give me my pills. Then wanted to joke—if I really want something, I’ll ask for a new motorbike. But truth is—my whole life I tried to be the tough bloke who could handle everything. Now I’m an old codger scared to ask his grandson for anything. So I’ll say this: if I’m ever really stuck, I’ll try not to pretend it’s nothing. Right now, I’ve got tea, bread, my pills and your letters. Not being dramatic—just making a list. Used to think we were chalk and cheese—you with your apps, me with my radio. Now, reading you, I reckon we’ve more in common than I thought. Neither of us likes asking. Both pretend not to care—when actually we do. While we’re being honest—here’s something we don’t talk about in families. Not sure what you’ll make of it. When your dad was born, I wasn’t ready. I just started a new job, we’d got a room in halls, I thought we’d cracked it. Then a baby—screaming, nappies, sleepless nights. I’d finish night shifts, and he’d just cry. I got angry. One time, when he wouldn’t stop, I hurled the bottle at the wall. It smashed, milk everywhere. Your gran sobbed, baby wailed. I stood there, wanting to walk out and not come back. I didn’t. But for years I pretended it was just ‘nerves.’ Actually, that was the moment I nearly ran. And if I had, you wouldn’t be reading these letters now. I don’t know why I’m telling you. Maybe so you know your granddad’s not perfect. Not a role model, just a bloke who sometimes wanted to chuck it in. If you stop writing after this, I’ll understand. Granddad Colin.” Alex reads, feeling flushed and chilled by turns. The idea of Granddad always as a blanket and clementines at Christmas is now joined by tired man, halls, a crying baby, split milk on the floor. He remembers last summer, working at a kids’ camp, losing patience, grabbing a boy by the shoulder too hard. The boy cried. Alex lay awake, convinced he’d make an awful dad. He sits for ages over a blank message. Fingers type: “You’re not a monster.” Deletes. “I love you anyway.” Deletes, embarrassed. He sends: “Hi Granddad, I won’t stop writing. I don’t know what to say to things like that. In our family, no one talks about shouting, or feeling like walking. We all either clam up or joke. Last summer, at camp—a boy was homesick, always crying. One day, I lost it and yelled so loud I scared myself. Couldn’t sleep all night, felt like a terrible person—like I shouldn’t have kids. But you telling me doesn’t make you worse. Makes you more real. I don’t know if I’ll ever be that honest with my child, if I have one, but I’ll at least try not to pretend I’m always right. Thanks for not walking out back then. Alex.” He hits send and, for the first time, finds himself waiting for a reply—not out of manners, but because it matters. This time, the reply comes after two days. Mum doesn’t send a photo, just: “He’s figured out voice notes but asked me to write it down for you. Don’t worry.” A new shot of lined paper appears on screen. “Alex, Read your letter and thought—you’re already braver than I was at your age. At least you admit you’re scared. Back then I pretended nothing touched me—then smashed furniture instead. I don’t know if you’ll be a good dad. Neither do you. Only way to find out is by doing it. But the fact you even wonder says a lot. You said I feel ‘real’ to you. That’s the best compliment I’ve heard. Usually, I get ‘stubborn,’ ‘awkward,’ ‘set in my ways.’ No one’s called me ‘real’ in a long time. Since we’re getting this honest, I wanted to ask—are you sick of my stories? Just tell me if I’m overdoing it; I can write less, or save it for Christmas. I’d hate to smother you with my past. And if you ever want to come by, no reason needed, I’ll be at home. I’ve got a spare stool and a clean mug. Checked it myself. Your Granddad Colin.” Alex smiles at the bit about the mug. Pictures the kitchen: stool, blood sugar monitor, bag of potatoes by the radiator. He snaps a photo of his own halls kitchen. Sink full of dishes, his battered frying pan, carton of eggs, a kettle, two mugs—one chipped. A jar of forks on the windowsill. He sends it, adds: “Hi Granddad, My kitchen. Two stools, plenty of mugs. If you ever fancy coming round, I’ll be in. Well, in something like home. You haven’t worn me out. Sometimes I’m lost for words, but it doesn’t mean I’m not here. If you want, tell me a story—not about work or meals. Something you’ve never told anyone, not because it’s embarrassing, just because you never had someone to tell. A.” He hits send and realises he’s asked a question he’s never asked an adult in his family. Phone on the desk, screen dark. The eggs sizzle gently on the hob. Somewhere behind the wall, people laugh. Alex flips the eggs, turns off the gas, sits on his stool, imagining someday Granddad opposite him, holding a mug, telling stories in person. He doesn’t know if Granddad will visit, or what comes next. But knowing he can send a photo of his messy kitchen and ask, “And you?” makes his chest ache, in a slightly comforting way. He picks up his phone, checks the messages—squared paper, lined, his own short “A.” And puts it face down, just in case a new notification pops up. The eggs are cold, but he eats them all, slowly, as if sharing with someone else. The words “I love you” never appear in writing. But between the lines, something’s already there, and—for now—that’s more than enough.

03

The Morning Circuit On the lift door, someone had once again taped up a sign: “PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE BAGS BY THE RUBBISH CHUTE.” The tape barely clung on, the corners of the page curling. The hallway light flickered, making the message look by turns harsh and faint—like the mood in the flat’s WhatsApp group. Nadia Palmer stood in the corridor, keys in hand, listening to the drill take up its phrase, falter, then try again somewhere on the sixth floor. The noise itself didn’t make her angry. What did was how every little thing became a trial: someone typing in ALL CAPS, another replying with cutting remarks, someone else sending a photo of a neighbour’s muddy boots outside their door—a sign, apparently, of moral decay. All of it seemed to demand her involvement, when all she really wanted by now was quiet inside her head. Up in her flat, she unloaded her shopping onto the kitchen table with her coat still on and opened the chat. Pinned at the top was: “WHO PARKED ON THE CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND LAST NIGHT.” Then a photo of a tyre on the curb. Someone chimed in: “AND WHO NEVER SAYS HELLO IN THE HALLWAY.” As Nadia scrolled, a familiar irritation swelled. She caught herself thinking she was tired—tired of witnessing other people’s disputes, tired of her own urge to quietly add fuel to the fire. Next morning she awoke not out of rest but out of habit, her body like an old alarm clock. The room was chilly, radiators hissing. She pulled on her exercise jacket and trainers—bought “for walking” but rarely worn—and ventured onto the landing. The air smelled as it always did: dust, paint from the old banisters, and something neutral she couldn’t quite describe. At the lift, she checked the community noticeboard: printouts about meter readings, a lost cat, an “owners’ meeting.” Nadia pulled a page from her bag, prepared the night before, and pinned it up. “MORNING WALKS AROUND THE BLOCK. No chat required. No commitment. 7:15am at the main entrance if you fancy it. Just one lap and done. N.Palmer.” She was surprised how easy it had been to write. Not ‘let’s all make friends’, not ‘let’s be decent’, just—steps. At 7:12, she stood by the entrance, double-checked the gas was off and windows shut. Keys and phone in her pocket, hat on her head. She expected to wait a minute, then leave as if that had been her plan all along. The door banged and a woman about forty-five, with neatly pulled-back hair and the wary look of someone braced for pain, stepped out. “You… from the notice?” she asked, adjusting her scarf. “I am,” Nadia said. “Nadia.” “Susan. My doctor told me to walk because of my back, but on my own it’s dull,” she admitted, hastily adding, “I’m not a talker.” “That’s fine,” said Nadia. A minute later, a slightly stooped man in a dark coat appeared, nodded, and hesitated as if unsure whether a greeting was required. “Morning. I’m Gary. Fifth floor,” he said. “Sixth,” Nadia corrected automatically—she always knew who lived where—and smiled wryly at her own impulse to categorise. Gary grinned. “Sixth then. My mistake.” Then a tall man in his sixties, with a runner’s stride and a sporty cap, joined without a word. “Victor,” he announced. “I do this every morning anyway. Thought I was the only one.” At 7:16, they set off. Nadia had picked a simple route: round the block, past the shop, across the next-door courtyard, by the school and back. The snow underfoot was compressed, sometimes slick. The air stung their breath. At first, they walked in silence, tuning in to their own steps. Nadia found her body resisting, then settling. The static of everyone else’s grievances faded, replaced by an emptiness that felt like a blank page—practical, not frightening. At the corner, Gary finally said, “Didn’t think you meant ‘no chatting’. There’s always chat.” “If you want to, feel free—just no reporting,” Nadia replied. Susan chuckled quietly, then winced and touched her back. “You all right?” Nadia asked. “I’ll manage. Just can’t stop suddenly.” Victor paced evenly, as if counting. On the way back, he commented, “Much better like this. No meetings. Just a walk.” By the time they finished, it was 7:38. They lingered at the entrance, awkward as after a short business meeting. “Tomorrow?” Susan asked. “If you’re here,” Nadia said. “I’ll be here,” Gary replied, raising a hand. Next day, they were three; Victor was absent, but a fourth-floor neighbour, Tanya—forties, bright puffer jacket, sceptical—showed up. “I’m just watching,” she said, not introducing herself. “Watch away,” Nadia replied, setting off without explanation. Tanya walked beside Gary, silent on the first circuit. By next week’s round, she added: “I’m not one for these ‘groups’. Always a whip-round, and if you don’t chip in, you’re the enemy.” “No money involved,” Gary said. “Allergic after my divorce. Hated the joint pots.” Nadia heard the word “divorce” but didn’t pry. She knew too well how someone else’s pain becomes neighbourhood gossip—then ammunition. The walks became habit. At 7:15 they’d set out, at 7:40 they’d part. Some skipped days, then returned. Susan brought a tiny water bottle. Gary once turned up hatless and grumbled all the way round, but didn’t bail. Tanya started aloof, ended up walking closer. Gradually, this odd routine seeped into the building. Nadia noticed people exchanging greetings more. Not out of duty, but because they’d already faced one another stripped of their usual armour. One evening, Nadia returned from the GP with notes in her bag. Victor was at the lift, fiddling with a sticky button. “Not working?” she asked. “It works,” he said. “You have to press with confidence.” He pressed; the lift arrived. Inside, the bulb glowed, the mirror was scratched. He added unexpectedly, “Thank you for the walking. I thought I was past having company. It’s good.” Nadia nodded, warmth stirring inside, but she didn’t let it turn sentimental. She simply noted: someone felt lighter. Small favours started naturally. One morning, Gary silently flagged that Susan’s shoelace was untied. Later she posted in the group: “Thank you, whoever warned me—could’ve tripped!” No names, but a smile in the words. Tanya once left a bag of salt for the steps. “Not for everyone,” she said, putting it down by the wall. “For me. So I don’t end up flat.” “Thanks all the same,” said Nadia. They salted the steps together. Tanya wiped her gloves and muttered, “Suppose I might as well…” The group chat now had fewer ALL CAPS messages. Not none, but fewer. Arguments about rubbish and parking continued, but sometimes someone wrote, “Let’s keep it civil, yeah?” and it sounded less like a slogan, more like a genuine suggestion. Trouble came at the end of November: noisy renovations above—Andy from the sixth, the young man with a dog. Evening drilling, unlike before. The group chat flared: “Enough already!” “Some of us have kids!” “Do you even care?” Tanya messaged: “I know who. He’s always like this. He doesn’t give a damn.” On the next morning’s walk, Susan moved stiffly, each step a twinge and a frustration. “It’s him,” she said as they passed the school. “Sixth. Right above me. Last night till ten. Afterwards, I could still hear the drill in my head.” Gary grunted. “Legally he’s fine till eleven, as long as—” “I don’t want ‘legally’—” Susan broke in. “It’s about respect.” For once Tanya dropped the sarcasm. “He needs dealing with—signatures, call the warden. Make him realise.” Nadia sensed how quickly the warm circle became a familiar front. She feared—not the drilling, but how easily they slid back into “us versus him.” “We collect signatures later,” she said. “Let’s talk first.” “With him?” Tanya stopped in disbelief. “Seriously? He’ll just—” “He’s a person, not a case file,” Nadia said. Gary gave her a searching look. “You’ll do it yourself?” Nadia hardly wanted to. She wished things would just go quiet by themselves. But if they staged a public lynching, the morning walks would shrivel to grievances, then vanish. “I’ll talk,” Nadia said. “But I need someone to come. Not a crowd.” Gary nodded. “I’ll come.” That evening, they climbed to the sixth. Nadia messaged Andy privately first: “Could we talk? Nadia from downstairs.” Ten minutes later: “Sure, come by.” His door was flanked by neat rubble bags. Nadia knocked. Silence—then Andy appeared, T-shirted, dusty. His ginger dog poked out, retreated. “Evening,” he said guardedly. “What’s up?” “We aren’t here for a row,” Nadia said, feeling ridiculous even as she spoke. “Just—about the work.” Gary kept quiet, beside her. “I try to finish by nine,” Andy said. “My crew can’t come during the day. I have to do it after work.” “We get it,” Nadia replied. “But Susan has a bad back. Gets difficult with all the noise till ten.” Andy exhaled. “Didn’t realise. Thought it was the usual: messages in the group, no one says anything face to face.” Nadia felt a prick of shame. Face-to-face was rare. “Maybe you could message when you really need to go late?” she suggested. “And take the bins out in the morning?” Andy eyed the bags. “I will—tomorrow, by car. Just late today.” “Fine,” Gary said. “And noise?” “Usually nine, maybe half-nine at the latest. I’ll post ahead if it runs over—won’t be often.” Nadia nodded. “And the dog—he sometimes barks at night…” Andy blushed. “When I leave he gets lonely. I can sort something for him… And if there’s trouble, just message. Please—not the big group straight away?” They left. On the stairs, Gary murmured, “He’s all right. Just young and alone.” “We’re all lonely, in our way,” Nadia said, surprised to hear it aloud. Next day Andy posted: “Neighbours, I’ll be working till 9pm. If longer, I’ll warn you. Taking bins out early.” Some reacted; most didn’t. Tanya wrote, “We’ll see.” But there were no ALL CAPS. At the next walk, Tanya arrived stone-faced. “So?” she asked. “Did you sort it?” “We did. He’s agreed to nine and to warn us,” Nadia replied. “That’s it?” Tanya wanted a scalp, a confession that her way was best. “That’s it. We’re not here to score points.” Tanya snorted, but walked on. Soon she added, eyes averted: “Well. If he pushes it, I’m saying something.” “Go ahead—just to him first,” Nadia said. Susan, beside her, murmured: “Thanks for not turning it into a witch-hunt. I couldn’t have borne that.” Nadia felt a lump in her throat, breathed in icy air to swallow it. A week later, Victor stopped coming. Nadia found him at the post boxes. “Haven’t seen you,” she said. “Knee,” he replied briskly. “Doctor’s orders. Don’t overdo it.” “Shame,” Nadia said. “I see you anyway,” Victor added. “You go by; I open my window. Feels like taking part.” Silly, but moving. By New Year, the regulars were Nadia, Susan, and Gary. Tanya joined now and then, sometimes vanishing for a week, checking if the group still stood. Andy came for a walk or two, drained from building works. He made his lap in silence, then ducked away early. The building wasn’t perfect. Bags still clustered by the chute; cars still blocked spaces bloatedly. The chat still fizzed now and again. But Nadia felt that in her home there lingered something besides irritation—a trace of what else was possible. One January morning, at 7:14 she stepped out. Gary was already zipping his coat. He looked up: “Morning, Nadia.” “Morning, Gary.” Susan joined, testing the salted steps. “Hi. My back’s okay today,” she said, a small triumph beneath her smile. Tanya surfaced, sleepy, minus her usual edge. “I’m in, but no chat gossip,” she mumbled. “Deal,” Nadia replied. They set off, steps falling into sync—not flawless, but steady. At a corner, Gary caught Susan when she slipped; he did it so naturally no one thanked him out loud. As they returned, Andy waited with his dog. “Morning,” he greeted. “I’ll join later, on my way to work. And… thanks for coming to me about the noise.” Nadia nodded. “We all live here,” she said. It didn’t sound like a motto. It was just the truth—finally, no longer a reason for war.

04

📌 Useful Social Services & Contacts in the U.S.

Stay informed and get help when you need it. Below are key national services with direct contacts that may support you or your loved ones:
🏥 Health & Mental Support

SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

What they do: Free and confidential help with substance use and mental health disorders.

Hotline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) – 24/7, anonymous support

Website: samhsa.gov

🧒 Support for Children & Families

WIC – Women, Infants, and Children Program

What they do: Nutritional and healthcare support for pregnant women, new mothers, and young children.

Federal Info Line: 1-800-522-5006

Find local WIC office: fns.usda.gov/wic

My Father Abandoned Us, Leaving Mum Saddled with Debts – Since Then, I Lost My Right to a Happy Childhood