The kitchen was warm, the scent of fresh bread filling the air as Tanya set down a steaming bowl of soup and a basket of rolls with a huff.
“Grandma? Im barely fifty-two! Do I look that old to you?” she muttered, brushing flour off her apron.
From the doorway, Michael kicked off his muddy boots and hung his cap on the hook. “Grandma, put something on the table. Im starving,” he announced, rubbing his hands together.
Tanya shot him a look. “I told youIm not your grandma! Fifty-two isnt ancient!”
Michael chuckled, washing his hands before giving her a playful tap on the back. “What else should I call you? Youve got a two-year-old granddaughterthat makes you a grandma. And Im a grandad, proud of it!” He slurped the hot soup noisily.
“Fine, call me that at homenot in public! Remember yesterday at Tesco? Grandma, your wellies are here! Do you know how embarrassed I was? Everyone laughed behind my back!”
Michael snorted. “They werent laughing at you. They were laughing at old Mr. Thompsondropped a fiver and nearly crawled on the floor to pick it up. Thought hed faint from the shock.”
Tanya rolled her eyes. “So you bought him another one?”
Michael shrugged, stirring his soup. “Felt sorry for him.”
“Thats why you never have any money left. Too soft-hearted.”
As she cleared the dishes, Tanya hesitated. “Michael theres something I need to tell you. Anthonys coming. And hes not alone.”
Michaels mood darkened instantly. “Whats he doing here? After what he said? Youre nothing to meget lost! Left poor Nadia right outside the registry office and drove off. All because she supposedly met up with his mate before the wedding. The poor girl was in tears, saying hed only come by to borrow a CD! But noMr. High-and-Mighty wouldnt listen. Now hes dragging some city girl around, waiting on her hand and foot. Call him, text himdo whatever, but keep him away from me.”
Tanya lowered her head. “Im sorry theyll be here by evening.”
Michael slammed the door behind him. “Fine. You deal with them.”
Tanya sighed, watching him go. This was all Nadias fault. Shed never liked hertoo sweet, too polite, but something felt off. When Anthony stormed out after the fight, Nadia hadnt grieved long. Married that same friend barely a month later. No smoke without fire.
She slid a pie into the oven. Michael would cool off eventually. She missed her son dearlyeight years was too long. Their daughter visited every weekend, but Anthony? Her firstborn. She just hoped he and his father wouldnt clash again.
Anthony arrived just as Tanya had given up waiting. Michael spent the evening needling her. “Keep staring out that window, youll wear a hole in it,” he teased.
“Anthony! My boy!” Tanya rushed to him, tears in her eyes. “You look just like your father!” It took her a moment to notice the little girl clinging to his hand.
“Oh! And whos this?” She crouched down.
The girl offered a small hand. “Im Katie. Who are you?”
Tanya straightened, glancing at Anthony. Who was she, really?
Anthony set down his bags, exhausted. “Mum, meet Katie. My stepdaughterOlgas girl.”
Tanya beamed and swept the child into a hug. “Call me Nan, love. Youre my granddaughter now.”
Katie looked to Anthony. “Uncle Tony, is that true? Is this lady really my nan?”
He nodded. “Yeah.”
Katie hugged her properly. “Hello, Nan.”
Just then, Michael walked in. “Hold onUncle Tony? What granddaughter?”
Anthony stood, offering his hand. “Hello, Dad. Im sorryabout everything I said. I was young. Didnt know any better.”
Michael smirked. “And now you do?”
Anthony exhaled. “More than Id like.”
Michael pulled him into a rough embrace. “Welcome home, son.” Both men blinked back tears.
Tanya sighed in relief. Peace, at last.
Later, after Katie was asleep, Anthony explained.
“I was furious when I left. You didnt know the whole story, and I didnt want to embarrass Nadia. That night, I went to say goodnightlike an idiotand caught her with Vicky in the bushes. I wanted to thrash him, but Nadia stopped me. Screamed that she loved *him*. So I walked away.”
He rubbed his face. “Ended up in London, crashing at my mate Pauls till my money ran out. Got a job as a security guard at a supermarket. Olga worked the tilltiny thing. One day, some bloke yelled at her over change. She ran to the back room crying. I was having tea there. Asked if she wanted me to sort him out.”
Anthony smiled faintly. “She said, If you did that to every rude customer, wed have no sales. Told me shed just been evictednowhere to go with her kid. I asked how old the girl was. She showed me a photo. Three. Said her neighbour, old Mrs. Ellis, watched Katie while she worked, but her son was selling the house. Payday was a week away.”
He shook his head. “Didnt fall for her straight off. Just felt sorry for her. Some bloke had tricked her and left her with a kid. After shift, I offered her my spare roomwas renting a dorm then. She hesitated, but what choice did she have?”
They lived like flatmates at first. She cooked; he babysat. Swapped shifts. Katie was quietserious beyond her years. Mustve taken after her father. Olga wasnt like that. After six months, they became a proper family.”
His voice cracked. “Two years ago, Olga got sick. We fought it, but six months back, she was gone. A month before, I adopted Katieso she wouldnt end up in care. Still calls me Uncle Tony, though.”
He looked at his parents. “Olga was honesttold me Katies real dad was out there, just didnt want her. We argued. Didnt speak for a week. Then she explainedshed grown up in foster care, never knew. Got cheated out of her council flat at eighteen. Swore shed always tell the truth after that.”
He swallowed. “I came home because Paul got me a good jobdecent pay. But I cant take Katie. Could you watch her while Im away?”
Michael and Tanya exchanged a glance.
“Course,” Michael said gruffly. “But stay a week firstlet her settle.”
And so it was decided.
Katie slowly warmed to them. Fed the chickens, helped Tanya bake. She was wary of Grandad until he brought her a giant teddy bear. “Now Ive got Grandad Mike *and* Teddy Michael!” she cheered.
When their daughter visited with her own little one, Katie was the perfect babysitterplaying, pushing the pram.
Then, three months later, Anthony returned.
Katie spotted him first. “Grandad! Nan! Dads here!” She sprinted into his arms.
The adults wept. Shed finally found her family.
