“Blimey, Im not some old granny, am I? Ive only just turned fifty, for heavens sake. Do I look that ancient?” she muttered, setting a bowl of soup and a bread basket on the table.
“Gran, put something on the table. Im starving,” announced Michael as he walked in, hanging his dusty cap on the hook by the door.
Tanya scowled.
“Honestly, why dyou keep calling me Gran? Fiftys not old, is it?” she grumbled, fussing with the dishes.
Michael washed his hands and, passing by, gave her a playful tap below the waist.
“Well, what else should I call you? Youve got a two-year-old granddaughterthat makes you a gran. And Im a grandad, proud of it,” he chuckled, slurping his hot soup.
“Fine, call me that at home, but not in public. Remember yesterday in the shop? You yelled, ‘Gran, your wellies are over here!’ Dyou know how embarrassing that was? Everyone started giggling behind my back.”
Michael snorted.
“Wasnt laughing at youit was at old Mr. Thompson. He near dropped a fiver and made such a scene, youd think hed lost his life savings.”
Tanya smirked.
“So thats why you bought him another?”
Michael shrugged between spoonfuls.
“Felt sorry for the poor sod.”
Tanya rolled her eyes.
“Thats why you never keep a penny to your name. Too soft by half.”
When Michael finished eating and Tanya started clearing the table, she hesitated before speaking.
“Mick Antons coming. And hes not alone.”
Her husbands mood darkened instantly.
“Whats he want here? Remember what he said last time? ‘Clear off, youre nothing to me.’ Left poor Nancy right outside the registry office and drove off. All because she supposedly met up with his mate before the wedding. She was in tears, swearing hed only come round for a CD. But Mr. High-and-Mighty wouldnt listen. And now hes dragging someone alongprobably some city girl hes waiting on. Phone him, text him, do what you like, but hed better not show his face here.”
Tanya hung her head guiltily.
“Im sorry theyll be here tonight.”
Michael slammed the door on his way out, tossing over his shoulder,
“Fine, you deal with em then.”
Tanya sighed as she watched him leave. Like oil and water, those two. All because of Nancy. When Anton announced he was marrying her, Tanya had her doubts. The girl seemed polite enough, but something didnt sit right. And when Anton stormed off after their row, Nancy didnt waste time cryingshe married that very friend of his soon after. Where theres smoke, theres fire.
Tanya slid a pie into the oven. Mick would sulk, but hed come round. Shed missed her son terribly these eight years. Their daughter visited nearly every week, living close by, but Antonher firstbornhad taken a piece of her heart with him. She just hoped hed stay awhile this time and not row with his father again.
Anton arrived just as Tanya had given up waiting. Michael, though, had spent the evening teasing her.
“Keep staring at that window, youll wear it out,” he joked.
“Anton, love!” Tanya rushed to hug him, tears in her eyes. “Look at youspitting image of your dad.” Then she noticed the little girl clutching a backpack.
“Oh, and whos this? Whats your name, sweetheart?”
The girl offered a small hand.
“Im Katie. Whore you?”
Tanya straightened, glancing at her sonjust who was she to this child?
Anton dropped his bags and sank onto a chair.
“Mum, meet Katie. My wife Olivias daughter.”
Tanya beamed and knelt beside the girl.
“You can call me Nana Tanya. That makes you my grandbaby.”
Katie looked up at Anton.
“Uncle Anton, is that true? Is this lady really my grandma?”
He nodded tiredly.
“Yeah.”
Katie hugged Tanya politely.
“Hello, Nana.”
Just then, Michael walked in.
“Hold onwhats this ‘uncle’ business? And since when do we have a granddaughter?”
Anton stood and extended a hand.
“Hello, Dad. Im sorry about last time. I was young. Didnt know life yet.”
Michael raised a brow.
“Know it now?”
Anton sighed.
“Too well.”
His father pulled him into a bear hug.
“Well thenwelcome home, son.” Both men blinked back tears.
Tanya exhaled in relief. Theyd made peace.
Later, after dinner with Katie asleep, Anton explained everything.
“When I left, I was furious. You didnt know the whole story, and I didnt want to shame Nancy. That night, I went to say goodnightlike an idiotand caught her with Vince in the bushes. I was ready to throttle him, but Nancy screamed she loved him. So I walked away.”
He shook his head.
“But thats done with. I went to London, stayed with my mate Paul, drank till my money ran out. Had to find workended up a security guard at a shop. Olivia worked the till there. Tiny thing. One day, some bloke accused her of short-changing him. She ran to the back room crying, and I was there having tea. I said, ‘Want me to sort him out?’
“She laughed. ‘If you did that for every rude customer, the shopd go broke.’
“I told her, ‘You should be used to it by now.’
“Then she said, ‘Its not that. My landlords evicting me and my daughter. Nowhere to go.’
“I asked how old her girl was. She showed me a photothree years old. While Olivia worked, an old neighbour, Betty, watched Katie, but Bettys son was taking her away and selling the flat. Worst timingpayday was a week off.”
Anton rubbed his face.
“I didnt fall for her straight off. Just felt sorry for her. Some bloke had clearly tricked her and left her with a kid. After her shift, I offered my placea rented room in a shared house. She refused at first, scared, I reckon. But she couldnt live on the street, so she agreed.
“We lived like flatmates at first. She cooked, did laundry. We swapped shiftsher at work, me with Katie. Good kid, serious beyond her yearsmust take after her dad, cause Olivia was nothing like that. After six months, we became a proper family.”
His voice thickened.
“Two years back, Olivia got sick. We fought it hard, but she died six months ago. A month before, I adopted Katie so she wouldnt end up in care. Still calls me ‘uncle,’ though.”
He swallowed.
“Olivia was honesttold me Katies real dad abandoned them. We had a huge row over it, didnt speak for a week. Then she explained: shed grown up in foster care, never knew her parents. At eighteen, she was conned out of her council flat. Swore shed always tell the truth after that.”
Anton looked at his parents.
“I came to ask for help. Pauls got me a well-paid job up north, but I cant take Katie. Could you look after her while Im gone?”
Michael and Tanya exchanged glances and spoke as one.
“Course she can stay. But you stay a week firstlet her settle. Cant throw her into the deep end.”
And so it was decided.
Katie slowly warmed to her grandparents. She helped feed the chickens and shadowed Tanya, eager to help. She was shy of Grandad Mickuntil he brought her a giant teddy bear.
“Daddy Micks here, and now theres Teddy Michael too!” she cheered, squeezing the bear.
When Tanyas daughter visited with her own little one, Katie was the best babysitterplaying, pushing the pram.
Three months later, when Anton returned, Katie greeted him first.
“Grandad! Nana! Daddys home!” She sprinted into his arms.
The adults wept. Katie had found her real family at last.
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