“Why are you sitting out here in the cold?” asked Mrs. Helen Thompson with a shiver.
The girl looked up at her with sad eyes. Helen appeared to be around forty-five, no older. She was beautiful and well-groomed, yet there was a touch of sadness about her.
“I’m sorry, I’ll leave if I’m bothering you!” the girl replied softly.
“I’m not trying to send you away. I’m just asking why you’re sitting here? It’s winter, you know!” Helen asked, her tone softening.
It was a particularly cold day, and the wind was howling. Such weather was no time to be sitting idly on park benches.
“I have nowhere to go!” the girl sobbed.
Her name was Alice. She truly had no place to go. Just a few days ago, her father had thrown her out of the house. She had come to this town hoping to stay with her aunt, who was her mother’s sister.
Alice’s mother had passed away three years ago. Her father, Paul, took to drinking heavily afterwards. Their relationship deteriorated day by day, and after three years, it became unbearable.
Paul often brought over his questionable friends who sometimes made inappropriate advances towards Alice. Despite her complaints, her father never stepped in to help. She had to fend them off herself. After one such confrontation, her father finally kicked her out.
“Get lost! You’re useless around here!” he shouted as she left.
Alice went to her Aunt Maggie’s, hoping for shelter, but Maggie’s flat was already crowded with her own three kids, and her mother-in-law and sister-in-law with her child. They all lived squeezed in a three-bedroom flat.
With no other choice, Maggie sent Alice back to her father.
“Go on, Paul will take you back. Cry if you must. Apologize, if needed. You have the right to live there. He’ll have to accept it,” her aunt said, without even offering her tea.
Alice left, feeling hurt. She didn’t want to return to her father, as nothing good awaited her there.
She wandered through the snow-covered streets until she was too tired to go on. She decided to rest on a bench when Helen approached her.
“What do you mean you have nowhere to go? You’re so young! Don’t you have parents?”
Alice was eighteen and attending college. It was winter break, and she hadn’t thought things through before leaving home. It only dawned on her during her long walk how difficult her situation was going to be.
“Not anymore,” Alice replied meekly, burying her face in her knees.
She sat on the bench with her legs pulled to her chest to stay warm. Her hands had turned blue from the cold, and her nose was runny. Snowflakes kept falling onto her eyelashes.
Helen felt sorry for the poor girl. She had a son of her own who was a bit older. One shouldn’t leave children in trouble, even if they aren’t your own.
“Come to my place. At least have some tea; you’re freezing!” Helen offered.
Alice agreed. Together, they went up to the second-floor flat where Helen lived. Her flat was spacious, but more importantly, it was warm. Alice finally started to thaw out.
“Would you like some stew?” Helen asked as they sat in the cozy kitchen.
Alice nodded gratefully, having not eaten since the previous evening. When a bowl of hot stew was put in front of her, she ate it ravenously, as if she hadn’t eaten in a year.
After eating, she told Helen what had happened. Helen just shook her head disapprovingly.
“What a sad situation. You know what? You can stay with me. There’s enough room. My son is currently in the army and won’t be back for two months. But we have three rooms, so stay until you figure things out.”
“Where’s your husband?” Alice asked.
“He passed away five years ago. I still miss him. It gets lonely. It’s always more fun with others around. So you can stay with us. I could use the company, and so could Tom.” Helen said, referring to the ginger cat sitting by the table, grooming himself.
Alice felt awkward, yet she accepted the offer. She was out of options, with no one else to turn to. And thus began their shared life.
Helen took a liking to Alice straightaway. She was polite and well-mannered, traits instilled by her mother despite three years of living with her alcoholic father.
Alice was tidy and unafraid of household chores. She cleaned diligently, washed dishes, and eagerly learned how to cook.
While Alice had to leave college, she planned to apply to a different one the next year.
Meanwhile, Helen helped Alice find a job with a friend who owned a nearby shop. She took Alice on as a sales assistant despite her lack of experience, but later thanked Helen for the recommendation.
“You gave me a great helper: hardworking, modest, and smart.”
Alice was grateful to Helen for the shelter and said so often. She tried to help however she could, not wanting to feel like a freeloader. They soon became friends.
Even Tom the cat grew attached to the young visitor, often sleeping on her bed.
Two months later, Helen’s son, Michael, returned from the army. When he arrived in uniform with flowers for his mother, Alice saw him for the first time, having only seen pictures of him as a child.
After embracing his mother, Michael noticed their guest.
“Hi, who are you?” he asked, surprised to see the slender blonde in a casual home dress.
“Oh, dear, this is Alice, our guest. It’s a long story, but she’ll be staying with us for a while. I hope you two get along. Don’t upset her; she’s a lovely girl!”
“I wasn’t planning on it! I thought you’d made me a sister while I was gone! If I’d known, I’d have brought another bouquet!” he said, smiling at Alice. “Nice to meet you!”
Alice couldn’t bring herself to say anything; she just stood there, taken with him. After a few moments, she managed to gather herself and look away.
Michael returned from the army stronger and more mature. Even Helen was surprised at how robust and composed he had become. To Alice, he was the ideal man. They say the army turns boys into men, and it seemed true.
After resting for about a week, Michael started looking for work. He planned to apply to a university in the fall, but until then, wanted to avoid relying on his mother.
Thus the three of them lived together, meeting mostly in the mornings and evenings, their days filled with work.
Michael and Alice quickly bonded, being close in age with shared interests. They spent evenings talking about everything and nothing or watching films together. They didn’t realize how close they’d become until it was undeniable, but not as siblings.
Alice couldn’t make the first move, fearing she might offend Helen. Michael hesitated, unsure if their feelings were mutual. Only Helen noticed, understanding that their relationship had grown into more than friendship, yet she chose not to interfere.
One evening, she sat pondering the matter, considering if Alice would make a good daughter-in-law. There were many qualities she admired. So Helen decided to give them a little nudge.
When summer arrived, she bought two tickets for a seaside holiday. Though she intended to go with her son, she suddenly claimed pressing work obligations, sending Michael and Alice off alone.
“Make sure they don’t take away too quickly!” she said to her son with a sly smile.
Michael got the hint. Her instincts were right. They returned as a couple, and a month later, announced their intent to marry.
While some thought it a hasty decision, Helen didn’t protest.
After all, good daughters-in-law aren’t found just anywhere. True, they might occasionally be found on a frosty park bench, but that’s rather rare. She was fortunate, and so was her son.
Neighbors whispered behind her back, and acquaintances told Helen she had her son marry a penniless lodger. They called it a foolish act, but Helen knew she’d done what was right.
Even years later, she never regretted taking in the shivering girl she found on the street, offering her warmth and a home. Alice became a devoted wife to her only son, loved him dearly, and made Helen a grandmother to three wonderful grandchildren, creating countless warm memories.
