Ill never forget the day little Poppy first arrived at the London childrens home. Shed been taken there after her Gran passed away the woman shed lived with for as long as she could remember. Poppy never knew her mother.
Gran had told her that her mother had gone far away and wouldnt be coming back, so Poppy began to call Gran Mum and threw herself into growing up fast, hoping she could be of some use. Gran used to say:
Soon youll be big enough, and well run the house together.
So Poppy did everything she could. She washed the dishes, swept the floors, and at five years old she felt as grownup as anyone could be.
One afternoon Gran fell ill, an ambulance roared past, and a stranger a distant aunt whisked Poppy away to the home. It wasnt what she wanted, but the place was warm: there were plenty of children, kind carers, and a cosy kitchen that still smelled of pies and Grans love. Poppy missed her own little world, with Whiskers the cat, Biscuit the dog, and the snug cottage where Grans oven always baked something sweet. She kept hoping a miracle would open the door, let Gran step in, smile, and say:
Come on, my little helper, lets get home, or Whiskers will have been waiting for you forever!
When carer Nurse Pam gently explained that Gran had gone to heaven and would never return, Poppy finally understood that the miracle of going home to Gran was gone for good.
Still, she clung to the belief that miracles happen if you truly believe, just as Gran always told her. Gran called every small kindness a miracle. Shed often say, Look, Poppy, when Aunt Valerie drops by with a lollipop or a bun, thats a miracle of human kindness. Poppy took that to heart.
So when Nurse Pam slipped a piece of candy into Poppys palm, she beamed, kissed Pam on the cheek and whispered, Thank you, Nurse Pam, for the miracle. Pam smiled back, planted a kiss on Poppys forehead and replied, Youre our miracle!
Six months later Christmas approached. Poppy and the other children cut paper snowflakes, trimmed the fir tree, and laughed together. One evening, while they were busy with the decorations, Pam called Poppy over and, in a conspiratorial whisper, said:
New Years brings all sorts of wonders. Write down what you most want on a slip of paper, tuck it under your pillow, and itll surely come true.
Poppy took an old postcard shed rescued from Grans house, scribbled I want to go home, and folded it. There was no spare pillow, so she slipped the note into the pocket of her stuffed bear, a gift from Aunt Valerie. Grans words rang in her ears: You must want it fiercely and believe.
She believed, though the miracle seemed stubbornly absent. Then, in April, it finally arrived.
It was a bright spring morning. Poppy sat on the windowsill watching the groundskeeper, old Mr. Jenkins, sweeping the paths. Suddenly Nurse Pam burst into the room, a little breathless.
Poppy, the director wants to see you, she said.
Poppy hopped down and asked, Did I do something wrong?
No, love, just come along, Pam replied, fixing Poppys braids.
Whos waiting? Poppy asked, a shiver of curiosity running through her.
Lets find out, Pam said, taking her hand.
Inside the directors office, Mrs. Thompson, they saw Aunt Valerie standing there.
Aunt Valerie! Poppy shouted, running straight to her, arms wide.
My sunshine, Valerie cooed, pulling her into a hug. Are we going home?
Of course we are, Valerie whispered, wiping away a tear.
She guided Poppy to a sofa and sat down beside her.
This is it, Poppy, she said, voice trembling with excitement. Well all live together now. Uncle Gary is waiting for you too. Youll be our daughter. Will you be happy with us?
Without a second thought, Poppy flung her arms around Valerie and pressed her cheek against the coat.
Of course she said yes. Shed always loved Aunt Valerie and Uncle Gary; theyd treated her as family, just like Gran had.
The next day, Poppy and Aunt Valerie left for the cottage. They stood on the steps of the childrens home, waiting for a cab. A small crowd gathered to wave them off. Nurse Pam dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, smiling.
Poppy turned to Aunt Valerie, grabbed her bear, and ran to Pam.
Thank you, Nurse Pam, for telling me to make a New Years wish, she said, handing Pam the folded postcard.
Pam opened it and read the bold letters: HOME, PLEASE.
She hugged Poppy, pressed a kiss to her crown and said, See? I told you miracles happen when you truly believe.
And thats how Poppys miracle finally came true.
