My granddaughter
It wasnt that the girl annoyed herno, but she repelled her somehow.
Scruffy, with messy plaits, a crumpled school uniform, and a crookedly sewn collar and cuffs. The girl was unkempt, with a haunted look.
Rachel wincedwhy had she even thought of that slovenly child? She set aside her favourite éclair. Where was George? Hed promised to come earlytoday was the anniversary of Edwards passing
She thought she heard a knock at the door.
“Whos there? George, is that you? Forget your keys again?”
“Miss Rachel, you left your keys on the chair.”
“What? What keys?”
Rachel opened the door and saw that same girl. What was this?
“Sedley? What keys? How did you know where I live? Have you been following me?”
The girl shook her head. She wore a shabby hat, a worn-out coat with a stain on the pocket, sagging tights, and shoes nearly falling apart.
Only now did Rachel notice how beautiful the girls eyes weredeep blue, framed by thick black lashes.
Shed recently started teaching at the school, called in for English literature after retiring from the college. A year of sitting idle had been unbearable Strange girl, this onenever mingled with the others. What was her name? Alice? Yes, Alice Sedley.
“Miss Rachel, you left your keys on the chair. I called after you, but you didnt hear.”
“What keys? Ohthank you goodness. I mustve forgotten to put them in my bag. Getting old, I suppose.” She felt an odd urge to joke.
“Youre not old,” the girl said seriously. “Just in a hurry, probably.”
“Thank you Alice.”
“Youre welcome. Goodbye, Miss Rachel.”
“Goodbye”
Rachel closed the door pensively, then suddenly rememberedshe flung it open and heard soft footsteps as the girl descended the stairs.
“Alice,” Rachel called down. The girl looked up. “How did you know where I live?”
“I live next door. I often see you going to work or coming home. Sometimes I walk behind youtheres that dog by the corner. I stay close so he wont growl at me. He snarls when I smell of catsI feed the strays in the basement. I call him Rex. Hes homeless.”
“And the address I asked the ladies on the bench where you lived. Told them you worked at our school. We ride the same bus”
What a strange girl, Rachel thought. Is she stalking me?
“Fancy some tea?” she asked abruptly. The girl agreed instantly.
Odd and ill-manneredshe ought to have refused.
Rachel poured the tea. “Are you hungry?”
The girl shook her head, but Rachel knew better. Why am I bothering with her?
“Tell you whatlets eat together. I hate dining alone, and George my sons running late.”
She grew flustered, pulling food from the fridge. The girl ate neatly but ravenously.
“Thank you,” Alice said, eyeing the leftovers. “I should go. Your cookings lovely.”
Goodness, a child so hungry shed praise my cooking
She packed the leftovers in a container, added some sweets, and handed them over.
“You shouldnt have but she took them.”
After the girl left, Rachel scolded herselfthis wasnt professional. What if the girl hugged her at school tomorrow? Or thanked her loudly for the food?
George arrived the next morning, guilt in his eyes.
“What was yesterday?” she asked sternly.
“Thursday, Mum. Todays Friday.”
“Dont be cheeky, George.”
“Oh, now its serious. Im thirty, Mum.”
“It was your fathers anniversary. He didnt deserve this.”
“Mum he wouldnt care if we ate yesterday or today. Lets do it tonight. Im knackeredday off.”
“Up all night, were you? Doing what?”
“You really want to know?”
Grumpy, Rachel went to work.
She waited waited for the girl to acknowledge her. But Alice passed by with only a curt greeting.
Cheeky little thing.
Rachel spent the day trying to corner herwas the girl avoiding her?
After work, she walked slowly, hoping to spot her. No luck.
Three days later, near the bus stop, Rachel heard a scream.
The girl.
She rushed overa mangy mutt had clamped onto Alices sleeve, tearing at her shabby coat.
“Get off!” Rachel shooed the dog away. “Alice, are you hurt?”
The girls frightened eyes made her heart clench.
“He he went for the kitten. Wanted to to tear it apart.”
Alice burst into tears.
“Hush, its over. Youre safe. Taking it home?”
“No.”
“Most children your age”
Rachel stopped herself. This girl was different.
“I cant. They wont let me. Ill hide it under the stairs if they dont chase it out again.”
“Who?”
“Them.”
“Right.” Rachel sighed.
At school, she asked about Alice. The maths teacher, old Miss Penelope, was the only one who knew.
“Troubled family. Mother and stepfather drink. Or maybe its the grandmother”
“How was she enrolled?”
“Dunno.” Miss Penelope shrugged.
Rachel finally caught Alice leaving school, her coat clumsily mended. Her heart sank.
She followed the girl, who warily skirted the spot where a big-eared stray lurked.
Outside a block of flats, Alice stopped, sat on a bench, and pulled out her books.
Was she doing homework out here?
Rachel went home, where she argued with George again.
Hed divorced two years agono kids. Now he drifted. Natasha had been lovely, suited Rachel fine but hed called her dull.
Now hed found someone “exciting.”
Rachel stepped out for air.
“Alice Alice!” A raspy, drunken voice slurred. “Wheres that wretched girl?”
Rachel approached. A dishevelled womanmiddle-aged, with eyes just like Alicesstood by the door.
Mother or grandmother?
“Excuse me”
“What?”
“Are you Alice Sedleys family?”
“Piss off.”
“Im her teacher. Where is she?”
“Asleep inside.” The woman turned and left.
“Alice can you hear me? Come out, dont be scared.”
The girl emerged from behind the bins.
“Come home with me.”
“Shell punish me later.”
“She wont dare.”
“Ill end up in care if she loses custody.”
“Who is she to you?”
“My nan.”
“Wheres your mother?”
“Gone.”
“Gone where?”
“Four years now.”
“Did she drink too?”
“No. We were happy. But she got sick. Ive no one else. They handed me to Nan and her husband. She gets money for me.”
“I see. Come with me. Well sort this.”
“I cant. Theyll take me away.”
“I said well sort it.”
George was home, packing for a trip. He eyed the girl.
“Whos this?”
“Alice.”
The girl stared at him.
He glanced at his mother. “Overnight?”
“Dont know yet”
In the morning, Rachel let the girl sleep in, then fed her.
“Lets go.”
“Where? The childrens home?”
“The shops.”
George emerged, thoughtful. “Whered you find her?”
“My student.”
“Ah.”
At the shops, Rachel picked out new clothes. The girl blossomedlike a doll.
“What a lovely granddaughter,” the cashier said. “Looks just like you.”
Rachel smiled, inexplicably joyful.
“Well bin these.”
“No!” Alice clutched her old clothes. “Theyll sell them for drink and beat me. I shouldnt have come.”
“What then?”
“Dunno.”
“Café?”
“With you?”
“Why not?”
“Can you bake cakes?”
“Er not really.”
“Mum and I used to. Before she got sick.”
“Lets try. Need ingredients?”
“If youre missing stuff”
Rachel hadnt felt this happy in years. They baked, laughed, drank teauntil George returned.
Blast. For the first time, she wished hed stayed away.
“I should go,” Alice said.
“Ill walk you.”
“Whats your name?” George asked.
“Alice. I told you, George,” Rachel snapped.
“Did she send you?”
He stared at the girl. She shook her head.
“Gone four years Dad.”
“George? Explain this. Alice, wait.”
The girl froze.
“Whats going on? Who sent you? Do you know each other?”
The story was old as time.
“Mum, remember Diana Sedley? Shes her mother.”
“No.”
“Dianatwo years younger. Her mum drank. Lived nearby. We were well, I loved her. Puppy love.”
“And Alice?”
“She never told me. I was with Natasha by thenyou liked her, same crowd”
“When did you find out?”
“When I saw her. Shes your double.”
“I was with Natasha. Ran into Diana. She said we had a daughterI didnt believe her. Drove her off, Mum. Yes, Id have taken the child. Im not a monster.”
“But you did abandon her.”
“I didnt believe her. Three years passed. Alice you know me?”
“Yes. I saw your photo when I brought the keys. I knew then”
“I wont send her back, Mum. I dont care what you do. Alice, come here. Shes my granddaughter.”
The DNA test confirmed it. Georges girlfriend, Elena, stood by him in court.
Rachel held Alices hand, terrified shed be snatched away.
“Dad, can I live with Gran?”
“What if she says no?”
“She wont shes lonely.”
“And me? Im not lonely?”
“Youve got Elena”
Rachel walked hand-in-hand with her granddaughter, uncaring of gossip. Shed found her joy.
George grew close to his daughter. Eventually, he and Elena parted ways.
“Dad was it because of me?”
“Dont be daft. Id never trade you. Wish Grandad could see you.”
At a parents evening, George met Alices teacher. Now, Alice goes to school with both grandmother and mother.
“Isnt it hard, having your mum and gran as teachers?” classmates ask.
“Nah. Its brilliant,” Alice laughs.
“How did I live without her?” George murmurs. “Diana, forgive me. Ill never fail her.”
Sometimes Alice visits her other grandmothercleans, cooks, scolds them to quit drinking.
The old woman weeps, kissing her granddaughters hands.
“My girl, my flesh and blood,” the second grandmother sobs, swearing to change.
