“I’ll leave you, and you’ll never see the child again!” screamed Jane. “I want us to be a proper family! No outsiders!”
“Jane, calm down! There are no outsiders in our family!” Alexander tried to soothe his wife. “Emily is our daughter too!”
“Alex, lets just send Emily back to the orphanage!”
“Have you lost your mind? Send her back? What are you saying?” Alexander stared at her in disbelief.
“Its simple! Well just take her there!” Jane tossed her curls. “Were having our own baby soonwhy do we need someone elses?”
“Jane! Maybe this is Gods way of blessing us for taking in an orphan and giving her a home! You were the one who insisted on adopting her!”
“I never thought wed have our own childthats why I pushed for it. What kind of family doesnt have children?”
Five-year-old Emily stood outside her parents bedroom, unable to believe what shed just heard. She wasnt theirs? They wanted to send her back to the orphanage?
Tears spilled from her eyes. Shed been so excited about having a little brother or sister but now, because of it, she was going to lose her family.
As if sensing something, Alex got up and walked to the door. There stood Emily, crying.
“Daddy am I not yours?” Her huge eyes stared up at him, full of fear.
“Of course you are, sweetheart!” Alex scooped her into his arms. “Youre absolutely ours!”
“But you said you wanted to send me back to the orphanage! That means Im not really yours!” Emily wiped her tears stubbornly.
“Yes, we brought you home from there, but that doesnt mean youre not ours! We love you so much! Mummys just hormonal because of the baby Come on, lets get you to bed.”
***
“Ill leave you, and youll never see the child again!” Jane shouted. “I want a normal familyno outsiders!”
“Jane, please! There are no outsiders here!” Alex tried to reason with her. “Emily is our daughter!”
“I didnt give birth to her! Shes not mine!” Janes anger flared. “Choose: me or her!”
Alex helped pack Emilys things.
“Youll stay with Grandma for a while, just until Mummy calms down,” he told his daughter. “Once the babys here, shell come to her senses, and well bring you home, alright?”
Emily nodded.
Shed agree to anything to avoid the orphanage. Besides, she loved Grandma. She was kind and always had something sweet for Emily.
“Grandma if Mummy really wants to send me away, can I just live with you instead?” Emily asked as soon as they arrived.
Lydia Edwardovna gave her son a sharp look. He smiled awkwardly.
“Janes just hormonal!”
“Of course, my darling!” Grandma helped Emily out of her coat. “But Mummy wont send you awayyoure her daughter! Shes just upset right now!”
***
Two months passed. Emily lived with Grandma while her father visited less and less, torn between work and the hospital where Jane was on bed rest.
One morning, as Grandma made breakfast, Emily stared out the window. Spotting her fathers car, she cheered.
“Grandma! Daddys here!”
“So early?” Lydia frowned.
Her son never came before noon. Sensing trouble, she told Emily to stay in the kitchen and went to meet him.
“Jane passed away last night. The labour started she didnt make it. The baby either” Alexander slumped onto the hall bench.
The three of them sat in the kitchen, forgetting about their cooling tea.
“Mum, Im taking Emily home. Its time.”
“If you want, I can stay with you for a while,” Lydia offered.
“Thanks, Mum”
***
Emily marveled at her new hair ribbons. Soon, shed be a proper schoolgirl! Her crisp uniform and bright backpack waited patiently.
The front door clicked open. Daddy!
“Daddy!” She raced to greet himbut he wasnt alone. A petite woman stood beside him.
“Sweetheart, this is Liz! Shell be living with us!” Alexander forced a cheerful tone.
“Hello, Emily!” Liz smiled warmly and held out a bouquet. “For your first day of school.”
“Hi,” Emily muttered, ignoring the flowers as she stormed off to her room.
“Dont take it personally,” she heard her father say. “Shes really a sweet girl once you get to know her.”
“Im sure well be friends,” Liz replied.
“Yeah, right!” Emily thought, slamming her door.
Alex and Liz married quietly. Soon, he was offered a promotion and became scarce at home.
Liz took over caring for Emilyhelping with homework, attending parent-teacher meetings, taking her to films and cafés.
Eventually, Emily warmed to her. The house became peaceful again.
The school year ended with more joyful news: Liz was expecting. For Emily, it was a blow.
She locked herself in her room and cried. Liz stood outside, pleading.
“Emily, please dont cry! I love you! Id never give you away! Well always be togetheryoure my precious girl!”
“Really?” Emily emerged, tear-streaked.
“Of course!” Liz hugged her. “Youre my childno ones taking you from me!”
Months later, Emily cradled her baby brother, marvelling at how tiny he was.
“Mum! Look how funny he is!” She didnt even notice shed called Liz “Mum.”
Liz, hiding happy tears, hugged her tight.
Two more years passed.
Emily was in Year 4 when tragedy struckAlexander died in a car crash. She and Liz fell into routine, caring for little Colin and avoiding speech.
Words brought tears. Colin, too young to understand, grew fussy.
One evening, after hed fallen asleep, Liz spoke.
“Emily, we cant go on like this. We have to keep living. Dads gone, but were still here. Lets stop suffering, alright?”
“Alright,” Emily agreed.
But trouble never comes alone. Just as they resolved to move forward, the doorbell rang.
A stern woman introduced herself as a social worker and demanded Emily pack for the orphanageshe had no legal guardian now.
“What? What about me?” Liz protested.
“Show me the adoption papers,” the woman demanded. There were none. “Exactly. Grandmas too old, and youre no relation. Pack your things, Emily.”
Unlike Liz, Emily didnt cry. She didnt care what happened next. Her worst fear had come trueshe was alone.
“Ill get you out of there!” Liz called after her, but Emily didnt believe it.
Who wanted an orphan? When Dad was alive, shed been loved. Now he was gone, and no one wanted herespecially not Liz, who had her own child.
Liz visited often, but Emily refused to see her. Shed watch from the window as Liz waited on the bench, then turn away. Eventually, the visits grew fewer then stopped.
“See? She got bored of playing mum,” Emily thought bitterly.
Two months later
“Emily! The headmistress wants you!” Vasily, the homes bully, stuck his head into her room.
“What does she want?” Emily wondered. “I havent done anything wrong.”
“Well, Emily, congratulationsyouve been taken in!” the headmistress announced. “Not a full family, but still!”
“I dont want a family,” Emily muttered. “I dont have luck with them.”
“Well, lucky or not, pack your thingsyour new guardians waiting!”
Emily obeyed, numb. Outside the orphanage steps stood Liz.
“What are you doing here?” Emily asked flatly.
“I came for you.”
“Ive already been adopted.”
“By me.”
“You?” Emily couldnt hide her hope.
“Yes. I told youyoure my child, and Id never let you go. Single mothers dont get approved easily, but I proved I could provide for you and, well, bribes still work. Were a proper family now. Come homeColins missed you.”
“Lets go Mum.”
