Its not my son, love. Its my neighbours, Kates. Your husband used to pop round quite a bit, next thing you know, she ends up with a ginger, freckled little lad just like him. Odds are, you dont need a DNA test for that.
What do you want from me? My husband passed not long ago, I havent a clue who he was running about with…
Well, that Kates gone now too.
Tanya was weeding the veg beds when she heard her name being called out in the garden. She wiped the sweat from her brow and headed over to the gate, where a woman she didnt recognise was standing.
Hello, Tanya! We need a word.
Oh, hello. Well, come in then, since youre here
Tanya invited her inside and put the kettle on. She was curiouswhat was this about?
Im Nina. We dont know each other personally, but people talk… Ill get straight to it. Your late husband has a son, Michael, three years old.
Tanya looked at her in shock. The woman was far too old to be the lads mum, surely
No, not my sonmy neighbour Kates. Your fella used to swing by her place, and now theres a little redhead to match him. Theres no doubt whose he is, is there?
So why are you here? My husbands gone, I dont know the half of what he got up to
Well, Kates dead too. Chest infection, didnt get treated in time. Now the boys left on his own.
Kate had no family hereshed come down from up North, worked in the village shop
Poor thing, only place for the lad now is a childrens home…
LookIve got my own kids, two daughters, both from a proper marriage. Are you seriously coming round here to ask me to take in a child my husband fathered elsewhere? The cheek of it!
Hes their brother though, isnt he? Hes not a stranger. Hes a good kid, reallykind, gentle. Hes at the hospital now, theyre sorting paperwork for him…
Dont try to pull at my heartstrings Who knows how many kids my blokes left behind, am I supposed to take them all in?
Up to you, but now you know.
Nina left. Tanya poured herself a mug of tea and sat, thinking
***
Shed met George just after finishing collegeshe was out celebrating with her friends, when a group of lads came over to chat.
George stood out right away with that bright ginger hair of his and the smattering of freckles across his face.
He was lively, a bit cheeky, loved reading poems and telling jokes. Walked her home that night.
Before long, they were married.
They moved in with his gran, who later passed and left them the house. First came Val, their daughter, then two years later, Ellie. They lived simplymoney was always tight.
Then George started drinking. No matter what Tanya tried, nothing could stop it. Hed disappear for days. Lost his job, of courseTanya was working two jobs to scrape by.
In the end, she decided she had to leave him.
She thought of moving to the city with the girlsher aunt had been asking for ages, there was work there, they’d manage.
But then George got hit by a car, drunk, and didnt make it.
Tanya cried for the fool, sitting by his coffin. So did the girlstheir dad, after all
And now, it turned out, hed fathered a child with someone else…
Her eldest, Valerie, came in the house. Tall, slim, took after her mum, but had the same ginger hair as her dad.
Mum, is there anything to eat? Im just off to the cinema with the girls and Im starving! Why do you look so glum?
Just got some news to digest. Someone popped round to tell me your fathers got a son elsewhere. Three years old. The mothers gone too, and now the boys headed for a home. They asked if Id take him in.
Blimey thats a shock. Do you know the mother?
No, she wasnt from round here. Her name was Katedont know her surname…
So, whatll you do? Wheres the boy now? He has no family then?
Doesnt seem like it. Hes at the hospital, paperwork is being sorted Redhead, spitting image of his dad. Here, have some boiled potatoes and sausages.
Val went straight for the food. Ellie came in just after, joined her. Tanya watched her girls and smiledboth of them ginger, just like their dad. Strong genes, that.
The next day Val announced:
Mum, me and Ellie went over to the hospital To see our little brother. Hes adorablechubby, funny, looks a lot like us, a proper ginger sunshine. He cries so sadly, wants his mum
We took him an apple and some orange slices. He was standing up in his cot, arms out. The nurse let us play with him for a bit. Mum Can we bring him home? Hes our brother, after all.
Tanya bristled.
I cant believe what Im hearing! Your dad was out doing who knows what, and now Im expected to clear up the mess? Ive got enough on my plate! Easy for you to say, bring him home…
But people adopt strangers children, and this ones our own blood. Not his fault what happened. You know the saying, Children shouldnt pay for the sins of their parents?
But we cant manage another mouth to feed! Im run ragged as it is, selling veg at the market, doing everything I can, and now you want to land me with another child?!
Youve got uni coming up, thatll cost, and Ellie needs things tootheres always something
If you get guardianship, youd get an allowance, wouldnt you? Mum, surely you feel for him. Dad messed up, but hes our little brother
Tanya was furiousat George, at her daughter. It was easy for her to suggest adding a strangers child to her load
But she thought, Ill at least go and look at the boy. The very next day, she went to the hospital.
Hello. Could you tell me where the boy Michael is? Three years oldthe one youre preparing for care, she asked the nurse on duty.
Who are you then, love? What do you want?
I just want to see him. Hes my husbands child, from another woman Its complicated…
You can look, then what? Your girls came yesterday, played with him. Not supposed to, but I let them He was in bits afterwards, crying for his mum
Ill just peek in, I promise, not even pick him up…
Go on then, have a look.
Tanya opened the door and froze. The little boy was the image of George.
Ginger curls, blue eyes. Beautiful child. He was sitting in his cot, playing with blocks.
When he saw her, he grinned.
Auntie Wheres my mum, mummy?…
Your mummy isnt here, Michael
I want to go home…
And he started to cry, heart-breakingly. Something twisted inside Tanya.
She went to the cot and scooped him up.
Madam, youll leavewhos going to calm him? Put him back in the cot! snapped the nurse.
Shhh, dont cry, sweetheart…
Tanya stroked his head, wiping away his tears.
Please, take me home Im hungry and theres no one to play with…
Alright, Michael I promise Ill come back for you. Dont cry, darling.
Tanya walked home certain nowshe would bring the boy home. Every bit of anger melted away seeing that pale, helpless childso like her girls
***
Fifteen years have passed.
Now Michael is off to London for college. Her boyall grown up. The years have flown by.
Ring me, love, and come home often My heart aches for youthe worlds a bit grim nowadays…
Mum, Ill be fine. I promise, I wont let you down! The two years at college will fly by.
Then Ill get a job. Alex from up the lane says his uncle pays well at the garage, and Im good with carsyou know that! And soon Ill have my mechanics diploma.
My genius, Tanya laughed, running her hand through his wild ginger curls…
***
Life, you know, is like a narrow path in the woodstakes you to some unexpected places.
Tanya once thought life was sending her one more trial, another burden, another bit of heartbreak from her husbands betrayal.
But it turned out that, among the thorns of her pain, grew a fragile shoota boy who had done nothing wrong, except be born.
Sometimes, the heart sees what the eyes cannot.
It saw not a strangers blood in Michael, but a lonely soul desperate for warmth.
It heard not the cry of someone elses child, but the gentle call: Mummy.
And Tanya, in spite of common sense, fear, and exhaustion, reached out her arms.
The years proved that kindness is not a sacrificeits a gift. Michael was never one mouth too manyhe became the one fetching water from the well, while Tanya weeded her veg.
The one making his sisters laugh when spirits were low. The one who, growing up, would say, Thank you, Mumand in those words, her whole world echoed.
