My Granddaughter
It wasnt that the girl annoyed herno, but she unsettled her somehow.
Scruffy, with messy plaits, an unironed school uniform, and a crookedly sewn collar and cuffs. The girl looked dishevelled, withdrawn.
Rachel winced. Why had she thought of that scruffy child just now? She set aside her beloved éclairwhere was George? Hed promised to come early today. It was the anniversary of her late husbands passing
A knock at the door startled her.
“Whos there? George, is that you? Did you forget your keys?”
“Miss Rachel, you left your keys on the chair.”
“What? What keys?”
Rachel opened the door and saw that same girl. What on earth?
“Sedgwick? What keys? How did you know where I live? Have you been following me?”
The girl shook her head. She wore a worn-out beanie, a shabby coat with a stain on the pocket, and battered shoes. Only now did Rachel notice her striking blue eyes, framed by dark lashes.
Rachel had recently started teaching English at the local school after retiring from the college. She couldnt stand being idle. This odd girlwhat was her name? Alice? Yes, Alice Sedgwickkept to herself, never mingling with the other children.
“Miss Rachel, you left your keys on the chair. I called after you, but you didnt hear.”
“What keys? Ohthank you. Must be my age,” she joked half-heartedly.
“Youre not old,” Alice said earnestly. “You were just in a hurry.”
“Thank you Alice.”
“Youre welcome. Goodbye, Miss Rachel.”
“Goodbye.”
Rachel shut the door thoughtfully, then hesitated. She opened it again, hearing quiet footsteps. The girl was slowly descending the stairs.
“Alice,” Rachel called, looking down as the girl glanced up. “How did you know where I live?”
“I live next door. I see you walking to work sometimes. I keep close behind you at the cornertheres a stray dog there, Rex. He growls at me if Im alone. I feed the cats in the basement, so he doesnt like the smell. Im not scared of him, though.”
“And the address?”
“I asked the ladies on the bench. They said you teach at my school. We take the same bus.”
What a strange girl, Rachel thought. Is she stalking me?
“Would you like tea?” she asked suddenly, and the girl nodded instantly.
Rude, reallyshe shouldve refused.
Rachel poured the tea.
“Are you hungry?”
Alice shook her head, but Rachel knew she was lying. Why am I bothering with her?
“You know what? Lets eat together. I hate eating alone, and George is late.”
She bustled about, pulling food from the fridge. Alice ate carefully but ravenously.
“Thank you,” Alice said, eyeing the leftovers. “I should go. Your cooking is lovely.”
The child was so hungry she even complimented my food
Rachel packed the leftoversmeatballs, pasta, sweetsand handed them over.
“You shouldntbut she took them.”
Later, Rachel scolded herself. Unprofessional. Tomorrow, the girl will hug me in front of everyone or thank me loudly for the meatballs.
George arrived the next morning, avoiding her gaze.
“What day was yesterday?” she demanded.
“Thursday, Mum. Todays Friday.”
“Dont mock me, George.”
“Whoa, serious tone. Im a grown manthirty years old.”
“It was your fathers memorial. He deserved better.”
“Mum he wouldnt care if we did it yesterday or today. Lets do it properly tonight. Im going back to sleepday off.”
“Meaning you didnt sleep? What were you doing all night?”
“You really want to know?”
Rachel went to work in a foul mood.
She waited all day for Alice to approach herbut the girl just passed by with a quiet “hello.”
Cheeky little thing.
For days, Rachel tried cornering her, but Alice seemed to avoid her.
Then, walking home one evening, she heard a scream.
Alice was there, a huge stray dog snarling at her, tearing at her sleeve.
“Get away!” Rachel shooed the dog. “Alice, are you hurt?”
Tears streaked the girls face.
“Hehe wanted to hurt the kitten!”
Rachels heart clenched.
“Its alright now. Lets get you home.”
“I cant go home.”
“Children your age usually”
She stopped. This girl wasnt usual.
“They wont let me keep him. Ill hide him under the stairs if they dont throw him out again.”
“Who?”
“Never mind.”
At school, Rachel asked about Alice. The maths teacherold Miss Penelope, with her shaky headwas the only one who knew anything.
“Troubled family. Mother and stepfather drink. Or maybe its the grandmother.”
“How was she even enrolled?”
Miss Penelope shrugged.
Rachel followed Alice home. The girl paused at a bench outside her building, pulling out a textbook.
Is she doing homework out here?
At home, Rachel argued with George again. Hed divorced Natasha two years agono children, just drifting. Natasha had been perfect, but George claimed she was “boring.”
Rachel stormed out for air.
“Alice! Wheres that wretched girl?”
A womanunkempt, reeking of alcoholstood by the entrance.
Rachel approached. “Excuse meare you Alices mother?”
“Whats it to you?”
“Im her teacher. Where is she?”
“Asleep inside,” the woman snapped before slamming the door.
“Alice!” Rachel called. “Come out, I wont let her hurt you.”
The girl emerged from the shadows.
“Come home with me.”
“Shell punish me later.”
“She wont dare.”
“Theyll take me away if she loses custody.”
“Who is she?”
“My grandmother.”
“Wheres your mother?”
“Gone. Four years now.”
“Did she drink too?”
“No. We were happy. But she got sick. I have no one else.”
Rachels chest tightened. “Come with me. Well sort this out.”
George was home when they arrived. He stared at the girl.
“Whos this?”
“Alice.”
The girl studied him with wide eyes.
He left, glancing back.
“Sleeping over?”
“Dont know yet”
The next morning, Rachel took Alice shopping.
“Your granddaughters lovely,” the shop assistant said. “Looks just like you.”
Rachels heart swelled.
“Were throwing these out,” she said, gesturing to Alices old clothes.
“No! Theyll sell them for drink moneythen theyll hit me.”
Rachel sighed. “What do we do?”
“Dunno.”
“Fancy a café?”
“With you?”
“If youd like.”
“Can you bake?”
“Me? Well”
“Mum and I used to. Before she got sick.”
Rachel blinked. “Alright. Lets bake a cake.”
They laughed, baked, drank tea. George returned, ruining the moment.
“I should go,” Alice said.
“Ill walk you.”
“Whats your name?” George asked.
“Alice. I told you, George,” Rachel snapped.
“Did she send you?”
Alice shook her head.
“Who?” Rachel demanded.
George exhaled. “Mum this is my daughter. Alice.”
Rachel froze.
“Remember Diana Sedgwick? Her mother.”
“No.”
“We were kids. I loved her. Then I met Natasha, and Mum, I didnt know about Alice. Diana told me laterI didnt believe her.”
“And now?”
“I saw her at your door. She looks just like you.”
Rachel turned to Alice. “You knew?”
“I saw his photo on your wall.”
George knelt. “Im not letting her go back there. Alice, come here.”
Rachel gripped the girls hand. “Shes my granddaughter.”
Tests confirmed it. Georges girlfriend, Elena, supported him in court.
Rachel clung to Alice, terrified shed vanish.
***
“Dad, can I live with Grandma?”
“What if she says no?”
“She wont. Shes lonely.”
“And Im not?”
“Youve got Elena.”
Rachel walked hand-in-hand with Alice, uncaring of gossip. Shed found her joy.
George grew close to his daughter. Things with Elena fizzled out.
“Dad, its not because of me?”
“Of course not.”
At parents evening, George met Alices form teacher. Now Alice walks to school with both grandmother and mother.
“Isnt it hard having teachers as family?” classmates ask.
“Nah. Its brilliant,” Alice grins.
Sometimes, she visits her other grandmothercleans, cooks, scolds her to stop drinking.
The old woman weeps, kissing her hands. “My granddaughter my blood.”
And for the first time, she promises to quit.
