Ill put her to the testif Emily really is mine, Ill take her away.
Take her now, before she slips through our fingers. Im tired of feeding, dressing, never having a moment for myself. Just give me some cash, Mike.
Clara Bennett was hurrying to work. She slapped together a couple of ham and cheese sandwiches for her husband, wrapped them in foil, and set them on the kitchen table.
Mike worked the night shift at a garage on Oldham Road; there was never a proper lunch break, so he always had to pack something.
Margaret Maggie Hughes was a cook in the workers canteen a mile away, so she rose an hour earlier than her husband to make the commute.
A drizzle fell as Clara slipped on the thin umbrella propped in the hallway. It slipped from her grip and clanged loudly on the floor. Maggie froze, then peeked into the bedroomMike was still asleep.
Clara forced a smile.
Typical, isnt it? So careless! she muttered, slipping out the back door.
The minibus pulled up quicker than expected. Clara took a seat by the window and watched the grey streets of Manchester roll by, thinking about the life that lay ahead.
She was no longer a freshfaced girl; her thirties were closing in, and she was married, content in the way she thought a marriage should be. But one ache lingeredno children. She longed for a baby, girl or boy, and three long years of doctor visits had brought only dismissive waves and empty reassurance.
The bus hissed to a stop; Clara paid the driver and stepped onto the street, the route leading past the canteen she worked at.
A few strides along the pavement, Maggie halted, startled. On a damp bench sat a tiny child, shivering in a thin jacket, her cheeks streaked with rainsoaked tears.
Clara approached gently.
Hey there, why are you sitting here alone?
My mum left me the child sniffed.
Left you? In the rain? Claras eyebrows rose. The idea seemed absurdabandoning a child to the weather.
She was sleeping, I wanted a bite. I woke her, she shouted, and thats how I ended up here.
Whats your name, love?
Emily.
What am I to do with you, Emily? Clara hesitated, glancing at her watch. All right, lets go. Where do you live? Far?
No, not far, the girl pointed down the road.
They followed Emilys direction, and after five minutes stood before a grimy terraced house. Clara pressed the intercom button; the door creaked open only after a long silence.
A sleepdazed woman in a stained housecoat answered, hair tangled and unwashed, her face a map of neglect. She stared at Clara, then at Emily, and stepped aside bewildered.
Come in.
Clara crossed the threshold. A stale, sour smell hit her, making her gag. Tattered rags littered the filthy floor, and a thick layer of dust covered the sideboard, evidence that the place hadnt seen a proper clean in ages. Her eyes fell on a photo perched on a shelf.
She gasped. The picture was familiar from Mikes album, but the one at home had been crudely cut, leaving only Mikes head in the frame. In this version, a younger, strikingly beautiful woman stood beside himher features instantly recognizable as the houses occupant.
Maggie, now standing beside Clara, narrowed her eyes at the dishevelled woman.
Whats this? she demanded.
The girls crying in the park! Do you even have a clue what a mothers supposed to do? the woman snapped, turning sharply toward her own daughter. Where have you been?
The child bolted into an adjoining room and slammed the door. Maggie, realizing she had no business there, turned and left.
The rest of the day replayed in Claras mind: the trembling child, the photograph, the frantic woman who might be linked to her husband.
That evening, Clara spread the photo of Mike on the kitchen table and asked, Love, whos that woman beside you?
I told you about Olivia once, Mike said, sighing. We dated years ago, thought about marrying, but she chose someone else and walked away.
Why cut the picture?
Because I couldnt forgive her for abandoning our child. When we split, she claimed shed keep the baby, then denied it, and I left town. I met you, we came back together, and I never hid anything from you. Why do you ask?
Claras voice trembled. Something strange happened today. I met a little girl in the park, and she claimed her mother left her there.
Mike listened, then asked, How old is she?
Clara answered. The thought settled deepEmily could be his daughter.
Where do they live?
Clara gave the address and retired to bed, exhausted. At halfpast two, a light flickered in the kitchen. She padded softly to the ajar door, found Mike seated at the table, lost in thought.
The next morning, Mike rang the door of the house where Olivia lived. Emily answered, eyes wide at the unfamiliar man who smiled at her.
Hello, Emily. Wheres your mum?
Mom! Shes here! a voice called from the hallway.
Who? a dishevelled woman peered out, unrecognisable to Mike.
Olivias eyes narrowed. You? What are you doing here?
Mike stepped inside, the stale air thick around him.
Olivia, I need the truth. Emily could be my daughterright?
Olivia slumped into a chair, eyes pleading.
Need a loan, do you? You never paid child support. Ive been feeding her, never asked a penny. Give me a hundred pounds.
Why did you lie? You said you never left her.
I wanted to, but Victorhe said hed adopt her, then left when she was three months old, saying he didnt want any strangers child. I tried to come back to you, but youd already left town.
Mikes voice hardened. Ill run a test. If Emily is truly mine, Ill take her.
Take her now, before she slips awayfeeding, dressing, never a breath for yourself. Just give me the cash, Mike.
Emily shuffled shyly forward. Are you my dad? she asked, eyes bright as cherry blossoms.
Yes, Emily, Im your father. I want to bring you home. Will you come with me?
She glanced toward a figure she barely recognized. Will you hurt me?
Mike exhaled heavily, his tone softer. No, never.
She nodded, Then Im yours.
Mike brushed her hair back and turned to leave. Olivia called after him, Money? He handed her a few notes; her face cracked into a fleeting smile.
Back in the hallway, Emily stood still, sorrow still etched on her face.
Get dressed. Lets go, Mike said, his mind fixed on one thought: Shes my Emily. I cant leave her here.
Within half an hour, Emily crossed the threshold of Mikes modest flat. She recognized the aunt who had taken her home a week earlier, and Clara stood there, eyes wide, unable to believe the scene.
Later, Emily played with a tabby cat named Whiskers while Clara watched the man she loved.
Do you really think you did the right thing? she whispered. You barely know her.
Mike met her gaze. Ill find out. Its only proper to claim my own child.
Clara turned to the kitchen, tears welling, unable to hold them back.
Why does this have to happen to her? she sobbed. Shed yearned for children, but infertility had haunted her, leaving her feeling empty. Now Emilys presence stirred both hope and fear.
A hand rested lightly on Claras head. She looked up to see Emilys small smile.
Are you feeling alright? Want me to tell you a story? Emily asked softly.
Clara burst into quiet sobs, pulling the child close.
Months passed. Mikes test confirmed Emilys paternity, but the couple decided she would stay with them regardless. Margaret, who had taken Emily in, grew to love her as her own, sharing every spare ounce of affection. Mike, too, became attached; together they formed a genuine family.
One morning Clara suddenly felt dizzy, weakness creeping over her. She pushed through to work, but after a few hours she collapsed and was rushed to the hospital.
Whats happening to me? she whispered, bewildered by the sudden frailty.
The tests are on their way. Youll need to stay here for a while, but your family will visit, the doctor assured. Your relatives are on their way, dont worry.
Soon, Mike and Emily arrived at the ward.
Mommy, whats wrong? Emily asked, clutching his hand.
Nothing, love, just need some rest, Clara replied, trying to smile.
The doctor entered, eyes gentle. Congratulationsyoure pregnant. Weve found no complications, so well keep everything as smooth as possible.
Clara sat bolt upright. What? Im pregnant? she gasped. Mike, what did he say?
The news felt like a dream. She carried a healthy boy, Igor, into the world, while Emily helped mother and child alike.
Later, a little girl named Natalie was born, completing the Bennett family. Joy overflowed; their home, once cramped, now buzzed with laughter. Clara felt that the happiness had arrived with Emily, the shy girl with a big, tender heart.
The end.
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