“Look, heres the dealeither you help me get Vickys parental rights taken away, or I walk out, and you sort this mess yourselves.”
“Emily, for heavens sake! Shes your sister! My daughter!” Mum threw her hands up, then clutched her chest.
“And what am I? Not your daughter?” Emilys voice cracked with hurt. “Sometimes I think I dont even matter to you Cant you see whats happening? Ive grown to love little Alfie, and youeither help me, or Ill do it alone. But I wont let this go.”
Mum looked away, torn between them all. Dad just kept stirring his tea, scowling. Emily, realising shed lost them again, stood up and walked to her room.
It was obviousher parents had chosen. And it wasnt her. Or Alfie.
Emily started packing, though she didnt have much. Her chest ached, but she knew she had to do this.
But how do you stay strong when a little boy clings to your legs, sobbing?
“Mummy, dont leave” Alfie begged, watching her pack.
*Mummy.* The word cut deep. Emily sighed, knelt down, and forced a smile.
“Im not leaving *you*, Alfie,” she whispered, hugging him. “Im leaving so things can be better for us one day. Ill come back. For good. I promise.”
Alfie cried, not understanding why his favourite auntthe one he called Mummywas walking away. He clung to her clothes so tightly she couldnt leave until he fell asleep. Only late that night did she finally slip out, silent as a ghost.
In that moment, Emily *hated* Vicky. She was the one whod forced them all into this nightmare.
Vicky had been wild since sixteen. First, shed come home late, then she started staying out overnight”at a friends.” Everyone knew what that meant.
Shed stumble back, smeared mascara, slurring or crying. And Mum and Dad would fuss over her like she was some fragile doll, soothing and coddling.
A pregnancy was inevitable. At seventeen, Vicky got knocked upcouldnt even name the father. Just some “bloke from a party.”
Alfie was born. Vicky quickly realised motherhood wasnt for her. First, she left him overnight, then vanished completely.
“Im still young. I wont throw my life away,” shed told Emily over the phone when pressed.
So the “life” fell to Emily. Grandad barely caredmaybe bought a toy now and then. Grandma helped, but she worked.
Emily was eighteen. She switched to part-time uni to care for a baby. She became his second motherliterally. She even christened him.
It was hard. *So* hard. Night feeds, sleepless nights, lugging a pram up stairs, exams on no sleep. She studied when Alfie napped, took on choresher parents were always working.
By six months, shed adjusted. Then Vicky came backtearful, begging forgiveness.
“I was so stupid Itll be different now”
They all believed her. Even Emily. For a month, Vicky actually spent time with Alfie. Then the novelty wore off. She vanished againthis time, with Mums jewellery.
“Shes just struggling,” Mum excused. “Shell come back. She needs time.”
Emily stopped believing. Once was bad lucktwice was a pattern. But what could she do? Her parents lived in a fantasy where Vicky deserved endless chances. She couldnt just take Alfie and disappear.
So Emily carried on. Studied, raised Alfie, took him to nursery and doctors appointments. Hoped Vicky wouldnt return.
Then, four years later, Vicky reappeared.
“I thought he loved me. Thought wed live together, take Alfie But he used me. I had no job, no friendshad to *survive*.” She batted her lashes at their parents.
“Survived well, judging by your waistline,” Emily muttered.
Mum shot her a look. The spotlight swung back to poor, tragic Vicky.
The worst came when Emily brought Alfie home from nursery. Grandma nudged him toward Vicky. Alfie cried, hiding behind Emily.
“Oh, come on!” Grandma cooed. “This is your mummy!”
“Thats not Mummy! *Shes* Mummy!” Alfie clung tighter.
“Emilys just your aunt. Vickys your real mum,” Grandma insisted.
Emilys heart shatteredfor Alfie, for the words, for the cycle starting again.
And it did.
Vicky lived off them for two months, jobless.
“Ive got Alfie. Whod hire me? Its like Im on maternity leave,” shed say.
Then she vanished. Again. No explanation. Just photos later with some bloke twice her age.
*”Ah. Another pub mate,”* Emily thought.
No hope left shed stay gone. But what to do?
She confided in her best mate, Lucy.
“Easy. Get her rights stripped. Theyll check, see shes never been a mum, and youll sort the rest.”
Emily hesitated.
“What if they take Alfie? And Mum and Dadll go mad.”
“Then wait for Vicky to wreck him again. Up to you. But shell keep doing this. And one day, Alfiell owe her *child support.*” Lucy lowered her voice. “Youve spent years on your family When do *you* get to live?”
Emily had forgotten herself. She used to dateuntil lads bolted when they heard she had a “kid.”
Only Tom, her uni mate, stuck around. But she was too buried in family drama.
After talking to Lucy, she gave him a chance.
And it was easy. With Tom, she wasnt just a carer. He listened. Helped.
She went to him after the ultimatumjust to vent. But he surprised her.
“Ive said it beforelets move in. Maybe nows the time?”
“I cant. Alfie”
“Whats the issue? Well make it work.”
Emily stared.
“But hes not yours”
“Em,” Tom cut in, “I knew what I was signing up for. If hes yours, hes mine too.”
Something melted in her chest. Hope flickeredmaybe life wasnt just cleaning up Vickys messes.
The next six months were hell. Social services, paperwork Worse, she couldnt take Alfie straight away. He cried, missed her.
“Stealing your sisters child!” Mum spat.
“Like she ever wanted him,” Emily shot back.
They shut her out. Everyone didexcept Tom and her friends.
But after the storm, comes calm.
Years later, Emily sat on a park bench, watching Alfie teach his little sister, Daisy, to kick a ball. Tom squeezed her shoulder.
Shed heard nothing from Vicky latelydidnt care to. Same old story: men, parties. Losing Alfie was just another sob story for their parents.
They never forgave her. Fine. “If they want to coddle Vicky forever, let them,” Emily thought. “Ill take care of the ones who *actually* need me.”
