“Why did you even come?” asked the niece, clearing away my plate.
“Aunt Lydia, can I change the channel?” Emily didnt wait for an answershe snatched the remote and started flicking through. “God, what rubbish are you watching? Its already nine! Ive got to be up early tomorrow.”
Lydia set aside her knitting and looked at her niece. She was grown up now, of coursetwenty-eight, hardly a girl anymorebut in her aunts eyes, shed always be little Emily, racing into her grandmothers house in the summer, begging, “Aunt Lydia, tell me about the princess!”
“Whats so important tomorrow?” Lydia asked, turning the telly down.
“Just a meeting. Work stuff,” Emily muttered, eyes glued to the screen. “Honestly, your fridge is weirdthe milks gone off already.”
“Gone off? I only bought it yesterday!”
“Look for yourself!” Emily jumped up, padded into the kitchen in her slippers. “Disgusting, isnt it?”
Lydia followed, peering into the milk carton. Curdled. Strangeshed checked the date at the shop.
“Mustve spoiled in the heat. Ill get you another”
“Dont bother,” Emily cut in. “I dont want any. Dairy upsets my stomach. Just make a strong cuppa, yeah?”
“Of course. Fancy something to eat? Ive got fried potatoes with mushrooms…”
“Aunt Lydia, Im on a diet!” Emily rolled her eyes. “No fried food. And nothing after six.”
“But its nine…”
“Exactly! So Im not eating!”
Lydia put the kettle on, pulled out a tin of biscuits. Emily wrinkled her nose at the oatmeal ones.
“Cant have those either. Got anything sugar-free?”
“Theres brown bread?” Lydia offered uncertainly.
“Still carbs. Forget itjust tea.”
Back in the living room, some American film was playing. Emily stared blankly at it while Lydia picked up her knitting, but her mind wandered. Emily had turned up that morning, said shed stay the night and leave tomorrow. At first, Lydia had been thrilledher niece was rarely in town these days, always busy in London with work. But now she just sat there, silent, as if doing her aunt a favour.
“Em,” Lydia began carefully, “howve you been? Work alright?”
“Fine,” Emily answered, not turning.
“And Daniel? Werent you two talking about getting married?”
Emily flinched, finally looking away from the telly.
“We split up. Six months ago.”
“Oh, love! What happened?”
“Nothing dramatic. Just… didnt work out.”
Lydia set her knitting aside. So that was that. Shed been waiting for a wedding invite, even eyeing dresses. She wanted to ask more, but Emilys expression said the topic was closed.
“And work? Still at that firm where… what was it called?”
“Quit,” Emily said shortly. “Last month.”
“Quit?! You were there three years!”
“Was. Now Im not. Looking for something else.”
“How are you managing?”
“Aunt Lydia!” Emily turned fully towards her. “Why the interrogation? Im fine. Getting by.”
“Sorry, pet. I just worry.”
“Dont. Im a grown woman.”
They fell silent. Lydia stole glances at her niecepale, thin, her eyes dull. She used to be so lively, always laughing. Racing into her grans house, filling the place with noise and plans. Now she sat there like a stranger.
The kettle whistled. Emily was up first.
“Ill make it!” she called from the kitchen.
Lydia heard clattering, cupboards opening. Thensudden quiet. She went to check.
Emily stood by the window, gripping an empty mug. Her shoulders shook.
“Pet, whats wrong?”
“Nothing,” she sniffed. “Just… tired. Really tired.”
Lydia put an arm around her. Emily didnt pull awayshe leaned in, just like she had as a child.
“Talk to me. Whats going on?”
“Everything, Aunt Lydia. All at once. Daniel left because he said I was boring. Work was a nightmaremy boss hated me, humiliated me in front of everyone. I snapped, handed in my notice. Now I cant find anything. Savings are almost gone. Cant even pay rent.”
“Oh, darling! Why didnt you say? Wed have figured something out!”
“Like what? Youre on a pension. And Im supposed to handle my own mess.”
“Dont be silly! Who else should you turn to when things go wrong?”
Emily gave a bitter laugh.
“Turn to who? Mums wrapped up with her new husband. Brothersones in Germany, the other in Edinburgh, both swamped. The rest of the family havent seen me in years.”
“But Im here!”
“You are,” Emily agreed. “But what good does that do? Youre barely scraping by yourself.”
Lydia didnt argue. True, her pension was small. But this wasnt about money. Why had Emily shut everyone out?
They made tea, went back to the sofa. Emily had calmed down, even nibbled a few biscuitsdiet forgotten.
“Remember,” Lydia said suddenly, “when youd visit Gran in summer? Wed pick strawberries in the woods.”
Emily smiled. “And youd tell me stories.”
“We baked pies too. You always sneaked bites of dough.”
“Gran would scold, Emilys eaten it all again! Then shed say, Oh, never mindIll make more for my girl.” Emily laughed, really laughed, for the first time that evening.
“She loved you so much.”
“I loved her too. Wish shed lived longer… I miss her, Aunt Lydia.”
“Me too, pet.”
They sat quietly, remembering. Then Emily asked out of nowhere:
“Ever regret not marrying? Not having kids?”
Lydia blinked. “I was married.”
“Right, Uncle Kevin. But that was… brief.”
“Three years isnt brief.”
“Still. No children.”
“No,” Lydia admitted softly. “Never happened.”
“And you regret it?”
“Course I do. But what can you do? Life doesnt always go how you plan.”
Emily frowned.
“Maybe its good things ended with Daniel. Wed have divorced anyway. He didnt really love me.”
“How dyou know?”
“Just did. Always criticising, comparing me. Claire from the offices so fun. Sophie dresses so stylishly. Called me dull.”
“The idiot,” Lydia muttered. “Nothing dull about you!”
“There is. I know it. No great talents, no stunning looks. Just… ordinary.”
“Whats wrong with ordinary? Most people are. They get on just fine.”
“Dunno. Sometimes I think Im just… taking up space.”
Lydias chest tightened. Were things really that bad?
“Dont say that! Everyone matters.”
“Whats my purpose, then? Working for pennies in an office? Dating men who dont care? Living alone in some rented flat?”
“Is that so bad? At least youre free.”
“Free to do what?” Emily sighed. “I dont even know what I want. Used to thinkget married, have kids, like everyone else. Now… no idea.”
Lydia studied her nieceyoung, healthy, yet so lost. At her age, Lydia had been married (briefly, yes), full of plans. Emily seemed to have forgotten how to dream.
“Listen,” she said, “stay here. As long as you need. Figure things out.”
“And do what? No jobs round here.”
“Who said anything about jobs? Rest first. Get your strength back.”
“I cant just live off you!”
“Dont be daft. Theres room, theres food. Well manage.”
Emily shook her head.
“No, Ill leave tomorrow. Got that interview.”
“Oh, right. Whats the job?”
“Waitressing. I knowdegree and all. But needs must.”
“Nothing wrong with honest work.”
“Thats what I thought. Just need the wages.”
They chatted a while longer before Emily yawned and headed to bed. Lydia made up the sofa, fetched an extra blanket.
“Aunt Lydia?” Emily murmured, already half-asleep. “Thanks. For listening. Helped loads.”
“Anytime, love. And rememberif you need anything, call.”
“Alright.”
Lydia went to her room but couldnt sleep. Worried about Emily, her troubles. Wanted to helpbut how? No money, no connections. And Emily was too proud to lean on anyone.
Morning came. Emily dressed quickly, barely touched the breakfast Lydia made.
“Diet again?” Lydia asked.
“Not hungry. Nervous about the interview.”
“Far to go?”
“Other side of town. Long commute.”
Lydia slipped sandwiches into her bag.
“For the road. In case.”
“Ta.”
Emily headed for the door, then paused.
“Why did you even come?” she asked, clearing the untouched breakfast.
The question threw Lydia.
“You said you were visiting.”
“No, I meanwhyd you move here years ago? You couldve stayed where you were born.”
Lydia hesitated. Ancient history, that.
“Your gran fell ill. No one to care for her. After she passed… just stayed.”
“And your life? You had work there…”
“Did. But family comes first.”
“Ever regret it?”
“Sometimes. But what choice was there?”
Emily chewed her lip.
“So you gave up your whole life. For someone else.”
“Didnt give it up. Lived it as I thought best.”
“Were you happy?”
Lydia shrugged.
“Whos to say? Good bits, bad bits. Same as anyone.”
“But you couldve had more. Stayed, married properly, had kids…”
“Couldve. Didnt.”
Emily exhaled.
“Nothing works out for me either. Maybe it runs in the familyliving for others, not ourselves.”
“Whose life is ours, if not the one weve got?”
“Dunno,” Emily admitted. “The one you choose, maybe. Not the one that just… happens.”
“Dyou think people really choose? We muddle through, then call it choice after.”
Emily nodded thoughtfully.
“Maybe youre right. Anywaybest go. Dont want to be late.”
She kissed Lydias cheek and left. Lydia watched her go, hoping shed get the jobnot just for the money, but to feel useful again. Poor girls spirit was worn thin.
That evening, Emily called.
“Aunt LydiaI got it! Start tomorrow.”
“Brilliant! Bosses decent?”
“Seem alright. Young couple, new café. Said if it goes well, might promote me to manager.”
“See? Things looking up!”
“Too soon to celebrate. But at least theres wages. Aunt Lydia… could I visit sometimes? Not to stay, just… to see you?”
“Course, love! My doors always open.”
“Thanks. Its… peaceful here. Feels like home.”
“It is your home, Emily. Always has been.”
After the call, Lydia sat at the kitchen table, sipping tea, thinking. How time flew. Emilyonce a little girl, now a woman with her own hurts. Wanted to shield her, but everyone walks their own path.
Maybe Emily was righttheyd all lived lives not quite their own. Lydia came for her mum, stayed out of habit. Emily worked that job, dated Daniel because it happened, not because she chose it. Now waitressingsame story.
But perhaps that was lifenot grand plans, just doing what needed doing. Caring, working, helping. Call it choice or chancewhat mattered was living honestly, doing no harm.
