**My Granddaughter**
It wasnt that the girl annoyed her, exactlyno, but there was something about her that made her uneasy.
She was unkempt, her hair haphazardly tied in messy braids, her school uniform wrinkled, the collar and cuffs unevenly stitched. The girl looked perpetually dishevelled, as if the world had worn her down.
Rebecca Wilson frowned. Why had she even thought of that scruffy child? She set aside her beloved éclairwhere was Gregory? Hed promised to come home early. Today was the anniversary of her late husbands passing
A knock at the door startled her.
“Whos there? Greg, is that you? Did you forget your keys?”
“Miss Wilson, you left your keys on the chair.”
“What? What keys?”
Rebecca opened the door and there she wasthat same girl. What on earth?
“Sedley? What keys? How do you even know where I live? Have you been following me?”
The girl shook her head. Her threadbare coat had a stain on the pocket, her worn-out tights sagged at the knees, and her shoes were practically falling apart.
Only then did Rebecca notice the girls eyesstrikingly blue, framed by thick, dark lashes.
Shed recently returned to teaching, called back after retirement to cover English Literature at the local secondary school. The girl was oddquiet, keeping to herself. What was her name again? Alice? Yes, Alice Sedley.
“You left your keys on the chair,” Alice explained. “I called out, but you didnt hear.”
“Ah, yesthank you. Must be old age catching up with me,” Rebecca joked weakly.
“Youre not old,” Alice said seriously. “You just hurried, thats all.”
“Thank you Alice.”
“Youre welcome. Goodbye, Miss Wilson.”
Rebecca closed the door thoughtfully, then suddenly reopened it. She heard soft footstepsthe girl slowly descending the stairs.
“Alice,” Rebecca called down. The girl looked up. “How did you know where I live?”
“I live next door. Ive seen you walking to and from school. Sometimes I walk behind youtheres that dog on the corner. If I stay close to you, he doesnt growl. He doesnt like meI feed the strays, so I smell like cats. I call him Rex. Hes homeless.”
“And the address I asked the ladies on the bench. I told them you taught at my school. We take the same bus sometimes.”
*What a strange girl*, Rebecca thought. *Is she stalking me?*
“Would you like some tea?” The words slipped out before she could stop them. The girls quick agreement surprised herso ill-mannered! She shouldve refused.
Rebecca poured the tea.
“Are you hungry?”
Alice shook her head, but Rebecca saw the truth in her careful movementsthe girl was famished. *Why am I bothering with this?*
“You know what? I cant eat alone. Gregs running late. Lets have something together.”
She bustled about, pulling food from the fridge. Alice ate neatly but eagerly.
“Thank you,” she said, eyeing the leftovers. “I should go. Your cooking is lovely.”
*Goodness, shes so hungry shes complimenting my mediocre food.*
She packed the leftovers into a container, adding biscuits and chocolates. Alice hesitated but took them.
After she left, Rebecca scolded herselfthis was unprofessional. *Tomorrow, that girl will run up and hug you in front of everyone. Or blurt out something about the food.*
Greg arrived the next morning, sheepish.
“What day was yesterday?” Rebecca demanded.
“Thursday, Mum. Todays Friday.”
“Dont play dumb, Gregory.”
“Oh, so were serious now?” He sighed. “Im thirty, Mum.”
“It was your fathers memorial. He didnt deserve this.”
“Mum he wouldnt care if we did it yesterday or today. Lets do it properly now. I need sleepday off.”
“Youre telling me you were out all night?”
“You *really* want to know?”
Grumpy, Rebecca went to work, waiting for Alice to acknowledge their encounter. But the girl merely nodded politely and walked past. *The nerve!*
All day, Rebecca tried to corner herwas she avoiding her? She lingered after school, hoping to see her, but no luck.
Three days later, walking home, she heard a scream.
Alice.
She ran toward the sounda large stray had latched onto the girls sleeve, tearing at it.
“Get off!” Rebecca shooed the dog away. “Alice, are you hurt?”
Wide, frightened eyes met hers. Her heart clenched.
“He he went for the kitten!” Alice sobbed. “Wanted toto tear it apart!”
“Shh, its over now. Lets get you home.”
“I cant.”
“Children your age usually” Rebecca stopped. *Strange girl.*
“They wont let me. Ill hide him under the stairs if they dont chase him out again.”
*Who?*
At school, shed asked about Alice. Most shrugged, but the elderly maths teacher, Mrs. Peabody, knew her.
“Familys roughmother and stepfather drink. Or is it the grandmother?”
“How was she even enrolled?”
“No idea.”
Later, Rebecca followed Alice home. The girl hesitated near a snarling dog, then sat on a bench outside her buildingand pulled out a textbook. *Is she doing homework out here?*
At home, she argued with Greg again. Hed divorced two years agono children. *Natasha was lovelywhy couldnt he make it work?*
“Boring,” hed said. Now hed found someone *exciting*.
Needing air, Rebecca stepped outside
“Alice! Wheres that wretched girl?” A slurred voice echoed.
A dishevelled woman swayed near the building. Her eyesjust like Alices.
“Excuse me,” Rebecca said.
“What?”
“Are you Alice Sedleys guardian?”
“None of your business. Move along.”
“Im her teacher. Where is she?”
“Asleep inside.” The woman turned away.
“Alice!” Rebecca called into the dark. “Come out, its alright.”
The girl emerged from the shadows.
“Come home with me.”
“Shell punish me.”
“She wont dare.”
“If they take her custody away, Ill go into care.”
“Who is she?”
“My grandmother.”
“Wheres your mother?”
“Gone.”
“Where?”
“Four years now.”
“Did she drink too?”
“No. We were happy. Then she got sick. I was sent to themGran and her husband. She gets money for me.”
“Right. Youre coming with me. Well sort this.”
Greg was home, packing for some outing. He stared at Alice.
“Whos this?”
“Alice.”
The girl gaped at him.
“You staying the night?” he asked.
“I dont know.”
In the morning, Rebecca let her sleep, then made breakfast.
“Lets go.”
“Where? The childrens home?”
“The shops.”
Greg watched them, thoughtful. “Whered you find her?”
“My student.”
“Ah.”
She bought Alice new clothesthe girl lit up like a Christmas tree.
“What a beautiful granddaughter!” the shopkeeper said. “She looks just like you.”
Rebeccas heart swelled.
“Were tossing these rags.”
“No!” Alice clutched her old coat. “Theyll drink, and Ill get smacked. I shouldnt have come.”
“What do we do?”
“I dont know.”
“Café?”
“With you?”
“Why not?”
“Can you bake?”
“Ernot really.”
“Mum and I used to. Before she got sick.”
“Lets try. Need ingredients?”
“If you dont have any”
They baked, laughed, drank teauntil Greg returned and ruined the mood.
“I should go,” Alice whispered.
“Ill walk you.”
“Whats your name?” Greg asked bluntly.
“Alice. I told you, Gregory,” Rebecca snapped.
“Did *she* send you?”
Alice shook her head.
“Gregory, what is this?”
“Shes gone. Four years. Dad.”
Gregs face paled. “Mum this is Diana Sedleys daughter.”
“Who?”
“Dianalived two streets over. We were kids. I loved her. Then I met Natasha, and you liked hersame background, you know”
“And Alice?”
“She never told me. By the time I found out, I was with Natasha. I didnt believe Diana at first. Mum I wouldnt abandon my child.”
“You did.”
“I *didnt know*. When Alice brought your keys, she saw my photorecognised me.”
“Im not sending her back. Shes *mine* now. Alice, come here.” He pulled her close. “Shes my daughter.”
Tests confirmed it. Gregs girlfriend, Elena, stood by him in court.
Rebecca clung to Alices hand, terrified shed be taken away.
***
“Dad, can I live with Gran?”
“What if she says no?”
“She wont. Shes lonely.”
“And Im not?”
“Youve got Elena.”
Rebecca walked hand-in-hand with her granddaughter, uncaring of gossip. Shed found her joy.
Greg grew close to Alice, though he and Elena parted ways.
“Dad, was it because of me?”
“Never. Id choose you over anyone. Wish Grandad couldve met you.”
At parents’ evening, Greg met Alices teachernow, Alice walked to school with both her grandmother *and* her mother.
“Hard having teachers for family?” her friends teased.
“Nah. Its brilliant,” Alice laughed.
“How did I live without her?” Greg murmured. “Diana, forgive me. Ill never leave her again.”
Sometimes, Alice still visited her grandmothercleaning, cooking, scolding her to stop drinking.
The woman wept, kissing Alices hands.
“My granddaughter, my blood,” she sobbed, swearing to quit*tomorrow*.
