“Oh, I just dont get you, loveyoure a woman, after all! Whats that poor little girl done wrong? So shes from another womanwhat of it? Youll raise her, and shell call you Mum in the end. Things turned out this way, but youve got to be the bigger person. If you love your husband, love his daughter too.”
Then came the call from social servicesthere was a daughter he never knew he had.
“Emily, sit down, love. Theres something I need to tell you,” Daniel sighed.
“Social services rang me today. My daughters in foster care right now.” Emily gasped, stunned.
“What daughter? From who? Are you joking?” She couldnt believe it.
Daniel hung his head. “No, love, Im not. About six years back, just before I met you, I was seeing a woman named Rebecca. When things got serious with us, I ended it with her. A year later, she tracked me down and said shed had my little girl, Lily. I didnt believe it at first, but when I saw herwell, no DNA test needed. Shes mine. No idea whats happened to Rebecca since, but they rang to ask if Id take Lily in or not.”
Emilys first instinct was to shout, *”No, I dont want some strangers child!”*but the look in Daniels eyes made her say something else entirely.
“Alright lets go see her first. Together.” She spoke carefully, watching his face light up.
The next day, they drove to the foster home. Emily studied the girltiny for five years old, skinny, clutching a tatty old teddy bear. Whenever someone spoke to her, she buried her face in its fur. Truth be told, Emily didnt much like her, pity aside. If Lily had been a strangers child, her heart mightve softened. But the jealousy shed once felt for Rebecca now settled on the girl instead.
Turns out, Rebecca had lost custodytoo much drinking, too many late nights, never a thought for her daughter. Shed named Daniel as the father, and that was that.
Emily saw the resolve in Daniels eyeshe *would* bring Lily home. She tried to talk him out of it, but one day, he snapped.
“You cant have kids of your own, so just keep quiet. Im not abandoning my flesh and blood. If you dont like it, leave. Ill manage on my own.”
Those words cut deep, butmuch as it hurthe wasnt wrong. Daniel wanted children. She couldnt give him that. Health problems in her youth had seen to it, the doctors clear: shed never carry a child. And besides, she loved him. Where would she go? He was hardworking, hardly touched a drop, every penny went into their home. Women would queue up for a man like himand whos to say shed find better?
When Daniel brought Lily home, he gave Emily a warning: *”If I see you mistreat her, dont expect kindness back.”*
So Emily forced herself to care for the girl. Bathed her, scrubbed the dirt away (though it broke her heart to see how thin the child was), dressed her in a pretty frock, braided her hair. Felt like a weight had liftedfor a moment.
Lily was quiet. Leave her alone, and shed stay that waycurled in a corner, whispering to her teddy.
“Shes so feral,” Emily complained to the neighbours. “Hardly acknowledges meor even Dan. Just *yes* or *no*, thats it. Sometimes I look at her and wonderwhat if theres something not right up there? Quiet as a mouse one minute, then *bam*, who knows what shell do?”
The neighbours nodded sympathetically.
Daniel changed too. Once, hed greet Emily at the door with kisses. Now? His daughter got all that. At first, Lily shied awaybut soon, she was shadowing him everywhere.
Of course, Emily burned with jealousy. And Daniel? Hed started grumbling. One day, while Lily played outside, he said, “You treat her like some stray doll. Never a smile, never warmth. She needs a mum wholl love hernot some stand-in aunt.”
That set Emily off.
“*Im* not her mum! Shes nothing to me, dyou hear? And I wont dance attendance on her! Im doneIm going to my mothers. You two live how you like!”
She stormed out, certain hed come running after her, begging her back.
He didnt.
A week passed. Then another. No sign of him. Emily was in tears. Her mum tried soothing her at firstbut she wouldnt let her daughters marriage crumble.
“I dont understand you, love. Youre a womanwhats that child done to deserve this? So shes another womansso what? Youll raise her, shell call you Mum. Lifes thrown this at you, but be wiser. Love your husband? Then love his girl too.”
Emily walked into the yard. Daniel was tinkering in the garage, Lily beside him, happily playing with her teddy. He spotted Emily, eyed her warily. She frozethen Lily stood, took her dads hand, and led him over.
“Make up,” she said, joining their hands.
“Im sorry,” Emily sobbed.
Daniel pulled her into a one-armed hug, drawing Lily close with the other. Emily cried harder, wrapping her arms around the girl. They stood like that a long whileuntil Lily piped up, “Me and Teddy are *hungry*!”
Daniel and Emily exchanged a glance. Then, together, they walked inside.
At lasta proper family.
