“Why are you sitting out in the cold?” Mrs. Emily Longworth asked, wincing from the chill.
The young girl looked up at her with a sorrowful expression. Emily appeared to be around forty-five, no older, with a touch of sadness, though she was graceful and well-kept.
“Sorry, I’ll leave if I’m in your way!” she replied.
“I’m not telling you to go. Just wondered why you’re here. It’s frosty!” The woman repeated, this time more gently.
It was especially cold that day, with the wind howling. Such weather wasn’t meant for sitting outdoors on benches.
“I’ve nowhere to go!” the girl said, starting to cry.
Her name was Amelia. She truly had no place left to turn. A few days ago, her father had thrown her out. She’d come to this town hoping to stay a little while with her aunt on her mother’s side.
Amelia’s mother had passed away three years ago. Her father took to drinking heavily after her death. Their relationship worsened by the day, and three years later it became unbearable.
Her father, Thomas, often brought odd friends home. Sometimes they harassed his daughter, who would complain, but her father never attempted to help her. She had to fend them off herself. After one such scuffle with his so-called mates, Thomas threw her out.
“Get out! You’re no use here! Nothing but a freeloader!” he shouted after her.
Amelia arrived at Aunt Mary’s hoping she’d take her in, but there simply wasn’t space for another lodger in the flat. Mary had three children of her own and lived with her mother-in-law and sister-in-law with her child. They were all cramped in a three-bedroom flat.
Mary had no option but to send her niece back to her father.
“Go back, your father will take you in. Cry if you must. Apologize if you have to. You have every right to live in your father’s house. He’ll have to understand!” was all her aunt said, without offering so much as tea.
Amelia left, hurt and unwilling to return to her father where nothing good awaited.
She wandered the wintry streets until exhaustion set in and decided to rest on a bench, where she was approached by a stranger.
“What do you mean you’ve nowhere to go? You’re just a young girl! What about your parents?”
Amelia was eighteen. She attended college. It was holiday break now, and she hadn’t had time to think things through when she fled the house. It was only during this long walk that she realized how difficult things were going to be.
“Not anymore,” she meekly said, burying her nose against her knees.
She sat on that bench, knees tucked to her chest trying to keep warm, hands gone blue from the cold. Her nose ran, and snowflakes clung to her eyelashes.
Feeling sorry for the girl, Emily, who had a son just a bit older, knew it wasn’t right to abandon children in distress, even strangers.
“Come with me. At least I’ll give you some tea to warm up,” she offered.
Amelia agreed. Together they climbed to the second floor, where Emily lived. Her flat was spacious, but more importantly, it was warm. The girl finally found some relief from the cold.
“Would you like some stew?” the housekeeper offered.
Amelia nodded gratefully. Her last meal was the night before. When served a bowl of steaming stew, she devoured it as if she hadn’t eaten in a year.
After the meal, she shared her story with her new acquaintance. Emily shook her head disapprovingly.
“Yes, it’s all quite sad. You know, stay here. There’s enough room for us all. My son is doing his service now, back in two months. We have three rooms. Stay until you figure things out.”
“And where’s your husband?” the guest inquired.
“He passed away five years ago. Still miss him dearly. Gets lonely, you understand? It’s happier together. So stay, I’ll love the company. And so will Oliver. Right, Oliver?” she asked, speaking to her ginger cat, who sat grooming himself by the table.
Amelia felt awkward, even uncomfortable, but she accepted. She had nowhere else to go. No one else wanted her. So they began their life together.
Emily quickly grew fond of the young girl, who was well-mannered and polite. Clearly, her mother’s upbringing hadn’t faded after three years with an alcoholic father.
Amelia was tidy and unafraid of chores. She cleaned meticulously, washed dishes, and eagerly learned to cook.
She had to leave college, but planned to apply to another school the next year.
In the meantime, Emily helped her find a job. Her friend worked at the local shop and daringly took Amelia on as a shop assistant without experience but later ran into Emily and thanked her.
“You found me a wonderful worker! Hardworking, modest, smart.”
Amelia was deeply grateful to Emily for taking her in and often expressed it. She did what she could to help around, not wanting to feel like a useless boarder. They quickly became friends.
Even Oliver, the cat, grew attached to the young friend of his owner, loving to sleep with her and trailing her around.
Two months later, Emily’s son returned from the service. When he entered with his uniform and bouquet for his mother, Amelia saw him for the first time. Before, she’d only seen pictures on the mantel, mostly from his childhood. He was quite handsome.
After a warm embrace with his mother, Michael noticed the guest.
“Hi, and who might you be?” he asked, surprised, looking at the slim blonde in her house dress.
“Oh, darling, this is our guest. Amelia. There’s quite a story. She’ll be staying with us for a while. I hope you’ll become friends! Remember, no mistreating her. She’s a lovely girl!”
“Not the plan! Thought maybe you’d whipped up a sister for me while I was away! Had I known, I’d have brought another bouquet!” he said, smiling at her. “Pleased to meet you!”
Amelia was at a loss for words, just standing and staring at him, deeply intrigued. Finally, she snapped back and looked away.
Returning from service, Michael had matured and grown stronger. Even his mother was amazed at how robust he’d become, and Amelia saw her ideal. It’s true, they say service turns boys into men.
After a week’s rest, Michael began job hunting. He planned to start university in the fall, but needed to make it until then and had no intention of living off his mother.
And so they all lived together, meeting mostly in the mornings and evenings, otherwise busy with work.
Michael and Amelia quickly connected. Close in age, they shared many interests. Evenings were spent chatting or watching movies together. Unbeknownst to them, they developed a close bond, far from that of siblings.
Amelia hesitated to make the first move, worried about offending Emily. Michael also hesitated, unsure if she felt the same. But Emily noticed, understanding that they were growing into something more, and chose not to intervene.
One evening, Emily pondered the matter. Would Amelia make a good daughter-in-law? Indeed, she possessed many qualities Emily admired in future family. Deciding to nudge them closer, when summer came, she purchased two vacation tickets to the seaside.
She pretended she’d go with her son but at the last moment claimed urgent work matters prevented her from leaving, sending Michael with Amelia instead.
“Don’t lose her! Or someone else might take her!” she teasingly said to her son.
Michael understood. His mother wasn’t wrong. They returned home a couple in love, and a month later, announced they wanted to marry.
Though it might seem rushed to some, Emily offered no objections.
Good daughters-in-law don’t just pop up on the sidewalk. Sometimes you find them sitting on a frosty bench, and indeed, she and her son were lucky.
Neighbors whispered behind their backs. Even some friends told Emily she foolishly married her son to a poor boarder. But she knew she’d made the right decision.
Even years later, Emily never regretted helping out the cold girl, inviting her in and giving her warmth, for Amelia became a devoted wife to her only son, loving him dearly. She gave a proud grandmother three delightful grandchildren and a trove of cherished memories.
