“Hey, who are you looking for?” I asked.
A little girl, about six years old, stared up at me with wide eyes. “Im trying to find my mumhave you seen her?”
I hesitated. Id only just moved into this building, and as far as I knew, the flat she was standing in front of had been empty the whole time.
“But no one lives there,” I told her.
She burst into tears and sank onto the stairs. “Please, miss, we really need her! Only she can fix everything. Dad misses her so much.”
I stood there, unsure what to do. Id never had kids of my own, so I didnt know how to help this sweet little thing. Should I hug her? Offer her a cuppa? But she probably wouldnt come inside with a stranger Just then, my phone rang. I told her to stay put and hurried offbut when I got back, she was gone.
She stayed on my mind all evening. Later, I called my landlady to ask about the neighbors on our floor.
“That flats been empty for years,” Margaret said. “Why do you ask?”
“A little girl came by earlier, looking for her mum.”
There was a pause, like she was remembering something. “Oh that must be Emilys daughter. Poor loveEmilys not with us anymore. Her husband was left with the baby. Couldnt bear to stay in that flat, so he moved. Been empty ever since.”
“You know what, Irene? They dont live far now. If she comes back, take her home.”
She gave me the address, but as time passed, the whole thing slipped my mind. Work kept me busylate nights, early mornings.
Then, just before Christmas, I heard a soft knock and a sniffle. I rushed to the doorthere she was again, the same little girl with those big grey eyes, crying.
“Whats wrong, sweetheart? Wheres your dad?”
“Hes at home,” she whispered. “But I need to find my mum.”
I remembered the address scribbled somewhere and told her to wait inside while I looked. She stepped in, glanced around, and curled up on the hallway stool. By the time I found the slip of paper, she was fast asleep, tucked into a little ball. I carried her carefully to the sofa and called Margaret again.
“Sorry to bother you, but remember that girl I told you about? Shes here. I wanted to take her home, but she fell asleep. Her dad must be worried sick.”
“Dont fret, Irene. Ill pop round to theirsstay by your phone.”
I hung up and just looked at her. Brushed a stray curl from her face. My heart ached. Id always wanted children. Once, years ago, my husband and I were over the moon when we found out I was pregnant. But stress at worklong hours, no breakstook its toll. I lost the baby.
We tried again. I even quit my job. But fate had other plans. Another loss, early on. And after that nothing. No matter how hard we tried.
Then my husband left. Last I heard, he had a new family, a little girl. I cut him out completelyhim, his friends, everything. Seven years now, just me and rented flats.
A quiet knock snapped me back. I opened the doorand froze.
“James? What are you doing here?”
“Looking for my daughter. Waitthis is Maple Street, right?”
I nodded, stunned. “Shes asleep. Come in.”
We sat in the kitchen while the kettle boiled. Life really does throw the strangest curveballs.
“Are we bothering you? I can wake Annie and go.”
“Let her rest. Whats going on? She keeps coming back here, knocking on that empty flat.”
James rubbed his eyes. “We lived there once. Me and Kate. It was her granddads place. After we married, we moved in. Then she got pregnantI was over the moon.”
His voice cracked. “When the baby was due, I drove her to the hospital. She was crying, scared. Held my hand and made me promise to look after our child if anything happened to her.”
A tear slipped down his cheek. “There were complications. They couldnt save her.”
“Im so sorry,” I whispered, squeezing his shoulder.
Then, tiny footsteps pattered down the hall. “Daddy?”
James scooped her up, holding her tight. “Annie, whyd you run off?”
“I just want to find Mummy.”
“We will, darling. But not today. Lets go home.”
He handed me his number. “Call if she comes back. We live close nowshe knows the way.”
“Howd she even know about this flat?”
“I showed her,” he admitted. “Had to grab some old things. She saw Kates photos on the walls. Now she keeps asking to see her. I told her Mummys away but shell come back one day.”
They left, but James called a few days later. Soon, we were spending weekends togetherpark trips, cafés, the cinema. Annie clung to me, even called me “Mum” once.
Then one evening, James took my hands. “Irene, move in with us. No more renting. Annie misses you. And so do I.”
His grip tightened. “Im sorry for everything.”
Now, were a family. Raising our little Annie. Every day, I thank my lucky stars for this second chanceto be loved, to be a wife, to be a mum.
And even though shes not mine by blood, that doesnt stop me from giving her every bit of love Ive got.
