The Long-Awaited Granddaughter Natalie Williams anxiously kept calling her son Michael, away at sea on another shipping voyage. But she still couldn’t reach him. “Oh, Michael, what a mess you’ve left behind!” she sighed, dialing his number again. Call after call, but there would be no signal until he made it to the next port—which might not be for a while. And here, of all times! Natalie Williams hadn’t slept for two days—this was the trouble her son had caused! * * * This whole story had actually started a few years ago, back when Michael hadn’t even thought of becoming a sailor. He was already a grown man, but finding the right woman just never seemed to work out—all the girls were, apparently, not quite right for him. Natalie watched with an aching heart as relationship after relationship with perfectly lovely and respectable young women, in her view, fell apart. “You’re impossible to please!” she would tell her son. “Nothing is ever right for you! What woman would ever measure up to your standards?” “I don’t understand your complaints, mum. You want a daughter-in-law, and you don’t care what sort of person she is?” “Of course I care! I want someone who’ll love you and be decent!” Her son would go silent—a silence that somehow infuriated Natalie even more. How could the boy she had raised, who once cried on her knee, act as if he now knew life better than she did? Who was the real grown-up here? “What’s wrong with Nicola, then?” she’d snap. “I already told you.” “Oh, fine…” Admittedly, Nicola was perhaps a poor example. But Natalie wasn’t about to lose this argument. “Maybe, as you say, she wasn’t honest with you. Though I still don’t understand…” “Mum! I don’t think we need to discuss the details. Nicola’s not someone I could see myself with for life.” “And Katie?” “Not Katie, either,” he replied calmly. “And Jenny? She was a lovely girl—peaceful, home-loving, always asked what she could help with around the house. Surely that counts for something?” “Yes, Mum, you’re right. Jenny was lovely. But then she admitted she’d never loved me.” “And did you love her?” “Probably not.” “What about Daisy?” “Mum!” “What? Nobody can please you! You’re a real ladies’ man, you know that? Instead of settling down and starting a family!” “Let’s stop this pointless conversation!” Michael would finally snap and leave the room. “He’s just like his father—so pedantic and stubborn!” Natalie would think to herself, annoyed and frustrated. Time went by, girlfriends came and went, but Natalie’s cherished dream of seeing her son happily settled and rocking a grandchild in her arms remained out of reach. Then Michael changed careers entirely—he ran into an old friend who offered him a job working on ships. He accepted. Natalie tried to talk him out of it, but in vain. “Come on, mum! It’s a great opportunity! Do you know how well those boys get paid? We’ll be just fine!” “What good are your earnings when you’re never here and I never see you? You should focus on starting a family instead!” “You’ve got to provide for a family, too! Once kids come along, I won’t be able to go to sea anymore. So now’s the time to earn while I still can—after that, I’ll take care of the rest.” He did earn a lot. After the first voyage, he renovated their flat; after the second, he opened a bank account and handed Natalie a card. “This way, you never have to worry about money!” “But I’m fine! The only thing missing is a grandchild—and time’s running out! I’m getting old!” “Oh, don’t be silly! Pension’s ages away yet!” her son would scoff. Natalie never touched the money. She had an income from her job at the local pharmacy, which was enough for her modest needs. “Better to keep it on the card as it should be—Michael never checks anyway. He’ll be amazed how thrifty I am when he finally looks!” she’d think. So life went on like that for years. When Michael came home between voyages, he’d catch up with friends, go out late, and meet girls—none of whom he introduced to his mother anymore. When she asked about this, she got a brusque response: “It saves you getting upset when I don’t marry them. I have no intention of marrying those sorts, mum!” It stung Natalie—especially when her son called her too trusting. Just like that: “You’re too trusting, mum! You always assume the best in people. You hardly know any of my so-called girlfriends—of course they act their best around you, but it’s not real.” That stinging comment lingered—the suggestion that trusting meant naïve, even foolish. He’d called his mum stupid, that’s what! But then, one evening, she spotted him with a girl and her urge to fix her wayward son’s life blazed up again. Brazenly, she went up to the couple—Michael, an adult man, blushed! But a mum is a mum—he had no choice but to introduce them. Natalie liked this new girl, Amelia. Amelia was tall, slim, curly-haired, with a pleasant manner. Seeing such a lovely girl with her son, Natalie forgot all previous grievances. “Maybe he just had bad luck until now! Maybe it’s good he broke up with the others, otherwise he’d never have met this beautiful girl!” she thought. Her son’s romance with Amelia lasted his entire leave, and at Natalie’s insistence, Amelia visited several times. Natalie could hardly be happier—the girl was educated, good company. But then, as Michael prepared to go on his next trip, Amelia simply vanished. “We aren’t in touch anymore, and neither should you be,” her son said bluntly, and left. Natalie puzzled for ages—what on earth had happened? But there was no way to find out. * * * A year passed. Michael returned home a few times, but when Natalie asked about Amelia, he just snapped. “For heaven’s sake, what was wrong with this one? What now?” “Mum, it’s my business. If I’m no longer seeing her, that’s how it should be. Please just stay out of my life!” Natalie nearly cried. “But Misha! I can’t help worrying!” “Don’t! And don’t contact Amelia!” he barked. Shortly after, his ship sailed off again, and Natalie, her heart in pieces, returned to her ordinary, lonely routine. But one day, while at work in the pharmacy, a customer arrived to buy baby food. It was Amelia. She looked down shyly and adjusted the hat of the little girl sitting in her pram. “Amelia! How lovely to see you! Misha never explained anything—just left on his voyage and told me not to ask questions!” Natalie bubbled happily. “Is that so?” Amelia replied sadly. “Well… so be it.” Natalie felt flustered. “Tell me what happened, dear—my son has a difficult character, I know. Did he hurt you?” “It doesn’t matter… I don’t hold a grudge. Anyway, we must go—the shops are closing soon.” “Do come and visit! Or at least pop in while I’m working—we can have a good chat!” And Amelia did come by at her next shift—buying more baby supplies. Over time, Natalie learned the truth. Amelia was pregnant by Michael, but he’d told her he didn’t want a child—he was at sea, not planning a serious relationship—then he disappeared. “He must’ve shipped out,” Amelia shrugged. “But we manage. We’re not asking for anything from anyone. We’ll do just fine.” Natalie almost fell to her knees by the pram, gazing at the baby inside. “So, this—this is my granddaughter?” “Looks like it,” Amelia answered quietly. “Her name’s Anna.” “Annie….” *** Natalie couldn’t rest. She gently coaxed from Amelia that she was struggling to afford rent—she’d moved here from another town, but it was hard without steady work and with a baby. Amelia was thinking of moving back to her parents’ place. The idea that her granddaughter might leave town and she’d never see her again broke Natalie’s heart. “Move in with me, Amelia. You and Anna! She’s my granddaughter! I’ll help you with everything. You’ll find a steady job, and Misha sends plenty of money—there’s more than enough. Anna will have everything!” “What will Michael say?” “Does it matter? He made this mess—left his child and didn’t tell his own mother! I have to make things right, at least a little! When he comes home, I’ll have words with him, don’t you worry!” So they all lived together. Natalie spared no expense—or time—for her granddaughter. She cut down her work shifts just to be with Anna more. Amelia found a job and trusted Natalie completely to care for her daughter. Sometimes she’d come home late, utterly exhausted: “On my feet all day, so many difficult customers!” “Don’t worry, love, you rest. I’ll bathe Anna and tuck her in!” Michael’s return from sea was approaching. Natalie rehearsed confrontations in her mind, determined to knock some sense into her son. Meanwhile, Amelia grew ever more anxious. But rather than worry, Natalie felt protective—Amelia was so fragile, so helpless, and then there was her precious granddaughter. “Michael will come home soon and throw us out! I shouldn’t have moved in—I’ll look for a flat tomorrow.” “He won’t! No one is going anywhere! Wait till he comes back—I’ll sort it!!” “He will, I just know it… He’ll say I’m only here for money… I don’t want anything from you, Natalie! You’ve done so much for Anna and me! But I’d better move back in with my parents. But we’ll stay in touch!” “Well that’s not your decision—my flat, my rules! Michael can hardly stop me letting my granddaughter live here!” Despite Amelia’s protests, Natalie stood firm. They were staying. “I’m thinking—we should put this flat in Anna’s name. Just in case. Who knows if Michael will ever settle down, but Anna should have something. Especially since Michael isn’t on her birth certificate,” Natalie said, glancing at Amelia, who blushed. “Sorry… I thought…” “I understand. But without proof it’ll be difficult, so let’s sort it tomorrow.” “No, Natalie, that’s too much! My parents have a flat…” “Don’t argue! I’ve decided.” They tried, but the solicitor refused: “Your son must remove himself from the lease first.” Natalie was annoyed, but Michael would be back soon, so she decided to wait. Amelia grew increasingly withdrawn. “Why are you always late? Where do you go?” Natalie asked one evening. Amelia hesitated. “Well…work… I’m hoping for an advance this month, but my boss said he won’t do that until I finish his task.” “Why do you need an advance?” Amelia busied herself. Natalie followed her and noticed some of Amelia’s things packed in a bag, hidden behind the bed. “Are you leaving?!” Amelia was silent. “Natalie, I have to go! When Michael gets home…” “I’m not letting you and my granddaughter go anywhere! And no more late nights at work—I told you where I keep the bank card, and the code is there too. Take it and get whatever you need—don’t work yourself into the ground! Anna barely sees her mum. If you want Michael to accept you, you need to learn to keep house.” Amelia said nothing. Michael was due in two days. * * * Early that morning, the day her son was to return, Natalie decided to peek into Amelia and Anna’s room to admire them while they slept. But Amelia wasn’t there—only Anna, sleeping sweetly under her blankets. “What’s this? Where’s Amelia? Six in the morning…She’s never left for work this early.” Natalie set about preparing Michael’s favourite dishes, reassuring herself by picturing the moment she’d meet him at the door, Anna in her arms, and demand he apologise to Amelia when she got home. At last, the doorbell rang. Michael stood frozen on the threshold as his mother greeted him holding a small girl. “Hi, Mum. Who’s the child? What’s happened since I was gone?” “You ought to know!” “I’m lost—tell me what adventures you’ve had while I was away.” “Adventures? I found myself a granddaughter—Anna! That’s the adventure!” Natalie said firmly. “A granddaughter? I’ve got siblings I don’t know about?” Michael said, confused. “Don’t try to act dumb, Michael! Amelia told me everything! I didn’t raise you to act this way—I’m ashamed of you!” “Amelia? I told you not to talk to her! What’s she got to do with this child?” Natalie, at her limit, told her son everything, liberally lacing it with reproaches. Michael was exasperated. “You’re so… Mum!” he cried. “What, are you going to call me stupid again? Go ahead, call me what you like, but—” “She’s not my child, Mum! Amelia lied, and you—how can you be so trusting? She was after money—I knew it…How much did she take?” “Nothing! How dare you—” “Mum! Check your savings! Amelia’s probably long gone with them!” “She went to work!” Natalie insisted. They argued back and forth until Michael wore her down. He agreed to wait and confront Amelia together. They waited all evening. Natalie explained everything: how she met Amelia, how they’d lived together, how she wanted to sign over the flat to Anna. Michael kept insisting she’d been conned. “I don’t believe you! Amelia is a lovely girl—” “She’s a first-class con artist, more like! And you believed her so easily!” “I won’t have you talk about her like—she’ll be home soon and you’ll see! I’ll play with my granddaughter in the meantime.” “She’s not your granddaughter!” Natalie glared angrily. “Fine,” he said. “A DNA test will settle this.” “Exactly so!” Natalie announced and headed out of the room. The evening came and went, then another day passed. Amelia never came back. Her phone didn’t answer. Natalie tracked down the address where Amelia supposedly worked—she took Anna with her—but no one there had ever heard of her. No matter how many photos she showed, the answer was the same. Natalie hurried home to check her savings, just as Michael suggested. The money and card were missing. Amelia’s things were gone, only Anna’s remained. “How could I have been so stupid? She can’t have just run off and left Anna!” “She’s capable of anything!” Michael said sullenly. “I was warned… My mate Fred told me she’d robbed him, but I was seeing her, introduced her to you… Then she claimed she was pregnant—who knows by whom… Said it was mine…but my mates told me she was with every guy going.” “I’ve been such a gullible fool!” Natalie wept. “Why didn’t you tell me all this? I’d have known what she was!” “I didn’t want to upset you, mum. You always see the good in people…” “What do we do now?” “Call the police! Just as well you didn’t manage to sign the flat over—imagine if you were homeless now.” They called the police, but Amelia was never found—it was as if she vanished. Months passed without news. The card turned up abandoned at a train station. Meanwhile, Anna was allowed to stay with Natalie, for the authorities’ duration. She had to quit her job to care for Anna, but Michael’s savings covered things. DNA test results showed Anna wasn’t Michael’s daughter, but Natalie adored the little girl and couldn’t part with her. After discussing it with her son, they decided to raise Anna as their own. Amelia’s parental rights were terminated, eventually, and, though it took months and paperwork, Natalie became Anna’s official guardian. Michael’s application was refused, so Natalie had to return to work, find Anna a nursery, and tackle everything else that comes with motherhood. But their life found its rhythm. A year later, Michael came home from yet another voyage—with a wife: “Mum, meet Sophie. We’ll be living together now.” “But what about—” Natalie stammered, motioning toward the nursery, wondering if Michael had told his new wife. Sophie smiled warmly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Williams! Michael has told me everything, and honestly, I’m amazed by what you’ve done! If you’d allow me to help care for Anna, I’d be delighted—” She looked at Michael. “I plan to finish with seafaring. We want to officially adopt Anna—this time we won’t be refused!” Natalie beamed with joy. “Oh, what happiness! Come in, both of you—I’ve made so much food! We’ll all get to know each other properly. I’m so happy!” she cried, brushing away a tear.