The midnight call shattered the silence.
Suddenly, the phone rang at half past eleven. Emily had just dozed off to the steady breathing of her husband when the sharp ring startled her awake. Her heart poundedat this hour, nothing good ever followed.
“Thomas,” she whispered, gently shaking him. “Thomas, wake up! The phone.”
He jerked upright, grabbing the receiver. Emily watched his face pale with every passing second.
“How when?” he muttered, voice hollow. “Yes yes, I understand. Ill be right there.”
Slowly, he set the phone down. His fingers trembled.
“Whats happened?” Emily murmured, already sensing the unthinkable.
“James and Charlotte” He swallowed hard. “A car crash. Both of them. Gone in an instant.”
A heavy silence swallowed the room, broken only by the ticking clock. Emily stared at him, unable to believe it.
Just two days ago, theyd all been in the kitchen, sipping tea while Charlotte shared her new pie recipe. James, Thomass best friend since university, had been telling fishing stories.
“What about Lily?” Emily suddenly remembered. “Good God, what happened to Lily?”
“She was at home,” Thomas said, hastily pulling on his trousers. “I have to go, Emily. They need someone to identify them. And then”
“Ill go with you.”
“No!” He spun around sharply. “Olivia would be alone. No need to frighten her in the middle of the night.”
Emily nodded. He was rightdragging their twelve-year-old into this tragedy now would be cruel.
She didnt sleep a wink. Pacing the flat, she checked the clock relentlessly. At one point, she peeked into Olivias roomher daughter lay fast asleep, auburn hair fanned across the pillow, peaceful and fragile.
Thomas returned at dawn, exhausted, eyes red.
“Its true,” he said heavily, collapsing into an armchair. “Head-on collision with a lorry. They never stood a chance.”
“What will happen to Lily now?” Emily asked softly, placing a strong coffee in front of him.
“I dont know. Only her grandmothers left, up in Yorkshire. Shes old, barely able to care for herself.”
Silence settled. Emily gazed out the window at the grey, dreary dawn. Lily, Thomass goddaughter, was the same age as their Olivia. A quiet, fair-haired girl who always hung back.
“You know,” Thomas said slowly, “I was thinking maybe we take her in?”
Emily whirled around. “Are you serious?”
“Why not? Weve spacethe spare room. Im her godfather. I wont let her go into care.”
“But its a huge decision. Wed need to talk to Olivia.”
“Whats there to discuss?” He slammed his fist on the table. “Shes *orphaned*, Emily! My goddaughter! Id never forgive myself if I abandoned her!”
Emily bit her lip. Of course, he was right. But it all felt so sudden.
“Mum? Dad?” Olivias sleepy voice startled them. “Why are you up so early?”
They exchanged a glance. The moment of truth had come sooner than expected.
“Sweetheart,” Emily began, “sit down. Weve had terrible news.”
Olivia listened in silence, eyes widening. But when Thomas mentioned Lily living with them, she shot up.
“No!” she shrieked. “I wont let her! Send her to her grans!”
“Olivia!” Thomas snapped. “How can you be so heartless after what shes lost?”
“And what about *me*?” Her eyes flashed. “This isnt my problem! I wont share my homeor *you*with her!”
She stormed out, slamming the door. Emily turned to Thomas helplessly.
“Maybe we shouldnt rush this?”
“No,” he said firmly. “Its decided. Lily stays. Olivia will adjust.”
A week later, Lily moved in. Pale, silent, hollow-eyed. She barely spoke, answering only with nods.
Emily tried everythingher favourite meals, new butterfly-patterned bedsheets. Olivia ignored her outright, locking her bedroom door or turning away in the hallway.
“Stop this!” Thomas scolded. “Have a heart!”
“Whats *wrong* with ignoring her?” Olivia shot back. “Its *my* house!”
Tension thickened daily. Emily played peacemaker, but her efforts only made things worse.
Then the earrings vanished. The gold ones with tiny diamondsThomass tenth-anniversary gift.
“*She* took them!” Olivia declared when Emily noticed. “I saw her sneak into your room!”
“Thats a lie!” Lilys voice shook. “Id *never* steal!”
She burst into tears and fled. Thomas glowered at Olivia.
“Youre *trying* to drive her out, arent you?”
“Im telling the truth!” Olivia stamped her foot. “Shes pretending to be sad, but really”
“Enough!” Emily cut in. “The earrings will turn up. I mightve misplaced them.”
But three days later, her grandmothers ring disappeared from the jewellery box.
“So that vanished too, did it?” Olivia sneered in the living room, hands on hips. At the doorway, Lily bit her quivering lip.
Emily looked between themand for the first time, she understood.
That night, she sat on the edge of the bathtub, iodine in hand. An idea struck as she treated Lilys papercut. *Iodine. As stubborn as lies, as glaring as truth.*
After everyone slept, she dotted each ring, each earring in her jewellery box.
“My God,” she whispered in the dark. “What am I doing?”
The next morning, a pendant went missing. At the breakfast table, silence smothered the room. Lily listlessly stirred cereal; Olivia glared out the window.
“Girls,” Emily said calmly. “Show me your hands.”
Olivia scowled. “Why?”
“Just do it.”
Lily offered her clean palms firstno marks. Olivia hesitated.
“I wont!” She tried to stand.
“Sit!” Thomas roared. “Show your mother *now*!”
Olivia reluctantly extended her hands. Tiny green dots speckled her fingertips.
Deafening silence. Only the clocks ticking, pipes humming, Thomass heavy breaths.
“You” He choked on rage. “*You* framed Lily?”
Olivia bolted up, knocking over her chair. Terror and shame warred in her eyes.
“I *hate* you!” she screamed, then fled. The front door crashed shut.
“Olivia!” Emily ran after her, but Thomas held her back.
“Let her cool off,” he muttered.
Hours passed. Dusk fell. Emily trembled.
“We must call the police”
Then Lily spoke for the first time all day. “I think I know where she is.”
Emily blinked. “How?”
“Ive seen her there. The old pavilion by the park pond.”
“Why didnt you say sooner?” Thomas demanded.
“You didnt ask,” Lily shrugged. “Let me fetch her. Alone. Please.”
Something in her voicenew, firmmade Emily nod.
An hour dragged by. Then another. At last, the doorbell rang.
There stood the girls, windswept, flushed. Olivias eyes were swollen, but the anger was gone. And LilyLily was smiling.
“Mum,” Olivia whispered. “Im sorry. Ill give everything back.”
“I know, love.” Emily pulled her close.
“I just thought” Olivia sobbed. “Youd love *her* more. Shes so sad, and I”
“Idiot,” Lily said softly. “Love isnt something you steal. Its either there or its not.”
Emily stared. How could a twelve-year-old be so wise?
“We talked,” Lily explained. “Properly. About everything.”
“And you know what?” Olivia grinned through tears. “Shes brilliant. Loves *Harry Potter* too! And chess! Can she share my room, Mum? Please?”
Emily hugged them tight. Behind her, Thomas sniffed loudly.
Later, tucking them in, she overheard whispers:
“Can I call you sis?” Olivia asked.
“Yes,” Lily replied warmly. “If you teach me bracelet-making. Yours are lovely.”
Emily gently shut the door. In the kitchen, Thomas poured two glasses of red.
“You know,” he mused, “Ill bet James and Charlotte are happy now.”
“Why?”
“Sure of it. Their girls home. *Our* home. And now shes got a sister.”
Outside, stars glittered. Dogs barked in the distance. And in the bedroom, two girlsonce strangerswhispered secrets, stitch by stitch weaving themselves into family.
