“Fifty with a bit extrathat doesnt make me a grandma, does it? Im not that old,” grumbled Margaret as she set a bowl of soup and a basket of bread on the table.
“Gran, put something out. Im starving,” called Michael from the doorway, hanging his dusty cap on the hook.
Margaret huffed.
“Fifty with a bit extrathat doesnt make me a grandma, does it? Im not that old,” she muttered again, wiping her hands on her apron.
Michael washed up and, passing by, gave her a playful tap below the waist.
“What else would you be? Youve got a two-year-old granddaughterthat makes you a gran. And Im a grandad, proud of it,” he chuckled, blowing on his hot soup.
“Call me that at home, not in public. Yesterday at the shop, you yelled, ‘Gran, your wellies are here!’do you know how embarrassing that was? Everyone laughed behind my back.”
Michael smirked.
“They werent laughing at you. They were laughing at old Mr. Thompson, who dropped his last quid chasing after a runaway trolley. Thought hed get down on his knees and scrape it off the floor.”
Margaret raised an eyebrow.
“So thats why you bought him another?”
Michael shrugged, spoon in hand.
“Felt sorry for him.”
Margaret sighed.
“Thats why money never stays in your pocket. Too soft by half.”
As Michael finished eating and Margaret cleared the table, she hesitated.
“Michael Anthonys coming. And hes not alone.”
His mood soured instantly.
“Whats he want here? Last time, he said, ‘Clear off, youre nothing to me.’ Left poor Nancy at the registry office and drove off. All because she supposedly met his mate before the wedding. The poor girl cried, said it was just to borrow a CD. But no, Mr. High-and-Mighty wouldnt listen. Now hes bringing someone? Found some city girl to wait on him, has he? Call him, text him, do what you likebut hed better not show his face here.”
Margaret lowered her head.
“Im sorry Theyll be here by evening.”
Michael slammed the door behind him.
“Fine. Deal with them yourself.”
Margaret watched him go and sighed. Stubborn as a mule, all over that Nancy business. When Anthony announced hed marry her, shed had her doubts. The girl seemed polite, but something felt off. After their row, Nancy hadnt wept longmarried that same friend soon after. No smoke without fire, Margaret thought.
She slid a pie into the oven. Michael would sulk, but hed come round. Shed missed her son terribly these eight years. Their daughter visited often, living just a town over. But Anthony, their eldesther heart ached for him. She just hoped hed stay awhile and not quarrel with his father again.
Anthony arrived as Margaret had given up waiting. Michael had spent the evening needling her.
“Keep staring out that window, youll wear a hole in it,” hed teased.
“Anthony, love!” Margaret threw her arms around him, tears in her eyes. “You look just like your father.” Then she noticed the little girl with a backpack.
“Oh, whos this? Whats your name?” Margaret bent down.
The girl offered a small hand. “Im Emily. 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 Emily. My wife Olivias daughter.”
Margaret beamed and knelt before the girl.
“Call me Grandma Maggie. Youre my granddaughter now.”
Emily looked at Anthony.
“Uncle Anthony, is it true? Is this lady really my grandma?”
He nodded wearily. “Yes.”
Emily hugged Margaret politely. “Hello, Grandma.”
Then Michael stepped into the room.
“Uncle Anthony? Granddaughter? Whats all this?”
Anthony stood and extended a hand. “Hello, Dad. Im sorry about our last words. I was youngdidnt know life yet.”
Michael smiled. “And now youve seen it?”
Anthony sighed. “More than enough.”
His father pulled him into a tight embrace. “Welcome home, son.” Tears glinted in both their eyes.
Margaret exhaled in relieftheyd made peace.
After a late supper, once Emily was asleep, Anthony explained.
“I left angry because you didnt know the whole story, and I didnt want to shame Nancy. That night, I went to say goodnightlike an idiotand found her with Victor in the bushes. I meant to teach him a lesson, but Nancy stopped me. Said she loved him. So I walked away.”
But that was the past. Hed gone to London, stayed with his mate Paul, drank until his money ran out, then found work as a shop guard. Olivia was the cashiersmall, thin. Once, a customer haggled over change, reducing her to tears. Anthony found her in the stockroom.
“Want me to sort him out?” hed offered.
Shed smiled weakly. “If I let you chase off every rude one, thered be no customers left.”
“Then why cry?”
Shed wiped her eyes. “The landlords evicting me and Emily. Nowhere to go.”
Hed asked how old Emily was. Olivia showed a photo, pride in her voice. “Three. My neighbour, Mrs. Lewis, watches her while I work, but her sons taking her in and selling the flat. My wages come next week.”
Shed returned to the till, head bowed.
Anthony hadnt fallen for her at first or even second glance. Hed just pitied her. Some cad had tricked and abandoned her, leaving her to struggle alone. After shift, hed offered his rented room. Shed refused at firstafraidbut with a child, what choice did she have?
Theyd lived as flatmates at first. She cooked; he minded Emily. The girl was quiet, serious beyond her yearsmustve taken after her father, since Olivia was gentle. Six months later, they became a proper family.
Two years ago, Olivia fell ill. They fought it, but shed passed six months back. A month prior, hed adopted Emily to keep her from care. She still called him “Uncle.”
Olivia had been honestEmily had a father out there, but hed left. Theyd argued fiercely, not speaking for a week, until Olivia confessed shed grown up in foster care, never knowing. At eighteen, shed been tricked out of her council flat and sworn always to tell the truth.
“Ive come to ask for help,” Anthony said. “Paul found me good work up northdecent pay. But I cant take Emily. Could you look after her while Im gone?”
Margaret and Michael exchanged glances.
“Of course,” they said together. “But stay a week firstlet her settle. Its a big change.”
So it was decided.
Emily warmed to them slowly, helping feed the chickens and shadowing Margaret. Shed been shy of Grandad Michael until he brought her a giant teddy bear. Her joy was boundless.
“Grandad Mikes here, and now theres Teddy Michael too!”
When their daughter visited with her baby, Emily was the perfect little helper, playing and pushing the pram.
Three months later, Anthony returned. Emily spotted him first.
“Grandad! Grandma! Dads here!” She sprinted into his arms.
The adults wept. Emily had found her real family.
Kindness, given freely, always finds its way home.
