The mother left them at the orphanage right after New Years Day The girls wept. They had been home-raised children. While their mother busied herself with her love lifesomething she did constantlythe sisters, Emily and Lily, had lived with their grandmother. But the grandmother passed away on Boxing Day, and their mother sent them away. No, she wasnt recklessshe didnt drink or even smoke. But wasnt it unfair that her ex-husband lived as he pleased while she was left to raise two burdens alone?
Their mother unbuttoned Lilys coat and murmured, Stop crying. Its just how things turned outwhat am I supposed to do? Youll be fine here, youll see! Lily, just three years old, was too young to understand, but the coldness in her mothers eyes and the frightened tears streaking seven-year-old Emilys face told her something was terribly wrong. The mother hissed, Dont shame meIm not abandoning you. Ill sort myself out and come back. Ill fetch you at Easter! The girls sniffled but quietedtheir mother had promised.
Adjusting to the orphanage was hard, though the caretakers doted on them for their gentleness and quiet intelligence, and for the way they clung to each other. Emily, with her serious dark eyes, won hearts easily, while little Lily was round-cheeked and sweet as a button. Lily tugged at Emilys sleeve. Whens Easter coming? Will Mummy take us home then? Patiently, Emily explained, Easters a spring holidayremember how Gran used to paint eggs? Lily nodded solemnly, but tiny tears pricked her lashes at the memory of their grandmother.
Emily, too, wanted to know when Easter would arrive. She asked Miss Harriet, one of the carers, who was puzzledmost children waited for Father Christmas or birthdays. Still, she gave Emily a small calendar. See this circled date? Thats Easter. Cross off each day until then. So Emily did, watching the chain of numbers shrink.
On Easter morning, Lily rushed to Emily, clutching a red egg. Mummys coming today! Arent you happy? Emily wasat first. But when evening came and their mother didnt appear, she soothed Lily. The roads must be awful. The bus probably got stuck. Shell come tomorrow. Lily swallowed her tears, but their mother never arrived, though the girls invented excuses for her every day.
Then one morning, Lily was gone. The carers said her mother had taken her. Years later, Emily learned shed been officially disowned. But luck found herher fathers sister, Aunt Margaret, tracked her down. Kind and warm, Aunt Margaret became the mother Emily needed, stitching up the wounds in her heart. She tried not to think of Lilyso young shed remember nothing.
Years passed. Emily trained as a nurse, married, had a son. Life was modest but happy. Then, a letter arrivedfrom Lily.
*Dear sister, you probably dont remember me? I only recall your braids and those checkered slippers. Id love to see you! Weve moved backcould I visit?*
Emily agreed, though it struck her as oddinviting oneself over.
Lily arrived in a blue jacket, limping badly but beaming, waving wildly in the station crowd. She hugged Emily tight, weeping. I knew it was you straight away! Emily grumbled that Lily was still a crybaby, though her own eyes stung.
Over dinner, Lily explained: Dont blame Mum. Her new husband, Uncle Simon, said hed take her with childrenbut she was scared to bring us both. Then they had a son, then a daughterlittle Violet, so perfect! But Uncle Simons a good carpenter, we even go to the seaside sometimes. Oh! In Year Seven, a bull tossed mejust me, thank God. Thats why I limp. Your pies lovelymay I have the recipe?
Emily asked, Do you work? Study? Any sweethearts? Youre so pretty!
Lily flushed. I was in hospital so long I help at home, or with Uncle Simons accounts. Mums a clerk now. As for friendswell, the limp But I dont mind.
Emily insisted Lily stay the night. Later, she glimpsed Lilys neatly folded clothesclean but threadbare, mended many times. No hospital orderly would wear such things, let alone to visit.
At 3 a.m., Emily woke her husband. Drive me to Willowbrook. Now. He grumbled but obeyed. On the way, she explained.
She found her mothers house easily. Her heart hammered as she knocked. The woman who answered didnt recognize herbut Emily knew that face, still elegant despite the years. Good morning, Mum. Here we are.
Her mother greeted her like a nuisance, not a long-lost daughter. Wheres Lily? Tell her to come homethe children need breakfast, and the place is a mess.
Emily kept her voice steady. Lilys staying with me. Pack her things. And give her some moneyIll get her a job, sort her leg out. Shes too lovely to limp.
Her mother jutted her chin. Get out. Well fetch Lily ourselves.
Emily shook her head. Not Lily*Lily-Belle*. Call your cow Lily. Youll milk her yourself now. Want me to gather the whole village? Let them hear how the upstanding clerk abandoned her girls?
Her mother scowled, slammed the door. Half an hour later, a wiry man emerged with a backpack. Im Simon. Lilys things. Tell her well send money. Shes been Cinderella long enough.
As Emily walked back, she thought: Life isnt simple. But is *simple* even hard? For men not to drink or stray, for mothers not to discard children for new men, for siblings to remember each other.
Just to be *human*was that so difficult?
