“Honestly, do I look like a grandmother to you? Im barely fifty with a bit to spaream I really that old?” she grumbled, setting a bowl of soup and a basket of bread on the table.
“Gran, put something on the table. Im starving,” Michael announced as he stepped inside, hanging his dusty cap on the hook.
Margaret frowned.
“I said, do I look like a grandmother? Fiftys hardly ancient,” she muttered, arranging the dishes.
Michael washed his hands and, passing by, gave her a light pat below the back.
“Well, what else would you be? Youve got a two-year-old granddaughterthat makes you a gran. And Im grandad, proud of it,” he chuckled, slurping the hot soup.
“Call me that at home, not in public. Yesterday at the shop, you shouted, Gran, your wellies are here! Do you know how embarrassing that was? Everyone laughed behind my back.”
Michael snorted.
“They werent laughing at youthey were laughing at old Mr. Thompson. He dropped a shilling and made such a fuss, youd think hed kneel and lick it off the floor.”
Margaret smirked.
“So you bought him another?”
Michael shrugged between spoonfuls.
“Felt sorry for the old bloke.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Thats why you never keep a penny to your name. Wasteful.”
Once Michael finished and she began clearing the table, she hesitated.
“Mike, theres something you should know. Anthonys coming, and it seems hes not alone.”
Her husbands mood soured 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 his mate before the wedding. The poor girl wept, swore it was just to borrow a record, but nohigh and mighty Anthony wouldnt hear it. And now hes dragging someone along? Probably some city girl hes waiting on hand and foot. Ring him, write to him, do what you likebut keep him out of my sight.”
Margaret bowed her head guiltily.
“Im sorry, but theyll be here by evening…”
Michael slammed the door behind him, muttering,
“Fine, deal with them yourself.”
Margaret sighed as she watched him go. Stubborn as a mule, all because of Nancy. When Anthony announced hed marry her, something hadnt sat right. The girl seemed meek and polite, but something felt off. And when he left after their row, she hadnt mourned longmarried that same friend soon after. No smoke without fire, Margaret thought. There had to be more to it.
She slid a pie into the oven. Mike would sulk, but hed come round. Shed missed her son terribly these eight years. Her daughter visited nearly every week, living close by, but Anthonyher firstbornhad taken a piece of her soul with him. She just hoped hed stay awhile and not quarrel with his father again.
Anthony arrived when Margaret had nearly given up waiting. Michael, though, had spent the evening needling her.
“Keep staring out that window, youll wear a hole in it,” he teased.
“Anthony, my boy!” Margaret flung her arms around him, tears in her eyes. “You look just like your father.” Then she noticed the little girl clutching a backpack.
“Oh, and whos this? Whats your name, love?”
The girl offered a small hand.
“Im Katie. Who are you?” Margaret straightened, glancing at Anthonyjust who was she to her?
Anthony set his bags down and sank into a chair.
“Mum, meet Katie. My wife Olivias daughter.”
Margaret beamed and crouched to the girls level.
“You can call me Gran Maggie. Im your grandmother.”
Katie looked to Anthony.
“Uncle Anthony, is that true? Is this lady really my gran?”
He nodded tiredly.
“Yes.”
Katie politely hugged Margaret.
“Hello, Gran.”
Then Michael stepped into the room.
“Hold onwhats this Uncle Anthony business? And since when do we have a granddaughter?”
Anthony rose and extended a hand.
“Hello, Dad. Im sorry about our last words. I was young, hadnt seen real life yet.”
Michael raised a brow.
“And now you have?”
Anthony sighed.
“More than enough.”
His father pulled him into a tight embrace.
“Well then, welcome home, son.” Tears glinted in both their eyes.
Margaret exhaled in relief. Theyd made peace.
After supper, once Katie was asleep, Anthony explained.
“When I left, I was furious. You didnt know the whole truth, and I didnt want to shame Nancy. That night, I went to say goodnightlike a fooland found her in the bushes with Vince. I meant to teach him a lesson, but Nancy wailed that she loved him. So I walked away.”
“But thats the past. I went to London to stay with my mate Paul and drank myself broke. Had to find workended up as a security guard at a shop. Olivia was the cashier. Tiny thing, frail. One day, a customer snapped at her over change, and she fled to the stockroom in tears. I was having tea there and said, Want me to sort him out?
“She laughed. If you did that to every rude one, the shopd go under. They take their troubles out on us.
“I said, Shouldnt you be used to it by now?
“She shook her head. Its not that. My landlords evicting me and Katie. Nowhere to go.
“I asked, How olds your girl?
“She pulled out a photo proudly. Three. Mrs. Jenkins next door minds her while I work. Shed take us in, but her sons selling her house.
“She trudged back to the till, head down.
“I didnt fall for her at first or even second glance. I just pitied her. You could tell some cad had tricked and abandoned her, leaving her to raise a child alone. After her shift, I offered her my placea rented room in a hostel. She refused at first, scared, but what choice did she have?
“We lived like flatmates. She cooked, I minded Katiea quiet little thing, wise beyond her years. Must take after her father, because Olivia was gentle as a lamb. After six months, we became a proper family.”
“Two years ago, Olivia fell ill. We fought hard, but she passed six months back. A month before, I adopted Katie so she wouldnt end up in care. She still calls me Uncle, though.”
“Olivia was fiercely honesttold me Katie had a real father out there whod left. We rowed over it, didnt speak for a week. Then she explained: shed grown up in foster care, never knew the truth till she was tricked out of her council flat at eighteen. Swore shed always be truthful after that.”
“Ive come to ask for help. Pauls found me good work, pays well. But I cant take Katie. Could you look after her while Im away?” He looked pleadingly at his parents.
Michael and Margaret exchanged glances and spoke as one.
“Of course she can stay. But spend a week with us firstlet her settle. Its too much all at once.”
And so it was decided.
Katie slowly warmed to her grandparents. She helped feed the chickens and shadowed Margaret. She was shy of Grandad Mike till he brought her a giant teddy bear. She hugged it tight, grinning.
“Now Ive got Grandad Mike and Michael the Bear!”
When Margarets daughter visited with her own little one, Katie was the perfect nursemaidplaying, pushing the pram.
And when Anthony returned three months later, she spotted him first.
“Grandad! Gran! Dads home!” She sprinted into his arms.
The adults wept. Katie had found her real family at last.
