“My son, please look after your sick sister. You mustnt abandon her!” whispered Mum, her voice trembling.
“Son, youll have the house. But I beg you, care for your sister. Dont leave her alone!” she pleaded, each word tearing at her chest.
“Listen to me, son” she breathed, barely audible.
Every syllable was agony. The illness ravaged her without mercy. She lay in bed, frail, almost translucent. Edward barely recognised her. Once strong, cheerful, full of lifenow
“Edward, please, dont turn your back on Emily Shes fragile. Shes different, but shes ours. Promise me” Mum clutched his hand with shocking strength. Where she found the energy, he couldnt fathom.
Edward grimaced. His gaze flickered to his older sister, Emily, playing with dolls in the corner of their small flat in Manchester. Past forty, yet she still hummed tunelessly, lost in her own world. She smiled as if unaware of their mothers looming death, as if it were a birthday party.
Edward had his life sorted: a thriving construction firm, a pricey SUV, a grand house near the River Mersey. But there was no place for Emily there. His children feared her, and his wife, Claire, called her “that madwoman.” Yet Emily was gentle, playful, harmless.
“Well you know Ive got the family to think of and Emily shes” he stammered, trying to pull his hand free.
“Son, your fathers house is yours For Emily, Ive left a three-bed flat. Its all legal.”
“Whered you get the money?!” Edward and Claire exchanged stunned glances, greed flickering in their eyes.
“I cared for Miss Higgins, the old schoolteacher Brought her meals, her medicine She was kind. Never thought shed leave me the flat. Its in Emilys name, so shed always have shelter. But you you must watch over her, please Later, itll go to your children. Who knows how long shell live”
That night, Mum passed.
Emily didnt seem to grasp she was now orphaned. Edward took her in at once and began renovating the flat.
“Why does Emily need so much space? She can stay here. Well rent it out.”
Claire didnt object at first. Emily was no troubleplaying all day, laughing. But her oddities unsettled Claire. “Shes quiet today, but what about tomorrow?”
“Just be patient,” Edward urged. Yet six months later, with help from a solicitor friend, he transferred both the family home and Emilys flat into his name. He tricked Emily into signing papers without explanation.
Then hell began.
While Edward was at work, Claire tormented Emilyshouting, locking her away, sometimes feeding her cat food. Hed find her crying, terrified. One day, Claire slapped her. Emily, horrified, wet herself.
“Not just daft, but pissing yourself now?! Out of my house!”
She hurled Emilys things into a bag and shoved her out the door.
“Wheres Emily?” Edward asked that night, stretching in bed.
“Gone!” Claire snapped. “Wet herself, then locked herself in the bedroom. When I opened the door, she bolted with her bag. Im not chasing after that lunatic!”
Edward said nothing. Then: “Fine, if shes gone” He turned on the telly. “Found tenants, by the way.”
The night stretched long. He thought of Emily. Where was she? Helpless as a child. He barely slept, dreaming of Mum:
“I begged you, son” she scolded from her coffin, pointing a bony finger.
The dream haunted him for weeks. He couldnt take it. Two months later, he rang his godmother, Margaret:
“What, Edward? Guilt biting you?” she said coldly. “Lucky I visited your mums grave. Found Emily there, terrified. Took her in. Ill keep her. Dont want her flat. You live with the shame!”
“Oh, godmother” he mumbled, hanging up. Relief washed over himEmily was safe.
But she died two months later, the same illness as Mum. Edward skipped the funeral”urgent business.”
Ten years passed. Now Edward lay ill, wracked with pain and regret. Claire had moved on with another man. His children visited rarely, wrinkling their noses: “You smell like sickness”
One day, Claire marched in with papers:
“Sign these. Were sorting the firm.”
He signed. Later, he realisedit was the house deed. Then the company. Too late. He thought of Mum and Emily. Tears spilled down his cheeks.
“Forgive me” he whispered into the void swallowing him whole.
